Africa

Update

2010-02-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Sorry it has been a very long time since I have updated you on what has been going on with me. I have been in and out of the hospital for several months lately and have had 2 surgeries and 5 procedures in the last three months.

God has been good and now I am slowly recovering! He has also blessed me with a wonderful husband who I married in Hawaii in May 2009.

I will hopefully graduate from Richmont Graduate University and work on getting my (LPC) License Professional Counselor license to counsel children and adolescents. I hope that in the next couple of years after getting my license that I will be back to Africa to help children with emotional distress.

That has been what is going on and I hope to update my blog more frequently.

Thanks for everything!

Surgery

2007-11-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

Quick Update! On Wednesday the 14th I had emergency surgery. The doctors had to remove a cyst and burn several spots of endometrioses. Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus (endometrium) grows in other areas of the body, causing pain, irregular bleeding, and possible infertility. I am recovering slowly from the three incisions made on my abdomen. I would love to hear from you! It can get kind of lonely laying around the house all day. Thanks for your prayers and support!

Thanks

2007-11-12T19:27:00.001-08:00

Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for all of your prayers, support, letters, packages, and thoughts. I could not have served in Botswana for two years without all of you at home routing me on. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am currently living at home and working at some odd jobs. I have been going to Physical Therapy for my shoulder which I hurt in a car accident that I was in on the way to the airport in South Africa. Recovering has been painful and very slow so please continue to pray for me. Also the pain I was having in my abdomen was a large cyst on my ovary which I will have removed by a laparoscopy on the 24th of November. Please remember me. I am also applying for Graduate School at the Psychological Studies Institute. I have to take the GRE on Nov. 24th and will find out if I made it into the school by Christmas. I would like to get my licensure in counseling specializing in Child and Adolescent Counseling. My goal is to be back on the mission field in 5 years. I am not sure where yet? I know God is preparing a place for me right now. I love you and thank you again!

Crystal Dabney
10001 Liana Lane
Raleigh, NC 27613
cjdabs@gmail.com
(919) 608-8301

I would love to hear from you please call or e-mail!

Back in One Piece

2007-09-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home

After the accidents I made it on the plane and had a good flight back. So I am in the US going through some culture shock and having to deal with the medical system over here. I am scheduled to see an orthopaedic and going for a cat scan of my abdomen. Pray that God will give the doctors wisdom to figure out what is wrong. Thanks for your prayers and support!

Two Accidents in One Day!

2007-09-03T03:55:00.001-07:00

Saturday while Kelly and I were driving to Johannesburg we got into a car accident. A woman swerved off the road causing the car in front of us to stop quickly and we could not stop in time. Kelly was driving the car in front of me and hit the car in front of her. I hit Kelly but we were both sore but not too badly hurt so we decided to continue knowing we would be sorer the next day. Then on our way to Johannesburg a springbok ran in front of us and Kelly slammed on the brakes. The truck we were both in fishtailed and then hit a ditch and flipped landing on one side. We had a difficult time trying to climb out of the truck and get help. We stopped 10 feet from the railroad and 5 minutes after we got out of the truck a train came down the tracks so Praise God for protecting us. To make maters worse I got stung by a bee while in a missionaries house and then the next day had an allergic reaction to it. I am doing ok now. Kelly is very sore and I have damaged my rotators cuff and have mild whiplash. Therefore I have a arm brace and a neck brace which I have to wear. I will see some more doctors after I return to the US and may have physical therapy. Please pray for the flight that everything will go smoothly and that Kelly and I will get some rest and begin to feel better. Thanks for your prayers. Hope to see you at the airport!

Flight Information

2007-08-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

South African Airways
Sept 3 Johannesburg to Washington DC
Flight SA 207 Departing at 5:55PM Arriving at 6:00AM

United Airlines
Sept 4 Washington DC to Raleigh
Flight UA7189 Departing 8:36AM Arriving 9:42AM

Results From the Test

2007-08-17T02:34:00.000-07:00

The results from the biopsies taken during the colonoscopy showed colitis. Colitis is inflammation of the large intestine. The treatment is a probiotic which should help with the symptoms I have. I will take this until I get to the US and then see how things are going from there. I am also going to wait on treating my cyst until I get to the US. Praise God! He has given the doctors wisdom and now I have some answers. Please continue to pray that I will feel better and that my cyst will not burst as I am trying to pack and say goodbye to those in Palapye. Thanks for all of your support!

Update

2007-08-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

After my appointment this morning with the gynecologist the doctor found a cyst the size of a golf ball on my right ovary. Treatment is still being decided due to the other symptoms and problems I have been having. Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 14 I will be undergoing a colonoscopy. They will be looking for anything that may be causing my gastrointestinal problems. Please pray for me tomorrow. Thanks

Two years ago on the 12th of August I arrived here in Africa having no idea what I was getting into. As my time dwindles down I look back on my time here and see what God has done and how He has changed me. It has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to do mission work for a career!

Attack of the E Coli

2007-08-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

So I came to Johannesburg on Saturday due to some pain and two tests confirming that the E Coli had returned. I am going to be going to some specialist here and hopefully will get this problem taken care of. Please pray for me as I will be away from the people I know and love. It can get verey lonely when you are sick and do not know anyone who can visit or help you out. Please e-mail or call me I would love to hear from you! My number is a South African number it is 0729980510 so dial the numbers to get out of the country and then 27 and then my number and I should anwser. Thanks for all of your love and support I could not do this without you.

Providence Team

2007-07-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

The largest group of white people ever came to evangelize in Palapye. It was great having a team from my home church come. They got to meet and fall in love with the people here just as I have. It was an amazing time where over 500 children came and heard the message of Jesus Christ.
The group was able to pray walk and get to now the leaders in the church as well as work with them. The abstinence talks

went well and a lot of the youth were very receptive to the message. Please pray for the follow up that will need to take place as the team leaves. I also have a little over a month before I leave for the US and would appreciate your prayers for meaningful goodbyes. It is going to be hard for me to transition back into the US from the village life. I have worked hard building lasting relationships here and it will hard to leave as part of my heart will always be in Palapye, Botswana.

