Laudi Mountain, Sally, and Famous Noodles

This weekend was strange and wonderful. The school officials took us to Laudi Mountain on Saturday where we met confucious, then hiked and explore the ancient gardens there. It was glorious to be up in the fresh air and green trees - away from the smog and noise of the city.
I took several pictures and made several friends; one of whom is a girl named Sally. She is a Senior at Chang Zhi University, studying to be an English/Chinese interpreter. A very bright and charming girl. She wanted to practice her English so we talked and talked all day.
Praise the Lord I was able to share the gospel with her, my testimony, and why I am a Missionary...She wanted to know all about Jesus, so He gave me the right words to say! She wanted to come with me to church the next day =) which she did and acted as my interpreter for the whole 4 hour service. I don't know if that would hinder or help a person decide to go to church - but God works in mysterious ways =)
The pastor shared the gospel again and 100 people were baptized! Incredible.
Sally has not made any decisions that I am aware of, but I don't want to be pushy or anything because I know recieveing Christ is a very important and personal decision, especially in China. She needs some time to think about it, I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to her heart and reveal her need for Him.
After church Sally and I left the other Americans at KFC and ventured out to a street vendor selling green bean noodles and sauce.
Chang Zhi is famous for noodles, most local people eat them at every meal.
They can be made out of wheat, rice, or bean flour...and cooked a variety of different ways.
At a traditional Chinese meal the host will serve several small dishes of meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables...then after the guests are finished snacking they are served a heaping bowl of noodles and sauce.
This is opposite of how many Americans eat; we like to fill up at the beginning of the meal, then snack a little afterwards. The Chinese save the bulk of the meal for the end as the climax - sort of keeping the best for last?
It has taken our team some time to adapt to this - we're such a quick-fix instant everything culture - when we feel a need we must satisfy it. now! When we're hungry we fill up. The Chinese are more patient.
I'm not sure how I feel about this dynamic. It is a good lesson in self-control, but people are grumpy when they're hungry. So I would think the dinner conversation would be more pleasant if you satisfied people first, then talked over some light snacks. But it doesn't really matter in my case because I have been appointed the taste-tester in the group. I'm the only one who eats anything - or everything so everyone always whispers "Jen...this looks kind of weird...you taste it and tells us what it is". So by the time the noodles come around I'm not hungry anymore =)
Wise Confucious say "He who is the taste tester, will never hungry be". =)
The Chinese culture is very old and wise though, so they must have some reason for their dinner traditions. I think I had better ask them.
(p.s. please keep praying for Sally).

Preserved?

Every Friday I teach a lesson on an American Holiday. Tommorow I am teaching on Thanksgiving. So to prepare for that I let my students browse through some American grocery ads I brought from home (yes, I had intented to use these for lessons not simply because I enjoy reading them for fun). My students also loved reading them and planning their feast for tommorow!
I gave them a budget of $60.00 to spend - with which they must purchase 2 types of meat, 1 seafood, 3 vegetables, 2 fruits, 2 breads/grains, 2 dairy products, 2 drinks, and 2 desserts. =) Enough food for their whole family of three people.
So they got busy clipping cupons, and I taught them the word "Thrifty" =) I hardly had to explain what it meant because it seems to naturally to them. They contemplated each purchase down to the penny!
They had so much fun planning their meal too, I can't wait to see what they bring for out Thanksgiving feast tommorow.
Yesterday I taught them about the American F.D.A. and the Food Guide Pyramid. Then we had a long lesson/discussion on each of the food groups and all about nutrition.
I had brought several magazine pictures of American meals with me which I had them discuss in English. They had to break down each meal into food groups and explain it's nutritional value...
They can see why Americans are so much larger than they are =) We eat so much more fat and sugar... I joked with them saying that Americans eat so many preservatives that when we die, our bodies are preserved forever.
They gaped at me in shock - until I started laughing, then they laughed too.
I just love them, we have too much fun together. The Chinese people love to laugh, which is another reason why I love them so much.
So I wish you some very hearty laughs today my friend! Keep well!
-Jen

