reflected_light ([info]reflected_light) wrote,
@ 2007-03-16 17:49:00
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Greetings! :)
Hello world! Do you remember me?

It's been a VERY long time since I have last written, and what can I say but that apparently the Lord thought it good to dry up my pen for a while? I know, though, that even if this is the case, I have friends here to whom I owe some sort of communication. :) Please forgive me for my disappearance! I never meant to stay away so long. :)

Part of my silence is due to the very fact that I've no idea how to express all that God has been doing in my heart over the past 3.5 months! I've received a few concerned emails lately, though, and realized that some have taken my absence to be a sign that something is wrong. It's the opposite that's true - God has gloriously righted me, and given me a great story to tell. :) I hope that I can communicate it in such a way that your heart is also stirred. :) Only first, news!

I am on my way to AFRICA in eight days!!

I am still in delighted shock that the door opened for me to go--oh, I can't believe this is the first that most of you are hearing of this! For a whole year, I was so limited by finances that I wasn't able to travel at all. And now, suddenly and by the beautiful goodness of God, I find I am able to afford to go - I have a ticket for Lusaka, Zambia with my name on it, and an incredible job ahead of packing and preparing to live third world for 3 weeks. I will be gone for three weeks!!! Can you imagine? I've never been away, anywhere, for longer than two. And I'll get to see my 2 dear friends again - La Tascha and Sophia. Want to see pictures? Here's the link to their new website! www.zambianmissions.com.

My head has been spinning with the details of this trip for days, and time itself feels as if it is accellerating. Work also has been challenging, and school. Life has been so good. Hard, but good - God has been teaching me. :)

I am running out of time to write much more... please comment and say hello! I've missed you all and think about you often. :)

Take care!

Rita

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[info]islandboy
2007-03-16 10:15 pm UTC (link)
*falls off chair*

Goodness! Almost forgotten, but not.

Zambia?! A girl from my church just went out there last October to be a missionary nurse in Ndola with Central Africa Missions. I hope you have a blessed time.

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 07:02 pm UTC (link)
I should be able to visit Ndola myself! We are planting a new church there. :) I love your friend's prayer card, did you make it? It's really nice!

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[info]islandboy
2007-03-19 10:53 pm UTC (link)
Oh well you should totally go and check out what they're doing, her name is Barbara Lawson and she works with the Isubilo project (http://www.isubilo.org) in Ndola, that would be such a surprise :o)

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 09:37 pm UTC (link)
I'll have to keep an eye out for them when I am there... I will be traveling with a group so it's not likely that I'd have the opportunity to seek her out, but it would be so cool if I bumped into her. :) God does things like that sometimes!

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[info]islandboy
2007-03-21 09:54 pm UTC (link)
That would be funny :oD this is Barbara at a march outside the Isubilo centre.

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[info]alle_emanilen
2007-03-17 12:28 am UTC (link)
Rita!!

What a pleasant surprise! I forgot how much I enjoy your uplifting posts. Anyway, it is great to know that things are going so well for you. Yet somehow, I felt like the reason you weren't posting was probably because things were exciting for you in some way and you were busy but most likely happy. Thinking about it now, I probably shouldn't have assumed that, in case something bad had in fact happened haha.

That trip sounds really exciting too. Hope you have a wonderful three weeks!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 07:33 pm UTC (link)
Hi Alex! :) Thanks for saying hello - yes, things are going really, really great for me, especially since Christmas... God has been doing a lot in my life. :) It's great to hear from you! Are you well? :)

I'm going to have a phenominal 3 weeks! I can't wait until I board the plane - at that point I will be done with the frenzy of packing & planning & purchasing and I can just sit back and relax. :)

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[info]flannel_flowers
2007-03-17 01:00 am UTC (link)
I remember you!! Good to see you back, Rita! What exciting news!! : )

You are in my prayers.

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 08:02 pm UTC (link)
Oh, little Jonah's soooo cute!!!!

