Hey guys, I'm sad to say that I am leaving tomorrow. A week early because If I left on the regular day I was supposed to I would be back one day at home then move to college and start cheer two a days. Everytime I thought about it I got overwhelmed and so I am flying out tomorrow which is earlier than I wanted to leave but it will all work out and I feel like I am in God's will.
This week has been crazy and so much has been happening. The last 4 days I have been staying at the Moore's house which has been so much fun. I love their pet monkeys daisy and duke the second (the first duke was killed by their dog :( ) anyways... it has been a great week. I helped in so many different areas, 3 days ago I helped a group from fox river church from wisconsin out at bomani school with medical and dentistry. Let me tell you sitting in a room with a dentist and a kid holding them down while they get their teeth pulled is not fun at allll. But what was fun was teaching the about a 100 kids how to brush their teeth. The sad thing about it was when I would ask them to take their toothbrush out of their baggies... they had no idea what to do because most of them didn't even know what a tooth brush was! It was sad that they didn't know but is good that they know now and hopefully they will be using their toothbrushes from now on.
I got to spend some time with the kids at Mtepeni, and it was sad to say goodbye to all of them. I will miss them all so much. I will miss Pastor Nzarro, Jackson, and Justin. But I will be back I'm sure of it.
Today was interesting because Lisa and I had to take care of a little girl from the school who had a 103 fever and was soo sick and was throwing up at school. We were trying to cool her down and reduce her fever with medicine.. but everything we would give her she threw back up so I got to watch lisa give her a shot to help her. It was very interesting and a new experience under my belt haha.
Another great part of today was that I got to give baby clothes that I had bought prior to the trip to twin babies that were 3 months old that their father had passed away when they were only a week old. They were so precious and tiny and momma was so grateful for everything. After her husband died she was left with 5 children. all under the age of 5... she has a 5,4,3 and 2 3 month olds. And even her health is not doing too well. So send prayers for her family and that the oldest daughter anna will help her momma out as much as she can.
I have been so truly blessed on this trip all though it was cut short. I accomplished everything I wanted to do..
I found me and who I want to be and what is important in my life. God has shed all the bad limbs from my tree. and I am growing every day.
Continue your prayers for me because when I fly into London I will have to fly on standby from london back to the states.
So pray I get on a flight, and that I am confident and will conquer all the airports I must go through by myself.
I don't really know how many people have read this blog but I thank you guys for reading and being apart of my life in whichever way you have.
Like the africans always say. God is good.. all the time... and all the time... God is Good.
and always remember hakuna mungu cama wewe- there is NO ONE like our GOD!
- Tori
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Delayed Blog!
Sorry guys for not blogging in a while! Things have been getting kind of crazy and fast paced.
But I'd like to share some cool stuff thats been happening. First, was church and evangelism.
I love walking throughout the villages and spreading the word and talking to all of the people.
They are all so kind to us and so receiving. I got to meet Gladys mom when we went out and I got to see where she slept and everything and it was just so crazy how they can fit so many people in such a small mud hut. It's crazy if you compare everything.
Another cool thing was just being at the school on the weekend and hanging out. Theres about 85 kids less and its just so care free compared to the kids dragging on your arms. I got to see and play and hold Naomi and Anna without having to be mobbed and dragged to the ground by all the other kids so it was very nice! It was also cool because when I was playing with naomi I always tell her I love her in swahili which is nakupenda, I have said it to her for the past three years and she always just says it back and laughs but on saturday she was just sitting on my lap and she said it and it was just such a good bonding time for me having her say it and not me initiating it. That was really cool.
The next day was sunday, and I love african churches, I love all the singing and dancing and its just so much fun praising God even if I don't know the language. I also got babtized along with about 12 others including 3 other people that are in my group. I've been wanting to get rebabtized for a a while now because I remember my senior year rebabtizing my brother and it was just so awesome and last year I wanted to get babtized but I didn't say anything. But this year I finally did it and it was amazing.
I have grown up in a christian family and have been to church and a christian school my entire life. Ever since I can remember I've been a christian, so the hardest thing about all of it is just trying to figure out how to make my faith my own and having a personal relationship. I've gone through a big transformation this past year and have learned so much and one of the things I've been wanting is that closeness to God, and I feel like being babtized on sunday was the final piece to my complete transformation into a woman of God, and being babtized in the holy spirit it was just an overwhelming great feeling.
I love Mtepeni, and can not waittt for my last 2 weeks here staying with Chris and Lisa.
But I have to wake up early for the safari, so lala salama everyone! I love you!
But I'd like to share some cool stuff thats been happening. First, was church and evangelism.
