June 16th 2004

I believe that this flight to Africa has been the longest hours of my life!  I sat next to a bunch of older kids on the trip so I didn’t get a chance to talk much.  The plane was huge; it had about 88 rows and adjustable TV’s on the back of every seat.  The food they served us was really nasty and it was frozen, I couldn’t even pull apart the bread.  After enduring the flight we met up with the rest of my team (we had half go to New York and the rest met at Atlanta for the connecting flights).  We have about 125 kids all together, pretty big group. Most of the kids are going to Botswana… Some are heading towards South Africa.  After the luggage pickup we got on a bus for one hour and 15 minutes.  We arrived safely to our training camp In Harris Smith (I think that is what it is called) South Africa.  The session tonight was great, and I loved the worship!  But it is lights out and everyone is telling me to turn off my flashlight.  So goodnight!

June 18th 2004

Oh my gosh!  I had an incredible time, God really moved in all of us.  We had REAL tribal dancers come and dance to our worship songs.  They were so amazing.  Then at the end they came and pulled girls out of the audience to dance with them.  They pulled me and my friend Sarah.  Sarah and I were laughing the whole time.  We danced in front of a huge bon fire under the stars.  Tonight we had made these wrist bands that we wrote on.  It was supposed to have everything that represented us.  So when we were gathered around the fire our lead speaker told us to rip them off and throw them in the fire.  We were throwing away our old lives and beginning of a new one.  We were trading ourselves in and working for God.  I do have to say I cried some and it was for a good reason though.  Also tomorrow we leave the camp for Botswana!  I am kind of sad to leave then again I am so excited to go and minister!  I feel so much closer to God and we haven’t even begun ministering yet. Well lights out and tomorrow we get to wake up at 3 a.m.

June 20th 2004

Ok this is a very long story…Last night we pulled in somewhere at 2 a.m.  We found out we have been traveling the wrong direction for the past five hours!  We headed off in the morning, we were all happy because we saw a herd of elephants, gazelle, zebras, giraffe, and baboons!  But as soon as we got our spirits raised the bus broke down.  Everyone got off and the drivers fixed it.  So next we stop in this town for lunch, and two little boys run to our bus and start winking at the girls.  They were so cute!  Then they got two more friends and they all started winking.  We got out and talked to them, they taught us handshakes and we taught them some too.  Then our leaders bought us chicken for lunch, and I saw the two little boys watching us eat boxes of food when they looked starved.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of them so I stood up marched off the bus and handed them my lunch; all of the sudden the rest of the bus had followed me and they too gave away their lunches.  We gave 4 little boys about 50 boxes of chicken and fries.  We said our goodbyes and then we were off.  We hit a donkey shortly after leaving then we were driving really fast when our tire blew out, causing us to swerve all over the road.  We got off the bus, held hands and everyone prayed because we all knew that it had to be Satan.  After two hours of fixing the tires we sang songs and we forgot about what happened.  Then my friend Micah had an asthma attack.  We got him through it by God's grace.  But what do you know, next our bus breaks down again.  Ten things happened to us and that 15 hour bus ride turned into a 40 hour bus ride! We know we are going to do some amazing things that Satan doesn’t want to happen.  Though for the lighter side of things, when we are traveling on our bus and we pass Africans; they drop everything they have and jump up and down waving at us.  It seems that we are truly welcome here.  We finally made it to camp and it is time for bed, but what an adventure!

June 22nd 2004

Oh my gosh!  We went to minister today and it was unexplainable!  I am working with David, Claire, and Rose. We didn’t get to go to the schools today but we do on Thursday.  We went hut to hut instead.  We pretty much talked to people about God and what he has done in our lives.  Fourteen out of the 15 adults we witnessed to today were saved!  And 30 kids were as well…Just from the four of us!  Then we also saw such horrible sickness.  Like AIDS, Hepatitis, mental illness, and paralyzed people.  But I met a lot of kids and they sat in my lap.  Two little boys in particular were my favorite!  They loved touching my face and hair, and I gave then my candy corn and took pictures of them.  But now for the hilarious stuff!  We went to this one hut and an older woman said that David and Rose look alike; that David should marry her daughter.  Also that I should marry her brother!  That was so funny!  We have our first service projects tomorrow!  Then ministering Thursday, well lights out!

June 24th 2004

Today we went into the schools to teach AIDS awareness.  Not a single person believed I was 13, they all thought I was 20!  The ministry time was wonderful, many kids accepted Christ and committed to abstinence. It was awesome!  Once we finished with the schools, we went over our statistics and we taught 4 classes. Around 50 kids in each class got saved and committed to abstinence.  God really moved through us to reach these kids.  I think after teaching every part of my face and hair was touched!  They are very touchy people.  Oh, one funny thing, in one of the classes a guy liked me I guess.  When I introduced myself and said my name he replied “Lindsay!  You can have my heart!”  It was so cute yet embarrassing.  Everyone is very polite though; a little shy at first then if you talk to them they love you.  Well after the AIDS awareness we were allowed to go into a hospital and pray for people.  No one in my group would lay their hands on or pray for the kids, they were all afraid they would get sick.  Yet for many of then I felt the need to hold their hands and hug them.  I couldn’t help it.  Many of the babies were so sick and skinny their skin was wrinkly and like bones with no fat.  They looked so fragile.  It made my heart break and I couldn’t help but crying for these kids.  We reached every room then we went outside and talked to people out there.  We passed by a group of seven women I felt like God told me to stop and talk to them.  My group didn’t want too but I did it anyway.  I showed them the heart chart and explained to them who God is and how he can help anyone.  Finally I led ALL seven women to God!  When we asked if they had any questions they said, “No, we are just very happy that this girl showed us God today!”  That’s awesome!  Well I am so worn out I better go to bed!  Oh BTW I got a nickname from my two favorite translators, Tshiti (CD) and James.  I am called Lindsay Nanna, which translates to Baby Lindsay since I am the youngest on the entire trip.

