Greetings from California!

Today finds me at home looking back on the last 3 months and smiling. It was amazing, there is no doubt. I think the hardest thing is not having anyone here in California with any frame of reference to where I've actually been, seen, done-- I miss that part of not being a team--Re-entry will be a process and I'm thinking about what that looks like daily!

I'm adding a lot of pictures including ones I've drawn!

So, sit back, enjoy and I'll explain them all!

This is just one of those great moments at Harvesters where a group of the boys stopped (really kids are drawn to the cameras, it's not hard) to have their photo snapped- I really liked that the one boy insisted on holding dead flowers!

To the right, a photo collage from my time with the team at EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church) just doing life- :)

"To the beat of the drums, drums, drums..." Anyhow, I got to draw during a church service (at Harvesters) and just catch the day in pen! What fun!

Pumping water, what will I do with out my daily exercise routine? *sigh*

(oh, and then carrying it, an added bonus, and no, I can't carry it on my head)

This is that great day that I got to ride home in the CWEP's (Christian Women's Empowerment Program) NEW van singing all the way--what a great conference to be a part of! Again, the response is s-t-i-l-l...WOW!

Here are some highlights from the same pastors wives conference- Starting with a sustainable living project: soap making! It was great to see the women work together to help each other master the skills.

Here's a couple fun ones from the baptism in Yei River at the end of the women's conference! What a celebration!!! I still don't think burning the opium to destroy it was a good idea, but ah well- :)

Food making at YWAM...mostly chipote (my favorite!) and beans-- and then yams, and boiling our drinking water! It gave it that 'nice' smokey flavor...but it made it drinkable!

And finally, for this round, here is Lia, William (the baby), little Josephine and I with the just graduated Discipleship Training School... I'm so proud of all six of them- It sounds like they had an amazing 3 month outreach and just saw incredible things happen- I wish I could have been there to celebrate and hear all of the stories but I was in England by then!

So for today "that's all folks"! When my brain is a little clearer I'm going to write about a few more things, like the last week and what I'm dreaming about for the future-- but I'll save that until I'm a little more coherent!

Love ya'll!

Robin

Greetings from London!!!!

So, I fly back to the States tomorrow after a couple days of adventure with my fabulous friend Helen- It's been glorious winter weather here--some strong winds but no rain and plenty of sunshine! Saw the crown jewels while I toured the Tower of London (and saw where all the prisoners were...yay for history)- The Traitors gate which went up to the River Thames was originally called Watergate. Our clever guide pointed out that it actually came up to water and had less leaks than America's Watergate...all the Brits roared with laughter...come to think of it so did I, it was funny!

Today Helen and I headed off for an adventure in Canterbury, Cathedral and all... it simply amazes me that we can step so far back in time! It was amazing, it was beautiful...you should see the architecture and design, it just blew me away...I'd like to see America have anything as old as Roman times (if not before)--Wow is the appropriate word I think :)

So a silly highlight was a hot shower and a blow dryer...I still think someone could make a fortune off of solar powered hairdryers for missionaries...really really...

Anyway, off to deal with the hassle of new luggage requirements in Britain...one of my homemade trucks from Yei will be staying in London...thems the breaks! :)

See you all soon

and in light of Valentines day...I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

hugs all around!

Robin

4 days 'till travel!

Wowie! How can I sum up ALL that God's been doing-- I'm absolutely stinkin' excited-- Last week I helped out at EPC's pastors wives conference-- and I have a billion and two things to tell you about that, but i think i'll wait for Internet that works better- But here are a couple of highlights- The women came in absolutely fearful of speaking about their faith, even praying-- they had SO many great questions and I got to teach them a lot of great stories about women in the Bible- A bunch of the stories I've known since Sunday school but they'd never heard! Queen Esther for one! Wow, God did so many things-- By Saturday they were boldly going on outreach- and the team I tagged along with was standing in the back of the EPC truck beating the drum and singing LOUDLY! People were coming out from alleys, shops, homes to see what was happening- Oh, you could just FEEL the joy of the Lord-- and people who were scowling couldn't help but smile- Our team introduced 5 people to Jesus- Another team introduced 4 including a soldier who was taking opium 12 times a day to forget the atrocities he'd committed- He brought the opium to EPC and they burned it- (um, is it me or was burning not the best of ideas? ah well...) AnnGrace and I were so wonderfully overwhelmed by all that God was doing that she grabbed me in a hug and we began to jump around- You'll only really appreciate that if you've met AnnGrace, she's extremely poised and where jumping around might be my M.O. it's definately not hers! :) That and we taught soap making on top of things so that the women have a sustainable skill! Later on the day of the closing we baptized 12 people in Yei River! YAY! Pastor Jackson did it (Bishop was still in Kampala!) and Joy, one of the widows we're friends with, was among the group-- What an amazing celebration! AnnGrace has already told me that I AM coming to help with more seminars no matter where i am in the world...I count it an honor!

I went "home" Sunday after prayers (aka church) and I found, as we drove in the NEW CWEP (Christian Women's Empowerment Program) van that all the local pastors wives (and asunta) had jammed in to accompany me home! Singing and Praising the entire way! Me oh my! I can't even begin to describe the experience except that it make me grin just thinking about it! When we hit the YWAM base we all got out and danced and sang even longer! Wow wow wow...

I had a couple of the village kids near EPC to make me a vehicle out of nido tins...I asked for one small small...and I got 2 BIG BIG!!! Um, well, so far they're both packed! ha!

Said g'bye to all my EPC friends (Pastor Jackson's family included) which was a sad moment, but I bet I'll see them again! i hope, I hope!

We've just had a week of planning meetings under a mango tree at YWAM, they were good, my brain is fried! :) We had a couple of the Arua base up to help which was a treat so we bid them farewell (and me a slightly early farewell) with a bonfire and cake night! YUM!!! Very special!

So, from here on in it's closing things up for this chapter in Sudan--running errands and lovin' on people- I'm humbled and amazed by all that God's done in these last couple of months-

And I'm left with one question....
WHEN AM I COMING BACK?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!!?!?!?!?!?

Hugs, love, and all that jazz,
Robin