AH! So the last few weeks have been very crazy.
Last weekend I traveled to Lusaka, the capitol of Zambia with my
swimmers for a competition. This was the first time traveling into a
different country in Africa since I have been in Malawi. Zambia is a
beautiful country! The 12 hour drive was almost worth it because of
the scenery. There were trees EVERYWHERE (and I LOVE trees!). Lusaka
itself is a much bigger city than anything that we have here in
Malawi. It made me feel like I was at home a little bit. I didn't
realize how much I missed the hustle and bustle of a city until I went
to Lusaka. I miss the sounds of cars zooming past and the smells of
a city. Some of us stayed at a farm, which turned out to be really
cool because there were zebra and impala walking around the property.
There were three zebra that walked around the camp like they owned the
place. It was a great experience to see them up close... I finally got
to see some "African" animals!
Driving in Africa is NOTHING like driving in the states. The distance
between Lilongwe and Lusaka is only abut 450 miles or so, but it took
us 12 hours. While driving you constantly have to be on the look out
for the people that constantly line the roads walking to and from
villages. Women with big buckets of water on their head and a baby on
their backs. Men on bicycles carrying a five foot pile of sticks on
the back of the bike. There are so many potholes in the road that you
feel like you are on some sort of amusement park ride more than you
are in a car. You are constantly swerving all over the road to avoid
blowing out a tire and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. If
that weren't enough, you constantly have to be on the lookout for the
herds of goats and cattle that graze on the sides of (and sometimes in
the middle) of the road, and the lone pigs and dogs that always seem
to be scurrying about. Needless to say, it is quite the experience!
Thank goodness I wasn't the one driving!
I have officially been Malawi-ed. On the journey home, I felt awful.
I knew that I was getting pretty sick. When I got home I took a
malaria test, and it turned out that I did in fact have malaria. I
only had one plus, which is the lowest case that you can get of it, so
thankfully it was not serious. Malaria, however, is not something
that you want to get. You feel awful- fever, headache, body aches,
dizziness, bits of nausea... They say that if you have malaria you
know it, and on the drive back from Zambia I was 99% sure that I had
malaria... it was not fun. I do have to say though... being an
athlete for so many years made my experience with malaria much more
tolerable. The body aches that you get with it don't feel much
different than how you feel everyday of the season when you practice
at least three hours daily. At least those hard hours of training paid
off in a way that I can apply to life after diving. :-).
As soon as I was better from the malaria we were off again to Blantyre
for swimming nationals. I have to say, it is very different being on
the coaching side of things than it is being on the competing side of
things. I have yet to decide which one I like better...
Anyway, hopefully life will slow down a little and get back to normal.
I only have a few more months here, and I would love to be able to
take some time and enjoy them!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
What do you live for??
I just finished reading the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. This book has rocked my world a little bit. It has made me re-evaluate the way I approach life. I encourage all of you to read it, if you haven’t already. The section of the book that stood out most to me was a section on belief. It says:
Dying for something is easy because it is associated with glory. Living for something is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe.
-Donald Miller
This quote made me really look at my life. What do I believe? I know I believe in God. I know I believe in loving others more than myself. I know that I believe that you should help others at every opportunity that you get. This is what I believe, but is it how I live? If you were to look at my day-to-day life, I don’t think this is what you would see. You would see that I believe in myself. I believe in working out. I believe in most of the time doing what I want to do first, before doing things for others. How different would my every day life be if I were to live for what I believed? How different would the world be if we all lived for what we believe? It is a lot harder, a lot less accepted to live for the things that I believe. The world understands living for yourself, living for working out, living for putting food on the table and a roof over your head, living for your future and your dreams. It is much less accepted to live for God, to live for others before yourself, to live for loving others- truly, genuinely loving others- even those that harm you. From here on out I need to start living for what I believe. I need to make a conscious effort to each and every day live my life not for myself, but for God, and for others. I have less than four months left in Malawi. Now would be the perfect time to make a change and show the world what I believe. To show God what I believe. To show you what I believe.
What do you believe? Is it the same as what you live for?
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” 2 Thessalonians 3:5
Dying for something is easy because it is associated with glory. Living for something is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe.
