I said yes!

Well....I might not have blogged about this right away, but on December 15th Chris took me to my favorite spot in the whole wide world (by the Hudson River at Vanderbilt) and asked me to marry him. I always thought that when I got engaged I would calmly and collectively give some sort of romantic speech, but as it turns out I just hurredly took off my gloves, put the ring on my finger, and quickly said "YES!".

Chris and I are really excited to get married....but we know that we still have a lot to do before that happens. A few more days and I'll be heading back to Africa for another year, and Chris will be working and finishing up college.

Seeing him everyday has been such a wonderful thing, and I'm not sure how we're both going to survive, but I guess a lot of prayer and love and skyping will do the trick.

I have never been so excited about anything in my life, and I can't wait till the day I get to marry the love of my life, Chris Blue.

I'm going home...

     Well...the last few days have been a blur as we've finished school, packed the kids up, and now I'm getting ready to go home for a visit as well! I've been running around like a chicken with my head chopped off trying to get my house clean, my school responsibilities finished, pack my bags, spend time with people, write thank you and Christmas cards...the list goes on. :) Somehow though, God has been providing the necessary time to get everything done, my suitcase is halfway packed, and I am starting my long trip home tomorrow morning! I can't wait!

Six days and a wake up....

     Well, in less than a week's time I'll be back in New York State....it's pretty crazy to think about that. I've almost finished all of my work for the term (just a few more awards to prepare before tomorrow), and have only one more busy day to get through which is Wednesday, the final day of term. 

      I've been receiving count down emails every day from my little sister, and Chris has been counting down for a while now! Even though I see the number every day, I am still surprised that there are only six more days (I'll be home on the night of the seventh day) till I'm finally home! I'm so excited to see everybody!

Getting into the Christmas spirit

Well....I guess Christmas to me this year means going home and visiting the people that I love the most in the whole wide world, and so I guess I haven't been thinking about decorating my classroom and what-not. 

Anyway, the first grade teacher has been doing a wonderful job in decorating her classroom for Christmas, and I realized (after many pleas from second graders to decorate our classroom too) that I was being pretty "Bah Humbug-ish" in not doing the same thing. 

It's a pretty strange feeling to be decorating the classroom in 80 - 90 degree weather, but somehow making snowflakes, paper chains, and hanging up tinsel and stars has gotten me in a Christmas-y mood....the fact that I'll be home in 12 days, and that I've almost finished my report cards might be playing into that feeling as well. :) 

And just in case I take myself too seriously...

Recently I've procured a cold that is going around the station, and so I've been sneezing and blowing my nose quite a bit of late. 

Yesterday in class though, I got a good laugh when after I blew my nose one of the second graders said, "Oh, Miss Garcia, I thought you were using your pencil sharpener."

So apparently when I blow my nose it sounds like an electric pencil sharpener....who knew?

Celebrating Thanksgiving...a little differently

    Well, Happy Thanksgiving....it's been a little of a strange day as I had classes this morning, and I am one of only three other people on station to recognize American Thanksgiving. It's easy to get down about being away from home on a day like today, and knowing that my entire family will all be under the same roof celebrating together. 

     Honestly though, it hasn't been a bad day at all. Last night I ran a "pie social", and with everyone's help we had quite a variety of pies...and even some ice cream! We played some Thanksgiving games, had some silly competitions, and I think, for the most part, everyone had a good time. There were quite a few different nationalities represented, (most of which don't celebrate Thanksgiving at all...or at least not in November), but I really appreciated the fact that they were willing to celebrate Thanksgiving with me...even if it is an American holiday. 

    This morning I received a whole bunch of the sweetest "Happy Thanksgiving Miss Garcia" cards, which one of my fellow teachers put together, and had appear from all different places (one my desk, at my seat at breakfast, from the kids, etc.). Today also just happened to be my afternoon off, so this afternoon I was able to call home, and this evening the girls on station are coming over to my house to eat leftover pie (I made apple and banana cream pie), and to make some Christmas cards. 

     So yeah, way different than a typical Thanksgiving, but special all the same, and hasn't left me unthankful in any way! :) Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

Dorm Mom For The Evening

Last night I got to fill in as Dorm Mom for the girls' dorm because the real Dorm Mom had to help out with an emergency off station. 

