http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org Brianna Franklin Going to Africa! - First Year Missionary en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:09:49 GMT 30 http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures-from-swazilandpi http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures-from-swazilandpi Little Sato kept crying until I tied him on my back with a towel, just like his mother or grandmother does every dayThis is our "gift" that I wrote about in my last blog. And don't worry I wasn't the one who did the ugly deed. I was just posing. My best friend in Swaziland, Treasure. She is the one who had her appendix removed.Kids at the Care Points get only two meals a day, Sour Porridge(what you see in the picture) in the morning and Pap and Beans in the afternoon. And everyone always eats wi Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=the-end-is-near http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=the-end-is-near So my time in Swaziland is coming to a close here in just three short weeks. And I am having all kinds of mixed feelings about it. I will be so sad to leave this wonderful country and all the friendships I have made over the past four months. I pray that one day the Lord will bring me back to this place and these people. But on the other hand I miss my family so much, and I am very ready to move on to the next phase in my life. College! This summer I will be working again as a counselor and life Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=the-gift http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=the-gift In Swaziland a sign of wealth is the number of livestock you have. That includes cows, goats and chickens.  For example before a man can marry a woman he has to pay a "labola" to the brides family for her hand in marriage and that is always payed in cows. And it signifies that the man is wealthy enough to support his wife.  So if you really like or respect someone you give them an animal as a gift.  Sunday our team received such a gift.  Our very own rooster! We had no idea w Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=appendicitis http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=appendicitis Our translator and friend who lives in our house with us is named Treasure, and over the past few weeks has had really bad headaches and stomachaches and this past weekend after several doctor visits discovered that she had appendicitis. Saturday She had it removed, But Swazi medicine is nothing at all like the States. Something that would have been a simple surgery in the US and only kept her in the hospital for maybe one night has kept Treasure in the hospital three days and in tons of pain. O Tue, 8 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=update-on-the-riots-in-swaziland http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=update-on-the-riots-in-swaziland March 28th has come and gone and the scheduled riot did not take place.  I have heard that the police force was prepared for any demonstrations so the textile workers are waiting for a time to demonstrate when the police are more lax about security.  Please pray that the government will work with the workers for honest wages.  Right now the workers are being paid the equivalent of $30 a week.   Thank you for the prayers, notes and encouragements you are sending my way. H Thu, 3 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pray-for-swaziland http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pray-for-swaziland     So last week while I was writing my last blog, I was at an internet cafe when I heard a  noise and the man  behind the desk said to some one next to me that it wasn't safe outside.  And I was confused I thought that the man was just joking because there has never been a time that I have not been safe in Manzini (the town we live in in Swaziland).  But then another man came out of the back room with keys and locked us in the building and turned off the light Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=1-peter http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=1-peter Several girls on my team and myself have started a Bible study on the book of 1 Peter.  Along with studying it most of us have decided to memorize the whole book as we go.  Memorizing  two verses a day  we  will be able to get the whole book done by  the time we get home.   At the start the thought  of memorizing a complete book of the Bible completely freaked me out. I was sure that I would never be able to do it, because I am horrible at memorizing Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures Yeah! I was able to find some fast enternet that alows me to upload pictures! I hope you enjoy them! This is our lovely house in Madonsa Swaziland. Were there are usually 17 of us living, but tonight some other AIM teams are coming through and there will be about 31 of us.  Saturdays are our Family Ministry days and for one of them we went out and cleared the land with Machetis and bush wakker for a new kitchen and we gave away  shoes to all the kids. it Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=a-new-church http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=a-new-church I tried to load some pictures today but alas the internet is was to slow, an hour isn't even enough to load one picture = (  I suppose I may try later.  So I will just update you on a few things.    I have found a great church here in Swaziland, and it was quite by mistake. But I have been going there now far a few weeks and is only a ten minute walk from our house. The Sunday school is great almost on the some level as Vicki Slone's, which in saying a lot.  And the Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=update http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=update Thank you so much for all of your prayers. The last week and a half been so much better for me and taught me to never underestimate the prayers of HIS saints. I don't even know where to begin or what it is that is so different, But I feel, for the first time since being back in January, that I belong here and I am enjoying it.  Praise the Lord! Last Tuesday I was able to go out into the bush with the medical Missionary couple that I meet.  It was amazing! They run one of the most Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=roller-coaster http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=roller-coaster Hello friends and family.  The last two weeks have taken me on a roller coaster of emotions. Since writing my last blog I have been very confused as to the direction the Lord was leading me. The things that I wished to do had fallen though and I was very discouraged and I was seriously contemplating weather this was where the Lord wanted me, or if I would be better off back home in the States where I could get a job and prepare for college. But then something would happen and I would feel Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=in-the-dark http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=in-the-dark Hello everyone!  So I have survived my first week back in Swaziland, and what a long week it was. Last Saturday we arived here and settled into our new house.  I was able to unpack a little bit and that was nice but I am still living out of my suitcases. And WE HAVE MANGOS TREES IN OUR FRONT YARD!  I must confess that my diet this week has mainly consisted of Mangos. I would post a picture of our house but Swazi enternet is agonizingly slow and I don't believe& Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=my-new-address http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=my-new-address MY Swaziland address is Brianna Franklin C/O Julie Anderson POBox 5526 Mbabane Swaziland, Africa Please don't send any packages they take months to come. letters and padded envolopes can make it in about two weeks! Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=back-2-africa http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=back-2-africa Wow!  I'm heading back to Africa after a whirlwind 3 week stay with my family and friends.  It's gone by too quickly and it's time to head back whether I'm ready or not.  I think I'm ready, but it's hard to leave everything I have and love here.  (Maybe a little taste of what it was like for Jesus to come to earth as a baby)  I'm excited, yet nervous, about my new ministry in Swaziland.  I'm excited because the plan is for me to do hands on care for young kids who c Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=christmas-at-home http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=christmas-at-home Merry Christmas everyone and a happy New Year!  I know this is a terribly belated Christmas greeting and I am even late on the new year thing, but I have just been delighted being home and with my family.  I've loathed the idea of being online for more than five minutes, let alone writing!    Before some of you start thinking that I quit my missions trip early and will not be returning to Africa, let me inform you that with AIM we are given a four week break over the Christm Thu, 3 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=back-to-swaziland http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=back-to-swaziland Hello again!  I think some of you might have thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, and I am so sorry I have not written in over a month!   So let me go back and quickly recap on the last month and half's occurrences.           Shortly after writing my last two blogs, my team and I were divided up into two different teams according to where we felt the Lord leading us to do ministry for the second semester, whether in Ken Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=compassion http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=compassion Great things are happening in the ministries here in South Africa. In the slums great friendships have been formed, fellow Christians are being discipled and encouraged in there faith, and the gospel is being shared with people who are hungry for the Truth.  Two weeks ago we were able to gain admittance into a nearby hospital, which is very exciting. For the past two weeks I have gone to the hospital.  My first day there my friend, Abby and I found the children's cancer ward and made Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=halloween http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=halloween Season's Greetings Oh how I miss the bright fall colors and chilly autumn air! Here on the other side of the world we are going through the opposite season.  It is spring time right now.  There are many thunderstorms and everything is turning green after a long dry season. In light of the Halloween holidays I have been thinking about how when I first got to Africa I thought that I would only see a witch doctor if I went deep into the bush to some uncivilized tribe.  But to my s Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=martha http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=martha Hey Guys! sorry I forgot to write this earlier but Martha is all better!  Praise the Lord.  She recuperated about two or three weeks ago.  I am so sorry I did not inform all of you sooner.  Thank you so much for your prayers!  I will be writing more this week.  Love you All. Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=my-life-in-africa http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=my-life-in-africa Dear Friends Thank you so much for all prayers and encouragements.  I am so sorry that I have not had much time to write on my blog but now I will tell you more about what I have been doing over the past 5 weeks.  The first week was training camp in Gainsville, Georgia where I met all 35some of my present teammates-who by the way are amazing!  That first week was filled with ministry seminars and team builders as we all struggled to learn each others names and where everyone was Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=swaziland http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=swaziland Hey everyone! I am in the Kingdom of Swaziland!  And I love it I was even given a Swazi name. It is Celuthando, But you say it with a click at the beginning, and it means "Ask for Love" This country is about the size of New Jersey, and has the highest AIDS population in the World. It is estimated that About 65% of the Kingdom is infected with this disease and if things don't chance arourd here the Swazi people will have all die out by 2052.  So the need is SOOOOO great for these people Fri, 5 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=new-address-and-stuff http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=new-address-and-stuff     Hey everyone I am flying to South Africa a week from tomorrow. And I will be able to receive mail and or packages! So I know you will want to know my new address. So while I am in Johannesburg South Africa it will be Brianna Franklin AIM Johannesburg PO Box 1284 Ifafi, South Africa 0260     The next couple of days will be hard for me as I will be leaving my family and starting this new adventure. So I ask that you would pl Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=god-is-good http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=god-is-good       All FYM-ers, myself included, will be leaving for Georgia in 6 days for a week of training before those of us headed for Africa depart on the 19th of Sept.! As the time at home draws to an end I find my nerves and excitement rising and the task of concentrating on anything becomes increasingly difficult. It will be a miracle if I can remember to pack at least half the stuff I need.      For many months I have considered the date of September 12t Thu, 6 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=camp-nathanael http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=camp-nathanael Camp Nathanael!!!!!         The past seven weeks I spent at Camp Nathanael. It is a small camp in southeastern Kentucky, run by Scripture Memory Mountain Mission where my parents work. This summer I worked as a counselor, lifeguard, assistant recreation director, and team leadings. I have been so blessed by all that has happened is summer. God has worked in my life and in the campers lives as well. To be honest, I began the summer feeling quite inadequat Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=costa-rica http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=costa-rica Eighteen years ago I was born in San Antonio de Belin, Costa Rica. My Grandma, two Uncles and thirteen cousins still live there. So after over a year of saving all we earned three and a half weeks ago, my sister Alanna and I went to Costa Rica! It was amazing and brought back so many sweet memories. This time of year in Costa Rica is rainy season and mango season. So it would rain every afternoon, and every day I would go out with my little tree loving monkey cousin Linea and pick several Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=simply-significant http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=simply-significant While I was in Costa Rica my wonderful Grandma started a devotional book with my sister and I called "The Discipline of Surrender." We learned about the different symbols that God uses in the Bible and what they are meant to teach us.  It was an excellent study and we learned about the significance of the unadorned alter, the shepherd's staff, manna, Gideon's trumpet, the thorn in the flesh, the donkeys colt, and several others.  I learned that God uses the common and insignificant t Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=true-joy-in-god http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=true-joy-in-god In 1731, Jonathan Edwards  said this in a  sermon, please read it slowly and think on the immense joy and goodness that we have in fellowship with God.          "The redeemed have all their objective good in God.  God Himself is the great good which they are brought to the possession and enjoyment of by redemption.  He is the highest good, and the sum of all that good which Christ purchased.  God is the inheritance of Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=graduation http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=graduation Hey guys, it's been a while since I've written last. I'm sorry about that so let me fill you in on some of the stuff that's been happenin around these parts. First of all let me start with school. I know this might sound just a bit strange, but as of May 11, 2007 I both graduated form high school and finished my first full year of college. What a great day that was! If you wish to know more about that scenario just ask, and I might perhaps write about that in my next blog. Any Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=facebook http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=facebook     To all you AIM'ers out there that are going to Africa I really want to get to know all of you guys, but I have a crazy busy summer ahead of me working at a camp.  I am going to try as hard as possible to read as many blogs as a can.  I am a huge fan of facebook, and I think that facebook would be a great way for us to get to know each other.   So if you have a facebook look me up under Brianna Franklin Network: KCTCS , and leave me a message telling Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=humbled http://briannafranklin.myadventures.org/?filename=humbled Update Alerts Thank you so much for all of your support so far. I have been so encouraged by all of you and have already seen God's hand working in miraculous ways as He is providing for and teaching me already. As I stated in my support letter, before I leave for Africa I must have 60% of my support already in. I must admit that I was a bit nervous about how all thi Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT