So, this year is the year for the book of 1st Peter. It seems as though most of the things I have learned or heard this year have had to do with 1st Peter. I don't think I've ever had a year where the main focus was on one book of the Bible, but I must say I do like it. :)
Yesterday I was reading the 1st chapter again and two verses I've read multiple times caught my attention, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (vs. 6-7). For the first time, one little phrase was brought to my attention... “if need be.” The reason that seems so profound to me is because that phrase is also followed by “you have been grieved by various trials.” Therefore, that tells me that if I face trials, it's because there was a need to learn something. And if I allow God to do what He wants through that trial (instead of complaining and causing problems), then it should cause me to rejoice because it will strengthen my faith, which is “more precious than gold.” So, instead of me having the bad attitude that I have now about my circumstances, I should look at it as “Okay, I'm going through a trial right now. What's the need? What do I need to learn here? How does God want me to respond to this trial?” And maybe this will help me not be so ugly on the inside. Right now I hate the way I'm being on the inside... it's just plain ugly. And being that I'm quite the transparent person, I don't do a very good job of hiding my ugly self. But, I've at least gotten to the point of recognizing it and am trying to submit that over to the Lord for Him to deal with. I'm going to have to do this moment by moment so that I don't revert back to being my ugly self. It'll be a struggle, though, because it's so much easier to act bad than good, but it's so much better for me to act good than bad. I need to get to the point in life when I do rejoice over trials. That is a hard one to do because I want my life to be easy and enjoyable all the time. But, if it's easy, then there's no growth required. And with growth comes maturity and wisdom... and that's what I truly want.
It's in the Valleys I Grow
-Author Unknown
Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.
If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.
I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.
I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.
My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross.
He went through the valley of death,
His victory was Satan's loss.
Forgive me Lord for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.
Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share Your love with others
And help them find their way.
Than You for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know,
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys I grow.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Pictures & Electricity Rations
Here are some pictures you can browse through for your enjoyment.
Saying my goodbyes: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113096&id=550306089&l=3de1a270d9 Sadly I didn't get any of my family. :(
My first week in Kenya: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113598&id=550306089&l=71593696d4
The Giraffe Center: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113994&id=550306089&l=857ef73ccd
School starts tomorrow and I'm feeling a bit better than last week, but not completely ready yet. There's still a lot I'd like to do, but I'm not going to kill myself over stressing about it because stress is seriously a killer. We had an open house/picnic on Saturday where we met some of the students and parents. It was good just to see how the next group of kids will be and how they act together.
So, due to the drought, the country of Kenya has decided to lay out a new program, electricity rations. The entire country is going to be out of electricity for 3 days per week. They haven't told us yet which specific days the electricity will be turned off, but last week it was off 4 days and some of those times were not planned. They turn it off from around 7am to 6 pm, so that changes things around when getting ready in the mornings. Putting on my makeup in the dark makes for an interesting new look. ;) It's just a new lifestyle to get used to, I guess. Not much you can do about it. It will remain this way until the rain comes. So that's our biggest prayer request right now. We're hoping it doesn't get to the point of them giving us water rations. At least the electricity rations are mainly during the days while we're at work and the school has a generator. If they end up happening on Saturdays, then that will be a different obstacle to get used to.
I drove to school this morning and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I drove my roommate's car and it went pretty well. We survived! The 2 roommates that are continuing teachers, share a car. So, my other roommate who is also new and also named Jennifer, we're trying to find a car to share as well. We went to the car bazaar yesterday and found some good deals. We're going to have our mechanic at school look at them for us and tell us if they're good or not. Most of the cars are Toyota's here, which I love. :) We've been told that public transportation is not very safe, so that we would need to share a car. The cars here are fairly decent, but the roads are not. There are potholes everywhere!
Well, don't have much more to share for right now. I'm going to give a quick shout out to my big brother, Joel, whose birthday was yesterday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOEL!!! Hope you had a super, duper day! Love ya!
To the rest of you, thanks again for your many prayers and for taking the time to read my blogs. It means the world to me.
Saying my goodbyes: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113096&id=550306089&l=3de1a270d9 Sadly I didn't get any of my family. :(
My first week in Kenya: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113598&id=550306089&l=71593696d4
The Giraffe Center: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113994&id=550306089&l=857ef73ccd
School starts tomorrow and I'm feeling a bit better than last week, but not completely ready yet. There's still a lot I'd like to do, but I'm not going to kill myself over stressing about it because stress is seriously a killer. We had an open house/picnic on Saturday where we met some of the students and parents. It was good just to see how the next group of kids will be and how they act together.
