Mozambique Video

I'm excited to let ya'll finally view the video I mentioned months ago since most everyone that needed to see it in person during my visits have seen in.......so here it is.  It's 12.5 minutes.  I'm pretty sure it is worth the wait for the few of you that have been waiting in intense anticipation since I first mentioned it.  I hope it blesses you and really reminds you of how much this journey is just not me and God's.....but belongs to each of you as well.  Thank you so much for each and every single you have spent praying for me, writing emails, thinking of me, sending me encouragement, wisdom, and truth, as well as finances, goody packages, and long skype conversations (especially those that had 5000 dropped calls in like 10 min and yet you still stuck with me).  Thanks for the hugs and shoulders (virtual and real), for bearing through the tears and hard times and most definately for celebrating with me and God on all the victories.  Myself, the children I served, and the Mozambicans and other missionaries I served with have been eternally changed-in this life and forever.  I really cannot repay you or tell you thanks enough.  Enjoy!


Mozambique: Changing Statistics 2008-2010 from Erin Welton on Vimeo.

Well past time for an update

I'm not even going to make excuses. If you get my monthly updates (which clearly haven't been so montly lately) nothing's new or different cept for the pictures. Let's see.....we shall start in November.

November

Grad school finished up (UAB’s program runs for 9 weeks and very intensively at that) and by the end of that time I had written 34 papers for 4 different classes. I managed to squeak out all A’s…I have no clue how. I attended a Christian Global Missions Conference in Louisville, KY for 3 days where I was able to network with other current and future missionaries, talk about the realities of missions, get information on some cool opportunities with different organizations/projects, and just worship God together as about 1000 people with a heart to serve the Lord both here at home and abroad. It was an amazing time. Then, I headed up to Cleveland, OH to speak at 3 services of one of my supporter churches-Stow Presbyterian Church, while getting the chance to spend time with my dad’s side of the family and my grandmother. I was also able to have brunch with a young girl who’s just working through her heart for missions God’s been speaking to her about, as well as visit with 2 of my dear friends I worked with in Maputo, Mozambique who are off the mission field for the time being and living in and around Cleveland/Akron, OH. Immediate and extended family came to my place over Thanksgiving in Nashville and it was really a blessing.

December

I celebrated my 30th birthday with some close friends in Nashville. I was blessed to spend 7 days back in New Orleans with family for an early Christmas as well as another cousin’s wedding. Auburn won the SEC championship in football (very important stuff) and it was decided they would play for the national championship (even more important stuff). I found out that University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had accepted me into their graduate certificate program in Maternal and Child Health (online) through their public health college. My trusty car died and could not be resurrected for less than 5,500 dollars, so the decision was made to sell it and I’m not borrowing a car from my parents until I leave again. I worked through Christmas here in Nashville, but was able to get home for 5 days right after that to celebrate Christmas late with my immediate family and then ring in the New Year. During that time, I got to see and hold one of my high school gal’s first baby and visit with my dear friend and fellow nurse, Meghann for 24 hours who was home on respite from Mozambique. That’s the stuff I miss when I’m over in Mozambique.

January

This first week of Jan may be coming to a close but it’s already been full. I drove up to UNC for a 3.5 day intensive leadership seminar/graduate program orientation. It’s the only time I’ll have to be on campus for the 2 semester program. I met the girls I’ll be chatting and working on group projects online with over these next 2 semesters, learned a lot about myself through the personality and leadership development tools we did, and found out how the program works. I’m so excited about this opportunity. And now after what feels like an eternity of being away from Nashville, I’m back here….filling ya’ll in and getting ready to start semester #2-3 graduate classes (2 thru UNC and 1 thru UAB) on Monday. The assignments are already looming before me.

