A New Cliff

In the past....year and a half? (Maybe a bit more) so many things have happened!
I went to boarding school, completely on my own, and grew up even faster. I turned 18. I went to Banquet with the sweetest guy. (My school's version of prom) I went for an entire week in the Maasai Mara, doing nothing but taking pictures of God's beautiful creations. And on top of all of that, I even went on my first date.

This time has been full of a thousand firsts and lasts. Everyone at RVA has done things like this several time, but I never have, and lucky me, I jump in at the end of it all. In away I'm glad, I get to come in just as all the fun starts up, but also I'm sad. Because just as I get use to it all, it comes to an end. All I can do is pray and try to see God's reasoning for allowing me to go through these things, but at the same time I realize I'm blessed that He allowed me to go through it all!

This next term (three months) are my last at RVA. It's hard to wrap my brain around, I feel like I just got there! and now I have to leave again. There are so many things I can't wait to do, like go to Mombasa for a few days with my class. Then there are things I can't wait to see what they're going to lead to, such as, what happens after a first date? And then there are things that I don't want to face, graduation, going back to the States on my own, having to fill out the long check list of things I need to accomplish once I get there.

Part of me can't believe I'm eighteen and headed for college. I remember days that were filled with dress up games, tea parties, and cuddle time with Daddy, like it was just yesterday. I never understood why my parents didn't want me to grow up, I mean lets face it, every kid want's to grow up. Until they have to.

Life is full of cliffs. And despite how much we argue with ourselves, and try to come up with other logical explanations, or point out how illogical what we have to do is, in the end all we can do is.....
             Jump.

That's what I'm standing at now, a cliff. It's tall, and the gorge is deep to the point it gets dark and I can't see anything. I can see the other side, but it's too far to jump by myself. There would be no way I could even have the slightest chance of even just my fingertips brushing the opposite cliff. But I know I have to jump, it's the only thing left to do. I can't go backwards, as much as I wish I could, I can't live in the past, the only thing left to do is go forward, and that means I have to jump.

Some things in life, you can't do by yourself, it's not physically, or emotionally possible. That's why you have to just trust God to take care of you. I'm learning how much I trust him with the little things, like with the date. I can't even begin to guess what is going to happen next! It could go absolutely no where, or it could take on wings of its own and soar into the sky. But I have no control over it at this point in time, so every night when fears threaten to consume the peace I have in my soul, I place what could happen in God's hand, say 'please take care of this for me' and then turn away from it. Not allowing myself to look back until God places it back in front of me and says 'see? this is what I have in store for you.'

Life is full of cliffs, and jumps. But all it takes is trusting God to give you wings, and soon you find that you can fly.

And The Plane Has Landed!

So here we are!
Sitting in Matuku Inn, in Uganda, and talking to some other missionary.
It was quite the adventure getting here, though.
We flew out from Tampa, Florida, and then to New York City, and from there we flew 13 hours to Dubai and spent the night there in a fancy hotel which was paid for when we bought the plane tickets.
And so from Dubai we flew 4 hours to Entebbe.

Jetlag has been pretty bad, it's crazy how messed up your body clock can get. Most of my family has woken up in middle of the night and read until they fell back asleep. Me however, I've actually slept through the night which is great, and then I force myself to stay awake until at least 9:00 at night.

So we're all pretty happy and content, glad to be back and we've hit the ground running. In just a few weeks I'm going to be headed up to Rift Valley Academy, the boarding school that I'll be going to for this next year, so it'll be quite the adventure.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2



Tirza had been enjoying the quiet outside while writing in her journal. She enjoyed hearing the birds chirping, and the people walking past the wall that surrounded the house. It was just a rich way of life that most people didn't stop to notice.

A horn blarred in front of the large gate. She watched as the gardner ran over and swung it open. Her jaw dropped as her dad's Land Crusier drove in. She picked up her things and ran around the corner and into the house.

"Mom!" She cried, setting her journal down on the coffee table in the living room.

"Yes dear?" Mrs. Hoffman asked from the kitchen.

"Why is Joshua Bennett here?" Tirza asked, her voice an octive higher than usual.

"Because both his parents, and your father and I thought it would be a good idea for him to spend the month with us. He was very worried when he heard about the plane crash." Her mom explained as she put a peacon pie into the oven.

