A Pirate's Life For Me :~)

I was hungry today around 10:30. Corinna ran to her cabin to get me some kind of "husk". She brought back this bit of boscotti looking, dry cake that reminded me so much of (sorry, LOTR fans if i get this wrong) limbus bread, that Frodo and Sam Wise ate. Yes! I love the simple life. love it.

"HR, This is Sienna Speaking."

My office is right across from Signe's. She works in reception and I am HR's facilitator. When we lean back on our chairs, seated at our desks, we can catch a peak into the other's office. A man came in my office today, (and asked me to marry him. no i'm just kidding) inquiering of something that i felt compleatly inept to respond too, let alone answer. I let Steven take care of it as i tried professionally tip-toing out of the scene, files at my side. I answered the phone today though. "HR. This is Sienna speaking." Steven and Corinna had left to go make copies and i asked what i was sapposed to do if someone came in..."tell them to go away?" Steven chuckled in his english way. Corinna giggled and explained(in her german accent) to nodd understandingly and put in a few "Yes, of courses" and "Yes. Right's" adn tell them that you understand their question, that it's a good question, and although you can't answer it at the moment, you will find out and leave a message on their extention. I nodded insecurley. Steven told me to feel free to change the music playing on his ipod. Evenesence was blaring. I switched it to Dido.

The crew is kind here though. They arn't impatient with my ignorance. When i answered the phone, i heard an australion voice on the other line, "Yes. Hello Sienna! I needed Steven for a small second. Do you mind telling him to see Craig at port 3?" They seem as if they know me, and most of them do, and i'm not sure how. It's as if they were waiting for me.

I'm really happy i don't work in reception as Signe does. Her hours are murder. I work 8-5pm, 5 days a week and get every blessed weekend off to be involved in outreach or walk around africa. Signe works late nights, every weekend, and 7 days each month she has to work 11pm to 7am. Receptions open around the clock. I was talking to her about it, when we went out tonight, and she said she's used to the hours. She used to work at 7/11 from 10pm to 4am (!) i asked her if she had the icees!?!?! and she looked at my strangley. Alot of the time she doesn't understand my english and i have to re-word it.

"slushys..? drinks that are full of good ice?"

"Ahh..yes. they're very good!!"

I'm grateful though that HR shuts their doors at 5pm sharp.

Singe works late tonight. She asked me if i wouldn't mind keeping her company. I was already planning on doing that when she works through the night. It's got to be awful working those hours. I'm glad it's not my job but I definatly will be staying up with her some nights. Pray for us. The only thing worst than working all night is working all night alone.

M.I.A. in Africa

Steven, Signe, Vangie and I went out to Mcdonalds tonight. Signe needed black shoes for her reception job and we were going to walk into town but since Steven and Vangie had a land roover, i asked Steven if we could tag along. We ran in the mall to look for some shoes, signe grabed a pack of cigarettes, picked up some toilet paper, and ran into the music store real quick. I had been telling Steven and Signe about M.I.A. Asked them if they had heard of her and tried my best to give her justice with my words. They both hadn't. I was so dissapointed, yet a bit excited at the prospect of turning them on to her. I asked store lady if she possibly had this cd of M.I.A...knowing full well i was in Africa and the odds weren't on my side. "Yes. i have that one." I couldn't believe it. I was stunned. M.I.A. in Africa. Does life get much better than this? No, i don't think it does.

I made an impulse buy. I gave the lady some ran, thanked her whole heartidly and handed the cd to Signe. "Happy Birthday. Here, take this. It's yours. This music is crazy-great. give it a chance, you'll love it!" So yes, one more person will be that much more fufilled in their life when they push play on their walkman tonight.

Very Posh...

(Cully, Sam, and I)
It's gets dark in East London at 6:00. Makes it very hard to do much of anything [in the town] without feeling vulnerable. All the new-comers had to attend an hour saftey class yesterday where they informed us that although East London may look like home, may smell like home, may seem like home, that it is not home. The man went on to tell us of a woman being killed by an ax, in her home, only a couple of miles away, woman being raped, and stabbings up the street. He painted no pretty picture. We all got the point. It' s odd though how "safe" it feels here yet something has to be different because they're constantly scaring us with these awful stories. The liberia stories are quite too awful to post and we sail there in 6 weeks. It will be right after the election and they say it will be hellish.