Exerpt from my journal - July 10th

First, I want to tell everyone at home that it is fine and appropriate for me to use e-mails and this website to speak freely about my faith and write about the Chinese church.
We have been given permission by the government officials...things are very different in China than we have been told in the U.S. The chinese church of Chang Zhi has the blessing of the government and believers can worship God and witness to eachother ect. What is illegal is for foreign Missionary's from America or anywhere else to come in and prostheletize their faith on the Chinese people.
Which I agree with and respect.
The Chinese people should be allowed to make their own decisions about their faith and practice. From what I've seen and heard they are doing a much better job of practicing and sharing their faith than foreign missionary's have done in years past, before the Chinese cultural revolution.
I can explain more later, but for now I just want to say the Chinese Christian church here is incredible. I have learned so much from them already and wanted to share with you an exerpt from my journal.

"The church we attended on Sunday was amazing Lord!
I was so encouraged, humbled, and blessed by the whole service.
The church has about 200 members and they meet in an old, smelly, dirty, building. This is located behind a cluster of old, smelly, dirty shacks. Everyone sits on hard stools with fly's buzzing around in 100 degree weather and 100% humidity for hours - enjoying every minute of it.
The worship, communal prayers, and teaching were so passionate and spirit-filled.
I don't think I have ever felt Your presence as intensely as I felt it there.
After singing a few (chinese) worship songs together the pastor prayed, then the whole church prayed together - each one praying to You in their own way. With all the people surrounding me, pouring out their hearts to You in prayer and praise, it sounded like a roar of rushing waters.
It was the closest I have ever been to Pentacost or Revelation when all the saints are worshipping around the throne in heaven. I was in awe of Your presence Father. All I could do was cry, with my eyes closed, and stand in awe of You.
Thank you Father for what you are doing in the churches of Chang Zhi. I know You love these beautiful sweet people so much. Please protect them and help them to spread the good news all over China and the world."

Chinese Television and things less hilarious

Chinese television is hilarious!
I rarely ever watch TV at home or anywhere, I think it's a huge waste of time and I get too fidgety. But I flippped on the TV here in my room a few times while preparing my lesson plans for school and have been fabulously entertained!
The first show I saw was Chinese Teen American Idol with a Chinese dark skinned man doing his best to imitate Mike Tyson. Flexing every major muscle group, let me tell ya. I was rolling of the bed laughing. Thankfully he didn't bite the reporters ear off when he lost. =)
After that I saw a rousing ping-pong tournament videotaped in a stadium as large as the Tacoma Dome. There must have been 5,000 fans cheering on two ping-pongers! That was almost as entertaining as the noodle-eating contest. (Which was appropriately followed by a creative heart burn commercial.)
If that doesn't get you excited there's always the Chinese soap operah: two pretty Chinese girls vying for the attention of one handsome soldier (it's hard to resist a man in uniform). They spend alot of time playing coy, flirting with their fans and such, then one of them just happens to meet him in a bamboo field. They declare their passionate love for eachother, but he chokes on the noodles she brought him for dinner!
So she runs home to get her Daddy who has been arguing all day with a merchant over the price of rice. Oy Vey!
and that is when I changed the channel. The commercials with children in them are adorable. Half the commercials use children to sell something, which I think is effective because they are too sweet. Chinese people hold children very dear because they are only allowed to have one child.
Walking around the city in Chang Zhi or Beijing I do not see many children. It feels strange to see no little people, no "tiny's" as Kym or Cerra would say =)
Out of the thousands of people that walk by everyday, I only see one or two toddlers. I understand why they have to limit their population, but I miss seeing children and wonder what it will be like in a few years when there is an entire generation of people who were once "the only child".
They might turn out spoiled and demanding like Americans =) j.k.
Ah, our American'ness comes out so strongly here: the good, the bad, and the pitiful.
I LOVE America, I am very proud to be an American, but we can be so demanding.
I get embarrassed and secretly angry when I watch these sweet Chinese people bending over backwards to accommodate us (my American teaching team) and we have the gall to complain about minor inconveniences.
Please pray for me because I believe that if we bear Christ's name we ought to be the humble servants doing and saying everying in love.
But not everyone on my team feels that way. I'm not sure what to do about it, besides pray.
If you have any advice I would love to hear it! =)
Until then keep well and beware the Chinese Mike Tyson!

Ni Hao!

