HaleyKate

Previously this blog was used as a place of reflection and update while I was in Sierra Leone in 2006. However, I'm starting to use it again now for a new travel experience. I will be in Israel June 2nd-July 3rd working on an archaeological dig and touring around the country. This blog's purpose is to keep people updated and reflect on time spent in the Holy Land.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

goin up country

Well we leave tomorrowto go up country to a national park for 10 days. Basically we'll be camping the in tents and little huts. We'll be making our own food and bathing in the river. Hard core stuff like that! We'll hopefully see a lot of monkey's and maybe even some hippos. I'll take pictures! The last servant team went to the same place and came back COVERED in mosquito bites...can't say I'm looking forward to that. The intent of the trip is just to provide a time for us (the servant team) to reflect and process and for the staff to have a week to relax and spend time with God away from the craziness of Freetown. I'm really exctied and thankful for the opportunity because I'll get to process a lot. There are a lot of questions I have for Papa God.
The other night we were reading the end of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus practically yelled tryin to get me to listen. See, when I walk around Freetown people are always asking if they can have my bag, or my water bottle, or other things I'm carrying; and lately I've just been feeling like it's rediculous that I want to hold on to them so bad. Sure, I paid for them and have become unhealthily attached to them...but what's the harm?
CHELLO! Am I not supposed to hold everything lightly in the palm of my OPEN hand, willing to give them away when ever anyone asks? As I was trying to make excuses to myself, I turned back one page in the bible to see the "Treasures in Heaven" section (Matt. 6:19-24). I just smiled because I knew what He was saying...so I averted my eyes...to find the "Giving to the Needy" secion (Matt. 6:1-4). OK! I get it...no more excuses. Now it's time to decide what that is going to look like for me. Does not Christ tell us that "everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand"?
So, that's just one of many things I'll be talkin out with Papa God. I'm really looking forward to processing with Him.
The next time I"ll be able to get online will be after the 10th on November. I would ask that you would pray with me that what He tells me would not fall on deaf ears but that I would drink it in. Pray with me that I would not be hesitant no matter how big and hard the challenges He lays in front of me. I really want to be His...completely surrendered.

surrendering,
Haley Kate

Oh yeah, wierd... it's Halloween. Nobody even knows what that is here...I thought about wearing a costume around freetown, then I snapped back to reality. Honestly, I look strange enough already being one of the few blond hair, blue eyed people in Freetown but just imagine...a blonde haired blue eyed person walking around in a giant M n M costume...yeah, that'd be bad, I'd of course find it hillarious...the Sierra Leoneans...not so much.
Happy Halloween!

