Once in a Blue Moon

We're not big on bringing in the new year here at my place. Actually, this year I'm far more excited about the fact that it's a blue moon tonight and so the numbers and statistics start coming out! Did you know that a blue moon (that is, a second full moon in a month) only happens about every 2.5 years? And the fact that this one is on New Year's Eve is even more special - it only happens once every 19 years. The last one was 1990 (those were the good old days - junior high!) and the next one will happen in 2028 (just imagine what life will be like then!). So whether you're out celebrating tonight or at home like me, I wish you God's richest blessings in 2010!!

Sydney

Believe it or not (and I choose to believe it), our dog - Sydney - remembered me after 9 long months away. I mean, she came running when she heard me call on the day I got home. But then again, she just loves attention and belly rubs, so she may not have remembered me from a hole in the ground!! We thought she would grow out of the puppy stage, but it doesn't look very hopeful after 3 years of her crazy antics! She drives my dad nuts, but I know he loves her too! Sydney is a Norwegian Elkhound and lives for the cold. She almost eats our cats alive and my parents especially love it when she barks under their window all night (which is most every night!).

Listen Up TV

I don't think I've blogged about it, though I've mentioned it to some people along the way: my greatest fear in returning home from South Africa was that God was going to stay in South Africa with my new church and my new friends and that He wouldn't make the 7 day journey back home to Canada with me (really, it's hard to blame Him when it is so cold here!). Of course, it's MY decision to bring Him along, because God is everywhere! And I am so thankful to see Him at work at home already!

As God was working His web of connections and contacts in South Africa, He's been doing the same for me here. My dad had bumped into one of our local radio announcers, Al Friesen, who in turn contacted me for an interview last week on CFAM. During our time, Al mentioned a show he had seen about human trafficking on Listen Up TV. It's been busy meeting people and celebrating Christmas, and it was only today that I finally had some time to check out their website and the episode he was talking about at: http://www.listenuptv.com/listenup/shows?show_id=163

PLEASE, I beg of you, especially if you are Canadian, take the time to check out this broadcast. Canada IS a country where human trafficking is happening and we cannot be complacent in raising our voices to create awareness and force our government to make and enforce laws to punish those who are exploiting women and children. When I was in South Africa, I talked about the 2010 World Cup being hosted there and how such a sporting event heightens trafficking activity - there are more people so the demand for sex increases and as the demand increases, the supply must also increase. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are staring Canada in the face, right along with human trafficking and we cannot be silent. The Listen Up TV website provides a sample letter - if you don't know exactly what to say, use this letter to contact EVERY government official you can, from local politics right up to the Prime Minister. Canada's future, our children's future, is in our hands and its very existence depends on our actions today. Please go to Listen Up and then speak up!

Ye Olde Homestead

(written by my youngest brother Lee for my birthday)

Upon ye olde homestead,
where once three kinga did dwell,
now liveth our loving parents alone,
Larry and Liz, I do tell.

Now upon ye olde homestead,
many animals were found,
cats, dogs, chickens and pigs,
intriguing were the sights and sounds.

When once upon the homestead,
three children were raised,
through Rosenfeld, Parkside & Miller,
were spent our formative days.

'Twas on ye olde homestead,
even arguments were had,
for when young Lyndon and Lee got together,
young LaDawn could found to be mad.

Alas, such immature days are past,
and, oh, how glad is the young lass,
for if the lads had not grown up,
a trip home LaDawn might pass.

Oh, what memories lie upon ye olde homestead,
many a struggle, many a tear,
yet not so many as of late it seems,
what a difficult year.

Yet lose heart, we do not,
for we know the Lord worketh all things well,
so we do not give up or give in,
for they will not prevail, the gates of hell.

Nay, we look unto the hills,
whence our help comes from,
and upon such places as ye olde homestead,
we can be found to come.

For upon ye olde homestead,
a warm, safe place is found,
without fear and without judgement,
a place where one can even wrestle a hound.

It is upon ye olde homestead,
not the homestead itself,
where memories lie deep,
found in books, in rooms, on shelves.

At the cease of the day,
upon ye olde homestead,
a great heritage can be cherished,
for we have been blessed.. the Word of God is there read.

Ye olde homestead represents a legacy,
left by Mother and Father,
one in which we will share with others,
something with which we will bother.

