Funny Story

I hope this comes across as funny as it was! It may be one of those stories that you just had to be there to really understand how funny it was.

Edith, Celestine (the nurse) and I were headed out on bicycles to check on a sick child. Edith and Celestine were on their bicycles and I was on the back of a boda boda (bicycle with driver). We had gone just a little ways and were right in the middle of the busiest intersection here. As we pulled out onto the major road, we were separated by traffic. My driver had been leading the way and I had no reason to worry until I kept seeing him glance back. Eventually I turned around and looked and there was no sign of Edith or Celestine.

We continued to go forward and I still didn’t see them so I asked the driver to stop and wait for them. We waited for a few minutes and I still couldn’t see them so I asked the driver to turn back hoping we would meet them at some point.

In the meantime, poor Edith and Celestine had gone into a panic because they couldn’t find me. They had gotten separated from us just before we went into the main intersection and in their panic they didn’t know which direction the driver took me. They began frantically asking everyone have you seen a muzungu (a white person)have you seen a muzungu? Of course since I am the only white person here, I am easy to spot and people were telling them, yes we saw a muzungu on the back of a boda boda and the driver was driving very fast! Well, that didn’t help the situation at all; they thought for sure this boda boda driver was speeding off to cause me harm.

Eventually they decided to ride on out in the direction we were headed and we found each other. Edith jumped off her bicycle! She shouted, Joy you get off that bicycle and then she let the driver have it verbally! He was in total shock!  She took some coins out of her purse and put them in his hand and she continued yelling at him until he drove away. When he pulled away she looked at me and said, I could have slapped him!

She got me another driver and we continued on our journey laughing so hard! When she starting telling me about asking everyone have you seen a muzungu, have you seen a muzungu I couldn’t stop laughing. Then she told me all she could think about was how in the world was she going to explain losing me! So for all of you who have been worried about my safety never fear Edith is here!

It is different for me here in regards to safety. It seems all of the people here live in some sort of fear and they are struggling understanding that I don’t require a guard with a gun or a guard dog. The compound where I live is a solid cement wall with razor wiring all around the top. The only way in is to put a ladder up and climb over. But then you can’t get in the house because the doors and windows have bars and the doors have strong locks.

I told them even if someone came over the wiring, they can’t get to me. And I would have to go outside where they are to unlock the gate for someone to come inside and help so there is just no reason to be afraid. Dogs bark at everything and I would never know if the dog was barking at something good or something bad. Since I can’t go outside to let someone in to help me without putting myself with the person wanting to cause harm, I choose to not be afraid and enjoy the home God has given me to live in.

Hopefully one of the things I can teach the women here is dependence on God when they are afraid. I know that I will never live in the fear they live in because they have told me I am a muzungu and muzungu’s have people watching out for them because they know we are here to help. Yet, in Gods eyes we are all the same and His protection is the same for all of us.

This is just one of the things I hope to help them learn. Tomorrow I am starting a challenge with the leadership staff at the school. I am challenging them to learn the New Testament books of the bible in order this week, and in return I am committing to learning the New Testament books in Kiswahili in order.

Hopefully I can continue to find ways of challenging them that in return challenges me. Down the road I want to learn the Romans road in Kiswahili and I think this is something we could do together. I have to remember that they’ve not had the exposure most all of us have had to learning specific things about the Word, like memorizing the books in order. Most of them have never heard the bible stories we were told growing up. They’ve not had VBS or any other type of training like we are blessed with back home. Most of them if they have a copy of the Bible, it is the New Testament so they don’t have access to reading the Bible stories in the Old Testament that we love. I am so excited to go back and revisit the stories of Jonah and Noah and David and Goliath and so many other wonderful stories.

So with this said, I am starting from the beginning with the most basic applications and stories and we will all grow together. It’s an exciting time for me because for a very long time I have wanted to teach others how to grow in their relationship with God. I have not been given the gift of teaching the Word, yet, I can share my walk and what I have learned and hope that it makes a difference in their lives as we study and learn the Word together.

