Thursday, December 31, 2009

Goodnight 2009

Goodnight Year
*
...Goodnight 2009
Goodnight oh year devine
Goodnight meetings
Goodnight partings
And the just got startings
*
Goodnigt ResLife
Goodnight marketing strife
Goodnight Shark
And goodnight Ark
*
Goodnight friendships that kept getting stronger
And goodnight semester that kept getting longer
*
Goodnight little bakery of bread
And goodnight Kenyan airport of dread
*
Goodnight interview prep
And goodnight tears I've wept
*
Goodnight Cove
Goodnight graduating bro
And goodnight to God whispering "go"
*
Goodnight Washington
Goodnight oh big tree
Goodnight realization of what I can be!

Monday, December 21, 2009

21 going on 5


Sometimes I react to situations in a way that much resembles that of a 5 year old. There is yelling, unfair shifting of blame, the occasional punch is thrown, and even sometimes tears. You'd think that after 21 years of life, I would realize this is not endearing...

If there was a penalty box for immature behavior, I may think about making it a little more homey, due to my potential frequency of attendance...

I can come up with reasons of why I am upset. I can blame the world for spinning the wrong way, for all the good it will do. At the root of it all, there is no excuse, I just have a bad attitude and unfortunately, my family bares the brunt of it.

At this point, the embarrassment of my toddler-like behavior is the worst consequence I could ever endure for my tantrum...and let me tell you, they are tantrums.

So where do I go from here? I pull my head out of my ostrich hole of shame and apologize AGAIN to my family.

I think it is time to put the conflict shark to rest and try on an owl for a change...

We Will Go Home

Yes Please :) Tomorrow!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Redeeming Facebook

On the average day, my facebook news feed is filled with selfish ego-centric status updates. However, this week, facebook has served as a catalyst for the gospel.

On Monday, Justin Key passed away suddenly. While Justin was 4 years older than me, I knew him because his dad, Brian, was a junior high leader for my youth group back in Washington. I remember the numerous Summer Safaris that I attended as a camper and as a staff member. When I was a camper, Justin would come to the junior high camps with his dad to drive boats and help with the kitchen crew. Later I would serve along side him at these camps when I entered high school and he was in college. I remember the countless junior high girls that could not contain their giggles due to Justin's irresistible charm. From these brief interactions at camp and in the youth group, I can't say I knew the Key family very well, but I have been impacted by their lives of faithfulness.

The news of Justin's death began as shocked status updates Monday morning and eventually became a group page later that day. Memories and pictures of Justin came pouring into the group's wall.

Stories of how he touched people's lives and led many to Christ.
Stories of his infectious laugh and uplifting spirit.
Stories of adventures and excitement.
Stories of a life lived well and of a faith that was unshaken.

Because of facebook, this news traveled from the east coast, where he attended school, to Mexico where his parents were, to Seattle, WA, where his parent's church is, to La Mirada, CA, where he attended Biola and was part of the Torrey Honors Institute as well as the business department, and beyond, within 24 hours. Because of the connectivity of facebook, his testimony has been shared with hundreds in such a short period of time.

In my opinion, this memorialization of the life of Justin Key has been more effective at spreading the gospel than any of the other "1,000,000 Christians Strong" groups on facebook. His life was a genuine testimony of God's love flowing out from him. Over and over, people have written that he walked the walk and talked the talk. Justin was a man of God and his life proved that. Even in her immense grief, Justin's mother got on facebook and pleaded with all who had joined the facebook group because they knew Justin, to consider the God that he served.

Facebook may seem ridiculous at times, but God is using it in this instance to achieve his purposes of making His name known and glorifying Christ in all things.

Isn't it time we recognize facebook as an effective tool to reach the nations?

To the Key family: Your loss is felt deeply and you are in my prayers. Excellent job raising Justin. He will be remembered well. May you feel the peace of God during this time of sorrow.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Finals Encouragement

Here are a few Words of Encouragement as you embark on your first finals

* Don't Procrastinate :P

* Don't Cheat...It won't end well ;)


* Coffee is a useful tool, but don't over do it :)


* Funny Answers are not always the best...take finals seriously, no matter how burned out you may be

* When in doubt, always try the problem and give it your best shot...in common language :)


* And finally, it can't be as bad as this...


You guys will do great! I wish you the best of luck this week and I will be praying for all of you. Remember, no matter how bad it may seem, it does not last forever!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Finals, What Finals?

What I do instead of studying for finals...





The Cove is what we affectionately call our house

Monday, December 7, 2009

Biola Trail

Congratulations! You have arrived at the Biola River. What would you like to do:

a. Caulk the wagon and float across
b. Ford the River
c. Wait a few days and take a ferry across
d. Pay a local to help you find safe passage across

Even though I may lose half my supplies and my traveling companions may die, I'm going to have to go with b - Let's ford the river!

Did I mention it is raining in California and there are puddles on campus the size of a kiddie pool? Not to mention the raging river of death, also known as the street gutter?

