More Updates & Lots of Cleaning!!!

I just spent three hours in the kitchen, doing a few dishes, washing the washing machine that was FILLED with black mildew and cleaning the kitchen walls that were CAKED with sticky grease. I honestly don't think this place has been cleaned in years… the walls that were once black are now white. My hands and fingers are all wrinkled up! My kitchen is still not finished. I have some more walls to clean and the floor to do, but with no air conditioning and hot water boiling on the stove that I use to clean with, I'm about to burn up, not to mention I'm dead tired. I’ll try to finish the kitchen tomorrow. I guess writing 'homemaker' wasn't so untrue after all!!! I think the Father is getting me used to doing dishes and warming water on the stove so that when I return home I won't mind as much… it definitely will not be as complicated!

Sunday was a great day. I was reminded of the horrible driving that goes on here in EA. A van picked us up to take us to the hotel for our meeting. He was backing up and not watching and ran dead smack into a pole. It was directly behind where I was sitting! We laughed saying that if he had hit it any harder I would have flown into the front seat. Everyone was okay; he just wasn't watching where he was going at all!!! Then on the way to the hotel, our driver decided to pull around a line of stopped card into oncoming traffic. I guess he thought he was smaller than he was, I'm not really sure! The big dump truck was headed towards us and we were headed towards them until they both stopped about 3 inches from one another… they are crazy, crazy drivers! We finally made it to the hotel and we were all in one piece… I think!

At 10:30, all of us foreigners met together at a hotel (we rent a conference room there each week for two hours). We sang and shared the ways that our Father provided for us over the summer and in coming here. Then we shared a meal at KFC. Yummy!!! They have a fried chicken wrap that has some salsa in it… I think it is the closest thing to Mexican food that I can get here! I will definitely be back to get that again! Sunday evening I went to a meeting with about fifteen students. We met at an American's home. I have never heard singing like I did last night… it was awesome! If only we Americans sang like that each Sunday: such passion, not a care in this world, straight from the heart. It was too cool. After the singing, each person went around and shared what they were thankful for and many of them said that they were thankful for the ‘family’ that was gathered there. Many of the students are on their own; their parents do not support their beliefs. They were so thankful that after the summer that they could all be back together once again. Wow! What are we thankful for?

The rest of the week will be filled with some meetings and A LOT more cleaning!

Updates!

This has been an interesting week. It started out Monday in HK trying to get visas. I needed to enter EA on a visitor's visa. On the application it asked for my occupation. I wrote “student,” but they wanted to know at what school. As I thought and thought I decided that I would write homemaker/student. So… now I’m a homemaker!!! Ha! When asked my reason for entering EA I had to check that I was visiting friends… I decided that the visit would last eleven months! My 30-day visa ended up costing me about $83.00. We were told last Sunday night that we would have to leave the country and go to HK every 30 days because we are on a visitor's visa. I was told originally that I couldn’t get a work visa because the university couldn’t come up with the proper papers, and that they would not be able to change it from a visitor's visa to a work visa once I got here because of new laws. Now, the university is telling us that we can get our visas changed over… there are six of us in this same situation. We will see what happens in the next month as to whether or not we can get work visas. That would be the ideal situation!!! Please think with me about this. Please think that this visa situation will be resolved smoothly and quickly. It really has everyone worried.

Tuesday at 1:00pm we began our 7-hour bus ride to MZ. The bus ride was when reality really hit me. I was beginning the next eleven months of my life in a foreign land with no family, a few friends, and where our Father is not accepted. I would not see home soil or feel the usual comforts for quite some time. I’m sure that through this journey there will be many more wake-up calls that the Father uses to teach me. After dinner and all, I finally made it to my new home about 9:00pm. I was left there all alone to get settled in. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so lonely. The first light I turn on to see a large cock roach scurry across the floor, and I quickly ran after to squish it! The more lights I turn on in the place, the more I see the filth. When I finally got to the bathroom, I turned the light on and lost it. This place was filthy! It was like a REALLY bad youth or children’s camp! It was supposed to have been cleaned up, but I can assure you that a finger had not touched this place since the last person left. Pictures and hand-made frames were still hanging on the wall. The toilet, I don’t think had ever been cleaned… and the floors… just use your imagination. It was disgusting!

I decided that I would try to call home… I tried and tried only to get something in a foreign language being spoken back to me. More tears and more frustration. I tried several times to call Josh and leave a message, but never got his voicemail. Then I try to call Mom several times and couldn’t get through, finally I got my mom and all I could do was cry. I was so frustrated and tired; I didn’t know what to do!! I was so glad that someone was on the phone!!

