Update: We're Almost Gone!

Just two weeks until we leave to go back to Africa!  We're trying to wrap things up, some small things like buying spices and boxer shorts, and some big things like renewing my passport.  There's a lot of opportunity for stress, but we're taking one day at a time and getting through it.  Although I was worried that I wouldn't be ready to go back when the time came, it turns out that I am ready.  I think I'm just worn out from the last several weeks, especially, which have become increasingly busy.

Here are a few things going on in our world, especially for those of you who are hoping to see us and hear about our work:

Tomorrow, January 16th, 9am - CounselHere Radio Show
A friend of my dad's, Rick Livingston, hosts an internet radio show (you listen online), and he'll be interviewing me on his show tomorrow.  Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/counselhereshow to listen, either tomorrow morning or any time afterward.

Sunday, January 20th, 10am - Dundee Covenant Church
We've been attending services at Dundee Covenant when we're not at Imago Dei these past few months, and the pastor, Art Matheny, is exploring partnership between Dundee Covenant and our family.  An initial step in this process is interviewing us in front of the church to share our story and ministry.  If you would like to attend, we'll be part of the service next Sunday.  The church is in the old Calamity Jane's restaurant building on 99W in Dundee...super, super easy to find.

Sunday, January 27th, 3pm-5pm - Windrose Conference Center
 We're having an open house send-off party on January 27th at the Windrose Conference Center in Newberg.  (809 W 1st St, Newberg, OR 97132)  We would really like to see you there to say goodbye for the next two years.

And now...a gratuitous cute picture of Wesley, because I have so many and you people love them so much!

Wesley and his great-grandpa

Sometimes I hit a wall...

...and I run out of words for this blog.  This has been the case in recent weeks, as I keep thinking "I need to update the blog!  I have so much to share!" and then as soon as I log onto the site, my mind goes blank.  Then I got an idea from a blog I read occasionally (Domestic Serenity) for a format that I can use to beat the blanks!  So here we go!

In my life this week:     We had a really busy week of dinners with friends and supporters and potential supporters.  This slew of events happened to coincide with Wesley teething, but he was a trooper and an angel.  He dealt with the late nights really well.

In our work/ministry:     A Lahash team just took off for two weeks in Uganda to have a camp with the kids at Amazing Grace Children's Home, and my other two co-workers who are not on that trip are traveling with family, so I'm manning (woman-ing?) the Lahash house on my own for a few days this week.  Although it's quiet and lonely without Katie, Dan and Casey, I get a lot done when I'm not being distracted by all the silliness and collective brainstorming.  Since I work alone from home so much when I'm in Africa, it's nice to have co-workers, but on days like today, when I just need to bang out a number of things on my to-do list, it's good not to have distractions (aside from the standard distractions that happen in the mind of a perpetual multi-tasker.)  Fred has been working on a concept note for continuing the palliative care program in Shirati, a program he really cares about.  We've also been doing the difficult, but important work of raising support to enable us to continuing doing the work and ministry that we enjoy and are passionate about.  It's rewarding to meet up with so many people who care about us and are interested in our work, but I really struggle to bring the "Ask" to a friendly dinner meeting.  I need to get better at giving people the opportunity to partner with us financially.  (GIVE to the Otienos --Lahash Staff, Leisha (Adams) Otieno)

I'm being inspired by:     A ministry called She's My Sister which trains pastors and lay leaders in sub-saharan Africa to provide Scripture-based lay counseling to traumatized and/or grieving people.  The opportunity to work with She's My Sister has been building for some time as Fred was trained to train others to do the counseling work, then we got a chance to meet with the American leadership for the program when we first came to the States two months ago.  Since that time I've been talking with many people about the exciting opportunity we have to be involved with starting this ministry in Tanzania, on the side of the other work we're doing.  The initial meeting we had in Washington, DC was so encouraging and inspiring, and in many ways I see God using this ministry to open new chapters in my personal story.

My favorite thing this week was:     I could use this opportunity to say something soft like "the blessing of friendship" or "my adorable kiddo" or "my wonderful husband".  All of those things are true...I mean, look at these handsome guys!  However, me being me, I'm going to say that my favorite thing this week was the Captain Neon burger I had at McMenamin's.  Captain Neon burgers were a craving I had during my pregnancy, along with Burger King double cheeseburgers and mustard, so it was great to finally satisfy that year-long craving.  It helped that the burger was accompanied by lots of laughter with Seth and Rachel Reeser and Matt and Corrine Haning.

