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

More to Come I promise

Good Afternoon,

I hope all is well in your part of the world. I am writing this in Uganda, arrived this morning from Rwanda. A bittersweet good bye. I will show pictures and stories when I get back to the UK (leave wed morning early). Thanks for all the prayers and support. I LOVED Africa!

God Bless,

Laura

Finally an Update: Before Africa!

Hello!

I hope and pray that all is well on your side of the pond. I’m writing this only 2 days before leaving for Africa. I am so excited. The last month has been wonderful!

My arrival in England was dramatic – when I landed in London on February 8^th, I fainted at customs. It was a lovely way to enter the country, and I spent most of my first day in the hospital A & E (emergency room). Which is where I met my roommate Monica (from Brazil) and the long term volunteer Adam (from Northern Ireland).

During the month that followed I had orientation and prepared for the trip. I’ve learned Sketchup, a free Google program that can produce 3D images. My roommate and I have done a little touring of the area, as well as our home town of Colchester. We live in a 2 bedroom flat on the 2^nd floor (which in the US is actually the 3^rd floor), with almost no hot water pressure.  There are a few things that I have had to get accustomed to: as most of you know tea time is pretty big here and I’ve been trying all sorts of different teas. Most stores close at about 5/5:30pm, and everyone goes to the pub afterwards or home (I usually go home). When washing clothes it takes 2 hours to wash and 2 days to dry. That’s been fun.

Our Rwanda project trip spans March 5^th to March 23^rd and we’re flying through Uganda. We arrive in Rwanda on March 6^th and will drive to Kibogora Hospital on the 7^th (about 5 hours). We will be in Rwanda until March 19^th. Then we’ll go back to Uganda for a few days, where we will have a closing session, gather more information from the EMI East Africa office, and enjoy a free day.

In Rwanda, we’ll be surveying, designing and redesigning buildings. There are 15 of us on the team, 4 of whom are medical staff, which is the first time that other professionals will join an EMI trip. It’s a larger than normal project, so there’s a good chance that EMI will visit Kibogora a few more times in the coming years. I am very excited to meet new people and experience a different culture. I hear Rwanda is a very beautiful country, so I’ll take lots of pictures! You can check out the hospital at www.kibogora.org. I can’t wait to see what the Lord will do in each of one us and the people we’re serving.

I have a few prayer requests concerning this trip:

-          Safe travel: I most likely will not have internet access, so you can assume if you don’t hear from me or my parents that all is well.

-          Health: a few of us have been hit with a cold, including me.

-          Rwanda: blessing on the people we will meet and on Kibogora Hospital.

-          Finances: I am still in need of about $2,000 for the rest of my internship.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

God Bless, Laura

TRAVEL PLANS

View Rwanda Kibogora Hospital Project Trip in a larger map


Good Afternoon! 
Above is a visual of where and when we are going to Rwanda, with flight and drive times to Rwanda. 


Prayer Requests:


* Health!! (my roommate and I are not feeling 100 percent, as well as our director)
* Safe travels- there are 15 of us from all over the world coming together
* Uganda and Rwanda as a whole, as a people
       - Uganda is ending elections this month
       - Rwanda even though its been 16 years since the genocide, its still have much part of their life

When is there a good time to sit down and do nothing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGx-xU6TnU8&feature=player_embedded#at=67

We get so busy with life that we don't stop and live out the second half of James 2. Faith without deeds is Dead. Theres always tomorrow, Im to tired... I am guilty of this like anyone else. Its time to get up and care. To make a difference.

I leave for Uganda/Rwanda in about 11 days and theres alot to get done. I have a few prayer requests:

Uganda: The election is over but theres always after, from what we have heard theres nothing to fear.
Rwanda: The people, the ministry, the country
The team: there is 15 of us, we lost our civil engineer due to family situation. We are from the US, Canada, UK and Brazil
Finances: The Lord has been truly providing. I do still need 2,500. Praise the Lord that is all.

Thank You and More to come

God Bless

Laura

Rwanda

Good Evening Friends and Family,

Orientation is officially over. So much has happened in the last week. Its crazy. As we continue to prepare ourselfs for Rwanda I ask that you pray for us as we do. As well as when we are there. Its a big project and there is alot to do especially when we get there. It will be long days and weekends. But Philippians 4:13 says
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." I don't know if I need to say more than that verse.

We met more of our team this past saturday while we went to visit Colchester Hospital to get ideas flowing. The website below talks about the hospital that we will be helping in Kibogora. Its very exciting!
http://www.kibogora.org/Hospital.php


I am very excited! The Lord is going to do many things!

Arrived Safely

Good Afternoon! I am finally safely in my flat at this moment writting this update. Upon my arrival yesterday I saw very little of the airport and the hospital. probably wondering what is going on. All the flights (3 of them) went well, ran alittle late getting into London but that is expected. I was going through immigration and fainted towards the end of questions. I don't remember fainting, falling or hitting my head. I came to when i hit my head. I have never done this and so I got to ride in the abulance to the nearest hospital. Where I sat waiting for along while waiting to get looked at and blood tested. Adam and Monica showed up and we got to know each fairly well. When finally done we picked up my luggage and went to the directors home and had a great dinner. Shortly after I slept and slept and slept. It was an eventful first day. So maybe the lesson here is if you don't think your going to get in pass out. If made a interesting experience thats for sure. Thanks to all for your prayers and suppot. For now I have a slight headach and a bump on the back of the head. More to come!