A good day...

     Today has been full of many good things! Assembly went well this morning - the kids sang loudly and had fun, grade 2's and 3's were waiting for me in a nice quiet line at the beginning of class, two of my struggling students did an extra good job in reading, my birthday cards and packages started to come in the mail today, I got an envelope full of encouraging cards from my church.....and my day is only halfway over. :)

You know you speak too fast when....

     I had a funny situation happen in class today, which further confirmed the fact that I speak way too quickly! At the end of math class this morning I was working with a few confused students one on one, while the not so confused students (who had finished their work) were able to silent read until we could all move on to the next class. One of my students (whose English isn't the best) finished her work and I told her to go silent read. Well, a couple of minutes later when I noticed that she was outside the classroom, and questioned her about it, she said with a distressed face, "You told me to go outside and play!" It took me a second or two to realize what had happened, but I suppose if you say "go silent read" really quickly, it could sound a bit like, "go outside and play". 

     Oh dear....well, it made me laugh....I suppose I should really focus on slowing down when I give a direction!

God's Word - living and active

     Funny how God can speak to you through the lessons you are teaching to 2nd and 3rd graders! This past week we've been discussing in Scripture class about serving with a right heart and attitude...and somehow since we've started going over this it seems as if God has been showing me some of my own heart, and making me much more aware of my own attitude when it comes to serving. 

     This morning when - for some unknown reason - I was feeling a bit more homesick than normal, God gave me a quick encouragement as I was typing out the 2nd/3rd grade memory verse for the week. I love that God's Word can encourage or convict me even in something as simple as grade 2/3 Bible class.

      "And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord."  1 Chronicles 28:20 (NKJV)

Psalm 37:3-4

    How can it be, that I fail to trust You,

    How do I forget all that You've done

    How do I see Your promises come true

    And still not believe

    Why do I doubt that You keep Your word

    Why do I seek to find my own way

    Why do I worry about life's decisions

    And still not believe

chorus

     Cause if I trust You, and do good

     And dwell in the land, and feed on Your faithfulness

     And if I delight myself in the Lord

     Will You really give me the desires of my heart?

     Who am I, that You're mindful of me

     Who am I, that You should care

     Who am I, to not entrust You 

With my heart's desires

      You made me, and You know my heart

      You are the One who gave me my dreams

      You are the One who best can give me

      My heart's desires (chorus)

    I wrote this song about a year ago, and recently came across it again. The Scripture passage from which this song is based, Psalm 37:3-4, was really the deciding factor for me if I should stay on at Sakeji or not. I had my doubts and fears about staying in a land so far from home, what if I didn't have the needed funds, what if I never got married....

     I felt like this promise in Psalm 37 really answered every single one of my fears:

     "Trust in the Lord and do good, 

       dwell in the land (Zambia)

      and feed on His faithfulness (the needed funds that would be provided).

      Delight yourself also in the Lord

      and He will give you the desires of your heart (marriage and a family)."

     It's so amazing to look back now, and see how true that has been in my life! God is a very awesome, powerful, and faithful God!

And we're back!

     Today is the official last day of term break as all the kids will be driving and flying in as the day plays out. A few passenger planes have already dropped off some kids, and the noise level is slowly going back up. :) A school is never quite right if it isn't filled with children making lots of noise!

     Break has been great, but I'm ready for term to begin. My classroom is mostly ready...I've done some desk rearranging, made about five hundred copies, changed my bulletin board, and probably done all the long term unit planning I'll ever need to do for a lifetime! 

     The children are back...term two is starting...buckle up because we're off in full speed again!

   

My week at the orphanage...

     This past week I had a neat time, spending every morning at the orphanage teaching 19 kids ranging from the ages of 3 - 7, none of which can understand/speak English very well. It was a lot more challenging to try to teach things to them....but at the same time, a lot less stressful because they are so young, so it's okay if some of them just weren't quite ready to understand certain concepts. 

     The change of environment left me feeling a bit more like a missionary (since I guess life at Sakeji has just become normal now), and seeing the need for more long term workers at the orphanage left me wanting to somehow fill that need some day. 

     Those kids at the orphanage, however naughty and mischievous, have a big part of my heart, and it has been lots of fun to spend so much time with them, as the break has allowed me the time to do that. Yesterday as I left the orphanage, Alex, one of the children said, "See you tomorrow?", something that I said every day when I left this week. 

     I am definitely ready for the Sakeji students to come back this Tuesday, and to be back into my hectic term schedule again, but I'm grateful for the other ministries that I was able to be a part of during break. 

Three for Three

     It seems to me that the less I expect anything to happen for my birthday the more wonderful my birthday generally goes over, and the more special and loved I feel. This birthday was my third birthday spent out of the country (as in, away from home and loved ones), and for each one I've tried not to get my hopes up, and expect my birthday to end up lonely and sad, and each time I've been happily surprised. 

     Between the large amount of love I received, both from my dear friends and loved ones here in Zambia and back home, it made me realize a few things. One, I have an amazing support group back home, who is extremely encouraging and caring, and two, I have some incredible friends right here in Zambia who have accepted me into their community, team, and family. 

     Pretty much my entire birthday I kept thinking about how blessed and loved I am, and how grateful I am for all of my friends and family. And technically my birthday still isn't over yet, as the Zambian postal service is about two months behind with all their letters and packages, so I have more birthday surprises yet to come!! Woot woot!