I've been thinking:     A year ago I blogged about thinking about Christmas and missing all the trappings of an American Christmas, but struggling at the same time to cling to the "reason for the season" as they say.  Now that I get to experience an American Christmas, I am torn between my idealistic self (Advent Conspiracy, Jesus-only celebration) and the undeniable urge to go get Wesley's picture taken on Santa Claus' lap.  I've actually found that in a disturbing number of areas the ideals I held as a slightly-self-righteous, slightly-superior single person have been sagging under a new found...pragmatism, shall we call it? Now that I have a husband and a child, I feel the appeal of a large, suburban, impeccably decorated home or a Pinterest-worthy Christmas tree with loads of presents underneath.  I find myself snatching the cheap Johnson's baby shampoo off the shelf while trying to stifle the voice in the back of my mind that says "didn't I read something about a terrible chemical in this stuff and how I should make my own baby shampoo?"  Ditto that message regarding baby food, formula, fast food, children's clothes and toys, etc.  Yet, despite that echo and despite access to so many resources to actually make all my own everything, I would rather watch The Voice than learn to knit socks for my family.  Sorry, idealistic 20-something Leisha, it turns out we get baby food in plastic containers at Walmart now, even though we feel terrible about it.

Things I'm working on:     I'm figuring out Christmas presents for husband, son, parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece.  Also, I'm apparently working on storing up fat for another two years of African hibernation.  (Gained 12 pounds in two months and counting!)

I'm reading:     Very atypically for me, I'm about one chapter into four different books.  I never, ever read like this, but for some reason my attention span has gone the way of my waistline.  So, the books I'm reading are: Respectfully Yours by Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs (a study on respecting my husband), Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin, Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot, and After the Funeral by Agatha Christie.  I'll give you one guess as to which book will be finished by the next time I make this list.  (Hint: it's the only work of fiction on that list.)

I'm grateful for:     I'm actually enjoying the cool, grey days of an Oregon autumn.  I do miss the sun, and I'm sure I'll be really happy to go back to warmer weather, but it's probably upward of 100°F in Shirati these days, so I don't mind the excuse to wear coats and fleece.  I realize most of you probably aren't quite busting out your mittens yet, but if your typical "cold day" were about 70°F, you'd be wearing wool coats, too.

Highlights of October - Part One (with photos!)

Unfortunately it's been more than a month since I've posted here.  We're safe and sound and settled in Newberg with my parents, and it's past time for me to update!  Here is the first part of our month:

 1 October - Shirati to Rondo - a small town in Kenya, where we met Fred's grandmother, aunt, cousin and niece.  This was the first time I've seen Fred's family since our first, memorable meeting last year.  It was really nice to see them and they doted on Wesley.

3 October - Nairobi to Dubai - After a morning packed with last minute things, we took a taxi to the airport and boarded a plane to Dubai.  We were seated in the bulkhead row, which they had arranged to be family central.  There was a French family with a 2-year-old next to us and a Kenyan mom with an 18-month-old across the aisle.  I highly, highly recommend Emirates to anyone traveling with kids.  They treated us so well, and even took a Polaroid of our family for the "Baby's First Flight" page of our (non-existent) baby book.  Wesley did so well!

4 October - Dubai to Washington, DC - We flew in a half-empty plane from Dubai to Dulles airport, each lounging in our own row.  We sailed through customs, refreshed ourselves in the airport bathrooms and hopped into a taxi to the offices of She's My Sister, a program of American Bible Society.  A 45-minute scheduled meeting stretched into more than two hours.  Although we were just off of a 14-hour flight, it was one of those experiences that just seemed entirely directed by God.  I'll write more about what may develop out of that meeting another time, but it was a very encouraging time.  They paid for a taxi for us to our hotel, where we got food and fell into exhausted sleep.

5 October - Washington, DC - Super tourists!  We spent the morning going around national sights: White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, various war memorials, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial (our favorite), and a tour of the U.S. Capitol building.  We enjoyed a late lunch with our friend Sarah, who has moved to DC for school; then we returned to our hotel and collapsed again.  Fred and Wesley had jet lag, which made them go to sleep for the night at 5pm.  I, on the other hand, wasn't falling asleep until past midnight.

6 October - Washington to Harrisburg, PA - My former Dodoma roommate, Leah, lives in Virginia, and she and a friend drove up and took us out to lunch.  That was such a great time of catching up, and ended with them dropping us off at Union Station to catch our train to Philadelphia.  After a short layover in Philadelphia, we caught a train to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to meet a friend who is connected to Shirati.

7 October - Harrisburg, PA - Out of the four families we interacted with on this day, three were cross-cultural couples: two white American men married to Tanzanian women and one Kenyan man married to a white American woman.  (The fourth was an unmarried American man who had lived in Shirati so long that if he had ever married, it probably would have been to a Tanzanian.)  We had a number of great, encouraging conversations and really enjoyed our time with them.

8 October - Harrisburg, PA to Portland, OR - We took a train from Harrisburg back to Philadelphia, and had four hours to kill before going to the airport.  We checked in with the senior citizens who run the "Traveler's Aid" desk at the Philadelphia train station, and they gave us the details for getting over to the historic district, where we wandered around looking at statues and the Liberty Bell.  Eventually we headed to the airport and boarded a plane to Denver.  The only empty seat on this expected-to-be-full flight was next to us!  We boarded a flight from Denver to Portland, during which our seatmate was an extremely kind man who didn't even mind when I changed Wesley's wet diaper in my lap while we taxied to the terminal.  My parents and grandparents were waiting with a balloon and hugs, and it just so happened that Wesley was wearing a shirt that matched his grandpa's shirt!  (I would post a photo, but I haven't tracked down my grandma's camera yet to get her photos.)

