Nuban Dress and Thanksgiving Pictures

This is my Nuban top. I had a couple of women wrap me up so I could look smart for church.

Getting the chicken for Thanksgiving dinner. I got to hold it too, and pluck the feathers.

Our Thanksgiving table!

Playing games and eating desert after our feast.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Even though the climate does not match up with what I think is normal weather for Christmas, it is still Christmas.  I am so excited to be spending my favorite holiday on this new continent. I still miss the Christmas season at church and spending this time with family(especially). As I am spending Christmas this year with three other short-term friends at an orphanage in Uganda I will wishing you a Merry Christmas as well! So Merry Christmas and if I do not get to post until after New Years, Happy New Year!

December Newsletter!

December 17, 2009

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Dear Friends,

Salaam! Salaam means peace. We are entering into the season of celebration of the Prince of Peace. I was reminded several times last week of Isaiah 9:6 when Isaiah is prophesying about the child that will be born. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given…”; these verses are for all of us no matter what culture we live in. Every culture celebrates the Christmas season through different eyes. This Christmas I get the amazing privilege of seeing Christmas through five or more different cultures’ eyes. Food and tradition might be different, but do you know the one thing is that stays the same? Yes, Isaiah’s message, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given…” It is the same message no matter who it is for. God sent His Son to us. Did and do we deserve it? Definitely not (Romans 3:23)! Jesus is our gift of grace!

A couple of things have happened since my last newsletter. The Christmas play was an absolute success. You can see my blurb about it on my blog. I have learned that it does not matter the costumes or if people walk right through the performance and get up right into my little actor’s faces. The message is the same. God showed us the ultimate love by sending His perfect son to die for us all. God reminded me throughout h the program that the most important point is that the children understood that gift of love.

School is officially finished. We have successfully finished our first year as Emmanuel Christian Academy. Praise the Lord! Now it is summer break. Sorry, I know you all are about to experience Christmas break and snow. Not here. We are experiencing summer and dry season!

I will be enjoying my holiday break visiting with friends in Uganda and Kenya. I am really looking forward to this long break and being able to learn about other ministries that my friends are involved in.

When I return in January one thing will be different. I will return as the only American. Many of you received my quick prayer letter informing you of new plans for Tara. After two in half years of ministry in Yei and Goli, Tara is heading home to get married. She did not come to this decision lightly, but much prayer was involved. We were and are still praying for another AIM partner for me.  I am looking forward to what God has in store for me with in this new situation.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and pray that you will remember the child that was born to us, … “our Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Praises:

First successful year for Emmanuel Christian Academy

Time I get to spend with friends

Tara returned home safely

Prayer Requests:

All of the families of ECTC as they travel for holiday

All of the new children that will be joining ECA in the January

Teachers- we are still in desperate need of teachers by the beginning of the school year

A Product of God’s Amazing Grace,

Danielle Olson

daniolson84@gmail.com

 www.daniellesafricandiscoveries.blogspot.com

Emmanuel Christian Academy

We have officially completed our first year of school at Emmanuel Christian Academy. These are our students and teacers of ECA of the 2009 school year.

The Things We Take For Granted

Written November 24, 2009

Their eyes grew wide and big smiles appeared on their dark, exhausted, loving faces. These women were truly happy and truly proud…

Growing up people at church and school and your parents remind you not to take things for granted. They tell you stories of people losing homes, family members, or even limbs.  We all could tell stories of things we took for granted and then lost.  The other night I experienced a different side of taking things for granted… the joy of when you don’t.  Since Tara has been here at ECTC she has been involved in a ministry with the women who work in the kitchen; she has built strong relationships with each one of them. Tara decided that because she was leaving ECTC and these women that she wanted to give a picture to each one of the women. As she handed each one of them a picture, an expression of joy covered up the evidence of paining backs and exhausted brows.  They were so proud of their new little treasures.  A picture of their very own- that picture is the first picture most of them have ever owned.  These are women in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.  I was so thankful that I had the privilege of seeing their proud faces and experiencing that joy with them.  Let’s go back the basics today- what is something that we have been taking for granted that once was a source of pride and joy?

Friends!

Tara, Dorette, and I

God's Little Miracle in the Middle of the Bush

We were welcomed into the tukel. There in the dark, extremely clean tukel lay Lillian and her new beautiful baby boy. Lillian is an amazing woman who is raising her now four children by herself. She works hard for her family. Lillian is so thankful for her baby boy. This little boy is a blessing, born to a warrior woman.

Christmas Play!

Christmas Play!

Mary and Joseph

The angels

Shepherds and sheep

All worshiping baby Jesus

Days in Goli

Noela

This is a look at children's Sunday and just a normal day at our ECTC compound. Enjoy!

Grace

Leila

Grace

O Come Let Us Adore Him!

It started weeks ago… the writing of scripts, the choosing of Christmas songs, the learning of lines, and the creating of costumes. We practiced and practiced. We finally slowed our lines down and could say “Party” instead of “forty” (crazy English words- you got to love Arabic accents), the pre-school had the motions down the “Away in the Manger” and at last Friday came.  It was the BIG day, an entire compound (and some of the community) Christmas program.

Fifteen minutes until show-time and only four kids out of twenty- two were present and accounted for. Finally our missing kids showed up and we were ready! As we marched in our straight line from school to our outdoor performance spot our little actors were looking smart, some even had three piece suits on and the shiniest dress suits you ever did see (sooo cute)!

Card board crowns, check; glitter wings, check; glow-stick halos, check; broom stick staffs, check; colorful African chittangas for the shepherds, Joseph, and Mary, check; cotton ball sheep faces and ears, check; baby Jesus, check.  We were ready to go.

The sky was looking dreary and there was even thunder in the distance, but it did not matter, because every eye was on the children.  Our little actors lined up and Tara and I took our places. And… it began. First, was their recorder song and the people were amazing, because half of the people had never seen anything like this before.  You would have thought there were real angels there, because all of a sudden I was not the only person kneeling on the ground in front of my little stars. People were all around me taking pictures. Then it was just not the kids on the stage, there were people walking all over the stage and behind the stable. They even poked their heads into the stable to experience the birth of Christ with our little cast.  I have never seen anything like it.  When we were finished Seaza (one of the boys) leaned over to Tara and with a look of disappointment asked her if it was finished, if they were only going to do it once.

Yes, they were only going to tell the story of their precious Savior once. Should we not ask ourselves the same question?  Are we only going to tell the story of our precious Savior only once and while? You don’t need fancy sewn robes, angel wings that will last longer than half of a performance, real plastic crowns, or even an audience that sits down and listens.  Instead we have ourselves and the testament that Christ cam and died for us.  Isn’t that something to get out of our seats and take pictures of?  So… are you only going to do it once?

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

And when they saw it, they made known saying that had been told them concerning the child. And all who hear d it wondered at what the shepherds told them. Luke 2:17,18

November Newsletter

November

    Update       

Peace, Prayer, and Pizza…

                                                           

                                                                

     

      

November 10, 2009

Dear Friends,

“You will seek me and find me.  When you seek me with all of your heart”. Jeremiah 29:13

To seek after God with all of our heart; what does that look like? How can you seek if you do not even know God? Every day I see faces, faces of people I do not know, but still seem to have an intense love for. I do not know there background, their struggles, their talents, their gifts… I don’t know them, but I do know who created them. Do they know Him? Sometimes I see faces of hope and joy and sometimes I see faces of hurt and pain. I can’t help but love these people.  Yesterday, I was driving back from Yei and I saw a pregnant woman carrying a baby on her back and a bucket on her head and couldn’t help but wonder what is she seeking after? Has she found the One that says to seek after Him with all of His heart? Will she get that chance?

October was month of chaos and learning. I am learning everyday my limitations, my role, my expectations, and my new culture. As I am continually getting used to the food and culture I am being blessed with great relationships. We have started a ladies Bible study with a couple of other ladies on our  compound and it has been so rewarding. We are studying Beth Moore’s Living Beyond Yourself  and learning about the Fruit of the Spirit. This week is a study on peace.

This lesson talks about Christ as the portrait of peace. One thing I have learned so far, that is putting my attitude into perspective is to use the words of Beth Moore, “Christ had perfect peace in ALONENESS… in PROVISION… in the STORM… in the WAIT… and in the TEARS.” How amazing is that?! We serve and amazing God… don’t we?

Each term at E.C.T.C. we have Spiritual Emphasis day where all classes are cancelled and we have a day of prayer and fasting. It was an amazing day that all staff and students spent the day praying for E.C.T.C., our community, and Sudan. It is such a great privilege to serve with people who want to commit this place to the Lord.

Rice and beans although not bad, can get quite overwhelming for a westerner, when you eat it every day for two meals a day. Tara, Dorette, and I have decided that we would cook at least once a week. We usually stick with pasta noodles with herbs, onion, and the occasional lime or tuna. Nothing to fancy, but we appreciate it. This month we decided to get creative with our food experiments. Our friends Susan and Simon received a bread machine a couple of months ago, so we decided to try it out. We made pizza dough and then used Arabic tomato paste, cilantro (from our herb garden), onion, tomato, pepperoni (Tara’s mom sent it), and cheese (a miracle, because you can’t find cheese in Sudan, it wasn’t the best, but it worked a little), then we popped it into one of the families ovens and TaDa!  Pizza!  It was the most delicious pizza I have ever tasted! It was delicious, not because we are world famous chefs, but because it was a luxury. Later that week we also made onion bread, soup, and meatless tacos. I know how to make homemade tortillas now! All of those meals were amazing and thank you God for the little things like vacuum packed chicken and bread machines.

This month is a busy one for E.C.A. We are finishing up the first year of school. Yeah, we made it through an entire year! Our end of term exams will begin next week and our last day of school is November 27.  The second year for E.C.A. will begin in January. This Friday, November 13, is our Christmas program and our students are doing very well learning their lines. They are really excited about it and I believe will do great!

I hope that this gives you a little bit of my life in Sudan. Remember, I also love hearing about what is happening in your lives. Your lives and the details are important to me and are exciting!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I am so thankful for each one of you!

Praises:                                                                                                               

-          We have people applying for E.C.A. teacher openings.

-          The clinic worker I previously asked you to pray for, he is back and his daughter is in school and seems to doing well. Praise the Lord!

-          E.C.A. has made it through their first year!

Prayer:

-          The theology students and women’s program students as they finishing up their term and graduating next week.

-          E.C.A. students and teachers as we finish up our first year of school.

-          All of the theology students, staff, and families traveling that will be traveling for holidays in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for all of your prayers, encouragement, notes, and support. I really appreciate it from day to day. Please, let me know if there is anything that I can pray for you about and please, keep me updated on your lives.

Can you all do me a favor? There are some of you that I do not have your email address (those of you I did not email this to).  If you would like this update letter and other letters emailed to you, please email me your email address.

Have a great day!

A Product of God’s Amazing Grace,

Danielle Olson

daniolson84@gmail.com

www.daniellesafricandiscoveries.blogspot.com