Cully and I ran to the hardware store after dinner last night. It' s about a 15 minute walk...uphill. It's not like the states here though. I keep forgetting that. They don't work obsessively. 3 or 4 in the afternoon most places with the exception of gas stations close for the evenings. The hardware sore read "Open 5 days a week till 1500". "Subtract 2...shoot cully. closed". Well the walk did us good. One should never be on a ship all day.

We played hacky sack for an hour on the upper deck, where theres also a basketball court. I'm no good but cully's obsessed with the sport and im determined to be a champion too. Cully says he's never seen a girl with such patience and determination with hacky sack. He's a good teacher and he becomes so happy when i hit it off my foot twice and complete a pass. It's quite thrilling. I was just about to call it a night, write a post, and hit the bed when i heard..."Just the boy i want to see...SAMMY....come meet sienna. come on back sienna. meet the champion hacky sacker and he's only just started, like you." Sammy, not to be confused with sam belz, has dark hair and is about 25. Supposedly he's never played much hacky sack but i beg to differ. I was trying to figure out his nationality before i ignorantly asked. I listned a bit to his accent. Sounded like he had been on the ship for awhile and was getting quite good at english but still had a bit of an accent from wherevser he came from. I couldn't guess it.

"Sam, where are you from?"

"Texas." feeling incredibly dumb. but somwhat intriegued.

"No. wow. you really sound somewhat foreign. i was really not thinking the states...maybe polland or something" Yeah. they say the "usa-ers" pick up the accents, not the other way around. I was encouraged that a texas boy sounded pollish. gave me hope. He asked my name and Cully interrupted, "SIENNA....Aubren Sienna Howard!"

"Wow...aubren sienna howard, sounds very posh."

So yes. i was ticked by that. my name sounds posh, does it. i'll take it. I've been walking around the ship this morning with a little bit of an ego. I have a "posh" name. I like it.

A New Sunday

My alarm didn't work this morning. Signe let me borrow her's till i get one but it didn't go off. i woke automatically at five past seven, so it didn't much matter. i hadn't missed breakfast. i didn't sleep soundly last night. people kept telling me that jet lag would catch up with me. i think it did last night. i was exhasted all day. napped once. wanted to go out for ice cream after dinner but the jeep only fit 6, i was the 7th. I hit my little bed at eight o'clock and woke up about an hour later at 9. I wrote some letters and red a little of Cry, The Beloved Country. Sam has been encouraging me to read that. Honestly, i find it challanging reading but i'm going to perservere through it. I went to bed again at 10:30. Woke up two hours later at 12. The pattern contined throughout the night. My body seemed confused with my new living.

(these walls are ver thin against my bed. I hear voices speaking loudly in Zimbabway tounge. It's nearly midnight.)

I woke this morning with a rare excitement. I say rare because it was the sabboth. I'm in love with my church. The people are jewels to me. I miss my church more than my home and i don't mean for my family to take that the wrong way. My family is a part of my providence (my church) family. THey are included in the body. I adore the body. I miss the body. Normally any Sunday i'm away, it's not very enjoyable and theres a sincere sadness that i can't be amongst my family in the church.

I didn't feel that sadness this morning. It was replaced with joy and anticipation for my African Sunday. I simply don't understand why i was so excited. Honestly, it's very uncharacteristic of my attitude. There must be many praying for me. For i am sure, after that optimistic morning, there is a mighty God looking out for me. How real he is! He won't give me what i can't handle. I don't believe i could have handled missing my church this morning. It would have been so painful adn i would have plumeted. God has replaced my sorrow with joy. I was excited this morning to attend a new church - my first sunday away and there is plainly no absense of God. He is all so real and ever present. I havn't even cried here, only tears of joy. My God has spared me homesickness and i honestly can't make sense of it. The Lord is my sheperd, i shall not want.