I’m excited about ALL God is doing within our lives here!  I will let you know how the studying the Kiswahili books in order is coming!

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary –  East Africa

Mase, her Mom and me

This is a picture of 6 year old Mase and her Mom. 10 days ago we visited her after we were told she had an injured leg. We found her lying on a dirty mat on the ground under a tree. She had broken her leg a few weeks back and it wasn’t put into a cast until a couple of weeks before we arrived. It was placed in a cast after she developed two sores that were not healing. It was not clear at all if Mase would be able to keep her leg. I called my home church, Blackshear Place Baptist and the prayer need was sent out and God’s children begin to pray.

I took this picture of Mase today when I went back to check on her! Her leg is healing! I want to say a big thank you to my home church for their prayers…without a doubt, they were answered.

Now a new prayer request. I took this picture just before I left the orphan school this evening. I know it is graphic, but it is the real world here. This is a sore on the leg of one of our 12 year old girls whose name is Emilly. She is at school every day, hobbling around on it, but it is so evident with every step she is hurting.

Emilly’s Leg

This started out as a small sore and as you can see has turned into a major infection. She didn’t come and show the nurse until several days after it had became infected, so the infection had a huge start before treatment began. I tell you the truth, these children here are tough children. I watched Emilly yesterday and today as the nurse cleaned and changed the bandage. The tears rolled down her face and she kept trying to push the nurse away because it hurt so badly, but she never screamed out. Please join me in asking our Heavenly Father to heal her leg quickly. This is such a large wound and everything here is so unclean.

I can’t help but think how many children have I passed by in the same shape these two little girls are in. Not intentionally passed by, but how many children here are suffering that I just haven’t seen. The needs here are great and the workers are so few.

Once again I want to encourage you to prayerfully consider coming with one of teams scheduled to come this year. Pastor Kevin Ross of my home church is leading a team coming over in July. He has been here before and can answer any questions you might have. You can reach him at 770-534-7058.

It seems so petty and selfish for me to add this prayer need as well, but I believe God cares about ALL of of His children’s needs. Today is day 7 with no running water or inside bathroom. In comparsion to Mase and Emilly this is soooo not as important. However, while you’re praying for them it would make me happy to know you are also praying for the water to begin here again!

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

I am praising the Lord that I finally have internet! I should be able to connect daily now! My day is coming to a close and I’m just about too tired to blog, however, I have been waiting for two weeks to have internet and today so many wonderful things happened, I must write.

I want to share with you about 5 people who impacted my life today. The first person is my friend Edith. She is much like a social worker here at the orphan school; she knows all the orphans and their history. She and I worked together while I was here last year, and now we are working together even more. She spent the day with me today and accompanied me on some home visits as well as walked me through Busia and helped me find my way around. I will close this blog with more information about her and our day.

Edith and me

Two other people I want to share about is a elderly Grandmother who cares for 4 of her young grandsons, one of whom has aids, as well as the Mother of another child with aids. It was this horrible disease that prompted our visit today.

The Grandmother and me

Mother, daughter and me

While we’re visiting in the second home, the guardian of one of our kindergarten students saw us and showed us the little boy who has a bad infected tooth. It was obvious that he was in so much pain from it. It cost 5000 shillings for this little boy to have the tooth out, but no one in the family has the money. 5000 shillings is $2.50. We were on our way to visit our most critical person, so the school nurse couldn’t turn loose and take the boy. However, tomorrow I am sending the money with her to get him some help. I know that I can’t help everyone because I have to have money to live on, but I am positive that God will provide for my needs as I share what has been provided for me.

Rodgers is an orphan and hasn’t had parents for a long time. In the past few years that he has been sick, the person he was staying with never really thought he was sick. They always wanted him to go get a job and help even though he could barely walk. When he learned unless the Lord intervened he would lose his life, I thought my heart was going to break into. You could hear his sobs as the reality of his critical condition became clear to him. The most difficult part of learning this news was that he didn’t have anyone to stand with him. I knew at the moment the Lord had sent Rodgers into my life because I will do everything I can to be standing with him.

