Bikin' n' Campin'

Brrrr...never thought I'd end up camping in January...but it's possible in California. While WA is burried in 2 feet of snow, we're campin'. Mind you it's cold...but still it's camping :) God has brought some great outdoorsy (is that a word) people into our lives...and as an added bonus they only live a block away! Tristan and Jessica Stone are alway's up for an outdoor adventure and this one was a 9 mile mountain biking trail close to Mt. San Jacinto. Tristan is in Kyle's dental class and Jessica teaches PE at Loma Linda Elementary their only child is their dog Oreo who's 11 months old...him and Chaco are wrestling, playing, and mt biking buddies! This weekend found us setting up camp Friday night, trying to keep the dogs happy tied to trees, cuddling up close to the fire, and trying to figure out how to serve the potatoe soup with only teaspoons! Why do you always forget something camping...I've got to make a list!

Saturday morning dawned sunny and cold, we took off on our bike with snacks for the morning ride. The single track trail starts out with a lot of uphill and some technical rocky pathes. Then you hit one flat field area, a couple more killer uphills and then it's down hill bolder dodgin' fun from there on out! Riding with two dogs can set up for some interesting times...such as if you get to close to Chaco you'll get a mouth full of sand from his little claws. Oreo will just plain cut you off and send you flying...but they both are learning and run most of the 9 miles with the boys! At the end of the trip, Kyle was carrying Chaco in one arm and steering his bike with the other after we hit the pavement...his little paws just wouldn't go anymore. But he recovers quickly and is soon chewing on either your biking shoes, Oreo, or any available stick!

Whiteout on Mt. San Jacinto

Presidents day dawned raining and foggy but our enthusiasm wasn't dampened. It just meant more snow on the peaks! Little did we know it meant snow and wind. Loaded up with our snowshoes and base layers we drove to Palm Springs...how backwards does that sound? Since there's probably never been snow in Palm Springs before :) Fortunately within 10 minutes we were in a complete whiteout surrounded by whipping snow...the tram ride straight up the jagged mountain peaks fixed our "no where to snowshoe in Cali problem". We exited the lodge heads down and noses buried in our coats. The snow pelted our faces stinging you noes causing you to burrow in deeper and almost run into the person in front of you. They said after we got down into the valley the wind would be better and then we could head off into the woods and begin our snowshoe exploration! (The Peak of Mt. San Jacinto is at 10,800 feet) But you must remember we just left Palm Springs and it's still very apparent as we are surrounded by Hispanics and Caucasians wearing only jeans, sweatshirts, rain boots, cotton gloves and ponchos...it becomes obvious that most of them have never been in snow before. We checked in at the Ranger Station and received a permit for snowshoeing into the back country. The wind had slowed a bit, but the snow was still falling they were expecting a good foot of snow that day. We hiked under the snow laden trees following the rapidly fading tracks of those who have gone before us...we weren't going to be able to stay out long until our tracks were covered as well so we found a big bolder burrowed out the snow under the cliff hanging edge and settled in for a quick lunch of burgers and sun chips mixed with snow. Have you ever tried eating sun chips with Mittened Gloves...don't! Just crush and pour! After only a couple hours of hiking our tracks were almost completely gone but enough was left to get us back to the station from there we stayed nearby but found boulders to jump off of into the snow. Maybe we'll end up on Warren Miller next year :)

A Thought from a Quiet Friday Evening

It's incredible to me how the lesson's in life don't end, I thougt that they might get easier upon returning from Africa...but basically you're just in a more comfortable place to experience this time of learning. I am thankfull to God for this time, but that doesn't alway's mean it's easy!

After returning home from Africa I felt this numbness spiritually but I find that often when you are hurting from something in your life is when God can finally seep in through the cracks. Even when you've been trying to make it work all along.

I suppose what He is teaching me now and now that I think about it the whole time in Africa is that IT (meaning everything) is IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT CHRIST! For so long like I said I've felt numb, and recently I have felt this desire to become a better person, to have my life filled with ministry, to start up a minisitry to the homeless, to be a blessing to all those around me, to change...and it finally caught up to me tonight...I was feeling like I was failing! Tonight I listened to a sermon (from the His Robe or Mine book) and felt an answer from God. None of those things are going to make me a better person, those things are working from the outside of my life which is completely backwards from the way it should be, Christ wants to work from the inside out. From my heart out. I loved a thought that Frank Phillips shared...Christ doesn't work on an improved you...when He has your heart He transforms you into a new creature. Oh how badly I want that, but I think that Satan often gets us off track so easy...we see the outside of the end result and try to work towards it and end up getting it all backwards. Mom reminded me tonight of an experience that I had in Africa and of something that I had told her. It was after two babies had died and I was feeling helpless..."If God needs to use me to save someone He will" in this I must trust. It is Chrsit who does the saving not me!

