Closing Out.

   Well, it's been a great ride over the last couple of years. I've really enjoyed "journaling" parts of my life, and have appreciated anyone who has taken the time to read my entries and joined along on this journey. Blogging is something that I've come to enjoy, a way I like to process new thoughts, get on my little soapbox, or tell funny stories. 

   I've pondered for a while if I'd continue to keep a blog upon returning from Africa...obviously it couldn't be  about "Life At Sakeji", and obviously it wouldn't have the great stories and quotes from the awesome grade 2's and 3's. I can't tell yet if a girl, returning from the mission field, trying to get a new job, putting her life back together, and preparing for a wedding, could have an interesting life enough to come up with stuff to blog about. I also don't want to assume that my life is that important that you'd actually want to read about it. :) But this is the thing, I really enjoy blogging, and personally would like to give it a try. I can't promise however that I would be a faithful blogger, or that I'd even successfully keep a blog active. This may be a failed attempt, and if I feel that there is nothing worth telling you about, then I have every intention to discontinue. So, if you're interested, here is "The Next Step" - tofollowwithoutfear.blogspot.com 

   I am convinced that this next stage of my life is going to be pretty great, and pretty important, and I hope and aspire to be a good wife, a good mother someday, and a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus, whatever, however, and wherever. The journey towards marriage has been a pretty long and difficult one so far (especially the past year and a half), but I think that there have been so many valuable lessons learned, and probably many more valuable lessons still to learn, try as I might to make the next five months speed by. All my life, but especially in the past two years God has abundantly supplied me with opportunities to have wife training, cooking training, teaching training, roommate training, hostess training, and mom training. While not all of these training sessions were my favorite things to do, I am richly blessed to have learned so many things, and thankful to have a God who cares enough about my future to give me the preparation for it.

   Living in Africa for the past two years has been an experience I have loved and will never forget, and transitioning back to the states while anticipating getting married is simply the next part of the adventure. What a great life, what an awesome calling, and I want to continue following my Savior onto the next path without having any fear. 

Last Night in Zambia

  I find it hard to fathom that tonight is my last night being in Zambia...at least for now anyway. Time is a concept I have yet to understand, but somehow two years ago I was staying in this very same guest house on my very first night in Zambia. Many nights (and days) have passed since then, and have led to a really exciting two years that I will never forget, and never regret.

   The first part of the journey has passed pretty smoothly, although I have to say, riding in the back of a covered pickup truck with three other people and all the luggage for five hours was definitely not leaving in style! It felt pretty Zambian though. :)

   Tomorrow afternoon we leave out of Lusaka, and hopefully all will go well and we will make all of our flight connections. Now that the journey's begun, and the goodbyes have been said I'm ready to get home. Lusaka today has been so hot, I'm pretty eager to be back in cold weather...although we'll see how long that lasts. 

   Goodnight everybody! Goodnight Zambia!

A few hundred goodbyes.

     Well, somehow we all made it through the last few days of school. Third term is always so much more full than the other end of terms, but now, unbelievably, it's all over. Yesterday came the time to say goodbye to all the kids, which wasn't easy, but a relief to have it over with. 

     Now I'm working on packing, cleaning up my classroom, and spending time with people here: staff, kids at the orphanage, other friends I've made out here. I hadn't figured just how many goodbyes I'd have to say, and how many relationships I actually really do have. Even working in my classroom I'm finding I'm saying goodbyes.  

     I'm grateful for God's grace over the last few weeks, and I'm definitely feeling the prayers of those who are remembering me this week! Closing out two years of one's life isn't easy, but at the same time, I'm excited for the future!

Pinch and a Punch!

"Pinch and a punch for the rest of the month and no returns" is a common phrase heard at Sakeji on the first of every month, accompanied with a pinch and a punch. The kids love racing each other (and the teachers) with this, and some very clever people started saying back, "And a slap and a kick for being so quick!" It's all done in fun though, and is a cute tradition. 

It occurred to me this morning that we have started yet another month here...and that these two years which have been very full are all too quickly coming to an end. 

This last week of school is very full of Christmas...Christmas dinner on Sunday, children practicing and performing Christmas carols, classrooms all decorated for Christmas, and a Christmas show being presented to the parents on the last day of school. 

I'm so happy and sad at the same time. I don't think that I've ever been this torn before in my life. 

