But are totes worth it.

First of all, sorry my blog was broken this morning. It happens.

Here are some clicks for today that, while they aren’t free, are all awesome.

First of all, my friend Lady Antebellum released their sophomore album today and it. is. great. So click on this iTunes button and it will send you straight to the new album Need You Now. You won’t regret it.

Also, our friend Dave Barnes has released the first single from his new album. The single is “God Gave Me You” and good gracious, people. That’s a good way to spend 99 cents. [I gave Dave a dollar one time. But it's because I lost a bet. It involved a lot of skewers of chicken. And he won. Cause he loves chicken on a skewer more than you would believe.]

Anyways, click on this iTunes button and you can spend a dollar on Dave. For a much better gift than watching him eat 20+ skewers of chicken. Trust. Me.

Finally, tonight is going to be so.much.fun. I’ll be there. Dave will be there. Brandon Heath will be there. Matt Wertz will be there. And YOU can be there too! For only $1.50! And you can be in your pajamas. [But we won't.]

It’s a live concert, streaming online, with songs, interviews, and me running the live twitter stream! And the money goes to building wells in Africa. So tonight at 8pm CST, log on to the Mocha Club website and watch the concert.

Go ahead and register NOW then remind yourself to come tonight! I’ll see you there!!

I know there are some more albums coming out today– any recommendations from you??

As many of you know, I got to go to Cape Town, South Africa in May with the Mocha Club. It was an awesome trip. When I got home, I would have told you that I am glad I went but it didn’t really change me.

Here’s the funny thing. It seems that about once a month something will fall into my heart and it will take me back to Cape Town. And in that moment, I realize that Cape Town was completely life-changing.

This was the case when I saw Invictus last week. Invictus is a movie about the first year that Nelson Mandela was the President of South Africa. It’s about how he worked to bring unity to the people, black and white, and how the country responded to that.

Oh, and Matt Damon is in the movie. Amen.

[Marisa did a beautiful job writing about the movie as well, so you can check that out here.]

I left the movie with a few questions rolling around in my mind. And I don’t know the answers yet.

I am officially shaken up.

Because I’m white. And I was the same age as a lot of the dudes in the movie. And in Cape Town.

So what if I would have been born in Cape Town?

I would have told you all the things that I can tell you about my life now: I’m a Christian, raised by Godly parents, on a path to a normal adult life.

And I would have THOUGHT like the other white people did.

And I would have THOUGHT segregation was good for my country.

And I would have THOUGHT I was RIGHT.

Do you see what I’m saying?

For many of you, racism is still very real where you live. I know that is true here in the South in some ways. But segregation like is shown in this movie, like was real in the 90s in Cape Town, like was real in the 50s in the USA- that isn’t real for me.

It was real in May 2009, when I stood in a campground kitchen, trying to help out the mamas who were cooking lunch for 70+ kids from the slums of Cape Town. There was always a wall there, always something that kept them from really allowing us to help. I thought it was mostly the language barrier, with just a hint of the leftovers of apartheid.

I am so ignorant.

Invictus showed me reality.

Reality says that when those mamas look at me, I look like a white girl born in Cape Town.

And though I don’t think like that girl, I look like her.

And dumb ole me just kept thinking, “if I only I could speak Xhosa cause surely they would hug me and love me if I spoke their language.”  Nevermind the years and years when people, who looked JUST LIKE ME, were horribly unkind and unfair and treated them terribly.

So yeah, I’m a little shaken up. And yeah, Cape Town changed my life. Again last week. I just don’t know how yet. I don’t have the answers.

But Invictus is a great movie. Go see it, and I dare you ask some questions when it’s done.

I love being a part of Mocha Club. But, there are some days that I’m uber-excited and lucky to work with Mocha Club. Like, way more than usual.

Today is one of those days.

Today is International Justice Day- where people around the world have the opportunity to look at the injustices of the world and actually discuss them. Maybe, somehow, taking a step towards making a difference.

And Mocha Club is about those conversations, and more importantly- those actions.

What does that video do to you? It makes me deeply sad that those words are real life for someone. I mean, clean water. CLEAN WATER?!? I start to roll my eyes if the water in the shower starts to lose its heat. But there are people who have No. Clean. Water.

Child Labor. AIDS. War. Debt. Sex Trafficking. It’s horrible.

And yet, at the same time, it makes me deeply grateful that Mocha Club considers this day one worth noting and bringing to the forefront of our minds. And I’m glad that these injustices aren’t invisible to us anymore- instead, they are a focus.

