A world outside of reality...

It is after 2 am and I still have so much to get done before I go to bed... or start my day, which ever comes first I guess. I want to give an update before I depart on my next adventure. For the last 11 days I have been on an extended outreach. It has been said that 'a day on outreac is like a year in real life'... I would have to agree!! We left pemba early on Friday August 10. Our team, 16 westerners and 6 Mozambicans, headed to the province of Nampula to encourage small bush churches. They told us that it would be a 5 hour journey... we arrived 10 HOURS later. It was the outreach of all outreaches!!! We went a 5-6 days without bathing and we bonded as a team. So much happened but I just cannot describe it yet... In 10 days we set up and tore down our tents 7 times... we showed the jesus film 9 times... we saw one cobra, one monkey, a few scorpions and one too many latrines... I experienced food poisoning... I also discovered that doing laundry at the river around lunch time is not advisable for women as it seems to be bath time for the village men (who bath while you do your laundry... the sky was beautiful that day). Most of the team is still in Nampula. I flew back to Pemba early because I have been invited to be on a team of people going to the Congo. I leave in 6 hours to go to the airport!!!! I am excited beyond description. The Adventure is Just beginning yet school starts again in just 2 weeks... it is outside my comprehension!!! Well, I basically wanted to let you know that I survived outreach and that I am going to the Congo this week!!! We cross the Border on Thursday and leave again on the following wednesday. I have been waiting for this all of my life!!! I will be putting more pictures on once I get home to a high speed connection.
Love, Blessings, Peace, and Joy Be unto you
Candace of the Congo




YES... I am STILL LOVING it here!!!!!!

Stiil here!!!!

Dear Dad,
I wanted to phone you today but I decided to email you instead... as I was emailing I realized that you did not really want an email form me but a BLOG post instead. So here I am trying to post the quickest blog ever, and this one is just for you.
How do I communicate this adventure that I am on in such a way that it does the experience any justuce??
I just do not think it is possible!! I love it here, but I do not love it here because it is easy, because it is not easy. Africa comes with its very own set of challenges. This year I am learning so much about life, culture and relationship. I don't even know where to start and I am ever afaid that the power will go out. This summer has had a very different dynamic than last year. This year I am able to see more the reality of 'long term missions' and what that can do to someone, both positively and negatively. I also have gotten a huge awakening being able to see what western culture is doing to such a precious people group. This summer has definately made my brain spin. I have seen an amazing contrast. With one eye I can see the little boy who has no chance at life because his parents have past away and he just so happens to be the smallest one who can never seem to get enough food, and I see him being loved and nurished, or I see the little baby who would be dead without the love and support of the missionaries here. With the other eye I see 3 times as many children that have figured out how to beg form the westerners, and I see rocks been thrown anf bamboo being swung at us.
The challenge that I am faced with is how do I love the little rock throwers who need as much love as the weak little boy and the babies? What does that love look like?
This seems to be a much more serious blog, but my brain is spinning and I thought that I would let you in for a moment. On a lighter note, I am doing very well. Other than a sore throat that I had for a day and a half, I have not been sick at all. I am feeling great adapting to life here quite well. I am very sad to be leaving in 4 short weeks. I would love to stay for a year and continue to be stretched and educated by this world reality.
What I wanted to write about is the restoration that is taking place in my mind and heart. I wanted to communicate the growth and changes. I can't seem to find the words!!!
One story about the restoration that is taking place and then I must go to worship before bed.
For many many years I have struggled with self image and self worth (like pretty much every canadian woman). A few weeks ago I was leaving the bathroom and I got a glimse of myself in the mirror and for the first time in decades I did not hear one negative thought in my head, instead I heard 'Man, I look GOOOOOD this morning'... the thought actually caught me off gaurd and totally made me smile for the whole day. This may seem like no big deal to you, but to me this is amazing!!!!

Well Blessings on you, I will let you make up the stories that go with the pictures (that would not load, so you have to imagine the pictures too). I'll come back and read this in a few days and edit it if I find it ridiculous... this was an unprepared, off the cuff blog post.

I Love you DAD

Joy and peace, Candace
I really love it here, despite challenges

I'M ALIVE... I have not fallen off the planet!!!

Lovely readers of sporatic Blog Writings,

Please forgive how long it has been since an update. What a crazy 3 weeks it has been. I would love to tell you all about all of the amazing experiences but I just don’t have the time. Everything takes three times as long as usual (and that seems fast). For the three weeks I will try to tell three stories.
The first week of July I spent being an assistant wedding coordinator. Two of the long term missionaries here got married on 7/7/07 (the bride is friend from last year). But this was not a normal wedding. About 1000 people came to the ceremony and well over 3000 came to the feast. The most amazing part was that there were no riots and no body got hurt. My job was delegating the 120 volunteers and ensuring the wedding day ran smoothly from beginning to end (and I did all this with a wounded foot, I’ll tell that story when I get home). It was an amazing experience not just stretching my ability to lead and delegate but also stretching me personally being so involved in a wedding. I feel that God is doing a restorative work in my heart and my life. It is so beautiful to be made new again!!
The second week of July, I watched as my roommates were transformed one by one. It is very hard to explain but as they arrived here in June, each of them were facing a point in there relationships with God where they were SOOOO hungry for more of Heavens reality in there lives. During this second week I saw each of them break through into amazing new beginnings… So very Amazing.
This last week was completed with the opportunity to go on another outreach. No Baboons this time but it was still amazing. At one point we had so many people in the truck (48, in the back alone) that it took us 45 minutes to drive about 10Km… mind you it was up a hill and the road was no wider than a sidewalk most of the way. When we arrived at this village I felt so much at home. I can’t really explain it. We had no sound system and we were ‘forced’ to spend time getting to know the people. I found myself often wondering what it would be like if the truck just drove away and I had the privilege to just stay with these people with no other westerners and no way out. Maybe I will find out one day?!?!?
The day is quickly slipping away. When I spoke to my dad last he told me that I had to blog and even if I did not write a word I had to post pictures. So here are some pictures and I will explain at the bottom.
Love and Peace and Blessings Abundant
Candace
PS YES, I STILL LOVE IT HERE!!!!!!!!!
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At the Top: Another beautiful Sunset
Pictures from Outreach: 1) My view when I open the window of my tent in the Morning
2) their view when I open the tent in the morning
3) Me trying to pound something that ended up in dinner (I have no idea what I was pounding though)
4) The road that was barely wider than a sidewalk
5) A child standing upon a termite hill
6) A little Boy that proves that Little Boys are the same all around the world!!
7) These girls traveled like this for about 45 minutes on the very bumpy roads... It was fun when I tried it!!! (don't tell mom, but at least I didn't fall off and get run over)