July 20, 2017

Take a Walk on the Safe Side

July 20, 2017

When comparing and contrasting Africa and the US one usually has a pretty good sense of what will be said—water, weather, animals, etc.—it's all different. But what I notice the most about my time stateside are the little things; the things that excite the senses and leave me wanting more.

Tonight I went a walk, something I've done many times before, but this time it was just me, the babe, and my spotify radio set to Ben Rector. (can I get an amen?) Normally I'm walking with the hubs, iPhone-less and we are talking about the current ramblings going through our brain, but tonight I only my own thoughts to keep me spinning.

After awhile I started remembering my walks in the Horn of Africa. It wasn't the heat or the random goat crossing that I remembered, but instead it was the small stretch of sidewalk around the U.S. Embassy that we grew to love. A similarity, a small one, but something to bridge the gap. Then as quickly as the thought entered my mind I smelled something I never smell in my part of Africa—hamburgers grilling in the backyard. My senses had been awoken—green trees lined the concrete creating dancing shadows of sweet relief from the summer heat, fresh cut grass filled the air, water sprinklers played with the setting sun as rainbows formed over the perfectly manicured lawns, and I felt safe.

I wasn't looking over my shoulder for strangers, I didn't feel a sense to hurry through my walk, and I never once got a glaring stare for showing my ankles. (And in this case my shoulders and legs too) But please don't see this as something only attributed to Africa or a third world life. This is still a reality and many places in the US and even in our own city. Walking around the ritzy neighborhood of Dallas I still feel a little uneasy by the amount of people who seem to be up to no good and continue to have my walls up. Part of it may just be my life in third-worlds, but the other part may be for good reason, who knows. What I do know is that tonight I was fearless—not in the sense of bravery, but more carefree.

So while I can't always live a carefree, fearless life, it's nice to enjoy those moments filled with summer bar-b-que's, fresh cut lawns, and shaded sidewalks.

Gotta love the front lawn chairs, a trend I first saw in Dallas.

Jessica Gardner

May 14, 2017

East Africa, Horn of Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa, Travel

Meet Some Fearless Moms

Jessica Gardner

May 14, 2017

East Africa, Horn of Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa, Travel

It's my first mother's day as a mother. While last year I got to celebrate mother's day pregnant, this year I get to really understand the joys and struggles that come with being a mother. And I also understand how difficult this day can be for so many. So I'm not going to bombard with you photos my little guy (I'll save that for another day), but I am going to show you some of the mothers I've met over the past year here in Africa.

Last year I did a blog post showcasing mothers I've met in the past 10 years of my travels, I loved reading your messages and comments about it and so I've decided to share a few more stories. I hope that for those of you who look at today and feel pain and longing that you will somehow feel peace. I pray that you can know that you are loved and thought of and that just because you may not be celebrating today that you still have purpose and life!

Sadly, a month after visiting with these families we got word about one family who lost their son. He was the only child I didn't get a photo of that day and now I regret it so much. Their son was a teenager and suffered from brain damage, but was able to walk himself. However, he came down with diarrhea and died. It broke our heart to hear of child dying of something so easily prevented. So it's why we work here, training people about the dangers of dehydration, loving on them every chance we get, and giving them something to try and make their life just a little bit easier.

Our NGO works with a local school run by a woman who has returned to the Horn of Africa after living for years in Canada. She decided to return to her home country and open a school for street children. Many of these children do not have parents and are lacking the proper papers to attend public schools. During her time at the school she also came in contact with several families of handicap children. Many of these children suffer from epilepsy and have severe deformities. They do not have access to wheelchairs to the mothers will carry around their children so they do not have to sit in the dirt all day long.

Many times when we meet handicapped children in remote areas around the world they are not cared for or given much attention, but the amount of love that these moms (and some fathers) had for their kids was amazing. The moms would wipe of dried boogers or saliva before I took their photo and they would fix their hair and whisper in their ear to smile.

The lady in the middle received a new wheelchair and her daughter came along with her.

Here they are with my mom, who got to be a part of giving them their new wheelchair and meet all the mother's above.

This mother I met briefly in February at a clinic in town. At first I thought she was the grandmother of this 17 day old baby but it turns out she was mother who had just given birth to this little sweet girl. She was at the hospital because her newborn needed to undergo some test to see if she was HIV+.

The mother was already HIV+ and so now the long wait of finding out if you passed it on to your daughter. I couldn't imagine what she must feel, having a baby only a few weeks old and having to find out if she has a life-threatening disease.

She was sad, and it broke my heart, because usually women will at least smile for me or find pride in showing off their kids, but you could tell she was hurting, tired, and alone. So pray for mothers like her, pray for their children, and pray for the doctors that one day they will find a cure for these heart-breaking diseases.