Today, Mocha Club launches a new website. And a new blog. And they have SO MUCH to say about international justice. Check it out.

What do YOU have to say? What does that make you want to say? I want to know. Leave a comment or write a blog post and link it in the comments. I would love to get a conversation going about what justice looks like to you and what we can do, here in the States, to be a part of bringing justice to the rest of the world. [And feel free to post the badge or the video- just link to mochaclub.org at some point too so all our conversations can have a home.]

Enjoy a glass of water today. Really enjoy it.

And have a great weekend.

200 languages are spoken by more than 1 million people worldwide.

I’m pretty sure I have a working knowledge of English. Sorta.

So that leaves 199 for me to learn. Starting with French.

And here is why.

I tend to overshare. Hence the reason I have this blog. Hence the reason I didn’t get any work done yesterday at Frothy Monkey and instead just caught up with friends that were there. Hence the reason I sent upwards of 50 emails last night. Because HELLO MY NAME IS ANNIE AND I DO NOT RUN OUT OF THINGS TO SAY.

And Cape Town seriously challenged that. Because I don’t know Xhosa. In fact, I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know there was a language named Xhosa until I was preparing for this trip.

Once we got there, I got to hang out with some seriously cute kids. Like these dudes (from L to R: Eric, Logan, Ayanda, me, and Patrick).

Saturday afternoon of our kids camp, I watched Eric as he walked into the dining hall, sat down, and laid his head on the table. I walked over and put my hand on his back- just to say hey. He began to shake, weeping. If you are new to these here blog parts, you may not know that I used to be a teacher- in fact, 4th/5th grade boys were always my favs. So this moment seriously broke my heart.

I tried to ask him what was wrong. But his English was so limited; my Xhosa, surprisingly, also limited. So instead of helping this sweet dude, I had to get Wonga, one of the local college guys, to come take care of it. It ended up being fine, but the Wanna-be-a-Mama in me hated that I was unable to fix the situation myself.

The children’s church teachers, lovingly called “The Mamas”, helped in the kitchen a lot. Because I am a self-professed foodie, I thought it would be awesome to hang with them and learn from them as they cooked. I don’t know how much you know about apartheid [probably more than me], but it still affects the people of South Africa- especially (and probably only) the adults. And I could feel it.

I wanted so badly to show them how much I respected them, tell them that white girl was in the kitchen to learn, not to hover. [I don't know.... I'm trying to explain all this to you without ruffling any racial feathers. How do I say this?] I guess I just wanted to serve WITH them. And there were walls between us- not so much language, but deeper stuff. We had bonded pretty well by Sunday morning, but I would have given anything to show up and be able to ask questions about their recipes, ask how I could help, and communicate love and respect to them in their own language. I felt like I was unable to minister to the women as deeply as I wanted because I didn’t know Xhosa.

And I don’t want that to ever happen again.

Five days after leaving Cape Town, this is one of a short list of things I can identify from the trip that has changed me. [I'm sure more are to come... just give me some more time.]

So I’m starting with French. It seems useful and fun and I love crepes. [So, a very scientific decision, obviously.] I wish I could learn Xhosa, and maybe one day I will. But I really have no clue when I’ll get back to Cape Town, and a very small population speaks that language. So French makes more sense.

But Xhosa is on my list. Because even if just a few people worldwide speak it, the ones that do are pretty important to me now.

And that’s about all I have to offer you today.

Next week, I’ll be back on the bloggy train, I promise. I just don’t know what to say about Africa yet, and I know you want to hear about it. I want to tell you …. I just don’t know how yet.

Here’s what I can tell you:

1) I’ll show you lots of pics next week as well. Don’t worry about that. I didn’t wear a lot of make-up in Africa and I didn’t get the chance to wash my hair all that often. The pics depict these sad truths. I’m sorry.

2) I still cry when I watch this video. Hearing Ernie sing makes me miss him (and the rest of our team) terribly.

[for you feed reader peeps, there's a video over here, so click on over.]

3) I’m still really tired. I don’t know if it’s jet-lag or just exhaustion, but it makes my eyes hurt and my head droop at unexpected times. Which can get awkward for the people around me.

And sadly, that is the fullness of material that my brain is managing well right now.

Yikes-a-rama.

Though I’m not sure all the Mocha Club people will really get it.

But you know me. You know how I roll.

I’m not right in the head.

Check it out.

