Highlights

So, it's only been 10 months since I updated the blog. I thought it might be best just to go over a few highlights.

December 2010 - Jason and I took a short-term trip to India. We worked with an indigenous ministry to some nomadic cattle herders. I LOVE India. We met with two awesome veterinarians from Australia who worked with us in the villages each day.

April 2011 - Jason and a team of vet students from Ross organized a trip to Sudan. While there they worked with an indigenous ministry to reach out to some of the cattle owners. Jason and the students had a great time of growth and fellowship. As always, Jason loves Africa.

May 2011- Real Life Real Impact weekend occurred. Christian veterinarians from the USA spoke to the CCF group about everything from veterinary work in missions to living and managing your veterinary practice in a way that glorifies God. Thanks to all who participated!

May 31, 2011- We celebrated Elijah's 3rd birthday. Time really does fly by! He is such a blessing and is growing so much.

June 2011 - We started a rotation for Children's Church at the Caribbean Christian Fellowship on Sundays. It has been a tremendous amount of fun for the parents and the kids! Thanks everyone who donate materials or cash to get this started.

July 2-10, 2011 - Jason and I went with our niece Kayla on a short term trip to Peru. We joined with a team of over 80 people. The team consisted of medical doctors, nurses, students, development workers, pastors, family members and so many more (of course, veterinarians). The goal was to provide needed care and education, strengthen pastors there and help start new churches and bible studies.

Life on St. Kitts -

Life here has been interesting. We have been the victims of a series of robberies. Thankfully no one has been hurt. It is so frustrating, scary, expensive and annoying. It is hard not to become a little cynical about the injustice here on the island. Since then we have moved into another temporary home. Next month we will move into our new place. This 'villa' has a few more neighbors and much better security. God has certainly blessed us with great property owners and a much safer neighborhood.

This summer"s heat has been a little more tolerable . I guess we start to adjust to the heat and the rains that come with hurricane season. I always laugh when people joke about living the life in the Caribbean. It is absolutely beautiful here. I love the ocean. We have wonderful friends. Jason loves his job. The Caribbean Christian Fellowship is great and we love our bible studies.

On a different note, it is HOT here. Just so you all know there is usually just AC in the bedroom and you only turn it on at night due to the high (very high) cost of electricity. We now have a 17% tax on all groceries - the stale, bug laden groceries :) Everything is expensive - not just for us, but for all the people here. Therefore, crime continues to increase. Pray for peace here. There is also a lot of gang violence. People get shot and killed here almost every other week. Pray that the young men here will have Godly role models.

A HUGE praise we have here is the arrival of the Grayson's. They are missionaries from Indiana and have been working so hard to reach out to the people here. They have already been a blessing in our lives. They are opening doors to bridge some of the gap we feel in reaching out to the local people. We are excited for them and more excited to see what God is doing. God is definitely at work here in St.Kitts. Please be in prayer for them as they continue ministering here.

In Him,

Jennifer

Chai and Chapati

Calendar of Upcoming Events:

• April 2011­ Short­Term Mission to Sudan

• July 2011­ Short­Term mission to Peru

Prayer Requests:

• That God would open our eyes to those hurting around us and that we would not forsake them

• That we would be faithful administers of the Gospel of Peace to students, faculty, and locals

• That God would direct the time, treasure, and talents he has given us in f that most glorifies Him

• Short­term veterinary missions

• That we would show the love of Christ

2 Corinthians 5: 17­21

Jenn and I did short-term mission to India in January. The food was spicy, bold, hot, sizzling, and scrumptious. The streets were loud, crowded, smoky and serpentine. The clothing was vibrant, bright, colorful and varied. Rickshaws, dump-trucks, taxis, vans, bicycles, cars, and cows were all intricately painted and adorned. It seems all the colors of the rainbow were packed into a big box and carried to India. Then, someone placed dynamite on that box, splashing its contents hitherto.

Combating the color was a spiritual darkness that permeated every corner of the land. Idols were ever-present; whether along the road, in the car, or in the store. With Hinduism, you can worship any number of literally thousands of gods. To begin with, Jenn and I were stunned by the outward display of idolatry. The idea of worshipping something created by man’s hands!! Unspeakable! We sure were glad that we didn’t worship these idols.