4th of July

2007-07-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

For the 4^th of July we had the awesome privilege of being invited to an Embassy party. It was neat being around other Americans and having a cookout it almost felt like home. The food was overpriced and they even had cake walks just like home. We also had beautiful weather despite it being cold all week. While we were down in Gaborone we also got to go see “Bye Bye Birdie” which was pretty funny especially when they tried to do a Spanish dance. The production of the “The Number One Detective Agency,” has begun and it is being filmed here in Botswana! Unfortunately the led actress is an American but they are bringing in jobs for people here which is great. It should be coming out at the end of the year! So read the books if you have not so you will be ready for the movie.

Pray for the team from Providence as they will be arriving the 13^th of July and working until the 22^nd.

Time with the Fam!

2007-06-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed the time I was able to spend with my family in Capetown it was a nice reunion and a beautiful place to do it! I am happy to say that I will be returning to the USA in September of this year. So I will see you in two months! :) Thanks again for all of your prayers and support.

Home Sweet Home

2007-06-01T05:31:00.001-07:00

After 30 days in Kenya I am finally out of the hospital and back in Palapye. I am recovering quickly and am thankful for all of your prayers and letters. Thank you so much. I was able to have a little fun before getting sick in Kenya. I went to the giraffe center and got to kiss a giraffe. Since journeyman are not allowed to date this was the most action I have seen

on the field. Their tongues are rough like cows tongues but their salvia is antibacterial… who knew. The kiss really wasn’t that bad and the picture was definitely worth it. I also was able to go to the elephant orphanage. In the picture is a baby elephant about 5 months old. They have to wear blankets to keep them warm. The elephants were fun to see and pet. The orphanage is pretty neat because each worker sleeps in the stall of his or her assigned elephant every night and if you adopt and elephant then you get to go sleep in the stall with them. They told us that the elephant will stick his or her trunk on the bed several times in a night to make sure you are still there.
I also got to go to the tea plantations. Kenya is known for their coffee and tea. I got a tour of the plantation and how tea is picked. The picking is done by hand by many workers. It was neat to see all of the green leaves and the rain in Kenya. It is so dry in Botswana and only rains like two months out of the year. I got to see flowers it was so exciting!

E Coli

2007-05-16T01:15:00.000-07:00

I have E Coli and I am stuck in Nairobi Kenya. I have been in the hospital since Sunday and will hopefully be released on Friday. The bugs I have are very resitant to any medications so I have to be on IV antibiotics. Please pray I do not have a reaction to these drugs because there are not many other ones available to kill E Coli. Also because of some bladder problems I had to have surgery yesterday. The bleeding has mostly stopped and the pain is not that bad. Please pray that I will recover fast. Teh E Coli needs to be killed and if I do not get the correct amount of antibiotics it can come back and I will end up in the hospital again. So please pray for me thanks so much!

Kikuyu Town

2007-04-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have had an amazing previlage to get to do some ministry work while I am here in Kenya. I am working with street kids in Kikuyu Town and God is just doing some amazing things while I have been here. To the left are two young boys who are looking through the trash for food, they did find a bannana. Several of these boys are addicted to glue but there are some that are very serious about changing their lifestyles. They even admitted to us about stealing money to survive. God just allowed them to open up to us and show us where they stay and their families. They really are united as they stick together taking care of each other. The help each other find a place to sleep even if it is on the street and if one gets food or money they share it with each other.

Kenya

2007-04-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah I am finally in Kenya.... after a few delays and a whole day of travelling I arrived!

Fun with the animals!

2007-04-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

These cubs to the right were about 6 months old. They were pretty lazy not like their parents.

The Giraffe was fun to feed but it's tongue felt like sandpaper. The ostirche actually bit me when I tried to feed it. She was a little scary.

Never a Dull Moment in the lion Park

2007-04-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Gotta love goats!

2007-04-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Easter

2007-04-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

This Easter several people were baptized. It was a great celebration of Christ's resurrection and the new life that several people committed to through baptism.

HIV Negative

2007-03-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

We are encouraging people to get tested for HIV in our church and the community. So this past week with some of my friends from church I got tested for HIV. It came up negative as expected but I got to go through the counseling process that everyone else has to go through. We had a testing day at church on the 18th of March where 20 people got tested and we are scheduling another testing date during April. Please pray for HIV as one in three people here in palapye if not more are infected with HIV and the majority of them do not even know it.

Kitso and Nomsa

2007-03-09T01:51:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago I got to go and visit some friends who now live in other villages. It was so neat to see their faces light up when we arrived at their houses. Nomsa is my friend who lost her mother and her sister had a baby premature but everything is going well. The girls are getting connected into churches and growing closer to Christ. We miss them dearly but are glad we got a chance to see them. Please pray for them when you have a chance. Nomsa is on the left and Kitso is on the right.

Party Time!

2007-03-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

Here are all the girls from our church having fun celebrating our singleness during the Valentine's Day festivities. It was a party full of laughs and memories as we played guestures, made crafts, and watched a lovely chick flick!

The PIG

2007-02-22T03:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a pig one of several pigs that live at Mabogo the school I teach at. At school the students learn how to take care of animals and gardens. I am told that at the end of the year this pig will be lunch for the Form Twos. I have been doing a bible study during lunch there and in the middle of the story the pig walks in the class and snorts around before leaving. I thought that this was really strange but all of the students didn't even look at the pig. It did not phase them one bit. Culture Shock!