I love walking throughout the villages and spreading the word and talking to all of the people.
They are all so kind to us and so receiving. I got to meet Gladys mom when we went out and I got to see where she slept and everything and it was just so crazy how they can fit so many people in such a small mud hut. It's crazy if you compare everything.
Another cool thing was just being at the school on the weekend and hanging out. Theres about 85 kids less and its just so care free compared to the kids dragging on your arms. I got to see and play and hold Naomi and Anna without having to be mobbed and dragged to the ground by all the other kids so it was very nice! It was also cool because when I was playing with naomi I always tell her I love her in swahili which is nakupenda, I have said it to her for the past three years and she always just says it back and laughs but on saturday she was just sitting on my lap and she said it and it was just such a good bonding time for me having her say it and not me initiating it. That was really cool.
The next day was sunday, and I love african churches, I love all the singing and dancing and its just so much fun praising God even if I don't know the language. I also got babtized along with about 12 others including 3 other people that are in my group. I've been wanting to get rebabtized for a a while now because I remember my senior year rebabtizing my brother and it was just so awesome and last year I wanted to get babtized but I didn't say anything. But this year I finally did it and it was amazing.
I have grown up in a christian family and have been to church and a christian school my entire life. Ever since I can remember I've been a christian, so the hardest thing about all of it is just trying to figure out how to make my faith my own and having a personal relationship. I've gone through a big transformation this past year and have learned so much and one of the things I've been wanting is that closeness to God, and I feel like being babtized on sunday was the final piece to my complete transformation into a woman of God, and being babtized in the holy spirit it was just an overwhelming great feeling.
I love Mtepeni, and can not waittt for my last 2 weeks here staying with Chris and Lisa.
But I have to wake up early for the safari, so lala salama everyone! I love you!
Friday, July 16, 2010
4th day in the Mtepeni
Sorry guys for not blogging the past two days, I have been super busy and once I get back to the hotel, I either facebook chat a little then passsss out! haha
But alot has been happening here in Mombasa Kenya. Yesterday we spent the entire day working with the kids and helping with the new land they are making. I taught some of the kids some cheerleading moves. They are so good at it, it's quite funny haha! I even taught them how to do toe touches and everything! Last night we went to Chris Moore's house and ate some baked potatoes and he grilled some chicken for us and steak and it was veryyy goood, compared to all this hotel food I have been eating! (okay quick break I am in the hotel lobby and the kenyan ladies phone just started ringing and it was justin bieber, I just thought that was hilarious!) Okay anyways so Chris house is so nice, I can't wait to be staying there after the team leaves and having my own big bed! It's going to be great! Also we played texas hold em in poker, and it was my first time ever playing and I beat EVERYONE haha it was so funny! Because there was just Chris and I left and he went all in on his and so I had to match it so they flipped the cards and all I need was a club and a 7, and the 5th card was a 7 of club. It was hilarious! So I won my first ever poker match! Today we went walking into the villages and gave shoes, it was alot alot of walking. But it was good because I got to see where Gladys lived and I went to Justin's house (Justin is the deacon of the church). Gladys's house was really cool, it was cool to see where she sleeped and their beds in the mud hut and everything. Justin's house was very nice for a mud hut. He even bought us coconuts and cracked them and made us juice. As alot of yall know I am very picky so it was hard for me to do this... but I did it. I sucked it down, and it was pretty gross but I didn't want to be rude haha! It was a cool learning experience, and walked about 6 miles today through the bush with the team and it was itchy and fun haha!
But it is almost time for dinner! So I need to get ready, but I miss everyone in America very much, especially my family! I love all of yall! I will post soon! - Tori
( oh and I have an awesome sock tan now, yea be jealous)
But alot has been happening here in Mombasa Kenya. Yesterday we spent the entire day working with the kids and helping with the new land they are making. I taught some of the kids some cheerleading moves. They are so good at it, it's quite funny haha! I even taught them how to do toe touches and everything! Last night we went to Chris Moore's house and ate some baked potatoes and he grilled some chicken for us and steak and it was veryyy goood, compared to all this hotel food I have been eating! (okay quick break I am in the hotel lobby and the kenyan ladies phone just started ringing and it was justin bieber, I just thought that was hilarious!) Okay anyways so Chris house is so nice, I can't wait to be staying there after the team leaves and having my own big bed! It's going to be great! Also we played texas hold em in poker, and it was my first time ever playing and I beat EVERYONE haha it was so funny! Because there was just Chris and I left and he went all in on his and so I had to match it so they flipped the cards and all I need was a club and a 7, and the 5th card was a 7 of club. It was hilarious! So I won my first ever poker match! Today we went walking into the villages and gave shoes, it was alot alot of walking. But it was good because I got to see where Gladys lived and I went to Justin's house (Justin is the deacon of the church). Gladys's house was really cool, it was cool to see where she sleeped and their beds in the mud hut and everything. Justin's house was very nice for a mud hut. He even bought us coconuts and cracked them and made us juice. As alot of yall know I am very picky so it was hard for me to do this... but I did it. I sucked it down, and it was pretty gross but I didn't want to be rude haha! It was a cool learning experience, and walked about 6 miles today through the bush with the team and it was itchy and fun haha!
