Thursday, May 28, 2015

Blooming in Africa

        A few posts ago I wrote about the process of being uprooted and replanted in a new culture. At the time I wrote that post I was definitely a little "droopy" and struggling in the transplanting process. I realized today that I am starting to bloom again. Praise God! I still have a ways to go, but language and cultural adjustments have really improved over the last few months. For the past 8 weeks I have been teaching full-time in our nurse's aide course. This has really pushed my language development and ability to speak. I am learning so much medical terminology and feel more at home with my new "tongue". Still having problems with the "r's", but overall pronunciation is so much better. I started teaching Sunday school 5 weeks ago and am teaching through the old testament. These children have never heard the stories in the old testament, so it's been such a joy to expose them to Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Enoch, and Noah. Next week- the tower of Babel, which should be interesting. Last week after hearing the story of Noah, 8 children raised their hands to receive Christ. The old testament is so rich, and there are so many images of Christ (like the ark), that children can't help but respond to it's teachings. I am also doing story time, craft time in the Pediatrics ward almost every Thursdays, unless I am teaching. I love being involved with these kids and getting to know the families that are there for  a long time. Today I gave a new testament to a mom who has been there with her child for about 3 months. She is exhausted, discouraged, and needed some encouragement. Her eyes filled with tears as she held that small bible in her hands. Also today one of my students shared her testimony with a young man after taking his vital signs. It's amazing to work alongside and teach such dedicated young men and women. Tomorrow is our last day in clinical with them, and they graduate next Wednesday. I have to admit that I will miss them so much, and have gotten to know each one with them.
         So thank you for all your prayers and encouragement through posts and e-mails. God is hearing your prayers and I am so thankful for your support. A few things that I would appreciate continued prayer about:
1) my right knee- last year I had a stress fractured that occurred on the top of my tibia, and I think it has reoccurred. I have had two steroid injections which have only helped for a little while. I am waiting to get an appointment in Libreville for an MRI.
2) the bugs- I ran out of my good bug repellant, and so they are eating me alive! As of today I have 30 bites in different parts of my body, and often wake up at night with different parts itching terribly! Not life threatening, but VERY annoying!
3) For all the missionaries here- they has been a lot of spiritual attack in the form of injuries and physical illness. Satan would love to stop us, but we're not willing to give in to him. I know that Christ will have the victory, but in the meantime, it's stressful and tiring.
4) I still have a long way to go in understanding the Gabonese. It's getting better, but so often I don't understand the things they say to me.


I think that's all for now. Love you all. I think of you and pray for you often!



Saturday, May 2, 2015

Remembering Bob

         5 years ago today my life changed in a dramatic way. My husband of 36 years went to be with the Lord after a long battle with cancer. Today, I would like to honor him with some wonderful memories that I have, and also talk about my journey during the last 5 years. First of all, I still think of him and miss him every day. But thankfully the heavy grief has passed, and now I only cry once in a while. The Lord has replaced the sadness with memories and gratefulness for a life with Bob. I'll start with saying that life with Bob was sometimes complicated! He was a complex guy and our journey together had many ups and downs. Thankfully God kept us glued together and we stayed faithful to each other and loved each other to the end. If I had never met and lived with Bob Freeman I would be a very different person today. I tend to be shy, quiet and very serious. Bob was relaxed, fun loving and very outgoing. God used him in my life to teach me to not take everything so seriously and to enjoy life. He had a great love for people and life, and he helped me in breaking out of my shyness. He could meet a person, and within 10 minutes, you felt like his lifelong friend! Oh, how he loved to talk to people. I would usually have to drag him out of church or gatherings, because he was enjoying himself so much with all the lively conversation! He was artistic and creative, two qualities that elude me. I loved watching him draw and create things that would just pop into his mind. I, on the other hand, am lucky to be able to draw stick-figures! He loved our boys so fiercely, and his grandkids too. I think the hardest thing for him at the end was knowing that he would not see the grandkids grow-up, go to college, get married, and all the other life events.
        What do I miss most about our marriage? Someone to talk to at the end of the day, someone to pray with and confide in (knowing he knew me completely and utterly), someone to walk with and hold hands, enjoying and talking about our family, traveling with him (we both loved to travel so much!), hearing him talk and laugh. What I would give to talk to him one more time! Well, someday in heaven, we will have a long talk. Bob Freeman, you were a one-of-a-kind person, and I thankful to have shared so much of my life with you!
       So, the journey during the last 5 years has also had it's ups and downs. Grief is so hard to work through. I know that some of my dear friends are walking that hard road right now, and I am praying for you. God is faithful, lean on Him, and he will see you through. This process has brought me so close to my Lord. I depend on Him more and more each day. He truly is my husband now, and I rely on Him for everything. He has brought me to a great place, serving Him in Africa. I could have never, in a million years imagined this is what I would be doing at the age of 60. But life with God is exciting and fresh, and full of surprises!
      A few updates before I leave you; I have been teaching classes for the past 4 weeks in French to nurse's aides. It has really pushed my language learning, my medical terminology, and my understanding of the spoken French here in Gabon. I still have a long way to go, but am so pleased with the progress God is giving me, and the hope of what is still to come. I have found a home church, in the village of Moukoundo. I will be teaching Sunday school every other week (working with a national here- one of our former RN students), and driving the new pastor and his wife there (they are replacing Terry and Barry, who have gone on home assignment for a year). I have taken on some of the other responsibilities that Terry performed at the hospital, and also go to Pediatrics most Thursdays to share the gospel, teach bible stories, play with, and do crafts with the kids and their parents. So my days are full, and I am feeling such a purpose and fulfillment here!
      So the moral of this story is, there can be goodness and fulfillment even after experiencing a huge loss. Don't give up on life or God. He has turned my morning into dancing (see Psalm 30:11). In honor of Bob, I will leave with one of his favorite sayings, "Catch you later, bye"!