So, due to the drought, the country of Kenya has decided to lay out a new program, electricity rations. The entire country is going to be out of electricity for 3 days per week. They haven't told us yet which specific days the electricity will be turned off, but last week it was off 4 days and some of those times were not planned. They turn it off from around 7am to 6 pm, so that changes things around when getting ready in the mornings. Putting on my makeup in the dark makes for an interesting new look. ;) It's just a new lifestyle to get used to, I guess. Not much you can do about it. It will remain this way until the rain comes. So that's our biggest prayer request right now. We're hoping it doesn't get to the point of them giving us water rations. At least the electricity rations are mainly during the days while we're at work and the school has a generator. If they end up happening on Saturdays, then that will be a different obstacle to get used to.
I drove to school this morning and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I drove my roommate's car and it went pretty well. We survived! The 2 roommates that are continuing teachers, share a car. So, my other roommate who is also new and also named Jennifer, we're trying to find a car to share as well. We went to the car bazaar yesterday and found some good deals. We're going to have our mechanic at school look at them for us and tell us if they're good or not. Most of the cars are Toyota's here, which I love. :) We've been told that public transportation is not very safe, so that we would need to share a car. The cars here are fairly decent, but the roads are not. There are potholes everywhere!
Well, don't have much more to share for right now. I'm going to give a quick shout out to my big brother, Joel, whose birthday was yesterday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOEL!!! Hope you had a super, duper day! Love ya!
To the rest of you, thanks again for your many prayers and for taking the time to read my blogs. It means the world to me.
Monday, August 3, 2009
My First Week Living in Kenya
As of today, I have been living in Kenya for one week and school starts one week from today. I wanted to wait to write until I had pictures to share. But, it is quite the affair to upload photos. So, I'm in the process of figuring out how to do that more easily and then I will put them up. I figured I'd go ahead and write so as not to keep putting it off until forever just because of pictures. I know you all want to see photos, but you will have to be patient with me until I figure it out. Thanks! :)
The first couple of days of orientation were a bit overwhelming with learning about life in Kenya. Of course they are going to tell us of all the dangers to watch out for so that we're not going into life here completely blind. The list was longer than I had thought and so I became quite fearful. I kept thinking to myself, “What am I doing here? I don't know if I can do this. But, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God wants me here for SOME reason. So, I better suck it up and learn how to live.” I've pretty much thought that at least once a day so far. :)
I have gotten to see a lot of cool things and as time progresses, life here does get better and little by little it becomes more normal. The best way I can think to describe what the area looks like that I live in is this: large city with lots of people; many Africans walking on both sides of the road; all roads are only 2-lanes busy with lots of vehicles driving crazy; there are holes all over the roads so the ride is continuously bumpy; lots of pollution and dirt in the air; as opposed to us having concrete everywhere they have red/orange dirt instead (so no matter how hard you try, you're most likely going to be dirty); if you take our plants and give them steroids you could envision how gorgeous their plants look; vendors selling household items on the sides of the main roads; other vendors selling smaller items on smaller roads; you see apartment building after apartment building; every living area has a tall fence and a gate with a guard; even restaurants have fences, gates, and guards.
Here are a few things that I've noticed about life here so far (but I still have much more to learn): roses grow easily here so they are sold very cheap; water trucks carry clean water every so often because people run out (but I'm pretty sure you have to pay for it); the city will turn off the electricity in certain areas without warning; people do say hello and smile when you initiate it; you have to be an aggressive driver to survive here; you always have to filter your drinking water; their version of Walmart is called 'Nakumat'; their westernized mall is called 'Yaya'; a hair dryer costs 2,800 shillings which comes out to a little over $37 (YIKES); windows have bars on them; the part of the house where the bedrooms are has an extra metal door to lock in case intruders come in and you can still be safe. The most common form of transportation for people here is the 'matatu', which looks like a 15-passenger van loaded with over 20 people and they have the craziest drivers. Kenyans have very strong accents so it is difficult to understand their English. They seem very willing to help you with anything (not sure yet if that's because they want something in return). Every Monday night the local cinema has 'Mzuri (pronounced like Missouri) Monday Madness' where you pay $6.67 for popcorn, hot dog, soda, and movie. Good deal! Their version of 'Starbucks' is called 'Nairobi Java House' where they have the BEST coffee I think I've ever had (and I don't really even like coffee, but just use it for caffeine instead). You can also order food there and it's REALLY good. I already tried their beef burger and 'chips' (which are french fries). I think their 'chips' are better than our 'fries' because they actually taste more like potatoes/ homemade fries. You can also get free wireless there during non-peak hours. Kenyans don't use much sugar for anything. So, their desserts aren't very sweet. They do have a lot of the same things we have in the US, but you have to pay a lot more for them. The 'Masai Market' is every Sunday and you can barter pretty cheap for beautiful, hand crafted things. It's a great place to buy souvenirs. White people are called 'mzungus' (pronounced mizoongooz). If they don't know you, they will call you 'sister' or 'brother'. Since the buildings are made of concrete, you can hear EVERYTHING. Dogs bark randomly throughout every night!
