Brie Meegan and the Joy Thief.

 Before I left someone said that sooner or later I will see something that will take away my joy, and they hoped it would be in Africa. They said they wanted this to happen for two reasons, maybe I'll “grow up” and also maybe it would end my dream of Africa.

This summer so far I've met kids who seen people tortured to death, who have been rejected by their families, who have been abused, who survived only because of they worked to find food. All before the age of 12. I have gone to the hospital to see, and pray for the woman who got a shot to abort her baby. She bled for over a week and almost died because of it. I hear several times a day the worship of a local cult crying out to their god. I walk past a pagan shrine every time we go to the field to play soccer.

If something exists that could take my joy away I feel like I heard about it, prayed for the person, and often met the person. And still I continue to learn more.

And yes it breaks my heart beyond belief. And it steals my happiness. But never does it touch my joy.

My happiness is found in a child's smile or laugh, having clean clothes, waking up and finding that Terry did not wet the bed, having African clothes made. It is stolen by a child's cry, realizing I have to wash clothes, Terry wetting the bed again, waiting another day for my clothes, and finding out we are having yam and beans for dinner again...

My happiness is found through earthly things. It can be a roller coaster, with highs and lows. But my joy? My joy has nothing to do with this world. It is not found in any human being, or thing, or even being in Africa. If my joy was found in earthly things it would have been ripped from me long ago.

My joy is found solely in the Lord. He is what fuels me. He keeps me breathing in and out. Without him I doubt I could move due to the depression this world would cause. It would be more than crippling. But guess what? “Do not be grieved for the joy to the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. If that joy is my source of strength how could I not be full of joy? How could I not jump at the chance to follow Him, to Arlington or to Africa? How could I contain myself if He is my joy and my strength? Tell me how your still sitting there and trying to find joy in the world? Please. It's fleeting. It fills you with false hope and then crushes you.

I thank God that no matter what happens, no matter what I see, no matter how much death I face head on. Yes I may be heart broken, in fact I pray for a broken heart for what breaks His heart. It keeps my humble, it keeps me close to him. Psalm 34:18 “ The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

I hope and pray you find your joy in the Creator and the Savior, and not in this world. 

AKA The Kind of Things I'll tell stories about.

Here's a list of random things I think you should know, want to know, or things I want to remember. aka the kind of things I'll tell stories about:

I made up an awesome story about a mustache the other night to tell Terry and Ugo. It was Ugo's turn to pick the bed time story topic and he said some word Kara and I didn't understand, and once getting Thank God to translate we found he wanted a story about a mustache. SO Max the Mustache was born.

I'm getting to be an expert story teller.

Chris Brown is very popular here. I laughed out loud when I heard that.

Not all orphans' parents are dead. In fact many kids here have at least one parent alive. But their parent, or parents, didn't want them or couldn't take care of them. So they just gave them away. WHAT? If that statement doesn't break your heart I don't know what will.

I love it here more than I could ever tell you. THIS is where I was created to be. I realize I have only been here a short time, but still. It's true.

Kara and I are beginning to plan for VBS. It is a very different process here. There isn't materials to do “normal American” crafts. And the materials they do have the kids don't know how to use. So we have to plan to do much of the craft.

We also don't eat meat very much. And for a carnivore like me this is a sad day. Expect tuna. Shelby I hope you smiled at this.

My hair is always a mess. I miss my straightener. That's one thing I deeply miss from the U.S. I understand that sounds super shallow, but it's true.

I am at a place where there are no “big African animals.” So no giraffes, but there are a lot of lizards!

The people here are hilarious! Seriously. I laugh all day long. I also laugh for a good part of the night, because I sit and talk, and help, to whoever is cleaning the kitchen.

There are no dairy products here. No cheese. No milk. No nothing. The only cheese I have had here is some Velveeta. I really miss cheese too. Like seriously.

We may be getting 3 new kids soon. Which is exciting! But also sad. A woman recently died. One of the kids is her 10 year old daughter, and the other 2 are her grandchildren. Her older daughter don't have the means to take care of her children so they may come here soon. The grandchildren don't speak much English, so if and when they come it will be an interesting experience.