Some mothers and their children I met back in February at a distribution where we gave out food, clothing, and blankets. You can read their stories here: Life in a Volcanic Desert

Jessica Gardner

April 4, 2017

Europe, Central Asia, Caribbean, France, Inspiration, Italy, Middle East, Travel, United States

Refresh My Soul: Past Vacations

Jessica Gardner

April 4, 2017

Europe, Central Asia, Caribbean, France, Inspiration, Italy, Middle East, Travel, United States

I've been thinking a lot about vacation recently. Hot season has arrived and my already weary soul is so ready for some rest! It's actually been a long time since the hubby and I have planned a vacation. What I mean is that most of our trips have been tagged on to conferences or taken because we live in unique places. Even our honeymoon was decided based on the cheapest thing out there. But for the first time we have saved and saved so we could go somewhere new for our 5 year anniversary in September. When I floated the idea by my precious mother she decided it would be a great family vacation! So now all of us and little man will be heading on a 7 day Alaskan cruise in July! Say what?! Bucket list location for sure. Reed and I love cold weather and mountains and living in one of the hottest places on earth we are eager for some cooler weather.

I have often met people who don't take vacation. They throw around the phrase, "You can sleep when you're dead." Guys, don't be this person! Vacations are good and healthy! One of the best pieces of advice we got when we were preparing to move overseas was to "vacation" every day, every week, every month, and every year. What that look likes practically (for myself) is this:

Daily I spent time with God, reading, relaxing, praying, working out, and even napping at times!

Weekly we take a day where we don't do work, we sleep in, watch movies, laugh, explore new places.

Monthly we have a date night (or family night). We go to a nice restaurant, swim in a pool, take a trip out of town.

Yearly, we take a vacation. Visit somewhere, stay in a hotel, order room service, get a massage, and DO NOT feel guilty about it.

So for this month's refresh the soul I'm taking us back to some of my favorite vacations since being married. And if you have a vacation planned for this year, comment below, or share your favorite vacation you've been on. We are always looking for new places to explore!

Jessica Gardner

March 2, 2017

East Africa, Horn of Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa, Stories of Hope

Life in a Volcanic Dessert

Jessica Gardner

March 2, 2017

East Africa, Horn of Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa, Stories of Hope

As we bumped along the dirt road to what looked like the middle of nowhere, we suddenly pulled in view of what appeared to be a brand new center. It’s off-white buildings perfectly constructed. Even the ground had been covered in rocks to give the compound a feeling of wealth—but that was just an illusion.

Now all that remained was an abandoned center, cut off from funds, full of women, children, and older men inhabiting the rooms, once meant for classrooms. We were hours outside the city and with a minority people group living there, the government overlooked the needs. Others had come to help, but they also had given up, as seen by the classrooms now used as makeshift homes.

When our trucks pulled up with food, clothes, and blankets for this small community, it didn’t take long for word to spread. Soon children and women swarmed the vehicles. We quickly realized that what we thought would be a small gathering of village elders, had turned into a community event. Later that day, we learned that another organization was also planning a distribution that day, which may have led to the community already on alert for distribution of aid.

Mira stood out in her bright blue hijab, the colors bouncing off the background of brown dust. She had a baby slung on her hip and one of her daughters following her around as small children often do. Though she had another child, he was out playing with his friends. Mira isn’t sure what age her children are, as age isn’t something often kept in their community. Instead, she was more concerned with what they would eat and if they are safe.

Asna appeared quiet and uncomfortable, she nestled her little girl in her lap, and after few questions began to smile. She was pregnant. Joy came across her face as she told us, and one could see that having children out here was no small feat. Later when we were eating with the village elders, we learned that many women do not have access to a hospital. If there is an emergency they will go by ambulance to a town several hours away, but for the majority, having a baby is something done at home.

Agnus reminded me of myself. She had a gold nose ring similar to mine, she was tall and sturdy like me, and even had a 4-month-old boy just as I did. It’s funny, seeing yourself in someone, yet living completely different lives. I can’t imagine the hardships that Agnus faces. While we were blessed with a beautiful windy day, there are many months out of the year that their home is considered one of the hottest habitable places on earth. Temperatures sore above 100 degrees, and when you only receive water once every 10 days, surviving becomes that much harder.

Several of the women who received rice and beans at the distribution

We asked the elders how we could help relieve their strain for fresh water. Living in the middle of a volcanic desert doesn’t provide much access to clean water, or even dirty water for that matter. There is a water source 30 minutes away by foot, but it’s not much help, when there is no irrigation system for the water to reach the village. When asked what would happen if the water trucks do not come, Muhammed* replied matter of factly, “We would die.”

