play ball.
Dearest friends and family,
Welcome to our new blog. Within, we hope to regularly transmit tales of a 27-month journey in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho (pronounced lih-SOO-too). We can only imagine what awaits in a hemisphere catty corner to everything we’ve known, but on June 2, we’ll take a deep breath, double-knot our shoelaces, and probably study our packing list for the 205th (but hopefully last) time and step onto the aeroplane.
In true Peace Corps style, our assignment all came together in a very rushed manner, so in case any of you are short on details – welp, we’re in the same boat – here is a quick summary of what we’re getting ourselves into:
Lauren and I will be Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) on a Community Health & Economic Development (CHED) assignment in Lesotho, which is an independent nation completely surrounded by South Africa. Our jobs will most likely include a mix of farming, nutrition & healthcare education, HIV/AIDS prevention, and youth development. So, pretty wide open. The good news is that we’ll spend the first 3 months learning how to do all this and studying the local language of Sesotho (yes, that’s sih-SOO-too). We pray we’ll pass all our training exams and thenceforth be assigned to spend 2 years living and learning in a rural mountain community. We are ridiculously excited.
Meanwhile, much is still unknown… minor details of course, like access to electricity, availability of internet/cell phone communication, our housing, etc. Perhaps some gaps will be filled in during a one-day orientation in Philadelphia, but we have a feeling that answers will only come once we arrive in country later this week. We will update you, dear blogreaders, as often as we can.
We covet your support, thoughts, prayers, and correspondence, so here’s some info to write down!
Current Lesotho mailing address:
Matt and/or Lauren Deakin, PCV
U.S. Peace Corps
P.O. Box 554
Maseru 100
LESOTHO
Email: Matt – mddeakin@gmail.com, Lauren – ledeakin@gmail.com
Skype: matt.lauren.deakin (it’s a new account, so make sure to add us!)
Cell phone: pending…
Pictures: still deciding between Flickr or just Facebook albums. Suggestions?
We’ll be in touch. Peace.
Much love,
m&l
This is great! Can’t wait for updates. Love you bunches and praying for these days and your final preparations. Blessings! Mom Mc
Have I told you how awesome I think you two are?? I had such an awesome time with the two of you this weekend, I love you both so much….you absolutley will be in my daily prayers!! Hope to hear from you sooner than later
Be careful!
So excited for you guys and really glad you’re keeping a blog! Fly safely.
I’m the first to comment! Love you both like crazy! It was great to see you this weekend, hug you hard and share lots of laughs and smiles. What an amazing opportunity for two amazing people. Will be looking forward to hearing all about your experiences on your blog. It’s a joy to see God’s hand moving in your lives. Be blessed and know that you are loved.
Anne and Rob
Good luck! And stay fle… Never mind.
love you two soooooo much! what a great opportunity for you ~ can’t wait for everything to start. you are going to have such wonderful experiences, let’s get going!
Hugs and love to you both! You’re gonna be fabulous on this 2-year electric bull ride!
Wow! This adventure sounds amazing. I can see you guys having the BEST time. But Matthew, I want to know how a city slicker like you is going to teach these people anything about farming! Oh well, I’m sure you’ll charm your way by. Hugs and prayers to you both. We love you. Katie, Dan, Maddie, Greta, and Ada (Josh too)
PS- I vote for Flickr since I don’t belong to Facebook. I know I’m lame but what can I say.
A prayer for your journey
Come Holy Spirit; replace the tension within us with a holy relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within us with a sacred calm.
Replace the anxiety within us with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within us with a strong faith.
Replace any bitterness within us with the sweetness of grace.
Replace the darkness within us with a gentle light.
Replace the coldness within us with loving warmth.
Replace the night within us with Your light.
Replace the winter within us with Your spring.
Straighten our crookedness.
Fill our emptiness.
Dull the edge of our pride.
Sharpen the edge of our humility.
Light the fires of our love.
Amen.
Peace be with you both. — Jack and Trisha
Are you there yet? just kidding. I know you’re not, and praying for you all along the way. Can’t wait to hear about what you’re seeing.
What I do wrong? I posted a note and it is not here. Anyway God’s speed. Trisha and Jack