"Well that's great and all but why couldn't he just have...called or something?"

Her mom turned and gave her a look that told Tirza her mom saw right through her. "You might want to look up Romans 15:7. It might help you through your rough spot."

Tirza groaned and leaned over the counter to look through the hole in the wall and watch as the guys unloaded Joshua's lugage.

"We also invited him so that mabye you two could work out your diffrences."

"Mom!" Tirza turned back to her with a frown.

"Oh don't act as if I don't know these things. I was sixteen once too. " Her mom winked at her before shooing her out of the kitchen. Tirza made a dash for her bedroom and quietly shut the door.

Sighing, she slumped down onto her bed. She looked around her bare room and her eyes fell on her Bible. Tirza reached over for it and flipped over to Romans.

"What was the verse mom mentioned?" She mumbled, but then a verse popped out because she had already highlighted it.

"'Romans 15:7, accept one another then just as Christ accepted you in order to bring praise to God.'" She sighed and set the Bible down and folded her hands in prayer, knowing she wouldn't be able to get over her uneasieness about Joshua with out God's help.

She honestly couldn't explain it. But ever since he started going to school at Rift Valley Academy, she was uneasy around him and didn't like it so she mostly avoided him. Though that was a bit hard to do since he was her brother's best friend and roommate. Eli couldn't understand it since Joshua was nothing but nice to her, and all she did in return was be snappy and play the 'Avoid Him At All Cost' game. Though she came to the conclusion that the reason why she always felt uneasy around him was because he had this way of starring at a person like he was trying to uncover their deepest secrets, and that did nothing but make her uncomfortable.

"Tirza, come out and greet our guest." Her mom called to her. Tirza sighed and set her Bible back down before pressing the wrinkles out of her lenin pants. She then walked out and moved out of her room and into the living room.

There, she was met with two boys that were catching up on the latest happenings.

"Hey Tirza," Joshua said, looking up at her with that unnerving gaze.

"Hi." She gave a little wave and then grabbed her journal from the coffee table.

"How have you been?"

"Um...better. I've been better." She answered, backing up near the door just incase she needed a quick escape route.

"Yeah, I'd imagine. But it sounds like you've all had some amazing adventures that God has used to strengthen your faith."

"Well that was mostly Eli. But...yeah." She nodded several times, gazing at everything but Joshua, but the silence hung over her like a knife. "Well great to see you, hope you two boys have fun. I will be in my room." She then made a fast exit and locked herself up in her room.

Joshua turned and looked at Eli.

"Did I say something?"

Eli rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Nah, Tirza's just weird."

　

.:+++:.

　

Tirza pulled out a well worn notebook from her desk and flipped through it. In there a thousand notes of encouragement gave her reasurence.

"Why can't I just be normal around him?!" She cried, slamming her head onto the desk.

"Tirza?"

She turned around and saw her brother standing respectfully at the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" He stepped into the room, concern written on his face.

"Oh, yeah. Sort of. I'm just annoyed with myself."

"Well, Josh and I are walking down to the duka (small shop)/ Mom needs more Coke. Want to come?" Eli asked as he placed an old Mossy Oak baseballl cap on his head.

"...Sure." Tirza snatched up a kanga (light blanket) and wrapped it around her hips, covering her shorts.

Outside, the trio made their way down the dirt road. The boys continued talking about the lost rugby game. But that was a conversation Tirza had no interest of joining. So, after a few moments of walking in silence, she regreted having agreed to come along. Plus Joshua kept looking at her and it was making her uncomfortable.

"So, Tirza," Her gaze jerked from the mountian in the distance to his intense, screaming blue-eyed gaze.

"I saw a kindle on the counter, do you prefer those over real books Tirza?"

Other than the passing thought that wondered 'where the heck did that come from?' she answered instintly.

"Books. Tablets deprive you of so many joys, I can't stand them."

"Oh? and what joys do they deprive you of?"

Tirza glanced at the boy before answering. Wondering if he truly wanted to know or if it was just a filler conversation. She came to the conclusion that he was honestly interested. Eli, however, rolled his eyes and muttered "Oh boy" under his breath.

"Well for starters I like my bookmarks. I collect them, like turists collect magnets or keychains."