Grade two class picture...although not everyone was cooperating for this one!

The sad faces we are making are because I'm leaving this term.(Their idea!)

A Thankful Heart!

Another Thanksgiving is here, and once again I've been so blessed by the other staff members and children here at Sakeji. 

As I walked into my classroom this morning, I found it all decorated for Thanksgiving by the grade 1 teacher. She's crazy! She came up with this idea over a month ago, and had secretly gotten my kids to help make the decorations and write me little thankful notes. Such a surprise! It just about brought me to tears. 

We also had the second annual Pie Social at Sakeji, several of the ladies brought their favorite pie, and it was a pleasant evening, playing a group game, eating pie, and watching an episode of Duck Dynasty. Go America!

This morning as I was explaining to the grade 2's and 3's what Thanksgiving is all about, one kid raised their hand and said, "So, do we tell you 'Happy Thanksgiving' because it's American?" 

Being away from home on Thanksgiving always leaves one sad, and homesick...but with the friends and family that I have right here at Sakeji my heart is overflowing with thankfulness!

Keeping My Head in the Game

Unbelievably we are winding down to end of term! The next two weeks are pretty big and important, full of the usual end of term deadlines, and this time a whole bunch of goodbyes. Some of my duties done daily or weekly won't be missed too much, but at the same time there are moments when I look around at my class and realize that this last few weeks will be very sentimental, and that I will look back on those moments with fondness and sadness. 

I've begun my last round of report cards, and also started to decorate the classroom for Christmas. The kids are thrilled, and I'm appreciating the homey touch Christmas decorations add to a classroom. 

The count down's begun, and the kids are checking out...a bit earlier than I expected (like usual, my teacher self isn't quite ready to let them turn off their brains just yet!), and I realize the challenge that lies ahead for me is keeping my head in the game for just a few weeks longer!

Inquisitive Minds

"Miss Garcia? Are you on a diet?"

"Ummm, no. Why?"

"Because your multi-vitamin bottle says on it 'dietary supplement'."

This conversation has taken place twice...both times asked by grade 7 boys! :) I'm glad that the world is filled with kids, their inquisitive minds, and their blunt questions. 

Grade 3 Logic

This conversation took place while lining up this morning for class:

Grade 3 student: "Miss Garcia? Are you a girl, a lady, or a woman?"

Me: "What do you think?"

Grade 3 student: "Well, you can't be a woman until you're married, so I guess you're still a lady."

I'm certainly going to miss the funny, entertaining, and very strange questions that often come up! 

The Real Thing

I find when hearing about all the technological advances being made, I am almost freaked out by the type of things that modern technology can do. The minds behind this stuff must be very intelligent and adventurous. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable with the rapid change of times, and electronics...and the type of things you can do with electronics. But here's a thought that never occurred to me until this morning. 

Ok, so internet, skype, and texting, and all that stuff is wonderful (or at least it can be!). If it weren't for Skype I'm not sure I'd still be engaged to Chris and living in Africa. I'd probably be either engaged, or living in Africa, but probably not both. I have loved being able to talk to (and see) my nephew online, and stay in contact with my family and friends. 

But, even with some pretty high tech and amazing tools, there's still something missing. I still can't wait till the next chance I have to see the people I love, and who are dear to me, who I can touch, and hear their voices clearly...and just the different things that you miss out on when writing or talking online. 

It made me realize that the God who created the "real thing" is so much more creative and intelligent, and adventurous than those smart, nerdy, technological guys. They can do amazing things, don't get me wrong, but they will never be able to compete with the awesome creations of God. 

So....it made me realize that missing people is ok, and even makes me feel a bit good. I'm glad that the internet can't fix my craving for wanting to see people in person. God's creations are so much better than mans' creations that it leaves us wanting, missing, and counting down the days till we next get to experience the real thing. 

And just as a side note, heaven isn't going to need skype. :) 

Wedding planning...from Africa

A corny poem, based off my wedding plans, or the lack of any wedding plans...whatever.


The more that I think and the more that I plan
The more I just see things fall through,
The longer we wait and the longer we love
I see that any old wedding will do!

To me what's important is how you will smile
As I walk down the aisle towards you,
So instead of it mattering in which church we wed
Any old aisle will do. 