-Donald Miller
This quote made me really look at my life. What do I believe? I know I believe in God. I know I believe in loving others more than myself. I know that I believe that you should help others at every opportunity that you get. This is what I believe, but is it how I live? If you were to look at my day-to-day life, I don’t think this is what you would see. You would see that I believe in myself. I believe in working out. I believe in most of the time doing what I want to do first, before doing things for others. How different would my every day life be if I were to live for what I believed? How different would the world be if we all lived for what we believe? It is a lot harder, a lot less accepted to live for the things that I believe. The world understands living for yourself, living for working out, living for putting food on the table and a roof over your head, living for your future and your dreams. It is much less accepted to live for God, to live for others before yourself, to live for loving others- truly, genuinely loving others- even those that harm you. From here on out I need to start living for what I believe. I need to make a conscious effort to each and every day live my life not for myself, but for God, and for others. I have less than four months left in Malawi. Now would be the perfect time to make a change and show the world what I believe. To show God what I believe. To show you what I believe.
What do you believe? Is it the same as what you live for?
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” 2 Thessalonians 3:5
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Talk about being humbled...
So I just got back from visiting an orphanage that a coworkers family runs. It was an absolutely amazing and humbling experience. I think about the trials that I have gone through so far in my 23 years of life, and they are nothing compared to what any of the amazing people I met this weekend have gone through. I am thoroughly blown away by the amazing grace and love for God that these people have.
To start with, the orphanage has 44 orphans living in it, and another 20 that are living in the surrounding community. The orphanage cares for children of all ages. There are children there that have just been born and are fighting for their life, and there are children there that are in high school. It has become a home of life and love, and it is an incredible place. People from around the community help out during the day, but the majority of the time there are only two people running it. Florence and Boisen are the couple that manage the orphanage. They must be in their 70s, and they are the only two people that get up with the babies and all the children in the middle of the night. Talk about living a life for God and His children. I watched one baby last weekend, for two nights... I can't imagine being in charge of 44 all the time, 365 days of the year.
The couple (Frank and Eunice) that started the orphanage are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They have gone through so many trials and tribulations in their life. I would not blame them if they just gave up being positive and loving life. They have been dealt some serious losses, but have come out strong none the less. Frank seems to have a passion for helping people which surpasses any that I have ever seen. He is a man who loves God and His people... He not only had the dream to start up the orphanage, but he built up the area around it. He started a clinic, he helped put in schools, he built a nutritional rehabilitation unit, he built a church. He has done so much, and he just keeps on giving and doing. They are currently trying to build a new church, but the building of it has stalled because they don't have the funds to finish it. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the area and make it more accessible to help others.
This family has the biggest heart. They welcome you with open arms. The power was out last night when we arrived. They spent hours cooking for all six of us on a small grill so we would have a warm dinner. They have already given so much to this world, and they keep giving every day. They live a life of love. They live a life I strive to live. I wish I could open my heart to those around me as easily as this family does. They love everyone, no matter what.
My eyes have been completely opened this weekend. My heart broke for all the children that I saw, orphans or otherwise. When we were visiting the nutritional rehabilitation unit and I saw the babies that looked like they were six months and were really almost two years, I had to hold back tears. There is so much pain and suffering in Malawi, but the people never cease to amaze me. As we were walking through the wards of the hospital, the guardians of the patients were there called out to us and asked us to come join them in eating nsima (their dinner). They were at the hospital watching over their sick family members, and still they opened their hearts to us. How many of us would do that in the States? I would think not too many.
I challenge you in this- take a lesson from these people. Open your hearts to others. Love a stranger like you would your brother. Do something for others before you do something for yourself. Look past all the difficulties you have encountered in life, and see how you can use them to help others. Give to others. Give love, give time, give money. Use the gifts that God has given you to better those around you. Most of us have never experience half of the sadness and troubles that so many of the people in Malawi have experienced. Take a lesson from the people that have experienced so much and still have a heart to give all they have and more. Love those around you. If everyone gave half as much to those around them as the family I met this weekend, the world would be such a better place.