A Slow Start

2007-02-22T03:36:00.000-08:00

The past couple of weeks have been very busy with training, meetings, and traveling to try and get things started with the new and improved Operation HIV. Things seem to be moving a lot slower than I would like but God has allowed this time I have before the ministry takes off to be a time of prayer. I was able to get away and go to the Rhino Sanctuary for a day just to see God’s wonderful creation.

Every time I go there it takes my breath away and I feel closer to God out in the middle of the bush with his animals. It inspires me and allows me to become refreshed with new energy to get his work done. Nothing beats a beautiful sunset here in Africa.

Please continue to pray for Operation HIV. We are going to be having a HIV/AIDS testing day on March 18th. Pray that everything will run smoothly and that many people will come to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Mo's ALIVE!

2007-01-23T02:40:00.000-08:00

After a dirty needle was used to give me cat an injection she almost died because of an infectious pocket that formed under her skin and then burst after several days ......

Praise God she is alive and well and is surviving her many stitches!

New News

2007-01-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

On Christmas day I had the wonderful opportunity to go snorkeling
on the 2 mile reef outside of Vilankulo, Mozambique as well as relax
on a deserted island. White sand, clear water, dolphins, crabs, what
more could someone ask for? It was a nice break from the desert in
Botswana and much needed time on the beach.

Later on I was able to try out surfing again. At Tofu Beach
near Inhambane Mozambique. I got up several times and blew
out several times as well, but all in all I had a blast.

Don’t ask what happened here…. I have no clue

Then on the 28th of December I was able to get with missionaries
all over the southern part of Africa for a prayer meeting. It
was a great time to meet new people and also see old friends
as well but most importantly it was a time of prayer. It was a
time of getting things back into perspective for the New Year
and allowing God to lead me in the things to come.

Also on the 1st of January I had an amazing opportunity to go
to Nairobi, Kenya to work with a mission’s team from my church.
It was an incredible time for me. The team was so encouraging
and their prayers and support lifted my spirits. We were able
to go into the streets and minister to children through VBS as
well as have a women’s bible study. It was so nice to see such
a diverse group of people come together for one common purpose
to share God’s love through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is
always encouraging to see other people’s passion for missions
and it allowed me to grow closer to God during the time I was
there. Thank you all for your prayers during these last few
weeks. It is not easy being away from home on Christmas when
you want to be with your family around the Christmas tree
singing Christmas carols. Blessings come to those who obey God
and I appreciate all of your support. God Bless and Happy New Year.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-19T04:16:00.000-08:00

The children did a Christmas play at church.... it was absolutely precious.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

So I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit by listening to holiday songs and decorating around the house, but it is hard when it is 105 degrees outside and there are no Christmas real christmas trees in sight. So I am headed off to Mozambiqe to see the ocean for Christmas! I am excited because I love the beach and it is hard for me to live in this land locked country. I also have an amazing opportunity to go to Kenya with my church. They are sending a team there and are having me fly up and meet them. It will be so nice to see some familiar faces. I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thanks for all of your prayer and support.
Also I was able to visit Nomsa a few days ago and she is doing well. She will be moving to Gaborone to live with her Uncle now that her mother has passed on. Her sister had here baby premature because of all the stress she was under but her and the baby are doing fine. Please pray for their transition and that Nomsa will get connected with a good church and people to disciple her so she will grow closer to the Lord. Thanks for your prayers!

No More Tonsils

2006-12-06T02:51:00.000-08:00

So I do not have anymore tonsils instead I have nasty green gunk and throbbing pain in the back of my throat and ears. It was an experience I never want to do again and I am in more pain now then I was when I first had the operation unfortunately the village does not carry any of the medications I need so I am having to get them sent from the big city. I am alive... praise God and thank you for all of your prayers!

Nomsa

2006-11-28T12:16:00.001-08:00

Nomsa was one of the first students from my school to accept Jesus Christ as her savior. She has been attending church regularly ever since. She holds a special place in my heart with her up beat spirit and passion for the Lord. Early this morning I was informed that her mother had passed away. This came as a shock to us all as well as Nomsa. Her mother had left over a month ago to stay with her Uncle in a small village about an hour away from Palapye. Nomsa had little contact with her mother but knew that she was ill. Please pray for her as her life is changing. Pray that this will strengthen her faith as well as be a witness for her lost family members. Nomsa has an older sister who has one child and another on the way. Her grandmother and Aunt also live in Palapye but her father is not present in the family. Please pray that Nomsa will be able to stay in Palapye and continue to grow in closer to God by experiencing His love through this difficult time.

Also please pray for me as I am going to be having surgery the 29th of November around 8am. I am having my tonsils removed at the private hospital in Gaborone. Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

Victoria Falls Zimbabwe

2006-11-14T05:06:00.000-08:00

I had the amazing opportunity to be invited by the Christian Hospitality Network to come stay in a lovely resort at Victoria Falls for three nights. It was amazing and much needed break from the village. The trip up took about nine hours but since there were four of us traveling it did not seem so bad. There were several animals we saw along the way including elephants, ostriches and their babies, families of monkeys, and several birds. Unfortunately one bird did not make it past the car. I was able to go to the market their and barter for some good deals. This should give you a little idea of what the market looked like. There were several sections. The sellers usually ask around 3 times more than what the item is really worth so you have to get them to come down. I think I made some good deals. Here is Victoria FaIt is the longest water fall in the world and goes on and one splitting Zimbabwe and Zambia. A picture does not do it justice. I was also able to go on the bridge that joins the two countries and see someone bungee jump it was breath taking.I had a fabulous time and even got to go white water rafting down the Zambezi river. It was a lot of fun but the hike in and out of the gorge was absolutely dreadful. All in all it was definitely worth it. The thing I enjoyed the most was the running water and the air conditioning it was so nice to have those for a few days. I also appreciate the letters you sent to the organization. They put a little gift on our bed every night. The letters were my favorite and really touched my heart I wasn’t expecting them at all. Thanks so much!