Rodgers and me

Today, Rodgers was on my visit list. When we arrived where he has been staying we learned that he had moved to live with another family member on Saturday. For a few minutes as Edith was learning the circumstances of where he had gone, I was so afraid that he had moved where I wouldn’t see him again. Then we learned that he been moved several miles away and so we began our journey to find him.

Edith, the school nurse and I started out on our journey with the two of them on their bicycles and I was on the back of a bora bora (a bicycle with a driver). As we were going down the major road in Busia that connects less than a mile from the Kenya border, I realized something very important. I am okay riding my bicycle from the mission house to the school, but it is so worth the small change it takes to have a driver for that main road! When we had passed through the middle of the second set of two big tanker trucks that made my decision clear! We traveled several miles and many times the big trucks came flying by and I could have reached the sides of them from the back of the bicycle! I think it’s a great blessing here that the bora bora drivers sit high on their bicycles in front of you because you can’t see what is coming straight at you!

Leaving the main road we headed into the bush to find where Rodgers is now living. The path was overgrown and at one point our bicycle actually wrecked. Eventually we gave up and began walking, pushing the bicycles. My heart was overjoyed when we found the hut where Rodgers now lives. He was sitting outside under a tree when we pulled up. The look on his face was priceless when he saw that we had come to find him.

He looked better than he had on Saturday when I saw him. The medicines given him were helping with the swelling of everywhere but his legs and feet, both of which were still swelled terribly. In our visit with him we learned that he is now staying there with an Aunt.

As you can tell from the picture of the hut they live in, he has nothing. Not even a mattress to lie down on. Just as we were leaving he told us he didn’t have any food as is so common here. Once again my heart was breaking. Here is this incredible kid with a contagious smile and the gentlest spirit about him who has lost his parents and is dying in a hut on the ground with no food to eat. Now he is not accessible to me on the daily basis I had planned on because of the distance away as well as the location of his hut. I gave him what food I had in my backpack and that will sustain him tonight and hopefully tomorrow God will provide not only the food he needs, but the transportation to get it to him.

Rodgers Hut

Okay, I know this is a long post but I’ve one more person to share about. I want to tell you about my bicycle driver whose name is Idi. In the long drive we had out to visit Rodgers, Idi in his broken English began to tell him about being a Christian. I responded to what he had said and told him how thankful I was to hear he was a Christian. I loved what he said next, he said very boldly, I am a born again Christian. I began to try to recall when was the last time I said more than I am a Christian. When was the last time I showed the boldness Idi showed today that clarified what being a Christian was to him. How ashamed I became when I realized it had been too long.

On our way back after our visit, I learned more about Idi. He was born into a Muslim family and was rejected when he became a born again Christian. He talked about how hard it had been for him because he was a teenager when he surrendered his life to the Lord. It was awesome to hear him give God glory and honor for getting him through those first tough years on his own without his family.

Idi

As I first mentioned, I am so tired and the heat has taken a toll on me physically being outside all day, but I will lay my head down on my pillow in just a few minutes knowing that I helped make a difference in the lives of the people whose own lives impacted mine today.  I am honored that God picked me to come here. I love being His girl.

Now back to my friend Edith who walked every step of the way today with me. As she and I parted ways at the end of the day, I came back here to the mission house where there is running water, (well normally there should be running water, but today is the fourth day with no running water and no inside bathroom.) And I also have electricity. Edith went home to a different life in her hut. She still had to ride her bicycle several miles back home, get her water jugs and walk to get their daily water supply. She had to cook supper over an open fire for her own two children as well as the three orphans she cares for. Now that it is dark, her only light source is a single candle.

Here I sit although wishing I could take a shower and use the inside toilet, finding myself very blessed. I sit here with lights overhead, cold water in the refrigerator and electric fans keeping me cool. Although our lives are different, I know that Edith will also go to sleep tonight feeling just as elated as I feel that we were able to help others today. I pray God will bless Edith in a special way.