Some activities I've participated in during my first week here: eaten Ethiopian (which you eat with your hands and did not feel so good in my stomach); went to the 'Giraffe Center' and fed the giraffes with MY BARE HANDS!; also saw warthogs (Pumba) at the center; eaten wonderful Chinese food; 'Mzuri Monday Madness'; went to the 'Masai Market' and bartered for a few things and was also able to say no to them too (that's a big improvement for me!); went to church where it took them about an hour to sing 5-6 songs since they kept repeating the chorus over and over again (but I hear that's a cultural thing that I've got to get used to); already eaten at Java 3 times (Yummy!); moved into my home and been at school a lot.
I will write more about my school next time because I think this one has gotten long enough. And I hope to also send pictures soon.
The first couple of days of orientation were a bit overwhelming with learning about life in Kenya. Of course they are going to tell us of all the dangers to watch out for so that we're not going into life here completely blind. The list was longer than I had thought and so I became quite fearful. I kept thinking to myself, “What am I doing here? I don't know if I can do this. But, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God wants me here for SOME reason. So, I better suck it up and learn how to live.” I've pretty much thought that at least once a day so far. :)
I have gotten to see a lot of cool things and as time progresses, life here does get better and little by little it becomes more normal. The best way I can think to describe what the area looks like that I live in is this: large city with lots of people; many Africans walking on both sides of the road; all roads are only 2-lanes busy with lots of vehicles driving crazy; there are holes all over the roads so the ride is continuously bumpy; lots of pollution and dirt in the air; as opposed to us having concrete everywhere they have red/orange dirt instead (so no matter how hard you try, you're most likely going to be dirty); if you take our plants and give them steroids you could envision how gorgeous their plants look; vendors selling household items on the sides of the main roads; other vendors selling smaller items on smaller roads; you see apartment building after apartment building; every living area has a tall fence and a gate with a guard; even restaurants have fences, gates, and guards.
Here are a few things that I've noticed about life here so far (but I still have much more to learn): roses grow easily here so they are sold very cheap; water trucks carry clean water every so often because people run out (but I'm pretty sure you have to pay for it); the city will turn off the electricity in certain areas without warning; people do say hello and smile when you initiate it; you have to be an aggressive driver to survive here; you always have to filter your drinking water; their version of Walmart is called 'Nakumat'; their westernized mall is called 'Yaya'; a hair dryer costs 2,800 shillings which comes out to a little over $37 (YIKES); windows have bars on them; the part of the house where the bedrooms are has an extra metal door to lock in case intruders come in and you can still be safe. The most common form of transportation for people here is the 'matatu', which looks like a 15-passenger van loaded with over 20 people and they have the craziest drivers. Kenyans have very strong accents so it is difficult to understand their English. They seem very willing to help you with anything (not sure yet if that's because they want something in return). Every Monday night the local cinema has 'Mzuri (pronounced like Missouri) Monday Madness' where you pay $6.67 for popcorn, hot dog, soda, and movie. Good deal! Their version of 'Starbucks' is called 'Nairobi Java House' where they have the BEST coffee I think I've ever had (and I don't really even like coffee, but just use it for caffeine instead). You can also order food there and it's REALLY good. I already tried their beef burger and 'chips' (which are french fries). I think their 'chips' are better than our 'fries' because they actually taste more like potatoes/ homemade fries. You can also get free wireless there during non-peak hours. Kenyans don't use much sugar for anything. So, their desserts aren't very sweet. They do have a lot of the same things we have in the US, but you have to pay a lot more for them. The 'Masai Market' is every Sunday and you can barter pretty cheap for beautiful, hand crafted things. It's a great place to buy souvenirs. White people are called 'mzungus' (pronounced mizoongooz). If they don't know you, they will call you 'sister' or 'brother'. Since the buildings are made of concrete, you can hear EVERYTHING. Dogs bark randomly throughout every night!