Feel called to help out this orphanage or hospital or church that they are trying to build?? Email me. danielle.niculescu@gmail.com
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" John 15-12
Danie
To start with, the orphanage has 44 orphans living in it, and another 20 that are living in the surrounding community. The orphanage cares for children of all ages. There are children there that have just been born and are fighting for their life, and there are children there that are in high school. It has become a home of life and love, and it is an incredible place. People from around the community help out during the day, but the majority of the time there are only two people running it. Florence and Boisen are the couple that manage the orphanage. They must be in their 70s, and they are the only two people that get up with the babies and all the children in the middle of the night. Talk about living a life for God and His children. I watched one baby last weekend, for two nights... I can't imagine being in charge of 44 all the time, 365 days of the year.
The couple (Frank and Eunice) that started the orphanage are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They have gone through so many trials and tribulations in their life. I would not blame them if they just gave up being positive and loving life. They have been dealt some serious losses, but have come out strong none the less. Frank seems to have a passion for helping people which surpasses any that I have ever seen. He is a man who loves God and His people... He not only had the dream to start up the orphanage, but he built up the area around it. He started a clinic, he helped put in schools, he built a nutritional rehabilitation unit, he built a church. He has done so much, and he just keeps on giving and doing. They are currently trying to build a new church, but the building of it has stalled because they don't have the funds to finish it. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the area and make it more accessible to help others.
This family has the biggest heart. They welcome you with open arms. The power was out last night when we arrived. They spent hours cooking for all six of us on a small grill so we would have a warm dinner. They have already given so much to this world, and they keep giving every day. They live a life of love. They live a life I strive to live. I wish I could open my heart to those around me as easily as this family does. They love everyone, no matter what.
My eyes have been completely opened this weekend. My heart broke for all the children that I saw, orphans or otherwise. When we were visiting the nutritional rehabilitation unit and I saw the babies that looked like they were six months and were really almost two years, I had to hold back tears. There is so much pain and suffering in Malawi, but the people never cease to amaze me. As we were walking through the wards of the hospital, the guardians of the patients were there called out to us and asked us to come join them in eating nsima (their dinner). They were at the hospital watching over their sick family members, and still they opened their hearts to us. How many of us would do that in the States? I would think not too many.
I challenge you in this- take a lesson from these people. Open your hearts to others. Love a stranger like you would your brother. Do something for others before you do something for yourself. Look past all the difficulties you have encountered in life, and see how you can use them to help others. Give to others. Give love, give time, give money. Use the gifts that God has given you to better those around you. Most of us have never experience half of the sadness and troubles that so many of the people in Malawi have experienced. Take a lesson from the people that have experienced so much and still have a heart to give all they have and more. Love those around you. If everyone gave half as much to those around them as the family I met this weekend, the world would be such a better place.
Feel called to help out this orphanage or hospital or church that they are trying to build?? Email me. danielle.niculescu@gmail.com
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" John 15-12
Danie
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Maria
Hey all,
So I decided that it is 10 times easier to write a blog than it is to update 100 different people at once about what is going on in Malawi. Sooo, I finally gave in. Anyway, I decided to write my first post about a beautiful little girl named Maria.
Maria is a baby, a little over a year, who lives at the Crisis Nursery. For those of you that don't know what the Crisis Nursery (Crisis) is, it's a nursery that caters to malnourished children. Most of the babies in the nursery have lost at least one, if not both, parents. In Malawi formula to feed a baby is really expensive, so if something happens to the mother during child birth (which seems to happen in way to many cases), the father simply can't afford to buy formula to feed the child.
I have been going to Crisis about once a week for a while now. I have fallen in love with so many of the children there, Maria was just one of the many. Crisis does such an amazing job taking care of children who if it weren't there, probably wouldn't be around anymore. It is such an amazing organization and one that I wish I could do more to help. I wish I had all the money in the world to give to these beautiful babies. I wish I had all day every day free so I could go and play with and cuddle and love on all the little ones that live there. I am however, very blessed to be able to take care of one of the little ones this weekend. Maria is staying on ABC campus because she is sick. While she is being nursed back to health, she is staying at my house for the weekend. And I have fallen head over heels for this little girl.