Then we began to think about ourselves...

Do we worship anything man-made? Do we elevate THINGS— a new car, a new house, a piece of land, cows, a motorcycle, perfume, gold, silver, 401Ks,... Do we worship IMAGES—supermodels, actors, TV...

And thus began the introspection.

The idols we worship aren’t blue statues with 8 arms or pink elephant-man hybrids. No, we pretty them up and make them less creepy and more acceptable.

I think God knows mankind’s tendencies. He told Moses, He carved it in stone, He told Moses again...and again... The first commandment- You shall have no other gods before me. The Israelites had a hard time with this- so do we!

While conducting animal care workshops on water buffalos with an oppressed people group at the base of the Himalayas Jenn and I learned to examine our own worship.

The theme for Christian Veterinary Mission this past year was “living lives of worship;” a valiant task, impossible without Jesus Christ.

Reconciliation

February 25, 2011 St. Kitts #3

Drs. Jason and Jennifer Johnson Mailing Address: 630 US Hwy 1 Suite 600 North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Vonage (local call from USA): 334.239.2537

Jenn cell: 869.669.0735

jennifertjohnson@hotmail.com

Jason cell: 869.660.3897

dr.jasonjohnson@gmail.com

What's Up?

Hi All

The weather is actually slightly cooler in St. Kitts! Yay! Maybe it's the hurricanes :) Things are going well. Jason's schedule is better now that he has all the lectures finished. Eli and I are doing great. We have decided to keep him out of preschool/daycare this semester. So far, so good. We are both enjoying it. We meet with a parent's group at a pool once a week and usually make it to the beach a couple of times a week - tough life I know!

Jason seems to be settling in well at the university. We are attending a 2K/5K for the children's home later today and Jason will start sailing lessons next week. We are still snorkeling on the weekends. Maybe we'll get a sitter so we can scuba dive soon. The picture above is from a hike we did. Elijah had so much fun. So life is good. There are plenty of outdoor activities to keep us busy. We have also been able to keep up with Auburn football via ESPN. It's not as exciting as tailgating in Auburn but we are thankful to be able to watch the Tigers.

Bible studies are going well. We are always encouraged by them. There are several students interested in the Sudan trip in April so that is exciting also. I promised Jason to give Africa another chance, so here we go.

There are days in St. Kitts when I miss so many of my friends and wish I just had someone to talk to that knew me well. Sometimes I want the conveniences of home. This week there were bugs in the flour, bugs in the grits, bugs in the rice, mold on the melon, and a gecko in the sink. ARRRHHHH! That said we know God has placed us here and find peace in that. We are excited about seeing family in December though!!!

We try to live each day seeking God's direction here in St. Kitts but sometimes find ourselves daydreaming about other places. Of course with Jason, it's always Africa. For now God has placed us here and we pray that we will be guided by what God has planned for us here instead of always looking to what's next.

I am considering starting a master's degree online. You can pray that we would have wisdom in that. We certainly need to weigh the cost vs benefit but I feel like God keeps putting it in front of me. I will keep you posted.

War Eagle!

St.Kitts June 2010

OK, so I am finally posting an update. Sorry it took so long.

First, we aren't in the South anymore. I know, I know we are further south, but Southern hospitality and friendliness are not as prevalent here! We are adjusting well. Eli has a great preschool that he attends 3-4 hours most days. Jason's job keeps him busy. I of course stay busy with Eli, groceries, housework, etc. with a little swimming, snorkeling and friend time thrown in too.

We have met some awesome people here and are very encouraged by the student Caribbean Christian Fellowship. It is a great group of students with a heart for God. Those that know Jason very well know he is trying to get them all involved in missions. Many of them were active already. So to say the least the students have been a blessing to all 3 of us. We also attend "church" with the students and a few faculty. We watch pod casts from a pastor in Texas. For right now our main ministry focus has been the students which is where our heart is and where God has placed us.

Jason's heart for Africa hasn't changed. He just returned as excited as ever from a trip to Sudan. He and the team members provided some herd care and education as well as shared the gospel and planted churches. I agreed to give Africa another try and tentatively plan on returning to Uganda next year. I will keep you posted on how God changes and develops my heart.