Some people want fancy, some people want formal
But me, I just want to be Blue,
I want to have fun, be relaxed, be myself
So any old place will do.

The church and the pastor, the meal and the fluff
The music and photographer too
Make little impact on the rest of our lives,
So any old wedding will do!

At the end of the day when everyone's gone
We'll be one when we used to be two,
And we'll be together for the rest of our lives
So....let's just get married, and not stress about everything else. :)

Missing the Point

     Right now I'm reading through a book about how to be more like Mary than Martha, and if you're me, that's a hard thing to do. Something that occurred to me recently about this Mary and Martha story though, was that when Martha approaches Jesus to ask Him to tell Mary to start helping, she is totally judging Mary for sitting at Jesus' feet. Sadly, I have come to realize that I often do this as well. I sit there thinking, "Well, that's great that so and so can feel good about not working and resting at the Lord's feet, but I don't have time for that! My job is too important to say no to. My life is too busy, people ask too much of me. No, God understands that I cannot be as lazy as so and so." This attitude Martha has (and unfortunately, me too) is completely wrong, completely prideful, and completely judgmental. 

     Living in a real life ministry makes it very difficult to know when you can (and should) stop, when you should say no. I know that part of my problem is my lack of ability to say no, and so I take on way, way, way too much. It leaves me frustrated, stressed out, pressured, and totally judging the Marys, of whom Jesus says "(they) have made the better choice". So being "lazy" sitting at Jesus' feet is the better choice? Doesn't He want my service? Can't He see that my work is too important to simply lay aside and leave for some other unsuspecting Martha to finish off for me? Isn't it better that I take on a greater bulk of the work so that someone else can sit at the Lord's feet? Then yesterday morning I read in Acts 6. Kind of the answers to my questions:

   "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

   Then the twelve called the multitude of the the disciples unto them, and said, 'It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

   Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

   But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.'

   And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

   Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, the laid their hands on them.

   And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." -Acts 6:1-7

     I'm not saying that my job is the same as the original twelve apostles. I'm not even saying that I'm the more important of these two groups. I don't care whether I'm the serving tables guys, or if I'm the ministering of the word and praying guys. All I know is that the complaint was valid, and the widows were important. It was a job that had to be done...but not by the guys who were already busy. So, they hired more people. I don't exactly know how to apply this in my life right this second, except to be willing to humble myself, not try to do it all, and ask for some help. The way that I am, and the way that I'm living leaves me in a messed up, judging state...and that clearly cannot be what God's perfect plans for my life and heart are. Nor was that what He wanted from the original Martha, who in serving the Lord, totally missed the point.

Patience and Wisdom

   This morning while brushing my teeth I decided to quote some memory verses (in my head, since after all, I was brushing my teeth!) in effort to be prepared to quote them with a friend this afternoon. I didn't get too far though, because I was caught up in the awesomeness and truth of the passage. Here it is:

   "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of you faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:2-5

   This was just exactly what I needed to hear this morning, since I have felt very much lately that I am lacking in both patience and wisdom...and here it is, the answers for getting them. Be joyful in trials because they bring you patience, and ask God for wisdom, because He will give it to you, without reproaching you for not having it already! Granted, easier to quote than to live out, but still, a great start to my day! 

A Lesson in Lunda

    One of the four year olds at the orphanage has decided to make it his job to teach "Mama Hannah" to speak Lunda. As I was sitting with him yesterday he kept pointing to different body parts and then saying them to me in Lunda, and when I repeated them back to him he would say rather seriously "eŋa" (yes). About every ten seconds or so he'd decide that it was time for me to learn another word (or sometimes to review one already taught), and so it went, until it was time for me to get up and leave. These children are so precious...how hard it will be to leave them behind when the time comes. 

Heaven - from a grade 2/3 perspective

     Lately we've been learning in Scripture class about Jesus' second coming and what heaven will be like. This subject is intriguing to the grade 2's and 3's, and I've been having trouble making it through my lesson plans with the amount of questions I am having to answer. Their comments about heaven range from how wonderful it will be to not have school there, to thoughts about there being no car accidents anymore. 

     My favorite question was asked today though by a grade three boy: "Who will cook all the meals?" Which was promptly answered by a grade two girl with: "The women."

Medieval Birthday Party!

