India. Ashli's view

Landed safely in Heryderbad around midnight, traveled by bus to a hostel where we slept for a few hours, had lunch, worship, cultural orientation, slept more, and left for an overnight bus ride to our ministry headquarters. Our team is jet lagged and hungry but so excited for this month doing VILLAGE MINISTRY!! (YAY!) As far as living conditions, we'll be tenting - Not sure where we will poop or use wifi. My sleeping pad has a leak in it so please pray that Jesus makes a way for me to somehow get rest.

Yesterday, our contact said, "India is the country that will show you that you cannot do this in your own strength."

 

that said...

 

India is amazing.

 

Not because we have beds or toilets or showers or reliable wifi, 'cause we don't. But because we are constantly uncomfortable, always stinky and dirty, and pray the Internet works long enough for us to post a FB status. Ya see, I'm finding that the more comfort we're given, the more we think we deserve. YET, put us in a place where all comfort and normalcy is stri...pped and we find joy in the smallest things. You've never seen 6 people more excited to find out there was ice cream at the end of our dinner last night. Dinner that we did not recognize nor could we pronounce the name of.

 

Today, wherever you are around the world, try going without something you're used to.

 

Stretch yourself - and in that, find that your strength is not enough, nor will it ever be. But His.... His is more than enough.

 

Peace, love, and spicy curry - Ashli :)

Motherhood & Missions

A good day.  A good, good kind of day.  After a week of sluggish little girls with stuffy noses, I was pleased to welcome this monday morning with a few firsts...my best friends' anticipation of her firstborn in Mississippi and a text message from Hong Kong.

 

The morning started with the realization that my eyes opened at the exact time my bestie was scheduled to be at the hospital for induction.  Her butterball of a baby (no gender or name yet) is to arrive today since he (because I just refuse to call it...IT ) has pushed 'Little Mississippi Mama' into her 41st week of pregnancy.  This little family was one of the reasons we traveled to MS in November.  It was a special time with our family and friends as we put the finishing touches on the gender neutral nursery.  Plus, Thanksgiving! (more to come on this)  The trip was very crucial for us in light of the fact that we could not be there today. 

 

So, I sit in Oklahoma this morning, texting and laughing with her.  And as I collect written thoughts, she is enjoying jolly ranchers and pitocin. 

 

My other first came almost simultaneously.  While in conversation through text to Mississippi, I receive a message from Hong Kong!  Our little missionary firecracker left Africa this weekend and finally arrived safely in Asia.  It was so refreshing to hear from Ash.  I could feel the excitement of whats to come this month as they transition.  How strange it must be to go from primitive living in the bush to big city China!  A literal 'culture shock'.  Yet the fascination and passion she has for missions is in full force and I am so pleased to have the technology available to share her experience.  As our conversation/typing progressed, I realized that this truly is her calling.  She is in awe of the world and it's diversity.  Our small town girl abroad...  Serving and sharing her life, forgiven and free.

 

So you see, I simply could not let the beginnings of this day go un-written.  It has been too special already and baby is not even here yet!  More to come... Happy Monday

Ashli's Adventures... Swaziland & Baby Names

Oh, Africa. Where the sun is hotter, the stars are bigger, and the babies are cuter.


Our ministry this month is basically up to the Holy Spirit and us. There’s no one around telling us where to go and when to get there. That’s not to say there isn’t opportunity, I mean, we’re in Swaziland, after all. Down the street from our huts is a hospital and across the street from that is a school. We live at a community center so every day after school there are kids galore here. There is ministry opportunity everywhere.

We have only been here for about two weeks but so far, my favorite place to go is the hospital. I have gotten to know the patients, hearing their stories, learning their pains and seeing it all over their bodies and faces. I watch them try with what little air is in their lungs to tell me why they lay there, hopeless. Some have been in horrible car accidents, some have been attacked by robbers, and other patients have just been diagnosed with TB. In the maternity ward, I celebrate with mother’s who have healthy babies and we praise God for another fresh life. No matter the circumstance, God always bring forth hope and joy in that hospital room.



Yesterday was quite the treat! I walked into the maternity ward and went straight to the first lady who looked up at me. She looked young, 23 maybe, and had a beautiful smile. I was attracted to her immediately. We began to chat and get to know each other. I looked over at the bed and asked to hold her baby. Clothed in a precious pink plaid shirt and grey sweat pants, the baby shines brightly. It was one of the happiest babies I had held there. “What is her name?” I asked the mom. She shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly said, “I don’t know. I don’t have a name.”
“What! This baby is FOUR DAYS OLD and you haven’t given a name? This is absurd. We must name this baby now. Can we name your baby now? Can I do it? Can I name your baby?” Still laughing at all my questions and concerns, the baby’s mom nodded yes and quietly said, “You can name my baby.”




Holding this new life in my arms, I asked God what He wanted her name to be. When I did, Lauren walked up and mentioned how beautiful the baby was. As soon as she said that, it clicked. OF COURSE! “Buhle!” I said out loud. (If you’ve read my blog entitled “I Showed her my Marsh mellow Stash” you know the significance of the name Buhle. It has a very special place in my heart.) I was so excited to go back home and tell my team about the baby I named Buhle! I knew they would be so happy for me and we would celebrate how cool it was. Not only did I get to NAME A BABY but also I named her Buhle!! I was on cloud nine.


For about 15 or 20 minutes we sat there with all the moms and babies. Finally after I referred to the little girl I had just named, one of the other mothers told me, “This is a boy.” Are you kidding me?? I couldn’t believe it. It was like someone let the air out of my balloon. So I did the only logical thing and renamed the baby Surprise David. Surprise is a semi-common African name and David was a man after God’s own heart. Besides, Buhle has a biological brother named Surprise and I love him as much as I love her. So I figured it fit well.



Myself and Surprise David :)

Marshmellows in Africa

One of the sweetest things I've ever read... and so true to Ashli's nature.  Depicting the love of the Father in a reality that is her journey.

I Showed Her My Marsh Mellow Stash

 

oh, how I miss her.

Text message from Africa

On a normal morning, waking up to the annoying sound of a text would be just that.  Annoying.  However, as I rolled over early yesterday morning and looked at the screen, I was overjoyed!  A text message from Africa!  Ashli had managed to send a few messages while in the city, before going out into 'the bush' for the week.  For this post... 'the bush' will be in small quotations, why?  because I think it sounds cool and dangerous.  more dangerous than cool.  HUMOR ME.

 

It was so refreshing to read her enthusiasm about her mission.  We text'd for a few minutes back and forth with her giving me details about the city they are in... living next to the VP of the country and all.  What a feeling of safety to be in a vicinity protected by military.  However, in the very next sentence she tells me they will be in 'the bush' all week.  I can only imagine what that entails especially after walking through the family room last night.  Goose' TV time was a documentary on baby animals in the African 'bush'.  Yeah.  That not so safe and protected feeling was back.   Commence the dialogue with God....more fervently. 

We closed the conversation with her giving me concerns to pray about...lodging, protection from sickness & disease, and WI-FI.  She made a funny about that last request.  But I totally see how important it is for her team to stay connected.  I'm sure she is not only concerned for herself, but more importantly for that of her family here in the States.  What relief it brought for her parents, sweet Ms. Diane and Mr. Chuck, to get her phone call on Sunday morning.  I am certain, just to hear her voice brought joy to their hearts.  

She sent this pic and then said one of the best things I could have heard, especially at 7am... 

 

"I could not imagine doing anything else with my life right now!"

~ this heart smiles.

 

for more information about Ashli's adventure, go to http://ashliblackwell.theworldrace.org/  

 

She made it...

Ashli is in Africa. 

This post will not be eloquent, or elaborate.  But I have committed to posting about Ashli's World Race and keeping with that, I got up out of bed to post and stay current on her journey.  Yes, I was in bed before ten, and still plan to be.. I have 7 minutes :)

Ashli sent us an email that was typed while on the plane to Africa on Sept 10...which may have been the 9th for us.  I have no idea how to keep up with time zones.  One more lesson I'll make sure to learn while teaching homeschool this year. 

The email was long and I was appreciative to be included in the group who received it.  I cannot imagine what her actual family feels, because my heart is kind of still in shock.  But it's a numbing that comes with tears and a half smile.  She is doing what she KNOWS is best for her at this point in her life.  And for that, I commend her. And think how many will be eternally effected by this journey! 

From what I could gather about her schedule she will be in Zimbabwe until the end of September. There is a way to follow her journey on the World Race website; when I'm not sleepy, I will look into it and post the link. 

4 minutes...  
So: 
Prayer requests. 
I've included the end of her email for...well, because having it on here makes me feel close to her.  And I wanted to list what she has asked us to pray for.

As far as I can tell, we will be in Zimbabwe until the end of Sept. When we will travel BACK to South Africa, as that is our second country on the list....A lot of times we don’t know what we are doing until we are doing it. Simply because plans change constantly.

 

Well, this is a really long e-mail ... sorry about that. And I think that’s all the info I have for now.

Please keep praying:

-healing for my back

-against sickness on my team

-for God’s people to rise up and KNOW Him

-wisdom and discernment for myself and my team

 

I love you all so much and let the countdown to July 31 begin!!! : )

 

Love always,

Ashli

 

Thank you for joining me in this.  Good night!