ps-Kara, I love you too!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

be still and know

So I sent my mom an e-mail this past week telling her about something that has changed the way I pray and told her she could send it to everybody. I had just asked er to tell everybody at home hi and that I love them so the everybody I was talking about in that email was my family but she sent it to her "prayer warriors" and friends and I have been so blessed by the response and challenged to share it with my blog family. So here's that e-mail:
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October 24, 2006
Well, this past weekend I was pretty sick but Jeremy was WAY sick. He has had amoebic dissentary and the doctor doesn't know what I had but it was miserable for both of us. He said he'd never been so sick in his life. It was bad but we're both way better know, just tired cause we haven't been eating much. We both spent basically all of Fridaynight, Saturday, Sunday and for Jeremy Monday laying down and gettin sick. I was throwing up and he had diahrrea (sp?). Katie, Eric, Faye and Cami got a kick out of us b/c we were just laying down on the two couches (which we had pushed next to eachother b/c we were tired of being alone) and basically doing nothing but trying to make eachother laugh to take our minds off of stuff and when we weren't doing that we were just sleeping or gettin sick. It was good times.
Then Monday afternoon a bunch of the lighthouse kids came over (I call them kids even though most are only like 3 years younger than me and some are older). Because I had been sick for the past 3 days I hadn't taken my anti-depressants so I could tell I was not going to be very sociable. I really wanted to be able to hang out with them b/c they were all in SUCH a good mood (it was a national holiday, "pray day", the end of Rahmadon) and having a good time. But my depression just wouldn't let me express the joy in my heart, only the lie of my emotions. So I went out on the porch by myself and just sat trying to write something, anything but I found myself gettin frusterated that I couldn't be doing what I wanted just b/c of my depression. being sick had left me physically exhausted and now depression was exhausting me mentally. I just started crying and trying to fight it off but it wasn't working and I knew I wasn't going to stop crying anytime soon. Then 2 ladies came lookin for Cami so I had to quickly dry my eyes and show them in the house.
I decided I would only causing a problem if anyone came out and saw me so I grabbed my stuff and went into the empty bed room. Once I got in there, I just let go and was crying, weeping so hard I was having a hard time breathing. My depression has never made me feel like THIS before so I knew there had to be more to it. I started prayin and tellin God that I couldn't do this anymore. I want to be able to funciton and be with people. I was tired and wanted just to be with people not cryin in a back room. the more I prayed the harder it was gettin to breath and I realized this was more than depresssion this was spiritual warfare and I was at the front. This went on for about 30 minutes then Jeremy came in and saw the state I was in, basically hyperventilating and kneeling at the bedand he asked if I wanted him to stay I said I don't care so he just creeped out. But like a minute later Faye came in and I was mid prayer so I could barely breath. She came over and just held me and asked if 'this' was b/c of my depression. I said yes but it's more than that now, it's spiritual warfare. Never in my life have I ever felt the presence of God and the lies of the Enemy so strongly at the same time. My mind was just racing with lies and yet I also kept hearing "be still, and know that I am God". I wasn't really scared because I knew Jesus would win but it was just like my body and mind had become the battle ground. I was writing about it last night in my journal and I said it felt like Christ was holding me with his left arm and pushing the enemy back with his right. the second I started believing the lies at all and pull out of His arm the war would rage harder and then I would hear "be still, and know that I am God".
Just the fact that someone was there with me (Katie had now come in as well) was an answer to prayer and helped me to start to calm down. I kept prayin silently and Faye just rubbed my back and reminded me to keep breathing slowly. Finally, after about 30 more minutes of that, my breathing was back to normal and the fight was over for the time being. I was breathing so hard and I just lay down on the groud. I've never felt so physically exhausted. Katie asked if I'd rather lay on the bed, so they put a sheet on the empty matress and I struggled to lift myself up. Finally rest had come. I was SO tired. Katie was fanning me with a piece of paper b/c I was sweating like crazy. As I lay there with my eyes shut I just kept asking God, what do you want me to do now? At the time I had not had time to reflect and gather my thoughts as I have now. My mind was racing with thoughts and I knew I just needed to rest and God would tell me what to do later. Finally I fell asleep.
I woke up that evening and I had such a peace. I didn't really know what I was supposed to do other that I wanted to spend time with the lighthouse kids. So thank God I was able to spend the rest of the night with them. This morning we had a devotional on Isaiah 42:1-17. I sat amazed as I read exatly what god wanted to tell me. The small display of His power yesterday has changed the way I think of Christ's willingness to fight for us and God's love for us. God loves us SO stinkin much and I know these meager words do not do his Great Love justice. But I am so in awe of Him.
I still processing it today but I am just amazed.
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I share this with you praying that it will draw you closer to Him and allow you to rest easy in His embrace. He loves you like mad and frankly, it is our loss if we don't understand it and allow him to love us.

