Some more bits and pieces...

My reason for being in Africa: Back in 2009, I met our team leader Rick Calenberg at Moody's annual Missions Conference. Ever since then, we kept in touch, discussing my great desire to be a career missionary. After plans for a three month trip to Niger fell through, Rick informed me of a trip he was taking to Nigeria. The main purpose would be to run a Spiritual Life Conference for missionaries, but we would also be learning about different ministries in Nigeria. Already knowing Rick and desiring to work with the missions organization SIM (Serving In Mission), I immediately jumped at the opportunity to travel to Nigeria with him. A team of 11 was organized, comprised of four girls from Moody (Anna, Grace, Megan, and myself), two Multnomah graduates (Aaron, 33, married with four young boys and Ginny, seventies [?], with four grown children), one former MK (Christian, 19, lived in Nigeria for 2 1/2 years and currently resides in Texas), Laura (24, graduate of SPU, from Spokane), Rick our team leader, and Ray and Nancy Paulson (50's, from Spokane, their daughter Mary [http://mp-dearfriends.blogspot.com/] is a missionary in Nigeria). 

I decided to go on this trip because I desire as most overseas missions exposure as possible. I want to see how God is working worldwide. I want to learn what the lives of missionaries are like. I want my worldview to expand and my view of God to grow. I want to deeply understand the joys and hardships of serving cross-culturally. I want to experience different cultures and meet non-Americans, and as a result, have my personal priorities, values, and lifestyle challenged.  I want to taste missionary life as much as I can before I (LORD-willing!) dive into it.

Secondly, I needed to fulfill my internship requirements before I graduate from Moody Bible Institute. It is required that I travel to another country and serve 4-8 weeks (or 300 hours). I also must write papers, be evaluated by my team leader, and read books in preparation for and following my trip. The purpose of the internship is to learn and grow from being in a different country, working in various ministries, and experiencing a (small) part of the missionary life. 

So far, this trip has been so many things... I feel like I cannot even begin to express them all! Culturally, all the learning is blowing my mind. It has been fascinating to learn about the expectations for husbands and wives, how horribly widows are treated, and the pervasive influence of animistic beliefs and witchcraft. Every day my eyes are opened to the stark difference between American and Nigerian values. And to see the faith of these Nigerians... what an undeserved privilege! They hope despite persecution and possess joy even though they have nothing. They believe in the tremendous power of prayer and unwaveringly trust in the sovereignty of God. How real and active their faith is! Their spiritual lives do not consist of reading five minutes of the Bible every day to check it off the list. I met a 10ish year old boy who reads the Bible for 2-3 hours... every day. How have we allowed fun church activities to become more important than time in the Word in prayer? I have been extremely challenged to think about how my affections are ordered and by what value system (heaven or earth) I'm living by. 

Please pray for...

     - That my view of God will grow! I want to understand His power, sovereignty, and all-sufficiency on a deep, deep level

     - That our team will be mightily used in the lives of the missionaries and nationals here. That we will be encouraging, strengthening, and point all to the life-giving Vine

     - For safety. There is a lot of fear that the radical M* sect will continue their violence and that riots regarding the rising petrol prices will get out of hand

THANK YOU for reading this! Thank you for your love, support, encouragement, and PRAYERS. I cannot ask you to pray enough for this trip. I am excited to keep sharing of what the LORD is doing here!

Love love love,

Moriah Rose