Here we all are.... emily, kelly, myself, and shawna.

Party Time

2006-11-11T00:21:00.000-08:00

The star of the costume party was Lula the little traditional mother motswana. Here she is wearing a traditional skirt and top with her baby on her back.

Arrrrrggggghhhhh…….

How did Jack Sparrow get to Palapye??

We played several games including four corners, bobbing for apples, and several others. It was a lot of fun and ended in a dance off in which unfortunately I did not win…. I am not so good at traditional dancing but it was a lot of fun to watch. The costume party was the first one that most of the nationals had ever been to so it was interesting and full of surprises.

Palapye Baptist Church One Year Anniversary

2006-10-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

The celebration of the church’s one year anniversary began with a week of prayer. The church met everyday to pray for our families, village, country, church, and ourselves. It was a wonderful time of worship and fellowship.
Brother Tabo has no idea how to play the guitar but likes to hold it and look at it. His daughter is also mesmerized. The following Sunday we had a baptismal service. Many people were baptized and it was extra special because we were able to do the baptisms at the church. Our brother Tabo made a baptistery out of cement so the ceremony could take place at the church.
Finally to finish out the celebration there was showing of the Jesus Film in the Church plot. It was done at night with a sheet hanging over the side of the church building and a projector showing the film. The church started one year ago this very same way. There was a showing of the Jesus Film and several prayer meetings after. Many people came to the film and so this upcoming Sunday the church will be showing the Left Behind Series. One every Sunday so that hopefully more people will come and hear God’s word.

Independence Day

2006-10-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

September 30, 1966 Botswana’s Independence Day
We were able to meet the chief of our village and talk about the United States. It was an interesting day full of traditional dancing, poetry, and singing. We were able to spend the day with friends from our church and enjoy all the celebrations that the village had to offer.

Here I am with some of my students who performed in the traditional dance at the Kgotla.

Here we are with the chief from left to right Kelly, me, Chief Ndebele, Maria (a Brazilian missionary in Palapye) and Emily.

It has started to get hot here very fast. There is no spring or fall we go straight from winter to summer and summer to winter. Due to the heat I got my hair cut so that I wouldn’t sweat so much. Let me know what you think.

Old Hair New Hair

The Attack

2006-09-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

After doing a survey in my classes I found out that 38% of my students who range from the age of 13 to 16 have already had sex. Some saying that they had started having sex at the age of 12. The depressing fact is that about 25% of Botswana is HIV infected and even these statistics aren’t totally correct because they are only done on women who have come into the hospital to have babies. They are automatically tested before giving birth and that is how the information is collected to come up with the 25%. It would be nearly impossible to go around to all of the villages and get a true statistic. No one here in Botswana dies of AIDS. If anyone dies it is always because of something else and infection or something but not of AIDS. They are not even truthful with each other about how devastating AIDS is. Botswana has the second highest rate of AIDS in the world only Swaziland is higher. Despite all of the countries efforts to give out treatment and provide care it will not stop until there is a behavior change among the people here.

I was surprised to hear my students tell me that the most common places to have sex is in the toilet, the bush, or even under a bus shelter. After discussing with them the consequences of their actions and the rate at which people are dying they seemed to be indifferent. This term in school I will be talking about sex, STDs, HIV, AIDS, and abstinence but Satan is alive and well. I need all of your prayers for these next couple of months that the students will see the truth and grab a hold of it.

September 5th .......24th Birthday

2006-09-08T02:49:00.000-07:00

Another birthday… not quit the same as if I were at home. The Batswana do not consider birthdays a very big deal and some parents don’t even remember their children’s birthdays at all. So I am thankful to have two roommates that care about me enough to through me a pirate themed dinner party. You have to get creative here you just can't go to dinner and movie because there is no where to go.

Then there was a party at the church. I think the children enjoyed it more than I did because they very rarely get cake. It was nice to enjoy the day with my new friends but I did miss the ones at home. Thank you for your e-mails, cards and words or encouragement it made my day very special.

Lion Hunt

2006-08-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

After visiting some missionaries in Maun I went to a Makgaikgadi Game Reserve in the Kalahari Desert. It was incredible to fall asleep with the sounds of elephants, zebra and lion’s in the background and it was a nice time to visit with missionaries and get to know each other better.

At this reserve there were some lions and thus began the hunt. The afternoon we arrived we caught a glimpse of some tracks heading towards the camp site. The guide said that the lions had come that way earlier that morning. Throughout our game drives we saw the effects of the lions. Several kills they had made. They seemed to especially like Zebra. Then that night we heard them calling to each other all night long keeping us awake. We searched high and low but no lion sightings. Then early that evening there seemed to be something that spooked over 1,000 zebras causing them to stampede all around us but no lion.

We never did find the lion but I am positive that we did go by it several times. The search will continue….

Youth Rally Madness

2006-08-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

For the past week we attended the Botswana Baptist Youth Rally where youth from all over Botswana came to praise God and grow closer to Him. We all got on a train headed for Francistown further north of Palapye. About two and half hours into our ride we got off the train at Tati Siding. From there we walked about a mile and a half to a boarding school called Tashatha CJSS, where the youth rally was being held. There was over 150 youth attending and we ran out of beds for everyone. Palapye’s youth was the largest group there. Not so bad for a church that is less than a year old. God did some amazing things and the Devil tried with all his might to prevent spiritual growth from happening. First the school accidentally overbooked and had two groups staying there at once, then leaders for certain seminars just did not show up when they were supposed to, water ran out at the school and food seemed to be scarce. Even though there were so many things that went wrong the Holy Spirit moved and several youth accepted Jesus as their Savior. It was an amazing time and it was nice to see friends from all over the country. I look forward to next year. Thank you for all of your prayers.

