Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 2/11/2010
Our team arrives at the bus station in Lira, Uganda, and boards a mini bus to Gulu. It is a 14-passenger vehicle, but I count 22.
Our luggage is tied to the roof, and we're praying the ropes are strong because these dirt roads are bumpy.
The mini bus is loaded. Not only are there too many passengers, but we're also accompanied by a chicken and numerous cockroaches.
Don heads to the back seat. Shannon sits in the third row and is handed a baby boy to rest on her lap. Kendra and I are beside each other in the row behind the driver, and ken and I are separated by Sara who is headed to Gulu for school. Katie is up front next to a lady that is taking baby Grace to the hospital. Sitting on the floor in front of Ken is the older brother of the boy Shannon is holding, who looks to be about eight years old.
The bus ride is sweltering. Everyone is crammed, sitting on top of each other with no room to move. We are driving slow because the bus is overloaded and won't go much faster.
I look back and see Shannon comforting the baby in her arms. Ken continues to comfort the boy in front of him by smiling at him. Katie tries her best to speak to the young mother beside her even though they don't speak the same language.
Shannon leans forward and tells us to pull the Rockets (M&M's) out of her purse to give to the boy sitting in front of ken.
He is now my buddy because I'm the lucky one who handed him the candy. We smile at each other throughout the rest of the ride.
We come to a brief rest stop, and local venders swarm the bus windows to offer us different items. Kendra buys a bottled water to give to the boy sitting in front of Ken.
The little boy in Shannon's lap returns to his mother, attracted to the food and water in her hands.
After several hours on the bus, we finally arrive in Gulu. The bus station is a busy place. Many people are offering to help, but we deny them; otherwise they will expect payment for simply carrying our bags five yards from the bus to our team.
As we are unloading, the little boy in front of ken comes and gives me a hug. It makes my day.
We are now waiting on Pastor Patrick and Pastor Stephen to pick us up, and some of the local men are telling us we owe them for helping with our bags. Ken tells them we don't owe them anything.
Then the guys start harassing the lady who sat by Katie and Sara. Sara begins to cry. I want to help, but I must be smart. I pray that God will make them go away.
Then I approach her and comfort her. I put my arms around her and ask her if she is ok. She tells me they are being ugly to her, so I speak words of love into her ear. I pray for her and hug her.
They finally stop bothering the women.
Sara seems to be better so I help her gather her things to leave the area.
The pastors finally arrive, and we are ready to see what our home for this month is like.
On the way to our new home, I look back on the bus ride from Lira. It would have been easy for our team to complain and be irritable. But I noticed something different in my team. I saw Christ in them like never before.
It was a moment that I saw us die of ourselves and gain more of Christ. Each member was willing to be Christ to the ones around them.
I believe it's going to be an awesome month for team Olur.
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/27/2010
Ken wrote this great blog about our our transportation this month hope you enjoy!
Matatu: A van that is a privately owned but is the sole local public transportation system throughout Kenya.
We have had some crazy situations on these vans, and they always seem to be an adventure.
Some have been old and junky, others have been tricked out with big screen TVs and padded ceilings.
Sometimes we pay 20 bob (about 25 cents) and sometimes 50 bob. We like to have exact change so that they do not keep a tip for themselves.
Everyone has a driver and another guy that acts as money collector, advertiser, change maker, stop announcer, matatu banger, and passenger recruiter. He is what really makes a matatu.
Money Collector: When you get on the matatu, you know that you need to pay, but the time of payment is up to him. Sometimes it happens right away, other times you drive for quite some time. Usually it is somewhere in between, but when you need change the same thing happens. Usually, he takes your money, collects the money from everyone else, and then it appears he is done. After driving a little longer, he then decides it is time to give change and proceeds to do so.
Advertising: When it is time to find a matatu, you know the route and the price because he is yelling out where the van is heading to all those who pass by.
Change Maker: This is a new one that I was a part of today for the first time. Apparently, our guy needed to make change from a 500 bill in order to give change back to the other passengers. As we drove through traffic-congested streets, he talked to a few other matatus and asked for change. One van almost took the bill, but then drove off. Then our guy gave the 500 to another matatu's driver. We then dropped behind them, due to the traffic, swerved here and there, then came up on the other side of the matatu where the change was handed back. A few minutes later, another matatu guy asked our matatu guy to change a 500 for him, and our guy took it (I was wondering why, since he just changed a 500 and now he was going to change another one, but such is matatu life). It seemed like our guy was trying to give him 400 in change for the 500, but since they completely deal with each other in Swahili, I wasn't exactly sure. Our guy took the 500 and we kept driving, but we weren't able to pull next to them again. So when the traffic stopped, their guy jumped out, transacted with our guy, and then hopped back in his own matatu!