The future.....So most of ya’ll are probably wondering where I’m headed and what all this means…..good question.  My heart is still burning to be back in Mozambique and I can’t wait for the moment I get to stop off that plane and back into the sticky heat and humidity of the African continent.  I think about it and pray about it all the time.  On the grad school front, both certificate programs-UAB and UNC (all 26 hours worth) will be finished up in a total of 3 semesters (at the end of this coming August).  I’m hoping and yearning to be back on the field in Mozambique as early as September, but I know that a-this may not be the exact perfect timing for God and b-realistically grad school costs have gone up and those costs have to be paid off before I return and c-the holidays will be coming up, school will have literally finished, and I might need a bit of a break before I hit the ground running again-allowing me to see all of ya’ll again and continue working to pay off the rest of grad school costs.  Leaving in Jan would allow me to get on a schedule of being gone for 10 months and home for 2 at the holidays.  At this point, I’m still praying through and searching for the ministry God is calling me to work with when I return to Mozambique.  I feel like it will be a 3-5 year commitment and that requires a lot of prayer and thought for a decision like that.  Our God is big and prayers in this area are much needed and appreciated.  As much as I want to be back on the field, I know it has to be with the right project and in His right timing or it’s all doomed.  Please pray with me.

Finances are an area God is really continuing to bless me in through all of you.  At this point I’m living off about ½ the amount of monthly support I had coming in compared to when I was on the field.  This covers medical insurance, rent/utilities, and food.  Everything from my part-time job is covering grad school and so far it’s worked out to the penny every month.  The first semester of grad school has been paid off and I’m just hoping that I can keep up with that as it was only ¼ of what I’m going to have to pay over the entire 3 semesters.  I’ve been getting cancelled at work lately due to my unit’s low census and while that, at times, makes me a little nervous to cover everything…..it has all completely worked out-Praise to God and all of you who sent me the extra donations you didn’t know I needed and on which I wasn’t counting.  Ya’ll have truly blessed me.  

Super Important Changes in HOW to donate to me

 A few changes have been made and I wanted to let everyone know that Fellowship Bible Church in Nashville, TN will no longer be able to accept donations for me through their website or by check.  If you are a regular monthly supporter, you will be getting an email shortly with more details and what to do from here on out as well as how this affects us both.  In the meantime, if anyone would like to donate, please contact me by email (weltoem@msn.com) for the best way to do so (you have a few options).  Thanks again for continuously sharing with me what God has blessed you with!  I am always overwhelmed by your generosity!

2 more papers....

I seriosly don't know where the time goes. I can't believe it's already November!

Classwork finished 2 weeks ago for grad school stuff and I've just been working on my 4 final papers to finish it all out. 2 down and 2 more to go and this semester will be OVER. I've written 30 papers for a total of 160 pages so far. All but the last 2 were done in a total of 9 consecutive weeks. Just 2 more super long ones to go. YIKES. I'm so done writing papers.

Since the last time I wrote:
-I had the chance to participate in a good friend from high school's wedding in Charleston, SC. My mom and I made the trip down and it was just so nice to spend a whole weekend together out of our crazy lives and something I haven't really had the chance to do in almost 3 years.

-I also got the opportunity to jet back down to New Orleans for 5 days for a cousin's wedding and some good family time.

-I went to SIFAT for the green leaf concentrate seminar in collaboration with my professor at UAB and the Honor's college there as well. It was such a great opportunity and opened a bit of a door for me to possibly return to SIFAT in May for 10 days between spring and summer semester to recieve intensive training in world hunger and malnutrition as well as how to use appopriate technologies (read: simple and hands-on) to help combat this in developing nations. It's a super cool opportunity and I'm really praying about making this happen as I know I would use it on almost a daily basis!

-I applied to University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill's graduate certificate program in maternal child health (just like UAB's, but in a different concentration area) and am just waiting and praying for the answer back.

-I've been trying to (and still am) working completely full time while school's out and until the beginning of Jan when school starts back up again to pay off all these school loans. Crazy. But, I love the girls I work with, the job, the hospital, and being back on nightshift. It's GREAT!!!! I'm so blessed! God is so GOOD!!!

What's in front of me??

I can't wait for the missions conference I mentioned last time that's in just 2 weeks. I'm really praying that God will make some good connections there and perhaps open some doors or windows into what the next road looks like for me after I finish grad school. I would love for you to pray with me on this.

Then it's up to Ohio to give a talk at 3 services at a church that has been supporting me for the last year and continues to do so while I'm home. I'm pumped. While I'm there I'll also get so visit family and 2 missionaries I worked with while in Mozambique!

My immediate family and dad's side of the family is headed to Nashville to have Thanksgiving at my house which is awesome. It'll be a full November.

Back to New Orleans for a week for another cousin's wedding, an early Christmas (since I'm working all during Christmas) and lots of family time.

Then home to Clemson for a week right after Christmas and to see one of my high school gal's new baby...I'm pumped!!!! These next few weeks are just going to fly right on by as well.....oh and I turn 30 somewhere in there........YEAH!!!!

Prayer Points:
-UNC graduate application
-the missions conference in Louisville, KY
-speaking at Stow Presbyterian Church in Ohio on Nov. 21st
-opportunity to attend World Hunger 10 day intensive training in May

A little update on me

Let's see....wow the weeks are flying by and I've been wanting to get out an official update, but well....did I mention the weeks are flying by? Basically I've been....

sleeping, studying, studying, studying, eating, sleeping, studying, studying, working, studying, sleeping. That probably covers it. If you are a friend living in the Nashville area reading this that thought you would actually get to see me since I lived in the States again....we were BOTH wrong....catch me in 5 more weeks.

Grad school has been amazing and I learn tons every day that is very applicable (I even keep a journal with lots of ideas for when I go back), but it's seriously eating at least 50-60 hours of my week and then I either work 1 or 2 12 hr nightshifts sometime in there amongst the craziness. I'm halfway through week 5 of the 9 weeks for this semester, so I'll get a break soon (till Jan) and start working more with a bit more normal (although still a nightshifter) schedule! You can tell why I rarely leave the house except for groceries, Church and Bible Study, and yoga classes in the evening (practically the only thing that keeps me sane). Don't worry....I do manage to take off 1 period of 24 hrs each week where I do NOTHING school related and just relax, otherwise I would have given this pursuit up by now.

Oh and I've done a "little" travelling on top of all that. Two weekends ago I headed to Clemson for the night, then my mom and I drove to Charleston, SC for the weekend to rest, relax, and celebrate an old highschool girl friend getting married! It was a great weekend and Charleston was gorgeous (as always). Last weekend, I got the chance to go to Auburn, AL (War Eagle!) and see many college friends as well as my sister. Plus, I was blessed with 2 FREE tickets to the Auburn vs Clemson game....so my sister and I wore opposing colors and took turns screaming and cheering for our team....may I say, the better and best team (AUBURN) won!!!! While there I spoke at the Auburn Wesley Foundation (Methodist Campus Ministry) where I spent 4 years of my life during college serving, learning, fellowshipping, and growing up. I did a suppose-to-be 10 min faithshare that was probably a lot longer (thanks David for being patient with me) for the college students on answering God's call on your life and what that looks like in reality and how to missionally live your life from whereever He has placed you. Then on Monday, I hung around AWF for about 4 hrs while students dropped in and asked tons of questions and chatted with me about life on the mission field, developing countries, and serving God. It was amazing and I met some fabulous men and women. On my way back to Nashville, I stopped by two friends house in Bham and had dinner (and sleep).

Plans for soon:
Oct. 10-12 in Birmingham,AL for a 2 day lecture series with UAB and SIFAT (Servants in Faith and Technology) on using green leaf concentrate to treat malnutrition in developing countries

Oct. 14-19 in New Orleans for wedding and family time

Nov. 11-13 in Louisville, KY for a 3 day Christian Global Medical Missions conference which I am pumped about!!!

Nov. 18-22 in Akron, Ohio to speak at Stow Presbyterian Church (my uncle's and amazing supporters) outside of Akron as well as visiting 2 girls that served with me at Zimpeto in Mozambique and family time!

Dec. 17?-20? in New Orleans for wedding and early Christmas with family

Did I mention somehow managing to fit 80 hr workweeks in between all of this! Praise the Lord God gave me a remarkable talent for working well in the midst of chaos otherwise I'd be floundering right now. He has been such the sustainer and encourager over these last few weeks for me. Thanks for all the prayers....continue praying and let me know if you would like me to come speak to your church, Bible study group, or whatever.....I'll make it happen, even if my schedule looks a little rediculous. ;)

All is quiet

I just wanted to update everyone and thank you for prayers! Missionaries at Zimpeto said Monday was quite even though there were lots of rumours of more rioting. The government has decided to add a subsidy to the price of bread so that the price will remain the same as previous....i only wonder where the money is being taken from to fund this subsidy. Anyway, latest article below! Thanks again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11216009