Signe and I signed up for a presbyterian church a couple miles away. A friendly, fast talking, brittish lady came to pick us up at 8:30. She drove a new volkswagon. I sat in the front on the left. Quite a new experience. Signe asked me to sit in front, she feared for her life on the left. I laughed. The lady's name was Carusta. Her mother was from Sweden and her father, from Germany. She had grown up in South Africa. She was a school teacher and traveled many different places to teach. Carusta had a husband for 10 years but 3 years ago he had decided he'd rather sell mirrows on the street with his hippy girlfriend, and he left his wife. Carusta now lives with her 15 and 18 year old daughters who are "finally" learning not to be embarrased by their mum. Signe talked about her mother. Said they were best friends. I mentioned how my friend, Hayley, had thanked God for our parents in our bible study back home and had commented on how we don't appriciate them enough.

The church had about 80 people. It reminded me of my church. We even sang some of the same songs. Signe had sang them too. We held hands during a prayer and i liked that. The body was close and i felt close to them. We serve an amazingly mysterious God. Millions of miles away in south africa, theres a family waiting for me. How does God remember such a speck as me?

The sermon was quite good. Even though the songs were ordinary my hands kept rising in the air. God had my life. All of me was surrendered. I am at the mercy of my maker and the simple praise lyrics leaked with truth. Somehow Sam made it to an African church. They were dancing there. He was the only white boy. The preacher spotted him and said, "Hey, someone get a translater for that boy". They are friendly here.

Carusta asked Signe and I if she could take us out for coffee and brunch after church. The ship skips lunch on saturdays and sundays so we gladly accepted. Signe appriciates food as i do. We thought we might loose some weight here but so far we're finding it no problem keeping our bellies full. Carusta talked and talked. I learned so much. What an education i'm getting! I may not school my children, i might just take them to Africa.

First of all, Carusta is a white woman and she's quite wealthy. Actually, she's an average citizen, but she's not poor. She speaks 5 languages and asked me if my impression of Africa had been different before i got here. It was very different. She said in her thick accent, "did you think we all wore loinclothes?" The stupid american nodded yes. I knew they didn't all wear loinclothes but no one owned new cars, wore nice clothing, or lived in anything fancier then a dirt hut. All my thoughts of this land are very much wrong though. I know very little. I'm so ignorant of this civilization. Carusta taught me much as we had brunch at a sweet place, overlooking the Indian Ocean.

On the way home, we stopped to watch a bit of field hockey in this massive field. (They wore fancy uniforms and everything) She asked what sports were popular in the United States. I told her football which wasn't the same as her football - you played US football with your hands, not your feet. She getured with her hands as to make big shoulder pads and commented on the brutality and confusingness of the game. I agreed.

Later that Evening Sam, Cully, and I met out on the deck at 7, after Sam had gotten off work. We wanted to do something but everything closes around 3 on saturdays and doesn't open again till monday morning. We walked up the huge hill to find a gas station and purchased a couple candy bars which were 10 ran, which as sam pointed out, is equivelant with their movie ticket. An interesting fact. 10 ran is a little less than $2. We returned to the ship unharmed. We met a man on the way back though that Sam talked to enthusiastically while Cully and I discussed accents and considered faking an english one for the rest of the year. Everything is pretty in the english accent, even curse words. We talked of Asians immitating how we sound. The asians here immitate us with their mouths gaping open. Cully did an impression for me and said, "CONSUME, CONSUME, give me food to CONSUME!!". I laughed very hard.

The captain had left for the weekend with his wife and the girl cabin sitting his cabin, i knew. I told the boys i could hook them up with a tour. The place is luxurious. My friend, Corina, also my co-worker and trainer, warmly invited us in serving us cake and tea. She got quite excited and said, "Have you ever tried these? I got them today. They're excellent. I've never seen them in Germany." She ran to the kitchen to "fetch" them which by this time, Sam and I were getting pretty excited at the prospect of such a treat. She came back with honey musterd pretzals. I didnt' complain - they're one of my favorite snacks. Actually, Sam and I ate them all. Thought it was funny though that she'd never seen them.

I love this ship.

Everyone needs to see this bit of sunshine. It brings such warmth to my day.

