Nigeria & Tchad 7/13 - 8/22

Here is the mission spotlight we did at Advent HOPE FL in Sept. We enjoyed our time in Africa, and are excited to see how/where God will lead us back full time when Jason finishes residency.

Europe 2008

I may never get all of our great Europe pics on here, but i hate when things are not in chronological order, so here is an incomplete post. i will add pics soon.

After flying in from Tchad to Paris we spent 2.5 days in Paris. We saw Notre Dame, the arc de triump, the louve, the eiffel tower, the gardens of versailles, and ate delicious falafels! We took a evening boat tour of the city and watched with surprised as the eiffel tower turned a beautiful blinking blue. This video is better than ours, so enjoy:

After missing the train out and getting ripped off by this restaruant that promised wi-fi, we then took a train through the french countryside to Milano(Milan), Italy. We got in very late, but God protected us.

We spent the rest of our time exploring Italy's western coast. We first went to these cute seaside towns called the cinque terre, where we swam and jumped off big rocks, hiked beautiful vineyard trails, walked the "via del amore," and took a really relaxing and scenic boat ride. While we were there some other guests in the home we stayed in highly suggested a town called Priano on the Amalfi coast.

we then took the overnight train all the way to Napoli (Naples) and went in search of Priano. We had actually reserved a room ahead of time, unfortunately by the time we got to Napoli they had given away our ocean view room, and then by the time we took the Circumvesuvian train and a tour bus along skinny roads that on 1 side was the cliff and the other a 1000 ft drop to the ocean (awesome ride btw), they had given away our 2nd night at the hotel!! And this was Friday and we really didnt want to change hotels on Sabbath. So we made some calls and then rented a scooter to find another hotel (thankfully almost everyone in Italy speaks English ). We finally found one and they allowed us to move our stuff in, but not pay until after sundown.

The views in both places were awesome!

On Sabbath we had breakfast with a view and then studied the lesson quarterly in a swing on the patio, then Jason suggested we continue our study at the top of the mountain. So we had a great hike with breathtaking views and just happened to find a pinic table to finsh reading the Bible. We also found blackberries and figs to eat right off the vine/tree. It was awesome!!

We then left Priano and headed back to Sorrento where we stayed in a campground with a tiny cabin. We wished we had found more places like it, cause we spent way more money than expected on hotels. We took a day trip to the island of Capri and went into the blue grotto. very cool, highly recommended.

We discovered our new favorite dessert while in Italy--sorbetto (sorbet)!! Our very favorite here in the states is Haggen Daaz's coconut sorbet, but there it was cantaloupe.

We also spent a half day exploring Pompeii and the archeological museum.

We then went to our final destination--Roma(Rome). We only had 2 days, so we did a open bus tour where you can hop on and off at your leisure. We saw the coliseum, forum, julius ceasar's tomb, the Marmartine prison that housed peter and paul in the new testament, st.peter's basilica, etc.

Then back to the good old USA, and God was so good to us. Even though we missed some trains, we didnt have anything stolen, or harmed in any way.

Bye bye hair! May 2008

After growing my hair out for 2 years, I decided to donate it to the cancer center here at Florida Hospital. Estela-mom came with me and Jason popped in for a little bit.

It was about 14 inches, curly!

She straightened my hair (which Jason really liked), and I havent done since (sorry babe).

Janelle's Grandma will be in the first resurrection (Not to play God, but i am pretty sure)

I also didnt mention in Feb my Grandma Baptist (maternal) passed away. She had colon cancer and thankfully my mother (along with all her 7 siblings) got to take care of her and say there goodbyes through the months before she died. I am also greatful to God and Jason that we took the time on our trip from CA to FL to spend 1 night with them in MO, it was the last time i saw her alive, although i spoke to her on the phone many times after. She just kept saying that Jesus's second coming was soon and i believe her! She is resting now, but she was a wonderful Christian woman that loved telling people about Jesus. She and my Grandpa even though in their upper eighties still would get out and hand out Christian literature to those in their town of Lebanon, MO. Here is one of my favorite pics of all time:














I think it is too cute that Jason is wearing the t-shirt from the last Baptist family reunion!

