We've been having some interesting adjustments around here...or maybe I should say I'm having some interesting adjustments around here. How do I explain this? One day looked like this:
We didn't have water
We had water but then had no electricity
We didn't have water but we had electricity
Finally we had both together for a brief time
Then we lost both alltogether
Then we ran out of gas (no hot water)
Now the water is back...the electricity is back...and we have gas (though the water is tepid at best)
fun times? Not sure. Its definitely something you just have to laugh over...otherwise you'll just cry all the time...and thats just not okay :p
Each week has its challenges, and this is only one of them. Its like we say: If its not one thing, its another. Its definitely character building.
Last night I went to bed with a crazy headache from the constant Spanish throughout the week and so exhausted I couldn't even cry though I totally felt like it. My roommates (both Argentine with no English) decided to stay up talking until 1 or 2 in the morning. I wanted to join them, but my head hurt too much. Frustrated? yes! Yo estoy muy frustrada porque entiendo mucho, pero no hablo much en espanol....entonses no puedo expresarme in espanol!!! (I am very frustrated because I can understand a lot, but I can't speak very much in Spanish, so I can't express myself in Spanish. Adjustments/flexibility.
Though I'm totally at peace and extremely excited that I'm here...there are days that I wish I could just hide away and not hear Spanish for awhile. Even in my dreams I hear Spanish (apparently thats a good thing :p)
While I'm adjusting here...I'm also aware that a LOT is happening at home! Last week my little sister announced her engagement!! So happy for her and Collin! At the same time my dear friends who've been helping me along, headed home. Along with all of this I found my host family and am in the process of preparing for four months of super intense :p language learning, as they don't know English at all. At the same time as all of this I found out that my friends had their baby, another friend is pregnant, more weddings and changes of lives. I am also anticipating the ending of one phase of my time here (the CCMT portion) and the saying of goodbyes to all my new friends...needless to say its been a whirlwind of 2 weeks.
Who knew that me, the one who hates to miss out on things, who hates to say goodbye, who likes to build deep relationships with people, is the one that has been called to do these very things on a much too regular basis. Adjustments.
whew! Talk about challenging! But I am reminded: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! And there is nothing that can seperate me from His love :) Praise the Lord I'm not doing this on my own and that there is at least one constant in my life :)
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
A dream come true
there are a lot of days that i sit here wondering if this is really happening...am i really here? then i look around me and realize that yes, its true, i am here.
several years ago i'd dreamed of going to another country and studying...i wanted to experience another world like the exchange students we had in our home had been able to do...but for whatever reason it never happened. now here i am writing this blog in argentina thousands of miles from home, studying spanish, experiencing new things almost every day, and my heart beats faster as i realize that God has totally made a dream come true for me.
in a few weeks i will leave the campus of ccmt and move into a small two bedroom house with an argentine family. it'll be cozy, probably sometimes difficult, but one i am really looking forward to. the family doesn't speak english...i think the son does a little, but the rest of the family does not (perfect for my immersion experience) i am hoping this will really push my spanish learning process. they told me they enjoy going to soccer games often, they want to take me to see different parts of argentina, they want to teach me to cook and enjoy the foods of argentina...and they want to help me be a part of their family while i'm here! i feel so incredibly blessed!
now don't think that i'm totally brave and ready for this...i am still very nervous. but, unlike the other times i have gone overseas, i feel a lot more confident and prepared for this new challenge - i know i can do it through Christ who gives me strength!
thank you Lord for this new opportunity to grow and be changed!
several years ago i'd dreamed of going to another country and studying...i wanted to experience another world like the exchange students we had in our home had been able to do...but for whatever reason it never happened. now here i am writing this blog in argentina thousands of miles from home, studying spanish, experiencing new things almost every day, and my heart beats faster as i realize that God has totally made a dream come true for me.
in a few weeks i will leave the campus of ccmt and move into a small two bedroom house with an argentine family. it'll be cozy, probably sometimes difficult, but one i am really looking forward to. the family doesn't speak english...i think the son does a little, but the rest of the family does not (perfect for my immersion experience) i am hoping this will really push my spanish learning process. they told me they enjoy going to soccer games often, they want to take me to see different parts of argentina, they want to teach me to cook and enjoy the foods of argentina...and they want to help me be a part of their family while i'm here! i feel so incredibly blessed!