But it is almost time for dinner! So I need to get ready, but I miss everyone in America very much, especially my family! I love all of yall! I will post soon! - Tori
( oh and I have an awesome sock tan now, yea be jealous)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Day 1: Mtepeni
Jambo Jamboooo! Today was such a great day, it was just awesome to be reunited with everyone!
My baby Lauren remembered me and when she saw me she was the first to scream "Torrrri" with my r in the middle rolled.
The kids are all so precious. It's quite hard though when there is only 7 of us on the team and only 3 girls to play with 100 kids.
Where as the past trips there has been 20 of us to play with about 70 kids. So it gets crazy when kids are pushing each other to hold our hand. At one point I had the kids in a line and I would pick them up and throw them in the air and put them down and then they would run to the back of the line. This was a good method until my arms started dying after the like 25th kid. So after that I decided to sit down, and then I literally had at least 12 kids sitting on me starting at my feet all the way to my stomach and then 2 on each arm holding my arm and then kids behind me playing with my hair. It was stressful but I loved every minute of it! Hearing them say my name and remember me was just so awesome. I can't wait to start doing the medical clinics tomorrow!
Oh and my parents and my close friends know this but Gladys wasn't here today at school but I talked to the teacher and she said she should be here tomorrow, so YAY! okay well guys I am super tired and hopefully I will have more things to blog about tomorrow!
Lala Salama ( good night!)
My baby Lauren remembered me and when she saw me she was the first to scream "Torrrri" with my r in the middle rolled.
The kids are all so precious. It's quite hard though when there is only 7 of us on the team and only 3 girls to play with 100 kids.
Where as the past trips there has been 20 of us to play with about 70 kids. So it gets crazy when kids are pushing each other to hold our hand. At one point I had the kids in a line and I would pick them up and throw them in the air and put them down and then they would run to the back of the line. This was a good method until my arms started dying after the like 25th kid. So after that I decided to sit down, and then I literally had at least 12 kids sitting on me starting at my feet all the way to my stomach and then 2 on each arm holding my arm and then kids behind me playing with my hair. It was stressful but I loved every minute of it! Hearing them say my name and remember me was just so awesome. I can't wait to start doing the medical clinics tomorrow!
Oh and my parents and my close friends know this but Gladys wasn't here today at school but I talked to the teacher and she said she should be here tomorrow, so YAY! okay well guys I am super tired and hopefully I will have more things to blog about tomorrow!
Lala Salama ( good night!)
Monday, July 12, 2010
Finally back where half my heart was!
San Antonio to Chicago, Chicago to London, London to Nairobi, Nairobi to mombasa.
And I am finally hereeee! More than 30 hrs of traveling and we are here at the hotel! I don't really know how this will be posted because I am on my iPhone's wifi ( and no dad my phone part is not really on just the wifi don't worry!) okay so as most people know typing on a phone is hard so don't judge me with my grammar. I'm sorry if my commas and everything are off. I know grammar but this week is more for letting yall know what I'm doing and for me to look back on and remember.
So with that said let me tell you about my travels and how good God is.
When we made it to London everyone made it through and got their tickets except for Brittany and I. They messed up our tickets some how and we almost missed our flight but thank god for crazy blonde British woman. They saved my trip. In London the girl got us on the flight with 20 minutes to spare.
When we got to Nairobi the line for the visas were sooo long, and everything in Africa is slow. We stood in line and didn't move for 30 minutes and our flight was leaving in 40 minutes. So again a blonde little British lady behind us in line was on our flight too and dragged Brittany and I with her to the front and we were let in front of everyone to catch our flight. After this we ran with our luggage to get our tickets worked out with 10 minutes to the flight. Again they had trouble finding our tickets just like in London and told us we would have to stay the night in nairobi. But god is good! And the flight was delayed an hour and they got us on the flight with 5 minutes to spare. We are now at the hotel just hanging out and are about to go eat. Pray for tomorrow and us meeting the kids, and me being reunited with my little girls! I will update tomorrow! Kwaheri (bye)
And I am finally hereeee! More than 30 hrs of traveling and we are here at the hotel! I don't really know how this will be posted because I am on my iPhone's wifi ( and no dad my phone part is not really on just the wifi don't worry!) okay so as most people know typing on a phone is hard so don't judge me with my grammar. I'm sorry if my commas and everything are off. I know grammar but this week is more for letting yall know what I'm doing and for me to look back on and remember.