For at the end of time,
what will the Siemens' be remembered for?
Money, education, sports?
Or something much more?

Something much more, it is to be sure,
for not a day has gone by,
where by the love of God,
together were we tied.

We go forth, then, empowered, encouraged, loved,
to go forth and do the same,
for it is upon the Lord Jesus Christ we are found;
we are saved through His name.

Ruined

I used to think that my life was ruined because of the abuse I suffered as a child. But now I'm just ruined for Jesus. . .let me explain.

Today was my chance to share during the Sunday worship services at my church about my time away. I could have talked about YWAM and DTS; or about traveling and all the wonderful people I met along the way. But today was the most difficult (I procrastinated preparing until yesterday), because I knew that it was time to talk about ME and MY life. And that's SO much harder in front of people that you know - many who have see me grow up in front of their eyes.

It's hard to speak one's truth, especially when you've been hurt and have hurt others along the way. To have my family in the audience as I talked about the abuse I had kept a secret for so long and, even worse than that, the unforgiveness that consumed my life thereafter. But that is my truth. It's what makes me who I am today. There was another guy who shared this morning about his ministry in New York City: "When you CONNECT with the love of Christ, you're RUINED." Normal is not normal anymore and routine is not routine. It's not about doing another "Christian" thing that looks right to everyone else. It's about being compelled to go out and serve because God's love is overflowing in your own life and you can't help but to share it with others.

So I'm ruined and life will never be the same. Christ has poured his love into my life and it does not matter where I live or what I do, as long as I'm living out His love for others. And when you finally experience this kind of transformation in your life, you just can't go back - there's no settling. When you know there's more and better and richer and deeper in God's plans, who could want anything else? Ruined.

Our Family Christmas

My youngest brother Lee finally made it home today, braving the snow, wind and icy roads from Saskatoon and so we had our family Christmas this evening. Supper was chicken, mashed potatoes and stuffing.

My mom read a Christmas story after the meal and then I started with my gifts from South Africa. We also enjoyed some biltong (which made it through many x-ray machines and customs officials!) - a bit of an acquired taste, at least with the wild game. The desserts and chocolates are always in huge supply.

Every Christmas is a little different for our family because of my mom's work schedule as a nurse. When we were kids, we got to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve, after the church Christmas concert. On Christmas Day, we went through our stockings first before opening up gifts. My favorite Christmas memory was when I was about 6 and I had told my cousin that I KNEW I was getting a Cabbage Patch doll because of the shape of one of my presents. When Christmas FINALLY arrived, I was indeed correct and my Cabbage Patch was by far my favorite doll for many years!

Trying to Change the World Changes You

I send out the warmest and merriest wishes for a blessed Christmas celebration to all my friends and family - those I've known my entire life, those who just recently walked into my life, and all of those in between! To have peace on earth would be the ultimate of Christmas gifts, but until then, I wish for you to change your world and to make an impact on your community in this new year. In stepping out and doing something - anything - the most surprising part is when you realize that YOU'VE changed even more than you've caused change around you.

An article (same title as today's blog) in yesterday's Winnipeg Free Press said: "When I first signed up, it didn't dawn on me that in helping others, I would change. I didn't expect I would meet people I would consider to be my second family. Nor did I think I would become impassioned about about the plight of people living in poverty and the social issues that go along with that." (To see the full article: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/trying-to-change-the-world-changes-you-80048402.html) All because she volunteered at a local food bank. So go out and try to change the world because you are guaranteed to be transformed yourself!

A Lesson in Trust & Patience

I've been home for about 1.5 weeks now - my clock has almost turned over, my stomach is hungry at the appropriate times and I'm almost ok with the cold (almost!). The million dollar question continues to be: "now what?" I graciously state that I don't know what 2010 has in store for me yet, but I know that God is working. And so I continue to learn to trust and have patience in the process, knowing that God's timing is perfect.