Be still and know


haley kate

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Sierra Leone is no longer "at war" by the worlds standard but to say there is no war being raged here would be utterly foolish. The war going on here is a spiritual war and I think if the spiritual world were to all of a sudden become physical, people would be horrified at all that is here. [Although honestly, I'm not sure it would be as scary as the war going on in America. I mean do you even know how much of a hold Satan has on America? Does not Jesus say that it hardest for the wealthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven? I have not been able to see that for 19 years of life in America; yet, it has only taken two months in Sierra Leone to understand. When am I going to stop making excuses?] This world is ran by a powerful dictator: fear. There is so much that we fear and yet, as Christians it is in vain. We have a Father who's love is perfect and perfect love drives out fear.
So let me dream for a moment of what Sierra Leone would look like if we let His Perfect Love rein:
Corruption would be a thing only spoken of in past tense. In it's place would be a government run so beautifully, that America would stare in awe. All my friends on the street would have a place to stay because everyone would work for the good of their neighbors. Never again would the rains bring fear to the poor living in the low areas but only joy because crops would be watered and streams replenished. The slums of Kroo Bay would no longer be. Justice would be given and peace would be hard to escape. Only the wicked would feel displaced and the love that they recieved would be life changing. And for all of it, the glory would go to God!


Father, this is my dream, my prayer for Sierra Leone.
At first glance it seems foolish to dream of freedom
for your people in Sierra Leone.

Yet who am I do doubt you,
when you have already done this for us before?

You carried us out of Egypt and now your people
are crying to be freed once again.

You hold all of the water as a drop in your hand,
You who breathed life into us-come!
May we be ready and willing to accept your will.
Father, do not be silent. Speak!
May your words not fall on deaf ears.
We want to see your kingdom--that which condemns the wicked,
and lifts up the righteous.

The righteous may have hard times but You will deliver them.
If only the wicked could see that they have recieved their reward in full;
while the righteous can only imagine what awaits them in heaven.
Father, this is my humble prayer.
May your kingdom come, your will be done!


Haley kate

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

we God clos di do, i go opun wan windo

My e-mail is not working right now so if you're waiting for a reply, please be patient and I'll respond as soon as it works--which better be fast b/c e-mail is my life line to you all.

I am doing great! This past week I have been able to spend more time with the Lighthouse youths outside of the program and I love that. When we're at Lighthouse, the kids seem to be different then when we're hangin out. At lighthouse we (the staff and volunteers) are teaching them and leading a lesson, whereas outside of lighthouse, there is no status that is putting a barrier between us.

Lighthouse is going through a difficult time right now. The staff are struggling to see the fruits of their labor and, as one of them explained to me, they do not feel they are living the abundant life that is promised when we are doing His will. From my perspective, I can't help but see how much of a difference there is in the kids of Lighthouse compared to people I meet on the street. The staff has done such a good job helping these kids to begin to see who they are in Christ and what that means for them as former street children. I sense a lot of spiritual warfare going on right now. I feel it is because Satan has seen the fruits of Spirit here and he wants to cut them from the vine as quickly as possible. Honestly, I don't know what the future holds for Lighthouse but I do know that God is at work and that I am here, at this moment, for a reason.

This past weekend a friend of mine, George, came to our house and told me his daughter was very sick in the hospital and asked if he could borrow Le 10,000. It is very hard to know when people here are being honest about their need and when they are just trying to rip me off. I have known George for over a month now and have gotten to spend some quality time with him so I said a short prayer and collected the money and told George I would be praying for his daughter. About an hour later he returned and told me the doctor wanted to give the child a blood transfusion but George's blood wasn't the right kind. So I grabbed Le 30,000 because George said we might have to buy blood and we left for the hospital. Transport dropped us off about a mile from the hospital so we walked the rest of the way and once we arrived George asked for the money to go buy medicine, so I said I'd wait at the hospital.

Two hours later, George had not come back and I realized it had all been a scam. However, I had a little bit of hope in me so I went inside the hospital to look for his daughter, Jenebah. During the two hours while I had been waiting, I got to talk with Eddie a few times. Eddie was going to and from the hospital b/c his son had just surgery and he was getting bored so he'd go out for a while and come back. One time on his way back in he asked me why I was still standing out side after I explained what I was doing he told me that he would be happy to give me a ride if I wanted. I told him that'd be great but first I wanted to go check to see if I could find Jenebah. So he took me around to the different wards and after checking them all with no luck, I decided to take Eddie up on his offer and head back home.