Thank you for praying - mostly I am asking for health, safety & spiritual guidance for this trip. :) Thank you sweetheart - it's good to hear from you. :)

Rita

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[info]thistleberry
2007-03-17 01:43 am UTC (link)
Congratulations on your upcoming adventure! Stay safe and have a blessed time!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:34 pm UTC (link)
Thank you Thistle! ♥ I definately plan on doing both. :)

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RITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[info]heismysong
2007-03-17 02:49 am UTC (link)
RITA!!! :D

Oh, Rita, I'm so happy for you!!! :D

Just today I was checking out the last time you posted! I think about you alot, too, and I think about calling you... but every time I do, I also think it just isn't the right time. I guess I figured we'd talk when you're around to talk! :)

I know you still read my own poetry from time to time, because I've seen the comments, which are very encouraging by the way. I miss reading ones from you, though. But I can also understand that God must have His way, even if that means drying the ink in your pen.

God has been taking good care of me, and I'm trying to stay strong and to continue listening to and obeying His voice. School has been going "okay"- it's been a little hectic this year, but I have a very good group of kids- very sharp! :) Lots of little boys again, and this time they're real boy boys! lol They LOVE soccer, AND the mud that comes with it! :D

Well, Beloved, I hope I'll hear from you sometime before you go, and if not, then know that I love you and am praying for you and your ministry there. Tell the others I said "Hi!"

For His Glory, Your friend,
Natalie :D

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Re: RITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:41 pm UTC (link)
Natalie! *hugs* Hi sweetheart! Oh you can ALWAYS call me and it will be the right time. :) Yes I've been checking in occasionally to get my dose of your exquisite poetry... mostly though I haven't been keeping up with much of LJ. And it's good, because it's God; you know? I really would like the chance to talk to you and better describe all that He's been doing in my heart. :)

I leave in five days! I'll be spending the first 3 days in Johannesburg, South Africa staying in a small apartment owned by a girl named "Tlhoki" (pronounced "cloakie" by us Americans). I haven't met her yet but she seems really really nice from her emails. :) I'll spend those days with her and our church in Joburg before flying to Zambia for 3 weeks.

I'm going to be doing a lot of singing! Pray for my voice. :) And my memory - there's soo many lyrics I have to have memorized before I leave. :)

I love you Natalie - and I owe you a good long talk IRL! Take care sweetheart ~

Rita

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[info]roses_for_ann
2007-03-17 03:49 am UTC (link)
I'm so glad to hear you're all right - I too, especially lately, have been wondering if you were okay. I'm so glad you're going to get to go to Africa! I'll be praying for you!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:44 pm UTC (link)
Thanks Jael :)I'm sorry to have worried you - I can't even explain how I suddenly felt disconnected from everything online, and really plugged in to everything going on in my real life. :) I tried to post soo many times but just couldn't seem to finish a paragraph. But here I am! It's really nice to hear from everyone. :)

I can't believe I'm going back to Africa - it's kind of surreal. I'm so not the africa type. :) But I know with all my heart that God is in it, and that alone is making it an exciting trip. :) I'll do my best to describe everything when I get back! Thank you for your prayers. ♥

Rita

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[info]orangerobots
2007-03-17 04:31 am UTC (link)
Hi, Rita!

Although I'm not the longest on your friends list, I really missed reading your entries. It was just yesterday when I hoped you'd post something soon & I'm so glad to see you're back (and with wonderful news, too)!

May your trip to Africa be a blessed one!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:47 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, I'm sorry for dropping off the planet for a while! I think it was/is just a season that God led me into. The things He's been doing in my heart have been so beautiful and personal that I don't know if I could have expressed them in writing anyway. :)

My trip will be wonderful - I can't wait to get past the frantic shopping/planning/packing stage and get on the plane!

Take care,
Rita

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[info]adele99
2007-03-17 02:11 pm UTC (link)
I have been missing you, too, thanks for this exciting update! I never thought that you would be in any kind of trouble. On the contrary, I was happy for you, because I thought that you wanted to keep a little distance to excessive online stay, - and you had overcome the temptation with your excellent self-discipline!!! Have a blessed trip to Africa!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:49 pm UTC (link)
Lol, well it wasn't exactly self-discipline - more like God suddenly flipped a switch in me and I had no capacity to put sentences together at all. :) But I'm so blessed and encouraged to hear from everyone today; it reminds me how loved I am. :)

Good to hear from you, Adele! :)

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[info]trophyofgrace
2007-03-17 03:12 pm UTC (link)
So cool, Rita! Emily told me she'd see you there. You're going earlier then. She and her group aren't leaving until April 5th, I believe. Are you traveling alone or are some others going with you?