Wednesday I went to the supermarket and got several bottles of bleach!!! I have begun cleaning this place, but have not finished… it is going to take time and lots of bleach. Wednesday was another hard day… it was just difficult… I was pretty low. That night, Paul asked me if I could keep Janey… my sweet little girl from last year! I was thrilled… I kept her all day Thursday. This was just the medicine I needed. We lay in my bed, cuddled up together, and watched a movie on my computer. We played with her dolls and colored. I got lots of little hugs and kisses. It was so wonderful. Our Father knew that I would need that… so much, so that Janey’s daycare was closed on Thursday for cleaning, her usual sitter couldn’t keep her, and I got to. That was the best medicine!!

The rest of the week, I spent getting to know the other teachers, with whom I will be working, meeting with university officials, getting my class schedule, and cleaning and setting up my apartment. Friday morning we had a meeting with all the new teachers. We received our class schedules and got some more information about the classes we will be teaching. The students start back to school this coming Monday. I am teaching Grade 1, which we consider Freshman. I will not start teaching until October 9. The students cannot come to the university yet because their dorms are not finished. Once they get here they will have 2 weeks of military training (mandatory). Then they will begin their classes. So, until October 9, I don’t have much to do.

When classes begin I will be teaching Monday – Thursday 8-11:40 each morning. I will be off during the afternoons and each Friday. Every other Wednesday evening I will have English corner. On Monday’s and Wednesday’s I will be teaching on another campus about 20 or so minutes away. A taxi is scheduled to pick me up and bring me back each day. Please think with me about my classes and the students in my classes. Please think that the Father will begin to prepare their hearts. Please think that many friendships will be formed.

Right now I am in the process of having a letter written so that I can go visit the orphanage twice a month. Please think with me that everything will go through and be approved and that I will be allowed to go. In the last couple of weeks they have close visitors off to the leper colony. Please think with me that it will be opened back up to visitors. Please think that the Father will continue to prepare me for what is to come, that I may become more like Him. I have been having trouble with email and internet lately. Sometimes it will work, most of the time it won’t. Hopefully in the next few days things will begin working like normal and I can update my website!!

Thank you so much for your thoughts, your emails, and your encouragement!

Time to Go!

It is hard to believe that in just a few hours I will be leaving for an eleven-month journey in EA. Father has been doing a lot in my life to confirm to me that this is where I should be. There are several issues regarding this trip that are completely out of my control. All I can do is remember Father’s goodness and faithfulness! It has been amazing watching Him work over the last several months. He has provided in ways that I could never have imagined. He is so faithful, even in my unfaithfulness. I continue to be amazed by Him.

It was just two years ago that I finally surrendered to Father’s call on my life. I did so with much reservation and fear. Throughout the following year, it was amazing to see Father work in my life. I vividly remember coming forward in fellowship, making this call public. I was as scared as I could be. I wasn’t totally “up” on this idea. It was to be one of my many faithless moments.

I had been reading an article about M&M's in Africa. My mind was set on going there. When I applied to the summer program, I had three choices. Africa was number one, EA was number two, and number three was Kosovo. None of them seemed too “cushy.” I was set on Africa, but ultimately, I really didn’t care. In less than a month, I got my acceptance letter in the mail and found that I was going to be sent to EA. I cried tears of joy. For the first time in my life, I knew that was exactly where I was supposed to be. I could not wait to see what all Father had in store. I spent the next three months preparing for my trip by raising support and getting the necessary items. I had never traveled internationally before, and this first time, I was on my own. Nevertheless, I was so excited and had such a peace that it was indescribable. I was confident that Father had me in His hands and was going to take care of me.

Nonetheless, there were some tough times over there, times that I was not prepared for and times that I NEVER thought I would experience. However, even through discouragement and attacks by Satan, the glory of the Father prevailed and He was honored. We serve a great and mighty Father whose desire is to be honored in all things, and He will make sure that He is! Even among the muck and mire of this world, He will be raised up. I could have allowed the discouraging and disappointing times to have a negative impact on my trip, but what I remember most are the times Father blessed me through His faithfulness.

Because of the two months I spent in EA, I knew I was supposed to go back! I came home and told mom and dad that I knew I was going back but that it was just a matter of time. After my trip I had the opportunity to speak in several SS classes. After I had finished speaking in one, the director said “I can assure you that when you go back next year our family will support you, in fact this SS class will support you.” That statement provided the confirmation I needed.

While in EA, I befriended a M&M family who was teaching English at a university and doing M&M work independently. From August to December I thought heavily, seeking Father’s will and sought information about going back and teaching with them in the fall. I had a peace in my heart about applying. In January, I sent all of my documents and information over to the University. By the end of March, I found out that I had been accepted to teach. Father has confirmed in my heart in many, many ways that this is where I should be. I look forward to the next eleven months of my life. I know that there will be some very difficult days, but I also know that there will be many days of joy. I covet your thoughts as I begin my journey and ministry in the Far East.

Additionally, I cannot thank you enough for your support, both financially and spiritually. Without your help, this trip would not be possible. Most of all, I want to thank you for your thoughts. I would not be able to make it without your thoughts, and while in EA, know that my thoughts will be with you all.

I love you all!!