Chobe

2006-08-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

While the students are taking exams we decided to take a little break ourselves and went up to the North of Botswana to Chobe National Park. We were able to go on many game drives, boat cruise and a trip to a Namibian Village. We enjoyed playing cards by the camp fire and getting the truck stuck in sand. The nights were cold and the days were hot but the sunsets were the most beautiful in the world.

For your enjoyment here are some animals I saw up in Chobe!

Here I am with a tame mongoose her name is goose and she loves people. She lives on a farm full of crocodiles.

This mother was not too excited about us being so close to her baby she raised her trunk and shushed us away.
Stay away from the Hippos they are the most dangerous animal in Africa.
Better watch out for the monkeys if you are not looking they may eat your lunch.

If you are not getting my news letter and would like to please e-mail me at cdabs@baptistmission.co.bw
My writing address is PO Box 10616 Palapye Botswana. I appreciate every piece of mail I receive thanks for your support.

Georgia Team

2006-07-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

We have had a team of four (Tim, Ori, Leah, and Bill) come to help in ministry the past two weeks. Together we did several assemblies at schools, VBS, and helped out with an orphan day. It was an encouraging time and over 200 youth came forward to pray to receive Christ. Please pray as we try to respond to the decisions made and that we will have faith that God will work in their lives even if we are not a part of it.

Hope

2006-07-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

These children have had their childhood stolen from them; with their mothers being murdered by their boyfriends through passion killings, or through never knowing who is their real mother, father, sister or brother. Death is all around them it is in the parking lot of the major general store as a soldier shots three right in the public or in the minibus that was hit by a truck driver killing over twenty people. Just when you think it is bad enough there are those who commit suicide by standing in front of the train that runs through the middle of the village or through poisoning themselves by drinking battery acid. The only hope that these Children have is in Jesus Christ. The only way Botswana can change is if they turn from their ways and run to the open arms of Christ.

Witch Doctor

2006-07-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

So I got cursed the other day… while I was dropping someone off I was blocking a side dirt road and a car was coming. As soon as I saw the car they began to honk and I moved quickly out of the way. Then something extremely strange happened. The car moved up into the middle of the main dirt road. A lady came out of the passenger seat and grabbed two handfuls of dirt and then she got back in the car. Then the car turned around and started back the way it came. The lady in the passenger side rolled down her window and tossed her scarf up and down in our direction. Well I thought this was all very strange and would I asked my friend Tshepiso what it meant and he said that they were going to take the dirt to a witch doctor and get them to curse me. Apparently the car had touched the dirt and therefore since I was in the car I was somehow connected with the dirt and the witch doctor then could curse me through this dirt. Well I think it is a shame that they are going to spend a lot of money on something that is really worthless. Pray for the people in Botswana that are trapped in a lie believing in these witch doctors.

WORLD CUP

2006-06-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

(Due to technical difficulties there are no pictures but they will be coming soon as long as Blogger decides to cooperate)

Everyone is going crazy about the World Cup. It seems to be as famous as the Super Bowl is in America. And for once in my life I am ashamed to be American…. The American team really stinks. Well because of all this excitement I decided to have a world cup tournament with the children that I play soccer with every Friday.

I randomly picked several countries wrote them on some scrap fabric. Then I made teams of two for each country. The object of the game was to score. There was no goalie and just one small goal marked by two spare bricks found lying around the church yard. The first team to score would advance to the next round… and this would go on until there is one team left and they are eliminated. At our world cup Italy won. Senegal got second and Spain got third. So we will see the real outcome is in July.

My friend Bone who was thought to go out very early because of his size but he made it all the way into the last round. He shot this amazing goal for his team and he was just so surprised that he got it in I think it made his day. I have had a lot of fun playing soccer with the kids every Friday and it seems to be growing we had over 50 kids come last week. Pray that God will continue to work in these young children’s lives so that they may become much needed Christian leaders in Botswana when they grow up.

Busy Bees

2006-05-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

Recently we have had some unwanted visitors on our plot. There are four houses on the plot we occupy two of them and a relative of the landlord, Yan Yan occupies the third. The fourth house is still open and many people come by to see if it is available to rent. Well some bees have decided that it would be a good place to nest and have taken up residency there. They are honey bees and it seems like no matter what we do they won’t leave. Recently I noticed that they bees were starting to form a nest outside the window. The Batswana have told me that the bees are starting to make honey. Maybe something sweet will come out of this after all.

Me and the Boys

2006-05-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

At the farwell party for Fabiano and Patricia (a Brazilian couple working in the church) I was put in charge of the Brai (Grill) It was a tough job but someone had to do it and everyone was satisfied with the results. Dennis helped me with the Dikoko (chicken) and the Dikgomo (cow).
All of the children that came to the party got all dressed up and even bathed. They were absolutely adorable for the few moments that they were clean. Here I am posing with a few of the boys. Shadrack, KhoKho, T-Bone, Bebeto, and Otsetswe.

Light

2006-05-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Approximately 75% of Palapye residents live without power. They cook over the open fire and use candles and kerosene lamps to light their houses at night. They are too poor to afford electricity. The instillation itself costs over 300 pula (around 60 US dollars.) They are comfortable in their lifestyle and I have never heard a Motswana complain about their living conditions. Most of them live in darkness not only physically but also spiritually. They are comfortable in their spiritual atmosphere as well just following what their parents and grandparents believed by worshipping their ancestors. While talking to some ladies at church I asked them when they became a follower of Jesus; they told me that they were rather old when they believed but it was because they had never heard about Jesus before then and would of believed if someone had just took the time to tell them about Jesus.