I hope you have a wonderful time.

Thanks for posting. Everyone misses you!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-19 09:51 pm UTC (link)
Yes, I leave this Saturday so I can spend time in SA and then in Lusaka with the team for a while before the crowd shows up. :) I'm traveling alone so pray for me! But I'll be meeting people at the airport as soon as I arrive. :)

It's really good to write again, and to hear from everyone! I didn't realize how much I missed it. :) I have to run to class right now or I'd finish commenting back to all these lovely notes from people...

Talk to you later! Love you ♥

Rita

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[info]greenhornet
2007-03-17 05:53 pm UTC (link)
Hey! I've been praying for you occasionally. It's great to hear from you. I have some friends in Zambia, but it's a huge country, so you probably won't run into them.

Keep us posted.

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 03:38 am UTC (link)
It's really nice to know that I wasn't forgotten. Thank you for praying for me. :) That's unusual that you would know people there - do you know what city they're in? I'm going to Lusaka and maybe Ngombe too. I'm also taking a short side-trip to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls! It's supposed to be the biggest waterfall in the world, only I'm not sure how they measure that... I think it's the widest (or longest?) one.

I'll do my best to keep you guys posted. :)

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[info]dancing_darling
2007-03-17 06:42 pm UTC (link)
Rita! Yay!
I've been wondering where you'd disappeared to of late as well. I figured it could only be God working in your life, though. He seems to have prompted lots of people to take a leave from LJ land of late.

I'm so glad to hear that things have worked out for you to go to Africa for three weeks! Praise up! God is so cool! I hope you have a blessed time and your faith grows in leaps and bounds there. I really really hope you find the time when you get back to enlighten us as to the whole trip... :)

Traveling Mercies, Godspeed, Go in Peace! ♥

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 03:46 am UTC (link)
Hi there! Yeah, I just got "distracted" by real life for a while. :) I think it was very healthy for me. :)

I'm so excited that God has opened the door for me to go on this trip. I wish I were able to stay even longer than 3 weeks, but at the same time it feels like a gloriously long amount of time already. :) Long enough to forget that you don't live there, anyway. :) And I look forward to that - to being an overseas missionary for a little while, and just losing myself in the joy of my calling.

I really hope I'll be able to write about my time in Zambia thoroughly too. I'll be taking tons of pictures which I plan on posting when I return. :) Have you seen the website yet? www.zambianmissions.com - it's full of great photos of where I'll be. :)

Thank you for your love & prayers! You're a sweetheart. :)

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[info]joanneabigail
2007-03-19 06:36 am UTC (link)
RITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 03:49 am UTC (link)
Joanne!!!!! Oh how are you?? How are the twin babies that you suddenly and inexplicably have??? Didn't you just get married a few days ago or something? Time has flown so fast. :) I love you and miss you - I hope you know that, even if I have disappeared from the online world for a while. ♥

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[info]airehen
2007-03-19 01:13 pm UTC (link)
Greetings, again!

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 03:52 am UTC (link)
Hi! ♥ How are you?

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Ritttaaaaa!!!!! ::screams:: ::faints::
[info]avoyage
2007-03-19 04:13 pm UTC (link)
Rita! My dear one! How wonderful to hear from you! I’ve hardly been on Livejournal at all, but I just thought I’d check today to see if you’d posted *anything* ….and how excited I am to see that you have…..and to see that you’re going to Africa!
… Have you heard Hannah’s happy news? That she’s engaged?? Oh, the Lord has been pouring His blessings out on us! And I can see that He’s been doing to same for you…I can’t wait to hear all that He’s been doing in your life! I think of you so often and pray for you. It is very lovely to hear from you.
Oh, I almost forgot…is there any way that you could e-mail your address to me? I don’t think I have your current one, and have been meaning to get it from you for a while.
Sorry I haven’t kept in touch with you very well…we have been so busy. (I am the official wedding coordinator!) : )
Love you, Rita! God bless you on your trip!
Chloe

