http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org Andrea Wendel Andrea Wendel - January 2008 en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:00:36 GMT 30 http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=botswana http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=botswana Surprise! I am in Botswana!   I didn't exactly know that I was going to be in Botswana, but here I am. God is one heck of a travel agent, that's all I can say.   The story goes like this...   Basically, we had to get out of South Africa because our visas expired. We didn't know where we were going to go, how we were going to get there, or where we were going to stay once we got there. And we are running low on money for this month because of all the travel expenses. &nbsp Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=being-still http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=being-still Cape Town, South Africa.   For the past two weeks my team has been residing in this city where it is beautiful, comfortable, and almost like being back in America. Its a bit hard going from extreme third world in Mozambique to a city that looks like Beverly Hills. It has been kind of a culture shock in itself. Though, it has been a very interesting two weeks. We have been concentrating on sitting with the Lord, and once we've sat and can hear and recognize what He's saying and doing w Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=community http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=community   This time in Cape Town has been an incredible time of learning more about community. How to live as a family, how to deal with differences, how to confront, and how to show grace and love. God started working on us in this area shortly after getting here. There were a few unresolved issues floating around that were just bringing death to our relationships with each other instead of life. God got us together one day and got us into prayer for Angie for a sickness. Once He got us i Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=tipping-our-hats-to-uncle-sam http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=tipping-our-hats-to-uncle-sam So, this Independence Day, we decided to celebrate in true American style. The family we have been staying with here in Cape Town are Americans, so we had allies and enthusiasts to rally alongside.   We had a few South Africans over to the house to celebrate with us, and I will be showing you the proceedings of the day through photos. Enjoy.   This is the sign that our guests were welcomed by at the front door.   This is how Angie (our Canadian) had to pose to be initi Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=100-mozambican http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=100-mozambican   My beloved country in the sand.     Me holding one of Mama Rita's kiddies, Maratz.     Mama Rita! and all the ladies on the mats.     Mama Rita's house and the kids and ladies that live there.  It housed us, our stuff, 20 orphans, Mama Rita, and the rats.     Right outside Mama Rita's house with the kids. Nightly dance parties took place out there. The little ones really know how to shake their booty. Sat, 5 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=mama-rita http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=mama-rita Mozambique. Where do I even begin? So many emotions and thoughts and ideas are spinning through my head and heart, that it is almost impossible to explain in words all I am feeling and experiencing. But here goes...It is beautiful here. Palm trees everywhere. Sun always shining. Streets bustling with life. It is almost an exotic place, and so exciting. But all the external beauty can't even compare to the beauty of the Lord I have seen here through the people.I will start by introducing you to, Fri, 6 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-hard-stuff http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-hard-stuff While I love it here in Mozambique, and while God is so good, and He is teaching me so much, I am learning that every day is not easy. As a matter of fact, most days are hard in some way or another.This journey has been absolutely incredible. God has been so loving and by my side every second. But I am starting to see that this year is a year of hard lessons. It is a year of breaking things off. And it doesn't stop. It is a year of learning how to perservere. It is a year of being disciplined. I Fri, 6 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=next-stop http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=next-stop Mozambique!Yes...off to the unknowns of Mozambique. We don't know where we're going exactly, what we're doing, or who we're meeting there, but that's where the Lord has clearly spoken for our team to go! We will be leaving Swazi on Wednesday, and traveling the three or four days up to Mozambique. We will be there until late June. Not sure about internet yet, so I will send updates as I can.Another prayer request and plea our squad has right now is for our teammate Jen. She is in desperate need o Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=swazi-a-look-at-the-last-month http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=swazi-a-look-at-the-last-month What have I been up to these last few internet-less weeks? Well I'm glad you asked. Because this blog will answer just that. We arrived in Nsoko, Swaziland late one night, and were dropped off at a safari, called Nisela. We were told to pitch our tents and take it easy. Pastor Gift would be coming by for us in two days to get us started into our ministry. So, that's what we did. Pitched our tents, slept, and woke up to the roarings of our new pet: Lucky the Lion. Yes, it Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-plea http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-plea Swaziland. It