Hi, all! I've got 7 minutes of internet time remaining to tell you that Erin and I found a kindly ticket agent yesterday after about 6 hours in NYC and grim prospects. Within about 10 minutes or less he had us booked all the way to Accra. Yah! Thanks so much for praying!
We've experienced our first cultural adjustments...you know, different kinds of toilets and a £ sign on the keyboard where the @ sign is supposed to be and trying to figure out how to make a phone call with the calling cards Erin came prepared with. We did find a lounge in the airport where we were able to get some sleep on some decent lounge chair things.
We head off for Accra in around an hour. Please continue praying for our trip. Thanks! Will hopefully be able to post pictures before long.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Urgent prayer!!!
Here's the message my friend Andrea emailed out for me:
Hello Kami's Friends,
I just spoke with Kami and we really need to lift her and Erin up in prayer. She was supposed to leave Nashville at 3 this afternoon, but her first flight to New York was canceled due to weather, which caused them to miss their flight to Africa. At this point they have still not rescheduled a flight to Africa and were even told that the next one would not leave until August 8. If this is the case, Erin won't be able to go on the trip at all. Please pray that God will provide a way for them to fly to Africa soon.
They are currently scheduled for a flight to New York tomorrow, but don't know if they should be on it or not. Please pray that the travel agent will do everything he can to get them on a flight. There will be some added expenses because of the extra flights and changes to the schedule. Please pray that God will provide the money for these expenses. Please pray that God will give Kami and Erin wisdom to know what to do and that He will give them peace in the waiting. They are very tired and frustrated. Pray that He will continue to sustain Kami and Erin with physical and emotional strength as they endure the uncertainty of the next few hours/days.
Please pray that God will work this out in a way that brings glory to Him.Thanks for praying! Kami is hoping to get to blog (although she wasn't sure if she'd be able to), but wanted to get an email out as soon as possible. And I'm sure she'd appreciate emails of prayer support whenever she can receive them.
Andrea Frankenfeld(friend of Kami's from writing group in Nashville and Grace Community Church)
Here's my follow up:
Hi, everyone--
Thanks so very much for getting this out, Andrea!
Erin and I are in a hotel in Nashville. We're scheduled to fly to NYC tomorrow on a 6:55 am flight. (There's something like 1 seat left on any other flights from Nashville to NYC tomorrow.) From there, things are fully up in the air. Our travel agent is working on things. We're going to plead our case at the British Airways ticket counter. And we'll be praying for the best.
We can pretty definitely get to London tomorrow, but it's the flights from London to Accra, Ghana that are full. The only seats that appear to be available are VERY expensive ones. (About $1500-3000 more per person than what we paid.) Please pray that when we leave NYC we'll know we for sure have seats to Accra that night. It's hard to think of leaving NYC with a "chance" it'll work out in London, where we can't use our cell phones and where the exchange rate will make holing up in the airport or in the city massively expensive.
As Andrea said, we're both exhausted, physically and emotionally and whatever other ways there are. (We were on our plane and had taxied out to runway--and I had already fallen into much-needed sleep--when the pilot told us we were returning to the gate for a delay and then the flight was cancelled.) But, we're both VERY glad we aren't doing this alone and we've managed some laughter. So, check the blog (www.kami-in-africa.blogspot.com) for the first pictures from our trip. And pray, pray, pray. Thanks so much, friends.
Love, Kami
Update on the pictures:
I'm not sure how to get my card reader on my computer to work, and I'm too tired to figure it out. So, you'll just have to check back later for a little visual story of our adventure so far. It's been quite an adventure and we haven't even left Nashville, though airports always feel like they're in another world. We've felt like we're competing in the Amazing Race, and so far our team isn't putting in a very good showing as far as speed is concerned.
Hello Kami's Friends,
I just spoke with Kami and we really need to lift her and Erin up in prayer. She was supposed to leave Nashville at 3 this afternoon, but her first flight to New York was canceled due to weather, which caused them to miss their flight to Africa. At this point they have still not rescheduled a flight to Africa and were even told that the next one would not leave until August 8. If this is the case, Erin won't be able to go on the trip at all. Please pray that God will provide a way for them to fly to Africa soon.
They are currently scheduled for a flight to New York tomorrow, but don't know if they should be on it or not. Please pray that the travel agent will do everything he can to get them on a flight. There will be some added expenses because of the extra flights and changes to the schedule. Please pray that God will provide the money for these expenses. Please pray that God will give Kami and Erin wisdom to know what to do and that He will give them peace in the waiting. They are very tired and frustrated. Pray that He will continue to sustain Kami and Erin with physical and emotional strength as they endure the uncertainty of the next few hours/days.