'lets take out the rubbish, eh?'

alright. i have to let it be known. i love writing of my time. But i have to let it be know, for my sake. More is happening in one day of my life on this ship then seems to have happened in the last year of my life. I can't write it all down. when I sit to write an entry i feel overwelmed. I want you to know everything. But the truth of the matter is, you can't. I face facts. I will tell you what i tell you. I want to share it all so bad, but i'd be here for weeks and then i'd waste my time and have none left to experience. that would be no good. that would be rubbish, as my trainer and co-worker, Corina, would say. Corina is from germany and i am enthralled by her accent. She's quite lovely. When she asked me if i could help her with the trash, she said very beautifully, 'you mind taking out the rubbish with me?', all complete in german style. Corina is about 27 and trained me today in much of the work that i will be doing over the next year. She moves to another department next week, before we sail to Cape Town, and i'll be taking over her position as Placement Facilitator. She showed me my office today and encouraged me to decorate it any way i wanted. It's insane, they treat me like a woman over here...i feel so small, only 18, you know? I also work with a boy named Steven. He's probably around 25. Oh man. He's from England and he dresses like an englander in every way, if you can imagine that. His office is right beside mine, on the other side of the wall. He's constantly playing loud missy elliott or celine dion tunes on his ipod. He'll throw in some gospel choir, and then a reading of the 23rd pslam. THis morning he belted out in this wonderfully hillarious brittish voice, 'I BELIEVE THAT THE HEART WILL GO ON'. He raves about Mcdonalds and made a paper chain and banner for the bank lady's(Vangie) 38th birthday.

Right now, we're docked in East London for repairs. Next monday we sail for Cape Town where we'll do support raising and staff recruiting for three weeks. Then we'll pull the anchor in and head out for our two week exursion to Liberia where we'll spend 7 months in outreach. There, all crew members are able to be very much involved with the liberian children. We are encourged to "adopt" a patient in the wards. Every day, we go down to visit them for a time since their families tend to live miles away. We also can sign up to watch surgeries that are performed in the wards, which i really want to do...it will be intense though. i don't know.

My jobs crazy. I feel very inadequate and young and that i may never be of help. Pray that God will give me peace and understanding. Almost everyone asks you what department you're in and when they hear me answer 'human resources', they're so surprised. 'Wow..thats a fancy important job. How'd you get that? Well good luck, you're the backbone of the ship.'
yeah. so im the backbone. I'm fearful and intimidated. pray that i'll understand.
Sam started his job today also. He works in the 'galley', which is another term for the kitchen. He's the assitent cook! yeah man. if you ask me, thats the most important job. He works about 4 days a week for 11 hrs a day. (!) Tonight as we sat down for dinner, we had this excellent corn bread and hamburger something or other. I lifted a spoonful into my mouth and looked at Sam with surprise, half jokingly commenting, 'ha. did you make this?' It was so spicy and he had been talking about his love for spices. Sam laughed and to my surprise, nodded yes. 'yeah man, we were dumping in every spice there was back there...isn't it good'. gave me a laugh. meals oughta be good with sam back in the galley this year.

after dinner, i wanted nothing more then to crash on my bed. hanv't taken any naps yet. very strange. No headaches either...which is stranger. Signe and Anna asked me if i wanted to catch a movie with them along with 5 guys as body gaurds, so we weren't in danger. I was tired but decided to go, a good oppertunity to meet my ship family. I am amazed and feel quite the stupid american when i get out in the town. I'm so surprised by everything. Prices, wealth, rules, cars, customs, weather, new words. Everything is dirt cheap here..yet their malls are as nice as ours. On a friday night in East London, South Africa, i went out to a very nice intalian resurant, saw a movie(bewitched) with the biggest screen i've ever laid eyes on, and then went out for hot choclate in a very well to do drink/coffee kinda place. Heres my price. All that...5 hours of entertainment for $6!!! I am blown away.

The photos are of my crew mates. The blonde is Signe and the girl with long hair, is anna. SHe's from Holland and has a romanian kind of accent. She's marrying a man from Kentucky next August. The boy on the right is Torbjoern. He's from Norway, like Signe. Signe was glad to find a fellow norwegion. I told her sam and i are just awed by all the different accents and languages...so she and toubjoern talked norwegian back and forth for a bit for out entertainment. She's so relieved to have someone that speaks her own language. She told me, she gets so frusterated because theres so much she wants to say but her communication is very limited. She seems to speak perfect english but it's hard for her. Theres so much thought involved to form just one sentence. Yes, it must be nice to find a fellow norwegian.