I have begun to teach the older boys multiplication. They are given the answers ALL the time in school, so they don't know these very well. It seems to be going well.

They LOVE the fact I'm teaching them math. They ask about our lessons all the time. I missed today due to Kara being sick and also going to the hospital to visit a woman. So today Dajan asked if we could do the lesson tomorrow. On Saturday. What American kid would ask to have a lesson on Saturday? Pretty much none.

Dajan gives the BEST hugs ever. You are all missing out.

I haven't gotten a sunburn yet!

I'm sorry this is so long, but I have been writing and adding to it for quite some time.

I just love you guys. I love getting online and seeing all sorts of encouragement on facebook, on here, and in email.

Sooner or later I want to have a blog answering some of the random questions I know y'all have. So ask away! On comments, email, facebook. Just let me know if you have any questions and I'll try my best to answer them!

It's past midnight here and I need sleep. Goodnight!

Oh my what a Sunday!

We had more than 10 baptisms yesterday at church! That's right MORE THAN 10. Sorry, I stopped counting...

But one of the many was a boy named Chijindu. Does that name look familiar? It should. Go look at my blog called Pictures and Prayer to see his picture. He is one of the newest kids here. He has been here for about 2 months now. Yesterday during junior church, what most of you know as children's church, he told Bev he wanted to be baptized. She pulled him aside and really got to talk to him about it. So he was saved and baptized all in the same day! What an amazing day!

It was so wonderful to see so many people come and get baptized. There were several times we thought it was over and then  someone would say "Wait! There's another one coming!" There is no baptismal here, it's a small inflatable pool on the ground.

One of the men baptized yesterday came to know Christ because of Joey's shooting. He told Joey he wanted to know the god who saved him. [For those who don't know Joey, the missionary whose family I'm staying with was shot in the face back in October.] He recently had heart problems and was very close to death, but is doing MUCH better. So the fact he could sit on the ground was a big deal in itself. Papa Ebuka was also a former pagan. And the head of pagan worship in his village. He also wanted to go to church because of the real Christians he saw there. He saw the difference in their lives and wanted to go to a church that lives were changed at.

Another man has elephantiasis in his leg. Bev, Joey's wife, began to treat him. He didn't understand why she did this so much without complaining. She explained she loves him  because God loves him, and he only payment would be to see him getting better. His foot is so large from the sickness he hadn't been able to wear a shoe on that foot for about 12 years. Well they had a shoe made to fit him. He heard from Papa Ebuka [man in above story] about God, and how he was saved. He said that if that pagan could go to church he could too. He hasn't missed a Sunday since.

Isn't God just plain amazing? Doesn't He blow your mind? I hope so. i hope you realize that the God in America is the same God to reach this remote small town in Nigeria. It's so amazing to see lives that have been changed. And to hear the amazing stories.

Did I mention that every Sunday since I have been here several people have come ti know Christ? I mean every Sunday. And they don't do the alter call in a dim lit Sanctuary. At the end of service they ask "Who wants to know Christ today? Raise your hand."  No emotional music, or dramatic thing. A simple question, with a simple life changing answer. Oh it's amazing to see those hands come up from all around.

Also on a slightly related note, church is outside under a covering they built. The kids and "youth" class are inside a building. By youth I mean like 16 to early 30's. While the adult class is outside under the covering. The junior church is inside as well.

Please pray that God would continue to move here. He's doing some amazing things.

 I love you, because He loves you. I'm here because He is here.

Insert Catchy Title Here.

I don't remember the last time I posted, so it's about time right?

Well Sunday is Father's Day, and I most likely wont post before then again. So I wanted to give a shout out to the man who gave me my red hair, sense of humor and so much more. Dad here's to you. I love you my fellow uncrazy person left in the world! Thanks for once again for letting me go out in our Father's name for the summer. I love you bunches! And I miss you dearly!