We know that where we are is God's plan and that this is His mission field for us, but we can't deny that he has placed in us a desire to minister to, live with and grow with the poorer and unreached peoples of this world. The paralysis comes in when we consider where and when. So for now we will take it one day at a time, try not to forsake what is around us and wait for God's timing and guidance. We plan to continue short term trips to Africa and hopefully South American. Of course we want to involve the students and pray that God opens all of our eyes to where He is working and how we can us our talents and time for Him.

St. Kitts is a paradise. We have all that we need. Food is expensive. Gas is expensive. EVERYTHING is expensive. It is hot. Sometimes the mosquitoes are unbearable. We have no clothes dryer. We don't need one. The sun works just fine. Except when it rains... Our ice maker is broken, our dish washer barely works and the roof leaks in about 5 places. Other than that though things are great:) We live better than some, worse than others. But we live with the peace that we are where God wants us for now. People often comment that this is a baby step to less developed places. Maybe? Maybe God will keep us here for 10 years. Only He knows. Pray with us for the peace and prosperity of St. Kitts, that the students here would grow closer to Christ, that our lives would be a witness to bring glory to our holy, mighty and loving God.

For His glory,

Jennifer

St.Kitts it is!

OK, so first we prayed to get the job at Colorado State. Skiing, fun times right?? Denied. Door slammed. OK God.

Next. Ross University has an opening. We just so happen to meet another professor teaching there at Christian Veterinary Mission's Short Course. She encouraged us to apply, so we did. Then we got an interview. Open door. OK, but we really don't want to live there. We think about it for a couple of weeks -paralysis of analysis again :) I have been praying for God to open and close doors and for eyes that see and ears that hear concerning our next step in life for 6 months now. Since this door was open we decided to go. What did we have to lose?

The interview was great. The school was more than impressive. The views were breathtaking. The faculty was welcoming and interesting. The administration was accommodating. Very nice. Too bad we still didn't really want to go.

So, we started praying for Birmingham. Close to family, close to other ministry opportunities, close to friends, fun to be had by all. Jason go a couple of interviews in Birmingham just before Christmas. We were so excited. We just knew this was it. Wrong! One interview just didn't work out. The other interview went TERRIBLE. For those of you who know my husband, you know he doesn't have terrible interviews. To say the least we were broken, crushed.

So, more praying was in order. We were sad and upset and confused. By the way, at this point we have a great offer from Ross and they are waiting on an answer. We were very open and honest about our opportunities in Birmingham, but they were ready to get things going or move to the next candidate.

Jason and I prayed for a while that day after the bomb of an interview. This is what God said to me. Ezekiel 12:2-3 (paraphrased) ...you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. Pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile would carry and leave your home to go somewhere else. WOW. OK, thanks God. Seriously. Don't we wish He would be that clear all the time? Or is He? I had been the rebel with closed eyes and ears. And while we aren't going into "exile" Jason and I were viewing it almost that way.

What now? I waited for Jason to pray and listen. God gave him Jeremiah 29:10-11 - you will be in exile then I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you. We prayed together and felt that God has been guiding us to St.Kitts all along. Our desires sometimes get in the way of God's. Sure we say not my will but Yours, but this was an eye opener for us. We may say it but we certainly didn't mean it. What we meant was God give us what we want, when and how we want it otherwise we'll be upset. His timing is perfect, but the waiting is hard. For Jason and I our reasoning and over analysis always gets in the way. God just says listen to Me. We make it really hard though sometimes.

We know we'll face struggles, but we rejoice in obedience. We know that God is good all the time and the best place we can be is His will (not ours!). So we're sorting and running here and there and everywhere to get it all done. The tentative date to leave is Feb. 3. Our last day in Auburn will be Jan 14 or 15. We know it is time to move on, but we will miss all of our friends and our church. Feel free to visit anytime! I can't wait to share more about island life - good and bad.

Uganda - part 2

I'll try to pick up where I left off!

After Dr. Val finished the animal health training we headed back to Soroti. We were back at the bed and breakfast and warm showers. We met a great team from Oregon who brought supplies for Thanksgiving dinner. So everyone pitched in and we had an amazing Thanksgiving - turkey(oh yes, a turkey met an untimely death, but he was delicious), stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, peas, pumpkin pie and more. Thanks again any Oregon teammates that may read this!!!