I actually had a really good time seeing the girls in a different element, and although I'm okay to not do this full time, I enjoyed very much the opportunity to do it for the evening. 

The evening consisted of helping making sure all the junior girls got their baths, and got ready for bed on time, reading stories to them, doing devotions and prayers with them, handing out their "medicine" (such as salt to gargle, eye drops etc.), and tucking them all in. It was adorable as they all wanted a kiss goodnight (even the bigger girls), and they wanted to sing a song before the lights were turned out. 

I'm not exactly ready to be a mom yet, but the little tastes I get of motherhood here and there are always quite enjoyable. 

A Proud Girlfriend....

I know that this has nothing to do with Sakeji, and little to do with me, but yesterday Chris was hunting and didn't only shoot one deer, but two! 

The coolest part was that I was actually on the phone with him before the doe walked up, which is when I hung up momentarily, until I received his text that said "Call me!" I figured that meant he had good news and called back right away to find out that right after he'd shot the doe, a buck walked out and he'd shot that too! It was cool to get to share that moment with him, even from the other side of the world...and I couldn't help but tell everyone I saw that Chris shot two deer on his first day hunting this season! 

It must be nearly end of term....

     The children are having a lot of trouble sitting quietly and still, and I've been reminding them the class rules all week! We must be getting down to the last few weeks of the school year!
     The way I feel that today has gone is a lot like the following poem that I found in a poem book in my classroom! Here it is:

      "When a knight won his spurs
       In the stories of old - 
       He was - 'Face the front, David Briggs,
       What have you been told?'
       With a shield on his arm
        And a lance in his - 'Hey!
        Is that a ball I can see?
        Put - it - a - way.'

        No charger have I
        And - 'No talking back there.
        You're supposed to be singing,
        Not combing your hair.'
        Though back into storyland
        Giants have - 'Roy,
        This isn't a playground,
        Stop pushing that boy!'

        Let faith be my shield
        And - 'Who's eating sweets here?
        I'm ashamed of you, Marion,
        It's not like you dear.'
        And let me set free
        With - 'Please stop that, Paul King.
        This is no place for whistlers,
        We'd rather you sing!'"

          - Allan Ahlberg (Please Mrs. Butler)

On the receiving end

Yesterday the second grade class received a big box of brand new books from a Christian School in Michigan. It's always exciting to get new books, and since my second graders love to read, having a larger selection to choose from will make the last four weeks of this year way more exciting. It was just rather strange for me, being on the receiving end of something like that. In the past I've been involved in that type of thing more than once, and now to be getting a box of books for my own class, and thinking of ways to show them my (our) appreciation is different...but in an exciting way. 

I was overjoyed as we opened the box to find one of my favorite books as a kid "The Story of Ferdinand"! It was a book that I had been particularly wanting in my classroom, and I was also excited to read it aloud to the kids this morning. As I read it I put on a Spanish accent, and the kids found the story very entertaining!

Anyway, we've had some fun making thank you cards, and taking pictures to send back to the generous school. I thought that I'd share some with you'll as they are pretty adorable pictures...or perhaps I'm just biased because they're my kids!

God's little encouragements when I need them most

     These past few days have been pretty stressful and challenging...partly because we are at the hardest part of the term, partly because I've never been away from home this long before and so I'm getting homesick, and partly because I'm missing my Chris. 

     Anyway, I've had a few sweet little things happen lately that have been encouragements to me and little boosts to keep me going, but I'll just share two. 

     Apparently the kids at the orphanage were playing house the other day, and decided to role play real people. Some of them decided to be "Mama Hannah" (and play guitar), and a few other ones wanted to be "Mama Jessica"! It was so sweet to hear about that, and to know that even though my work at the orphanage is pretty small and insignificant, it is still making an impact (however small) on these kids! And that's encouraging! 