I have been in China for a week now and am absolutey loving it!
The 2 day plane ride went well, all things considered.
I was so worried about getting blood clots from sitting so long, as my doctor warned, so I was up every hour doing aerobic stretches with the foreigners and the flight attendants in the back of the plane. They didn't speak English but they knew alot of the same stretches (?) so we had great fun!
Praise the Lord I was seated next to a team of college students from UCLA who were also going to China to teach a summer English program! So we were able to swap lesson plans and ideas the whole time! While waiting in the airport I was also able to witness to a Chinese Morman family from Canada. That was cool. They weren't converted just then, but we had a great spirit-led discussion, so please continue praying for them.
If all is a loss in this whole missionary journey around the world, at least God let me witness to some Canadian Mormans =)
But I digress, China has been spectacular! Our team spent 2 days in Beijing touring the Great Hall of the People, Tinnemens Square, The Forbidden City, the silk market, and of course the Great Wall of China!
After Beijing we took a sleeper bus to Chang Zhi (sounds like chon jur) where we will be spending the remainder of the month teaching English and American culture at the #1 Middle School of Chang Zhi. (Which is really a highschool)
Teaching has been a strange and wonderful challenge. I have rediscovered that I love teaching, although there is a world of difference between teaching Chinese students and teaching inner city American students.
The first hour or two of class was rough because I didn't know what to expect.
I have learned it is best to have no premonitions here because everytime I think I have something figuired out it gets changed on me. I was pretty nervous.
After introducing myself and my expectations for the class I began to ask them questions and was blown away by how advanced they are.
These are some sharp cookies, 16 going on 60.
They already speak and comprehend English very well. Their sentences, grammar, and punctuation are excellent. They have a broad vocabulary and good pronunciation.
So I'm standing their thinking/praying "o.k. Lord, there go my lesson plans for today and the next 3 weeks. What do I do?!"
Thinking "I must not look confused, must not look inept, must look professional and prepared and all those nice things my leader said about me in front of all the students and communist officials this morning. Please help me Lord!
Then the bell rang and it was time for my next class. I cried to God in my desperation and He heard my prayer! He always does. His power is made perfect in my weakness.
So after that brief morning of panic and prayer I returned to the hotel for lunch and spent the whole time on my knees. Giving everything to God again.
When I returned to class for the afternoon session He let the ideas flow. One topic led to another teaching them new words and concepts from American culture, and facilitating small group discussions...
He gave me several new ideas for my class to learn and practice their English. Before I knew it the time was gone, and we all learned something. Praise the Lord!
Thank you so much all of my faithful prayer warriors at home! God is in His high heaven and all is right in Chang Zhi =)

livin' up the last day of work!

I don't want to sound conceited or anything, but I am definitely the hottest girl on Recreation Staff at Warm Beach Camp.

last minute things

As precious time at home draws to an end, my ducks are in a row for the next 6 months, so I am trying to spend as much quality time as possible with my family and friends.
Here are some fun pictures of you guys. I will miss you all so much, and will be praying for you when I'm gone. Please pray for me too and stay in touch!
I love ya!
-Jen
Above is a picture of me, Anne, Egor, Denae, Anna, Derek, and Caleb. We're hiking to Bridal Falls.
Then there is a picture of my amazing family - again, we are hiking =)

In the future!

I plan to use this blog as a way for friends, family, and prayer/support partners to keep in touch.
For the next 6 months I will be traveling through Asia, India, the U.K. and then Germany staying with YWAM Missionary's and reporting on all that God is doing through their ministry.
Because I will be so mobile, I won't be bringing a computer/printer or really much of anything with me (I am committed to simplicity). So I will not be able to send out monthly paper prayer letters to you all. I will to my best to send out monthly prayer e-mails, and paper letters when I am home in December, Lord willing.
Soooo I will do my very best to keep you updated through this weblog every week with story's, pictures, prayer requests, and random bits of information =)
I am so excited about this adventure and am thankful that in a way you're coming along with me! I really need your continued prayers and would love to hear any feedback or advice you have while I'm out on the field!
-Jen

17 days 'till China!

