Some pictures of me doing what I'm doing...

I'm playing 'Red Light, Green Light' at the Bible College


I'm feasting in the churches[More details to come on food in a later blog post]


I'm painting and doing chores at the Bible College [I'm in the pink]


I'm enjoying the beauty of Africa
[Here at Kruger National Park in South Africa]


I'm cherising the people of Matusee's church


I'm wearing capalanas


I'm kickin' it at the Indian Ocean!


I'm holding babies [This one I call Baby Tank!]

As evidenced by pictures, I'm also repeatedly wearing the same clothes. The college team from Brookings, SD that just left brought 7 skirts for 10 days. I brought 5 skirts for 7 weeks.

[More to come.. eventually.]

Yes, I have life

Hello from Mozambique, Africa! You remember that I promised I would blog when the internet was accessible. Well, I have been here since May 7th and I am just now blogging! I could tell you 100s of things, but I'm having a difficult time deciding where to start.

I'll start here: I'm doing well! I haven't really been sick, but the first three I had a very difficult time sleeping through the night. When I am in the communities, the food is a bigger challenge than I anticipated it would be... but I manage and I am gracious. It has been emotional to remember my grandparents as missionaries here in Africa, especially my Granddad who was [and is] my hero. I have been sad as I remember him, proud to carry his legacy, and passionate as I preach in his spirit!

Africa is so beautiful - the people and the land. My living arrangements are right on the coast of the Indian Ocean, and at the right time of day you can hear the waves crashing into the natural sandstone barrier that protects the shore from Great Whites.


Sunrise at Kruger National Park - South Africa

More than anything, I have loved the time spent with the people. The language barrier has been difficult, but I am usually able to manage. There are two primary languages: Portuguese and Tsanga. Portuguese and Spanish are similar enough that I have a general understanding. Tsanga is much more difficult; in fact, aside from the very basic greetings, the only Tsanga I know is actually three songs I have learned in church.


Cultivating onions with Mario at the Bible College



With my main man Mo (Irashmo) and Joao
in the traditional African ladies' attire - a capalana

In summary, I have done about one million and one things here. Including: painting the exterior of a kitchen, singing and preaching in chapel, cooking fish and rice on a makeshift fire under a tree, making cement blocks, coloring pictures, digging a well, and sharing salvation at a witch doctor's house. Yes, I have many many stories that I'll be sure to share in the coming weeks.

The internet is dreadfully slow and I have already wasted too much time waiting, so I'm going to say chau chau for now and promise to write at least one more time before I return June 21st.

What's it like here?

Click HERE to see our weather.

This is Goodbye

Little Miss Mallory doesn't want Auntie Jewel to leave,
but I must.

Don't worry chiquita la bonita,

I'll be home soon enough.

I love you already, and I miss you already.

Preparations and Such...

♥ "Surrendering all" means erasing all my secular music. This isn't really something I want to do, but I felt convicted by the time I give to it. I asked God, "Can't I just keep this CD and that one?" His response: "No, it ALL has to go." No more Jack Johnson, John Legend, Stephan Speaks, Miley Cyrus, or Owl City. I admit, I'm still trying to be okay with this, but I do feel some empowerment. I also downloaded quite a few Rob Bell sermons to listen to in Africa.

♥ I learned how to drive a stick-shift car this afternoon. I was basically terrified, mostly of looking like an idiot when I stalled in intersections or jerked at stop signs, but it actually wasn't too bad and I even had fun! I'm feeling more confidence about driving a manual '56 vw beetle, but still anxious about the road and traffic conditions. Thanks a million Coach; you're the best!!!!

♥ My packing is finished down to my camera [which is charging,] my testimony and sermons [which I still need to print off,] and my glasses [which I'll wear in the morning.] So I'm feeling good!! Less stress, but not necessarily less nerves. My plane takes off at 5 tomorrow evening, so I won't leave until 2 and I should have plenty of time to relax and feel prepared in the morning. All of my previous trips have required that I leave the house between 4 and 6am, so I'm very glad that our first flight is later!

♥ I got a message this evening from my twin sis, Jessie, who left for the Philippines early yesterday morning. She said,

"We got here last night. Almost didn't get a visa and Megan and I saw a big rat in our holding cell [I assume in customs?]. Couldn't find Joel [missionary] at the airport, but we're here now. :) Lovin it!"

Glad to hear from her! She's the hardest person to be away from. :( Now she's in the Philippines, and in the next 30-something hours I'll be somewhere near or in Mozambique!

♥ I will try to post as often as I have access, but I don't think it will be frequent. Thank you for your prayers! I love love love all your comments of encouragement. You guys are really wonderful. :)

Reminder: I'm NOT going alone!

I have prepared this prayer card with seven specific requests - one for each day of the week. My hope is that you and all my supporters will display it on your refrigerator, mirror, or desktop – a place that you will go often and be reminded to pray for me.

How to pray for Jewel’s ministry in Mozambique and in Puerto Rico:

• That I will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and be effective in my ministry, and that the Lord will bless the time that I commit to preparing my sermons and lessons. Again, my ministry will include a variety of: VBS, teaching English, youth ministry and outreach, ladies Bible study, visiting daycare centers, and teaching at the Bible college.

• That there will be unity on my Mozambique team; and that my relationships with everyone will be an encouragement and a blessing to them. Also, during my last month in Mozambique I will be alone, and I ask you to pray that I will find encouragement during that time.

• That I will be disciplined and kept accountable in my own spiritual walk and make the time for prayer each morning to commit my day and my ministry to Him. It is especially difficult to not be “fed” at church, as the services will be in Portuguese.

• That my body will be protected from sickness or exhaustion, and that my eyes will be protected from irritation and dryness, which frequently plague me.

• That I will have discernment and guidance from God as I lead my team in Mozambique. I sometimes feel inadequate because Africa will be new to me, therefore I cannot adequately prepare them to face difficult situations. I am also one of eight chaperones that will be leading our youth group to Puerto Rico.

• For traveling mercies: for safety during flights, on trips between provinces, and during the long drive between Johannesburg and Xai Xai. Also that I will be able to rest during the long flights (13 hours, 5 hours, 16 hours...) and that my luggage will be protected and arrived when and where it should.

• Finally, that I will have adequate rest and rejuvenation between returning from Mozambique on June 21st and soon after departing for Puerto Rico on June 29th.

<a href="http://lagringajoya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><br /><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-sjc1/hs082.snc3/14996_1445115085804_1170930026_31326276_485461_n.jpg" width="225" border="2" alt="Prayers for Jewel" /><br /></a>

[Copy & Paste code above to share my prayer card with others]

Happenings and Preparations...

Yesterday [Sunday] was wonderful for spending just a little more time with dear friends at church. Two close friends and their baby were in town from Kentucky. Grandmom came over for lunch, as she does every Sunday. Then after lunch we rushed 1.5 hours to the hospital to meet baby Mal-Mal. Then we rushed another 1.5 hours home to attend the evening service and have a little more time with friends before I'm gone the next 7 weeks. Service was great, then we all had a carry-in dinner.

Mom has been feeling pretty bad the past few days. She has been working mucho hours a week between the university and the hospital, and she might have come home from Haiti with malaria. I'm glad she's feeling better today so that we can spend some time together before I leave on Thursday afternoon, and before Jessie leaves early early tomorrow morning.

Meeting my 8-hour-old niece just days before I leave for almost 7 weeks in Africa is just another hard reminder of the reality that things happen while I'm gone. Good things like babies being born and growing, or bad things like Grandmom getting sick and hospitalized.

But He's called me to go and I'm going. I'm leaving a lot of things behind; this summer it's only short-term, but next summer it won't be. It is both scary and exciting. Yesterday I was reminded that I am not going alone.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

I AM NOT GOING ALONE.

Tomorrow I will post my prayer card and some requests, and here are those promised pictures of Mallory Jo:

Little baby Mal Mal was so excited to meet Aunt Jessie and I before we leave on Tues. and Thurs., that she came 3 weeks early!

Look at those little lips!

Only eight hours old

7 lbs. 8 oz. 20 ins.

It's A Girl!

Meet my second niece:

Mallory Jo Sedberry

7 pounds, 8 ounces - 20 inches long

Born at 7:15a - May 2, 2010

I'll post more pictures in the morning, but for now I'll just leave you with this tease while I continue working on sermon and lesson preparations for Mozambique. When will I ever be ready!?

Only FOUR more days.

"All the days ordained for me

were written in Your book

before one of them came to be."

[Psalm 139:16] ♥ ♥ ♥