The Road is Rocky

I've landed. I've finally landed in Africa. Just the sound of it brings me wonder. I've planned for so long, talked about it so long, thought about it so long, packed for so long, worried, stressed, and wondered so long but I never really thought it would happen. It's compleatly overwelming in every way and simply insane that i'm actually standing on African soil. Cully is rather giddy and excited. He's constantly running to and fro. I barely see him. Every time i do, he's with someone new and looking thrilled. Sam and I keep looking at eachother with this curious expression and and keep saying "i can't believe we're in africa". Honestly, the words are simple but the fact is amazing. And look up the word amazing or something becuase i mean it. Here, i looked it up for you: a·maze ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-mz)v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v. tr. To affect with great wonder; astonish.

Tuesday is a blur. A 26 hour day of traveling doesn't exacly leave one feeling excited to board a huge ship. Our plane was luxurious, a 747. i need'nt complain. We were treated like royalty, given three huge meals, and the back compartment of the plane (which seated about 80) all to ourselves. a god send. I was extreamly anxious/nervous/panicy/freaked-out on the plane. I didn't know what to expect, neither did i wish to think about it. I looked behind me, sam's head was burried in his bible. I decided i should do the same. I found my theme verse. i kept reading it over adn over again. I honestly was struggling to find a reason as to why i was putting myself through such anguish and i found it. Phillipians 3:8-11. wonderful little verse.

I consider everythign a loss compared to the supassing greatness of knowing Jesus Chirst my Lord, for whose sake i have lost all things. I consider them rubish, that i may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the rightesousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

I want to gain Christ. I want to know Christ and the POWER, in all it's greatness, of his resurrection. There was my reason. I read it over. Pray that I will consider all my loss as rubish that i may gain Christ. pray that i wish share in his sufferings so as to become like him unto his death. I shared the verse with Sam. We talked about it for awhile. I kept repeating "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection." Sam is a very thoughtful and grateful boy. He's open and a good influence on me. After awile he commented, "That's good Aubren".

26 hours after boarding plane, we three steped onto South African soil, Cully and I feeling quite nauseous and searching for a bathroom and Sam leading the way. The Johannousburg airport was filled with small dogs with leashes around their neck and no ownder in site. They pompously went about sniffing luggage, even came up to mine. I was hopeing he wouldn't be able to smell a swisss army knife, which by the way, got through bwi airport and the johannousburg airport...score! A beautifully beat-up land rover was waiting for us at the gate. Mercyship welcomers were inside.

It was surreal pulling up to the ship. There it was, what i had been looking at so long in pictures, was in front of me. It was massive. Even had WWW.MERCYSHIPS.ORG on the side. It was the real deal. We walked up the huge plank and boarded the ship that would be called home for the next 12 months. Overwelmed, terrified doesn't even begin to express my state. I now sit here though, thursday night, a full day has gone by. I crashed last night after Sam and I explored the place, walked all over the decks, got lost in all the corridors and maze of hallways, and witnessed more languages and accents then i've ever had in one evening.

i woke this morning, not expecially wanting to go to breakfast. I was tired and feeling sorry for myself...I want to know christ and the power of his resurrection, i want to know christ and the power of his ressurection. I liften my body up 20 minutes later and looked out the porthole right next to my bed. i dressed, skipped the showers, grabed my swipe card and walked the long hallways to breakfast. I spotted Sam, good ol' sam, and went to sit with him. i introduced him to one of my cabin mates (say that in a brittish accent...it's what i hear all day adn it's really wonderful) and talked a bit. After many meetings and introductions we walked the dock and wanted to go out in the town. We talked to a man who told us to be extreamly aware and careful in the streets of east london. "There are many, many, men who have one foot in the bush(say in brittish). it's not safe like the US, no it's not. They're quick. They're dangorous. Don't forget it." Sam and I said our timid thanks yous and thought we might just go to lunch and think about leaving for the town a little later. After someone else told us to get a taste of east london and that 2 was a fine number ("just hold tight to your belongings") we headed up the road. A car beeped and told us to get in, that we were crazy to try walking the big hill, they'd take us to the top. Sam motioned for me to get in, thinking they were crew from teh ship. When they asked us who we were and adn began inquering of the ship, i knew better. They took us directly to the market, also told us to be careful, wished up luck and left. Very nice ment. I looked at sam though, rolling my eyes "those were so locals. we just did what our mothers always told us never to do...we talked to strangers."

we were careful though. no worries. We walked for about 4 hours. Everyone walkes here. You can't buy in bulk, only small sizes. there's massive hills and no humidity. It's winter here, about 66 or 68 degrees. really beautiful. We bought candy bars that said "p.s. don't stress" and one that said "p.s. im thinking of you"...i was quite intrigued. We finally found our way to the beach and stood on the rocks facing the Indian Ocean. (!!)

I thought it would be awful here. i thought it would be scarey. thought it would be lonely. awkward. sad. difficult. and scary. It's been all those things. I feel like i've been here for a far greater time then i have. Yet, it's only the end of the second day and already im beginning to feel established and with companions. i met a norwegion girl tonight. i actually noticed her when i steped on to the ship the second i got here. she had cool hair and dark skin. Her face looked forlorn and her accent, charming. She was in my computer introduction course tonight adn though she appeared rather confident and without need, i found she had only been here only a day longer then me adn was feeling (get this!) everythign i was. Her name is Signe and she's 22. 4 years isn't much, 22 just seems so old to me. She's my friend though. It's wonderful. We hugged, glad to find eachother.

I'm glad i'm here. I'm beginnin to get excited. God has surprised me with two friends...signe and sam. i came here thinking i'd be alone and i've already been given more then i imagined. i'm doing well. you can praise the lord.

i want to write more, i wish this was better, but im exhausted and my bed calls loudly. theres so MUCH to tell when you arrive in a new country....it's crazy like that.

left behind

My grandimary woke me gently this morning. Finally the day that had been so slow in coming was upon me. It was departure day. Everything went by rather quickly. I showered, put on my comfy airport outfit, Grandipop fixed me a bowl of cereal, and we were off. We arrived right on time at the airport. pulled up at the right gate and the boys began checking their bags at the African Airways desk. My face held a rather forlorn look. I think the boys thought my emotions somewhat odd. Cully remarked in the car in a curious, confused sort of way, "were you kinda bummed last night? yeah. i thought so. i didn't know you but i thought." The boys seeed perfectly fine, even excited. Me, well, i had this closterphobic feeling all over. There was no turning back. Even if i had wanted to and had that would have ended up being depressing. So the whole situation was sad. If i went through with this, it would be sad and if i didn't, it would be sad--hence my closterphobic feeling. It was good for me though to be sourrounded by fast pace people who knew nothing about me nor cared for that matter. No one felt sorry for me and i wasn't encouraged to feel sorry for myself. I was sourrounded by people who were also trying new things and going new places. I had nothing on these people. i was equal in every way.

Sam had been talking furiously with the lady that was checking our bags. Cully had wheeled his bags to the next available counter and pulled out his tickets and passport. I went for my purse only to feel my stomach go hollow in the rawest sense of the word. I searched frantically, threw out my make-up, tore through all the my papers, shook around all my junk in desperate attempt to find what i positively knew was not there. I hadn't packed it. I was positive. I had forgotten my passport. I knew, two and a half hours away it laid in my desk draw, in my room. Our plane departed in less than an hour. I put my head down.

The boys continued checking their bags. I attempted a "uh...sam?" but my voice barely let out any volume. The boys were all set to go to Africa. I wasn't going any where. They finally turned around to find me looking like a dog who had just been wipped. I explained myself. Cully immediatly went into a "You're kidding, right?" shpeal.

"Okay. you're sure it's not in your purse?"
"yes!"
Cully goes straight for my suitcase and begins un-zipping it.
"Cully, what are you doing?"
"I really think we need to look all through here", as he begins lifting up the top.
"It's not in there, it's in my desk drawer!"
"Oh. shoot."

Sam calmly tried to digest the situation.

"Call your dad, he could bring it, right?"
"Sam, he's 2 and a half hours away, theres no way"
"hmm..you're right."

Now that we had all faced facts, it was clear that no one was boarding flight 4039 that would be going to south africa. It would arrive without the three of us. Cully gave me his calling card as Sam directed me towards a pay phone. I called my father, unsure of what i'd hear. I sighed in relief with his patience and his reasurrance that i didn't need to worry at all. He would bring my passport and i needed to go ahead and book a flight for the following morning.

the bad news: No Africa today.
the good news: I could go back to my grandparents and see Lowen and spend one more blessed day in familiarity.

Grandipop and Grandimary showed up at the airport an hour later. We packed our things and headed home. I was tired and fell asleep.

"Sienna! come on, you coming with me? I asked your grandipop if he could drop us downtown d.c. to see the sites. come on."

Sam made it sound so fun. I opened the van door, waved goodbye to my grandparents and follwed him. So Sam, Cully, and I had a brilliant day in d.c. We went to the White House, ate breakfast at the Ebbots Grill (which is where Laura Bush and her girls have breakfast sometimes), visited the Museum of National History (with this brilliant first lady display), went UP the Washington Monument, visited the Lincoln Mamorial, the Vietnam Wall, Museum of Arcives with the Declaration of Independance, played hacky-sac and i tought them "flip" in the park, saw the World War 2 monument, went to the Smithsonian, stoped by George Washington University to pay a visit to their baskin robins, and took the metro home. It was an un-wasted day to say the least. a true blessing in disguise. I didn't know these boys, that i'm traveling with, this morning when i woke up, but tonight, i can say a know them a bit better. It's been a wonderful, wonderful day and tomorrow morning, 6:00AM sharp we leave for Africa. I'm doing alright.

Today was wonderful. it started off insane and stomach plumeting but turned out for good. hopefully tomorrow we won't be left behind.

don't forget to...

After much thought i've finally concluded that a blog is the best way to keep in touch while I'm gone. i have to admit the idea of a blog has never really appealed to me. I simply use the internet for my email account and hardly anything else. I had blogs in a bad light. I got a bad taste for them early on and stayed away...my email account was sufficient. Last week though my older brother, against my theories, began a blog of his own called "The Lawnmower Diaries", where each evening, he recounts his days of landscaping. His entries are full of odd detail and interesting encounters. I've enjoyed listening to these stories when he comes home and it gives me great satisfaction to know that they're now posted for more to hear. The way Lowen paints his days convinced me that blogs may not be such a bad idea afterall. I've fallen victim. Go to lowen's though if you want to be intrigued, search google for "lawnmower diaries" and click the first link.

I leave in 12 days for south africa and my vision is to keep up with this page on a weekly basis. As long as i keep up with low's, hopefully with his influence, i can manage to keep them interesting. So, if you would like, you can stay tuned as i endevor to post my weekly happeninings aboard this ship. My departure date is 10 days away and i think i can finally say that i'm ready. Maybe not excited yet but i am ready. I struggle though with the thought of being gone for 365 days even though i am dead set on doing it. pray for me though. I'm listening to the singer, jem right now and her song "just a ride" goes: Life, it's ever so strange It's so full of change Think that you've worked it out then BANG Right out of the blue Something happens to you...It's just a ride, it's just a ride no need to run, no need to hide It'll take you round and round Sometimes you're up sometimes you're down It's just a ride, it's just a ride don't be scared don't hide your eyes. call me corny, but i like it. It is just a ride and i won't hide my eyes. stay tuned...

Brae's Off To Chang Chung!

the fam at brae's goodbye dinner. She leaves for China tonight for 10 months.

Pre-Africa Days

For one of brae's summer jobs, she took care of two little girls named Willow and Hope. This is hope. she's a rare jewel. Brae told me that last week she took Hope out for breakfast and talked with her about little things and big things. She told me that Hope reminded her of Harriet the spy and I was so encouraged to know that there is more then one Harriet in this world.