now don't think that i'm totally brave and ready for this...i am still very nervous. but, unlike the other times i have gone overseas, i feel a lot more confident and prepared for this new challenge - i know i can do it through Christ who gives me strength!
thank you Lord for this new opportunity to grow and be changed!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Leadership....Churches....Challenges
Wow, it really has been awhile since I've written in here...sorry to all of you who check this regularly. God has really been working in my heart these last couple weeks, placing me in situations that are super uncomfortable for me, but incredibly important for growth.
Last week I was the leader of the Kitchen. So what does that mean? Well, it means I go with the leader to get the food (thankfully he created the menu, so I just went shopping), I organize my team, help make the food, and make sure we have enough of everything. There was some struggle to communicate my role and what I felt should be done (with the language and all), but my biggest thing was getting over myself. My insecurities in the kitchen and what people thought of me...and of course the language. It was a challenge to say the least. A highlight of the week was Pancakes for dinner Saturday night....I was happy, but I think that it wasn't really a "normal" or favorite of the guys...they weren't in a hurry to get seconds :p. I'm finding that if you want to make these guys happy at meal time, you always have to have rice haha.
This week I transitioned into the leader of the entire group. I have a lot more peace about this role than the other one. God is showing me where my strengths and weaknesses are...my strengths are in praying and encouraging the team to get to know each other. My weaknesses is in coordinating big events with the kitchen. One of the guys had a birthday this week...thankfully I have a strong kitchen leader this week...so she took much of the responsibility. Tonight I am planning a game night! I want us to actually enjoy each other :p ... I think we're getting there ...there is a lot more conversation at the dinner table and people are laughing more :) I'm going to miss this group.
God is working on me...its a long hard road, I often feel like crying because I have to push through so much personal insecurities and struggles. But I know that I am getting stronger and my relationship with the Lord is deepening.
I surprise myself sometimes :) ... this last Sunday I helped lead worship with one of the guys at a local church and later I shared my testimony (a few sentences in Spanish and the rest in English). God is blessing me with moments of boldness haha...and I am speaking a lot more than I was before. What a joy to know I'm able to communicate myself sometimes :).
This week isn't over yet..still more leading to do....I am grateful for a faithful God who gaurds my coming and going, and holds me firmly in His hand.
Last week I was the leader of the Kitchen. So what does that mean? Well, it means I go with the leader to get the food (thankfully he created the menu, so I just went shopping), I organize my team, help make the food, and make sure we have enough of everything. There was some struggle to communicate my role and what I felt should be done (with the language and all), but my biggest thing was getting over myself. My insecurities in the kitchen and what people thought of me...and of course the language. It was a challenge to say the least. A highlight of the week was Pancakes for dinner Saturday night....I was happy, but I think that it wasn't really a "normal" or favorite of the guys...they weren't in a hurry to get seconds :p. I'm finding that if you want to make these guys happy at meal time, you always have to have rice haha.
This week I transitioned into the leader of the entire group. I have a lot more peace about this role than the other one. God is showing me where my strengths and weaknesses are...my strengths are in praying and encouraging the team to get to know each other. My weaknesses is in coordinating big events with the kitchen. One of the guys had a birthday this week...thankfully I have a strong kitchen leader this week...so she took much of the responsibility. Tonight I am planning a game night! I want us to actually enjoy each other :p ... I think we're getting there ...there is a lot more conversation at the dinner table and people are laughing more :) I'm going to miss this group.
God is working on me...its a long hard road, I often feel like crying because I have to push through so much personal insecurities and struggles. But I know that I am getting stronger and my relationship with the Lord is deepening.
I surprise myself sometimes :) ... this last Sunday I helped lead worship with one of the guys at a local church and later I shared my testimony (a few sentences in Spanish and the rest in English). God is blessing me with moments of boldness haha...and I am speaking a lot more than I was before. What a joy to know I'm able to communicate myself sometimes :).
This week isn't over yet..still more leading to do....I am grateful for a faithful God who gaurds my coming and going, and holds me firmly in His hand.
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