And I don't have to be afraid, cause I know that You love me.

"You make all things work together for my good."

Oh my. Today was rough. Very rough. I cried most of the day. Okay, for maybe an hour. But that song kept popping into my head. Call it a God-thing, call it me trying to reassure myself. Either way, this song was comforting to me today. I'm listening to it right now.

"When the oceans rage I don't have to be afraid, cause I know that you love me."

You're probably wondering what oceans are raging. Especially now when I'm barely a week away from my planned departure date. Note how I said planned.
Now, nothing is for sure yet, but it looks like I'll be leaving at least a day later. Possibly a week. Why? Because I completely forgot, it totally slipped my mind, to turn in my visa application. Please, don't take it upon yourself to call me an idiot. I've already done that. I thought for sure this was it. There was no way God would allow such a forgetful and unorganized person to go on a trip when she couldn't even be trusted to turn in the most important piece of documentation! And that's what I was crying about. But I've decided to leave that up to God. It seems like He chose me for this trip, so we'll see what happens. No matter what, I have to keep trusting in Him. He does know what He's doing, even when He chose someone like me to keep track of so much important information. He makes ALL things work together for my GOOD.
I've at least learned a valuable lesson.

You may wonder why I still think I'm going to go, and, personally, I think this is the craziest part. Just today I've had one person actually donate and someone else e-mailed me to ask specifically how they can donate to me. I'm taking this to mean God hasn't given up on me. He can use me.

So, prayers are really appreciated today, even more than usual. I made it through today, but now I have to work out what is probably the most important part of my trip. My plane ticket and my visa. And they are tied together, which is the worst part. I have to send in my itinerary in order to get my visa, but it's kind of pointless to buy a plane ticket unless I have my visa. And know you're really wondering how silly I am, I know. I should just buy a later plane ticket, when I at least know my visa will be back, denied or approved. And that is a good idea, one I'll probably end up doing, but that still requires me to BUY a ticket. The way Wycliffe works for interns is they buy everything and then are reimbursed by the money they've raised. And that works out fine - that's how I did my immunizations and how I'm going to pay for my visa, but I don't have the money for the plane ticket. Thankfully, Amy, the intern coordinator is very forgiving. We've talked about this a few times and I keep thinking I have a solution and can pay for it, but alas, now that we are down to the wire I can not. All this to say, please, please pray that either Wycliffe is able to make an exception, or someone gives me the money so I can pay the bill and then donate it to Wycliffe once I've been reimbursed.

I know, it's not likely, but that's why this is a mission's trip and not a tourism trip. I'm not counting on what's likely for us as humans, but on what God can do, which is anything. Can I get an "Amen"? Amen.

Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. The people who pray for missionaries are honestly the most important part. I read several things about prayer yesterday, one of which my grandmother said. "The purpose of prayer is not to influence God, but to join Him against the enemy, Satan. The real pitch is not God-ward, but Satan-ward. We must be persistent in prayer to block the power of Satan so that God's will works." Now, if there are any theologians out there, you can go nit-pick elsewhere. What Mimi is saying is that when we pray, we build a foundation against Satan. Praying makes things less likely to go all to pieces. I'm not saying things don't go wrong when you pray. I'm saying things go God's way. You can be sure of His plan if you know you've been LISTENING and PRAYING for His guidance. I must admit, in these last few days I have not, and today I really felt it. So, please join with me in prayer.

Lord, I know I've been messing up and not reading Your Word or listening for Your guidance like I should, but thank You that You forgive me, and You are still ready and willing to use me. I wonder at You, sometimes because nothing You do makes since to me at the time, but EVERYTHING comes together for my GOOD. I know this does not mean everything will be good, but that I will only grow better when I trust in You for all things. God, You know all my recent sorrows and stupidity, but You forgive and comfort me, leading me back onto the right path. You show me You are still there when I'm wondering where I lost You. Guide me in these next days as everything gets sorted out, maybe not to my liking or will, but by Your hand and Your guidance. Amen.

And now you ought to know everything!