So with that said let me tell you about my travels and how good God is.
When we made it to London everyone made it through and got their tickets except for Brittany and I. They messed up our tickets some how and we almost missed our flight but thank god for crazy blonde British woman. They saved my trip. In London the girl got us on the flight with 20 minutes to spare.
When we got to Nairobi the line for the visas were sooo long, and everything in Africa is slow. We stood in line and didn't move for 30 minutes and our flight was leaving in 40 minutes. So again a blonde little British lady behind us in line was on our flight too and dragged Brittany and I with her to the front and we were let in front of everyone to catch our flight. After this we ran with our luggage to get our tickets worked out with 10 minutes to the flight. Again they had trouble finding our tickets just like in London and told us we would have to stay the night in nairobi. But god is good! And the flight was delayed an hour and they got us on the flight with 5 minutes to spare. We are now at the hotel just hanging out and are about to go eat. Pray for tomorrow and us meeting the kids, and me being reunited with my little girls! I will update tomorrow! Kwaheri (bye)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
No more updates :(
tHey guys! No more updates after this unless I do it at the airport on the way home, the internet now costs money at the hotel :( so this will be I guess for the past 2 days I haven't been on. So the next part is what I wrote 2 days ago.
Hey guys, This will probally be the last day I blog. They are going to charge for internet and I don't know yet if I want to pay for an hours worth of internet that takes 10 minutes every time it loads. But anyways today was our last day in the villages. Today we went to vpingo, it was cool to see the same kids from last year. We also went back to Mtepeni, to play with the kids for a while.
I love my three girls and the feeling of pulling up in the bus to them saying "Tori, Tori, Tori!" I love my gladys, anna, and naomi. They are just so gorgeous. I'm attaching a picture of all of them they are just so pretty. ( impossible to do with the slow internet sorry!) Naomi is the talker of the group, she just talks and talks and talks and talks and talks in swahili to me, I have no idea any words she says to me. She is just so cute. Anna is our fashion model, she is so gorgeous she is such a natural poser and has such a beautiful smile. And my gladys oh how I love my gladys haha, she is the leader of the group. She leads everyone in the songs and everything.
Today, we went to shopping in old town. It is so weird to see how many muslims there are in town. All the girls that have everything covered. It's so hottttttt here they must be miserable.
I got alot of stuff for like nothing, I'm better at good deals this year. I got like 20 bracelets and scarfs and alot of other stuff yayayayaaa. Well mom and dad, I love you alot alot alot. And I still have twenty dollars left for food for the trip home, I'm so excited for some great fast food resteraunts. Mom how is the college shopping going without me? haha I love you!
Tomorrow is the last day I get to go to Mtepeni, they slaughtered a cow for the lunch they are gonna serve. ahhhhhhh hahaha. Well, I love yall and will see you on wed. ps. dad and mom, sarah kelly wants to come to the airport is that okay? loveee you .
-T-
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
day 3 in Mtepeni
jambo jambo! Habari?( hello hello, how are you?)
Today I did medical group again. It was a crazy day and I was in charge of first aid again. Today was just so awesome. There was a girl who got burned by a fire and it burned her entire foot and burned her big toe off. I got to clean it and put medecine on it and wrap it and when I finished wrapping it we needed to keep the bandages clean so I gave her my sock, but when I took off my sock and started putting it on her it wasn't fitting cus her foot was so swollen. I know that I witnessed a miracle by God today, I prayed Lord please let this sock fit her and then right after my prayer the sock got bigger and I pulled it over. HOW AWESOME IS THAT? God does answer prayers. Anyways, by the end of the day I ended up giving both socks away. I gave my other sock to a girl who had a fungus infection covering her entire foot, so after we wrapped it I gave her my sock. Another really cool thing was we had a paraplegic her body was entirely contracted in all different ways, and was the same girl we saw from last year that we prayed over in the village. It was a very busy day, I again had to clean open sores and a lot of that nasty stuff, but I was so happy to help. I even irrigated an ear all by myself to dislodge something from a little girls ear. It was awesome! haha.
Other great news is that while I have been working the past two days in medical, the other people in the group went out in the villages and all together through the past three days there has been over 50 people saved. HALLELUJAH.
And its also Ann's birthday, she turned the big 1-7. hahaha I love her :)
I love yall and will see yall in a week.
-T
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