Monday, November 30, 2009

Quelf in the Land of the Farm!

Last week I had the great pleasure of spending Thanksgiving break with the Wycoff family. Meghan was my floor partner last year when I was an RA, but now she is my dear friend :) She invited me to come home with her for our 5 day break that was not long enough to be worth a plane ticket home to Seattle, WA. Lamenting the absence of the fiery red trees and snow capped mountains of the northwest, I piled in the car and headed East.

All in all, the Thanksgiving break was great! The Wycoff family was a hoot to hang out with. We played a board game called "Quelf"
It is a game of random actions, questions, and homemade props. It is a game that tests your embarrassment level. It is a game that pushes your ability to take a task to the next level.

For example, I had to:

Make a snorkel out of things from around the house

Recite a Love Sonnet to the person sitting to my left...which happened to be Meghan

Keep a piece of paper stuck to my head for a minute

Say "To Ancient Times and Distant Music" whenever someone took a drink

Yell, "Quelf in the Land of the Farm" whenever someone landed on a red square

Do the Chicken Dance

Make up a word every time it was my turn
Carmination: the light given off by a candle
The carmination in the room set the romantic mood

And on and on...

You cannot help put go all out in this game. Either go big or go home. The more outrageous, the better. Quelf provided countless laughs and created many fond memories of Thanksgiving 2009!

Thank you Wycoff family for embracing my over-the-top competition that took this game to a new level :)

Thursday, November 26, 2009

To All Those College Age Holiday-ers:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I know you all are probably ready for a good long break from school...well here is your chance to bask in 5 Turkey-filled days devoid of any academics whatsoever.

So take those homework assingments and leave them in your dorm room. Yes, close the word document that contains your Biblical Interpretation paper and use your psychology book as a way to baracade the stairs so your hampster in the rolly ball does not tumble down the inconveniently placed death trap...

You have permission to kick back, relax, indulge in the tryptophan-laden turkey and fall asleep as the Dallas Cowboys decimate the Oakland Raiders.

And Remember: Don't let anyone make you feel ashamed for waking up super early to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9:00am EST

Biola/Semester System: And when you return from break, you only have 2 weeks of class and then finals week and then you are DONE!

Once again, Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Deloitte

Back in September, I thought this process would never end...but it has.

12 interviews
5 office visits
3 trips to Orange County
2 plane rides
and
1 Job offer
later...

I have a job for after college!

I am excited to start working for Deloitte Tax LLP this July in Costa Mesa, CA


Praise be to God Almighty :)

Friday, November 6, 2009

The Soundtrack of my Day

"Lord of Lords" by Hillsong

"California" by Hawk Nelson

"I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas


These three songs are a glimpse of the roller coaster that the last two days have been.

What have I learned? God is Faithful. God speaks clearly. God does not stutter. God is Good.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Road Not Taken

I feel like I am at a cross roads right now...here is a poem that gives a good picture of it.

---

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Check Marks

There is something satisfying about check marks. Those two simple lines connecting at a 45 degree angle speaks volumes.

Finished
Complete
Finalized
Accomplished
Concluded
Satisfied
Done.

Today I receive the ultimate check mark in my General Education box on my degree audit. This means that I am finished with all of my G.E. classes!



The Achiever in me may sleep tonight :)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Crock pot Theology

I have recently discovered the joys of the age old cooking device, the Crock Pot. For some reason, growing up, I always associated the crock pot with a meal I did not like (Sorry Mom). For the life of me, I can't remember why I had that feeling toward it. Maybe it was because we were not having pizza or mac'n'cheese for dinner. Who knows...

But now the Crock Pot produces delicious meals that melt in your mouth :)

Since I have been doing my own cooking, I have been sticking to things I know how to make: Sandwiches, Pasta, and Tacos. It's been two months and I am now bored with my current menu. So I decided to venture into the unknown and try new things. A few weeks ago, one of my staffmates made dinner for our staff from a Crock Pot. I liked it so much, that I asked for the recipe, thus embarking on my cooking adventure.

A cool thing about cooking with a Crock Pot is that you just assemble the ingredients, turn it on and wait for 5-6 hours. Then you come back and eat! Since this was my first time using the Crock Pot, I was unsure of this process, so here is the conversation I had with one of my housemates:

Me: "Do I need to pre-cook the chicken?"
Erin: "Nope, just put it in the Crock Pot."
Me: Do I need to mix the ingredients?"
Erin: "Nope, just put them in and turn it on."
Me: "Should I add water?"
Erin: "Nope"

Nervous to do something wrong, I put the ingredients in and let it cook. I came back and had the best Sunday lunch ever!

As I was preparing this meal, I was struck at how similar this process is to other areas in my life. As many of you know, I am currently going through the recruiting process for a full-time job in the accounting field for next fall (Firms hire a year in advance).

Throughout this whole process, I feel the need to keep adding extra ingredients or stir the pot. I hate waiting for that phone call to continue the process. I think, "What if they need more information?", "Should I clarify a certain aspect of my resume?", "What if my email didn't go through?", "What if they tried to call, but my phone dropped the call?"

Not all of these things are likely to happen, but they go through my mind nonetheless.

Throughout this whole process of essentially marketing myself to a firm, the words I have heard repeatedly are "wait, calm down and wait."

I have been faithful to assemble the correct ingredients: my GPA, my leadership experience, my respectful relationships with my supervisors. Now I just need to wait and let God work in this process. The more I try to add, the more I try to push out God's hand.

I have come to realize the I cannot go into as demanding a field as accounting is without God. Therefore, whether it is California or Washington, Big 4 or small firm, I want to be where God wants me to be. I truly believe that God has an intent to bless me in this search process. Therefore, I have to daily relinquished control of application packets, interviews, firm visits and emails.

I have added the ingredients. Now I need to be faithful to wait.


May God continue to give me this attitude as disappointments arise and excitement builds.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Discovery...

Year 4. Finding #327

There is an elevator in Sutherland Hall.

Who knew.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Music Makes Me Lose Control

I should not listen to music in public places. A song comes on and I just start to move. The beat speaks to my soul and I can't control myself...

Currently I am sitting in Commons Grounds, our campus coffee shop, listening to the Black Eyed Peas. Every few minutes I start down that road of inevitability...

    The tapping of the foot
       The nodding of the head
          The moving of the shoulders
             The rocking of the torso along with the beat...

I catch myself before something really embarrassing happens, but there is that sliver of disappointment that I have to contain my kinesthetic appreciation of the music.

Growing up, I never liked dancing. I always joked that I was the only girl in my school that did not take some sort of dance class. I found joy in aggressive sporting activities, not ballet, or tap dance. Now I can't help but feel the music and want to move in way that does not preserve the study environment, that is Common Grounds :)

It's a good thing I'm not compelled to sing...

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Be My Everything, Please!

Tonight was Meet the Firms at Biola. Nine accounting firms came to campus to collect resumes and hand out business cards. As a senior, this is the time that I look to find an opportunity to get noticed by a firm and secure an interview, which results in a job. However, in our current economic climate, interviews are not as readily available as I have been told for the past three years. This news was expected, but still discouraging. All night I walked around with a fatalistic view of the pointlessness of this event.

How can I get a job when other people are losing theirs?
How can I get my foot in the door of a firm when the door is locked shut?

However, as I was sulking, I was reminded of a worship song we sing at Biola. Be My Everything by Tim Hughes is all about submitting all the areas of my life to God and asking him to be my everything. Here are the lyrics:

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything

You are everything
Jesus, Everything

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I have submitted myself to Christ and he is my everything, I am in the hands of a master. So though I may only see closed doors right now, God has something open for me and he will show that to me in his timing, which is perfect.

2 Samuel 22:31-33

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Bark for Sark

Steve Sarkisian is a miracle worker. He has taken an 0-13 team on a 15 game losing streak and turned them into something unrecognizable. Last night, the University of Washington Huskies won their first game in over a year by a dominating score of 42-23. While they do have a lot to work on, this team is lifting the hopes of the greater Seattle area.

As a gesture to the new head coach, UW students wear t-shirts that say "Bark for Sark"

I want one :)

Monday, September 7, 2009

The long awaited trip report...

My Wonderful Supporters,

Thank you for your generous donation for my trip to Africa. I really appreciated your willingness to support the vision of Enterprise International and the work that they are pursuing in Kenya and South Africa.

Since this was EI’s first trip to Kenya, we focused on familiarizing ourselves with the culture through interactions with the people as well as conducting interviews to build a business feasibility study. We came to find that Kenyans are eager to engage in business and there is a fertile market for many different industries. We also saw how business was impacting Kenyans beyond profitability. Owning and operating a business enables people to meet their basic needs which is empowering and gives dignity to them. The idea of business provides hope for those living in poverty. Because of the structure of EI (business and mission) this hope for survival through business is tied closely with Christ and thus brings in a real hope for salvation. I saw a glimpse of how God can use business to transform Kenya.

When we moved on to South Africa, we began work with Wholesome Bakery which is in a township called Soshanguve. EI wanted to start a business in the townships to break out of the Apartheid model of segregation of blacks and whites. This bakery was established last August and has since been through many challenges. Our team had the opportunity to work on several different business projects. I was able to perform a simplified audit on the bakery. As an accounting major, this was exciting for me. We were also able to meet and work with the mission teams that the EI businesses support. It was good to see EI’s full Business for Mission model as well as see some of the tensions that exist between the business and the mission teams.

As I reflect back on this trip I am excited about the potential of business as a transformational development tool. Business has the potential to impact someone in the long run while philanthropic aid can only benefit someone for a very limited period of time. Additionally, business opens doors. In Kenya, we were able to meet with and interview the CEO of the Kenyan Tourism Federation. These business relationships can create opportunities for gospel conversations. It was a great blessing to be able to see God moving on another continent and in non-traditional ways.

If there is one thing that I can take away from this trip is that God provides for those who follow his plan. God provided more than enough financial support for this trip. He kept us safe on the streets of Nairobi and Pretoria. We never had a hint of an unsafe situation. He provided team unity and great leadership. He also provided safe travels both for us and our luggage. It was clear that God was in this trip and I am very grateful for the opportunity to go.

Many thanks for your support,

Amanda

Enterprise International team with the bakers of Wholesome Bakery

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Creative Visual Representation

This year at Biola, I am a peer academic adviser. Basically this means that I help facilitate a First Year Seminar class of undecided freshmen as well as conduct informal advising for students. Part of our job is to help students understand their StrengthsQuest profile of five strengths (most freshmen at Biola have to take this test in their first semester). One way of exploring how our strengths interact with each other is to come up with a Create Visual Representation of our five strengths. Here is mine:

My five strengths are Responsibility, Learner, Achiever, Competition, and Analytical.

My analytical is the foundation for how I approach life. I want reasons and I want to see and understand cause and effect relationships. I am fairly logical in why I say and do many things. That is why analytical is the base of the 1.

As a learner, I enjoy the process of going from ignorance to competence. When I am studying something, I want to learn it fully and master it. In my spare time, I read Kierkegaard and St. Augustine. I enjoy the intellectual journey. My learner theme is a conduit for my achiever theme, which is why it is one side of the 1.

Competition is taller than learner, because my competition theme is rooted in comparison. I want to be the curve setter. I want to work for the best accounting firm. I want to win the state championships in soccer. I want the Seattle Seahawks to go the distance and win the Superbowl. Competition is a driving force behind my achiever theme, which is why it is also a side of the 1. (Just a side note, competition applies to my walk with God as well. I resonate heavily with 1 Corinthians 9:24 which says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." This verse motivates to pursue God without abandon, not so that I can be holier than others, but my mindset is to pursue God as I would pursue 100% on a test or a shutout in a soccer game.)

My achiever theme is my inner fire to accomplish all that I do. a Big reason why I am able to carry 21 units, a job and still have a 4.0 and friends is because of my achiever theme. It is my kick to finish a task. For me, everyday starts at zero and I need to achiever something meaningful each day. So summers are hard for me to not have anything to do. Also, there is some sense in me that feels like I fail at blogging if I do not post everyday (blog achievement starts at zero each day too...). I am learning to soften the self-criticism side of this theme, but an achiever is a big part of who I am. It is on the top of the 1 because an achiever must be on top.

Responsibility is my number one theme and it is very evident in my life. Because of responsibility, I take commitments and integrity seriously. I also take ownership of tasks and projects. I see my actions as being tied very closely to those that I associate with, such as my school, my family and my job. For example I see all of my actions as a representation of Biola, especially to my non-christian friends. Responsibility is surrounding the 1 because it encompasses my motivations and desires. I achieve because I feel an obligation to pursue excellence for the glory of God. I learn well because I take ownership of the material. I compete because I want to honor my commitment to my team. I examine decisions because my choices impact more than just me.

The shape is a 1 because many of my strengths motivate me to be the best.

Finally, the colors are black and red, which are the colors of Biola. Because of the unique atmosphere and people of Biola, I have been able to unpack my strengths and really understand who I am.

One of the beautiful things that I have come to appreciate about StrengthsQuest is that each strength looks different when combine with other strengths. Therefore, you are not put in the same box of five strengths as numerous other people.

So in a nutshell (or a number), this is me :)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Imortal Check List

  • Backpack: Check
  • Books: relative check
  • Laptop: Check
  • Super cute outfit: half check
  • Woke up on time: CHECK!
  • Motivated to go to school: temporary check
  • Cheesy nostalgic facebook status about how this is my last first day of school: I'll pass
  • Coffee: you bet that's a check :)
Senior year of college, here I come!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Ready, Set...Go?

I once again find myself in an airport, waiting for my 10th flight in 2 months. Airports are full of people just waiting. We all wait in a different way.

Some people are reading.
Some people are taking advantage of the free wifi.
Some people are trying desperately to coral their squirrely children.
Some people walk around aimlessly.
Some people are trying to work.

Waiting is an interesting concept. What do I do with my time while I wait? Do I try to be productive? Do I entertain myself? Do I try to move the process on faster?

Dictionary.com defines waiting as a period of inactivity.

There are plenty of things in life that I have to wait for. Wait for the weekend. Wait for the next school break. Wait to graduate. Wait to hear back about the job. Wait for the right someone. How do I wait for all these things without being in a perpetual state of inactivity?

Over the past few weeks I have been praying about life after college, particularly which field of accounting should I go into - tax or audit. God has clearly responded that while he will tell me eventually, he is not going to tell me right now. So how do I wait for this answer? Do I sit in my room and twiddle my fingers until there is writing on the wall? How do I actively pursue life, while still waiting for God's direction?

I don't want to kill time, waste time, or watch it pass by. I don't want to wait for certain things to happen so that I can "start" my life. I want to live life now and live it to the glory of God. But how do I do this while waiting?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Provision

Yesterday was the final day of my internship. After a weekend of "recovery" we returned to the EI office in Anaheim for debrief.

We met up with the LA team and shared funny stories, things we learned and areas that we now see more defined. It was good to hear how others have grown as a result of this internship.

The final thing that we did was review our expenses and get reimbursed from our funds. Apparently, I was significantly under budget. This means that even though I was shy of my original fundraising goal, I still raised enough to cover all my expenses and then have money left over! This is just one more confirmation that God ordained this trip and provided the means to make it possible :)

So thanks to all who donated! I am beyond grateful.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

State-side

I'm in California.

I'm jet-lagged.

I'm hot.

I'm clean.

I'm finally wearing clean clothes.

I'm missing my team.

I'm missing my family.

I'm excited to see my friends.

I'm in love with my house for next year.

I'm still waiting to go home-home, meaning WA.

I'm not sure how to explain Africa in under 5 minutes...or at all.

I'm still processing how my trip has and will continue to impact my life.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

5 Ways To Tell You Are Ready To Go Home

  1. Looking up how to check in online for your flight (that is 3 days away)
  2. Looking up what movies will be playing on your flight...
  3. Estimating whether or not you will have enough clean clothes to last until you get home
  4. Checking the weather at home
  5. Repeating "can you believe that in a week we will be home?" several times a day...
Yup, my time in Africa is wrapping up and I am ready to come home.

I will miss my team - we are a fun group. I will miss all the adventures. I will miss being able to Facebook people from half-way across the world :) I will miss seeing and doing brand new things.

But I have learned so much and it is time to come back and share my experiences and progressive thoughts with my friends, family and faithful supporters.

Here are a few important dates for my near future:
July 30th: Leave South Africa
July 31st: Arrive in California

August 5th: Leave CA and arrive in WA
August 20th: Return to CA

Los Angeles/Seattle here I come!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

FUTBOL!

Yesterday we went to the championship game of the Vodacom Challenge. Each year an English Premier team comes down and plays two South African teams in this tournament. So for this final game we witnessed the face-off of the Kaiser Chiefs and Manchester City. We bought 100 Rand tickets, but weaseled our way into the sold out 50 Rand section so that we could experience the true South African futbol culture. There was dancing, singing, lots of horn blowing...we even got free plastic drums :) Cheap Seats = So worth it.

The final score was 1-0 Chiefs!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Siempre Gumby/TIA

Whenever my dad led a mission trip, his key phrase was "Siempre Gumby". This was taken from the U.S. Marines' moto of "Siempre Fi", meaning "always faithful". Gumby refers to the old claymation cartoon character that could remold himself to fit into anything. So my dad's phrase basically meant "always flexible".

Being in Africa, I hear "TIA" at least twice a day. "TIA" stands for "This is Africa". Essentially it means that nothing goes to plan and you have to roll with it. Power goes out in the bakery: TIA. Your contact is late for your meeting: TIA. A record sheet gets lost: TIA.

These two phrases have been the story of this trip, even more so in the last few days. In Kenya, our goal was so vague and ambiguous that delays or detours did not have such a significant impact on our plans. However, in South Africa, our goals are tangible and time-sensitive, so these little mole-hills become mountains...

On Monday, we had big plans to implement a marketing strategy for the bakery. However, when we arrived in the morning, they had run out of bread in the middle of the deliveries and the power was out so they were unable to bake anymore bread. TIA. So how do we not lose our customers waiting for bread when we don't have any to give them. To solve this small problem, we went and bought bread from a store and delivered that while explaining the situation with the power, but promising faithful deliveries. So hopefully the reputation of the bakery was salvaged.

Yesterday (Wednesday), I was supposed to work on the accounting records for the bakery. However, the bookkeeper was swamped trying to meet deadlines for a different project. Our meeting got pushed back a few days. Since the rest of the group had left already, I was stuck at our house, trying to find things to do to be productive. The Achiever in me is dying...

Honestly, this routine of unmet expectations is disappointing and frustrating. However it does lead me back to finding God's agenda for this trip. It's apparent that while I may get a taste of accounting here, it will be no where near the experience of a KPMG internship. Yet, the setting of Africa leads me to seek God more than the setting of a cubicle would.

So as my plans don't go according to schedule and I am left without anything to do, I am forced to contemplate what God is doing with me here in Africa...

Much like Africa, God has a way of redirecting my plans. So, TIG: This is God :)

P.S. Today, I finally got to audit...Yay

Monday, July 20, 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Top Chef: South African Style

Well now that we have moved from a hotel to a house, we have the opportunity to cook our own meals! With 7 people in the kitchen, we have done surprisingly well!

As any seasoned expert in the kitchen knows, you must start with ingredients. Since we didn't have anything, we had to go shopping. We made a list of all the things 7 people could potentially want to eat...winnowed the list and decided on a few starter meals: Salad with Chicken and Tacos. We were ready to go to the store. However, all of the people who could drive us were unavailable. So Colin, the director of E.I. gave us the keys to his minivan and sent us on our way. As in Kenya, South Africans drive on the left side of the road...so we were in for an adventure. After a few close calls, a couple wrong lanes, and several missed turns, we made it to the store and back.

Then we started up the stove and started cooking the chicken. They boys just started adding spieces in varying quantities and before we knew it we had a delicious dinner. A little chicken, a little rice, some salad...boom we are full!

We only had a few fails such as Conner spilling water all over himself while washing dishes, others not knowing how to light the stove, or that in order to cook rice, you need a lid on the pot.

So far, we are making an excellent team in the kitchen!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Redeeming History

How do you right a wrong that was committed over 200 years ago?

During the first three days in South Africa, we have been learning about the context in which the E.I. businesses are located. The main business is a bakery located in a township called Soshanguve. During the Apartheid, the Afrikaners relocated the native Africans to townships which were far outside the city. They separated the people based on their ethnicity and created preferential treatment for Whites. Interestingly enough, the United States has a strikingly similar history to South Africa. White immigrants came to South Africa in search of a religious refuge. They came in and established dominance. During our tour/orientation, someone mentioned that South Africa is what the U.S. would have been if the Indians had won the war.

South Africa has only had democracy in recent years, so the effects fo the Apartheid rule are still very prevelent, especially in the separation of the city and the township. As part of working with the bakery, we have the make early morning deliveries. When driving out to the township, Sally, an E.I. staff member in South Africa pointed out that we are the only ones driving into the township while everyone else is leaving the township. At night it is the opposite. The Apartheid model of blacks living far from the city and yet still working for the white people in the city is still reality.

During our whole orientation, I kept thinking about the similarity to segregation in the U.S. and how its effects are still being felt. As part of the white majority that was responsible for much of the pain and injustice, what is my role in redeeming that history. As a white foreigner in South African, what is my role in helping this country united and heal from past wounds. One thing our guide said that was really important was that the beginning of the reconciliation process begins with acknowledging that diversity exists and it is not going away. This just ties in more with what I have been processing about diversity on Biola's campus. It has been pretty fascinating to think through diversity while being the minority. I am beginning to gain a better perspective on it.

As far as how to redeem and reconcil history...I have no idea. I wonder where the line of continuing to make amends for the sins of my ancestors is versus moving on.

The last days of Kenya

Well, our time in Kenya has come to a close and we have moved on to South Africa. In some ways, it feels like we have been in Kenya for such a long time because things were getting familiar and more comfortable. However, in other ways it feels like we just got there because there were friendships just blossoming and many many things that we had yet to experience.

On Sunday afternoon we had the opportunity to be shown around Kibera (the slum town). To see it from a distance is one thing, but to walk the streets, see inside the homes, smell the garbage and hear the people is an entirely different thing. I have seen a similar degree of poverty in San Fransisco and Seattle, but not even close to the magnitude of Kibera. There are about 1.5 million Kenyans living in this slum...and there is more than one slum. It is estimated that over half the population of Kenya lives below the poverty line. We were able to walk among the reality of this statistic. The houses are made of clay and dirt, sewage runs like streams throughout the town, trash is strewn everywhere, and yet there is life in Kibera. Businesses are everywhere and people are surviving. There may not be a hope for a better tomorrow in Kibera, but there is a hope for tomorrow. As our guide ran into people he knew, he would stop and introduce us and say that he was showing us how they were surviving. The constant repetition of this word stuck with me. In one way it lacks so much of the richness that life could be if one were thriving. But in another way is communicates that they have not given up on life; they are still pursuing life with everything that they have. I began to think that with all the businesses in Kibera, there must be a huge entrepreneurial spirit. People are willing to take a risk and try to sell something. With all this ingenuity, what would happen if they were given the resources to fully exercise their ideas.

Monday night we had dinner at Pastor Majid and his wife Jane's house. They showed us around our first night in Kenya and since welcomed us into their church. They opened up their house to us, showed us their wedding album and taught us how to cook Ugali. We stayed there for 5 hours, just soaking in what they could tell us about Kenyan culture. This couple has overcome the loss of parents, growing up unloved and unwanted, financial difficulties and many other hardships. Now they are about to start their own family with a baby on the way. It was a blessing to hear their story and see how much they love and trust in the Lord.

One thing I have noticed since being here is that people say that they are "born again", not "Christians" or "Believers". I don't know it there is any significance to the use of different terms, but I did think it was interested that they identify themselves as Christians by saying that they are "born again".

Well, Kenya has been quite the expereince and adventure, but now we are in South Africa preparing to jump straight into the businesses here.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Switching Gears

Well, we are now in South Africa and we have hit the ground running.

Yesterday, we got off the plane and then got into a van to start our orientation of Pretoria. One of the businesses that we will be working with is a bakery in a township called Soshanguve. We learned about the history of CRM's involvement in South Africa and the history of Soshanguve itself. This bakery is having a deep relational impact on the people in the township. It is amazing to see one of E.I.'s businesses in action.

South Africa is freezing by the way...it's winter here, so the nights get pretty cold.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

A pretend tourist is better than no tourist at all...

Yesterday, our team had the opportunity to go to two major tourist spots in the Nairobi area. First, we woke up at 5:00am to drive 3 hours away to Lake Nakuru National Park. One the way we stopped at to see the Rift Valley. What an amazing view!! We continued on to the park for our day safari. It started out exciting and captured everyone's attention right off the bat. We pulled into the parking lot and got out of our van so that we could buy tickets for park entry. Scattered throughout the parking were small monkeys. These guys are the essence of trouble. A group of school children were playing with them...a game similar to tag...they would try to see how close they could get to the monkey and then run away. However, these monkeys are very comfortable around humans, so they would run after the kids. At one point, one jump on a girls back and stole her lollipop and stuck it in its own mouth!

Then we started our safari. We drove out to the lake and then followed it for a distance. In this short span of distance we saw Zebra, Water buffalo, Flamingos, gazelles and other birds. The Zebra stripping pattern is absolutely beautiful to see up close. At the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, the Zebra are always on the top of a far off hill. It was cool to see these animals co-exist in a relatively open environment. Throughout the rest of the safari, we were able to see some Giraffes, Hyenas, and Rhinos! We drove up right next to the Hyenas and were able to see then so close. They are used to the constant flow of safari vans, so they just stared at us, but did not react beyond that. A van pulled up behind us and someone from their van suggested that someone get out so that we could get an action shot...we laughed pretty hard :)

There was a Rhino was right next to the road munching away at some grass, so we got to see him pretty close as well. Rhinos are endangered, so Kenya has put a lot of effort into keeping them alive. It was a treat to see one so close.Sadly, we did not see any lions or elephants.

Then the second part of playing tourist for the day was dining at Carnivore. This restaurant serves all kinds of meat. Basically if it is not endangered, you can eat it. So I tried some Crocodile and Ostrich along with the usual chicken, beef, pork, and turkey meat - all cooked in varying varieties. It was an all you can eat buffet, so our goal was to "stick it to the man" and eat pounds and pounds of meat. The guys really got their monies worth out of the meal.

Carnivore is probably the biggest tourist trap in Nairobi that I have seen so far. We walked in and a first comment was "Did we leave Kenya and go back to the United States?" Most of the people at the restaurant were white tourists. It is quite a contrast from spending a lot of time with Kenyans and walking around Nairobi. We all of a sudden found where all the white people are in Kenya...the tourist attractions. It makes me kinda sad to realize that all tourists see of Kenya is the wildlife and the restaurants designed to entertain them, but don't represent Kenya in its truest capacities.

Carnivore was quite the experience...one to put on the shelf of things I did in Kenya.

It was enjoyable to see a national park that Kenyans are so proud of and to eat at such a memorable place.

I will say that we all wanted to watch the Lion King afterward...

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Separation Barrier

I have thought a little about what it would be like to live in Kenya for longer than two weeks. So far, there is a degree of comfort that I was not expecting. From all the cautions that I heard, I guess I thought I would feel super uncomfortable and always threatened. That is not the case. Kenyans are so friendly, regardless of whether they are trying to sell me something. The employees at the hotel we are staying at are learning our names and stop to talk with us at breakfast. They are teaching us some Swahili words and helping us get around the city. Several people that we just met have invited us to their homes for a meal. The gate keeper to the compound always smiles and waves at us. The people at church greeted us like any other visitor. Life in Kenya would be an adjustment, but it's entirely possible.

However, on this same train of thought I am reminded of the general perception of white people in Kenya - they are the ones with the money. Being a minority, you receive the brunt of the stereotype, whether you fit it or not. Even if I am a poor missionary in Kenya, I would still be expected to pay more than a local would. I think feeling like I am always being taken advantage of because of the color of my skin would be wearing. This reality helps put the issue of diversity on Biola's campus in perspective. No matter how similar your religion, worldview, personality, a minority may always feel like an outsider because they look different. "Fitting in" can only go so far. Others may welcome them, like the hotel staff and the church congregation welcomed us, but there is and will always be a substantial barrier to feeling a part of the group. This is a reality that the majority needs to acknowledge and not sweep aside as trivial.

The debate over diversity at Biola can be heated because one side may not want to engage in that conversation. This is tragic. In order for reconciliation to happen, listening followed by understanding needs to take place. I don't think racial reconciliation ends in us all ignoring color and culture. I think it's goal should be understanding and appreciation of culture.

A lot of pain in the world is from a lack of communication; in relationships, in racial tension, in the news, etc. People either don't listen because they are ruled by the heat of the moment or their pride. I remember watching The Breakup and just dying because neither character was willing to communication their honest feelings and thus both experienced pain. Of course a DTR (Defining The Relationship) would not make for a great movie, but the point still stands. We need to engage in conversations and extend understanding.

Despite all the commonalities in the world, differences in color can add just the right amount of discomfort to leave a person feeling alone and misunderstood.

From this short experience, I am intrigued by the idea of living somewhere other than the U.S. for an extended period of time. Would my opinion change? Would I become bitter because I would be discriminated against? Would I assimilate eventually? Would I miss my home culture?

Diversity is hard and it takes work, but I am taken back to church last Sunday when I was able to praise my Lord in the context of different culture. We all serve the same God - a God that does not favor a specific race. That is the starting point of valuing diversity.

Please don't judge to harshly, I'm in process as well as is my understanding of diversity as a white woman in a predominately white world.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Jambo from Kenya

These past few days had been quite the experience. On Friday, we went on a City Tour. Our team of 8 piled into a Safari van and drove around downtown Nairobi. (Me, Katharina, Ryan)
As you can see from the picture, the roof pops up, so that we could stand and look out. However, it was not that we needed any help to stand out…eight white people driving around Nairobi. Nothing says tourist like a safari van. It was a nice way to get an overview of the city, but there was a significant feel of us observing the locals as if they were an attraction.

After we drove through the city, we went out the see one of the slums that borders Nairobi. It’s called Kibera. This slum is home to 1.5 million Kenyans. As we drove one of the outside streets of Kibera, we were met with unwelcome words. This is reality for them and they did not appreciate being treated as a tourist stop. We wanted to see Kibera because it is as much, if not more, of what defines Kenya as is the wealthy area that we are staying in. As with any slum area, it is hard to witness the proximity of the slums to a neighborhood of houses with gates and 24-hour security guards. Honestly, life sometimes sucks, but that is reality. Instead of wishing it were not so, we should focus our attention on how to enable the people of places like Kibera to improve their situation.

On Saturday, the fourth of July, we went to the Bomas of Kenya. (Dwight, Jason, Ryan, Conner, Chris)
(Me, Juli, Katharina)
This was a showcase of the cultural identity of the tribes of Kenya. The two main things at the Bomas of Kenya were a recreation of tribal huts and a reenactment of the tribal dances.

For the most part, the huts were similar between tribes. The most significant difference between tribes was the structure of the village. Each tribe delegated different responsibilities to different people. In some villages it was the responsibility of the grandmother to keep watch on the cattle; in other villages it was the responsibility of the sons. Another difference is that in one tribe the daughters sleep in the mother’s hut so that the mother can keep an eye on them; in a different tribe, the daughters sleep in a separate hut, but the sons stand guard at night. Their values were different too. One tribe considered the birth of twins to be evil, while another considered it good luck.

Each tribe is very distinct and thus there is identity that naturally comes from belonging to a tribe. When we visited the huts, we had a tour guide who explained the unique characteristics of the tribes. I would not have known the difference if someone had not told me. I am learning that culture is a deep underlying piece of Africa identity. I need to be willing to assume the role of the learner and listen to what Kenyans value in order to be successful both in business and in simply interacting in their culture.

At the Bomas of Kenya, we also saw these sweet acrobats...
Yesterday, we worshiped at Nairobi Baptist Church. There was something absolutely beautiful about being lead into worship in a completely different cultural context than I am used to. Despite our obvious outward differences and culture upbringing, we worship the same God and are able to enter into this worship as a body of Christ. This was a great opportunity to engage with the Kenya culture as opposed to just being an observer. I am so blessed to have been able to experience this service. I can’t wait to go back next week!

After church we walked over to the Macai Market, which was next to our hotel. This is where Kenyans bring their artisan crafts to sell. The merchants are very aggressive and try their best to sell just about anything to you. Who knew that all my rounds on HOST and Ark with cat-calling half…sometimes fully…naked boys would teach me the skills necessary to fain ignorance and brush off unwanted advances…Now that I know what they sell and how much things are worth, I may try my hand at bartering next Sunday when the market happens again.

Today starts our first full week in Kenya as well as our market research. We have a few more interviews, but for the most part we will begin to conduct our research for our target businesses. Please pray for discernment as we do not fully understand the culture or business customs.

A few Swahili words for you all:
  • Jambo: Hello
  • Karibu: Welcome
  • Asanti: Thank you
  • Sana: Very Much --> Asanti Sana: Thank you very much
  • Mzungu (the ‘m’ is silent): White person

Hopefully this vocabulary will expand a little more

Much Love,
Amanda