MOCHA CLUB BLOG VIDEO WHERE ANNIE IS A DORK

Love you peeps.

I haven’t slept much. As indicated by the lame joke in the title of this post.

But it is really cold. As in, it would help if I had a cape to wrap myself in.

I brought one sweatshirt. I will wear it every day and you shouldn’t judge me for that.

I’m serving God. So what if I get grimy?

[Confession: I just cried about it in front of the whole team regarding said grime. Whatevs. I repeat: I haven't slept much.]

We don’t have much internet time, so I may not be able to hop on here much.

The best way for you to keep up with our team:

Mocha Club’s twitter- http://twitter.com/mochaclub. It gets updated every time I post.

OR

Subscribe to Mocha Club’s blog- http://blog.mochaclub.org.

OR

Just keep checking the Mocha Club blog constantly. As my mother has been doing for the last 27 hours.

YES! My turn to take a shower. First one since Thursday at 4am.

[I repeat: Stop judging me.]

I have to walk out my door in 4 minutes.

But I just had to say bye and thanks for your prayers and keep up with us at the Mocha Club blog!

There are 2 posts there already, including a video about my packing shenanigans. [Just click on the button below]

Ok, I SERIOUSLY have to go. When Marisa sees that I posted when I was supposed to be headed out the door, I’m in big big trouble.

Much love, my bloggy friends. I can’t believe I’m headed to Africa.

I have a friend named Annie.

On Sunday, I called her to go shoe shopping with me and instead, she GAVE me her shoes. The same shoes that took her to Africa a few months ago will take me to Africa tomorrow.

Somewhere, in my mind, is rolling around the depth of this idea- two Annies taking the same pair of shoes to multiple countries in Africa- her to Egypt and Sudan, me to South Africa.

There’s something in that. There’s something about the steps she took that are impacting the steps I’m going to take. There’s something about the places these shoes have already been that gives me courage to take them across the Atlantic again.

It’s deep, y’all. I can’t wrap my mind around all of it, but I know it’s there. I know it in my knower.

I wore the shoes yesterday around Nashville, just to make sure they were comfortable and were going to be worth the packing space. ALL DAY LONG this thought ran through my mind. I couldn’t shake it. This physical act is really also a spiritual act. Annie encouraging me to walk that same road, equipping me with what gave her strength to make the journey. Giving freely so that I, in turn, will give.

It was a simple gift, meant only to ease my mind and my budget for this month. It was not meant to be taken quite. so. seriously. And I know that. But God has used this to speak to my heart today.

I’m walking in the shoes of a woman who loves Africa.

And there is a chance that by the time these shoes return to their rightful Annie, they will have walked my heart directly out of my chest and left it lying in Capetown. I’m prepared to return to Nashville with the shoes, but without a portion, or any, of my heart.

I really have no idea what God has in store for me on this trip. I can’t decide if my lack of expectations is a recipe for a disaster or an open door for Him to do His thing. [Probably some diabolically weird and beautiful combination that will have me begging for mercy and begging for more, at the exact same time.] And when my heart can take no more, or when I’m too tired to take another step, I’ll look at the shoes. The ones who have done all this before. I’ll be reminded of Annie, and the other Mocha Club members and artists, who have walked these steps. Literally walked in these shoes. And made a way for me.

Two Annies. Two shoes. One continent. One mission.

To glorify God by loving His people.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion [Capetown!], “Your God reigns!” -Isaiah 52:7

That’s you. I just have a few world wide web stops I don’t want you to miss.

Yesterday, I was the interviewee [glad you liked it, by the way]. Today, I interview. Over at Bloggable Music Network, you can see an interview I got to do with Joy Williams. I heart her mucho.

Joy Williams Interview Part 1

Joy Williams Interview Part 2

Also, my super great friend Linda has written an amazing book that I’m thinking you are going to want to give for Mother’s Day. Because did you realize that Mother’s Day is May 10? That is not so far away.

Spilt Milk on Amazon.com

So you can click there and get yourself a copy, and then get one for your mama and some of your mama friends. You know. Whoevs.

Wanna read about my trip to Africa? Well, my AH-MAZE-ING blog master Lauren made a special page for the Mocha Club Capetown trip. You can see it at the top of this page (it’s a tab) or you can just click.

CAPE TOWN ‘09

Speaking of awesome non-profit organizations that take bloggers around the world and break their hearts, I hope you are keeping up with some of my buddies who are in India this week.

Compassion Bloggers In India

I think that shall wear out your clicker for a while. Amen.