is basically just a big question. Where do I begin? Will it ever change? Will my heart ever stop breaking? Is there an answer? Will the people ever find reprieve? Where is the mercy? Where is the Lord? Why? Why? Why? It has been an incredible month. A hard one. One full of these questions. Full of joy as well as sadness. Full of realization that change is really hard and really slow. Full of realization that this nation's--this continent's--only hope is an outpouri Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=staring-death-in-the-face http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=staring-death-in-the-face I think the pictures will explain themselves, but just in case, I will let you know that I have recently jumped off the side of a cliff. A 110 meter cliff. It is called The Big Swing. The biggest swing in the world. Here in South Africa. I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha. No, but really, I was scared to death, but was one of the most freeing things in the world. Facing fear straight on. I loved it. Really loved it. It was amazing. And we never would have seen the most beautiful waterfall i Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=wafers-and-juice-bags http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=wafers-and-juice-bags These were the only things from the outside world that could be found in the jungle. These were what me and 25 others lived for every day. These were what I walked to the store (if you can call it that) for to satisfy my fleshly want to fill my tummy with more than just potatoes and chicken day in and day out. These strawberry flavored wafers and apple juice bags. They were the only sweet satisfaction that could be found to quiet, or at least momentarily hush, my screaming flesh.It was a sorry s Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=varnish-master http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=varnish-master To give you a little taste of what took place during our nine days in the jungle, I give you this blog.I, Andrea Wendel, became the master of varnishing. If ever you may need someone to come and varnish your bricks, your doorframes, your window frames, or any other various items of which could be varnished, please, do call me. I will arrive with my pint of varnish in one hand (mind you, that it will be one half varnish, one half gasoline"whether this is really safe or not, Im not quite sure) and Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-family http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-family This video was made by my lovely squad-mate, Kim. It is a little three month anniversary video to show yall what we've been up to! I love it and I'm sure you will too. Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=an-update-via-photos http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=an-update-via-photos Sorry for the long awaited picture update. These are just a few fun ones from Nauta, Peru; Iquitos, Peru; La Paz, Bolivia; and Cochabamba, Bolivia. Enjoy!Sunset on the Amazon. So amazing. This was takenfrom our boat that we lived on while in Nauta, Peru.We took a little boat trip to the "headwaters of the Amazon" andI went banana picking.Kiddies in Nauta, Peru.Me with a group of the VBS kids we had in Nauta. This isinside their 35 member church. They were an amazing groupof believers for their s Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=bolivia http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=bolivia We are in Bolivia now. It is beautiful. Such a big change from Peru, surprisingly. We spent a week in La Paz, are in Cochabamba now, and are going to spend two weeks in the rainforest. April 16th we get on a plane for Africa, to Swaziland. Just thought I would give everyone a shout out who hasnt got that little update yet! There will hopefully be a picture blog shortly. Stay tuned... Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=two-hours http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=two-hours Yesterday I was alone for two hours. Absolutely alone.   It was my day off, and the rest of my team decided to go into town to eat, use the internet, shop, etc. Thus, leaving me at the house, again, ALONE, for two whole hours before the rest of the squad got back.   These two hours were incredible. I think it was the first two hours since January 4th that I could not see or hear another person within 15 feet of me. It was much needed and it was really sweet time with the Lord. &n Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=little-fingers http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=little-fingers Its a girl! Im a Godmother to a precious little Peruvian chica! My heart is happy! So the story starts with us working in a little village-y part of town here in Iquitos. We are partnered alongside a church here and have been visiting with the community during the days. My team stumbled across a familys house on Monday and we have been back each day since. We cant seem to tear ourselves away!The family consists of four sisters who have all just had babies in the last 5 months. So, it is hard not Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=concert-time-in-chincha http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=concert-time-in-chincha This video was taken immediately following a massive water-mud-paint fight that we got in with our beloved family in Chincha. Sorry for the late post, as we left Chincha many weeks ago... but it is well worth watching! They practiced for a long time! Sun, 2 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=welcome-to-the-jungle http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=welcome-to-the-jungle The Amazon River has been my home for the last two weeks. Aboard the Buen Samaratino with Jorge, our missionary contact here, we slept, ate, showered, worshipped, swam, played, and rested. We were very, very close aboard our boat. 18 girls sleeping literally on top of each other, bug net to bug net. One fan. The boys downstairs in the underbelly of the boat. Mosquitos flying up from underneath. Lots of bugs. Lots of smells. Lots of laughs. Lots learned.We spent our days doing ministry among the Sun, 2 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-picture-is-worth-1000-words http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-picture-is-worth-1000-words I thought it would be much easier to give an overview of this month with pictures and spare you all those words. Enjoy!This is our humble abode in Chincha. We live next to the goats, chicken (yes, singular chicken, Howie), and the foothills of the Andes. We love our home and our pets.This is my team on race day. Starting from the left: Jen, Angie, Patrice, Nate, and yours truly.The beach in Lima. It is so beautiful. Very cloudy, but beautiful.My favorite girl in the world. Nicole. She stole my h Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=carol-update http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=carol-update First, thank you all so much for your prayers. Second, they work.Carol went to the doctor for her brain scan on Friday. Enough money was donated and there was even enough to get blood work done. The diagnosis was one that we weren't really expecting, but we are sure God is going to make good out of it. One side of her brain is actually growing on top of the other side. This is causing her immobility and lack of communication. There are surgeons and hospitals in the States that would take a case Tue, 5 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=lice-free-is-the-way-to-be http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=lice-free-is-the-way-to-be A short little shout out to Jesus....So the lice were conquering my noggin. They would not go away. Granted, it has only been a week, but it was just a week too long. My dear lice picking friends were growing weary. It is trying picking out all those nasty little suckers. My head was peeling. My scalp was dry. The bugs were still there. I was loosing sight of that joy God had so awesomely given.Then the great idea came. Caroline said, hey, I think we should lay our hands on your head and just pr Tue, 5 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=sunburn-and-lice-the-woes-of-a-world-racer http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=sunburn-and-lice-the-woes-of-a-world-racer It is a wonderful combination of goodness, really. I mean, a red body that I can only move at the pace of an 80-year-old woman and a head full of awesome little black bugs that have made my tendrils their home. Life is funny. God is good.The sunburn came from my own stupidity of not re-applying while at the beach for 4 hours on Saturday. This equator sun is just a bit more vicious than the old Midwestern sun! All was not lost though in this sunburn process the time at the beach was amazing. We h Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=carols-story http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=carols-story Carol is two years old. She cannot walk, stand, or even sit up. Her head falls to the side if someone isn't holding her. Her hands and feet are stiff. Her head is too small. And she weighs much less than she should. Her smile is bright. Her eyes are beautiful. Her little sounds are like an infant's. Her cries are real and heartbreaking. But her family loves her and is doing everything they can. Her family is incredible, but burdened. Her mom works in Lima and has to stay there during the week. H Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=now-introducingour-bathrooms http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=now-introducingour-bathrooms Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-crib http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-crib Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-state-of-my-heart http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-state-of-my-heart Just a brief (or maybe not so brief) peek into what God has been doing in my heart aside from the fact that He is breaking it for the people of Tambo de Mora. It is not the easiest thing in the world for me to step back and look in at my own heart and mind, but I am going to try to do it for you now. God has been drawing me in, driving out fear, showing me His love for me as His daughter, and showing me the meaning of being my Father.A few nights ago we, our whole squad (all 25 or so of us racer Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=so-much-so-soon http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=so-much-so-soon So it has only been four or five days here on the field, and God has been doing some major things and has been showing up in big ways. Where to even start describing these things, I don't know. I guess I will start by telling you a bit about the area and the peopleChincha is the city we are staying in, which is in the southern coastal region of Peru. It is about two hours from Lima and it is one of the areas that was devastated by the earthquake on August 15th of last year. The quake was an 8.3 Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=ready-set-goperu http://andreawendel.theworldrace.org/?filename=ready-set-goperu And so the race beginsMany tears have been shed, but many laughs have already been had. Walking away from mom and dad at the Columbus airport was no fun at all, and I'm sure there are many homesick tears to come, but as for now, on this second day of the race, I am absolutely ecstatic to be here and to be a part of such an incredible journey with God, alongside a group of people who are on their way to becoming a family.A bit of what we have been doingFlights went accordingly yesterday, just a s Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT