Life

So, I've been here a week already. Time is such a strange concept to me. How is it that it can feel as if it has passed by slowly and quickly at the same time? I'm not sure but somehow here we are. It's been a good week, really. I am thankful for the letters and e-mails and messages friends and family have sent me. I can honestly say that I do like it here. True, there are things I could do without, but no place is perfect and I can’t replace this peace of knowing this is where I’m supposed to be. Sure, learning the language is not easy but I don’t have to do it on my own. Each new day brings hope and something new for the day (I promise I’m not trying to be cheesy....) Don’t get me wrong, I’m not always in a good mood here. I do miss home, friends and family, but that’s to be expected. I would experience these things even if I had just moved to another part of the states. These feelings are not wrong, they are to be expected and it’s what we choose to do with them that makes the difference. One of my team-mates who has been here for a little bit already made a scavenger hunt for us to do to get to know the city and fall in love with it and the people, so be on the look-out for some possible fun stories from that. Also, I’m making an effort to try something new each day in my new home. I’ll share the ones I think might interest you as I do them. So far I have:

-tried this orange cake thing. Not really anything to write home about, except I guess I kind of am…

-Helped make home made apple pie and homemade tortillas

-Had a drink delivered to us from subway in a plastic bag… (yes, there is a subway here and yes you can get lamb on your sandwich).

-Killed more mosquitos than have bitten me.

-Tried these awesome chips:

-Met a sweet lady at a bakery who I plan on seeing often in order to practice my language

-Visited the area where I’ll be teaching 

Kind of a boring post, but one of these days I'll catch up on editing photos and maybe I'll have something better to put up here!

End of Week One

Life is full of light and shadows, oh the joy and oh the sorrows... - David Crowder

Today we arrived in the city where we will be spending the majority of our time here. This past week flew by but I feel like so much has happened. So much wisdom and practical knowledge was imparted to us and I want to be faithful in using it. One day we were walking around the city we were in just engaging the culture when through a series of events and asking for directions, we ended up in a coffee shop to grab a snack and to rest for a minute. Next to us sat two young ladies about our age who were speaking to each other in very good English. So, after a few minutes we just started talking to them. We found out neither were from that particular city, both had finished school, and both were believers. The next hour or so was spent talking about how each of us came to the faith, what this meant to us and for us and then we prayed together. Two American believers prayed with 2 South Asian believers in a coffee shop in South Asia. PTL, what a blessing it was to fellowship with them like this. Who else could have put that togther but our Father?

The next night I got online only to find out that a friend of mine from my work back home had passed away suddenly. Talk about an unexpected punch to the gut. It was just such a shock because she was so young and we had been talking about what she was going to do for college. I was supposed to come back and see her at work when I got back home and now she won't be there. Of all the things that I knew I would be missing while being away: the birth of my nephew, birthdays, holidays, weddings; missing the funeral of a friend was not on that list and was not supposed to be on that list. It was not even on my radar as a possibility. I knew life was going to go on but I forgot that this also meant that life would stop. But by His grace, we press on. There is much joy (and probably sorrow too) to come but there is joy in the sorrow knowing that "He is above all things and in Him all things hold together" and His peace reigns over all. Praise be to Him always.

The Journey to South Asia

Hey friends! This week is a week of training in ND and so far it's going really well. It's good to be back in South Asia (SA) and I'm adjusting back to the culture and the time difference (slowly, jet lag is still a pest, ha). Being with brothers and sisters and hearing about some of the work going on in SA has been a great encouragement and I'm excited about being part of it. Here are a few pictures of the journey so far:

Mom and I went to Starbucks on the way to the airport so I could have it one last time.

                                                                        

Good bye snowy Bham!

Bummed because she paid $5 for her chai tea and I paid $4 for my plain 'ol coffee...

from this place in the London airport... rip off

Big 'ol plane that took us to South Asia

On the plane! 

Breakfast on the plane. Yes, that is a sweet potato breakfast burrito (Photo by MB)

Believe it or not, but it's kind of chilly here in SA right now so they have these socks you can wear with your sandals. Some call them toe mittens, I like to call them ninja socks. 

Blessings, brothers and sisters!!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will get on a plane and after 27 hours of traveling, will arrive on the other side of the world. And I'm stoked- not for adventure's sake, but because I eagerly anticipate being used for the kingdom (and yes, photography WILL be involved. :) )

Today was full of saying "goodbyes", hugs, a few tears, phone calls, receiving letters from friends sent for me to have on my trip (I am so blessed!),


                                                               Coffee Date

                                                                   Packing

and setting up this blog, (both of which turned out to be a bit more challenging than originally anticipated. And after contemplating on leaving my shampoo and conditioner behind so I could bring my Pillar G. of John Comm (the shampoo and conditioner one unfortunately) I got all I could packed in one 50lb suitcase. On one hand it still feels like this isn't really happening. So much time, talking to Father, and preparation has gone into this trip it's hard to believe it's really here. Oh, but the peace that fills my heart right now can only be from Him. Yes, it is time.