Just a reminder...

Hello all, we just wanted to put this out here so that for those of you who may have been missing out on this awesome story from Lia might be able to catch up with it.  To the left of the screen there is a list of "Pages", and under this list is the pages links themselves.  Well when you click on one of them you go to a new page that has other information about the Bierlys.  Some of you always wanted to know just what happened in Africa.  While we tried to share what we could there just never seemed enough time.  Well Lia has undertaken the task of writing a weekly update starting from when she first arrived in Africa (this was before Nate and before Kids!).  So posted here is this weeks instalment but if you have missed just go to the left and look for the page titled We left our hearts under the mango tree, click on this link, and then just scroll down and enjoy some real funny stuff that even I, Nate, had forgotten about.  Thanks for looking and God Bless.


07/19/2015
I feel my body is taking the beating now, it’s getting darker and I wonder what is happening next. Then I saw a young lady come and whisper something to Julius and she left. Julius whisper to me that my bath water is ready! YAY. I get to get up and have a bath. They took me to a man-made shelter, the water was warm I didn’t care the basin was small I squeeze in the bucket so I can sit in the water ahh it feels so good on my bum. I sit in it for a while watching the stars and thank God I am there and alive. After my nice warm bath I change to my long pants and a wrap, the ladies showed me where I was sleeping and give me a candle to put on the ground, I went in to the new grass hut I can’t barely stand inside, the whole time I was ducking the grass, how in the world this tall people made such a short hut, I am short and I am barely standing in it, the floor was an even ground, there was stump everywhere oh well, on the floor was a papyrus mat and my back pack. This is going to be an interesting night but who cares I am beat. I would like to sleep, I hang my mesquite net and crash. I heard the youth not far from where I was sleeping they were singing with their drum, at first I thought it’s nice to hear music but then the drum and the singing continues long into the night as I was about to fall asleep I hear something rustling outside my hut and with no mistake I know that sound anywhere. Someone tied a goat next to my hut. The night was cold all I have was long pants and my t-shirt I wish I brought my big, thick, insulated sleeping bag my sister gave me for Christmas. But no I already made a cozy little cave back at the base with it, next time it will be with me no matter what. I’ll sit on it and I’ll fight anyone dare to say there’s no room for it! I miss it already. The ground was giving me a hard time to lay on I stumped couple of times on the dirt to make an even ground, the choir not five feet away from me is still chanting and now I have bleating goat that won’t shut up! Oh Lord I am going to die! I pray that either morning come fast or someone needs to get rid of that goat. I looked at my watch and it was five in the morning. Great I haven’t sleep the whole night I pray I won’t fall asleep on one of those benches. The sun come up and I get ready. I clean up as quickly as I can and walk outside I looked around at the goat he is sitting there eating my roof! Argh, I hope they get rid of the goat soon or I will. The ladies brought us tea and bread. It was nice, I need the tea and lots of it. After that we went to the church, the children ran after me and take my hand, I love kids they are innocent, they are loveable and they don’t care who you are as long you love them back. We all walked hand in hand into the church they picked the seat and we all sit together. The church was filled in like thirty minutes. Wow we sing, dance, jumped and laugh. I feel like God have given me a new strength. To be among this people that is so thirsty for the word of God just bring new light into my life. I want to be here forever. And it was time for me to give testimony/preaching. I speak on prayer and faith. God’s love and why we should love one another. I told Julius before that he have to take over once I am done. Because he have to use all that time to fill in. I can’t speak for four hours straight. And so he did. We sing and dance until it was time for lunch. We eat mangos, biscuits and tea for lunch and it was fine by me. Julius came by and said the children and other pastors in the church wants to take me to see Congo.

Left our hearts under the Mango Tree.

  Many of you have known us for a long time. You have supported us and prayed for us while we were in Africa, and for that we are grateful. Back when we were in Sudan we didn't have the luxury of social media let alone internet so sometimes our news letter consisted of yes we are doing ok, the family is fine, God is great!, and yes we are still alive. All our news was short and to the point. We let our supporters know we are well and have not been shot or in terrible distress. But we omitted some of the sweet details that made those ok and safe news to you because of many different reasons. For example we have to write quickly before the generator blew up on us, or when we get to town the internet pole have been shot, or we plain forgot.

 Now that we are home looking back at pictures and read our old diaries made us want to share it again with you in details as we remember what it was like living in Africa :). This is also to help some of our friends whom we met at the grocery store, or church function that asked what we did in Africa, and we tried to answer them in less than the seven basic ballet movement.

 Well I (Lia) will write our stories through my eyes and as much details as I remember through pictures and my diary. So if you would like to read and follow my story it will be on the left side of the page title Left our hearts under the Mango Tree. The story will take us back from my single days until how I met my Tarzan. And married him and continue until we leave Sudan. Oh boy.  So every Sunday I will put new story, this way you will walk, laugh and cry with us. By reading the story we hope that we will keep our brothers and sisters in Christ in our prayers.