In our line of work there are often two things that help people get out of the poverty cycle—nutrition (provided through water and food) and education. But here, in a small village, of forgotten minorities, there is neither. The children do not have a school to go to, though they live in abandoned classrooms. Muhammed said that the older children are becoming restless and starting to cause trouble. The lack of basic needs is why these people feel helpless. Though they keep on having babies and caring for their young, they yearn for more—a place where they can send their children to school and not have to limit their intake of a water, a luxury we so often take for granted.

But since we now live in the country, we have the opportunity to keep helping, to keep loving, and to keep going to the hard and forgotten places. So it's our hope that we can soon send some teachers into this community and begin educating these kids, because we really believe that one of the biggest helps in getting out of the poverty trap is education.

Ya know, when you get a flat, and it takes 5 gives and two goats to get it done...

Because it's not a trip unless you come back with a goat. Don't worry by the time we were done we had one more goat in the back. Yet, sadly these goats will be dinner soon. :)

I am still amazed at to how they get up there!

Baby toes and the most colorful meal I've ever seen!

Ezra was not into this flat tire thing...

This beautiful girl and her father live in a hut on the side of the road that takes us to our destination. We stopped and gave them some of the food we had for our distribution.

Jessica Gardner

February 11, 2017

Travel, Horn of Africa, East Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa

Refresh My Soul: Lac Assal

Jessica Gardner

February 11, 2017

Travel, Horn of Africa, East Africa, Inspiration, Life in Africa

Back in December we took a family trip to the Salt Lake. It's the saltiest lake in the world and the lowest point in Africa. It's also one of the prettiest landscapes in our country. So enjoy this month's refreshment courtesy of the beautiful Lac Assal.

Jessica Gardner

January 16, 2017

Inspiration, Goals, Health

Intentionality: My 2017 Plan

Jessica Gardner

January 16, 2017

Inspiration, Goals, Health

Goal Setting. I've always been someone who loves taking time sit down, dream, write, and make a plan to get things done. But there's always been one problem with all that, actually doing it.

While it looks pretty on paper and I might stick with it for a month maybe even two, it eventually trails off. So this year, I wanted to try something different with goals. And by definition of "goals" these probably won't even qualify, so let's call them something else—my plan for living on purpose.

First off, I highly recommend Lara Casey's blog on goal setting. You may have seen her powersheets on Instagram or book, Making it Happen. I have wanted to do her powersheets for a couple years now, but they are always sold out once I get around to spending my Christmas money. But this year she did a 4 part blog series that helps you work through some of the things she discusses in her book and powersheets.

So after working through her blog series there were a few things that stood out. The first is that I have one word that came to mind for 2017. I've heard of people choosing a word for the year before, but I never understood how that word actually changed anything. I think this is where Casey's blog series really puts it all together. Instead of just claiming a word I now see how that word needs to play out in certain areas of my life. And I'm laying it all out on the blog so that through my vulnerability I might have some accountability—even if it's only with myself!

So what's my word?

INTENTIONALITY.

And I want to be intentional in these four areas:

1. Community

2. Health

3. Spirituality

4. Creativity

So what does that mean exactly? Yes, Jess, it looks great when you write out with numbers and have a pretty graphic, but how do you really go about making change? Glad you asked. :)

Let's look at each one of the areas and I'll break down my plan for you.

1. Community - Since we live in Africa it's imperative that we form community among our team, nationals, and find ways to keep up with friendships back home. I have never been really good at keeping up with people who I don't see on a daily basis, and I hate this. Because I mean, these people have been with my as I stood at the altar promising to love my husband through it all. These are the friends who have witnessed good times and bad times, and when more good times and bad times come, I want to have them standing with again. But I also need a community of people to love in person, here in Africa. So that means being intentional about inviting people over, asking how they are doing, and getting out of my comfort zone and meeting new people with the intention to love.

2. Health - After having a baby, I'm officially in the worst health of my life. Understand me, I don't just mean weight, though that plays a big part. I have no muscle tone, food allergies, thyroid problems, and too many cravings. I want to get back to the person who use to crave work-outs, eat healthy, and fit into something other than maternity pants. :) But for real, as I was working through this plan on paper, something occurred to me. And while this may seem like a no-brainer to others, it really hit home for me the first time. "I have to be intentional about my health, it's not something that will just happen."

I mean duh, right? But for some reason I have been living as if getting healthy will just happen! But it's more than just eating right and exercising, it's getting to the heart of the matter. So that's why I'm reading Made To Crave. I want to get to the heart of cravings, and not be defined by a number on the scale, but instead by how my heart reacts. Guys, if this is something that you struggle with or something you have down as a goal for 2017, please, please read this book! That's all.

So as part of my intention for health, I plan to work on my heart, eat less sugars and bread and eat more veggies and water, and exercise 5 times a week. While I'm still working on the right eating plan for my family and for living in Africa, we have already made some changes in our daily diets. And since I use to blog about my allergy-free diet I'm restarting the blog series, but tailoring it to life in Africa. I plan to share easy to make recipes that are both healthy and quick, because when you have a newborn and are cooking in a kitchen without a/c in one of the hottest places on earth, you better believe it's not going to take more than 30 minutes!

3. Spirituality - In short, I want to be intentional with my own daily devotional time, and I want to be intentional about teaching our baby boy to love Jesus well. On that note, if anyone has some good book recommendations for teaching your kids, please send them my way! As for what my daily quiet time looks like, I have found that 40 minutes of pumping breast milk in the morning is a great time to pull out my Jesus Calling Journal Book and Journaling Bible. I love working through one days' devotion by reading it and then answering the questions and writing out a prayer in the space provided. Afterwards, I look up the 2-3 verses provided and read them in the journal Bible and pick out a part of the passage that stands out to me and doodle it. Because I'm a kinetic learning, this has been one of the most successful ways for me to really hear and understand God's word. I just wish I had discovered 2o+ years ago!

4. Creativity - As most people know I am a photographer. I love photographing people, whether it's a newly engaged couple or a mom in Africa loving on her children. But these things don't happen every day, and I've come to learn that if I'm not picking up my camera more than when I just have the opportunity that I'm not really pushing myself creatively. So I'm doing something that I've done before, a 365 challenge. I'll be posting a photo everyday following along with the prompts from #thebethadillychallenge. When I did this in 2015 I could see a huge difference in my posts from January to December and how much I had grown in trying to capture a specific shot. I hope that it will also challenge me in thinking outside the box.

My other way to intentionally nurture my creativity is by blogging. I mean, it may just be my fam reading these things (hi, mom) but I don't care. I've decided that blogging isn't really about who reads it, but that I get my thoughts down on paper. It allows me to "feel" like I have an audience for my writings and photography, therefore I put thought and effort into what I say. It's an accountability of sorts. So if you do happen to read the blog, you can look forward to see a few things habitually showing up on the blog this year: a monthly health post, a monthly refresh my soul post (like this one), updates on baby boy Ezra and life in Africa, and my most passionate blogs: stories of lives changed here in Africa.

So there you have it, my plan of intent for 2017. I would LOVE to hear from each of you on what your goals, word, or hopes and dreams are for 2017. I think the best way we can actually try to work on these things is by telling others and not keeping it to ourselves.

Jessica Gardner

August 25, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel, France

Refresh My Soul: Paris, France

Jessica Gardner

August 25, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel, France

Oh August, with your blazing heat and days full of hope and fear as children and teachers alike prepare for back to school. But the hope you bring as we anticipate the lowering temperatures, orange leaves, football, and best of all pumpkin spice lattes. Yes, fall, you are my favorite. So while we continue to wait for you in sweltering heat I'll just take a look back at the world's favorite places: Paris. Because we can all admit that Paris make everything better.

Jessica Gardner

July 15, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, France, Travel

Refresh My Soul: Annency, France

Jessica Gardner

July 15, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, France, Travel

Usually I do the monthly refresh series later in the month, but with all that's been going on in the world lately I felt it was needed a little early. And I'm taking it back to one of my favorite cities, Annency, France. My prayers are with Nice today, and I pray we remember to love a little harder every day.

Jessica Gardner

June 30, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel, Italy

Refresh My Soul: Italy

Jessica Gardner

June 30, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel, Italy

It's the end of June and time for some much needed inspiration. We have made the long trek back from Africa to the U.S. in order to prepare for the arrival of our baby boy. So as we enter into July let's take some time to refresh. The photos below were taken in Verrana and Belagio on Lake Como, Italy. Can we say vacation dream spot? #takemeback

Jessica Gardner

May 8, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel

Refresh My Soul: Switzerland

Jessica Gardner

May 8, 2016

Europe, Inspiration, Travel

I have a long list of ideas I've wanted to start. My inbox floods with newsletters from talented creatives offering inspirational words of wisdom to funny anecdotes. I've collected my favorites over the years and "promised" to one day do something similar. Well I'm finally making that happen. For a long time I've wanted to take a moment (whether once a week or once a month) and post the things that refresh my soul, because I think we can all agree that our soul needs a little refreshing now and then.

One of my favorite authors who does this extremely well is Ann Voskamp. Her "Only the Good Stuff: Multivitamins For Your Weekend" is a great compilation of funny videos, amazing photographs, and short stories she has gathered across the web. While I don't know what my refreshing material will be each time, I do know that I want to start with a few photos from a place that refreshed my soul like no other—Switzerland. High in the mountains, surrounded by snow and orange leaves, free of cars and itineraries, it was only for two days, but it captured my heart forever.

View from our hotel room. Shot and edited on iPhone 5S

Hi, we're Reed and Jessica.
We are husband and wife, best friends, co-workers, and travel companions. Read more about us here.

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