After meeting with the CLIDE consultancy in Soroti to discuss how we may be able to join their team we headed to Kapchorwa. This is where I got a little sick, took some anti nausea meds then passed out for a while. It was a long car ride, but at the end I was all better! Dr. Val lived in Kapchorwa when she was first in Uganda. It is certainly a beautiful place. We had been in the hot, dusty plains but had now arrived in the more mountainous region near the Kenya border. There were waterfalls, caves and vegetation everywhere. People were drying coffee beans along the edge of the road. It was very exciting. The people were very friendly. We ate at a small roadside "restaurant" - I can't remember the name of what we ate, but it was delicious. We even had a soda that afternoon. The idea would be to start some breeding projects to enhance the cattle genetics in the area with the possibility of marketing milk,etc. We had a great dinner - guacamole and chips, rice and groundnut (peanut) sauce. We stayed at a great place that overlooked the mountains. Then next morning Jason and I climbed to the top and watched the sun rise over the plains. It was beautiful. The next day we visited the hospital in town - I won't go into all that. We should all be thankful for the medical care we have. Then we had tea with some of Val's friends. Thus our short stay in Kapchorwa ended, but it was the most appealing place to both Jason and myself. We had to start the drive back to Kampala to get things ready to come back to the states.

Back to the big city :) We spent a couple of hours that afternoon shopping for souvenirs then met with Lindsay (Jason's sister) again. That night was pretty uneventful- the power was out most of the night. The next morning we went to church in Kampala then had a great cup of coffee at 1000 cups. Then we headed out to look at one more rental house. The house was beautiful and huge. Another beautiful house with a wall with glass at the top! We had lunch - fried chicken. Lindsay fed chicken to the stray cat who looked like he needed a little food. When Lindsay moved her hand it startled him and he bit her. Just a tiny bite though. No broken skin, thankfully. This just goes to show you that you can't trust a cat anywhere - Africa, USA - they're all the same. You play by their rules or else some body's gonna get hurt :)

Dr. Val then transported us to the airport. We had a 9 hour layover in Amsterdam so we decided to catch the train and look around for a few hours. We went from hot and dusty to cold and wet. From nice people to pretty grumpy people. I'm glad we went, but I certainly wouldn't waste the time or money to take a trip specifically designed with Amsterdam in mind. The canals were neat.

So, what is the conclusion? While Jason loves Africa and would move there tomorrow I don't feel like God was saying this is it. This is where you need to be. Don't get me wrong, God is doing all kinds of work in Uganda, but for me I need peace that it is what God wants our family to pursue. We still plan for long term mission, it always comes back to the when and where. I just don't think the timing is right, yet. 2 steps forward and 3 steps back - I feel like this is the story of my life some days!! So for now we will keep praying. Thanks to any of you who have prayed for us. We will keep you updated. You can learn more about Dr. Val and her ministry at cvmusa.org. Visit Uganda if you get the chance.

Uganda - the first half of the trip

Where do I begin????

Kampala: Since I couldn't sleep on the plane it wasn't so hard to fall asleep in our hotel room to the sound of loud music and partying in the streets outside . Can you tell I am not a city girl? The hotel was very nice. At least we got to stay there one night :) The next day we got to look at 2 houses in the city as we prayerfully consider if God would have us move to Kampala. The houses were all very nice. Nice big walls around them with broken glass or barbed wire lining the top. A good deterrent to any thieves, vagabonds, etc. Comforting. Really. Seriously, the houses were better than I had imagined. The rental prices were also higher than I had expected, but we see the house as a ministry tool for short-term visitors, so I guess we need the extra room. After looking at the houses we had a nice lunch - Sambosa. Kinda like a deep fried hot pocket full of veges or beef or fish. Pretty tasty. Oh, it's the time of year for grasshoppers too. You can buy fried grasshoppers on the side of the road. People are carrying them around in huge plastic containers and will sell you a small or large paper bag of them. So Dr. Val bought us a small bag. I use the term us loosely. Jason and Val ate a few. Not me. Not that hungry. Thanks anyway though.

