I'm alive and well!

Hello, family, friends, and loved ones!

Big thanks to Mom for updating for me. This is the first opportunity I've had to use the internet for more than 30 seconds. It definitely is a luxury here in Abuja, at least from my perspective, since I really only go from home to school and back again. I am working on getting an international cell phone as my primary means of contact, and sending text messages are really really cheap from my end! It's the easiest way to communicate here - Jan's son Tom told me that it's more expensive to call a person sitting next to you in Abuja than to call from here to London! Texting is the affordable option, however.

It is a HUGE adjustment. Very little about my life now is similar to my life 2 weeks ago. But that is okay; the Lord is breaking me out of my box and I am experiencing a new life, a new home, and a new dependence on God, even for my daily bread. (No, really, my daily bread...my roommate Jan is on the Atkin's diet, so bread and carbohydrates are rarities at home, but I still buy them for myself!)

On that note, I am eating well. I am eating enough. I am satisfied. I am losing weight, but not dangerously so. Again, the Lord is preserving and sustaining me. This week, my roommate Jan and I went to the British Council building here in the Maitama area, where I had a Chicken Shawarma. The best way I have to describe it is like a burrito from Chipotle, with a thick, flat, Lebanese bread, chickens, onion, some more indeterminate ingredients, and about 5 times the spice. I'll be getting used the spice ASAP. Last night, Jan made us chicken wings fried in olive oil with cashews, green onions and mushrooms. It was delicious. You should be jealous. :)

I will never again take electricity for granted. I've already lost track of the number of times I've been without power in the last week. We have generators both at our compound and at the school, but even so, I've gotten used to feeling my way around in the dark. You know in that moment when the power goes out, when the lights go off, and Americans usually freeze, dumbfounded? Well, the Nigerians have absolutely no reactions whatsoever. They don't even blink. Seriously, it's just a part of their daily lives. And now it's a part of mine, too.

The Lord is so faithful. SO. Faithful. I love my home, complete with ants, fleas, spiders, and cockroaches. I love my fellow staff at ICS; they truly are a family that has welcomed me with open arms. I love the new culture I'm adapting to. I love the respect that everyone shows here: Muslim, Christian, Hindu, regardless. It's all about respect here.

School starts Monday. Please pray that the weekend would be fruiful work time for me. As it turns out, I'm adapting the existing curriculum for grades 6, 7, 8, and 9 and starting from scratch for 10, 11, and 12. We got new books this year, and I've had no training for curriculum planning. This is in addition to the standard lesson plans for each class (5 every day). But the Lord is equipping me. AMEN.

Blessings to you all from my little corner of Africa!

Arrival in Nigeria!

I (Audrey) am posting on Maggie's behalf.

Maggie arrived, as did her bags, in Nigeria on Saturday evening. Someone from the school was there to meet her as well as to lend a cell phone so she could call home to give a brief message of her arrival.

She called yesterday, giving me a little more information. Although her home has running water she says she's already lowered her standard of personal hygiene. She's already done some cooking and feels healthy at this point. With a quivering voice she said "I've never eaten so litle yet felt so satisfied."

Sunday morning her flat mate invited her to attend church. Maggie said that when she got into the car their driver was playing a Christian music CD. Sara Groves began to sing Maggie's favorite hymn, Come Thou Fount. Maggie said it was confirmation that God was with her and she was in the right place.

Her first day of school with the students is August 31st and is weighing heavily on her. She is unsure of books, supplies, etc. that she'll have to work with.

Internet is expensive and hard to come by. Both the school and her home rely on a generator for electricity. At this point Maggie does not feel she'll have internet access very often and hopes to get a cell phone of her own. Others have been gracious in lending their cells on the two occasions she's contacted us.

Maggie said it's going to take time to adjust to her new life...and the red ants that live in her home.

Final Goodbye

This is my last blog stateside until I am settled in Abuja. I am all packed, with 3 suitcases weighing in at 49.2, 48.5, and 48 pounds respectively. I also have a jam-packed carryon suitcase and a backpack!

My best friend Laura came over last night to assist with the packing endeavor. She ended up asking me all the tough questions ("Mag, do you really need this?" "Can you surivive without that?"), which was great because I was trying to take way too much. I halved all of my food supplies, which cut down significantly on weight, and will bring the rest at Christmas if necessary. It's amazing to me that when you get right down to the nitty-gritty, your perspective changes about what is really essential.

So here I am, 4 hours away from leaving for the airport. God is still faithful. I'm moving to Nigeria.

VISA

The doorbell rang at 10 this morning. My mom and I shouted "FED EX!" at the same time and I practically bowled her over to get to the door. My passport and visa arrived with 60 hours to spare! All systems are GO!

Continuing Down the Road

As we are rapidly approaching August 21st, I wanted to detail the work that goes into preparing for a trip of this magnitude. If you've spent any time overseas, this process is quite familiar to you, I'm sure, but since I'm a first-timer, the whole ordeal is so overwhelming my head hurts sometimes.

And because I'm just that OCD, I'll break it down for you categorically.

Physically, I've already seen 2 doctors and will have my formal physical tomorrow with doctor number 3. (Make it 4 if you count the travel clinic where I got my yellow fever vaccine.) I'm taking sterile medical supplies, a whole host of natural supplements, and dozens of medications (No, literally, dozens. I wrote out my list for Customs tonight: 3 pages.)

Legally, of course, I've obtained a passport and am still in the process of obtaining my visa. My application should be walked through the Nigerian embassy tomorrow (Thursday) and prayers for unhindered processing and swift approval are greatly appreciated. The reality of this trip still hinges on the approval of the visa.

Mentally, I divide my time between intense concentration on Nigeria and pathetic distraction to keep myself from dwelling on it too deeply. It's an overwhelming feeling: trying to conceive what my life will look like in just a few weeks. A friend from church shared a similar bit of wisdom with me: part of the concern is that you just can't imagine how life will be different once you have made your new home in a foreign land. It is impossible to be completely prepared for what lays ahead.

Financially, I have sacrificed almost my entire personal savings to be ready for this trip. A new wardrobe, food supplies, camping gear, and updated technology are just some of the items I've purchased since starting out down this path. Allow me to clarify that without the financial support of my parents and grandparents, I would be headed to Africa absolutely and devastatingly ill-equipped. My grandparents are giving me the ability to communicate with friends and family back home; I can't attach a value to that gift--it is too great. My other grandparents are relieving me of a huge stressor by storing my car (free of charge) with the meticulous, loving care that defines my grandfather. My parents have sacrificed so much for me to be prepared for whatever lies ahead. When school starts in 3 weeks, I will look the part of a teacher because they've clothed me. I will eat things that remind me of home because they bought food. And I will wake up on time because my alarm clock runs on rechargeable batteries that my brother Jake provided! Moving to Africa is truly a team effort!

Emotionally, I try not to dwell on the loss that awaits me. I acknowledge all the things I will miss while I am away: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, my little nephew beginning to walk and talk, Jake's first year at Wheaton, and my college roommate's wedding next June. Nothing will prepare me for the crippling separation of my family, and if I can admit that now, I hope to accept it when it happens, even if it catches me off guard.

Spiritually, I am amazed at the presence and provision of Jesus Christ in every turn of this entire process. The timing of this opportunity was orchestrated perfectly, and I continue to trust that as I take steps of obedience, the Lord will align the desires of my heart with His own. I have been equipped for such a time as this, and want only to be used of God in situations I cannot even anticipate. I've also been overwhelmed by the spiritual support of friends and family, and not one but two church families! Prayers for safety, prayers for blessing, prayers for health and wellness have all been prayed over me and for me and I cannot contribute the peace I feel to anything less than these prayers and the saints that pray them.

I speak in faith when I say that my next update will include a positive response from the Nigerian embassy regarding my visa!

Makin' it work

Friday morning I finally spoke with the school's director (henceforth called Mrs. O.) and my fears and concerns were mostly allayed. She promised me all the paperwork I require via email or fax on Monday. After a small delay (attributed to a damaged internet cable under the ocean...nothing major haha), I received everything I needed to complete the visa application! Mrs. O had to enlist the help of a friend with Gmail in order to attach all the documents, but let me tell you, desperate times call for desperate measures.
I'm FedExing everything to the agency in Washington, D.C. today so that they can walk it through the Nigerian Embassy. Hopefully I will have a visa in 10 days!

On another note, I've taken over the dining room with all my supplies. Imagine packing for a year-long camping trip AND a year-long business trip at the same time. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around both concepts!

This little sucker is going to be a lifesaver: This is my water filtration unit, the Katadyn Gravidyn. It uses gravity to filter and store 2.5 gallons of water at each use. It stands about 3 feet high, and the 3 orange cylinders are the Candle Filters, made with ceramic and carbon granules. These bad boys filter up to .2 microns, including bacteria and parasites like E.coli and Salmonella Typhi and cysts like Giardia and Crypto. The filter also represents peace of mind. Just ask my mom. :)

Setbacks and Blessings

Choosing obedience is never the easy path. I knew my West Africa adventure had more to do with being obedient rather than a job opportunity, but I'm feeling the pinch and discomfort of that decision this week.

Apparently, preparing to relocate to a new country is an expensive process. I'll be very honest and say that my credit card bill this month is the largest I have ever seen. Between doctor's appointments, supplies, passport fees, and vaccinations, my personal savings is all but gone. I didn't stress about it, however, because these expenses are all necessary, and I trust the Lord to provide for me. But sometimes it's hard to see, even with the help of the Almighty, how I'm going to dig myself out of this one.

I still can't move forward with my visa without some key documents from the school's superintendent. Unfortunately, their email servers have been down for almost 2 weeks. [Normally, I would post the link to the school here, but, alas, the website's down, too.] The visa is absolutely essential, so I stayed up Sunday night to call the school. I called at 2:30am, 3:30, 4:30 and 9, and the line was unavailable every time.

Routine setbacks spark doubt. Yesterday was a doubt-filled day. I wondered if I could make it to Nigeria on time. I questioned the legitimacy of the entire offer. I wondered if the money I've spent will even be worth it. Combine these doubts with the ever-present questions I have about moving to a new country and beginning an entirely new profession, and I was pretty depressed last night.

But my God is a God who provides.

Right before I went to bed, I opened my mail. There was a royalty check from Disney, for satellite TV and Pay-Per-View airings of The Parent Trap. The amount was almost exactly the amount of my credit card bill--in fact, it was a shocking $30 more. The Lord orchestrated that film opportunity for me as a 10-year-old and it was beyond my understanding then. Almost 12 years later, He's still using it to bless me. It's funny to me that I am continually surprised by God's provision. I should be used to it by now.

Lesson for the week: Obedience allows God to bless us.