The Chronicles of Novakia: Team Novak

A lot has changed since my last post. Thankfully, what matters has stayed the same : )

Let me introduce you to Team Novak: Russia, Toomay, Baby Kelli, Blakely, and Ray Ray. Below are some pics of our first month in Africa together as well as a few from last semester. Enjoy!

Toomay and I lovin' the beach

A couple of the girls and I travel to the city each week to teach ESL to a group of sweet Pakastani women. I learned how to thread eyebrows last week, but practiced my technique on Russia's arm first. It went well and Russia is looking GOOD!

We're holding clubs every week at several schools teaching the Word and encouraging students to lead lives of purity. 1 in 3 people in our area have HIV or AIDS.

Before clubs, we held school-wide presenations of an African-style True Love Waits. TLW is an interactive prgoram that combines health education with a Biblical understanding of sex, marriage, and purity as a lifestyle.

Me giving an illustration on how HIV/AIDS effects the body.

Teaching under trees isn't so bad as long as there's a breeze and the school isn't next door to an airstrip. Our team usually splits up so we can teach in smaller groups, but we still ended up with 250+ students each most days.

Some of our precious students!

We've been dabbling in Henna a little as a way to tell stories from the Word. This is the design Ray Ray made up to illustrate her story with J.

Making coconut beans in the village. To shave the coconuts you sit on a plank with a knife attached and use the edge of the knife to carve out the insides. Toomay is so gracefully modeling the process.

Babies everywhere...I love it!

Blakely and Tooms hanging out with some kiddos at a friend's house

Making chapatis. It's takes work, but it's worth it. We were priviledged to learn from one of the best chapati makers around. Our best attempts still resulted in mzungu chapatis, but they were still delicious :)

Baby Kelli leading up our first day of club. This lesson hit home for her as she shared about her personal struggle with self-worth and reminded students of Psalm 139 -" I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." So proud of you, Baby Kel!