I want to encourage everyone who reads my blogs to prayerfully consider coming here with one of our teams this year. We need help here and I can promise that you will never be the same once you’ve given of yourself to help our children here. My home church, Blackshear Place Baptist Church back in Flowery Branch Georgia is bringing a team in July.

Oh, I forgot to mention that on the way back from visiting Rodgers, a bracket on the front of Idi’s bicycle broke. He had to get me another driver. The new driver and I had gone maybe a quarter of a mile and he hit a rock and the tire busted! So, I walked the rest of the way…about 2 miles! I guess this is my new normal…. all in a day’s work as a missionary~

I now have a new mailing address for here. Support should continue to be sent to the PO Box listed on my support page, but this address here can be used to send letters, etc.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – Uganda

It’s hard to believe I’ve already been in Busia for a week and a half. The hours and days have flown by as I’ve begun to get settled into my new home here. I haven’t had access to internet to be able to keep the blog updated, so as you can imagine I have so much to share. It is truly difficult to pick what parts I want to share first, as I only have a short opportunity of time today to get a message posted.

My arrival was safe and without incident. My entire luggage including all of the food arrived safely. Thank you to everyone who was praying for the luggage with food to not be confiscated in customs. It was an amazing thing because at neither point that I traveled through was any of my luggage opened! A totally different experience than when I first arrived and went through customs. We serve a Mighty God who cares about what we care about. Dont get me wrong, I know that God would have provided what I needed even if the food had been confiscated, but He knew it was important to me to have some nutritious things here as I get settled in and find what foods I am able to eat here.

The place where I am staying is a newer building and although there is no kitchen, there is a sink to wash dishes and the bathroom has a shower with hot and cold water. Of course there are days like today when there is no water, but today is the first day since we’ve been here that there hasn’t been water.

The shower here is much different. The shower is not a separate part of the bathroom; it is all one small room. When you take a shower, everything in the bathroom gets wet! I don’t mind though, because I am one of very few here who have a shower or running water at all.

It’s a secure place with a solid wall built around the boundary of the property and all the way around the top is razor wire. Sometimes I get tickled because from the window in my bedroom all you can see is the wall and the razor wire. So, I am looking through bars out at a security wall with razor wiring and I have to remind myself that these things are in place to keep bad people out. Back home the only places with bars on the windows and security walls with razor wire are places to keep bad people in! There is a tree on the other side of the wall from my bedroom so there are many birds around all the time. They land on the wall in between the razor wiring and it makes me forget the wiring is even there!

It is so important to convey what a blessing it is to have such a place to stay here. To be able to live in a good building with running water and electricity is a gift from God. In the beginning when I first surrendered to come to Uganda I had no idea what type of place I would be residing in. I read about so many of our missionary’s today and how they live and I was prepared for the worst, however, God in His goodness has placed me in a wonderful place to call home here.

I have so much more to share, many great stories already about the children here, but my time just now is limited. Just know that God is working all around me and in the days to come you will hear of ALL He is doing. I hope to soon have more internet connectivity where I can get updates more often. Until then, know that I love each of you and am thankful for the prayers and support that makes my being here possible.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

The Lord and I have had a grand time here these past 5 days. It’s been a time of reflection on the journey here as well as time given to the life I will start tomorrow when I reach Busia. But more importantly, I’ve just been. Isn’t that a crazy sounding statement, I’ve just been. One day has floated into another and the depth of peace and contentment has been surreal.

I think the year of preparation although so worth it all had taken a toll on me physically and emotionally. It wasn’t until I had been here for a couple of days that I realized just how long it had been since my burdens were light.

It’s been just a little over a year now that I surrendered to serve in full time foreign missions. When the process began as you can imagine I was overwhelmed. Now looking back I can see why. In the past year a lot has happened in my life. This is one of those times I know if God had of shown me the path to get here, I would have turned and ran because I wouldn’t have ever thought myself strong enough to go through the process it took to get here.