Entertainment

2006-04-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well you have to get a bit creative when you live in a village after sunset there isn't much to do. In the picture above we are spitting corn at each other. We have corn in our yard but unfortunately it all dried out and when we went to eat it, it was real hard so we decided to play a game with it instead. In Thsipise some monkeys had a ton of fun on our car. They even left some presents behind which were not exactly fun to clean up.
And there is always the Mo who can make us laugh. She has gotten really good at catching bugs and lizards keeping the house free from anything that may creep and crawl in the night.
In my free time which is very little and hard to come by I like to paint. I do not claim to be any good at it but I find it relaxing which is very much needed when dealing with a third world country. Here is my latest. I have also tried to take up quilting. If you have any cool hobbies that are easy to do let me know.

Fun in the Sun

2006-04-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

Fun Times! Before Easter we showed the Passion of Christ and had a great response. Several students came and many want to know more about Christ. Unfortunately most of the people in Palapye have gone to the lands or far out villages and won't come back until school begins at the beginning of May. We were able to have a Youth Day and play games which was a lot of fun and the youth really enjoyed it. I just got back from a conference in Tshipise South Africa. It was very challenging and I hope to put the things I learned into practice. Pray as I prepare for the next school term.

Bakaradi

2006-04-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

This little girl is one of the many little children that come to church whenever the doors are open. She lives right next to the church with her family. They live in a mud hut which is called a roundavall they have no electricity or running water. Their toliet is a whole in the ground behind their hut. They are happy and enjoy life. They do not need material things to please them and what makes their day is to just spend time with you. Bakaradi has several names every time I ask her she has a new name. Most Batswana have at least three names; an english name, setswana name and a nickaname. So it can get confusing sometimes but if you can say the setswana name then they are usually impressed. Please pray for all the little children that come to the church may they find love there.

Mabogo

2006-03-17T04:50:00.000-08:00

This is the school I have been teaching at for the last several months. Mabogo means hand in english. The students have about two weeks left until holiday and several exams to take. These students wanted to say hi to America. They are all fascinated with the United States and want to go there but the truth is they probably won't leave Palapye.

Masela Sela

2006-03-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got a break and went to South Africa to Madikwe. Here is the three of us. My two new roommates. Emily is the one on the far left and Kelly is the one next to me. It is a Big Five Game park which means they have the lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and the elephant. I was able to see them all except for the leopard. It was the first time that I have ever seen a herd of elephants and giraffes. It was a lot of fun even though it rained the whole weekend and we had to get up around 5 am to see the animals. These three giraffes were playing the whole time and even banging their heads against each other's chests. There was over thirty giraffes in the herd.

Mooooo

2006-03-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

There are more Cows in Botswana than there are people!

Fun Times

2006-02-20T23:55:00.000-08:00

These are some of the youth at our church. We have started several ministries here and have gotten a lot closer with the youth.
We have soccer every friday afternoon, dance on tuesday evenings and choir on wednesday and thursday. The language barrier can be a problem at times so please pray for me as I continue to try and learn it. More and more kids are coming to these events so many we are going to have to start doing soccer twice a week. Pray that we will be able to share God's word with those who come to these events.
There were eight people baptized this sunday at Palapye Baptist Church. We went to a camp and used their water whole there. It was a beautiful service and the first people to be baptized in the church. The people here are searching and students are being saved daily please pray for the spiritual growth of Palapye. We are also in desperate need of Bibles and if you have any you would like to donate or can help out please send them to P.O. Box 10616 Palapye Botswana.

Odd Creatures

2006-02-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

This past week has been full of surprising creatures. While I was looking for a student at school on Saturday to take a church a group of students asked me if I wanted to see their pig. So I said sure... Well they took me to this one pig which was rather large and I said wow that is a big pig or Kolobe in Setswana. Well they said that is the baby. They bring my to this tree and there is a pig standing there bigger than a VW Bug. It was absolutely crazy. The students love to touch my hair and skin. After every class I get ambushed. In one class one of the older boys is now my bodyguard and makes sure no one touches me and he also carries my books.
At home in the dogs water dish we found this Huge Dung beetle swimming in the water. The Dung beetle is going extinct and are not supposed to be killed. The beetle was the size of a big rat.

What the flip???

2006-02-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here is something you don't see everyday... I guess donkey carts need gas as well as cars.... There are a lot places where gas is very scarce in the village. Most people do not have electricity so if they have enough money they will buy a gas stove or run a freezer from gas. Therefore a lot of people in the village will collect gas and take it back to their homes.... it makes a pretty funny picture though.

Palapye Baptist Church

2006-01-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

Our church meets under this tent on Sunday mornings and for Bible study we meet at some buildings near the pastor's house. We have laid the foundation for a building and hope to start building soon. It is a small church but the people are very friendly and inviting.

In Palapye there are two other journey girls that are working in the schools with me. Emily Weaver (middle) and Kelly Woody (Right). Here we are in our traditional skirts. When we went to town we got lots of compliments of how beautiful we were in Botswana clothing.

This is a mophane butterfly. There are mophane worms which the sell on the side of the road for frying or boiling to eat. It is a delicacy here and something you must experience.

New Territory

2006-01-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

This big hill is a termite hill. It is believed that if a young girl eats part of the dirt she will become more fertile. These are all over the sides of the road. There are a few things I have to get used to around Palapye like the donkey carts that use the roads to travel on. This is my house there are three in the compound and we are using two of them at the moment.