Stop Announcer: When you need to get off of the matatu, you tell your guy and he will do one of many things. He either tells the driver when and where to stop, whistles really loudly, opens the door and starts to hang outside the matatu (where he simultaneously acts as advertiser as well), or most often he bangs on the walls or roof of the matatu with his fist or open hand... which leads to the next role.
Matatu Banger: This can be my favorite. All matatu guys hit, bang, and smack their matatus. You hit to stop, you hit to go, and apparently, you also hit for no reason. While waiting for passengers at a stop, surrounded by a crowd of other matutus , the banging gets out of control. Sometimes while we are sitting inside there is banging coming from all sides of the matatu. A double bang here, a single there. I still have not totally figured out why they beat up their vans so much or why every Kenyan man on the streets likes to hit these things, but for some reason, when it gets crazy, it really makes me laugh.
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Passenger Recruitor: It does not matter where you need to go, you should always be going where they are going. Even if you are walking up the street, not looking for a matatu, you will be invited to get inside every matatu you pass by. If you happen to be looking for a matatu, it is hard to see the number without almost getting grabbed and thrown inside. In fact, they are so good at passenger recruitment that early in the month a couple of our guys got tricked into getting on a matatu that took them in the opposite direction that they needed to go, which is a whole other story in itself.
All in all, we love the matatus and it sure makes life here an adventure
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/23/2010
We all know i love kids! i have really been blessed to play with, love on, and spend time with many of them this month. Kids of all ages are very special to me and so it was great to just spend some time with them this month. I hope you enjoy the pictures!
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/17/2010
We have reached the halfway point of the August 2009 World Race. I remember beginning this trip and realizing the next 11 months would be the longest I had ever been away from home. I love to go, but I also love being at home with my family. I thought holidays and birthdays would be hard to miss. My parents really believed I would get homesick and want to come home.
I am on Month 6 of the Race, and I am far from being homesick and ready to come home.
The first half of the trip for me was really focused on myself. I was growing spiritually and growing as a person. I spent a lot of time asking God to reveal things in my life that needed to be removed.
I went through several different seasons so far this race. I went through abandonment, brokenness, and dependency the first 3 months.
I was in abandonment for a short season but it was a good season for me. I had to let go of home, family, friends, my Church, and life before the race. I had to give them all to God and focus on what God had in store for me this race.
It was hard to let go of all the things that were comforting to me. For many years I leaned on these things but I was ready to give them up and allow God to do a work in me.
After a long talk with Aaron our squad leader I realized I needed to start praying for brokenness. I prayed for about two weeks that God would break me from any and everything that needed to be removed from life.
Our squad joined H, I , and K squad, world race alumni, and staff at the Awakening Conference. I attended the first worship service and God begin to break me.
It was hard to go through and it was just the beginning of brokenness. God revealed things that needed to go in my life. He showed me things that I was holding on to that were really holding me back from the fullness of Him.
After several weeks of dealing with brokenness and really figuring it all at I finally saw that light at the end of the dark tunnel. I knew it was worth it because God was making me a better person.
As I was dealing with brokenness I realized so much about myself. I realized I found a lot of self worth in people, things, and past experiences. I realized I was holding on to past failures and living in shame because of them.
I had a lot of weight lifted from my shoulders after this season of the race. It was a huge relief for me personally. I also realized that I was finally walking in freedom. I am now working on not picking these things back up.
I really thought I was going to get a break from dealing with the junk in my life. I should have known better. I hadn't really even had time to process the different things yet when I realized I was starting to go through dependency.
Dependency was the hardest season for me. I saw leaning on God and others as a weakness. I wanted to be able to do it my way and the way that was most convenient for me.
We were in Bulgaria during this time. It was our ATL month where we were depending on God to provide. It was the month for me that I realized I didn't choose my team, God did. I didn't have a choice in what was happening around me.
I did not have the comforts from home or other options. I was stuck and had to play the cards that were dealt to me. It wasn't easy and I found it frustrating.