Joshua nodded in all seriousness so she took that as a sign to continue.

"I also like to see how far in the book I have to go -"

"Yes! and to get the satisfied feeling when you get to the end of the book and you can say 'I read all that.'"

"Right!" The fact that he made Tirza completely uncomfortable was forgotten momentarily. She was just happy to meet someone who understood her hatred against anything that tried to replace books.

"and you don't get to hear the pages turn, swiping a screen just doesn't do it for me." She said.

"I know what you mean. And books just have this...this smell. Especially old ones, like you just know they've traveld so far and somehow landed in your hands."

"Well why don't ya'll go on a date to the library," Eli cut in, shattering the mood. "But right now why don't you give me a hand with these?"

Tirza was snapped back to reality, though she couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she took a few glass Coke bottles from her brother.

.:+++:.

"So were you able to find some things you two have in common?" Mrs. Hoffman asked as she smashed up avacados with a fork.

"Well...at least one."

"Now that's an improvement! I"m glad you opened up, I know that's a difficult thing for you to do."

Tirza nodded in agreement as she flipped over a chapati (thick tortilla) on the gas stove.

"Well what do you guys have planed for break?"

"Uh...I have no clue. I assume the boys are going to godo something and get themselves hurt. While I plan to stay at home and get ahead in a few of my classes."

Her mom chuckled, making Tirza turn.

"You are so much like your father."

Tirza smiled and took the chapati off the pan.

"Go call the boys and tell them lunch is ready.:

Tirza took the plate of hot chapatis and hollered down the hall on her way to the dining room.

N sooner as they placed everything out on the table did the two boys come running like a pack of hyinas. Though they did wait paitently for the girls to sit down before they reached for hands and prayed. Butterflies errupted in Tirza's stomach when Joshua offered his hand. She noticed everyone waiting, so she hastily slid hers into his and tried to concentrate on Eli's prayer.

But the moment it was over, she let go of his hand and reached for a chapati.

"So where did Uncle Mark go?" JOshua asked as he attempted to pick up his ultra-stuffed burrito, but failed miserably, making Tirza chuckle under her breath.

"Not all of us can be awesome at burrito making you know." He whispered to her.

"He had a surprise flight he had to go on." Mrs. Hoffman answered.

"On a Saturday? That must be tough with your dad being a pilot and all." Josh admitted.

"You must not be able to see him much."

"Actually," Eli paused and swallowed before he continued. "It's awesome! He comes back with the most wild stories and the coolest trinkets. Some times he even takes us on flights with him."

Joshua's eyebrows rose.

"That is a pretty sweet gig."

"Yes, but it's not all fun times." Eli's mom cut in.

"Oh I didn't think it was Aunt Kassy. I looked into becoming a pilot a little while back. I know it isn't all it's hped up to be."

"You wanted to become a pilot?" Tirza was surprised, Joshua wasn't one she had pinned down as a pilot.

Josh nodded in answer to her question due to the bite in his mouth.

"No it's not." Aunt Kassy agreed. "He travels into the Sudan a lot so it can be very dangerous. Plus it's hard work even when he's not on a flight. Lots of plotting courses, looking at charts, paperwork as well. He's constantly learning new things order to be the best that he can. It's a very stressful job."

"So I heard. And it takes a lot to become a pilot too! I mean you have to spend so many years as a mechanic before you can move on, and I heard the pilot training can be very intense."

"Very intense." Eli agreed. "Like this one time -"

"I think Joshua can hear that some other time Eli." His mom inturrupted. "While we're not eating."

Everyone chuckled as they continued their meal.

　

Sneak Preview

Alright guys, this is a story I'm working on that comes after that short story I posted up a while ago. In God's Hands. This picks up a few days after that adventure ends so this is just a sneak preview I hope you enjoy it!



Chapter 1


Kiara's eyes opened slowly, but they fluttered closed quickly when the sunlight hit them.

A thousand thoughts hit her at once. She was scared to open her eyes. Scared that she would find herself back out in the savannah with no one but her brother and Uncle Jake for company.

"Kiara, breakfast is ready!"

Her eyes flew open and her fears melted away when she heard her mother's voice ring though the concrete walls. She stumbled out of bed and ran her fingers through her long brown hair, quickly braiding it so it fell over her shoulder before she left her room.

Her feet shuffled down the tiled hall and into the living room. There, she found her brother sprawled out on the couch, in gym shorts and an old t-shirt from a camp he had gone to a few years ago. Uncle Jake was also sitting on the opposite couch that faced her brother. They both looked dead to this world. Which wasn't shocking since they all seemed to be having a hard time going to sleep these days.

"Hey honey. Sleep well?"

Kiara turned and smiled at her dad in the dining room. He was sitting at the head of the table with a coffee mug in hand and his favorite book in his other.

"That's the best sleep I've had since I got back."

Her dad smiled that kind smile that could light up an entire room.

"That's good to hear."

"Sweetie, would you mind putting this on the table?"

Kiara turned and saw her mother's face in the whole in the wall that showed a bit of the kitchen. She walked over and took the large bowl of chopped up pinapple to place it on the table.

"Are you making chai?" Kiara asked, reaferring to the milky sweet tea that they usually drank in the mornings.

"Of course I am. What morning am I not?" Her mother replied with a joking smile.

Kiara moved down the hallway and turned into a doorway opposite of the one that led to her bedroom. This one led to the spacious kitchen where her mother was bustling about.

Mrs. Hoffman was a small woman with short blond hair and bright blue eyes that always light up when she was working with children.

"Need any help mom?"

"Why don't you set the table and take the water out."

Kiara nodded and grabbed a stack of plates and headed out to the dinning room. It was strange to her that the house was so quiet, her dorm was hardly ever quiet expect in the early hours in the morning, but who was awake then?


Once the table was set and the homemade waffles were out, Kiara walked over to her brother who was still asleep on the couch. His blond hair was getting a little long and shaggy, but it suited his down to earth style. He use to be known as the tall lanky boy that couldn't walk strait on a flat surface. But as he grew older he was now the star basketball player.

"Hey, Eli. Wake up, breakfast is ready." She shook his shoulder gently but quickly pulled her hand back. He woke up with a jerk, his eyes flying open as he looked around in surprise.

"What?" He mumbled still half asleep. Kiara didn't bother hiding her smile as she gestured to the table.

"Breakfast is ready." She then woke up Uncle Jake, who woke up less violently and then they all gathered around the table still bleary-eyed and tired.

"Let's thank the Lord for this food." Mr. Hoffman said, reaching for his wife and son's hands. The table linked hands and bowed their heads as Kiara's dad led them in prayer, thanking for the safe return of their children and Uncle Jake, also asking God to keep them all safe in upcoming adventures. He finished his prayer, and Kiara's mom quickly blessed the food. Eli managed a smile as tired as he was before grabbing a waffel and smearing peanut butter on it.

Kiara bumbed his foot with hers from across the table. He looked up at her in surprise and she gave him a warm smile.

"Bet you were dreaming of mom's homemade waffels out there in the savannah weren't you?" She said, dousing her own in thick maple syrup they had taken over from the States.

Eli laughed and nodded. "Anything was better then those protien bars."

Kiara joined in on his laughter. "Anything!"

.:+++:.

Knock knock.

"Come on in!" Eli shouted to his closed bedroom door. He looked up from his computer screen to see his dad walk in. "Hey dad, what's up?"

"Hey Elisha," He caught sight of his son's computer screen. "What are you working on?"

"Uh, it's just a video project for school."

"What's it about?"

"Actually how I grew spiritually during our adventure in the savannah."

His dad nodded several times as he looked from his son to the computer screen.

"I would be very interested to see it when you finish." Eli nodded in responce.

"Sure thing...was that all you came in here to talk to me about?"

"No, actually." His dad looked like he was reminded of something. "You and I have to go pick up someone from the airport. Traffic is pretty light these days but you never know, so get ready in the next...five minutes, alright?"

Eli nodded and stepped over to his wardrobe. "Sure thing dad, be out in a minute."

His dad smiled and closed the door after himself.

Five minutes later, Eli and his dad piled into the Land Crusier and they headed off to the small airport near the edge of town. In order to get there, they had to drive though the heart of town, which Eli actually prefered, he loved to watch the people walk to where ever they were going but what was so different in Africa then in America he found, was that in Africa, no one was in a hurry to do anything. Life was about making friendships and deepening them rather than getting things done. That's why he always felt like he never fit in America, his heartbeat was slower paced.

Once outside the town, they were stopped a few times by cows crossing the road. After that though they sailed down the red dirt road with the windows rolled down and their worries casted out to God.

"Ah! Look at that, we came just in the knick of time." Mr. Hoffman said with a smile as they pulled onto the grass behind the building that served as the airport. Eli jumped out and watched as a Carivan plane began it's decent onto the dirt airstrip.

"Who are we picking up dad? Another pastor?" His dad shook his head, and then pointed. Eli followed his finger and watched as the passengers began to walk down the air strip to the building. His eyes searched the faces, looking for one that was familiar. He finally saw curly brown hair and the face of his best friend.

"Joshua!"

The boy looked up and saw Eli waving like crazy. A grin broke out on his cheery face and he waved wildly back before entering the building. A few minutes later, he was out the other side and Eli slung his arm across his shoulders.

"Hey man, how's your family?" Eli asked with a grin as he took his friends bag and threw it into the back of the Land Crusier.

"They're doing great, thanks for asking. How are you, Uncle Jake, and Kiara doing? I heard about the crash, and I've been praying for you guys non stop." Joshua asked as the two boys hopped into the back of the truck.

"We're all...adjusting back to normal life. It's kind of hard after something like that." Eli answered.

"I bet!" Joshua let out an exaspurated sigh as he rolled down the window. "I'm just glad you guys are okay."

There was a twinkle in Eli's eye as he turned to his friend.

"Yeah, but you haven't even heard the half of it."

Stolen My Heart

I just spent a whole week with this awesome team. I'm not sure I can express just how blessed I have been to even just be with these guys for one week!

We all went to Mbale, Uganda, for a week to help out with a ministry there that the youth group's church is part of, called Jenga. I met some amazing people, both on the team and at Jenga. I also had a chance to deepen my relationship with my cousin who went with me and now it feels like he's my brother which is amazing!

It was such a blessed week, though we all felt it was too short. Next time, hopefully, the team can come and visit my family in Tororo which is only a few miles away from Mbale. I'm so excited to meet up with my friends again!
I'm also praying for all of those amazing team members, and the Jenga staff that God will bless them, and make their cups overflow. Even if it means going through hard times, I pray that he will show them that he is still strong, and hasn't left their side through it all.

I'm so excited to see what God has in store for these precious people, and beautiful country that have all stolen a piece of my heart!

Just a Thought

Sometimes when one we love passes through the vale that separates our world from God's, our eyes turn to us. We cry for OUR pain, OUR loss, OUR sorrow. We're not crying for the one who left. And this is something that could twist our view on loss, they're home! They're in the exact place we long to go too in this world. They beat us to it, but we're not too far behind. 

I'm so glad my Daddy's in a brighter place, with no pain, no tears, just grace. And I thank God everyday for all the important lessons he had the privilege to teach me while he was with me for those first twelve years of my life. 

Seventeen.....Hmm.....

When I heard for the first time someone call me a 'seventeen-year-old' the first thing I felt was shock.
Can I really be seventeen?
Am I really that old?

Then I shook my head and stated firmly that seventeen isn't that old. Then my mom and I were driving home from my cousin's house two hours away. We had talked more about the mission trip I'm embarking on in June with my fifteen year old cousin, and his youth group.
Mom then went to tell me how she met my dad. On a mission trip. At seventeen.
And boy I will tell you that I sure felt like I was old then!
My sister even said 'No meeting future husband at seventeen.' Which I so diplomatically answered, 'you don't know when you meet your future husband 'til God decides to tell you.' She wasn't too happy about this answer.
And then the thought of that I've got brochures for colleges, and that in a year I'm going to be eighteen in Uganda, serving the Lord a long side my family. And then when I finished up my last two years of high school I'd be nineteen!
Now there's a scary thought.

But then I realized that age is really just a number. You can be as joyful, and bursting with energy like a little child at the age of 40, and that's just fine! So I've determined not to let my age drag my mind down. Yes growing up has new responsibilities, but I'll deal with those as they're bestowed upon me, and I wont worry about them until God instructs me too. ^_^