Introduction to a New Place

I have been here since Wednesday evening! We arrived in the country on time as planned and went to a hotel for a few days. Each day so far has been briefing about what we'll be doing and cultural norms. So our normal routine will start Monday. Today we moved into the apartments (it is beautiful and spacious) and I am with the two year-long interns with another girl from my team. One of the interns will be discipling me this summer and I'm really excited about it. I was hoping she would be the one mentoring me because she and I talked a lot Thursday night going from dinner to ice cream and from ice cream to walking along the seaside. Oh and the sea is beautiful! Thursday we crossed it by ferry during our "scavenger hunt" of the city. Don't worry, they didn't let us out on our own without knowing the language for 6 hours, but they didn't give us a lot of help on the hunt either. That forced us to ask people if they knew English and then ask to find things such as the "bull statue." It was lots of fun and the people here are extremely friendly. Many times people would walk across the city with us to show us where the bookstore was or where the buses were.

Yesterday we were learning the language trying to get just a few phrases down pat and then go out and use them. It was hard enough trying to get the sounds right, but I also have a cold right now (I can't say I'm sick because "sick" is a bad word in their language! So I have to be very careful =) ). My cold isn't bad, but my throat is sore causing pain when I talk. It's probably due to jet lag, being in a city, and general adjustment to a new culture which has been draining to us all.

Our group has 4 women and 3 guys for students, two staff women, one male director and 5 interns. I've enjoyed getting to know each one of them and I have already learned a lot from conversations.

Well, we're off to dinner soon. The interns have something "special" for us tonight. They told us to bring cameras and jackets (meaning it's going to be awesome and by the sea).

If you want my address, send me an e-mail and I can find out what it is.

Briefing

My team is pretty cool, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them so far. One is a Texan, one is a Messianic Jew, some are from Northern Illinois and the rest of us are from Michigan. And while it was a small team to start, it’s actually smaller than that now. The two directors and their children are going to be moving this summer because the father is taking a job as the Cru National Director. This is a cool opportunity for them and so they’ve decided not to go, even as hard as that is for them since they love this country. However, around mid-trip, we will be receiving a group of about 10 (1 men’s small group and one women’s small group) from Texas who will be joining us. One of the directors (the father) and his oldest daughter will be coming with them and so we will get to see them a little. I was really looking forward to getting to know their family better and so I will just have to wait.

Yesterday we learned quite a bit from various people. There are two elderly couples that I’ve learned from who have either been there or to a similar culture. I love talking to those who can say, “I’ve done this for 24 years and this for 20 years…” They have so much life experience and both couples were great to listen to. Their stories are so rich and so full of God! I think I could listen to them all day long.

Today we do some more briefing and getting to know each other. Then we fly out around 4pm. I’ve started to realize what flying 8.5 hours is like. I’ve done it before and it is just boring. I can't watch movies, read or play games and I can’t sleep that long. I like to do laps around the plane, but that’s the greatest excitement I get unless people are awake to talk to. So, in those times of extreme boredom, pray that I will focus on God, pray and have positive thoughts. Thanks!

What's This?

Tonight I surprised myself. When talking to my mom and dad about leaving I got choked up for a second in both convos. Something hit me while talking to them. I'm leaving. For 7 weeks. Yes, I've known this, but the reality of it hit me. I've been away from each of them for longer than 7 weeks before and I've gone without seeing friends for longer than that too (sometimes nearly the whole gap in between Christmas and Easter!). But I have always managed quite well in these gaps. I guess I noticed two things that really hit me.

The first is that this trip is prep for long-term missions. The abstract idea of being a missionary is fine, but the realization of what it really feels like to leave home is far different. I know it's wearing on the emotions when departing for both missionary and those behind. I've just never experienced it before and I'm not experiencing it to the full extent right now, but the milder form of it did just hit.

The other part is that I'm going somewhere completely new. This is fine and dandy for 2 weeks, but 7 weeks is different. Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than it is, but maybe it's best to be prepare for the worst. I thought back to when I moved away to college and the foreignness of this small town 45 minutes away weighed 10 times heavier than I imagined. I didn't know where the Meijer was, where to send mail or how to get to the dining hall to eat. I had no friends near me and I felt lonely. Now I'm going to a country where I don't speak the language, I'm not used to the food, there's no Meijer and I don't have a cell phone. Wow, I sound like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. I don't think I'll mind this new lifestyle for 7 weeks, but tonight it was shocked my mind to think about it becoming a reality in just a few short days. Better a shock now than once I arrive, right?

Jehovah Jireh - Gotta Love Him

I'd like to report on my project support that's come in. In a period of 8 days I went from 20% supported to 78%! How amazing is that?! On May 3 alone, I went from 20% to 40%. God sure is faithful and He wanted me to know that. I had initially entrusted all of my funds to Him and prayed over letters as I sent them. For a while, nothing came in. Once it did, it was slow moving...1% here, 2% there. I was getting a little worried and in response to my anxiety I would commit it to prayer. People would ask how I'm doing with support and I'd tell them I'm at 10% or 16%. Then they'd ask when I'm leaving and their responses tended to increase my anxiety.

I know that if God has called me somewhere, He will provide what I need. And I was trusting that He was calling me because I had been surrounding the application process in prayer and asking for others to pray for me as well. I trusted that I was moving where He wanted me to, but it was hard to actually believe that within 3 weeks I could go from 20% to 100%. Now it is clear that it can actually happen! 58% in about a week ain't bad. So obviously I still need about 22%...well...a little less because I received some cash in the mail from an anonymous supporter last night (with some encouraging words and Scripture too!). Praise God with me!

Prayer Request:
Yesterday I heard word that 2 of my teammates are considering not going because they don't have 50% yet. Pray for them to trust God and that God will provide.