For those of you who are just tuning in, and for those of you who have been following along the whole time, I decided to post my newsletter which explains everything that is going on. And it has my updated information for receiving funds! And since this has been a kind of confusing journey, what with it starting as a trip and then becoming an internship and there being so much information for me to process and then share... Well, I know I probably left some information out and some of you might be confused as to what exactly is going on. So, here's my newsletter, with all it's news.

Wycliffe Canada Internship

Cameroon Summer 2012

Dear Friend,                                                                                                                 May 14, 2012

Some rather amazing, God-given things have been happening in my life recently and I want you to know about them, specifically so you can pray for me and what Wycliffe is doing in Cameroon and around the world. Wycliffe is working to translate the Bible into every viable language (any language which is not in danger of dying out in the next couple of years) by 2025.

This summer I am interning with CABTAL (Cameroonian Association for Bible Translation and Literacy) through Wycliffe Bible Translators  in order to work with and encourage the literacy teachers and Bible translators, and perhaps do some work with Cameroonian children.

What will I be doing?

I will be in Cameroon from June to July, and I will be hopping around a bit. I will be in Lamnso for two weeks, one in June and one in July, in order to help out with Literacy classes and Scripture Encouragement. The rest of the time I’ll be in Bamenda and maybe Babanki.

I have been asked if I am willing to do a few different things, so I’m not completely sure what exactly I’ll be doing, but from what I can tell I will be doing mostly a lot of encouragement in the form of sharing my testimony and talking about how important I think it is to have resources in one’s own language. I may also be able to work in a children’s camp, which I am really excited about. These will mostly be in English, so I’ll be able to really help out with them. I will also be bringing my laptop so I can help some teams record the Gospel of Luke.

Why do it?

Some of you know the passion I feel when I get a chance to work with languages. It’s the same passion you feel if you are a teacher and cannot give up on a student, if you are a social worker and fight for your clients rights, if you are a scholar and are on the trail of a breakthrough. This is the passion I have for languages and the people who speak them – it is my God-given calling to emphasize the equality of every language and to make a language not a barrier but an open door. I want to be able to encourage the Cameroonians whom I will be working with that just because their language did not have an alphabet until recently, it does not mean that their language is less important or that they should not learn how to read in their language. One’s mother tongue is the language you really learn in and is never ever a lesser language. This is why I am going to Cameroon this summer, and I can only hope that I can have some impact, even if I am the only one changed.

How you can help:

As always, you can pray for me. God has been working so much as He led me to this internship. I know He is moving me, but support through prayer is always welcome.

Financial support is welcome, too. I will be in Cameroon for two months, so I am going to need money. Do not feel obligated to give me money because I sent you this letter, but if God lays it on your heart to donate to my internship, I would be really appreciative. If you are in Canada, please go to www.wycliffe.ca and click on Get Involved and then Give. There are different options on how you can give. Just make sure it goes to Sarah Horton.

If you are in the US there are a few different ways you can give. You can go to http://www.wycliffe.org/Give.aspx. Or you can call 800-WYCLIFFE. Donors need to tell Wycliffe US that the donations are for the work of Sarah Horton and give my international project number which is 238952.

If you would like to keep up with what I am doing and how my support is going, please read and follow my blog! I try to post every week and am going to try to keep that up while I am in Cameroon too. http://karimahorton.blogspot.com/

With great appreciation,

 

Karima Horton

Sarahkarima@gmail.com

678-689-4810

Oh dear me.

There is so much I have to do. And since there is so much, I'm going to keep this brief. This is just going to be a few prayer requests and an update so anyone who reads this can know what I'll be doing in the next few days.

First off, I have to apply for a visa to go to Cameroon. This really isn't too difficult and when I called they said it only takes seven business days, so that's not so bad. Hopefully I'll have one by next Friday.

I also have to get shots. 5 shots. Five. I hate getting shots. So much. And these aren't going to be cheap. I have to get yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid, meningitis, and polio shots and that comes to be $428. For shots. Oh my word. I don't know how people who don't believe in God can afford to go to Africa. If it weren't for God, I wouldn't have the money at all, and I'm just barely scrapping by as it is. (Speaking of which, if anyone feels like God is calling them to donate, please let me know. I'd love to take your money.)

Some of you are wondering how I'm getting there. Well, I'm happy to say I sent in my passport information yesterday and am waiting to have my seat booked. That's one thing, thank goodness, that I can check off the list of things to do.

I will also be presenting at my church now, and, quite frankly, that is really stressful for me. What am I supposed to say? I can hardly form coherent sentences when I'm talking to my friends and I start shaking and get really nervous when a teacher calls on me to answer a yes or no question. I'm really no good in front of people. Oh dear. I will have to pray that God puts the right words in my mouth and I am able to speak them coherently.

Those are some of the things I have to do.

If you could please just pray that I finish everything, and my visa comes back without a hitch, that would be wonderful. Pray for me as I am really stressed about everything right now. It seems like there is so much to do, but I can only do a limited amount because I don't have all the money yet. Pray that the funds will come in. I trust God to provide, but I feel like He is stretching my trust right now. Pray that I will be able to have the correct mind-set and won't wear myself out in the preparations. Pray that I will be of some use in Cameroon and will be able to learn and grow spiritually while I'm there. Amen.

I had a name for this, but now I can't remember.

Hello world!

Oh my word! So, I've had my training sessions! I have learned a ton. It was so great. I'm so excited!

Where to start?

At the very beginning, of course.

I spent the last two days with Jessica, a truly wonderful young woman who has been to Cameroon several times. I learned so much from her the last two days. It's crazy. Here's what I learned:

1. Jesus is perfect, and we can't be perfect, but we should still strive for it.
2. Cameroonians are totally different than Americans and Canadians.
       a. Americans and Canadians are task-oriented, individualistic, equality-minded people.
       b. Cameroonians are a relationship-minded, network-oriented, authoritarian people.
3. It can be really awkward going into a restaurant where you and your companion are the only people.
4. If a true understanding of the Gospel is to be had, you need to scrap your old worldview. You have to learn to see things in a new light, and leave your old view behind.
5. If God wants something to happen it will happen. What you see as a horrible, life-altering mishap, God sees as His perfect plan. Even though you just crossed your legs and therefore told everyone in the room that you are the most powerful person in the room does not mean the world is going to end. You will be forgiven by the people AND have a hilarious story to tell people.
6. Don't cross your legs in Cameroon unless you are the most powerful person in the room.

That's what I learned. Obviously, there is more, but I'm really excited and don't really want to sit and type out all the very interesting, but long details of all these things. All I really want to do is talk about how excited I am for, well, every thing.

Do you want to know about the culture? Do you want to know what I've learned about that? Because, my word, I want to tell you.

Okay, so, Cameroon respects modesty and they think the legs are very scandalous. Sure, they understand there are different cultures, but more respect is given if you follow their standards of dress. It is similar to a Christian woman going to a Muslim country and refusing to wear a head scarf. It shows respect and that you know something about their culture. All this to say, I am going to be wearing long skirts basically everyday for two months. Now, I only have three skirts which are long enough. Frankly, if I were Cameroonian, that would be plenty. But I'm not and am in fact from a very materialistic culture and in some ways embrace it. For instance, I love clothes. And buying clothes. And, since I only have three skirts, I have decided (and in fact been encouraged by Jessica) to buy clothes there! Yay! Tell me that isn't the coolest thing. I get to expand my wardrobe AND reach out to people culturally. Sweet!

I still have so much to write about, but I'm at the airport, on my way home, and have kind of lost my train of thought. But don't worry, faithful followers (all two of you)! I'll write another entry soon!

As always, please pray for my safe travels as I hop around the globe this summer. Pray that I will be of some use this summer  and that I will learn and be able to reach out somewhat to the people I will be working with. If you have any questions (such as, where do I send this check for you so you can have the money to go) please e-mail me (sarahkarima@gmail.com)!