Fresh Start

2006-01-22T05:07:00.001-08:00

We have a new addition to the family here in Palapye. Mouwane a little kitten we got in Gaborone. Mouwane means cloudy or overcast in Setswana but we are going to call it Mo for short. Palapye has been great, the schools have been so open to our teaching and very friendly. The students clap when we enter and leave the classroom and will sit in their seats wanting us to continue to teach them. Please pray for the language barrier as the Form One students have a hard time understanding English. The houses are nice we are renting two on the compound but since they are new there is still a lot that needs worked on. The third house on the compound is infested with bees. Kelly another journeygirl is allergic to them so please pray she doesn’t get stung. I love the village, people are very friendly and we always have visitors. News travels fast though every store we go to they already know what we do and where we live. They have even given us Setswana names. Mine is Tato which means willing. The dogs love the new compound as well because there is so much space. Continue to pray for our transitioning into this new place that we may develop relationships and teach effectively. Thanks

I love DIRT

2006-01-12T04:45:00.000-08:00

I strongly recommend you not wearing flip flops when going hiking..... but when a lesisurely one hour hike becomes a three hour climb there is no turning back. It was worth the view don't you think?

Happy New Year

2006-01-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

It is sparkling white grape juice..... Well I am starting off the year with several transitions. First of all I am moving to Palapye which is a village about three hours north of Gaborone. Two new journeygirls have arrived here and we will be working together doing Operation HIV. I am very excited about this as it is a huge answer to prayer and hopefully I will get to learn a little more setswana. Finally the doctors have figured out what is wrong with me. After some blood tests and X-rays I have inflammation in my left side. There is fluid around my lungs pressing everything against my ribs and causing me pain. Unfortunately there is nothing they can do but wait and see if it gets any worse. If it gets worse they will have to put a chest tube in a drain the fluid. Please continue to pray and thank you for all of the Christmas packages. Especially the Waddells and my 11th grade Sunday School class at Providence Baptist. Thanks for thinking of me this holiday season.

Merry Christmas

2006-01-03T01:17:00.000-08:00

Somehow Christmas was not the same without family but the beach was a sight for sore eyes. Getting sunburn on Christmas day was a new experience and having pizza for dinner. The beach is definitely my kind place to live it is ironic that God put me in a land locked country. Surfing Lessons were worth the whole trip. A childhood dream come true. Cape Town is beautiful and I highly recommend the trip out there. :)

Village Stay

2006-01-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

Mothlwane the village were I stayed for a few days. There was no electricity or running water. We stayed with a rather large family and made food over an open fire every day. People would visit at meal times and we would have to have enough food for all. We made Seswa wick is beef ground up and palache which is a thick breadlike substance. The food was very good but bathing through a bucket was difficult. I enjoyed the children they were fun to play with and they didn't care if you didn't know Setswana. I have never meet an ugly African child. I have fallen in love.... With this little one named Kato. I also got to drive the donkey cart and help pick up firewood. Ke motswana.... I am a motswana according to the family I stayed with I am know African.

Odi Weavers

2005-12-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

About 15 minutes outside of Gaborone there is a group of ladies that weave wall hangings for a living. Some missionaries taught them how to weave over several years ago and they are still doing it today. It is amazing what God can do through people who are just willing to serve Him.

Last Day at Lion Park

2005-12-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

The last day with my mom and sister was the best as we got to go to the Lion Park and see them up close and personal. We heard them roaring and even got to pet 6 month old baby cubs. Then we ate at a Pizza Hut. It just doesn't get much better than that. :) There are a lot of adjustments being made and rumors of a relocation are in the air. Pray for the leaders of the Tuscany Team and their decisions about where Operation HIV should be focusing on and the location of the people working in it. Please continue to pray about the pain in my side.

Its always better when family is here....

2005-12-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

The long trip back from Johannesburg is always better when you have company especially your family. My mom and sister are leaving on Friday and I know it will be hard to say goodbye. Praise God because it was just what I needed to lift my spirits and encourage me during this tough time.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

2005-11-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

My Diagnosis so far is (IBS) Irratable Bowel Syndrome which is a disorder of the intestines that causes abdominal pain or discomfort along with other symptoms. I have been put on medication and if there is no change in 10 days then I am to come back and my condition will be looked into further which would mean I would required to have a colonoscopy. Thanks to my home church (Providence Baptist) my mother and sister have come from the States to visit and I am enjoying their company while I am here in Johannesburg. I should be returning home to Botswana on thursday and will be in good hands from there on. Thanks for your prayers please continue to pray that my condition will resolve itself and I will be feeling better soon. Thanks

Sick as a Dog

2005-11-19T02:40:00.000-08:00

Please Pray for me I have been really sick with pain in my abdomen and side it has been going on for over two weeks. After two ultrasounds, catsca, blood test and urine analysis nothing has been found. My pain has increased and resting has become extremely difficult. I have no gone to Johannesburg and am continuing to figure out what is wrong. Please Pray. Thanks

Sunrise.......Sunset

2005-11-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

When all else fails..... there is always the beautiful sunrises and sunsets of Botswana

True Love Waits

2005-11-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

It is my last class with the students before they take exams. They will be receiving True Love Waits cards so please pray that they will make the right decision to abstain from sex until marriage. The are very receptive to the teaching and I have enjoyed getting to know them. I wish I had more time with them, but they will be a whole new group three times as big next year.

2005-10-29T02:32:00.000-07:00

The guys here in Botswana are very different than in the states it is common to see them peeing on the side of the road and also holding hands especially pinkies. It is not so accepted for girls to hold hands but guys do all the time. It definitely takes time to get used to.

Driving.....

2005-10-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

I got my Botswana Driver's License today and my picture is awful because the camera is set for black people and the flash is very bright. They couldn't figure out how to get the flash to not be as bright so I look like a ghost. There are a lot more dangers here driving in Africa than in the States. Cows, Donkeys, Goats, Chickens, occasionaly a horse or a herd of monkeys will cross your path so you always have to be on the lookout. There are also the drunk drivers that go around after dark because the cops quit working after 5pm so no one will catch them. Traffic lights are called robots and turn offs are called slip aways. There are roundabouts instead of most traffic lights and orange lines are on the outside while white lines are down the middle. Oh and there is of course the fact that you drive on the other side of the road.