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Re: Ritttaaaaa!!!!! ::screams:: ::faints::
[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 04:02 am UTC (link)
Oh - my dear and precious Chloe. ♥ I don't know where to start - I've missed you! Is all well in your home? It's wonderful to hear from you! Yes, I'll email you my address. Please write a nice long email, or call me. It would bless me so much. :) And Hannah - yes, I heard the news. My jaw dropped when I heard! :) I will have to trust the good judgment of all of you since I don't know the boy myself, but he better be an amazing man to deserve my little sister's hand! I wish I could meet him. :)

My flight leaves at 1:15pm Saturday. Three weeks, Chloe! I can't believe it. God is so good. :) Things are really crazy here as I get ready, but I think I'm mostly set now except for a few loose ends to take care of. I hope I can talk to you before I leave, but if not I'll be sure to when I get back. :) Please give my love to everyone in the Maddux home - I love you all. ♥ Thank you for your love and prayers, they mean so much to me. :)

God bless,
Rita

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[info]springdove
2007-03-20 01:19 pm UTC (link)
Wow! How exciting for you! I was thinking about you the other day and wondering what you were up to, and then this post appeared on my friends page! I'm so glad you've got good things happening in your life. :)

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 06:20 pm UTC (link)
Thank you! At times lately I've wondered why in the world I do things like this - it's stressful and crazy and you spend tons of money and come home broke again. :) But God is in it, and that's the bottom line! :) That's all that matters. Following where He leads. It's always going to be worth it. :)

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[info]amymich
2007-03-20 07:41 pm UTC (link)
It's been awhile... I just wanted to let you know I have re-added you as a friend. I'll be praying for your fun & safe trip, Rita, how exciting for you. =)

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[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 07:24 pm UTC (link)
Thanks Amy :D It's great to hear from you! I can't promise I'll be posting regularly (especially not for the next few weeks that I'm away) but it's good to stay connected. :) God bless ~ thank you for praying for me. :)

Rita

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May God bless you and others richly during the trip.
[info]bravobevo
2007-03-20 09:37 pm UTC (link)
When you're packing for a mission trip, think MINIMALIST. Take whatever you are prepared to lose (in case your things are stolen), don't need (2 years ago I survived for a week in India with my CARRY-ON BAG, when all checked luggage didn't arrive in India until 2 hours before be boarded our departure flight to return to America), or are willing to give away (as you fall in love with the natives - God will do that to you, as He does to all who serve Him).

Realistically, we have so much (I was about to say that we are "so blessed" but in many ways we are trapped in materialism so in reality it isn't completely a blessing), that the levels of poverty everywhere else in the world (and especially in Africa) is almost incomprehensible if you haven't traveled there before.



Heavenly Father, we ask that You show Yourself to be the all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign God that you are during Rita's trip. We ask that You use her in mighty ways as she moves about Your people to do what Jesus would do if Jesus were physically there, may Rita be Your hands and feet in ministry serving and encouraging the natives. We pray that Your love will be shown through her and that Your name alone will be glorified. When she is asked why she would travel all the way over there, may her answer be to make famous the name of Jesus to everyone. We thank you in advance for Your faithfulness and Your love and Your presence with Rita, in the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.



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Re: May God bless you and others richly during the trip.
[info]reflected_light
2007-03-21 09:09 pm UTC (link)
Thank you so much for the beautiful prayer, that is so sweet. :) He is all-knowing and all-powerful, isn't He? What a precious Friend to travel with. :) It will be an adventure!

Yes I actually have to travel minimalist, because I'm bringing so many other things for the church there that I don't have much room for my own things. :) Silly airlines - who came up with baggage restrictions, anyway?

I do plan on taking as much daily-use stuff as possible in my carry-on bag (clothes, etc) - just in case I get separated from my bags! But pray with me that this won't happen for the sake of the church. :) God bless you.

Rita

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