Hello all of you,
I wanted to give you a bit of an update about what is going on in my life here but please I also love knowing what is happening in your lives so any time you want to write me or leave me notes on Facebook or something please do.
This past week our school was learning First Aid. Really cool subject even though it was mostly review for me. I did an EMT-Basic course two years ago and learned all about keeping people alive. My certification just ran out in May though so this was great timing. It is surprising how much you forget when you aren't using it. I passed my CPR exam this morning so I am now officially a First-Aider in South Africa anyway. I really loved the whole week because our teacher was a great man; very experienced but very humble and he is a fully alive Christian. I've never had medical teaching that goes hand in hand with Biblical truth before and it definitely makes a difference. Every morning our class has either worship or intercession together and our teacher this week joined us for that before teaching.
Next week, we are focusing on outreach into the local community. We are finding out tomorrow morning what exactly we are doing but one thing I know is that this Wednesday afternoon we are presenting a health teaching to a group of kids in a really poor community near us. We decided to teach on personal hygiene and it should be a lot of fun. Also this Friday night there is a youth concert that is being run by a worship leader for the young people of Worcester. I am very excited for this because these youth face so many battles and I mean intense ones. They are living a country with the worst crime rates, high HIV/AIDS infection, and wrong mindsets left from apartheid. If you happen to think about it please pray for this Friday evening (it would be earlier in the day in America). Pray that the youth will have the courage to respond and that they will hear the Truth when they come and recognise it. I plan to attend it mainly to be there and pray for them as it is happening. I am excited to see what God has in store for the young people of South Africa.
Alright, I have a book report due in a week (on a book I haven't read yet:) and a teaching plan due Monday so I am going to work on that. See you later!
Isimbi Johanna
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
I'm alive!
Hi you guys,
Don't worry I haven't perished of a strange tropical disease. I have a lingering cough but other than that I am doing very well. Thank you all so much for your prayers. Here at the base I got prayed for in English, Afrikans, Portuguese, and French so I was pretty well covered. The flu bug thing is going around here and lots of people are getting sick.
I just found out today that I thought I had payed all my school fees but actually I have to pay another 12,000 rand for outreach. Bit of a downer of course but it is actually rather awesome the way God has already begun to provide that for me. I have had people offer to support me earlier this week before I knew that I would be needing this and I found out that I have a 401K check coming from one of my jobs in Montana. I think it is so cool that God knew I was going to be needing to pay this and started to prepare for it before I knew.
Here's how the rest of this school is going. We have 3 more weeks of teaching and then we are going to another part of South Africa where we will be working at a long term care home for paraplegics, quadraplegics, and elderly. Our job will be mainly helping with washing in the mornings and getting them breakfast. We are there until the end of September then we come back here to Worcester for some last minute teaching then off to Zimbabwe. We will be in Zimbabwe from October to December mostly in Komayanga village. After graduation I fly home for Christmas.
I have kind of flopped when it came to fund-raising for this school which I apologize for. Many of you have expressed a desire to support me financially and I am sorry I didn't organize this better for you. I was planning to put off fund-raising until I came back next year when I could do a really good job and send out stuff to make it easier for people. I will still do that but if you are sensing God leading you to not wait until then you can send a check to my home address which I will provide [See blog heading] or give it to my lovely parents if you are in NH. May I just tell you that I already appreciate your prayers because they are the greatest most powerful support you can give me.
Thank you all tremendously! Ndagukunda cyane. I am heading to Cape Town with friends (someone is letting us crash at their house for the weekend) so I will talk to you later.
Isimbi Johanna
Isimbi Johanna
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Fever, fever, fever
Hi all,
So I am just letting you know that I could use some extra prayers for health at the moment. I came down with some sort of flu bug over the weekend that has knocked me flat. I've been coughing my lungs out just about and I keep swinging back and forth with a high fever which is unusual for me. I spent the day in bed on Sunday since my fever was 39.4 C [102.9 F*] and I thought that would be the end of it but the next morning it was back. I took medicine and was doing better most of the day but then the fever was back up over 39 [102.2 F*] by last night. Besides just feeling awful and not being able to hear or smell because I am so stuffed up I am really ready to be done with this fever. People here have been great with praying for me and giving me time to rest but I figured the more prayers the better. Hopefully, I can stay fever free tonight, get some rest, and be fully restored in the morning.
Isimbi Johanna
P.S. It has been funny in class the past two days because we are talking about the eyes, ears, and nose. I felt like a walking demonstration of all the infections you could get.
So I am just letting you know that I could use some extra prayers for health at the moment. I came down with some sort of flu bug over the weekend that has knocked me flat. I've been coughing my lungs out just about and I keep swinging back and forth with a high fever which is unusual for me. I spent the day in bed on Sunday since my fever was 39.4 C [102.9 F*] and I thought that would be the end of it but the next morning it was back. I took medicine and was doing better most of the day but then the fever was back up over 39 [102.2 F*] by last night. Besides just feeling awful and not being able to hear or smell because I am so stuffed up I am really ready to be done with this fever. People here have been great with praying for me and giving me time to rest but I figured the more prayers the better. Hopefully, I can stay fever free tonight, get some rest, and be fully restored in the morning.
Isimbi Johanna
P.S. It has been funny in class the past two days because we are talking about the eyes, ears, and nose. I felt like a walking demonstration of all the infections you could get.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Taken in Cape Town, South AfricaNH Friends in Rwanda...
Many of Johanna's friends from Manchester Christian Church have begun their own journey of learning and service today [8/9/09] as they head to Rwanda on one of five teams that the church is sending! 36 people in all will focus on a wide range of specific outreach in conjunction with the churches of Rwanda. You can read more (and follow team updates at the following blog called Manchester on the Move).
Friday, August 7, 2009
What will I do?
Hello people,
You know how when people learn about the Holocaust they tend to say things like "If I were in Germany at the time I hope I would have done something or said something." They also tend to say things like "I guess I'll never know since it's over and all..." Well, I have decided that I will not wonder that about myself. When I was in Rwanda I would often think about what I would have done if I had been there during the genocide in 1994. I was thinking about that again tonight.
I just watched this movie called Yesterday about a woman from a village in South Africa who has HIV and her husband is dying of AIDS. It's a good movie and I would recommend it but it let something loose in me tonight. After it was done I walked out to the field here and sat down in a far corner.It is dark here right now so I was quite alone. I just started sobbing and crying; something I am not prone to do. I was brokenhearted over this issue of HIV/AIDS. It felt like I was grieving for everyone I know who has it and all those millions of unknowns. Maybe like the tiniest reflection of the way God feels about it. This is what God was showing me. I may not have been in Rwanda during the genocide but I am here in South Africa right now during the deaths of millions due to HIV/AIDS. I have been to multiple countries in Africa by now and met many people infected with HIV. So what will I do about that?
I don't have all the long-term answers to that right now but I guess I just wanted to share with you the things God uses to shape my heart. James 1:27 says "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble..." Please think about this because if you have not been taking care of orphans and widows you should be afraid. Seriously, look it up anywhere in the Bible; God is fiercely protective of them and He really warns about not looking after them. According to this verse in James looking after them doesn't mean sending them some money, or getting together at your church to talk about how you can help the world's poor, or even praying for them. These things are all great but it says GO to them and visit them in their trouble. There are widows and orphans (which the Bible defines as children who are fatherless) on the other side of the world or 5 minutes down the street from you no matter where you live and no matter what your income level you are able to visit them.
Anyway, I am off to Cape Town tomorrow on a class trip so I'll be going now. I love you all but I love God more:)
Isimbi Johanna
You know how when people learn about the Holocaust they tend to say things like "If I were in Germany at the time I hope I would have done something or said something." They also tend to say things like "I guess I'll never know since it's over and all..." Well, I have decided that I will not wonder that about myself. When I was in Rwanda I would often think about what I would have done if I had been there during the genocide in 1994. I was thinking about that again tonight.
I just watched this movie called Yesterday about a woman from a village in South Africa who has HIV and her husband is dying of AIDS. It's a good movie and I would recommend it but it let something loose in me tonight. After it was done I walked out to the field here and sat down in a far corner.It is dark here right now so I was quite alone. I just started sobbing and crying; something I am not prone to do. I was brokenhearted over this issue of HIV/AIDS. It felt like I was grieving for everyone I know who has it and all those millions of unknowns. Maybe like the tiniest reflection of the way God feels about it. This is what God was showing me. I may not have been in Rwanda during the genocide but I am here in South Africa right now during the deaths of millions due to HIV/AIDS. I have been to multiple countries in Africa by now and met many people infected with HIV. So what will I do about that?
I don't have all the long-term answers to that right now but I guess I just wanted to share with you the things God uses to shape my heart. James 1:27 says "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble..." Please think about this because if you have not been taking care of orphans and widows you should be afraid. Seriously, look it up anywhere in the Bible; God is fiercely protective of them and He really warns about not looking after them. According to this verse in James looking after them doesn't mean sending them some money, or getting together at your church to talk about how you can help the world's poor, or even praying for them. These things are all great but it says GO to them and visit them in their trouble. There are widows and orphans (which the Bible defines as children who are fatherless) on the other side of the world or 5 minutes down the street from you no matter where you live and no matter what your income level you are able to visit them.
