WOW its been a month!

Good Afternoon! I have officially been home a month. Its so weird, and yes I want to go back. Its amazing how time flys, and how you get settled back into things. I am back at Michaels and Apollo Retail. I will be doing alittle "this is how my trip went" July 10th during adult ed at Messiah Episcopal Church in St.Paul. I am super excited to share my experiences. So amazing! and totally blessed!

Last UK Update!

Hello!  I can’t believe it’s down to the last few weeks of my eMi internship! I haven’t officially started a countdown, but I know family back home has. We’re always told time will go fast with things like this, and it’s so true. The team has been busy since getting back from Rwanda (aside from the bit of holiday time we had). There have been a few changes on our team, some sad and some great. Carissa, a staff architect, couldn’t get her visa renewed, so as of right now, she won’t be back in our office. With her gone, we realized just how much she had been doing. Fortunately, we have a new full time engineering volunteer from Egypt named Andrew and Sim, an architect who is volunteering part time from Malaysia. They started this past week and have already been a huge help. Praise the Lord!!  

I’ve been working on two projects. First is a Sketch-up model of the finished site, including buildings that are staying, new buildings and trees. This will give our Kibogora Hospital client a visual of our plan -- how it might look, when everything is finished. The first illustration below shows the hospital’s current buildings and some recently purchased land, which we presented in Rwanda. The second illustration shows some of the changes that we have been working on. Taking down buildings that won’t be there, adding detail to the buildings that are staying and preparing new buildings that will replace some of those existing. In addition, I’m creating a detailed layout of each room (location of toilet, sinks, beds, etc, to scale) of the Surgical/Maternity building to make sure that everything fits properly with each room function. The final project portfolio will hopefully be finished early in July.

In addition to working with eMi, I volunteer with a homeless outreach, called Open Door, at the church where our office is located. I get to talk to and serve the patrons with coffee, tea and biscuits. The church that I’ve been attending here is called St. Johns and is Anglican. My roommate and I have been involved in one of their cell groups, a group of young adults who get together on Wednesdays and other events. It’s been great to be in a community of young adults with a passion for the Lord. I’m going to miss them.

Prayer Requests:

-          Finances: I still need $2,000 before I leave to go home. It’s more than I mentioned last time because of the exchange rate. (http://www.emiusa.org/, Donate, Volunteer: Laura Wiley)

-          The rest of my time here -- it’s coming to a close fast and I have no idea what’s happening next

I look forward to seeing everyone shortly! This may just be my last update from England. L

His Servant,

 Laura

Let the Holiday Begin!

One of the benefits of coming this time of year are the bank holidays. They have a few coming up with easter, the royal wedding and may day. So because of that I get a few days off. Starting today. I am super excited to see what will happen the next couple weeks as my team relaxs and trys not to worry about how much left we have to do.

My holiday starts in Bath/ Bristol. We are heading down there tomorrow morning and staying at a hostel thursday night in Bristol. From there we are going to our campsite in Dorset. http://www.lulworth.com/index.asp

Where we will meet up with some friends of Carissas and spend easter weekend in Dorset. Its supposed to be very pretty. We head up monday sometime back to Colchester. Following that my roommate and I are going to Northern Ireland and hopefully a trip to Dublin for a day. Finishing the holiday off in the northern part of London. EMI will have a booth at the GO2011 mission conference. So that there is my weekend.

Back to work the following tuesday. Work is coming along bit by bit. I am putting models of the current buildings in sketch up which is a free google program. Eventually I will be putting the new buildings in, paths, roads, trees and such in for the final fly through. I am also working on individual room layouts. Making sure that everything that needs to go in there will actually fit and that the circulation works in each of the floors of the proposed buildings. There is alot of work ahead of us, and hope to get as much done as possible before my internship ends. Time is flying by so fast its crazy. Its one of those things that you think might not go by fast but is told by everyone that it will. Well it is but then again maybe thats just life.

I cant wait to see what the Lord will do in the next couple weeks. To spend time in his creation, and in fellowship with some of my team and other brothers and sisters. I am super excited for this Easter weekend.

With that though comes times in our life where we really have to seek the Lord and trust in him even more. Times of difficulty and right now I am at a spot where I don't know where I am going when I get back, I don't know how my internship is going to be paid off. With the internship and the oh so lovely exchange rate I still owe 2,100 dollars that must be paid off before the end of the internship. (http://www.emiuas.org/) Its one of those things that you know you should trust God, I mean he has you here but its so hard to understand in our human minds how something like this is going to be paid off when you dont' have a job and your miles away from those who have been and are continueing supporting.

