The rest of my birthday...

My birthday dinner was a great one! Everyone was so kind and treated me like a queen. The steak was great…it was not Outback or anything like that but it was wonderful for EA! It was a very expensive dinner for China! There were seven of us Americans that went to eat and they did not have a table big enough unless we went into a separate room. They wanted to charge us just over $20 US for a separate room…that is way too expensive and we weren’t going to pay it so they decided to give us the room for free. We were able to sit comfortably around the table. Then towards the end of dinner they decided to tell the waitress that it was my birthday so over the intercom, they played Happy Birthday in Chinese and English, over and over again. Then, the waitress came in and brought us a special fruit tray with a watermelon rind carved into a phenix…it was beautiful…it looked like something a laser would have done to paper. Then they came back in the room and brought me a star lamp. It was really sweet!

After dinner, a friend took me to get a foot massage..it lasted just over an hour. It was wonderful. They massage your neck, back, arms, legs and feet. After they are finished, you roll your feet on a bag of hot coals. It feels great!

Tuesday, I went to the market and got some vegetables and then my friend Kim came over. I think this is going to be a weekly thing. She needs to work on here English and I need to work on my Chinese. But, every time we go to eat she wants to go to McDonalds…I’m so tired of that place!!!  I think that next week I’m suggesting KFC!

The weather is getting cooler here. My morning showers about freeze me out of the place…sad thing is…it is just in the 70’s. I’m in bad trouble this winter! I might be an ice cube! I was planning on buying just one heater but I think I’m going to have to break down and buy at least three. My electricity bill will probably be really expensive this winter…oh well! I guess I’ll be warm.

I got a bicycle from a friend last week, she is moving to another city and just gave me hers. It is wonderful…now it only takes me 10 minutes to get to my friends house instead of the 30 that it took walking! Only thing is, after I ride it I feel as though I have been riding a horse. They make their seats different from ours!!! The first couple of days I rode the bike I was so wobbly and everyone made fun of me, it was really funny. Now I can ride my bike, dig in my purse, answer my cell phone and talk on it all at the same time!

Birthday Pics!!!

Bracelet.JPG

J Blow 2.JPG

J&L 02.JPG

L Blow 02.JPG

My Cake 07.JPG

EKGs, Taco Soup, & Birthday Cake!!!

I have pretty much been able to relax this last week. I have really spent a lot of time by myself. The majority of that time I have been reading. It has been so nice to be able to read for pleasure. I didn't realize just how much I really missed that!

On Wednesday, all of us foreigners went and got our medical exams. We made sure they took our blood with new needles. We then had ultrasounds, EKGs, X-Rays, and a vision test. Everything was clean and really was okay except no one wore gloves at ANY time! I couldn't believe that they drew our blood without gloves on.

Thursday, my friend, Chris, took me to the market to buy some vegetables, meat, and eggs. I got so much food and spent less than $3 US dollars for everything I got. I have really been cooking a lot lately. I made some tuna salad and some egg salad. Friday night I made some soup. It was so good… my own recipe that I made up, as I went along. It was like a fresh vegetable chicken soup.

Saturday, I made some French toast. This week I'm going to try to make some taco soup. I'm not sure what I'll put in it, so I guess I'll figure that out when I go to the market tomorrow morning.Saturday afternoon I went to a coffee house with some other teachers. They have different western food like chicken burgers, pizza, coffee, steak, etc. They even have chocolate ice cream. They made chocolate mocha shakes for us. We were thrilled. The only kind of coffee you can find over here is instant coffee, so we were excited to find a place that had real coffee. The coffee house is kind of pricy but it is worth it every now and then for a taste of home. We are going to go there tomorrow tonight to celebrate my birthday… I'm treating myself to steak! My mouth waters just thinking about it. I can't wait! One of my friends took me to get a pedicure this afternoon. After dinner, we are going to get our hair washed. I figure it is okay to be pampered on your birthday!

I did not go to the Sunday morning meeting. My stomach was upset, so I just rested. I like the night meetings the best anyways. I went to the Pizz's and, after the meeting, they surprised me by celebrating mine and Janey's birthdays. It was fun! Paul took Janey's birthday cake and Ang made me a homemade chocolate one! It was delicious! Some of the students went together to purchase me a picture to hang on the wall. I'm so excited. My walls are bare except for the four scrolls that I bought in GZ, and my Olive bondservant towel that I have hanging up in my bedroom. I found out that one of the student's sisters has a frame shop. I will have to visit there!

Our power was supposed to be off this morning from 7:30-12:00 noon but ended up staying off until around 2:30. They are doing rolling blackouts to save electricity. I planned to get up early to have a warm shower, but ended up talking on the phone too late to a certain someone! I just slept! At noon, we had our girls meeting… I really like those. It is so encouraging!

Overall, things have been pretty uneventful around here. A group from CA is coming on Friday, and they are bringing a small box from Mom. I can't wait!

Thinking of You and Missing You!