On to Soroti: Does anyone like Robert Earl Keen? The road goes on forever..... We drove the rest of the afternoon, had dinner (chicken stir fry- yummy) near Mt. Elgon then made it to our "bed and breakfast" in Soroti. We had a nice place with another hot shower - this is where the hot showers end for a while. Just thought I'd point that out. The next morning we were off again.

To Kangole: Did I already say that the road goes on forever? New things are always exciting though, so we didn't mind. All the people, huts, termite mounds, potholes we passed were interesting to us. Then we got to the mountains just before Kangole. Very beautiful - Jason will be irritated that I don't remember the name of them :) I'll post pictures when I find the camera. They mark the entry into Karamoja. This is the area Dr. Val spends most of her time in. God is doing some amazing things out there. Dr. Val has helped facilitate peace villages among the fighting tribes in an area that had previously been uninhabited due to fear of cattle raids and the fighting and bloodshed that follows. I know I am not doing Dr. Val or the peace villages any justice - I am sure she could write a book on it. Just trust me, God is doing some amazing things.

We spent the next 3 days assisting and observing an animal health worker training seminar. Part of the goal of the training is to educate and enable individuals to treat and care for the animals (cattle, goats mainly) in areas where there is no veterinary care. The participants were eager to learn. We ate a lot of beans and rice. There was usually cabbage too. Most nights there was some form of meat - just pick out what you want - knee with ligaments and cartilage, broken pieces of bone. No one seemed to mind though except me. Spoiled American. Did I mention there were small rocks and grit in the rice :)

Anyway, it's late. Stay tuned for the play by play of the rest of our week!

Surprises

Before we left for Uganda we were slightly discouraged because we were a little short on our fundraising. God has proven faithful to us in this area so many times. So we shouldn't have been surprised to get an email letting us know that another donation had been made to our CVM account that would take care of any further costs with money left over. God never just comes through. It is always better that you hoped for, yet my faith falters every time. I write this to remind myself and any of you that the God who calls is able. 1Thes. 5 :24 - The ONE who calls you is faithful and HE will do it.

Lamentations 3:24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."

Waiting

I think Jason and I spend a lot of time praying about what's next. It would be great if God would just lay out a 5 year plan for us! You know HE knows the plan. So, why not just tell us? Seriously, I know the wait is important and God is still at work but I must say that it gets frustrating at times.

We just returned from a job interview at Ross University. We won't know anything for at least 3 weeks. I think it went well and it was great to meet new, interesting people. The island was certainly beautiful and God is definitely at work there. But I guess He's at work everywhere. It's just whether or not we see it?? The coffee was great too :) A definite plus for an addict like myself. I couldn't get that Addison Road song out of my head for those of you who know it - "Where have I even stood but on the shore along Your ocean? What do I know of Holy?" We are so small, but God wants fellowship with us. It takes my breath away.

Between now and then we'll be visiting Uganda with the prayer that we will know if that is where God wants us. Until we raise support and get all the proper approvals though we need a job! Jason is out of town for a couple of more days working. Don't get me wrong. We are thankful for work, but it would be great to have consistent work in one area so that we aren't apart 3-4 days a week.

It was great to have Elijah back with us. He stayed with his grandparents while we were away for the job interview. He was very tired today, but we had fun enjoying the nice weather outside. Then I got to rock him to sleep before bed. For those of you who know Eli, you know that doesn't happen too often. He must have been REALLY tired. I must say that it made my night though. It's the little things, right?

So, what's my point in all this? First, as most of you already know following God doesn't mean things will go the way you would prefer. It doesn't mean that everything will be easy. Jason and I pray daily for discernment, not to be caught in the paralysis of analysis, and to be completely open and obedient. I do realize that many Christians face much more difficult circumstances than ours. I sometimes need a reminder of that. I got an update in the mail today about Christians going through far more than I have ever been faced with. I felt like God was asking me what exactly my problem was after all.

Secondly, the wait has been life changing. We continue to meet people with similar goals and visions. People with a heart for serving God - that leads them to serve the poor. The bible has much to say about orphans and widows. Just look it up sometime. Jason has had the opportunity to speak about our goals on several occasions. We are continually amazed at the people God brings into our lives. It's so encouraging when you feel like someone actually gets where you're coming from. The opposite would be the deer in head lights look we often get too :) I have enjoyed the time with family and friends. God has continued to grow us in our faith, our convictions, our direction and our obedience through our wonderful small group bible study, conferences, friends, family and our Sunday school class. I tend to think God works in straight lines that I can understand, then He goes and amazes me again :)

Thanks for your prayers! I can't wait to post how the Uganda trip goes. And the job too!