The last couple weeks the Lord has really been showing the team through individuals verses such as:

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
   “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5

⁵ No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
 ⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1: 5-9

It seems a lesson that always needs repeating. A lesson like most lessons from the Lord at a time when its not the thing we always want to hear. We want the easy way out, we want the neon sign big as the sky but he never works like that does he?

So in closing I have a few prayer requests:

- safety in all the traveling, each team member going (me, monica, carissa, adam, and andrew)
- finances: 2,100 is still the amount I need to pay off the internship
- the future (what to do... work?, go back to school?, peace corps?, travel?)

Thank you for taking the time in reading this, I know its a bit long. Sorry but I wont be on very much the next couple weeks so it will be alittle quite. Thank You for your continued prayers and support.

His Servant,

Laura

Brand New Week

Happy Monday! I only have a two day work week, which is sweet!!! With all the bank holidays, weekends and EMI days off, its almost a total of two weeks off. So I get to do alittle sightseeing!

Easter weekend Monica, Carissa and I are going "camping" in Dorset, (which is southwestish) with a stop in Bath on thursday. I am super excited! Then next week Monica, Andrew and I are going to Northern Ireland with Adam who is from there. His parents have graciously opened their home for us to stay. Andrew is one of the newest additions who is from Egypt but have been living in Jordon most of his life. We are super excited to have him on board!

Then....

May Day weekend eMi UK is going to participate in GO 2011, which is the biggest Mission Festival in the UK. We will have a table set up for 3 days. So this week we get alittle break from architecture to get ready for it. Which means I get to learn Photoshop! Its filled with music, speakers, and seminars. The website is:

http://www.go2011.org.uk/

Well that is my next two weeks. I am very excited! (can you tell?)

The Lord has been showing me so much lately. As of yesterday I have started a Bible reading plan to finish in a year. So I have my schedule, journal and of course my bible and can't wait to see what the Lord shows me through this.

*Prayer Request:
- Finances: I am still 1,800 dollars short. It pays for items such as accomodation, travel, per diem, travel insurance. http://www.emiusa.org/ (enter my name in the volunteer/intern blank)
- safe travels
- the project (its huge and crazy)
- Rwanda, Kibogora

I pray that this week the Lord will show you something new and exciting.

His Servant,

Laura

Happy Friday!

Good Evening! Time has flown by since Africa. We are working hard on the project. Today we had a half day of prayer in the office. With worship, quiet time, individual and corporate prayer. It was so good! I found myself reading Matthew 25. Particularly the last part.

 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


Have I fed you?
Have I given you a drink?
Have I welcomed you?
Have I clothed you?
Have I visited you?

Have I done these to the least of these?

Its so easy to just live life, but sometimes we need to just stop. To think oh someone else will do it. If you don't who will.

Live life like there is no tomorrow.
Evangelise like no one knows Christ.

It was a full week at work and I am glad its the weekend. On a not so bright note. My internship has yet to be paid off. I still need 1,800 dollars before I leave. It must be in. If you haven't donated, you still can. Even if its alittle, it goes along way. You can donate online at http://www.emiusa.org/ and enter my name in the intern/volunteer name slot. Those who have donated... THANK YOU!

His Servant,

Laura

This, That and Everything else

Good Evening!

Things have settled down abit coming back from Africa. I loved africa and want to go back. Who knows what the Lord will have in store for me. I want to spend sometime in telling you about daily life here in Colchester. I live in a 2 bedroom flat with one roommate. Monica is from Brazil and speaks english fairly well. She spend a few months in the states working.

Work is monday to friday from 8:30am to 5pm. We start each morning with a devotion. I lead them on tuesdays. Our office is located in Colchester Baptist Church in town about a 15 minute walk from our flat, which is totally sweet. Friday afternoon we have an hour devotion doing whatever the Lord leads. Now that we are back from Africa we have to take all the information and put it into a working project. I have been currently working on Google Sketch-up which is a pretty cool program for being free. I am putting all the buildings that are staying the same, as well as the new buildings into a 3d model with the new paths, gardens and roads to make a fly through so the client can get a sense of what the final layout and look of the property will be. We are planning on changes for the next 10, 20 years. Not just what they need now but what they will need. We had 4 medical staff with us, which was a huge blessing. Praise the Lord for them. One of the medical staff that came with us go to the church that our office is in, so it makes it fairly easy to continue to communicate with her. The goal is to finish this before my internship ends... its alot of work so who knows.