I can always do some substitute teaching, but to do that I need a vehicle, living in the country and all (our nearest neighbour is 1/2 mile away). Yesterday my parents and I were trying to figure things out in regard to money and a vehicle. "God if there's another option that we're just not seeing, we need you to show it to us." I had been checking school division websites and there were not really any suitable job opportunities for me. . .until yesterday! And so now I'm calling on all of you to pray. I just want to be where God wants me to be. If it's at home subbing, great. If it's working at one of these term positions, great as well. I just don't want to take another step in my life without God's blessing to go along with it.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

I was really hoping to donate my hair to a charity that makes wigs for people who have lost theirs due to cancer treatments, but my hairdresser (and friend) Denita said that it was too dry - too much summer sun this year! I chopped it anyway and really like the new do! What do you think?

Wanted: ORDINARY SUPERHEROES

I know I've talked about it before, but as we approach this Christmas season, I want to urge you to consider sponsoring a child in need. I have sponsored a girl from Ecuador through Compassion for about 5 years now and God has always provided the ~$1 a day it takes to make a difference in her life, the life of her family and of her community. Go through whatever organization you choose, but JUST DO IT!

I was readying the Compassion Today magazine I received in the mail and a man named Tim Challies talked about his experience going to visit the Dominican Republic with Compassion (and he was not sponsoring a child at this time). He wrote: "My superhero. It was not the only time in this journey that we heard these words. For all the talk of the extraordinary men and women who have made such a difference in the lives of children, when I went to the homes of the girls and they proudly showed off the letters and photos they had received, the sponsors, whether from America or New Zealand or anywhere else, looked awfully ordinary to me. And I guess this is what these children are looking for. They aren't looking for the rich and the famous, the notorious or the renowned. They are looking for ordinary people to play an extraordinary role in their lives, so badly in need of help. They're looking for a few ordinary superheroes."

Today's your chance to be an ordinary superhero! I promise that you will not be disappointed!

And the Winner is. . .

Joanne!! She travelled 3 hours to come out to my afternoon presentation today. And she did weigh it first - 3 hours one direction, listen to LaDawn speak for 1 hour and then 3 hours back. Little did she know that I would speak for almost 2 hours!! So many stories to tell and pictures to share. Thanks to her and all the other people who took time out of their busy Christmas schedules to hear what is on my heart (and yes, there were a few tears!).

Radio Interview with CFAM

My media manager (aka - my dad) bumped into one of the announcers of our local radio station in Altona yesterday. I have an interview tomorrow morning at 7:30 am (again, 3:30 pm Monday in South Africa). Locally, it is 950 AM, but they also have a live web feed at: http://goldenweststreaming.com/cfam_player/index.html

Perogies & Farmer Sausage

One of my first meals back home is one of my favorites! It is also a Mennonite specialty - cottage cheese perogies and farmer sausage. A perogy is a dough pocket filled with cottage cheese (or other possibilities like potatoe, blueberries, apple), which is dry - unlike the kind you can buy at the grocery store. We cover them in cream gravy - totally unhealthy, but oh, so good! Farmer sausage is a pork product and its grease (from frying) is used to make the gravy.

A Face to the Voice

LONG before the light of day, my mom and I hit the flat and straight Manitoba highways into Winnipeg at around 6 am, arriving with a bit of time before my 7:30 live interview on CHVN. Since I'm such a pro at interviews already (whatever!), the few minutes I was given had to be optimized. I briefly talked about my experiences in general and gave out information for my time of sharing happening on Monday (1:30 & 7:00 pm at the Altona EMMC). I was also able to sit down with another announcer, Colleen, for an interview that will be broadcast in the near future. She is the one who interviewed me from Panama this summer (winter for South Africa) and it was so great to finally have a face to the voice over the phone!

Reversed Roles

It's really interesting. . .while away, I blogged for the people back home, posted pictures of all the new things I was experiencing. Now I'm back home and I'm thinking about all the people I have left and I want to blog for them and post pictures of all the 'old' things back home. I love my home and the prairies - I think you have to be born here to really appreciate the land. And I always love flying into Winnipeg and seeing the patchwork quilt of farmers' fields, but I've never taken pictures. Flying in on Monday, I was enjoying the view, trying to pick out familiar buildings and I quickly pulled out my camera. When I said Manitoba was flat, I meant FLAT, with a nice blanket of snow for a white Christmas. Does it look cold, cause it is!!