I can't believe I only have 17 days until I leave!
The past 2 months have been crazy trying to work full-time, raise full missions support for life, and plan all the details of a 6 month transcontinental trip.
God has been so amazing multiplying my efforts, and making everything work together in His way and His timing. I was driving home last night talking to Him about it, and just crying. I am so grateful. See all of my perfectly laid plans for raising funds have failed. But the minute I really truly gave it all up to God and admitted that "apart from You I can do nothing" - bam, He provided everything I needed in one weekend.
Amazing. May this encourage you my friend that yes, God helps those who help themseleves, but ultimately our striving alone accomplishes nothing - I think He helps us most when we have the most faith.
Thanks for your ongoing prayers and encouragement!
love,
Jen

I now have my dream job!!

Praise the Lord!!!
I am personal witness to the fact that it is possible to have a career where all of my passions come together for God's ultimate glory and my ultimate joy!
I am still in a bit of shock =)
God just laid out for me what I am supposed to do with my life!
I am going to be a Traveling Missionary Journalist with Youth With A Mission!! Ahhhh!

For the past few months I have been exploring different opportunities to use my B.A. in English, my calling to missions, and my weird sense of adventure to serve God.
So on my road trip I stayed in Colorado for two days meeting with the Director of the YWAM International Communications Headquarters. We have been in touch for months now, but were finally able to meet and discuss my vision for missions. YWAM is a evangelical missions organization with a multiplicity of missionary's, churches, and Bible schools all over the world. God is working mightily through their organization, and the world is rife with story's to be written for YWAM books, magazines, and websites.
Sooooo although they have never had an official YWAM traveling journalist before, he caught the vision and let me have the job!
Praise God I am so excited! I cannot say enough about how good God is and how elated I am to dive into this new life!

My very first cross-country roadtrip!

Trekking from Georgia back my lovely home in Washington state taught me a flock of fabulous facts about several midwestern states and truckstops.
Here are a few things I learned:

1. Tennessee is green and georgeouss in the spring, and Nashville is famous for crazyily talented drummers at Belmont University =)

2. Kentucky is apparently the quilting capital of the world. I just happened to be driving through during the quilting festival of the year, where I witnessed swarms of zealous quilters running around toting fabric swatches and selling applique. I was completely enamored.
I even bought a cute little Kentucky quilted apron, because cooking is so much more fun when one is wearing a cute little colorful apron.

3. Never trust a trucker who says there are Jackalopes in Wyoming - it's a lie.

But they truly do have very fine authentic cowboys who open doors for you and tip their hats =)

4. Right now Nebraska has a Rabid Skunk epedemic. Not even joking. =) My friend's dog was bitten by one. It's all over the news, causing Nebraskans everywhere to be on full-alert at a whiff of danger.

5. Missouri truly is the most miserable of all states - this is especially true if you happen to get caught in a 4 hour downpour in the middle of the night, hydroplaning amongst semi-trucks. They say it's the "show-me" state but I couldn't see much through the rain.

6. Colorado - has a great team of YWAM Missionary's at the Youth With A Mission International Communications Network in Colorado Springs where I hope to work someday soon.....

Back in Georgia once again!

Grandma, Norman and I back at our beloved Union Baptist Church on Easter Sunday! Ah, it makes me want to bust out the hymn "precious memories" - I love you!