Some activities I've participated in during my first week here: eaten Ethiopian (which you eat with your hands and did not feel so good in my stomach); went to the 'Giraffe Center' and fed the giraffes with MY BARE HANDS!; also saw warthogs (Pumba) at the center; eaten wonderful Chinese food; 'Mzuri Monday Madness'; went to the 'Masai Market' and bartered for a few things and was also able to say no to them too (that's a big improvement for me!); went to church where it took them about an hour to sing 5-6 songs since they kept repeating the chorus over and over again (but I hear that's a cultural thing that I've got to get used to); already eaten at Java 3 times (Yummy!); moved into my home and been at school a lot.
I will write more about my school next time because I think this one has gotten long enough. And I hope to also send pictures soon.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane, I Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again
It is Sunday, July 26th and I leave for the airport in less than one hour. My flight to Nairobi, Kenya leaves in 3.5 hrs. And my life feels so out of whack! I can't even express or describe how I feel right now. I'm sad, depressed, excited, anxious, nervous, confused, tired, etc. And I can't even cry! I don't know how to put that all in one word, but I know God is good and He'll meet my needs.
I'd like to thank my sister (Joy) and brother-in-law (Fernando) for all of their hard work with packing ALL of my stuff and making sure it all fits accordingly. I'd like to thank my mom for preparing my favorite meals and shopping for last minute items for me. I'd like to thank my Dad for making me laugh. Thanks to my other siblings, Joel & Jessye, for calling me before I go. I love you all tons!
My address in Kenya (which is also the address of the school) will be:
Jennifer Prather
P.O. Box 1333-00502
Nairobi, Kenya
They do not have physical addresses for homes and locations. Everything is a P.O. Box. I will not have a P.O. Box for my house, so the above address is it. I would LOVE to receive letters/cards from anyone. They suggest that the best thing to do is send stuff in padded envelopes; it doesn't matter what size. The reason being that anything in a package they charge out the whazoo for me to receive it. You can send me pictures, CD's/DVD's (not in cases), letters, whatever in those padded envelopes and they make it just fine because they generally don't open those to check what's inside. If you want to send a package, I don't want to tell you no, but know that whatever is in it I will end up paying for. The price just depends on how it looks and what they want to charge me. So, if you do send a package, make the items look as old as possible (meaning unwrap them from their original packaging and remove price tags). With packages you also have to fill out one of those green forms (custom slips) at the post office to let them know the contents of the package. So, just put "family memories" or " used ...". I hope I'm making myself clear. That's why I just think letters/cards would be easier, if you want to send anything. But, you definitely don't have to. :)
If you feel compelled to financially support me, then go to http://www.nics.org/. Click on 'Donate'. You can either mail them a check, donate online, or fill out a form for automatic withdrawal. If you write a check, on the Memo line please put 'Project #003282'. If you do it online, please select 'Missionary Project' -> 'Nairobi'-> 'Jennifer Prather, 003282'.
Thank you all for your encouragement, prayer support, and financial support. If I did not get a chance to talk to you or see you before I left, I'm GREATLY sorry! Please do not take it personal. Please keep in touch. I will have internet, but it will be MUCH slower. So, please be patient with me. I will do my best to communicate with you all and keep y'all updated. I will also let you know when I arrive there.
Prayer Requests:
Transition
All my luggage would get there in one piece
Calm nerves
Safety
Health
For my heart
You may email me at jennifer_prather@yahoo.com or jenniferprather@westnairobischool.org.
Either one works just fine! :)
And my skype name is jenniferprather, but with the slow internet who knows if that will work. This is going to be a HUGE test of patience for me. :)
I'll miss y'all tons!
Many blessings to you all!
I'd like to thank my sister (Joy) and brother-in-law (Fernando) for all of their hard work with packing ALL of my stuff and making sure it all fits accordingly. I'd like to thank my mom for preparing my favorite meals and shopping for last minute items for me. I'd like to thank my Dad for making me laugh. Thanks to my other siblings, Joel & Jessye, for calling me before I go. I love you all tons!
My address in Kenya (which is also the address of the school) will be:
Jennifer Prather
P.O. Box 1333-00502
Nairobi, Kenya
They do not have physical addresses for homes and locations. Everything is a P.O. Box. I will not have a P.O. Box for my house, so the above address is it. I would LOVE to receive letters/cards from anyone. They suggest that the best thing to do is send stuff in padded envelopes; it doesn't matter what size. The reason being that anything in a package they charge out the whazoo for me to receive it. You can send me pictures, CD's/DVD's (not in cases), letters, whatever in those padded envelopes and they make it just fine because they generally don't open those to check what's inside. If you want to send a package, I don't want to tell you no, but know that whatever is in it I will end up paying for. The price just depends on how it looks and what they want to charge me. So, if you do send a package, make the items look as old as possible (meaning unwrap them from their original packaging and remove price tags). With packages you also have to fill out one of those green forms (custom slips) at the post office to let them know the contents of the package. So, just put "family memories" or " used ...". I hope I'm making myself clear. That's why I just think letters/cards would be easier, if you want to send anything. But, you definitely don't have to. :)
If you feel compelled to financially support me, then go to http://www.nics.org/. Click on 'Donate'. You can either mail them a check, donate online, or fill out a form for automatic withdrawal. If you write a check, on the Memo line please put 'Project #003282'. If you do it online, please select 'Missionary Project' -> 'Nairobi'-> 'Jennifer Prather, 003282'.