     The other thing was the sweet piece of paper that I found on my seat this morning at breakfast. One of the seventh grade girls had decorated a piece of paper with lyrics from many of the songs I have taught them in Assembly times! Some of the songs were all the way back from first term, and we haven't sung them in a while! It was just cool to feel so loved and accepted by one of the students, and to know that maybe those Scripture songs that I've been trying to teach since term one are really stuck in their brains, and maybe really will make a difference in their lives!
      These little acts that I've seen, coupled with some other encouragements from other people have just reminded me how loving and faithful God is, and how even something as small as my stressful weekend is not beneath His notice!

Happy Independence Day Zambia

Did you know that October 24th is Zambia's Independence Day? They got their independence from Britain in 1964, and so instead of having school, we had a special day to celebrate with all of the kids. 

First we had a flag raising ceremony, and sang the national anthem of Zambia...I'm still learning it. 

After the flag ceremony we went down to the pool and spent the morning doing swimming races, had lunch down at the river, and after lunch had a whole bunch of silly competitions for fun!

  It was such a fun day for everyone, staff and students alike!  Happy Independence Day Zambia!!

Kids and their compliments!

     Apparently since this morning I've had a pimple between my eyebrows, as many of my students felt the need to point out today! Kids' minds are pretty funny, as I overheard them discussing while waiting in line this morning how much I looked like I was from India, since I had a little dot on my forehead! 

     You gotta love 1st - 3rd graders, and their ways of "complimenting"!

Some highlights from the past few weeks

I realize that I haven't been a very good blogger this month...probably due to a lot going on with the school side of things. That's a really good thing, I'm not complaining! I'm really enjoying working with the second graders full time, and a bit with the third grade. They are a precious group, in spite of their occasional naughtiness, their aches and pains, and their constant goofing around in class. It's crazy to think that I've already been their teacher for almost a year! Time sure flies! 

As I was downloading some of Yolanda's pictures on my computer yesterday, I realized how many events have happened over the last few weeks that I never blogged about...so I've posted a few pictures below. :)

A few weeks ago Jessica, Yolanda, and I went for a picnic off station. I realized that it had been my first time off station in a while, and we had a really nice time just chatting and relaxing. 

Half term happened last weekend, and we all had an excellent time down at the pool, and playing games with the kids. We had a staff vs. student baseball match, and I was thrilled, since I really miss baseball games after church!

Birthday  Party was at the beginning of this month. The theme was Wonders of The World...and I went as a tourist.

Last Friday night we had the grades 7 - 9 over at our house for games. It was a pretty tight squeeze with 24 people total in the living room, but it was a great time. 

One of the many beautiful Sakeji sunsets! Even though we have a breathtaking sunset nearly every night, I always am so awed, and I love telling the students to look at them...usually they are awed as well. 

Well that's all for now...hopefully I'll do better next month!

5th Week In....

Well, today was a pretty interesting day...I kept really busy all day, first with an interview with a prospective second grader for next year, and then with all of my usual classes after that...only they weren't usual at all since about half of my class at present has chicken pox! They've been coming to class smeared in calamine lotion, and looking as if they're wearing war paint! Chicken pox vaccines aren't really our here in Zambia, so it's actually a very good thing that the kids are getting them. Just like when I was a kid (yeah, yeah, not that long ago!) and whenever another family had chicken pox, my parents would pack us all into the van and go spend time with them in order for us to catch them, so we wouldn't get them as adults. So, as I said, this a great thing for these kids to get them now. 

In the meantime, however, I will be putting up with some very annoying comments of "Miss Garcia, I'm itchy", and "Miss Garcia, my chicken pox are paining me". At one point, one of the boys couldn't use his pencil because he'd lost it in the back of his shirt. I assume he was using it to scratch his back! Today I tried really hard to do lots of things that would keep the kids from thinking about their chicken pox, it didn't work so well....I can tell that this will be a fun week!

Modes of Communication and How Grateful I am to be in the 21st Century!

I remember once as an eight year old my family went to a place called "Museum Village" and one of the tour guides made a comment about what life would be like without electricity and technology. He was trying to make us imagine how hard and challenging life was like back in the 1800's and I remember telling him that I wouldn't mind. I don't remember why I said that...maybe I really wouldn't have minded. 

Living in Africa has brought that memory back to me several times...especially since I've begun a long distance relationship with Chris! It seems that the power, or the internet, or the phone service, or all of the above are constantly going out, and so many variables need to take place in order to have a successful Skype conversation! 