The church has a ministry called Open Door (http://www.opendoorcolchester.org.uk/) which is open 3 days a week, I help out on mondays from 10am to about 2pm in the afternoon. We serve tea, coffee, ceral, porriage, and sometimes sandwiches for a small price. They also help with debit management, advice on a range of issues such as welfare and housing and a few other things. The patrons are typically homeless, just making it, or in other situations in life.

After work, things are abit different here. Retail stores typically close about 5/6pm in the evening which doesn't leave much left to do except for a movie or pub. Its usually a night home relaxing. Wednesday night I have been attending what they call "cell group" which is basically a small group kinda of like a house group except younger generation. The cell group is from St. Johns which I have attended on sunday evenings. I have also gone to another church called Fordem, to get a feel of another church. Both churches are anglican. Its been hard finding a church and getting contected because I am only here for a couple of months and by the time you take away the time in africa its even less. The cell group has been good though. Tonight we had an treasure hunt. We were put into teams and had to follow clues all over the center of town. My team won. Started the evening at the Playhouse Pub, use to be an old theater. We sat right on stage and when you look out they have scenes from different plays on the balcony seats. We ended at the Castle Pub. It was fun and different.

We are also getting a volunteer from Eygpt! He recieved his visa a couple days ago and will be here for 3 months. He will also be going to Northern Ireland with us. Which will be wonderful with a day trip to Dublin. In addition to that we have a young lady who will be helping out a couple times a week as well. Praise the Lord. Its cool to see how the Lord works.

Unfornatly I don't have all my funds in for my internship. It must be all in before I leave. I came here with the 2/3rds that I needed in order to come but I still need the rest. I came trusting, having faith that the Lord will provide. I know he will. I still need 1,800 dollars. The donations feed me, pay for the flat, flights, project trip, and travel insurance. It MUST come in before I leave. Please continue to pray for this and if the Lord leads you to donate, you can donate online at http://www.emiusa.org/ and it will ask for the intern or volunteers name and you can put my name.

I am getting so much out of this internship and its crazy that i have less than 2 months left. The Lord is amazing! Africa was breathtaking. England is amazing. The weather is great and there is no snow! or box elders bugs!!!!!!!

Prayer points:
- the project
- Rwanda
- my last couple of months
- finances: 1,800 dollars

I pray that you are all well and glorifying him.
God Bless,

Laura

After Africa

Muraho! (Hello!)                                                                                                                                         

I‘ve been back in the UK for almost a week and a half, after my trip to Africa. A lot of relaxing, sleeping and praying have been going on, as I experienced some reverse culture shock on my return. Let me back up a little and talk about the team I travelled with, made up of 15 people from all over the world. Some who have been on other trips said that we jelled the best and the quickest that they’ve seen. Praise Jesus! Our team consisted of four medical staff, five architects and six in the engineering field. (Pictured to the right is our team with three staff from Kibogora Hospital.) The work the Lord was already doing there, and will continue to do there, is amazing. The hospital staff meets every morning for devotions, and prays with patients before surgeries and other procedures. How often do you see that in the west?

Typically eMi doesn’t touch the business plan of the partner ministry, but because we had medical staff on our team, we were able to help with the hospital’s protocol and business, as well as site development. When we arrived, Kibogora had just received Regional Status, which means they are the official go-to hospital for the area. Our timing, really God’s timing, was perfect, since we could help them develop a required business action plan. Having the medical staff was a HUGE blessing -- we couldn’t have done without them. For example, they helped with hygiene issues, performed surgeries and helped with the overall function of the hospital.

We spent two weeks gathering as much information as possible -- surveying, water testing, sewage measuring. In the end we were wondering how we got so much information. By the grace of God! We presented what we had so far to hospital staff and they were impressed. They were expecting a drawing and we showed them 3d views, layouts and surveys.  All very cool.   

I could feel the Lord’s presence in everything we did, from gathering information to worship. To be together as a body, from all over the world, and then to join the community at the local church was remarkable. The people, the culture, the language are amazing. I honestly wished I could stay longer. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. Now I’m back in England and helping to gather all the information to finalize into a usable plan. There’s a lot of work ahead of us and hopefully we’ll finish before my internship ends in May.

Prayer Requests:

success of the project

health over the next two months

finances (I still need nearly $1,900)

a sense of direction when I return home

Thank You and God Bless,

Laura