June 26th 2004

Today we got to take our first shower since 6 days ago! YUCK! We all stink, ha!  But our showers were only 3 minutes then they forced us out!  I barely got to get clean.  But anyway I was talking to CD and James today and they said that the village we are going to is by a huge river and is very remote.  I think the river is called the Delta.  We leave tomorrow to go and teach VBS for 1,300 kids!!!!  I also found out what the name Lindsay is in Setswana (the language spoken in Botswana), Kagiso, their word for peace because Lindsay means peace. In Setswana they don't have names such as Rachel, Tiffany, or anything like that. They would have names like Mercy or Blessed.  Well I have to pack for VBS now. Every tent is only allowed one bag for the week - that means between the five of us we need to fit everything into one bag.  Yeah, that is going to be difficult!

June 28th 2004

We taught VBS today!  There were so many kids there and all of them wanted to sit in your lap or hold your hand.  I am in the Bible story group, so I will be telling the story of how Jesus died for us on the cross.  Tonight I had a very incredible and thought provoking experience during worship.  While we sang the song “You Said,” I went off by myself to worship.  I always do during that song because it touches me so much and I wanted some alone time with God.  Well I got far enough in the back and I lifted my hands to the sky and looked up there were million upon millions of stars.  But all of the sudden my knees shook uncontrollably.  It was the strangest feeling ever! I can’t explain how my emotions were feeling; they were all in a whirl.  My knees finally gave out and I fell to the ground, my body shook and tears built up.  I began to bawl, just bawl.  Then all of the sudden a thought came into my head, it was more like a phrase.  Though I did not think it, I knew that this had to be God.  The phrase was “You have now just felt the smallest portion possible of how my heart breaks for these people.”  I sat there amazed and I thought about it, later on I felt as if this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  This was my purpose.  I am supposed to continue to do missions in Africa and later on full-time missions.  This blew me away and I didn’t know what to do.  I spent most of the night praying.  I still can’t get over what happened!

June 29th 2004

As I sat on a grassy hill watching the sunrise while having my quiet time; I realized how beautiful God really is.  This sunrise felt like a new beginning for me, I am starting a new life.  I am going hut to hut, and then teaching VBS.  While going hut to hut we met seven kids and four ladies.  Three of the women attended a cult church called Zion.  The women were not allowed to give their names to us.  The witch doctors (who are very evil men) control the churches.  We prayed over the house, because there was nothing we could do without offending them.  We left the house sadly.  During VBS I told my story today, I was nervous in front on 300 kids but I did it!  While making arts and crafts, I began to realize how much we truly affect these kids.  We asked them to draw their most favorite thing in the entire world.  The one thing they loved the most, and would always remember.  About 10 different kids came up to me to show their drawings.  Every single one had the exact same one, it was a large truck.  I asked what the truck meant; they told me it was our truck.  We were their most loved and favorite thing in the entire world.  My heart broke. I smiled and hugged each one so tight!  Isn’t it amazing how God works through us?  He uses us to touch one another, whether across the world or right next door! 

June 30th 2004

I had the most exhilarating experience today!  We stopped by a young lady's house and asked her if she would like us to do any chores.  She was extremely shy and wouldn’t let us do anything.  She was 16 and she had a two year old baby!  Both of them have TB (Tuberculosis); she let us pray for her and her little girl.  The mother was very sick and she could barely walk. She has never slept for more than two hours straight.  She prayed to receive Christ.  I am just wondering how she could have had a baby at 14 years old. And the dad left her to take care of it.  I don’t know how she could live with it!  After we left we went back to camp for the infamous “Relationship talk.”  That was interesting.  But time to go, til tomorrow!

June 31st 2004

Today we returned to the young lady's house.  We were supposed to be on a prayer walk, so we did not have a translator with us.  We saw her sitting there and Suzanne and I went up to say hello.  When we started talking she all of the sudden started speaking English!  She spoke none just yesterday!  I am not even sure if she knew she was speaking English.  She told us that God healed her that night after we left!!!!!!  She is doing so much better. After we left she told us she slept for nine hours in a row for the very first time!  She also was walking all around and she was so much better!  I was amazed!!!  I couldn’t believe my eyes!!  God had used us to heal her. I have never felt this happy in my entire life!  I have never felt so proud!  That is the big news today and I am expecting more to come!

July 4th 2004 Happy Fourth of July!!!

It is the fourth of July and we are going back to Maun.  We have to say goodbye to our translators.  I am so sad, I loved them. They became like my big brothers and sisters!  I may never see them again.  It felt weird saying goodbye to them, they are my family.  I did get their numbers and e-mails since they go to school. Today we attended a local church and my friend Dustin led the worship.  We also gave them what we call Samaritan purses, Christmas in July gifts!  They have never received such things. Seeing their faces light up and their beautiful smiles made it all worthwhile.  When we left on the bus many of the people in the village were crying.  They truly loved us as we loved them.  This has really been the best time of my life.

July 9th 2004