Africa

Just a brief post as I've been thinking about some things a lot recently. Most of you probably know that we plan to live and work in Africa long term after finishing residency. God has given us an incredible desire to serve in this way, and He often breaks our hearts for the people with whom we will live. Even though our current life and work situation keeps us busy and thinking about things far removed from Africa, God brings us reminders of why He has asked us to do something against the mainstream.

There is a young woman who is only a few years younger than us named Katie. I do not know her personally, but have been following her story for some time through her writing. She went to Uganda shortly after graduating from high school, expecting to stay only for a year. But God changed her in mighty ways during that year, and she could never return to be the same person before she went to Uganda. She now lives in Uganda permanently and has taken 14 girls (and counting) in to be her daughters. She started and runs a sponsorship program and feeding program (which feeds >1,200 children daily), provides basic medical care (despite no formal training), opens her home to the lowest and least of society, and serves in every way she thinks Jesus would have served. She is, quite literally, the hands and feet of Jesus. When she writes, she pours out her heart and says some of the most moving and convicting things I have ever read. I am left humbled, heartbroken, and challenged each time. She reminds me why God has asked us to move to Africa, why we will leave our families and friends, why we will work harder than we do in residency and yet be so much more fulfilled by our lives and work than we could be here. She reminds me that although the problems are so much larger than we are, we CAN and we WILL make a difference, one person at a time.

I encourage you to read Katie's writing here. But be prepared. She does not write to provide interesting stories. She writes to bring truth and reality to our content and complacent world, to open our eyes to the injustices of the world, to remind us what Jesus actually meant with His message, and to stir us to action to bring His message of eternal life and healing. If you truly let her words penetrate your heart, you will never be the same.

"Down by the Riverside" Concert in the Park

"Cheese!"

Sportin' Grandma's shades

Rockin' with "Whitey," yes, that's her unfortunately named puppy.

Break-dancing moves

Unfortunately Momma had to be at work all night so wasn't able to join us, but here are some pictures to enjoy in between admissions, Momma! Next year we'll all go. - Char & Daddy

Fish stories

Had a rare morning off today which I wisely spent getting up stinkin' early to flog the water. This 15" ranbow pulled out of the Middle Branch of Whitewater River on a caddis-fly put a smile on my face.


This one, not so much.

What the heck is wrong with this deer!? He's scaring away all the trout!

Sorry no Charlotte pictures :(

Jumping bean!

Have you had enough of the little darling yet?

Can you tell I had an entire weekend off? I took lots of pictures and I actually had time to put them on the blog. This will have to tide you over until I have time off again to do this another time...

Wearing daddy's lifejacket.

Relaxing.

Stuffing as many kitties in a jar as she can. While wearing a princess costume. While also wearing a headband that makes her look like Rambo.

And wearing a backpack and carrying a talking parrot. Doesn't she look just a little bit like a pirate in this picture?

Tomato Snatcher!

We picked the first tomato out of our garden today. It is a variety called Green Zebra, and it is supposed to be a zesty little tomato with green and gold stripes when it is ripe. I tried to take some pictures of it this evening, and just when I was started to get the hang of the lighting and the macroview focus, something happened. See for yourself....



She also took the cucumber I was cutting up for supper, and ate little holes all over it...Oh well...at least she likes vegetables!

Summertime party

Today Charlotte and I went to a big Mayo Clinic party for residents and fellows at an athletic club in Rochester. They went all out--pony rides, a petting zoo, all of the athletic club facilities including 3 swimming pools, chair massages, food, kid's story time, a bouncy castle, and lots more. Unfortunately Matt was on call so he couldn't come with us, but we had lots of fun and took some pictures so he could see what we did today!
--Charlotte got to get in the pen with one of the world's smallest horses! She's only 19 inches tall and is full grown!
--Charlotte went on her first pony ride! Not on the world's smallest horse.
--We splashed and played in the outdoor swimming pool for several hours. I had a hard time getting her out of the pool.
--Charlotte probably stayed in the bouncy castle longer than any other kid there. She LOVES those things!

Breakfast on the Farm!

A month or so ago we went to Breakfast on the Farm for RochesterFest. They serve a delicious pancake breakfast to thousands of people and give tours of the farm, horse drawn wagon rides, and have a petting zoo. Charlotte had lots of fun. For a couple of weeks afterward, she kept saying she wanted to go to the Farmer's Market. When we went to the Farmer's Market, she said, "No, the other Farmer's Market." It took us until she said, "the one with the cows" to figure out she meant the farm.

Petting the bunny with just one finger

Baby goat was just days old!

I guess the pancakes weren't enough for her...she was still hungry! The cow in the background doesn't look too happy about Charlotte trying to steal some of her feed.

That's my breakfast! Scram, little girl!!!

Don't worry, the picture of her trying to eat cow food was a fake. In case you were still thinking about how gross that was.

The corn was much taller than the old saying "knee-high by the fourth of July," especially compared to Charlotte.

Where did she go?

Charlotte? Come back Charlotte.... Char? You need to turn around now. CHARLOTTE, LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!!!! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!!

(Matt went in to get her and of course she ran faster when she saw him coming. She got about twice as far away and we couldn't see her anymore in between the stalks! Luckily Matt tracked her down by the movement of the corn. Next time we'll just leave her at the farm so she can help slop the pigs.)

I love this laugh!

Charlotte has a great laugh--it always brings a smile to my face!