Once I got back home, I went to George's best friend and asked him if he knew if George's daughter was sick. He informed me that George doesn't have any kids. So yes, I was indeed ripped off for a total of Le 40,000. I'm not mad, it just makes me sad that George would do that to someone he called his friend.
Honestly, I greatful it happened because if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have ever gone inside the hospital. The hospital is a really nice open air facility and anyone can come visit during visiting hours. So today I went back the hospital just to talk with people, in hopes of getting to pray with them. God totally blessed my socks off today. I met two really nice patients and thier families, who had come to visit. Isatsu has maleria and bad stomach ulcers but because she cannot afford the medicine, it is not getting much better. She is a teach at and we had such a fun time talking about how much of a joy it is to get to work with kids. Modu isn't sick, her sister is though. Her sister had maleria and because her system is so week, she now has pneumonia. Father forgive me but I can't remember her sister's name...anyways, I am going back to the hospital on Thursday or Friday and taking some medicine with me. As I was talking with them, I just kept thanking God that George had stollen my money, because without George, I would not have gotten to meet Isatsu, Modu, and their families.
Isatsu put it well, "we God clos di do, i go opun wan windo". (when God closes the door, he's going to open a window)

Haley Kate

Thursday, October 12, 2006

where have all the chicken gone?

Since we arrived in Sierra Leone, chicken have not been on the menu because of the bird flu. At least that's what they've been telling us...but I have figured out the real reason.
There are some chickens in Sierra Leone but no body really eats them because they "don't have much meat" to them. Yes, they are rather small but that is not the reason why we aren't eating them. This past week I was walking with Jeremy, Katie, Eric Marvin, and Marvina to go to the beach. I saw a mother chicken walking along with her 6 chicks, pecking arund for dinner. All small kids like chicks, they are just too cute to resist. Now, my Aunt has a farm and I have picked up many a chicks in my day and have never had any problem. So, I decided to grab a chick so that Marvina could pet it. So I cornnered one and picked it up to bring to Marvina.
"Vina, look I got a AHHH!"
As I was walking over to Marvina the mother chicken caming running at me, flapping her wings and pecking at my feet. I threw the chick to the ground. But no, the chicken didn't just want her chick back, she was out for my head. So I'm yelling and running around like a mad woman-not knowing where to run b/c ahead of me is a group of kids getting water at the pump and the other direction is Vina clamping onto Katie's leg for her life. Mind you Katie, Jeremy and Eric are all laughing histerically at this point. Finally the mother decides to let me go and walks off to join her chicks.
I was laughing so hard...I wish I could have had a video of it. The worst part is that although most of the kids at the water pump are also laughing, one ilttle boy is crying in horror at what he's just witnessed. I didn't know what to do because basically I just wanted to walk away, so we did.
So, now I know, we are eating chicken because they aren't fat enough, it's beacuse they will maul you to death if you try to catch them. So, until the "chicken ship" arrives bringing us chicken, our diet will remain chickenless.

Scarred for life but living,
Haley Kate

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Well, it's finally my turn. Last night I got hit with the sickness stick. I will spare you the details b/c trust me you don't want to know. I don't know if this blog will be too long b/c being sick is totally draining my energy, just talking with people makes me tired. Hopefully it's not Malaria and will go away in a couple days.
Lately I've had a lot of great time just chillin with God. Talkin to God has become such a pleasure for me where as I used to see it as a Christian chore. I find so much joy just talkin out loud a bout what's on my mind and listening to the beautiful silence that is God's reply. God has taken my heart in a new way here. I can't really put it in to words but it is such a blessing.
Sorry to stop mid thought but I have to go, I'm gettin sick again. I"ll write more another day. The one blessing of being sick is I spend a lot of time just thinking...
Haley Kate