Now I do.

I need to rediscover the joys of simply being me.  The me who dances like a maniac, sings in strange voices in the shower, pretends to be a thug, relishes in competition, and loves laughing, giving advice, playing games, being goofy, being artsy, and playing football.  🙂  I’ve lived here for too long like a volunteer or short term missionary. Missions mentor Elysa Mac recently told me, “You won’t last much longer living like that.  You need to make your life here.”  Indeed, I’m at that point.  I need to make this my life. 

So my needs (which still aren’t really needs) revolve around how to make my own life here.  I’ve turned them into a wish list, so now I have some ideas when someone genuinely asks, “Kate, what do you need?”    

1.       Health/food/nutrition: Don’t get me wrong, I love rice and beans.  But after 18 months of eating them every day, I think I can move on to better nutrition for myself.  I quite enjoy cooking, when I have time, and it’s something I haven’t done here because I eat what the girls eat/cook (except when it’s intestines or fish, of course).  Eating healthy is much more expensive, but in the end I know it will be worth it.  When I went to the local shopping mall the other day, I got quite excited looking at the different kitchen items I could buy to start making healthy meals in a timely manner.  These are items I can buy here (rather than having them donated because of the different electricity and outlets here) if you wanted to send a check/cash to me then I can purchase them here:

·         Crock pot $28.50

·         Hand blender $12.50

·         Hand mixer $13

·         Grill $15

Other fun foods/items that could be sent/donated that I’d quite enjoy at any time are:

·         Granola bars or Cliff bars

·         Trail mix

·         Dried fruit mix

·         Vitamins

·         Gum

·         Mints

·         RECIPES (your favorites)

·         Box mixes (for cake, brownies, muffins, pancakes, etc.)

·         The really healthy stuff like dark chocolate chips, M&Ms, and PB cups J

2.       Writing:  I’m working on a book, so you can pray for me to finish it, find an editor, publisher, etc. The computer I have is quite old so it has to plugged in in order to work, which is frustrating when there’s not always access to electricity; it’s also nearly out of memory and space (though my brothers keep reformatting it for me).  I also journal every day.  I made a promise to God a couple years ago during lent that I would write to him every day.  So every night before bed, I write to him and tell him all the things I’m thankful for that day.  To buy journals here are very expensive and to buy pens aren’t really worth it because they’re not that good.  So these are items for the wish list:

·         journals

·         fancy or colorful pens

·         small laptop

·         photo editing or video editing system for computer

3.       The “girly” me:  In this blasted heat and life of sweat, I sometimes just need to feel pampered and it can something as simple as these:

·         lotion

·         perfume

·         scented candles

·         makeup

4.       Reading:  I could use some great Christian fiction reads for when I’m sitting at the clinic or at the bank or another meeting place that takes 2-6 hours of wait time.  I have plenty of non-fiction to read, and I’ve eaten up pretty much all of Francine Rivers’ books, so I’d love some other options!

5.       Football: Eish, I miss this so terribly much.  I miss being able to come home after church and turn the TV on to watch football.  In fact, I just miss TV in general (and I hardly ever watched it at home!).  I haven’t figured out how to solve this yet, but a few options would be buy internet wifi, and then buying some sort of online NFL subscription or game streaming, etc.  Anyone have any ideas for me on how to get me some football and basketball?

6.       To feel normal: Receiving letters or packages from home are incredible.  My grandmas is the one who sends me consistent letters (even if I don’t write back to all of them) and it always makes me feel normal.  She tells me about her life, simple things, or about all the family.   Sometimes I get tired of trying to describe life here to people so it’s such a gift when others update me on every day random things about life.

·         letters

·         pictures

·         things that mean something to you or represent you

7.       Lastly, to make this life my own means renting a house of my own.  My friend Morgan and I plan to rent a house for the next year starting in January.  I created a GOFUNDME page to raise money since this is an expense I didn’t raise support for nor can I afford on my own. 

It will cost $5,200 for the whole year including rent, electricity, water, and furnishings. You can go to gofundme.com/mamakate to donate there or mail a check to: 208 Scenic Circle, Marshall, WI 53559.