Highlights of the past 2 months on the Gulfcoast

I'm a little behind on my weblogging here which irks me because I have so many exciting story's to tell.
I am witnessing miracles everyday, but I just don't have any time to write about it!
So I'll put down the highlights now and fill in the details later =)
1.) Learning very quickly that I definitely do not have the gift of office administration.
Frankly I hate it with unrelenting passion! I'm much to fidgety and hands-on to be sitting at a desk all day answering phones and filling out paperwork...I do love visiting with the people who come in and helping them to fill out paperwork to get help from CBMI. But everything else about this office with no windows is driving me crazy!
So I'm learning alot about the importance of being willing to serve in a position I dislike merely because there is a great need - for the greater good of all/the mission (this sounds kind of like the Communist Manifesto but I'm pretty sure this is something God is telling me =)
2.) About once a week they let me out of here for a few hours, to work outside with a missions team, and this has definitely been the highlight of my trip. So far I have learned how to operate a Bobcat! yes! heavy machinery (I can upload a picture to prove it) and a Chainsaw! I cut down a tree! granted it was a very small tree, but it was a tree! =) I also helped put a roof on a house; measure, cut, and fit drywall; Install fiberglass - itchy but the slap-stapler was alot of fun; Discovered there is an actual tool called a "Stud Finder" ha Becca, I am so buying one for you at Christmas =) and I learned how to wire a house. All in all I had so much fun building the houses I can't wait to build one of my own someday when I grow up.
And it was such a beautiful thing to watch the excitement and hope on the people's faces as their broken homes were put back together. Praise the Lord for this ministry, and all the volunteers who come down every week to help!
3.) Another highlight has been getting to know the people we're helping, outside of the context of work and CBMI. I have been able to have lunch with a few of the sweet older ladies CBMI is helping, and those are friendships I will treasure forever.
One of the Ladies is Miss Gracie Nesbitt. I ran over a turtle in her yard when I was bulldozing/clearing debris. And we (Miss Gracie and I not the men we were with) were mortified. We called all the Vetenarians in Gulfport, but no one could offer any help for the poor little guy. His shell was fractured in 6 places and there was nothing I could do but take him home and wash him and bandage him together with gauze, and give him a little crushed up Tylenol for the pain. I kept him in a box for a few days and he started to get better, so I brought him back to Miss Gracie and she's taking care of him. Since then Gracie and I have become good friends, I'm not sure if she is a believer so please be praying for her salvation, and opportunity's for us to talk about about Jesus because every time we start to talk about spiritual things something else comes up.
4.) Another highlight of this month was going to Billy Graham's final crusade in New Orleans. That was a lifetime experience! I drove down there with my new Big Brother Shannon. We made quite a pair walking in there, he's a huge biker man, all tatted up in his leather gear, and I'm frolicking alongside him in my hot pink sparkly sandals and sunny surfer-girl look. He actually got kicked out halfway through Billy Grahams sermon because he was trying to help a little elderly lady from Germany - and so I went down to look for him during the alter call and I'm sure everyone was thinking I was going to get saved which was ackward because I had just been praising the Lord and totally into the worship before the service.
But anyhow, it was a great experience.
5.) I joined the Grace Memorial Baptist Choir! I have always wanted to sing in a choir, and I learned that I'm a Saprano (surprise?!) It is great fun. I sit next to a lady named Jean Allgood who is 85 years old and has been a missionary all over the world. Jean is going to China to teach English for the month of July, and she asked me to go with her. So I think I will. Why not go to China for the month of July? =)
So these have been a few of the highlights of my last few weeks in Mississippi - it never ceases to amaze me how God will take you crazy places and to meet amazing people.
Isn't God good? =)

Passover

about the passover last week.

Shalom

my post about Passover.

Moving to Mississippi!

Hey ya'all!
I know it's been awhile since my last e-mail from Trinidad, you probably suspected I was eaten by alligators or something - but I haven't. (!)
Actually, you will not believe what has happened these past few weeks!
I left Trinidad on February 3rd, and spent the weekend in Chester packing up my car, saying many sad goodbyes to all my loved ones there, and in the meantime being near death from my very first case of food poisoning. Nevertheless I was on the road by Sunday heading south for my Grandparents house in Georgia.
On the way I stopped in Maryland at the Naval Academy to visit a friend, who ironically took me out to an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Yeah, not the best cure for lingering food poisoning, but it was still fun Kyle, thanks! =)
That night I drove down to Virginia-Tech to visit my friend Rob who invited me to stay a couple of days for his superbowl party...Go Seahawks! well...maybe next year.
I eventually made it down to my Grandparents home in Geogia, they live in the cutest little country town called Thomson, where the people are so sweet, and soooo country.
I absolutely fell in love with the people at their little country Baptist church, Union Baptist. Which was good because my Grandma had volunteered me to speak on a couple of occcasions about my experience as a missionary...I hate public speaking with a passion and would never volunteer for it, but for some reason everyone thinks I do.
So I learned some good lessons on humility: learning to do something I hate to do, doing it for Jesus, and thanking people for allowing me to be so uncomfortable. =) But you can't hide your light under a bushel you know? - When God teaches you something or allows you to witness miracles and His goodness...you've got to talk about it right??
I was just talking with my new Biker friend, and new big brother, about that last night, he was sharing his testimony about how he was a murderer, drug dealer, theif, hitman, and biggest baddest biker dude there was before Jesus saved him. Because of that he has been able to share his testimony at Biker bars and church youth groups...he was telling me that we're all witnesses to God's miracles in our lives, and we need to be sharing it.
Those 2 weeks in Georgia were lovely though.
I learned alot about peace while I was there. I helped my Grandma in her garden everyday, and took long quite walks on lonely dirt roads with just me and Jesus. It was heaven.

I was only planning to stay in Georgia for a couple of weeks to rest and process all that I have been learning this past year, and also to seek and listen for God's guidance on what to do next...I was supposed to be truckin' acrossed country to check out a job I've been offered in Colorado, but the Midwestern winter is getting so bad my parents strongly suggested that I stay in the South for a couple more months.
Soooo I was praying about it, saying "O.k. God why do you have me here for the next couple of months? Two weeks is more than enough rest for me, could you show me specifically what you want me to do/how I can serve or work?" and wouldn't you know it, God answered so fast!
That night I went with my Grandma to a Baptist Womens Missionary Union meeting and after dinner ( let me just interject something really importnant here: =) In the South people are really big on cooking and eating, especially if you're Baptist, apparently "church folk" can't have a Bible study, revival or any gathering without first sitting down to some fried chicken, grits, collard greens, sweet potatoe pie, pickled Okra, and sweet tea! It's a good thing I've been running 6 miles everyday 'cause everyone's always fixin' something to eat. =)
So after dinner we had a guest preacher come to talk to us about the devastation in the Gulf Coast of Mississipppi, from Hurricane Katrina. He said there's a pastor down in Gulfport who is organizing missions teams to work on different projects and people's houses to rebuild the community. The pastor needed someone to come down and help full-time for at least 2 months.
So I'm sitting there thinking "Praise the Lord! Sign me up!"
I called the pastor the next day, he said he and his wife had been praying for me - so this is how God answered both of our prayers!
I packed up my car again, and drove down to Gulfport a day later, after my Grandma's church laid their hands on me and prayed for me.
So I've been living here in the church nursery for the past 3 weeks and it's been Awesome! Hard work, but I get to meet so many great people from all over the country who come and stay with us for short-term missions....
Working in the office gives me a chance to sit down with people from the community as they come in to fill out work orders. I get to listen to them as they tell their story and share their burdens, and pray with them, and cry with them, and just listen. I think sometimes that's the best thing you can do for people who are hurting like this.
All of us in Mississippi sure do need your prayers, please.
There is so much work to do here, we're working 14-16 hours everyday. It is going to take alot of time, alot of prayer, and alot of people to rebuild the homes and lives of the people down here. I think hurricane Katrina may have destroyed Gulfport worse than New Orleans, but for some reason the gulf coast isn't getting much media coverage so most of the nation thinks things are back to "normal".
Hey! If any of you have spring break in the next couple of months and don't have any plans we would absolutely LOVE to have you here. I have some room with me in the nursery, and we would feed you for free, there's so many different interesting projects to do, and you can learn good skills while helping people! I just learned out how to cut, fit, and finish sheetrock in a house the other day...you never know when that'll come in handy.
But good grief I didn't mean to ramble on so long! Thank you always for your love and prayers!I sure appreciate you all and pray for you everyday.
much love!
- Jen
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear: your God will come'." - Isaiah 35:3-4a

January 30th - Alligator Hunting!

So the alligators here are called "Caymen", and they live in the swamps and rivers in Trinidad. As soon as I heard about them I started begging the locals to take me hunting, because I plan to experience every source of adventure this Island has to offer! (While continuing on with ministry work which is, of course, the main reason I'm here - just so none of my supporters are worrying about my motives =)
The Caymen hunters refused at first, claiming that Caymen hunting is for big tough men and they weren't going to take some sissy girl along. But eventually I persuaded them.
Whether it was by batting my baby blue's or demonstrating my knife-fighting ability is debatable. In any case I soon found myself tromping through the swamp at night - weilding my AA-flashlight, ready for anything!
We saw several Caymen peeking out of the water. watching us. looking very hungry. making me very nervous. But every time we came withing 15 feet or so - enough to throw out the bait and set a trap, they would dissapear.....
We spent much of the night playing this game before the guys - emphasis on the guys here - gave up.
So, sadly we have yet to catch any Caymen. But I am determined to get one before we leave - and I'll see about getting some Caymen jerky to you through customs, if you want.
Auntie Hazra even promised to teach me how to season and cook the Caymen tail if we catch one.
mmmmm... speaking of cooking =) that has been another major highlight of this trip.
The women have been letting me help them in the kitchen everyday. So they are teaching me how to cook Curried Chicken, and Potatoe Chana, Choka and Roti, Beef/Rice Pilaf, special rice dishes with chicken, spices, and coconut milk, and sweet breads with fruits and coconuts.....mmmm
When I get home you'll have to let me don my colorful little Trinidadian apron and cook you up lots of Trini food. =)
Our ministry and outreaches are still going spledidly.
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Nicole and I actually dropped off the other 10 members of our team at the airport last week, and changed our tickets to stay here until February 2nd. So we've been helping the TTUM missionary's, and different missions teams that come from the States.

We're primarily focusing on how we can help and encourage the full-time missionary's here at the base. Spending the past year as a missionary in Chester has really helped me to appreciate the missionary's for all the daily, less glamorous work they have to do to keep the ministry running, and to cater to short-term missions teams.
So God has really put it on my heart to bring them some cheer and encouragement, and help with whatever needs to be done around here. I am learning so much from them, and am inspired by their steadfast hard work for the Lord.
They have this carefree joy from their love for Jesus (and I think also from all this glorious sunshine that is making me brown as a coconut =) I think Heaven must be a place of constant sunshine, beaches, palm trees, and cheerful little missionary's cooking Roti and Chana and Caymen Stew =)
But I digress.
I should probably go now - thank you for hanging in with me thus far - I'll save my Prison ministry and Steel Pan drum lessons story for next time =)
Until then my friend, God's blessing to you. May you find yourself "Limin' (resting) in His presence" today and always! love, Jen

January 23rd - Trini Style

These past two weeks in Trinidad have been the adventure of a lifetime! I met the other 12 members of our college-age'ish missions team in the airport right before the trip, and I'd say we bonded pretty well during the 6 hour flight.
Upon arrival we stayed our first day with the TTUM missionary's in St. Helena for orientation and planning. Then we drove the two-hour-long-crazy-roller-coaster-make you sick jungle roads ride at night to Toco.
Toco is a beautiful small fishing village on the edge of the Island. We stayed there with a little elderly lady named Auntie Patsy who hosts surfers and missions teams at her home. Auntie Patsy makes green protein shakes out of sea moss which she sells to Nestle in the U.S. =) I think you can even buy them in Stanwood!
She is also an amazingly wise and fiery woman of God. During every delicious exotic Trini/carribean meal she fed us, she preached against the evils of sex and house insurance. no joke. We only spent a couple of days in Toco but it was a great time of ministry. Our team put together dramas and Bible presentations which we led at local schools, orphan homes, and drug rehab centers...
One of my favorite things was doing home visits in the village. Our team split up into pairs and visited different people, talking with them about Trini culture. Once we all became comfortable with eachother we began to ask them about spiritual things, which led to sharing the gospel. I think that is my favorite type of ministry, because I love to meet new people and share with them personally - it was a huge stretch for me to lead messages and gospel presentations in front of hundreds of people at the schools- but the home visits were lovely.

Aside from official ministry time we had countless daily adventures in Toco: some little local boys taught me how to night fish on the beach Trini style. Our team hangout place became the top of a huge lighthouse where you can see some of the other carribean islands acrossed the sea at night - We sometimes do our devotions there at night under the stars. Worshipping and singing so loud up there with the stars and beauty all around us, the wind whipping us around - I'm sure that's what heavens going to be like.
The beaches here are beautiful, and the surf was pretty decent. Much to my chagrin I did not bring a board but I am determined to borrow one from someone while I'm here. I have also gained all new respect for anyone who can husk and chop up a fresh coconut, and some locals let me climb up their mango tree to gather lot's of mangoes for our team (I am in heaven with the hundreds of variety's of tropical fruit). We saw beautiful sunrises on the beach, and hiked out into the jungle one day to a beautiful waterfall.... (sigh)
I could go on forever about this beautiful island and the beautiful people and a million other things I love and am learning but I need to go now because my team is leaving the internet cafe...soooooI'll save my Alligator hunting story for next time =)
Thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging e-mails! The ministry has been amazing so far - God is at work and some people have been saved already, and we are all learning and growing and stretching and having a glorious time doing it!
O.k. so take care my friend and be filled with God's great joy today!
Much love to you,
Jen
Zacheriah 4:6
p.s. Here are pictures: 1 of my group and 1 of me with some sweet little girls from Bible Club