Live Interview with CHVN

I am scheduled to have a brief live interview with my local Christian radio station on Friday, December 18 at around 7:30 am (which is 3:30 pm SA time for those of you who are interested and are already missing my voice!). Locally it will be 95.1 FM, and online you can check out their live feed at:
http://goldenweststreaming.com/chvn_player/index.html

The Best Part

In between all the unpacking and laundry, enjoying 'regular' food and thinking I have a whole new wardrobe, I got to the best part of my day. I left my guitar behind in Kona in July and that was part of the reason I detoured through on my way home. There was a guitar at the church in Panama and at the house in South Africa, but they were not my guitar. I haven't even played that long and I'm surprised that I should notice such difference between guitars, but I did. So, after a lot of tuning, I enjoyed plucking a few tunes on my guitar and it was wonderful!

Home Sweet Freezing Cold Home!

I just want to let everyone know that I have made it home safely with all my luggage!! I also want to advise you that a 7-day (2 Dec. 12's!) journey home is NOT recommended. It's really not that fun at all. Oh, I can say that I've been in Sydney, Auckland, Honolulu, LA - been there, but not seen anything! I was not given the chance to ease into the cold air - we deplaned right onto the tarmac in Winnipeg at -21 degrees Celsius (plus windchill, which I will describe in better detail on another day's blog)!

North America

I will be back on the continental North American soil today - it's been a while (at least on the northern part of the continent)! Plus pray that I don't freeze my butt off as the weather reports have not been in my favor. If regular Canadians are cold, then I'm in trouble, having experienced summer weather since April. But I am looking forward to a white Christmas. Even with decorations out, Christmas just doesn't feel right being in a warm climate. But don't worry Panama, Costa Rica, and South Africa you will not be forgotten - as I wear layers and layers of clothing to keep my body warm, I will remember you!!

Time Traveler

To all of you who are praying for my safe and speedy arrival back home, PLEASE CONTINUE! As if 6 days of travel was not enough, I have literally gone back in time and will experience December 12, 2009 for about 48 hours instead of just the regular 24, which means I now have 7 days of travel!

i carry your heart with me

Continuing from yesterday's blog:

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

As One Chapter Closes. . .

As I travel from continent to continent to continent, through time zone after time zone after time zone, one chapter of my life closes while the next waits to begin. Almost 9 months away - a bit of a birthing process in my life. There has been much laughter, many tears; excitement and struggle. Some experiences and the people I've met along the way are beyond any picture I could take - maybe even beyond the words I will try to put together to explain how they have affected me. God's timing is perfect and in deciding to start this adventure last April, He already knew just how truly blessed I would be now as I head back home.

When I left home, I let my family, friends and supporters know that they would be journeying along with me, in my heart. And as I head home, I now extend the same invitation to my new friends in Panama, Costa Rica and South Africa. As I tell your stories, as I show your pictures, as I live differently (a different LaDawn is returning to Canada than the one who left), you are journeying with me, in my heart.

Half Way There

I'm blogging from Auckland, so I've made it almost half way around the globe. Too bad that I haven't flown half of my flights yet! Clint, Manuela and Celina drove me to the airport and I had a wonderful send off from them. I've had a lot of time to think and pray and just be still along the way, which I'm so thankful for. I don't think any amount of time will prepare me for the temperatures back home, which will be about a 50 - 60 degree drop from what I've left!

The Longest Road Home

I know this just looks like a picture of a world map, but what you must do is click on it and view the enlarged version. You will see my pathway home, which has got to be one for the record books! I am flying over half way around the world to be able to pick up my luggage in Kona and then finally return to home sweet home after almost 9 months away.

This is an incredibly bittersweet time for me - so many hard goodbyes out here but yet so many wonderful hello's waiting for me back home. It will be the longest road home in more ways than one!

“There are 2 ways of getting home; and one of them is to stay there. The other is to walk around the whole world till we come back to the same place.” G. K. Chesterton

Strangely Familiar

So I must stop sms-ing, standing in queue, and walking on the left side - it's time to start texting, standing in line and moving to the right again because home is within my sights! What are familiar sights around here will soon just be memories. But God has placed a special love in my heart for South Africa and it is my sincere hope to be able to return at another point in my life. Everyone out here is so concerned that I didn't see everything I should have, etc but I need some stuff to do next time!! And it will be so interesting to see what used to be familiar back home, now is different or strange - my mind doesn't even know where to start in that regard.