Thank you all for your encouragement, prayer support, and financial support. If I did not get a chance to talk to you or see you before I left, I'm GREATLY sorry! Please do not take it personal. Please keep in touch. I will have internet, but it will be MUCH slower. So, please be patient with me. I will do my best to communicate with you all and keep y'all updated. I will also let you know when I arrive there.
Prayer Requests:
Transition
All my luggage would get there in one piece
Calm nerves
Safety
Health
For my heart
You may email me at jennifer_prather@yahoo.com or jenniferprather@westnairobischool.org.
Either one works just fine! :)
And my skype name is jenniferprather, but with the slow internet who knows if that will work. This is going to be a HUGE test of patience for me. :)
I'll miss y'all tons!
Many blessings to you all!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Well, the Lord sold my truck for me this week to a neighbor down the street. It was a great answer to prayer! My dad was with me when we bought it and with me when we sold it. The man we sold it to was super nice. Here I am saying goodbye to my truck. I had it for 9 years and it served me well. Toyota's are great cars! :)
The Lord has also sold most of my furniture! Now, I'll be having a garage sale this Saturday to try and get rid of the rest of my stuff. Hope there's a good turn out!
July 4th
Our family spent the 4th at my brother's new house on base at Ft. Hood.
First thing we did was run in a 5K race early that morning.
This is before...
We spent the afternoon at the pool.
Of course, Kenzie is eating.
Cousins hanging out.
The parachuter had smoke coming out from under him with the colors of the flag.
Cousins again... aren't they so cute?!
I really like sunsets.
First thing we did was run in a 5K race early that morning.
This is before...
This is after...
Can you pick out the differences?
We spent the afternoon at the pool.
Of course, Kenzie is eating.
Cousins hanging out.
The parachuter had smoke coming out from under him with the colors of the flag.
And then we got to see Dierks Bentley in concert. Except, I found out he's married and has kids. So, that made me kind of sad. ;)
Watching the best fireworks in all of Central Texas (no wonder, there's not much to compete with).
Cousins again... aren't they so cute?!
I really like sunsets.
PFO (Pre-Field Orientation)
So, I just spent 2 weeks in Southaven, MS (right across the border from Memphis) for our orientation. There were about 300 people at this event, 200 of them being new teachers at the various 20 NICS (Network of International Christian Schools) all over the world. I learned a ton, had a blast, and met my awesome Kenya team.
One of my new roommates in Kenya, another Jennifer. She's SUPER cool! I can't wait to be roomies! :)
Some new friends also going to Kenya. Tom is going to teach H.S. social studies and Tera is going to teach 3rd grade.
Here's my awesome principal (Kathy) and her super cool husband (Vance). It's going to be a blast to work for her. Vance will be working on building projects.
The newly-weds, Shauna and Rich. She's teaching kindergarten and he's the athletic director.
This is the wife (Lesley) of one of our new teachers (Michael), who will be teaching ESL. She's going to be working with a ministry in the slums.
This is our team bowling together. That was really fun. Guys against girls; of course guys whooped up on us. But, it was still a lot of fun.
Here's part of our team dressed up as spiderman to help celebrate the birthday of a son of another team member. Can't you just see how much fun we are going to have?! I can't wait!
One of my new roommates in Kenya, another Jennifer. She's SUPER cool! I can't wait to be roomies! :)
Some new friends also going to Kenya. Tom is going to teach H.S. social studies and Tera is going to teach 3rd grade. 
Here's my awesome principal (Kathy) and her super cool husband (Vance). It's going to be a blast to work for her. Vance will be working on building projects.
The newly-weds, Shauna and Rich. She's teaching kindergarten and he's the athletic director.
This is the wife (Lesley) of one of our new teachers (Michael), who will be teaching ESL. She's going to be working with a ministry in the slums.
This is our team bowling together. That was really fun. Guys against girls; of course guys whooped up on us. But, it was still a lot of fun.
Here's part of our team dressed up as spiderman to help celebrate the birthday of a son of another team member. Can't you just see how much fun we are going to have?! I can't wait!
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