For His Glory,
Jennifer

So it begins...

I haven't kept up with any blogs really, so I must say I am a little clueless about all this. Stick with me though and we'll figure this out. Some friends thought this would be a good idea to help anyone considering long term missions to see where we have been and what direction we are going.

First, a few basics for those of you who don't know us. Jason and I are both veterinarians. We met in vet school and have been happily married for the past 6 years. We both feel like the Lord started shaping and changing us for long term missions about 3 years ago. We have 1 son, Elijah. He is 17 months old and curious about everything!

3 years ago Jason and I felt like the Lord was prompting Jason to go back to school for a speciality degree. So we sold our house, our car, etc and moved back to Auburn. We never thought we would be back in the same trailer park, but after living in Jason's uncle's basement for 2 months we were glad to be back in a trailer. What can I say? Welcome to Alabama :)

After several short term trips to different locations - mainly South America, Jason and I started praying about where God would have us serve Him long term. And then the wait began! In the mean time I quit my job to stay at home with Elijah. This wasn't an easy decision for me at all. But I can definitely say that it was the best choice I could have made. I am so happy to be at home with Elijah now. The other thing I can say is that vet medicine is far easier than motherhood - all you moms who are vets already know this though :) Our income dropped dramatically and there were some tough spots, but God is faithful.

I like to say that Jason and I have the paralysis of analysis. We analyze, then reanalyze, then do it a couple of more times just to be sure. But again, God is definitely faithful. He has been patiently shaping us through what often feels like a roller coaster ride.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes what you think is the plan really isn't what God had in mind? Well, we thought after Jason finished his residency he'd quickly get a job. He'd work a couple of years, then off we'd go! We had it narrowed down to South America and Africa. South America for me and Africa for Jason. Jason had recently been to Kenya and has since been to Ethiopia. Pretty narrow wouldn't you say...

Now, here's what is really happening.

Since finishing his residency Jason doesn't have a job. We had 2 weeks to be out of our trailer that we had already sold with no job and no place to live. OK, so maybe we could have lived with our parents - YIKES!!! Only if God is 100% sure about that one! Then at a meeting about an orphanage in Uganda I mentioned that we were about to be jobless and homeless. On the way to the meeting Jason and I discussed how we did not feel called to Uganda. I was quite positive I wasn't called to Africa AT ALL. On the way out that night someone at the meeting offered his home in Auburn to us for a few months for FREE. Coincidence, luck?? God is in all and through all right? So here we are. Jason had almost no work for about 2 weeks. At which point he became a little cranky. But the work situation soon changed. Jason has more and more relief work each week. Although we are very thankful it unfortunately keeps him away from home 3-4 days a week. Elijah usually looks for Jason every night. I keep telling him dad is at work. We are praying for steady work in 1 area and the opportunity to rent a home somewhere close by.

Rewind for a moment. In September we attended Christian Veterinary Mission's Short Course. We wanted to meet with some of their long term fieldworkers and continue praying about where God would have us go. While there I was challenged by one of the missionaries about South America. She wanted me to be sure I didn't want to go there just because I thought I could handle everything myself - new location, new language, new food. So I began to pray seriously about that and truly leave myself open to anywhere God wanted me. We also learned about an opening in Uganda. Another coincidence I'm certain. For the first time I was excited about Africa even though I think Jason has had it on his heart for a long time. He has been patiently waiting for God to work out all my insecurities and my lacking faith in the almighty creator of everything - including Africa.

We just purchased tickets to visit Uganda in November. Please pray that we will have confirmation one way or the other about the ministry opportunities there and partnering with the building of an orphanage. Pray that God will continue to open and close doors, that we will be open to His will and not our own plans and that I will continue to have peace about leaving Elijah for 10 days.

Now that we have a foundation about our journey these blogs should be a little shorter. I look forward to sharing with you.

Blessings,

Jennifer