Apologies From EA

I apologize for not writing sooner. I have had and continue to have HUGE internet problems. They do not have the DSL hooked up in the foreign teachers building. We don't know when that will happen, and everything is so slow! We have to use dial up and it is the absolute slowest here. The routing in EA is horrible, sometimes you can get to a web page and sometimes you can't. Nonetheless, it is a real pain to get on the internet to check email, write emails, or do any kind of searching!

The trip to GZ was great! The American food that you can buy there is VERY expensive. I am so grateful I was able to get cheese and butter. The day after we returned, I made a grilled cheese! It was the best! I was able to find pasta & spaghetti sauce, tuna, pancake mix & syrup, CHEETOS, hot dogs & sausage dogs, and bacon. It was well worth the expense. One of the best findings of all was Dr. Pepper. The cans were a dollar apiece, so I only bought one to save for a rainy day! Now, I am in the rationing mode with all of my food! I need to make a schedule and space it all out.

While in GZ we were able to meet with a native who is a leader of a local meeting such as the ones many of you attend on Sundays. The stories he had were amazing. It was such an honor to have dinner with him and learn from him. Wow! He is risking everything for the sake of the Call. In July, his meeting got in trouble, and he was taken away for a couple of weeks. That was not the first time something like that happened. Now, he is being watched very closely. His email has been shut down, and he has been threatened. He and his wife have the sweetest spirits... I was so encouraged. I hope to have the opportunity to return and talk to them more. We are hoping that they will take a vacation to come and visit with us in the near future.

Friday night, I went to an English corner and met some of the university students. I went to the supermarket with some of them afterwards. It was nice to meet some more students and get to know them. I am ready to start teaching so I can really get to know the students. It is so frustrating just doing much of nothing day after day. I'm really struggling trying to figure out what it is I'm supposed to be doing during this down time. I have at least another month left. I have had several meetings lately about my classes and preparing for them. Hopefully, by sometime next week, I will have the books that I will use to teach out of so that I can begin preparing my lessons before school begins. I'm slowly cleaning the apartment, but I was somewhat depressed about it, so I quit. Mom has been emailing me, getting on to me about finishing.

Monday evening, I went out with an old friend, Kim, from last year. I took her and her friend to McDonald's... it was their choice. It was great to see Kim and to visit with her. She has such a sweet spirit. After I returned home, I was going up to a friend's apartment to print something out when I locked my keys in the apartment. My friend Paul came and unlocked the door with a coat hanger. Within the next few days, he is going to take me to get a second set of keys made that I can leave at someone else's apartment! I'm afraid that won't be the last time I lock my keys in my apartment! I was always great at locking my keys in the car!!!

Wednesday, all the new foreign teachers have to go to the hospital to get a medical exam... ughhh! I am not looking forward to it at all, for I really do not know what it entails! At least if it were an American hospital, I would not be so concerned!

I have been in contact with my friend Tina, whom I had the opportunity to share with last year. She has invited me to come to her hometown and visit her and her family the first week in October. Please think with me that He will provide the opportunity to share with her once more. I think that her heart has become softened and that she will have many questions that I can help to answer. Please think that He will give me just the words to say. I am looking forward to this opportunity!

Please continue to think about the students that I will be teaching. Please think that the Father will begin preparing their hearts. Please think that I will develop quick friendships with my students and that He will make it clear to me what kind of ministry He has for me. Please think with me that, during this down time, He will show me exactly what I can be doing for Him.

Love and Thoughts

More Adventures...

Yesterday (Monday) evening, a worker, working for the university, fell into the river near my apartment. We are not sure of all the details. We have been getting a lot of rain here so we are not sure if the waters and mud took him under, if he just didn't know how to swim, or if he hit his head on some concrete and that knocked him out. It is so sad. As Iwas walking to a meeting at noon today, they had just found his body. Please 'think' about his family, and 'think' about the students here that this might open up an opportunity for someone to share with them. Please 'think' about the other workers that they will remain safe.

Today, I went to the orphanage. I saw all my children. It was so wonderful and so refreshing... it was so great... I cannot begin to describe it! I saw my little Pauline... as soon as she saw me walk in she started giggling and laughing... I picked her up and she would not let me set her down. We sang, laughed, and played. Then I went upstairs and saw my little Peter, who has autism. Wow, he has grown... he is getting so tall. I called his name and he turned around and ran to me smiling. I picked him up and we gave each other lots of hugs. It was really neat. I would pat his back pretty hard, and as soon as I would quit, he would start patting mine. Then, I would kiss the air and as soon as I would quit, he would do the same. I would tell him that I missed him and that I loved him, and when I quit, he would use the same tones and "say" it to me. It was so precious and sowonderful... just to hold them in my arms again! I wish that each of you could experience the love and the joy that those children give. It is absolutely incredible!

Tomorrow I am traveling with a family to the capital city of this province. I will spend one night there and then travel back to MZ on the night train on Thursday. I have to be back in time by Friday to sign my contract at the University. I am looking forward to going to this city and seeing another part of the country. I'm also excited about being able to get some cheese, butter, and jelly there!!! Now we're talking!

Cleaning can wait, I'm going out of town!!!