Please pray that God will work this out in a way that brings glory to Him.Thanks for praying! Kami is hoping to get to blog (although she wasn't sure if she'd be able to), but wanted to get an email out as soon as possible. And I'm sure she'd appreciate emails of prayer support whenever she can receive them.
Andrea Frankenfeld(friend of Kami's from writing group in Nashville and Grace Community Church)
Here's my follow up:
Hi, everyone--
Thanks so very much for getting this out, Andrea!
Erin and I are in a hotel in Nashville. We're scheduled to fly to NYC tomorrow on a 6:55 am flight. (There's something like 1 seat left on any other flights from Nashville to NYC tomorrow.) From there, things are fully up in the air. Our travel agent is working on things. We're going to plead our case at the British Airways ticket counter. And we'll be praying for the best.
We can pretty definitely get to London tomorrow, but it's the flights from London to Accra, Ghana that are full. The only seats that appear to be available are VERY expensive ones. (About $1500-3000 more per person than what we paid.) Please pray that when we leave NYC we'll know we for sure have seats to Accra that night. It's hard to think of leaving NYC with a "chance" it'll work out in London, where we can't use our cell phones and where the exchange rate will make holing up in the airport or in the city massively expensive.
As Andrea said, we're both exhausted, physically and emotionally and whatever other ways there are. (We were on our plane and had taxied out to runway--and I had already fallen into much-needed sleep--when the pilot told us we were returning to the gate for a delay and then the flight was cancelled.) But, we're both VERY glad we aren't doing this alone and we've managed some laughter. So, check the blog (www.kami-in-africa.blogspot.com) for the first pictures from our trip. And pray, pray, pray. Thanks so much, friends.
Love, Kami
Update on the pictures:
I'm not sure how to get my card reader on my computer to work, and I'm too tired to figure it out. So, you'll just have to check back later for a little visual story of our adventure so far. It's been quite an adventure and we haven't even left Nashville, though airports always feel like they're in another world. We've felt like we're competing in the Amazing Race, and so far our team isn't putting in a very good showing as far as speed is concerned.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
packing, packing, packing and packing some more
Hey, everyone--Just a quick update as the countdown to Africa continues. For the last two days, my mom and I have been busy packing and purging my belongings. The end is sort of in sight, which is a good thing since my moving helpers arrive by 3 pm tomorrow.
Both my sister and I have recieved our passports back full of necessary visas! Yippee! We're really going to Africa! :-) Thanks for praying for their arrival!
As you think of it these next couple days, please pray that all the important things will get done, that no critical detail will be missed and that no critical piece of paper will be lost. There's so much to do yet that every minute feels essential. And things are at that point that it will be very easy for important things to be misplaced.
Also, for those of you around Nashville, please join us on Thursday night for the last pre-trip prayer time together: 7:30 pm at Grace Community Church in the Pine Room. I'd love to see you before I leave, and I really appreciate the times to pray together for the trip and for the people in the countries I'm heading to.
Thanks, friends (and strangers who are reading this blog!)!
Both my sister and I have recieved our passports back full of necessary visas! Yippee! We're really going to Africa! :-) Thanks for praying for their arrival!
As you think of it these next couple days, please pray that all the important things will get done, that no critical detail will be missed and that no critical piece of paper will be lost. There's so much to do yet that every minute feels essential. And things are at that point that it will be very easy for important things to be misplaced.
Also, for those of you around Nashville, please join us on Thursday night for the last pre-trip prayer time together: 7:30 pm at Grace Community Church in the Pine Room. I'd love to see you before I leave, and I really appreciate the times to pray together for the trip and for the people in the countries I'm heading to.
Thanks, friends (and strangers who are reading this blog!)!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
prayer time tonight
Hey, everyone...Don't forget that tonight (Tuesday, July 17) from 7:30-8:30 pm is "organized prayer time #2" for this trip. We're meeting at my house: 8007 Old Smyrna Road, Brentwood. We'll be praying for the trip in general, for the countries of Uganda and Sudan (I'm scheduled to go along on at least one trip to southern Sudan during my Uganda time), for the people of those countries, for the people working in those countries. You can call my home phone if you need directions or additional info: 615-309-9399. (If you have my cell number, you're welcome to call that, too.) I'd love to have your help in praying together in person for Uganda and Sudan!
I'm not getting specific prayer requests for the countries posted on here like I'd hoped to do. Instead, I'm running around like crazy trying to get everything done. Please pray that all will get done in a timely fashion and that it won't be unhealthily stressful. I'm pretty worn out right now from all the preparing.