I finally gave in and just started to depend on God and allow Him to guide me through this time in my life. It was amazing how much better life started to be for me when I really started to depend on Him.
Around month 4 I started to realize the importance of living each day for that day. I was really bad about holding on to yesterday or planning tomorrow instead of enjoying the that day.
Living each day really gives me a freedom that is hard to describe. I like to look a head and plan life the way I think it should look. Learning to live each day and lean on God to guide me through it has been more rewarding than I ever could have imagined.
I have learned a lot and it has really shaped me into a better person. I have had many ups and downs. I have cried but I have laughed more. I have made some pretty amazing memories in just five and half months.
I am excited to start putting all I have learned into action this next 5 months.
I have several areas I really want to grow in over the next few months. I am no where close to being where I want to be but im growing daily and that is all that matters to me.
I want to have more Grace and Mercy. I also want to be a more loving and judge less. I also want to think more before I speak. These are areas I struggle in but I know that God can help me and I am willing to give it my all to work in these areas.
I am really glad I obeyed God and left my comfort zone to join 40 or so other amazing sisters and brothers in Christ to discover who we are as women and men of God and allow God to work in us and through us.
I am so blessed to be who I am and where I am today. I am very thankful for all of you who have made this journey possible for me. I appreciate all your prayers and support. Many of you went above and beyond to help make this possible.
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/17/2010
I didn't realize how much I would love Africa. I knew things would be different, and I expected the worst. Before arriving in Kenya, our squad would make comments about something bad and then say "wait till we get to Africa." I came in thinking Africa was going to be a miserable place to live.
I thought we would not like the food, and we would get such small servings that we would starve. I also thought we would be sleeping in mud puddles and get carried away by the bugs. I don't know why I assumed all of this, but I am really glad I was wrong!
We have been blessed and are staying in the church's Sunday School classrooms. They gave us some foam pads to sleep on so the floor isn't bad at all. We are all sleeping under mosquito nets too so our room is a sight to see.
We have showers and indoor plumbing. Although we don't have hot water, the showers have not been bad showers because it's warm here.
The church has hired a cook for us so we get three amazing meals a day. We even get a snack and juice between breakfast and lunch some days. We have eaten a lot of great meals, and I think our team is gaining weight instead of losing it.
Our ministry here is what I am enjoying the most. We are going out daily and talking to people in the community around the Church. We have talked to people in the streets and have gone door-to-door. We have also enjoyed following up and building relationships with the ones we have met.
In one week, we have seen 10 people get saved, and eight people who we invited to church during the week came on Sunday. It has been awesome, and I will say it has been a really good week for Team Olur.
We have been a part of prayer meetings too. We went to a pastors fellowship prayer service, which is a weekly gathering to encourage church leaders in the area. It was a good experience for our team.
This week, we will start doing some manual labor. There is an old office building we will clean out and tear down to give the children more room to play outside.
My team really enjoys manual labor so it should be fun. If we have time, we are going to try to build a fence for them too.
I have really enjoyed playing with kids also. I have played soccer, danced, and sang a lot of songs.
Toward the end of the month, we plan on traveling seven hours west to Garissa, where we will work with missionaries. We will be a part of different ministries there. They have some sports camps I am really looking forward to.
I am really enjoying Africa!
The weather is great. It's not too hot, and it cools off at night so sleeping isn't bad. The bugs have bitten some more than others, and I'm lucky to only have a few bites so far.
I am glad my expectations of Africa were all wrong. I have had an amazing month so far, and it has only been 11 days. I know God has a lot more in store for my team, and I can't wait to be a part of it.
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/10/2010
I am still a little shocked that 2010 is already here. I will have to say that 2009 was an amazing year for me personally. I started 2009 with the Youth of Immanuel Baptist Church at a Lock-In and I ended the year with my World Race family at a hostel in Kenya. I look back on many events that have shaped my life this past year but more importantly I look forward to seeing what 2010 is going to bring.
Last year was a year of growth for me. I was beginning to discover who I was as a woman of God. I learned a lot about faith and depending on God. I had to learn to focus on God and what He wanted for me because I was so used to doing what Ashlee wanted instead of what God had planned for me.
In March, I finally stopped doing things my way and obeyed God. I applied for the World Race and was accepted. It was very hard to leave home, family, my church, the youth I was working with, and my comfort zone.
I knew, without any doubt, this is what God was calling me to do. I attended training camp at the end of May and it was an amazing, life-changing week for me. It was the beginning of me realizing I was settling instead of going after the greater things of God.
I went home and spent two months really investing in my family, friends, church, and youth group. I knew being gone for 11 months was a long time and I wanted to spend quality time with them.
In August, I left everything behind to begin a journey that would challenge and change me. I was not sure what to expect but I knew it was where God wanted me.
August was a hard month emotionally. It was a huge change and learning to live in community was the thing I had to get used to the most.
September was a great month for me. I enjoyed our ministry and I really started seeking more of God in my life this month. I was hungry for more of Him and I desired a more personal relationship with Him.
October may have been the hardest month for me so far. I was dealing with brokenness and God was really shaping me into who He had called me to be.
November was a month of being still for me and that was hard but good. I really learned to invest in my team this month. I was being challenged not to go this entire trip and not invest in my family God has provided me with.
December was a refreshing month. The team we were serving with really poured into my life and was very encouraging to me. I left Turkey with an excitement and ready to start the new year refreshed and ready.
I arrived in Africa with a joy in my heart and something stirring inside of me. I love being here and I really have a heart for the people here.
Pastor Ezekiel gave me a great compliment and I want to share it with you. He told the group "She is a woman of great FAITH"! I was very honored to hear that.
I want to Thank God for all He has done in me and through me in 2009. I am expecting Great things to come for 2010.
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 1/7/2010
We were going door-to-door inviting people to church and just talking to them about Jesus. Ken and I were partners for the day and we went to the first door, with no luck. At the second door, the lady didn't want to talk. I began to get discouraged, but I just prayed that God would have His way. We went to the next floor.
I knocked and the lady answered the door, but she was too busy to talk. I knocked on the next one, but she didn't speak English. Ken and I then stopped because a few girls under the age of ten were coming down the stairs.
We talked to some of the girls for a few minutes. I told them I would come and play if I had time a little later. They all smiled and went off to play.
We finished talking to people with not much luck in the first building. So we went to the courtyard area to wait on the others.
As we were waiting, a lady holding a baby motioned for us to come to her house.
Ken and I went to visit her and she welcomed us in. Her name is Frieda and she has a little girl name Cindy. She just shared her life with us. Cindy was not so sure of us, but I kept trying to get her to like me.
Finally, Cindy liked me, so I got down on the floor to play with her. She really liked playing with my watch and she really enjoyed peek-a-boo.
When it was time to leave, Frieda invited me back, so I told her I would return in a few days.
Frieda let me know that she did not have many friends and was lonely, so I was going to make sure to go back and visit with her.
Today, Kendra and I went to visit Frieda. She seemed really excited to see us! She says that she is a Christian, so my goal is to continue to visit her and get her plugged into the church we are serving with. I would like to see her have a church family since she is lonely.
When Kendra and I left, we invited her to church and she agreed to come. I left with a smile on my face and couldn't wait to see if she would join us for church!
Around 5 o'clock or so, Frieda and baby Cindy showed up for church. She told us that she really enjoyed the service and would be back for the next service.
Kendra and I walked her home after the service. She told me that she knows God sent me to meet her. It was great to hear that she has been blessed by our friendship.
I look forward to seeing how God uses this friendship this month. She has taught me so much already. I pray God continues to touch her life this month. I ask that each one of you who read this post will be in prayer for Frieda and baby Cindy!
Posted in General Posts by Ashlee Hillis Kelley on 12/29/2009
My time in Turkey was amazing. I will never forget the 5 amazing women and men of God we served with. I love each one of them very much. Each one of them has touched my life more than they will ever know.
They have encouraged me so much this past month. Seeing their hearts for Turkey and wanting to bring Kingdom has been refreshing. They have opened up their homes knowing they were busy, it would be crowded, and it was Christmas time.
I don't know when our two teams bonded exactly but it was like we were one happy family. I know they will be glad to have their home back but I believe they are sad to see us leave.
I have enjoyed the many memories we share together. They have made our time here unbelievable and I really don't want to go yet.
With all that being said my team and I are headed to Kenya for the month of January. I will be honest with you all I CAN NOT WAIT. When I signed up for this trip Africa is the one place I couldn't wait for.
I am sad to leave here but very excited for this next month. We will be working with Somalia refugees. I am super pumped about all God has in store for us.
Please be in prayer for my team and I during the next month. I have several blogs I hope to get out in the next few days about my time in Turkey.