In Malawi, everyone is required to carry a health passport book. Optimally this health passport is supposed to have all of your health information in it, so every doctor that you see will be well versed on what health conditions you may have or illnesses you have had in the past. (Its really actually a pretty cool idea, I think!) Health passports sometimes also have family history in them, so I was able to get to know a little bit about Maria's past. She is the first born in her family, and her mom died the day she was born. Her dad can't afford to buy formula for her, so he brought her to Crisis. This story, or ones like it, are all too common in Malawi. Maria's dad says that when she is able to eat solid food, he will come and get her. Lets hope that this is the case, and that he will be able to provide a safe, happy, and healthy home for her. There is nothing more important in someones life, especially a child's, than family and a safe home.
It breaks my heart to read about Maria's life so far. She just past a year old, and she has already had to deal with so much. She is the cutest, sweetest little girl, and she should have someone to love her all the time. Someone to look after her always. She should have a stable environment to live in. Crisis is doing a phenomenal job keeping babies alive, but there are so many of them there, that its hard for each child to get all the love and attention they need and deserve.
God loves and has a plan for each and everyone of us. I know He loves Maria, and every other child at Crisis, dearly. I just wish I could show each and every one of those children just how much He loves them.
Please pray for Maria, and every child at Crisis. Pray that they know how much they are loved. Pray that they will find a home, if they can't go back to their own. Pray for their safety and health. And pray that they will understand just how much God loves them.
Thanks for reading, I will update again soon,
Danie
So I decided that it is 10 times easier to write a blog than it is to update 100 different people at once about what is going on in Malawi. Sooo, I finally gave in. Anyway, I decided to write my first post about a beautiful little girl named Maria.
Maria is a baby, a little over a year, who lives at the Crisis Nursery. For those of you that don't know what the Crisis Nursery (Crisis) is, it's a nursery that caters to malnourished children. Most of the babies in the nursery have lost at least one, if not both, parents. In Malawi formula to feed a baby is really expensive, so if something happens to the mother during child birth (which seems to happen in way to many cases), the father simply can't afford to buy formula to feed the child.
I have been going to Crisis about once a week for a while now. I have fallen in love with so many of the children there, Maria was just one of the many. Crisis does such an amazing job taking care of children who if it weren't there, probably wouldn't be around anymore. It is such an amazing organization and one that I wish I could do more to help. I wish I had all the money in the world to give to these beautiful babies. I wish I had all day every day free so I could go and play with and cuddle and love on all the little ones that live there. I am however, very blessed to be able to take care of one of the little ones this weekend. Maria is staying on ABC campus because she is sick. While she is being nursed back to health, she is staying at my house for the weekend. And I have fallen head over heels for this little girl.
In Malawi, everyone is required to carry a health passport book. Optimally this health passport is supposed to have all of your health information in it, so every doctor that you see will be well versed on what health conditions you may have or illnesses you have had in the past. (Its really actually a pretty cool idea, I think!) Health passports sometimes also have family history in them, so I was able to get to know a little bit about Maria's past. She is the first born in her family, and her mom died the day she was born. Her dad can't afford to buy formula for her, so he brought her to Crisis. This story, or ones like it, are all too common in Malawi. Maria's dad says that when she is able to eat solid food, he will come and get her. Lets hope that this is the case, and that he will be able to provide a safe, happy, and healthy home for her. There is nothing more important in someones life, especially a child's, than family and a safe home.
It breaks my heart to read about Maria's life so far. She just past a year old, and she has already had to deal with so much. She is the cutest, sweetest little girl, and she should have someone to love her all the time. Someone to look after her always. She should have a stable environment to live in. Crisis is doing a phenomenal job keeping babies alive, but there are so many of them there, that its hard for each child to get all the love and attention they need and deserve.
God loves and has a plan for each and everyone of us. I know He loves Maria, and every other child at Crisis, dearly. I just wish I could show each and every one of those children just how much He loves them.
Please pray for Maria, and every child at Crisis. Pray that they know how much they are loved. Pray that they will find a home, if they can't go back to their own. Pray for their safety and health. And pray that they will understand just how much God loves them.
Thanks for reading, I will update again soon,
Danie
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