Shalom

I drove to a synagogue last night in Biloxi to celebrate Passover.
It was my first time celebrating a Passover meal, and it was a beautiful experience. I have always had a heart for the Jewish nation, I love their culture, traditions, family closeness, and just their personality. I believe we're supposed to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and I love them. So whenever I get the chance I try to visit a synagogue to learn from them and worship God with them.
Last night was quite the experience - I had no idea the meal and ritual was so complicated. They had different types of kosher food which we ate ceremonially at different times to represent different sections of the Exodus from Egypt. We would eat a little something and then drink a glass of (dreadful) wine, then sing a Hebrew song, then someone would share a little anecdote or read from the Torah, and then we would eat another bitter herb, sing a song, drink another glass of wine, and tell another story.....it was alot of fun. Oh and I was on TV! I guess they had a video camera there because Jean Allgood told me at lunch today that she watched me on TV eating the Passover with the Jews. Between two very fine single Jewish boys, who were very helpful in explaining all the details of the Passover meal and why Yiddish is a legitimate language =) Maseltoph! Too bad I'm leaving Mississippi tommorow - but they will be in my prayers, and I hope yours as well. Shalom my friends!

Chester

After graduating from Westmont College in 2004 I spent a year as a missionary intern living in the inner city of Chester, Pennsylvania.
This is a city where God is working miracles, everyday bringing beauty out of the ashes.
Chester is the third most economically deprived city in the nation; it has one of the highest crime and drug ratings nationally; and it frequently makes news headlines for it's deteriorating school system and corrupt city government. Most people who know Chester think of it as the city to drive around.
Living in the heat of the projects with 10 other missionary's that year taught me alot about prayer and spiritual warfare. Although there are no easy answers for all the problems of the city, our God is mighty to save. So starting a church and spreading the hope of the gospel is the best place to start.
As an intern I was able to get involved in a little bit of eveything World Impact Missionary's are doing in Chester.
I taught Phys. Ed. at World Impact's Frederick Douglass Christian school. (Here are pictures of my 3rd grade class stretching, and my Kindergarten class). I had a blast teaching K-5th grade classes!
Every week was a challenge coming up with new lesson plans and teaching strategy's but my students and teaching Staff were a joy to work with.
On the days and hours I wasn't teaching I was able to help lead Bible clubs for kids, youth, teens, and family Bible study's every week. Here are some pictures from each of these. Sometimes we picked up the kids around the city and brought them to our houses, and other times we held Bible clubs in empty lots or the FDCS gymnasium.
Throughout most of the year I discipled two teen girls, Ashley and Vera, my dear "sistas". They were saved in our Teen Bible club the month I moved to Chester and I felt like God wanted me to start meeting with them throughout the week. "We was kickin' it together with our other homegirls and homeboys" all the time and studied the Bible together. I would take them places outside the city, and did my best to show them what it means to be a Christian.
In Chester I was also able to help lead a scrapbooking club, and a gardening club most weekends. This was a great way to get to know the adult women in the city to build relationships with them.
Occasionally the other Missionary's and I would take groups of kids and family's up to the Pocono Mountains for summer or winter retreats. World Impact has a camp called Harmony Heart, and they allow us to take family's in our ministry, to gain fun camp memories they may not otherwise be able to have.
God allowed me to see Him work through many other ministries in Chester. I dearly love that city and the people there. Please keep praying with me that Satans strongholds will be broken and be replaced with peace. There are thousands of people there that He loves.
"Should I not be concerned about that great city?"- Jonah 4:11