Selling my belongings, leaving the security of my job, leaving a great church, and most of all the heartache of leaving my family. Yes, I would say much has gone on in my life in the last year and the Lord knew I needed to just be! Now it makes sense doesn’t it, I’ve just been.

Each day since I’ve been here I kept thinking the Lord was going to show me some great revelation or something, but then I realized He brought me here because I needed time to not only rest, but to be emotionally and physically ready for the changes in my life that will begin tomorrow. No matter the challenges the last year has brought, tomorrow will begin a journey of new challenges that I’ve not yet faced. However, along with those challenges will come incredible blessings.

I’d like to share a very personal challenge in order to share a mighty Praise for my Heavenly Father. I became a full time missionary the first of October, just before my first trip here to Africa. When I returned I was not prepared at all to experience a lack of financial support. I don’t think myself naive, but I sure didn’t have any idea how hard the next few months would be for me.

November and December were toughest. Neither of those months was there sufficient funds to cover what small expenses I still had to live here before leaving full time. When you’ve been on your own as long as I have, it’s not an easy thing to tell others when you have a need. I had always been on the other end of making sure everyone else had what they needed, I truly didn’t know how to ask for help. There were so many people who would have helped me, but I didn’t know how to ask, so I truly struggled to even have enough food or gas. I remember how sad I was when I had to make the decision to stop attending the weekly bible study I had been attending for years, because I just couldn’t afford the gas.

After the beginning of the year the support began to increase and I was so thankful. It still wasn’t where it needed to be for me to fill confident enough to leave for Africa, yet God continued to say press on, don’t  stop. It was an amazing thing because when I needed to buy my airline tickets, the money came in. When I needed to pay for language school the money came in. God was sending it as I needed it, yet there was still nothing left over after I’d paid for tickets and school. In February just before I left enough came in for me to buy what I needed to take and to have the cash I needed to take with me.

I don’t think I will ever forget what it felt like the day before I left when I checked the balance in my accounts. There was $41 in savings and $474 in checking out of which my last couple of bills had to be paid. I remember thinking people would think me absolutely crazy if they had any idea that I am getting on a plane tomorrow and the money is not there for me to live once I get to Busia.

But from the depths of my being, I promise you that I never for once thought about not getting on that plane. God had shown me time and time again that He would provide for me. I wish I could remember where I read this so I could give credit to them, but I read somewhere about a missionary who said why should God give us what we need in the future, why should we worry about what we will need next month or next year. If He is going to provide, there is simply no need in worrying.

I’ve written this very personal message in order to share that I serve a Mighty God who provides for my needs. Yesterday I received an e-mail with the total dollar amount of support that had come in this month and my heart just about stopped from the shock of what I read. More support has come in the past 4 weeks than all the months added together since I have been serving fulltime.

Sweet friends, let this encourage you to not let anything stop you from doing Gods will in your life. I am a better missionary because of the challenges He let me experience. I am better prepared to live on meager means just as those I am here to serve live on. My faith has magnified many times over in the past few months and I wouldn’t change any of the challenges because God knew I needed those lessons that I couldn’t have learned any other way.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

A beautiful place for me and the Lord to go for walks

The river that runs outside my room

My Room

I’ve been safely delivered to the next stop on my journey. I arrived this morning at the Inn where I will be staying until my flight out to Uganda next Thursday. Pictures do not describe how beautiful this place is. The first few moments after I arrived, I thought about the Garden of Eden. We have no pictures or descriptions of what the Garden of Eden was specifically like, but this place is so peaceful and beautiful that I am at a loss for words. It’s not the buildings or the furnishings, it’s Gods natural creations. I keep thinking I must be dreaming, but I don’t think I am.

More than what is visible to the eye, there is a spiritual awareness here that just like the beauty, I am at a loss of words to describe. The only other time in my life that I have had such an unusual awareness to such a deep sense of spiritual peace was at The Cove, Billy Grahams Training Center.

