Teachers and Sudanese Visits!

There are a couple of things I wanted to mention to you in this blog. First of all, a prayer request from the staff of ECA to you.

 

We are in need of teachers for next year. Our student body is going to more than double next year and right now we are lacking teachers. We really need primary teachers. We know that God has the right people in mind, just please pray that God will continue to prepare them and guide their feet towards our direction.

 

ALSO!!! You could come teach, if you would like! Or, maybe you would like to just come and visit or help out in the Theological College. I post these stories and these blogs so that you can get an idea of what goes on here, but the best way to understand is to come. I am inviting anyone who would like to come to come visit me. I can put you to work or you can just experience life with us for a week, 2 weeks, 2 months, whatever! Pray about it, think about it, it's a good idea!

 

Have a great day!

Whiskers!

Every Wednesday we have chapel at ECA. Each week a different class is in charge of chapel. This week it was the nursery students. So most of the time when you talk to these children they are so quiet and do not talk back, BUT, WOW!! They did AMAZING! Their character they were portraying Wisdom. They acted out the story in the Bible of King Solomon when the two women came to him complaining about their babies. Look up the story, 1 Kings 3:16-28. All of the boys has cotton ball beards on to portray that they were wise men. They were loud and excited. They did a fantastic job!

 

Proverbs 10:2 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Movie night + happiness= the clicks= approval!

Saturday night was movie night! Tara decided she wanted to have a movie night for the kitchen girls. Special feature: "Love Comes Softly", Place: Tara's classroom, Time: 8:30 pm, Fun: tons. The girls were so excited for their special movie night that they showed up 20 minutes early, eager and ready to begin. We projected the movie onto the wall and we were ready to go. The entire time we heard the sounds of clicking. You know clicking sounds with your mouth. No, don't worry there was not anything wrong with the movie, it is just how the girls show emotion. It means they liked it! The night ended with a round of applause at the end of the movie and many thanks. I am loving those girls; it was a great night-so- click, click!

One Step

One step… We all take steps every day. Some of us take many, some us take few, some of us take large ones, and some of us take small ones. Before, I left for Sudan my mom gave me a small plaque that had a pictures of shoes on it and this phrase was written on it, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". Saturday morning I sat in my front room, drinking coffee and just staring at this plaque. I look at the people I live with and the community of people around and see that they take steps too. A father carrying his daughter, a group of people laughing and chatting after lunch, greetings on the road, children playing, women cooking, or walking to a destination; they are all taking steps. Some of them will continue to love those around them, some of them will stand up against their tribes fighting, some of them will change medical help, some will change education, some will stand up against corruption, and some of them will be there for their families. Steps… We are all taking steps. Where those steps take us, I don't know, but I can't wait to find out.

 

To Market, To Market!

These are pictures of Yei! Yei is the nearest city to where I live. It is 20 miles away, which in Sudanese road terms is one in half hours. We try to go to Yei once a month just to get away. The baby is Mercy, one of my coworkers daughter and the other American is Tara. Tara and I are drinking coffee at a Muslim coffee shop. I hope you enjoy and this gives you a taste.

School days and Quick Field Trips

These pictures show our kids learning to play chess, art class, entrepreneurship class, and the preschool on a field trip. We know how to learn and have fun in Goli!

October Newsletter

October 8, 2009

Dear Friends,

I have been in Goli, South Sudan for exactly one month today!

I opened my eyes after sleeping for about two hours; the only sleep I had gotten in two days. I looked around and suddenly remembered I was somewhere over Africa! The continent of Africa! Forty-five minutes later my head peaked out of the BA airplane and in the first time in my life I saw, smelled, and felt Africa.

I have had a month of new experiences. I have flown on a four-seater airplane, I have seen fifty African children running out to see an airplane, I have been on an airplane that was trying to dodge goats, I have seen villages, and I have seen people. I look at all of those new experiences and I cannot help but see God. In the last month I have asked God many times, “Are we really about to do this…what are you thinking?!” He has been reaffirming me by showing me that He has a plan and that He is my stronghold, my fortress, my deliverer, and my grace-giver. God has brought me here to Goli, Sudan and these experiences are part of my own little adventure with Him.  

In my last blog entry I gave a description of ECTC and their heart and ministry plan. I stated that I am working for ECA, which is under the umbrella of ECTC.  On a regular basis I have about five students in all. I currently teach 5^th grade Social Studies and Bible to one student and 9^th grade history, geography, commerce, and entrepreneurship to two students. I am also getting ready to teach computer literacy beginning in November. Another portion of my job is organizing and developing curriculum mostly in social studies, citizenship, and geography.  This next week we will begin rehearsals for our Christmas program that is taking place on November 13. I have been allowed the privilege of organizing and directing this Christmas program. At ECA we are in the midst of our third term, which is the final term of the school year. We will begin end of year exams soon.

I had the pleasure of finally meeting my AIM ministry partner, Tara, three weeks ago. Tara has been living in Southern Sudan for the last 2 ½ years. I have learned and will continue to learn so much from her. She has been a great encouragement and resource.

In the last four weeks I have learned what Sudanese culture is like. I live in a Sudanese community and I am learning about the history and lives of these people.  I am eating the food and forming friendships.  I am observing my new friends and really trying to become a learner of the culture. I cannot help but wonder as I drive down the road, take a walk, or have conversations about the lives of the people I see. I want to learn about who they are and about what makes them who they are. That is my goal!

One thing that I have learned while I have been in Sudan is that nothing is consistent or goes as planned. Prayer is such a constant comfort. Please, join with me in praising God in the following praises and praying for the following needs.

 Praises:     

• I arrived safely to Goli
• My health is doing better
• All of our theology students are safely here                                                                                                         

Prayer:

• One of our clinic workers lost his son a couple of weeks ago, please pray for his family.
• We are having a lot of death and sickness plaguing our staff recently
•  I can continue to keep my focus on God and His plan here. 

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. Have a great day!

A Product of God’s Amazing Grace,

Danielle Olson

daniolson84@gmail.com

www.daniellesafricandiscoveries.blogspot.com