Weekend Update

(This is a picture of ADRA Headquarters in Antananarivo)

Today is the first day I have felt like a full-functioning human being; not foggy headed in the morning, etc. I feel like I am getting old since it normally only takes me 1-2 days to get over jet lag.

I went over to the Delhove's for lunch this afternoon. It was nice to get out and eat something besides my supply of corn flakes, tomatoes, oranges, cucumber and bread. Once I leave this temporary situation I plan on having more variety of food options but still plan on eating locally and not spending money on imported goods.

A couple and their little girl arrived from Ambositra today -- where I will be headed on Tuesday. They came to do some shopping. I met them briefly; it seems as though they will be becoming my family once I leave since there are limited non-Malagasy people where I am going. I am looking forward to that though and having more contact with the local people and culture. Their little girl is friendly and I have already learned her favorite color, which is blue and purple, as well as her family members -- which I think to her and my surprise, her brother's is pink! I hope to go out and do some shopping with them tomorrow as well as get a cell phone and my visa squared away.

Throughout the weekend I have learned numbers 1-10 in Malagasy: Iray, Rao, Telo, Efatra, Dimy, Enina, Fito, Volo, Sivy, and Folo. I think it will come in handy when I go shopping in the market. I am working on the higher numbers so I will know much things cost since the exchange rate is about $1 to 2,000Airy.

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying your weekend in your respective locations.
~K

First Twenty-four Hours

It seems like flying to Africa is always just as adventurous as my experiences there. My first itinerary was to fly from Rochester, NY to Cincinnati, OH to Paris, France to Antananarivo, Madagascar. Fifteen minutes before walking out the door to get on that flight I got a call that my Rochester flight was cancelled and was then re-routed for a later flight leaving Rochester to JFK to Paris to Antananarivo. When I got to the airport for the second flight I found out it was delayed and was forced to change airlines now going from Rochester to Newark to Paris to Antananarivo because of layover conflicts. Well, it only took about a two-minute walk from security to find out that my Newark flight was also delayed. If I arrived in Newark on time, I would have one hour to get my boarding pass, go through security again, get to my gate and board my next flight in another terminal, keeping in mind that international flights board one hour ahead of departure.

Thankfully my flight landed in Newark at the delayed projected time and that is when a sprint fueled by a panic attack began. This was my time to be that frantic traveler who doesn’t get to their gate on time running through the airport like a banshee hair flying and backpack bouncing all over the place. I was directed to the airline check-in to obtain my boarding pass only to find it shut down and dark except for one lady at a side kiosk. I pleaded my case as if before a judge in control of my fate who immediately told me I had to go back to my arrival gate and re-book my flight because there was no way I was going to make it. However, she called my departure gate as a perfunctory gesture just to “allow me a deep breath” in preparation for my walk back and to demonstrate that she “tried” to get me on the flight. All the while I am thinking, Woman- I don’t care about a deep breath just get my on that plane! At this point the tears began to form in disbelief I missed my flight and questioning if I am supposed to be going to Madagascar? Is all of this a sign? In that moment I whispered to God, “get me on that plane!” This wasn’t exactly a request and probably wasn’t one of my most reverent moments before the Big Man but I didn’t have time to be eloquent.

At that moment a ticket agent walked by who said he could check me in and get my boarding pass and the gate agreed to hold the plane for me. I couldn’t believe it! And I didn’t believe it while I stood there for what felt like forever waiting for that magic paper that would allow me entrance through the forbidden zone armed with metal detectors and fake police in TSA uniforms. An older couple and myself were the last ones on the plane. Finally my heart slowed, adrenaline subsided, and it became real yet again that God answers prayers and I am really on my way Madagascar!

So here I sit on the plane two hours until touch down in Antananarivo. I would like to hope that the last 24hrs aren’t an indication of the next six months, but I guess only time will tell. Regardless, I know that the God that got me on this flight will be deplaneing along with me in Madagascar.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! For those of you who don't know, I will be moving to Madagascar in a few weeks and will be working with ADRA. I will be posting more once I get there. Feel free to post comments and share this with anyone you think would be interested.

The title of this blog is two fold. People ask me what my favorite thing in nature is and automatically I say the stars. I first fell in love with the stars while living in Tanzania. While gazing up at them, I feel so small and am reminded how big God is. They humble me. I am also reminded that what looks like small objects are in reality very big and shine so bright in dark places. I am just like that - I am small and don't have much to offer in the big scheme of things, but I hope to shine my light in the worlds dark places and decrease the shadows in my own heart.

The other reason for this title is that I am a people watcher (gazer). I have come across some amazing individuals around the globe and in my opinion the forgotten, ordinary people are the stars of this world. They shine in the dark circumstances of their own lives and ultimately my heart.

A few months ago I was going through a dry spell in life. One beautiful winter night I was walking to meet some friends and accidentally looked up. I paused and marveled at the stars. I said to myself, "I have not looked up in a long time!" It took me a minute to fully digest all the meaning in that statement and its metaphor to my life. No, I hadn't looked up at the stars themselves in a long time. I also hadn't been looking up to God either. In addition, I had been so focused on the world around me and the earth I was treading on, I had forgotten the world out there-- the world that we try to ignore but in reality is more pervasive then the rest. So, as I start this new adventure, I want to look up: gaze at the creation around me in awe, look up to God as the source of my strength, and look up and outside of myself in order to serve the least of this world.

~Kristie