Support update: In age-old fashion, parts of this trip are turning out to be more expensive than I was anticipating. So, I've increased my support raising goal to $11,000. Even with that increased goal, I just need about $2200 more. Yah! God has been generous in providing through many of you. (Thank you, friends, for your generosity!) Please pray with me that the rest will come in by the time I leave (July 27).
The Green Support Raising Basket will be present again tonight for those who've wanted to give but haven't yet. Still, prayer is the primary purpose of tonight's time together.
Thanks! I hope those of you in Nashville will be able to come tonight and those of you outside Nashville will pray along with us from afar!
I'm not getting specific prayer requests for the countries posted on here like I'd hoped to do. Instead, I'm running around like crazy trying to get everything done. Please pray that all will get done in a timely fashion and that it won't be unhealthily stressful. I'm pretty worn out right now from all the preparing.
Support update: In age-old fashion, parts of this trip are turning out to be more expensive than I was anticipating. So, I've increased my support raising goal to $11,000. Even with that increased goal, I just need about $2200 more. Yah! God has been generous in providing through many of you. (Thank you, friends, for your generosity!) Please pray with me that the rest will come in by the time I leave (July 27).
The Green Support Raising Basket will be present again tonight for those who've wanted to give but haven't yet. Still, prayer is the primary purpose of tonight's time together.
Thanks! I hope those of you in Nashville will be able to come tonight and those of you outside Nashville will pray along with us from afar!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
three weeks of prayer
I'm asking folks to join me in making July a month of focused prayer in preparation for my trip. I'll be holding weekly prayer gatherings in Nashville, and I invite those of you outside Nashville to join us by praying wherever you are during the time of our prayer gatherings. As July 27 approaches, I'm excited but also somewhat nervous and overwhelmed and wondering what exactly I've bitten off here. :-)
I'm also finding that the magnitude of details to take care of has made it challenging for me to remember to pray for people I'll be meeting and working with in Africa. I'd love your help to lift those people before the Lord, too, so each week this month we'll focus prayer on different countries I'll be visiting. I'll try to post on the blog more specific requests for each place to help guide your prayers.
Here's the schedule. If you're in Nashville, please try to join us in person! The Green Support Raising Basket will be present at each prayer gathering for those who've wanted to give and haven't done it yet, but prayer will be the main purpose of the gatherings.
~~July Prayer Schedule~~
7:30-8:30 pm (central time) each night
Wed, July 11 (that's today!!!) at Grace Community Church (corner of Granny White Pk. and Old Hickory Blvd.) - www.gccnashville.org) -- Ghana, Kenya
Tues, July 17 at my house (email me if you need directions: khakiface(at)yahoo(dot)com)-- Uganda
Thurs, July 26 (the night before I leave!) back at my church again -- Zimbabwe, South Africa
I'm also finding that the magnitude of details to take care of has made it challenging for me to remember to pray for people I'll be meeting and working with in Africa. I'd love your help to lift those people before the Lord, too, so each week this month we'll focus prayer on different countries I'll be visiting. I'll try to post on the blog more specific requests for each place to help guide your prayers.
Here's the schedule. If you're in Nashville, please try to join us in person! The Green Support Raising Basket will be present at each prayer gathering for those who've wanted to give and haven't done it yet, but prayer will be the main purpose of the gatherings.
~~July Prayer Schedule~~
7:30-8:30 pm (central time) each night
Wed, July 11 (that's today!!!) at Grace Community Church (corner of Granny White Pk. and Old Hickory Blvd.) - www.gccnashville.org) -- Ghana, Kenya
Tues, July 17 at my house (email me if you need directions: khakiface(at)yahoo(dot)com)-- Uganda
Thurs, July 26 (the night before I leave!) back at my church again -- Zimbabwe, South Africa
Thanks for praying!!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
the july recap
I'm in the process of sending this little update letter out to folks I actually have mailing addresses for, but there are many of you for whom I only have email addresses. I think if you click on the letter you'll be able to see an enlarged version of it.
weekend update
This was quite an eventful weekend in the world of Africa adventure preparation. First, there was a pleasantly successful yard sale that raised about enough money to cover my very expensive avoid-yucky-diseases shots and that had a small enough amount of leftovers that we only needed one trip to Goodwill. Thanks so much to everyone who donated items for the sale!!
Second, I pushed up my sleeves and offered up my arms to the needles for my second round of Africa immunizations. In two weeks I'll be able to laugh in the face of such dread diseases as meningitis and yellow fever and typhoid.
Third, my generous parents and some equally generous friends helped me move round 1 of my belongings into storage. I never begin packing and moving this far in advance of my moving date, so that tells you how excited I am about going to Africa. ;-)
Fourth, I talked by phone and email with some of the folks I'm setting up Africa work with and managed to hammer out another round of details.