Jason's High School Reunion

Oops i forgot to mention we went to Bass Memorial Academy in Lumberton, MS in March for Jason's 10 year reunion. It was very nice to get to meet some of his classmates, although some of his closest friends didnt show up! C'mon people go to your high school reunions, there are people that want to see you.

It was a nice weekend. I did get to meet Pastor David Hartman who was the pastor that gave the evangelistic series in Pensacola, FL in which Jason's family joined the Seventh-day Adventist movement!

Jason got reaquinted with his old gymnastics coach Bernie Culpepper, who is now boy's dean. We found out we have a lot in common with he and his wife, and they are really trying to make a difference in the lives of the young people there. Praise God for the men and women that are being good examples in our church schools!

We are really bad at this...

So what has happened to the Shives in the last oh almost 6 months? Let's see... Here's some in no particular order:

Jason took Step 3, and will soon receive his score. I know he will pass! Almost a licensed physician =)

Jason has been doing Bible studies with a young man that was demon possessed!! The demon even talked to Jason during one of the first Bible studies. Jason kept thinking about the story in Acts 19 where the demon says, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Since then the young man has made some major changes in his life (especially in MUSIC!!) and has been free of possession.

We were looking to buy a house because the economy is so bad, and house prices keep falling, but God intervened and showed us he didnt want us to be tied down to Orlando with a house.

Speaking of not being tied down, we received a letter from the General Conference of SDA's stating that we had been assigned to serve in West Central Africa after Jason's residency. Janelle is very excited because she has been saying for years that they should go to a French speaking country, since God divinely orchestrated (she believes) both Shives to take French in high school and college.

Since neither of us have been to Africa, we are going to go check it out in July & August (sorry Tim & Sunny). We will be going to Ile Ife in Nigeria and Bere in Tchad. Jason is doing a month medical elective and Janelle will be doing... umm... Learning the language and cooking Afro food! Actually Ile Ife does have a nursing school, so maybe I'll be teaching some more A&P. More on this once we go.

Janelle spent 2 weeks in Loma Linda working on the ever so illusive thesis. It was all work except for Sabbaths. It was really wonderful to be back at the "other" Advent HOPE and see all my beloved friends! The very last Sabbath I was there Brad, Amber, Fanny, and myself spent the afternoon at the beach. It was beautiful and relaxing, complete with gray whales migrating and a pod of dolphins (and of course HERMIT CRABS)!

The tide kept coming in on us, almost stranding us on some rocks, and Brad was anxiously waiting for a wave to get me while I was looking into the tide pools, but it never got me! hahaha. After sundown we began the new week with some delicious vegetarian Philipino food before they took me to LAX to fly back to my Babycakes!

The picture was taken by a lady that Fanny boldy offered 3 Christian booklets too! She was very receptive, good job Fanny!

Advent HOPE Florida is such a blessing! Our little group has seen awesome changes in the lives of the attendees. I got tears in my eyes when one Sabbath afternoon recently a group of us were sharing our testimonies and 2 different people included Advent HOPE Florida as part of their testimony of coming to know Christ!

Our small groups are going really well. From 1 original group, we have split into 5! Jason & I have one on Friday nights. We have an awesome group! I will do a whole post dedicated to our group soon. And that is just our Friday night study, then Jason has that men's one on Tues night (with the demon possessed guy), I have one on Tues night with my very sweet neighbor Norma, and I (Jason is usually there too) have one on Thurs night with an awesome lady named Estela. She is Cuban, goes to Catholic mass, but doesnt agree with everything they teach, she doesnt agree with us on everything either, but despite that she has become our adopted mother. Here we are jumping on our trampoline.

Pray that we can keep up with all that God wants us to do here!

P.S. Janelle apologizes for switching between 1st and 3rd person. I am sure that will bother someone.