This past week, for example, we didn't have internet access for the entire week, and in the middle of that week we also lost phone service for two days! It definitely made me realize that I depend on these things far too much!
At the same time, in spite of all these communication challenges with the outside world, I realize how lucky we are! I've read a few books since coming here about the missionaries who came out to this area over a hundred years ago. They had it rough! They could only take public transportation until a certain point (about eight hours by car from this area) and then they had to walk the rest of the way! Communication obviously took way longer with the only form being snail mail. In the not so distant past (about a decade or so ago) the missionaries had to communicate by radio. They had certain times of the day where all of the mission stations would get on the radio and any information that needed to be communicated was done with everyone else hearing. I'm sure there were some nice elements to the radio, but from what I hear any long distance relationships had to be done with everyone else listening in!!!! Oh, Chris and I are so lucky!!!

When the internet finally made its way out to Sakeji (somewhere around 8-10 years ago), there was only one computer on station, and any emailing had to be put on a floppy disk and given to the secretary to send out for you....if you received any emails they were printed off (by the secretary) and passed on to you. 

So many changed with the times, now everyone had their own laptop and cell phone. Things like Skype, emailing, blogging, etc. keep communication with the outside world relatively easy, and definitely allow for more privacy, and easier for long distance relationships! It's crazy to think that one can have a free phone over the internet (however poor the quality can occasionally be), and although I'm thousands of miles away I can still make phone calls and even send texts!

All this to say, as tough as I once thought I was at the age of eight, I now realize that no, I wouldn't have wanted to live in the 1800's, and yes I am SO grateful for technology, and so thankful that I live in the 21st century!

And just in case I forgot that I live in Africa...

     Life at Sakeji has it's very Africa moments...sometimes they are few and far between...or either they just become normal, and the novelty of living in Africa wears off...who knows?

     This week however reminded me very much of that fact that I actually do live in Africa. 

     Apparently a man in the Congo is stocking his game park with animals from South Africa, and recently one of his lions escaped. It has been leaving a trail of killed cattle, goats, and chickens from the Congo to this area! A couple of days ago it was seen by one of the local men that works at Sakeji! For a day or two we tried to be very careful of letting kids wander too far, and I do admit that walking anywhere at night did make me a little nervous. 

     Last we heard though, the lion has been continuing to move south east, away from Sakeji and Ikelenge. While I'm happy to hear that it's moved away, a small part of me would have liked to be able to have seen it!  Please pray that this lion is caught soon, and that no one gets hurt in the process. 

Getting a parent's perspective

     I'm not a parent, but every once in a while I experience some perspectives and emotions of being a parent. Like today for example when I told my class that they needed to study their spelling words after they'd completed their math, as their spelling test was to take place in the following class period. After a few minutes the room grew a little noisy, and I called for everyone's attention, one little boy though was too engrossed in his "studying" to notice. Upon farther inspection I realized the reason why he was so engrossed was because he had cleverly hidden a story book inside of his spelling book, so as to look like he was studying while meanwhile he was reading. I didn't exactly know what to say at first, and decided to hold all punishments and discussions off until the end of the period when I could dismiss the other kids for tea.

     After the looking at his spelling test, I noticed that he had made some spelling errors...so maybe the studying before the test might have actually helped him. I told him that the reason I was upset with him was because he not only disobeyed me by not studying, but that he was deceiving me by his actions, and on top of that he didn't even do so well on his test. As I said all this, several big tears started to fall down his cheeks, and I nearly began to cry myself! He had to be punished for his actions, and although it made me really sad, I know that the life lesson and character building is well worth it. 

     Wow...it made me feel like such a parent, and it made me realize in a tiny way how God feels when I disobey Him, try to deceive Him, and then end up making errors and reaping poor consequences! How grateful I am for Hebrews 12:5-11. God disciplines those He loves, and He disciplines us so that we might be more like Him, and more holy! 

Learning to Die

     A very dear friend of mine wrote me the following in an email recently. It made a difference in my heart, and I'd like to share it, with the hope that it would do the same in yours. 

...lately the Lord has been dealing with me in the area of dying to myself. Sometimes when I find myself struggling with the same old sins again and again, I have the tendency to dismiss it. "Oh, that's my thorn in the flesh!" Do you ever do that? Recently though, it seems like He's telling me, the reason I still struggle is because I am still too alive. When I die, then will I live. It is a hard thing to lay down on the altar and see the knife ready to come down on you. God spared Isaac. He did not spare His own Son. Just because the punishment has been paid for me on the cross for my sins does not mean that He will spare my death either. Not because it is the recompense for sin, or that it does anything for my spiritual destiny, but because it is only after I have died that I can have true life. Still, it is scary, because it is more than letting go of things. It is complete and total death to them. I want it though. I want it so deeply. But still, I am scared. Thank God that He is patient and merciful and kind. It reminds me of that Keith Green song where he says, "Help me, O help me, please help me, my Jesus. Save me from sins that I thought were all gone. Kill me with kindness and break through my blindness. I know 'til I'm dead, I can never live on."

Back to School

Today was the first day of classes, and for me at least, it was a very good and smooth first day back. 

Although the kids would deny it, they seem to be very happy to be back at school. :)

Here we come third term!

2nd Grade Class

3rd Grade Class

Meet my newest roommate, Jessica

Do We Remember?

Do we remember that horrible day

Where in one moment thousands were whisked away?

Do we remember the shock and the fear

And the realization that our end could be near?

Do we remember the tears that we cried

When we found out the amount of people who died?

Do we remember those who gave their lives

And stood up for a cause which never dies?

Do we remember the things we all learned

And when faced with a nightmare to Whom we all turned?

Do we remember to honor the brave

The heroes who fought for their country to save?

Do we remember, has it sunk in yet

Do we live any different, or did we forget?

A Good Reminder

     Third term is fast approaching, this morning we had teachers' meeting, and tomorrow will be the staff meeting. It is good to be getting back into the school side of things. 

     In the meeting this morning, Phil, the head teacher, gave a little devotion from 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, and 13. 

     "6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." "13...while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with all men..." (NKJV)

     He talked about how easy it is to reap sparingly due to tiredness and such, and how by sowing sparingly with the kids we will also reap sparingly with them. Each term that we have them is another opportunity to sow in their lives, and as each term ends, with that so do some of our opportunities. By going all out and sowing bountifully I am not only sowing seeds in my own life, but also in all of the lives of my students, fellow teachers, and everyone else around me. 

     Vs. 7 tells us to give cheerfully...so often that could mean money or material things, but here giving cheerfully of my time. Being always ready to spend my time with others, putting their needs and time concerns above my own. 

     And such a great reminder in vs. 8 "God is able"....He alone can give me the grace that I need to serve and deal correctly with all those around me, again, not only my students (with whom I definitely need God's grace to deal with properly), but also my roommates, fellow teachers, and everyone I am in contact with. In the same way, He alone can give everyone else the grace needed to deal with me! :)

     And as always, the whole purpose and reason behind all of this is given in vs. 13 "they glorify God". Wow! How incredible would that be if my actions and sacrifices would end up giving God glory! May that be the end result of my life....and may I finish out this third term with as much of a burden to live this out as I hope to begin it! 

My Blue Prince

     Somewhere around four years ago I was learning Spanish in Mexico, and I learned the phrase for "Prince Charming" which is "Principe Azul" (directly translated "Blue Prince"). Around the same time I also did what most silly girls do and wrote a list of what I wanted in my future husband, my Prince Charming, or my Principe Azul. 

      It's a pretty long list, pretty detailed, and pretty specific, and it is titled "This is the Man I'm Waiting For, Mi Principe Azul". Little did I know at the time that four years later my prince was really going to be blue, Chris Blue in fact. 

       You may be asking, "How is that going to work with you in Africa and him in college??" The answer is simply, God's gotten us this far, all we have to do is stay focused on Him and He'll work out the rest. He's such a good God!

Christmas in September!

     Today was a mini Christmas as I received my first box off of the container! For those of you who don't know what I mean (because I didn't know before I came out here) let me explain. 

     Twice a year several generous churches back in Canada ship containers full of dry goods in boxes for the missionaries  here. Since I'm fairly new out here and an American I wasn't ever expecting to receive a box...but today I got the best box ever packed by my old roommate, Sarah Peat! 

