I'm in Nigeria, have been for about 2 weeks. I've been living with a bishop (say what!?). Anyways, I'm returning to Liberia in a few days. I'll do some preaching, some teaching, and last minute hanging with some orphange children, neighbor kids, and friends. Then on the 19th (Wednesday) I leave to come home (USA!). I haven't been able to update because I have had very limited internet access and the few times I have had it had been dedicated to my family and others who are helping me get ready for school by ordering books, figuring out football tickets (it is a genuine concern people), getting me money seeing as I ran out (trust me not my fault, things come up), and working out what to do about having an expired Liberian visa. That's right, I left Liberia with a visa that expired while I was out of country. I blame myself. I just thought we would be getting back before it expired. It actually expires the day before I get back. Ugh.
Oh also, Nigeria is a crazy and seemingly dangerous place! I had to sleep in an airport because the potential that armed robbers would take our car, luggage, and possibly our lives. When day light hit, then we hit the road. There was also some crazy rebellion a few hundred miles away from where we are (Jalingo) or something, where hundreds of people died in some shootings. This happened before we came here though. My mom called Rev. Kulah's cell phone just to make sure we weren't there when that happened. But they did end up arresting many of the rebels just outside of our city, whoa. I thought Liberia was suppose to be the unstable place what with the recent civil war. Wrong, Nigeria is, I'll say it again, crazy.
But don't worry mother, I'm fine and I'll be fine.
So, if you want I give you permission to pray for me. I have faith and confindence it shall work out, but it sure sounds crazy right now. So prayer is cool.
I miss a lot of you, which I clearly relaid back to many of y'all via Facebook. Thanks for the messages. I was reading a book about a medical doctor in Vietnam before the war, Deliver Us From Evil by Dr. Tom Dooley (I've read so many different things it is ridiculous), and he said one of the most encouranging things while he was away was the letters he would recieve. I agree, though mine are mostly in the form of short wall post on Facebook, I love them all the same. I also love all my emails and messages. My poor sister tried to send me some pictures of Noah through email, but it just wasn't the success I'm sure she was hoping for.
Anyways, I look forward to seeing everyone again. And cheeseburgers. But most you people that I call friends and family.
Uncle Joshua
(I hear people like 'uncle' more than brother, though I recently have been called Rev. Joshua. What do you think?)