When I was at The Cove, the minute we drove through the gates onto the property, I knew I was in a realm of protection spiritually that I had never been before. Later, I learned that all the staff and volunteers spend time praying for the guest. The housekeepers pray in every room as they are cleaning each day. What I soon discovered was the deep sense of spiritual peace I was experiencing, was a prayer covering. I don’t have any idea yet about the Inn where I am now. I can tell you that there was a Bible beside my bed! I believe the Lord brought me here for something specific

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

This afternoon I had the incredible privilege to spend the afternoon at a local organization that works specifically with boys from the streets. These boys come from various backgrounds and most are not orphans in the sense that their parents are no longer living. They were orphaned by situations in their homes. This organization only takes the boys who have absolutely no where else to go. Most of them have been in other organizations, but because of their issues most often created by others, they couldn’t stay.

This program is a 3 year program. They take boys who are 14 or 15 years old and try to keep them until they are 18 or so. These boys have no education, and most cannot read or write because they didn’t have the opportunity to go to school. All of these boys are small due to a lack of nutrition in their early lives. These boys are given a basic education in reading, writing, and math. Because of their lack of education the future for these boys is uncertain, yet along with the basic skills that will help them in the selling and buying of things they are taught a trade.

One of the boys there, Oscar, became my new friend. We spent the afternoon walking all over the farm there just talking. Oscar can speak some English, but most of our conversation was in Kiswahili. Each of the 36 boys there have a certain cow that it is their responsible to milk and see after. We got to see 9 new piglets that were born yesterday. We walked through the garden and he knew all of the vegetable plants planted. These boys work hard in the gardens and caring for the animals because that is the only way they eat.

We walked through the work shop where all of the boys are being taught a trade. I met his carpenter teacher, his welding teacher, and some of the older boys who help the younger ones. In the states, we couldn’t imagine 14 year boys working in what appears to be unsafe surroundings because they don’t have the big helmet to wear when they are welding and their carpentry shop machines don’t have all the safety switches and things. However, I believe these boys are as safe as they could possibly be. They pay attention to what they are doing and take a great deal of pride in their accomplishments. To succeed in learning one of these trades means a chance at making it in life when they become husbands and fathers.

I can’t tell you the last time I walked in the rain and enjoyed every moment of it. It started raining just after Oscar and I started our walk. We tried to make it to a shelter before the bottom fell out, but that didn’t happen. Yesterday and last night was the hardest it has rained since I have been here, and wouldn’t you know it, I would get to REALLY experience it! We laughed because it was raining so hard at one point the rain was stinging our skin, so we ran. Now I know all of you are laughing along with me and Oscar as you read this, because I am certainly not in shape to run. Well, or so I thought. It’s amazing at what we can still do even when we are older!

Oscar and I made it to a shelter where we sat and talked until it eased up some. I know God intended for us to make it to that shelter where we could talk about Him. What will bless you is to know that Oscar brought our Heavenly Father up almost immediately when we started to talk there in the safety of the shelter. Although we had a major language barrier, we were able to understand how we both feel about the Lord. Oscar shared that they get taken to church every Sunday and how much he enjoys it.

Oscar had no idea what a missionary was. It was extremely hard to explain what I was doing. At one point I began quietly asking Holy Spirit to intercede. It was so important that Oscar knew that I cared about him because Jesus cares about him.

At my home church in Georgia, Blackshear Place Baptist, they are in “The Year of Serve”. Everyone has been encouraged to spend this year impacting the lives of others by giving of their time, their finances, etc. An example would be to buy a stranger’s meal and leave a track that shares the love of Jesus, cut grass for someone, or anything that would help another; and to share that we are doing it because Jesus loves us and we want to share how much He loves them by serving them.