Let me share with you one of my mother and I's favortie quotes that we often quote to eachother.

Isaiah 30:15
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shal be your strength:..."

Bon Sabbat

Loma Linda: A cold trip backpacking!

So my main suggestion would be not to camp at 9200 ft. in the month of October with a 4mth old puppy and no fires. Brrrr! Yes, it really was as cold as my toes told me it was...the Ranger's confirmed it on the way out; "Did you guys get the 3 inches of snow expected?" Cali isn't as warm as it used to be :) It's been awhile since I've posted anything...so a quick update...I've moved to Loma Linda I'm living with Rachel and Kyle, we now own a puppy named Chaco...who has become the crazy wildness in our life! You can be sure you'll here more about him later. I'm working on an MICU floor and on another learning curve...but God has blessed with wonderful peope to work with!

Home

Snow capped mountain peaks poked up through the clouds as Kevin and I flew across the cascades. We were in route from Paris to Seattle, in route home. It was May 12; the day that I had dreamed about for 9 months. Was this day really happening to me?

The last three weeks had been filled with so many changes that I felt almost in recovery mode as I sat on the plush seats of the jet, using scented warm washcloth’s, and eating off my own plate. I found it hard not to stare at all the white people that surrounded me. After speaking to the stewardess on the Air France flight in French…I decided that I had not learned French I had learned African French. It was hard not to respond to their question’s that they ask in French because I understand what they are saying, but when I respond they grimace and look extremely confused. Oh well…I’ll just mark it down as another humbling experience 

Kevin and I had left Ndjamena on the evening of the 11th after returning from a 3 day trip to Zakouma National Park. We had flown up there with Wendy, Gary and their two children Kaleb and Cherice. We slept in little thatch bungalows, with hot water and flushing toilets. At night we could here the lions roaring in the distance, one night around midnight I heard noises outside our window. I got up and opened the door to find two dark forms of elephants on the lawn outside our bungalow…having a grassy midnight snack. We saw the Giraffes that I had always dreamed of seeing, many Elephants, different African deer, Warthogs, Ostrich’s, Lions, Water Buffalo, Storks, Monkeys and Baboons. Within the first couple hours of being at the park Kevin and Gary managed to get charged by a momma Lion, we’re thankful that they are still with us ;)

Leaving Béré was hard and filled with many tearful goodbyes, but I was at the point were I had to get away…I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle, especially since for the last week we had been without a doctor. Maybe it was because I could see the end in sight. Even though I was dying to get home, it was still hard to leave. Before leaving I had a party with my family. We all crowded in my empty hut, a couple evenings before I left, there I’d set up a slideshow of the year on my computer with the up-beat music that they love. Kevin had also made a treat of cherry and orange jello for them to try. They would get so excited when one of their faces would appear on the screen, laughing and pointing. Kevin and I got more laughs out of watching their faces as they tried the slippery jello that we spooned onto two big plates for them to eat. Then I handed out all the stuff from my hut and clothes for the girls.

A couple mornings later we ate our last breakfast of beullile in Africa. I hugged the girls goodbye as they left for school, they ran out the gate crying and Howaa ran behind the grass fence that surrounds the cooking area sobbing. I went back there with her and we held each other. I never thought that I would become so close to my family, and now here I am leaving a part of my heart in Africa. Dorcus did not understand what was happening as I hugged her goodbye and walked out the gate…Howaa says she will when I don’t come home. How blessed I am to be so loved by a family in Africa and in America…to be brought into their home, into their lives, to become one of them, to work, sleep, and eat along side them. It is an experience and a love that I shall never forget.

We boarded the little puddle jumper of a plane from Seattle to Spokane…I was getting giddy, unable to keep from smiling. This is it…Rachel, Mom and Dad were only 45 minutes away. The planes wheels touched Washington ground and we walked down the stairs and into the crisp 60˚air…from 115˚ it’s a big change. Once inside the airport, I ran through the gate into the arms of my family. Finally I was home! Mrs. Ekvall, Vanessa, and Kevin’s Grandpa and Grandma were also at the airport to welcome us home. Upon arriving home mom had set up a feast of Tamales, refried beans, chips, and salsa. It was beautiful…I wanted to take a picture.

Re-adjustment has not been too bad. I was slightly overwhelmed by the vast array of color’s in Target, a little nervous about driving for the first time in 9 months (especially merging on the high-way), and tried to find the matches to light our stove for cooking. I called Howaa and Pierre a couple days ago and hope to keep in contact with them.

I want to thank you all for you prayers, support, and encouraging e-mail’s/cards/packages, I can’t imagine what this year would’ve been like without knowing that you all were rooting for me. May God bless you abundantly for all that you have done.

Love and Prayers,
Liz