This week was birthday party with a medieval theme. It was a little intimidating at first, trying to think of a costume, but in the end things worked out pretty well. We had a great evening, lots of skits and songs from the students, and an actual boar's head on the dinner menu! I think Sarah enjoyed it...and she went all out on her costume!

A part of me was pretty sad at the end of the party, as it was my very last one at Sakeji. Each birthday party brings its own fun memories, and I'm thankful for all the ones I've been able to share here. 

Sarah's cake - a tower

My cake - a court jester's hat

The boar's head!!!

God made me this way!

Grade two student: "Miss Garcia, why do you have brown spots on your face?" (Referring to my freckles)

Me: "Why is your skin brown?"

Grade two student: "Because God made me this way."

Me: "God made me this way too!"

     I'm pretty sure that the world would be a simpler place if we all realized and accepted this simple concept that even a second grader can grasp.

Little miracles

     Since coming to Zambia and living through the dry season here, my hands (and especially my right hand) have struggled seriously with dry skin, cracking, and eczema. Things like coconut oil, vitamin e lotion, and petroleum jelly have kept them functioning, but the dry air, chalk dust, and Africa germs have kept them cracked, cut up, and sometimes even infected. 

      Going home for a visit during the month of August did wonders, and finally got my hands past a point of healing that has made a huge difference, even back in Zambia. As one of my grade threes put it bluntly yesterday, "Miss Garcia, your hand looks much better. It is almost beautiful!" Although a semi backhanded compliment (children are great at speaking their minds!), I agree 100%, and I'm so thankful and happy to have almost normal looking, and even almost beautiful hands again! 

This is God's will....

     A sticky note on my desk top has the verse 2 Thess. 5:18 on it, talking about giving thanks no matter the circumstance, because it is God's will for us to be in that circumstance. 

     It's a favorite verse of mine, but a new thought in it just hit me today. So often we are pining to know "God's will for our lives"....so rarely do we like to think that those everyday sticky, uncomfortable situations are actually His will. "God's will" is not always this big huge calling that saves the world...often times it's getting out of bed every morning, working through homesickness, or just being there for that crying student. 

     Right now for me God's will is pretty simple. Stay in Zambia until December, have a good attitude, and put in your best effort (no matter how you feel). Ok...I think I can do that. :)

First Week Finished

     Well, today finishes the first week of school, and to be perfectly honest, it's been a rough week.

     Apart from having very hot weather (which drains everyone), I've been struggling health-wise since coming back to Zambia, just going from one thing to the next. It's left me with little energy and therefore, a lot of last minute preparations. The most obvious sign of my procrastination was the fact that I had to tell the bell ringer on two occasions to please not ring the bell for assembly until I was actually there to lead the songs!

      For Sarah it's been a bit overwhelming trying to figure out the crazy schedule, the long list of school rules and expectations, all the kids' names, how she fits into everything. I realized that I was attempting to teach her in one week what has taken me nearly two years to learn....not exactly realistic, and definitely not happening. 

     In spite of the roughness of the week, I'm still seeing great things, getting way more grace and miracles handed my way than I deserve, and Sarah is loving being here. God is still getting me out of bed every morning (even with a night of practically no sleep!) with a desire to do my job, and have a love for my kids as I finish out the last two and a half months with them! God's strength is surely great!

In my classroom, teaching my grade twos.

Sarah leading a grade two reading group.

Not the best shot, I admit, but I was trying to be discreet! 

Back at Sakeji

Waking up this morning back at Sakeji in my own bed was a little strange. It took me a few seconds to figure out which home I was in! Everything was so familiar, but I wasn't really used to it at the same time!

Anyway, we've made it back safe and sound. The trip was very long, but very smooth. It's the first time traveling between the states and Zambia where I didn't have any delays, any missing luggage, or any stressful layovers. Immigration in Lusaka was pleasant, and for the first time in the Lusaka airport, I wasn't the last person to get out of the baggage claim! 

We took a small flight up to Solwezi, waited about two hours for our ride, and then traveled up to Sakeji, a six hour drive. So smooth, and I'm grateful to finally be finished traveling. 

The month of August at home in the states was a wonderful time. I enjoyed spending so much time with Chris and family, and got to do just about everything on my list while at home. 

Next step, term three! My prayer is to stay very focused, and keep my head in the game for my last term. Sarah, my sister, is here as well, and I'd really love for this term to be a good time for us both.