Coming soon...Highlights of October - Part Two and Adjusting to America

Christmas in Portland

My friend Jose from Miami was in town this week working with us at Lahash. Jose lived in Sudan for a year, and I got to hang out with him twice in Uganda and Sudan. He returned to the States early in November, and came out to Portland to do some speaking engagements. Friday night after a great speaking event Mandi and I took Jose out for a beer Portland style. (Portland style beer equals organic, brewed on site, with espresso in it)

 

Saturday morning I had breakfast with my great friend Anna. We started this "tradition" back when I lived downtown, and we planned her wedding over a series of breakfasts at the Stepping Stone Cafe in NW Portland. Now that I'm back in Newberg we have to arrange other accomodations, so we went to Fat Albert's in Sellwood. When we left we saw a true sign of Christmas: Santa making a withdrawal.

 

Here I am, send me

My mom sent me this video that they watched in the ethics class she's taking. It's about ten and a half minutes of a beautiful, moving spoken-word film project. I'm really interested if you all find it as striking as I did.

Photo update

I'm back in the States now, with such awesome internet connection that I'm going to update you with some photos.

This is Christine Mwende, Edwin's wife, and I on the ferry across the Nile. Lexie and Jeremy are the white people behind me. It was really special to have Christine on this whole trip, although it was difficult for her physically. She and Edwin have been very important people in my life.

Here's a picture of all (but one) of my wonderful kids at Amazing Grace Orphanage. I told them to act like gangstas for the photo. I got to know these children particularly well over the course of my trip, spending about four of the eight weeks at this orphanage. They are such talented, intelligent, affectionate kids, and by the end of the trip we'd built a great relationship. I miss them immensely.

This is me in Kajo Keji, at St. Bartholomew's Orphanage. These two boys, Duku and Mak Wei, are sweet, special boys who are so rough and tumble during the day that they are just wiped by the end of the day. When it was time for them to go to bed, I picked up Duku and carried him to his bed without him ever waking up.

Those who know me well will be somewhat astonished to hear that this photo was taken at approximately six fifteen in the morning. This girl, Guo Betty, was doing her morning chore of sweeping in the compound. I was much better about taking photos and being aware of good photo opportunities, and I was very pleased with how this turned out.

Don't be too impressed. I wasn't at all good at carrying things on my head, but I think I have decent potential. "Strong neck, eyes forward!"

This photo was taken the night we took questions from the girls about their bodies and sexuality and all that. They had such great questions for us, and it was an awesome night. I love them so much.

This is little Juan Minikaya at the Kampala House. She was still my friend even though I had to punish her at one point in the trip for disobeying and being stubborn. She told one of the staff that she just wanted to go with me wherever I was going, even if it was the States. I mimed putting her in my pocket and carrying her around with me, and she got excited, although she told them that she knew she couldn't really go.

It was so hard to leave, and it's not easy to be back. There are so many things to think about and work on and process, and I miss the kids and the staff and my friends so much. It has been great to see my family and the Lahash people, though, which makes life a little easier. Even more fun is that Jose Nunez, who has been living in Sudan and Uganda for the past year and who I've met twice in East Africa, is in Portland this week. It's been great to process with him, and helpful for both us, I think.

Anyway, I'm going to be continuing to update this blog over the next nine months and more. In September of 2009 I'll be moving to Tanzania in my work for Lahash, and in the meantime I'll be raising support and preparing to leave. I'll be updating this blog as I continue along that path, and I hope you'll continue to follow along.

And I'm off!

I'm sitting in the Portland airport, enjoying their free wifi!

I'm off to Africa for two whole months:

• May 20th - June 4th = "vacation" aka hanging out with my boyfriend, Bealy, and other friends and African family
• June 5th - June 15th = Team from Vibrant Church comes to work with our partner, Grace Healing Ministry of Dodoma. I'll be working on updates to the Tanzanian sponsorship program. (Adorable, wonderful kids needing sponsors - only $12 per month!)
• June 15th - approx. June 24th = wrapping up in Dodoma, traveling with Dan, Bealy, and Edwin to Nairobi for a couple of days to meet with our partner there
• approx. June 24th - July 11th = traveling in Uganda and Sudan to visit the orphanages and update the sponsorship program there, visiting with the Thiesens and Meyers from Imago Dei, and Megan Espinoza from Imago Dei/Horizon Christian. (Adorable, wonderful kids needing sponsors - only $30 per month!)
• July 11th - July 15th = Bealy and I will take a quick trip to Kigali, Rwanda to visit Pastor Benjamin Nkusi and the Butlers from Imago Dei, then back to Nairobi for me to fly back to the States.
• July 16th = Arrive in Portland.

They're about to board, and I still have to send an email inviting you all to this blog! Leave me messages or send me emails at ladams at lahash dot net or leishlin at gmail dot com.

Thanks everyone for the wonderful sendoffs. sorry to those of you I couldn't get called back before I left. Love you all, and see some of you soon in Africa!