Baby Lion Cubs

2005-10-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

This past week I was able to go to Johannesburg in South Africa for a Journeyman retreat. It was a nice relaxing time and it was great to be with people who are going through some of the same things as me. The highlight of the week was definitely petting baby lion cubs in a game park. One lion even went down a slide for me. We also got to go to a restaurant called the Carnivore and eat lots of interesting food like zebra, crocodile, impala, ostrich, and buffalo. I got to hear a lot of what God is doing all over Africa and how he is working through all of us in different ways to further his kingdom and show his love to the people around us every day.

Problems in the Pipes

2005-10-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning I was getting ready for church and when I went to put the water on so I could brush my teeth when a pipe exploded under the tube and water went everywhere even down the stairs. To make matters worse I went to the gym to shower and was reading by the pool when a bug bite me and I had an allergic reaction to it and have been sick for the past week. When I went to the doctor he was mad at me because I didn't go to him right after it happened or to the hospital he says if I get bite by the same type of bug again it could be deadly. The bite was small and know it is half my leg and I had a fever for several days because of it. All to say bugs in Africa are much different than those in the states that is for sure. I won't make that mistake again.

Village

2005-10-10T03:11:00.000-07:00

I was able to go to a Village this weekend with another missionary in the area. Ann who is in the picture has been doing bible storying in the village for over a year. None of the children or adults who came could speak english but we had a translator. I had a lot of fun playing with the children and trying to learn some more Setswana. Please pray for the village because they have no water from the drought and we bring them some each time we come but soon thier cattle and crops will die and they will have nothing to eat or drink. Pray for rain here in Botswana. Rain that can heal this dry and dusty land.

Counseling

2005-10-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day! I went to the school assembly and got introduced to everyone. All the kids laughed at my name Mma Dabney, they cannot say Dabney. There was a major emphasis on my counseling that I will be doing on Tuesdays. I even talked with one student right after the assembly and a teacher asked me if she could come to counseling. It was a huge encouragement and I was glad I received my psychology degree at Liberty University. I was able to go to their prize ceremony. The children got prizes for good grades and behavior. The interesting thing was they got prizes that were useful. For example some got ironing boards, or basins. Even others got coolers and chairs. Then the students would give their prizes to their parents if their parents were present which there were very few. A lot different from the toys we get in the US.

Mokolodi

2005-10-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

I was able to go camping in a game reserve in Gabs to celebrate the Independence of Botswana. It was very nice except for all of the thorn bushes I ran into, they are dangerous. I was able to see lots of animals like Impala, Kudo, Warthog, Muskrats, Eagles, Ostrich but my favorite was the Giraffe. Here are a few of God's beauties I was able to enjoy. We even had baboons come and steal food from our camp site. This week teaching has been going well but it is hard to relate with the nationals they see me as a White American so maybe after some time they will see who I really am. There is a Prize Assembly this week and I was asked to help out. Praise God the teachers and administrators at the school have accepted me as part of their staff. They take good care of me and some even sit in on my classes. Thanks for your prayers and support!

American Store

2005-09-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

When I was in Johannesburg we went to an American Store. It is what the Botswana people think that America is like. There were all kinds of cowboy hats and western garb in the store. So I am posing in front of the store next to the patriotic Native American. :) I have started teaching classes and building more relationships. Friday is Independence Day! I am excited about getting to celebrate that and a long weekend.

Sorrow

2005-09-15T02:52:00.000-07:00

This young boy's mother is in the hospital with tuberculosis and pneumonia. Both of these diseases combined shows that there is a high chance that his mother has HIV. The young boy along with his younger brother are staying with friends and may soon become orphans. The saddest thing of all is that his mother is only 20 years old.

Home Sweet Home

2005-09-12T03:02:00.000-07:00

Here is my flat and my flatmates. They are a little smelly and dirty but we have fun together. This upcoming week I am going through lesson plans and trying to finish up training before I go into the schools to start teaching. Please pray that I will find a Botswanan person to teach with me. Oh and the name of my guard dogs are Nina and Jabu. They have a mean bark and are very protective but they love to be pet.

Operation HIV

2005-09-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week in the bush for Operation HIV conference. It was a nice time of bonding with other missionaries and nationals who will teaching about AIDS and HIV in the schools. We discussed things we needed to work on and did a lot of team building activities. It was neat meeting people from all over Botswana. We saw some warthogs, kudo, impala, and ostriches. There were two tame ostriches we got to pet and feed. This next week I will going through Crossroads training which is some material that I will be teaching in the schools. Here is a beautiful sunset I was able to enjoy.

2005-08-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am alive.... I have been busy going to youth camp and heading out for training but I moved into my flat and will be able to update all of you more frequently after my training finishes. Here is a picture of some of the youth doing a traditional dance. And below is a picture of one of many signs that are all around the school we stayed at. The boarding school has a problem with many of the kids having sex so they try and discourage them by putting up these signs. Please pray for the youth in Botswana.

Fun Times

2005-07-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

It was hard to say goodbye to all of my friends after training. It was amazing how close we all got in just seven weeks. It is crazy to think we are literally going to all the corners of the world. The time here at training allowed my faith to grow in ways that I never thought was possible. I know God will do amazing things through me and through others that I was able to work with. The friends I made they had such a passion for Christ and for the world being around them made me a better person.

I praise God for the amazing things he has shown me throughout this process. The friendships I made will last a lifetime! Thanks for all of the laughs, prayers, cries, songs, and fun times.

2005-07-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Posing for a prayer card picture at the Missionary Learning Center

Missionary Learning Center

2005-06-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am training for the mission field ahead of me! I am in Rockville Virginia for a seven week training program with the International Mission Board. I am getting used to being back in school. I get up around 6:30am and we finish around 3:00pm. I am learning a lot and meeting a lot of cool people. Please pray for the Tswana people who I will be working with and for me as God prepares me for the missionfield.