I left just as Serve Strong was getting underway and I have wanted to have the opportunity to do something unplanned for someone. I couldn’t buy Oscar dinner, or help him with his chores or anything, but I gave him the one thing he needed, my time. The afternoon ended much too quickly and I know on this earth I will probably not see Oscar again. But he will be in heaven with me, so I will see him again then.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

What a joy to walk to church this morning. It was a great time to reflect on the devotion I read before I left as well as gave me ample time to pray for the services. This was my first stepping outside the school campus completely on my own. Once again as I’ve written before, I had such a sense of peace and Gods direction. I wasn’t afraid I would get lost or harmed in any way.

It was a little unusual, no not a little unusual, it was a lot unusual that I was met at the entrance of the property where the church holds its services by a guard with a gun. I don’t think they have small guns in Africa, it seems they are always so big or the guards that carry them are so small! If I remember correctly this was the first armed guard I have seen since I arrived here in Tanzania. In Uganda there are armed guards all along the road and other places, but it hasn’t been that way here. I can’t tell you why the property needed the armed guard because I decided I didn’t want to know! God brought me there safely and I didn’t want to be distracted by the what ifs!

I arrived a few minutes early and was blessed a couple of minutes after I arrived to meet a young lady named Sarah. Her English was very good and she shared that Mama Lois, my teacher who invited me to come had been in her life since she was 5. It was very obvious that Mama Lois and her husband who is the Pastor there are loved very much. When she learned I was one of Mama Lois’ students she insisted I practice my Kiswahili with her. She told me once church started because I was a visitor I would be asked to speak to the congregation and tell them about myself in Kiswahili!

Okay, just so you know I didn’t run away, although the thought crossed my mind! I decided that just as God had delivered me safely there, He would help me communicate. I did okay on the first couple of sentences, then I got tickled at myself and laughed and the whole congregation joined me! How wonderful that brothers and sisters in Christ can show their love for God and for one another no matter the language barrier. I think they will remember my laughing more than they will remember what I was trying to say. It was a wonderful first time experience making my first Kiswahili speech.

There were lizards inside and other critters, but it was a precious little church room. They didn’t have any pews or a choir loft or any musical instruments there. As the congregation began to sing, the tears began to flow as the songs they were singing were the precious old hymns  I knew from home, only with Kiswahili words.

From the church chair (which was a plastic chair) I sat in, I could see the great Mount Meru out the door. It had a cloud circled around the top of it. It reminded me of my devotion yesterday when I read in Exodus about Moses going up into the cloud on top of the mountain to meet the Lord. I know that the cloud on Mount Meru was not the same thing, but it made me think; maybe the Lord was up on top of Mount Meru this morning listening to His children sing as our voices drifted upwards.

Eventually I closed my eyes and listened to the beautiful voices around me. I thought about how little they have here materially as a physical church, but how rich their lives are as a family of believers in their relationship with our Heavenly Father. This little congregation impacted my life today, I will never forget them.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

Friday afternoon has arrived. Two weeks of Kiswahili completed and one remaining. I thought you might like to see what I learned today, and be able to understand why we were given 10 pages of homework for the weekend.

I found this illustration of Kiswahili time online at http://www.kamusiproject.org/?q=swahili_clock that can better explain the time here.

It’s not just the numbers in a different place, read the message below where this same website gives a great description.

What is Swahili time? Swahili speakers count time differently than most other people. In Swahili Time, 1 o’clock in the morning is the first hour after sunrise (what everyone else calls 7:00 a.m.), and 1 o’clock at night is the first hour after sunset (what the rest of the world calls 7:00 p.m.). Why? Because most Swahili speakers live close to the equator, and on the equator the sun rises and sets at the same time every day of the year. Unlike countries far from the equator, where sunrise in June might occur at 4:30 a.m and sunrise in December might be at 8:30 a.m., the sunrise in the Swahili speaking world is so consistent that you can set your clock by it – so people do.

Its a bit tricky to catch on, but once you do, I find it easy to know the time if you can look at both clocks at the same time. However, writing out the time is another matter. The clock above indicates 4:10 and thats easy to determine. But this is how you write it: saa nne na dakika kumi!

