Just a small taste of America

     Well it's Independence Day again...today my little personal victory was getting out of bed and teaching all my classes! I thought about dressing all patriotic today, but figured I'd get enough attention in the dining hall as it was, and didn't really want to stand out any more than I had to. :)

      One cool part of America this morning though was sitting on my desk - a bottle of Dr. Pepper!! Thanks Lina! :) Happy Independence Day all!

My strength compared to His

     For the last 48 hours I've spent most of my time in bed, due to the fact that I threw out my back on Monday morning. The timing was actually pretty perfect because Tuesday was Sport's Day (so no classes), and since I taught all of my Monday classes and almost half of my Wednesday classes I haven't officially been "out" that long. It is hard though, to be lying down so much of the time, feeling pretty useless, as if I'm not pulling my weight, knowing I'm creating extra work for my fellow workers, and not feeling at all like a missionary. 

     Interestingly enough though, the song that has kept going through my head all day yesterday and today was "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" (which we sang on Sunday), where the first line is "I am weak, but Thou art strong". Also, the verses from 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 kept running through my head (although, perhaps taken a little out of context, as I am no Paul!), particularly verse 9: 'And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' and again in the end of verse 10: 'For when I am weak, then I am strong.' (NKJV)

     I've never had health issues until coming out to Zambia, so the feeling of not being physically able to do something is quite a new one for me. Being weak is a new and humbling experience. I sometimes wonder why God would allow something to happen that would keep me from fully being able to do my job in serving Him, but instead needing other people to serve me. 

    I don't know all the answers, but at least I can rest in the fact that He does. I'm sure there are valuable lessons being learned that I am just unable to see at present....somehow perhaps I am stronger in His strength when I'm weak in my own.

     By the way, in case this blog post concerns you, I can say that I am on the mend, and am planning to be back in classes tomorrow. :) 

Grade 2 Sentences

Grade 2's are currently learning about conjunctions in grammar class, and we are specifically using the words and, but, because, and so to make sentences. Here are two of the sentences from this morning's class:

"Mr. Blue is funny so I like him very much."
"Miss Garcia loves Mr. Blue and Mr. Blue loves Miss Garcia."

Apparently my grade two class is as in love with Chris Blue as I am! 

Tired of saying goodbye....

It didn't take me too long to realize that life on the mission field is full of goodbyes. So many people in and out, getting close to people, then having to say goodbye to them. I know there are plenty of other seasoned missionaries who have been out here way longer than I have who have been dealing with this for a long time, but even in my short year and a half here I have said goodbye too many times! 

Anyway, these melancholy thoughts were brought on today as I said yet another goodbye to a girl who's been a good friend to me these past three months. I'd been busy and preoccupied all weekend with responsibilities and duties, so had lost track of time and not expected to need to say goodbye so soon. 

Oh well...a few things I've learned from this are that 1. I'd rather put my energy and time into relationships and deal with the sad goodbyes, rather than not getting the opportunity to know some of the amazing people God sends out here, and 2. Heaven is going to be really wonderful...no tears, no goodbyes, no separation from the ones you love who love Jesus. 

Field Trip to the Farm....African Style

Last Wednesday we were able to take the grades 1 - 3 (36 kids) over to the local farm for a tour. It was a great trip, the kids loved it, and we are so appreciative to those who made it possible for us to come over. 

I've gotten to plan plenty of field trips in America in the past, all of which took a lot of time and energy to plan out, making sure of all the details. Research about the field trip, making a reservation, writing up a letter to tell the parents and get their permission, collecting all the money and the permission slips, securing drivers and vehicles and chaperons, making sure to bring all the right things on the day of...snack/lunch, epi-pen, emergency numbers. 

Yeah, this field trip was nothing like that! We called and asked the farm if we could come, and the day before decided what vehicles to take, but that ended up changing at the last minute as one of the vehicles wasn't available. On the day of, we received an email from the farm owner saying that he was expecting us to come at the wrong time, we couldn't get him on the phone to make sure he knew what time we actually were planning to come. Half an hour before we were supposed to leave had to send someone over to check and make sure that we actually could go on the trip!

Five minutes before our planned departure we got the ok to go, and then proceeded to stuff thirty-six students, four adults, and two younger staff kids into two vehicles (each with seating for about 6 - 8 adults).

The trip was a success, everyone had a great time, and we arrived back just in time for lunch. Just another instance where in Zambia, it's almost pointless to plan ahead, as the plans almost never happen the way you think they will, yet everything somehow always works out in the end! 

An incredible woman!

     At the beginning of this term, I had the amazing opportunity to have a former Sakeji teacher (who'd given 32 years of her life to teaching at Sakeji) stay at my house. With the amount of people that she wanted to see and spend time with, I realized that the only reason why I was able to get to know her a little bit was because of the fact that she was staying with me. 

     I got to hear some fascinating stories (including things like her house burning down, one of her students being bitten by a snake on a field trip, how God called her to Zambia, of countless people's lives that she touched), hear her testimony, and learn some from her dedication and life given to the Lord. She was easy to talk and relate to, very funny, and also a very spiritual but very humble woman. 

     We hear so much about some missionaries in the past, like Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Gladys Aylward - who have truly done amazing things for God's kingdom,  but there are so many other inspiring people out there who have devoted their lives to God's work, both over-seas and back home...and it is always an honor and inspiration to get to know them a little bit. 

Don't leave your brain in the dorm!!!!

     For some reason this week the grade two class has been forgetting to turn on their brains...or perhaps just leaving them up in the dorm! 

    This morning I asked one of the girls: "Ok....so if you're counting by ones, which number comes right after 400?" Her answer: "500". My response, "That's counting by 100's. If the number is 100, the number right after is 101, and if the number is 200, the number right after it is 201, so what number comes right after 400?" Her answer: "500". 

     I really hope that brain power is restored quickly, or I will have none left pretty soon!