Ma's House

I was able to meet the greater Aspeling family yesterday when I was invited over to "Ma's House" for lunch (really I was fed all day long) and a relaxing afternoon. The open arms I experienced with Clint & Manuela were open even wider as I met Clint's mom (pictured below), aunt, his brother Brent & Brent's girlfriend Michelle. Every minute that I remain in South Africa makes it harder and harder to leave these beautiful people that have embraced me - a crazy Canadian who says "it's all good" WAY too much!

I think that my favorite moments, beyond the wonderful conversation and food of the day, were just how everyone, in their own unique way, loved on Celina throughout our time together. It blessed my heart so much - I can't imagine how much Celina was blessed.

Day of Remembrance

Today is Canada's National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women. It corresponds to the anniversary of the Montreal massacre which took place on December 6, 1989. This year is the 20th anniversary of an event that took 14 women's lives - just because they were women. Had these women lived, they would be in their 40's now, probably working as engineers, which they were training for at the time of their deaths. Maybe some of them would have married and had children. We will never know.

The white ribbon campaign is usually reserved for men, but I urge you to get involved today. Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Martin Luther King Jr.

Punch Buggy - Red & Black

Going classy!

The Final Draw

I don't know how much of the 2010 Fifa World Cup being held in South Africa has made the news, but obviously it's big news around these parts. Today is the big announcement of the final draw of teams - who will play against who. Cape Town is buzzing with excitement - streets are closed (Long Street shown below with the stage being set up), celebrities like David Beckham have arrived, and the news crews are ready.

The World Cup has also put South Africa into the spotlight regarding human trafficking, as any such large event does these days. It is such an overwhelming problem and it feels like there are no solutions, but there are! Human trafficking is just the movement of people - the real issue comes in WHY those people are moved. It may be forced labor, prostitution, pornography and the list continues. If the demand for these issues is cut, then the supply too must be cut, thereby directly affecting the trafficking of people (modern day slavery, which globally generates the same or more money than the drug trade does currently). As I challenged the group of pastors I spoke to yesterday: NOW is the time to make a personal pledge not to COMMIT, CONDONE or REMAIN SILENT about these matters.

The Aspeling Family

I want to introduce you to the Aspeling family. There's Clint (from South Africa, though he can pull off a pretty good accent from any English-speaking country) and his wife Manuela (from Germany). They have a daughter, Celina, who was 2.5 (in 2004) when she fell into a pool and was without oxygen for 1/2 hour - but God had bigger plans for her and for this family. Manuela stays home to take care of Celina while Clint hits the pavement selling insurance.

I met them last week Sunday when I spoke at St. Martin's church and was invited to share at their cell group last Wednesday (and I joined them again yesterday). I don't know if you've ever met people, when after 1.5 weeks of knowing them, swear that you've known them your entire life, but that's this family to me. It's like a found long-lost siblings, half way around the world (and one of them, a different color than me!). I think it may actually be harder to say goodbye to them versus some of my fellow Trackers that I've journeyed with for these past 9 months - that's how I've connected with them and how special they are to me.

And that, in small part, is how I've been blessed over and over again here in South Africa. Though I'm not continuing on in the Track, I have NO DOUBT that God had specific plans and people for me to meet here. So I journey on again, a different LaDawn today than yesterday.

Check out Clint's blog at - http://mylifesjourneyfromglory2glory.blogspot.com/

Punch Buggy - Grey

It's official - I am not only living in a dog nation, but it's also a beetle nation. . .the VW bug variety!

World AIDS Day

Living on a continent like Africa where HIV and AIDS are such an overwhelming problem brings a different light to World AIDS Day. About 30% of the South African population is living with HIV. ONE of out every THREE people encountered on a daily basis. Many people don't go for testing or don't reveal their status or don't get the free medication made available because of the huge stigmas associated with the disease. They would rather DIE in silence than learn to LIVE with HIV.

I was at the high school this morning and an ad in the newspaper caught my eye. It was a picture of a girl with her eyes closed and half of the picture was in color; half in black and white. The only words were written up the picture, along the dividing line. On the colored half it said that a condom is only 0.02 mm thick (about the thickness of the dividing line in the picture). The black and white portion said that it could be the difference between life and death. I'm guessing that the ad's may look a little different where you are today for World AIDS Day.