Many people here now set their watches using standard time which is great. However, any speeches, etc are given in Kiswahili time. The school schedule and all the clocks are regular clocks with standard time, but when someone here speaks to you about time, it is Kiswahili time!

Looking forward to attending church Sunday with one of my teachers. I knew she was a Christian but found out today, she is a Pastor’s wife! That explains why throughout my time with her, she makes great comments when I use the bible or Christian illustrations when I am writing a sentence.

I will walk to their church and join them. She said their services are from 9:15 until 12:15! Or should I say from saa tisa na robo mapika saa kumi na mbili na robo! I am looking forward to worshiping with them. I might even understand some of the words!

Must close now, no more time to write, must get busy on homework.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

Yesterday our class began role playing going to the market. This was in preparation of actually going to the market today as a class assignment. First of all I should describe the market place itself. It’s a big dirt area, probably about an acre with all types of old tarps spread out on the ground. Down the middle of the market are some structures that sellers are able to tie their tarps above them for shade. The outer part of the market has non food items such as shoes and clothes. I need to be a little more descriptive about the shoes and clothes, they are all used shoes and clothes. There are no new items here. There must have been thousands of shoes, I can’t imagine where they all came from.

I took a moment and watched the buyers as they went through looking for a matching pair and I realized they are just as happy to get a used pair of shoes as we are to get new shoes. And, they won’t be getting a credit card bill at the end of the month because you don’t use credit cards here!

After exploring the outer part of the market, I had to take a deep breath and find the courage to complete my class assignment. I had to purchase banana’s and could only speak Kiswahili to do so. Now it wouldn’t have been too bad if I could have just walked up to the person, pointed to what I wanted, and paid. But the lesson wasn’t just to purchase banana’s, I had to negotiate the price. So, I found myself being really stretched!

Here I was on my first assignment to have a conversation in Kiswahili which is a huge stretch. Then I was required to negotiate a price which was already too low. I don’t know how to negotiate, I only know how to smile and say sure and hand over the money. Yet, I am happy to report that I followed through and purchased 30 of the little sweet banana’s for 1000 shilings which is about $1.30.

An additional purchase had to be made for a plastic bag to put the banana’s in. These bags are sold by very poor young boys probably 11 or 12 years old. I must admit it is a struggle for me here in Africa to see so many hungry, hurting children and not be able to help. I tried to purchase my plastic bag from a boy who seemed to have lost hope. It is easy to tell which ones these are because of their faces.

Once the task was completed I walked around and enjoyed the people. This market was full of hundreds of people and they were all happy. You would have thought they all belonged to the same family.

When someone comes to this market, they arrive by walking or by taking a small van. These old small vans normally seat 8, but you don’t see one that has less than 10 or 12 in them. Not only the people but all of the goods they purchased at the market.

I watched one group in particular trying to make everything fit. The van was already over loaded, but everyone inside the van was trying to make room for those who still needed to get in. Wouldn’t they be in for a shock to come to America where we all have our own cars and most often there is just one person inside. (Well that is of course unless you’re my children, then your vehicle is full with all of their precious children!)

For the women who do not have the money which I think is about 10 cents to ride in one of these vans, they bring a basket and once they’ve completed their shopping someone helps them put the basket on top of their head and they walk many miles back home.

So,the next time you go out and get in your heated/cooled car remember to thank God for where you live and what you have. Next time you go into the grocery store where you have the best of everything to choose from, remember to thank God for where you live and what you have. In the morning when you get up and feed your children a good nutritious breakfast and dress them in clothes that no one has ever worn but them, remember to thank God for where you live and what you have. As you watch your children get on the bus, or walk towards the school from parent drop off, remember to thank God that your child doesn’t have to spend the day begging people to buy a plastic bag so they can eat

Lets remember the children here and throughout the world who are hungry and hurting and most often alone. Who will be the one to come and buy the next plastic bag?

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa