Wyoming

Just got back from a week in the beautiful (and really, really cold) state of Wyoming. I had the chance to see my good friend Amelia, meet her new son Jack, enjoy some time in the mountains and share the good work God is doing in the Didinga Hills of Sudan with a great body of believers at Wilderness Baptist Church.

Tetons National Park

Jack and I enjoying the Tetons!

Jack and his amazing mommy, Amelia

Amelia and her young family call Dubious, Wyoming home. Dubious is a one horse town, with the heart of a 20 mule team.
A few years ago, I had the time of my life learning how to square dance with the cowboy boot, wrangler clad real cowboys that call this tiny haven home.
This is a town that hosts free catered (while I was there this past week, ham) dinners to build community bonds. If you don't mind a loooooong winter and would rather spend your Tuesdays skiing the slopes in Jackson Hole, than fighting the crowds in Walmart, then this just might be the place for you. Just don't tell them I said so. We wouldn't want to let the secret out of the bag.

Town - not downtown or uptown - this is it, the whole town.

We took long walks in the badlands...

(sometimes my camera has a mind of it's own)

Decorated Christmas cookies...

I like to call this one, Polar Bear Down on His Luck.

And played with a Mr. Jackson William...

I didn't get a Christmas tree last year. So, this year I got two!
Bill, Amelia, Jack and I bundled way up and braving the sub-zero temperatures skied out into the Wyoming wild to find the perfect one. We are not sure, but we heard that it might have been as cold as -17 degrees Fahrenheit.

our Christmas-tree-cutting mode of transportation

me and my old adventure friend, Amelia

The "perfect" one!!!

Best By

Only three more weeks in the States.
I will be flying back to Africa on January 1, 2010.

Tis' the Season

A Davey family tradition...
No, I am not referring to running Bloomsday each year in May or mom-made chocolate zucchini birthday cakes each September, but the tromping through the backyard woods each December to chop down the perfect Christmas tree.

Dave, Dad and Mom with the 1st tree

my sister, Stephanie and her family

I LOVE these girls!!!
two of my neices, Lily and Ella

at Grandma's farm with the trees

Merry Christmas!!!

You're Going Where???

My time here at home, has been a welcome combination of joyous reunions, contrasted perfectly with moments of sweet, uninterrupted solitude. Those seemingly commonplace luxuries: hot showers and clean feet, $3.00 disposable cups of foaming hot coffee and the fine art of accurate weather forecasting are no longer overlooked, but oh so greatly appreciated! I have hid and seeked nieces, cuddled and kissed two brand new nephews and caught up with old friends and loved ones.

After our team's evacuation, once it had become unquestionably clear that we could no longer safely call Napep home, the question for me was never, would I return to Africa, but more, where would I return to. I was approached and encouraged to consider returning to Sudan, but quite honestly doubted that I would. I visited other seemingly perfect mission opportunities, but felt absolutely no peace in committing to any of them.

Once home in the States, I considered (albeit for only about 10 harebrained minutes) restoring an old farmhouse and toyed with the idea of finally completing the Pacific Crest Trail or biking across America. However, the generational skip in construction skills and Father Winter’s speedy approach on the Northwest quickly brought me back to reality.

Then one night, as I anticipated sleep, lying on an inflatable mattress that was situated in the corner of my friends’ small apartment’s kitchen, I finally abandoned my ideas for the future, my plans for perfection. As I’ve done before, I did again. I agreed, to go joyfully, to be used, to the best of my abilities, wherever our Lord and Savior saw fit to send me.

It was shortly after this night of renewed abandon, that I began to finally find comfort in the thought of returning to Sudan. About two weeks later, I found our Father’s peace, His solace which had up until that point evaded me in Mordecai's words. The same words that had once encouraged Esther, now encouraged me: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

For, it is the same King of Kings, the same Lord who Mordecai long ago trusted to deliver the Jews, who is, even now, working amongst the Didinga people.

And so... it has been with time, considerable prayer and consideration that I have finally decided to return to the Didinga Hills of Sudan!

I will be living in Nagishot, at a distance of ten miles, it is Napep's closest neighboring village. I will be teaching nursery school, training teachers and continuing to focus my attentions on building relationships and sharing the love of Christ with the Didinga people.

Two of my former TIMO teammates/roommates Elly Admiraal and Tianne Cole will be joining me in Nagishot. If possible, the three of us hope to commute twice a month to Napep to foster old relationships and walk beside new believers.

Tianne, Elly and I - In Didinga

Thanks again for your many heartfelt prayers and the generous financial support that allows me to live amongst the Didinga people. It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to go forth and share the Good News. Thank you for your part in that journey!

Antonio Bandarez Sleeps Over

Antonio Bandarez, Sam Elliot (the, "Beef, it's what's for dinner!" man), some girl from the television show, Lost and Snoop Dogg spent the weekend filming their new movie, The Big Bang at my sister's neighbor's house. The crew parked their dressing trailers, food tents and movie production gear in my sister's field.

This all started a few weeks ago, when my sister spied a few long haired (this caught her attention, as there aren't too many masculine ponytails in these woods) LA movie producers standing in the horse pasture, chatting with her husband Fess. Later, when Fess approached Tamara with the movie proposition, he failed to remember which stars, besides Antonio, were in the film. However, he assured his day-dreaming wife that with or without a movie deal her personal favorite, Brad Pitt, would never step foot on his property.

On Saturday, Tamara and the oblivious kids ate lunch with the stars. Mom, Dad, Uncle Dwight and I got the guided tour from one of the very nice, long haired movie producers.

Backstage - In the front field

Dad and Mom checking out the movie stars' dressing room
(I think that Dad was looking for some clean jeans.)

Making myself at home -
walking into Antonio Bandarez's trailer!!!
If you look closely, you can see my shy Mom hiding from Antonio behind the trailer on the right.

"Now, where is Sandra Bullock?"

Who needs Hollywood, when you've got Rockford, Washington!

In Didinga, wearing my hand-me-down Rockford, Washington t-shirt. Thanks Grandma!

Walk with Mom

In the Movies

A couple of months before we evacuated, AIM's On Field Media team filmed this professional TIMO promotional video in the Didinga Hills.

If you have the bandwidth, you can see the video entitled, Think About It, here:

http://www.vimeo.com/6533645

Hope you like it!