We have started planning for VBS here. Which is a very different process than in the States. A lot of churches will buy a package that has lots of things predone. But here, those aren't available. So we plan the theme, the lesson, the crafts, the games, the music, the snacks. EVERYTHING. And planning the crafts are also a whole different story as well. 1. A lot of standard craft supplies isn't here. We are having a group the is coming bring paper plates, paper bags, and a bunch more. 2. Many of the kids here have never made a type of craft like this. In the U.S we grow up learning how to glue, use scissors, and such. Not true here. So we have to make super duper simple crafts and plan on making half of them.

And kids learn a bunch of games at schools and other places. Well the games we know and love they don't know here. Remember, I taught them Go Fish and how to thumb war. So the games we are planning have to be simple to explain and still loads of fun. Oh one of the staff and I are in charge of games. I'm stinkin pumped! Last year they did tug of war and it was the first time the kids had done it and I have been told they LOVED it. So we are doing it.

Here everyone is all about what church can do for them. How can they go to church and be blessed? Or healed? Or get money? Many of the churches are named things like “Day of Bliss.” They will advertise about some preacher who heals everyone, and how everyone who attends that church gets money. It's all about show. They don't care about anything other than what God will do for them.

I said that so you will understand our theme. “The Power of God.” People wont come if the theme is about space, or hiking through the forest. They want glory, but they want it for themselves. So we are going to teach about the TRUE power of God.

Last year was the first time they did VBS, and it was the first time EVER it was done in the area. About 200 kids came last year, so we are expecting much more. Sp pray as we get ready and plan and prepare things. That God's true power will be shown and people will come to know the true Him.

Keep praying for the kids! They are just so precious. Tokshi and I spent like an hour last night just sitting and talking. Oh goodness it was wonderful. I seriously love him a ton. Tokshi is 12 years old and wants to be a teacher. I told him I want to be one too and plan on coming back to Africa to teach and he lit up. Pray especially for Tokshi please. I'm not sure why but he is real heavy on my heart and has been for about a week or so. I put his picture on my last blog, I'm pretty sure. I spend a pretty good deal of time with him and love him more each time.

I love you. And thanks for all the prayers I know you're sending up. I'm so very grateful!

What just happened at the table:

Kara: “Chase are you putting you're Mac Daddy on?”

Chase and I confused looks.

Kara: “He's Iming.”

Chase: “To my grandma!”

This went down like 5 seconds after Chase said he was talking to his grandma...

Pictures and prayer.

Here are some pictures for you! 

This is Chizoba, Mesoma, and me!

Dajan. I mentioned him in an earlier blog.

Chizoba wearing my pj trousers and a pillow. 

[Pants here means underwear. So what we call pants they call trousers. Shorts are knickers. And underwear in called pants.]

Ugo and me thumb warring. I taught them how to thumb war and they love it!

Chijindu.

Tokshi.

I wanted to share a few pictures. I can't post a whole lot because there is a limit of how much uploading and downloading that can be done in a month.


Everyone has heard stories of poor little kids in Africa. And often think "Well isn't that sad?", or "Surely that doesn't happen." Well you are both wrong. It happens, and no it isn't sad. It's utterly heartbreaking. Some of the kids here have family that is still alive, but either they couldn't take care of them, or they didn't want the child anymore. So many of the kids here had to work all day and night to try to save money to buy food, clothes, and hopefully go to school. While their villages were burned they would go hide in near by trees waiting for the people to leave.

I don't want you to read this and cry, and think about how awful it is. I tell you this so you will pray for the kids. And not just the kids here, but also the kids where this is still their life. Please join me in praying for the children who are struggling to get enough money together to eat, and go to school.

Also please know that every night we have a prayer time. It's my favorite part of the day. But just about every night the kids will pray for our loved ones no matter where they are. So you are getting prayed for by some of the sweetest kids you'll ever met.

Worst nightmare, and sweet dreams.

My worst nightmare came true today. The kids found out I was ticklish. How this happened was that Tokshi, 12 years old, was sitting on my lap outside. I was messing with him and tickling him and then he reached back and tickled me. I tried SO HARD not to react at all, but when I did he yelled “WOAH OH!” I wish you could hear how they say this, I just love it. And then began to tickle me more.

After a game of Little Sally Walker, which they love by the way, some of the boys tried to take my Nutri- C bracelet. [Nutri-C is powder you put in your water to make it taste amazing. In some packages there are bracelets. I got one today.] While trying to steal my bracelet I started to run upstairs to our flat. About 6 or so boys were chasing me tickling me the whole way.

When half way up the stairs Swardat blocked the staircase with his body. When I was trying to move him the others took advantage and all began tickling me. I hit the ground. They thought this was the funniest thing to ever happen. And they kept tickling me. So I lay on the ground in the staircase, still sore from yesterdays soccer game, trying to breathe. While I'm yelling for Kara to help they just yell “Don't come Kara! Don't come!” She only hears them yell her name and stays upstairs. Luckily Tochi, a staff member, came to my rescue. I handed him my bracelet so they were chasing him while I made my get away upstairs.

So now the cat is outta the bag. I'm ticklish. So the rest of the night they would randomly come tickle me...

At some point I took over the nightly job of giving out band aids. I'm not when this happened exactly, but it happened none the less. So every night after prayer I scoot my way into the tiny bathroom and begin to put bandages on various wounds. [Any type of scratch, cut, etc is a wound. And band-aids are bandages. Makes things seem a little dramatic at times.] Last night Chuks, a staff member, did it while I was doing something. I walk in to check on the progress...There were several kids who had multiple bandages on a small cut. Tokshi had a big gauze pad and was taping it to his ankle. Other bandages wouldn't stay so this must be the only answer right? While he was cutting the tape with a large kitchen knife. It may sound awfully dangerous here, and it wasn't the best idea. But it was rather humorous to see. I asked Chuks what happened and he said “What? They can't do it?” I laughed and took over once again.

Well this job often carries over into the morning because someone has a new wound, or someone's bandage fell off in the night. So after Kara and I get Terry and Ugo ready for school I lay back down and wait for a knock. Like this morning someone knocks and I ask “Who is it?” And I hear “Brie! It's Dajohn! Get me a bandage!” Which is exactly what I told him to say if I was in bed when he came.

Speaking of Dajohn, he gives the best hugs EVER. And he gives them often. They say good morning, good afternoon, and good evening here. Even if they see you all three times, and if they left for a minute they will come back and greet you again. Greetings= a big deal. You are seen as rude if you don't greet. While every time Dajohn greets me he gives me a massive bear hug. He is 11 I think. And has the biggest smile. But every morning, afternoon, and night before bed, he sees me smile that adorable smile and hugs me so tight I can barely breathe. Goodness. He is also an amazing little soccer player.  

This is where we play soccer. I love it a little more every time we go. 

This is Jurbe and Tokshi. I mentioned Tokshi so I'm giving you a face. He is trying not to laugh in this because one of the boys was trying to run in and photo bomb. 

Both are 12 years old. 

It's almost midnight here, and my computer is about to die so goodnight from Nigeria! 

The List.

Everyone has a list of what they want to do in their life. Most have something about traveling, and then details about what to do in a foreign country. Well I have been creating, and checking things off my list.

Here's what I have so far:
Things that I put on the list.
- Go to Africa. Check.
- Love on orphans. Check.
- Walk in the jungle. Check.
- See an African thunderstorm. Check.
- Play soccer with Africans. Check.
- Eat native food. Check.
- Get African clothes. Check.
- Learn some of the language. In progress.
- Eat things I wouldn't normally eat. Check, check and triple check.
- Not get a sunburn. Still check.
- Get a sweet  chaco tan. In progress.
- Understand the accents. In progress.

Things I didn't know that were on my list:
- Listen to the heart felt prayers of children,
- Ride motorcycle. Check. [Sorry Mom, it's a main form on transportation here. Also it's a great way to see Africa!]
- Eat a bug. Check. I actually ate 2, yes they were cooked. I'll post pictures later. :]
- Take baths using a bucket and a cup.
- Eat part of a chicken heart.
- Hand wash clothes while being laughed at by several children. Check.

I'll add to this as the summer continues.

Mom, this isn't all the way done but I'm posting it for you! LOVE YOU MAMA!