     It was full of goodies, homey things, inside jokes from living together, and things that I needed, and I was almost in tears as I opened it! This one box packed by someone who knows me so well and knows the things that will make me laugh and cry is better than fifty boxes of anything else! 

    So, thanks for making my day Sarah! God bless you! :) 

Back into the swing of things.

I kept thinking today that every minute Joel and Chris were getting farther and farther away from me...I guess by now they are in Lusaka, and they'll be flying out tomorrow night. 

Today I had to attempt not being so forlorn and actually get back into normal life. Since it is still term break things are a little different, and it is still easy to keep busy, only in different ways. 

For the last couple of weeks I've been in charge of several animals around station (as their owners have been gone), as well as kitchen duties such as setting out trays of food for the watchmen, putting away eggs, freezing extra milk, and once a week doing the veggie buying from some local ladies. 

So here's how today went down. I began my day feeding four dogs, four cats, one watchman, and myself. Then I went up to the kitchen again to buy veggies from a few Zambian ladies. I felt a lot more comfortable with it this week than last week, as this week I knew what I needed to buy, how much money it would cost, what the words were in Lunda for the veggies, how to use the scale, and who the ladies selling them were. I also sold some eggs to another man who, I have gathered, seems to come every Monday morning to buy a dozen eggs. 

After that I went to the boys' chalet to take the sheets off the beds, gather up towels and washcloths for washing, as well as anything else that they left behind. Actually, they did well and only left behind stuff that they were supposed to. Somewhere in that time I had to lend out some keys to a workman, and pass on a message about chicken feed, and wash my hair. 

Next I attempted to catch up on emails, and then drove Yolanda, and Anna to Ikelenge to get mail and buy a few groceries. Soon after that it was time to make dinner!

When the boys were here we kept busy with a healthy mixture of work projects, cooking, dishes, and fun activities, but today I guess was a bit more normal, and I guess I'm getting back into the swing of things. 

Time flies when you're having fun!

Wow...so much has happened in the past few weeks, and here I am nearly at the end of my time with the boys. I nearly started to cry this morning as I was telling somebody that they're leaving Sakeji on Sunday morning! I will miss them so much, but I'm very happy that they've been able to visit...I am very blessed!

Here are a few snapshots from this past week...

Visiting The Source of the Zambezi River again. Second time for Yolanda and me, but the first time for the boys. It was cool showing them the other end of the Zambezi, after visiting Victoria Falls, only a few weeks ago. 

We love Zambia!

My bro and I. (Even the Zambians keep commenting on how we look alike!)

The ritual for starting the car which apparently needs a new battery!

Not sure what is going on here, but Joel appears to be having a blast!

Our trip to the Congo. Unfortunately they didn't stamp our passports...shame.

Having a picnic at the Congo/Zambia border in the back of the car.

Yolanda and I have been learning how to look like bosses (many thanks to our coaches, Chris and Joel).

We're still alive!

The last couple of weeks have been pretty packed with different activities and work projects, around the school, around my house, and at the orphanage. 

As we all know a picture tells a thousand words, so instead of telling you all about the last couple of weeks, I thought I'd just show you some pictures. :) 

Joel, Chris, and I have "discovered" a cool campfire place. Joel is practicing his new song that Chris taught him on the guitar. 

Playing guitar by the campfire. 

One of the dogs that I had been babysitting

Joel and Chris attempted to fix some toys for the orphanage.

Joel at the orphanage

My first time driving the car (on the other side of the road!)!!!

One of the signs that means I'm not a "short-termer" anymore!

We had a picnic on the "moon rock" near a river. 

Today we helped butcher and pluck fifty plus chickens...an interesting, but fun experience. 

After butchering...note Chris' very bloody pants!

I'm bloody too....you just can't tell. 

Chris' Birthday in Zambia

We had a picnic at "the cottage"...

...the boys went swimming...

...and climbed an anthill...

...which they conquered (like bosses)...

...cooking hamburgers like men...

...Chris blew out all of his candles....one breath...two attempts...

...chocolate cake, chocolate icing, and chocolate ice cream!!!

Opening presents....like a boss!