Fifth, my great church, Grace Community Church, "prayed me off" on Sunday during the morning service and then later a group of folks who meet to pray for missions activities also prayed for and with me. As my departure date nears, I've been confronted anew by the essential nature of having folks praying with and for me. And, I'm not just "doing the Christian thing" and paying lip service to prayer. It's really true. This whole undertaking is bigger than I am, and the only way it's going to work is if others help me hold it all before God in prayer.
Finally, I also had some yard sale helpers who posed as shoppers for my trusty little camera, so that you can feel like you, too, were part of the Africa yard sale:
My dad displayed the merchandise while offering peanut gallery comments to entice the customers to purchase our wares.
Second, I pushed up my sleeves and offered up my arms to the needles for my second round of Africa immunizations. In two weeks I'll be able to laugh in the face of such dread diseases as meningitis and yellow fever and typhoid.
Third, my generous parents and some equally generous friends helped me move round 1 of my belongings into storage. I never begin packing and moving this far in advance of my moving date, so that tells you how excited I am about going to Africa. ;-)
Fourth, I talked by phone and email with some of the folks I'm setting up Africa work with and managed to hammer out another round of details.
Fifth, my great church, Grace Community Church, "prayed me off" on Sunday during the morning service and then later a group of folks who meet to pray for missions activities also prayed for and with me. As my departure date nears, I've been confronted anew by the essential nature of having folks praying with and for me. And, I'm not just "doing the Christian thing" and paying lip service to prayer. It's really true. This whole undertaking is bigger than I am, and the only way it's going to work is if others help me hold it all before God in prayer.
Finally, I also had some yard sale helpers who posed as shoppers for my trusty little camera, so that you can feel like you, too, were part of the Africa yard sale:
Amazingly the entertainment center and the couch didn't sell until the last 15 minutes or so of the sale!
My dad displayed the merchandise while offering peanut gallery comments to entice the customers to purchase our wares.
Friday, July 6, 2007
the big yard sale
Calling all Nashville area folks! Tomorrow and Saturday (7:30-4 tomorrow and 7:30-noon Saturday) I'm holding a big yard sale/moving sale. All proceeds will go toward Africa trip fundraising. We've got quite a bit of furniture (couch, entertainment center, chairs, tables, twin bed, and more) and a large selection of the usual yard sale fare. Come shop 'til you drop!! And send all your friends! You'll find us selling away (versus sailing away) at 8007 Old Smyrna Road, Brentwood!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
kenya itinerary is shaping up
After leg #1 in Ghana, I'll be heading on to Kenya (with a brief layover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia... alas, there won't be time to leave the airport; I'll have to look out at Ethiopia through windows). My itinerary for Kenya is shaping up. None of these pieces are quite final yet, but I'll go ahead and share with you a possible version of what my Kenya time (Aug 13-Sept 14) will hold.
week #1: working with WGM missionaries serving at Tenwek Hospital in the Bomet district 140 miles west of Nairobi. Among other things I'll likely write profile stories on some of the women who are learning to lead Bible studies for other women.
week #2: working with WGM missionaries at the Africa Gospel Church Baby Centre near Nakuru. My writing assignments might include writing profile stories on some of the children in the Baby Centre. I think part of writing the story would include hanging out (i.e. playing :-) ) with the babies. :-)
week #3: possibly connecting with folks working with Empowering Lives Int'l in Eldoret
week #4-5: back to Nairobi to do some work for AIM, visit missionary friends and possibly meet up more briefly with some other Kenyan connections
Please pray with me as these pieces are finalized, including praying for the logistics of traveling between these places. Thanks!
week #1: working with WGM missionaries serving at Tenwek Hospital in the Bomet district 140 miles west of Nairobi. Among other things I'll likely write profile stories on some of the women who are learning to lead Bible studies for other women.
week #2: working with WGM missionaries at the Africa Gospel Church Baby Centre near Nakuru. My writing assignments might include writing profile stories on some of the children in the Baby Centre. I think part of writing the story would include hanging out (i.e. playing :-) ) with the babies. :-)
week #3: possibly connecting with folks working with Empowering Lives Int'l in Eldoret
week #4-5: back to Nairobi to do some work for AIM, visit missionary friends and possibly meet up more briefly with some other Kenyan connections
Please pray with me as these pieces are finalized, including praying for the logistics of traveling between these places. Thanks!
almost there!
In amazing fashion, I'm down to needing just $175 more to meet today's support raising deadline! Thanks to all who've been part of God's provision for meeting this first big $$ deadline! Let's pray for the rest to come in somehow today. Thanks!
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