Anyway, I am off to Cape Town tomorrow on a class trip so I'll be going now. I love you all but I love God more:)
Isimbi Johanna
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Introduction to Primary Health Care
Hi everyone,
How are you all? For those of you from MCC who are about to leave for Rwanda I am soooo excited for you and I will be praying that you have a life-changing time there. It is a beautiful country with fantastic people. Imana iguhe umugisha!
So I wanted to explain a little bit more about my school for you. I didn't have a lot of details for you before I left and a lot of you were asking me why I didn't just go to nursing school in the U.S. My school is a second- level school with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) called Introduction to Primary Health Care. As far as medical schools go it is very basic but what makes it unique is the emphasis on health care in developing nations where sometimes you are all people have. There a eight main areas we focus on:
-Food and nutrition
-Water and sanitation
-Disease control
-Mother and child health
-Curative care
-Essential drugs
-Health Education
-Community resources
We have one teacher each week who comes in and focuses on some aspect of those eight issues. Some of the teachers in the school are medical professionals while others are lay health workers with a lot of hands on experience. My school leaders are all from different parts of Africa and they have a great deal of wisdom to impart to us. We have a small class with 3 Americans, 1 Canadian, 1 Nigerian, 1 Ghanaian, 1 from France, and 1 from New Zealand. We have been in classes now for a month and we have two months left before we go to really start learning by experience. In September we are going to a different part of South Africa where we will be assisting in a long-term care home for two weeks. After that we are off to Zimbabwe. We are going to a village in Zimbabwe called Komayanga. We will be working some of the time with a clinic in the area and some of the time we will set up a temporary clinic under a tree somewhere so people can come to us for help.
I am really enjoying this school but it is most definitely challenging as well. Not only is the school itself quite time consuming but the topics are really heavy. This past week we were learning about HIV/AIDS. Let me tell you, learning about it while you are in South Africa is sobering. 26% of the population in SA is HIV positive. Most of southern Africa is over 20% and in some places over 30%. As a health care worker here you face HIV/AIDS as a daily reality. The other thing is just the simple responsibility that comes with this school. I am scared at the mere thought of a desperate mother bringing her severely malnourished child to me and expecting me to save them. But I will most likely face that and more in Zimbabwe.
Obviously I can use prayer for this! We also have no idea what we will have as far as medicine when we get there because the current situation in Zimbabwe does not guarantee much of anything. Fortunately I serve a God who provides. Well, that is a little about my school...Talk to you in a few days. Bye!
Isimbi Johanna
How are you all? For those of you from MCC who are about to leave for Rwanda I am soooo excited for you and I will be praying that you have a life-changing time there. It is a beautiful country with fantastic people. Imana iguhe umugisha!
So I wanted to explain a little bit more about my school for you. I didn't have a lot of details for you before I left and a lot of you were asking me why I didn't just go to nursing school in the U.S. My school is a second- level school with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) called Introduction to Primary Health Care. As far as medical schools go it is very basic but what makes it unique is the emphasis on health care in developing nations where sometimes you are all people have. There a eight main areas we focus on:
-Food and nutrition
-Water and sanitation
-Disease control
-Mother and child health
-Curative care
-Essential drugs
-Health Education
-Community resources
We have one teacher each week who comes in and focuses on some aspect of those eight issues. Some of the teachers in the school are medical professionals while others are lay health workers with a lot of hands on experience. My school leaders are all from different parts of Africa and they have a great deal of wisdom to impart to us. We have a small class with 3 Americans, 1 Canadian, 1 Nigerian, 1 Ghanaian, 1 from France, and 1 from New Zealand. We have been in classes now for a month and we have two months left before we go to really start learning by experience. In September we are going to a different part of South Africa where we will be assisting in a long-term care home for two weeks. After that we are off to Zimbabwe. We are going to a village in Zimbabwe called Komayanga. We will be working some of the time with a clinic in the area and some of the time we will set up a temporary clinic under a tree somewhere so people can come to us for help.
I am really enjoying this school but it is most definitely challenging as well. Not only is the school itself quite time consuming but the topics are really heavy. This past week we were learning about HIV/AIDS. Let me tell you, learning about it while you are in South Africa is sobering. 26% of the population in SA is HIV positive. Most of southern Africa is over 20% and in some places over 30%. As a health care worker here you face HIV/AIDS as a daily reality. The other thing is just the simple responsibility that comes with this school. I am scared at the mere thought of a desperate mother bringing her severely malnourished child to me and expecting me to save them. But I will most likely face that and more in Zimbabwe.
Obviously I can use prayer for this! We also have no idea what we will have as far as medicine when we get there because the current situation in Zimbabwe does not guarantee much of anything. Fortunately I serve a God who provides. Well, that is a little about my school...Talk to you in a few days. Bye!
Isimbi Johanna
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