On to Africa

Dear friends,

Life sometimes feels as though it has decided to sprint ahead of me
while I'm still sitting at the starting line trying to put my shoes
on. I start running with one untied shoe on my foot and the other in
my hand. As I struggle to catch up, I fear I may trip and may never
make it to the finish line, and I laugh a little because I'm sure I
look ridiculous. Yet I continue forward for I know the journey will
not always be this challenging, and I am sure I will eventually be
able to get that other shoe on my foot and pick up the pace. In the
meantime, I hope you don't mind seeing me a bit uncoordinated as I
hobble along without an ounce of grace or composure.

I haven't had the ability to catch up with most of you since I have
returned from Africa this summer. And it's hard for me to believe -
but this afternoon I am leaving today for this continent that I love
so dearly - this place that is so dramatically mixed with hardship and
beauty, tragedy and redemption. I know I am blessed to return and I
invite you once again to join me for these next two weeks as I travel
to Africa.

I am going to Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, where
Blood:Water Mission has funded a 6-month rehabilitation project for an
area that has been abandoned and dysfunctional from years of civil
war. Funds from hundreds of Blood:Water donors have allowed us to work
with Africare to build 6 family latrines and 3 new wells for a
community of 8,000 people who are now returning to their homes.
Africare is a new partner for Blood:Water Mission, and we are going
there to assess the on-the-ground work, to see how the partnership is
empowering the community and its development.

My colleague and board member, Reagan, and I will then travel on to
Niger, which is also in West Africa. Some of you may have read
recently about Niger and its famine emergency. A country of roughly 12
million people has about a fourth of its population struggling to
survive because of starvation. Drought and locusts have been
unmerciful to this part of the world. This is more of an exploratory
visit for both of us. Reagan works for International Justice Mission
and is interested in the slavery issues while we will also try to find
ways for Blood:Water Mission to bring clean water to this area.

Sierra Leone and Niger, according to the UN, are the two poorest
countries in the world today. I didn't know that when I planned this
trip. But I suppose God did. And I'm excited to find out why He's
sending us there. I know that I still have so much to learn – and that
in order to be an effective advocate and friend for our brothers and
sisters in Africa, we must come to know them better – to continue
crossing an ocean, bringing along compassion, humility, respect and
love.

Thank you for coming along with me. Thank you for your prayers. I'm
continually amazed at God's ability to redeem and transform in the
midst of a broken world. So I take a moment to bend down and put that
other shoe on, to tie the laces, and to trust that though life seems
to pass me faster than I can imagine and that even though I feel
ill-equipped to do this work, God's doing the leading and all I must
do is follow.

As I have access to email, I will be sure to keep you updated on my
travels. I return to the States on October 13th.

Yours,

Jena