Everything is late in this country...including the trees!

This morning we took the photography class north for about an hour to go to a tree reserve. Our first full week of classes officially has come to a close! I am exhausted, but am really encouraged to see the way Dad is moving in this place.

I am so happy Steve and my father e-mailed me the powerpoint notes from CBC! On Friday, I walked into the photography class and met the instructor, E, at 9:30...The class was supposed to start at 9am, but nothing is on time here! So about an hour into the class, E says, "Alicia, you told me you have taught before, do you have powerpoint with you?" Stuttering, I responded yes thinking we would just go over them later, but instead, he asked me to teach! So I stood up and taught through 32 slides about photography! WOW!

We got to see the other half of our team this weekend and figure out how to catch a bus around. Our limited Arabic has been so great as the entire village we are in knows we are here and welcomes us with plenty of coffee and conversations. I can't believe the weekend is already over! Back to English classes in the morning after watching the Argentina/Mexico match with one of our students and a few neighbors we just met today! Viva Mexico! (but really..my heart is for Holland in the finals!)


-Here is a photo by me and one of the smaller trees. The larger one, nine people can wrap around and some are over 2500 years old! We had no idea waking up at 7am that it would be a hike though! Much Love!

Walking to School

This morning I sat in a photography class that was mainly spoken in Arabic. It can be so frustrating sometimes when all I want to do is understand and speak the language of the people's hearts but am unable to. Yet in the midst of the frustration, I found myself so encourage by my new friend R. She sat next to me and translated some of the Arabic on paper instead of giving her full attention to the class she is paying for. She has been such a blessing to me since I have met her. Yesterday I headed to the school early to have coffee with some of the girsl in our English class. I popped my head into R's family store to say good morning and she ended up walking with me to school. The ten minute walk together reminded me of why I am here. I am so grateful for the connection with her. Please pray that God will speak to her and our friendship can grow.
I cannot believe we have only three weeks left of teaching here. It is simply not enough time. I feel like I've lived here for a year, and yet we have only had five days of class. I hope I can make the most of every second here. God is truly moving my heart for my new friends and I know I will never be the same.

Meet our Friend

S* works at the dock. He mends nets at the dock and wishes he could be a fisherman. He wants to learn English and studies twice a week. S* is darker than most because he works under the sun and the sun here* is warm. We pass the dock every day. Mostly as we pass by we give quick glances to the men and continue on, the dock is mainly an area where the men bond and hangout. Today we met S* in English class at the center. He spoke kindly of his family and shared a humble wish for a better future. We pass through the dock ,again. This time instead of walking quickly through, we see S* and my heart skips because we know this man, we know his name and his face. We know him. He calls us over because he knows us too :) . In his kindness he asks us to sit down and have a drink, we blush and decline, hang out at the dock? I smile to myself because I know S* is a good man and Thank God that we get to know him, that we get the chance to be a part of his life for awhile.

Here's a little story on God showing off...

It all started with a little miss communication. Or no communication for that matter. You see, I thought I heard Marsha saying that she would be bringing her guitar on the trip. So, I figured there's no reason for two of us to bring guitars.

Fast forward to the terminal and I'm sitting there talking with her and I ask if she bought her guitar. She looks at me wide eyed and says, "Dude I thought you were bringing yours!"

Uh.... Speechless

Now to where God steps in...

I really wanted to bring a guitar on the trip, so I asked Alicia if I could buy one somewhere.
Her dad over hears this conversation and offers to ask one of his friends, who has a music ministry, if he had any guitars lying around.

He comes back with great news, his friend will sell us a guitar plus a case for $100. I'm over joyed because that is an amazing. (Well honestly in the back of my mind I'm thinking to myself, "How good can a $100 guitar actually be?")

Upon returning, Alicia's father brings back two guitars, both with cases, both have tuners with them and he added 6 extra sets of strings.

Not only that, but they are beautiful in appearance and in tone. Couldn't have asked for anything better.

Again: 2 Guitars + 2 Cases + 2 Tuners + 6 Sets of Strings for $100. God doing work!!!

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give food gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"


J

Spirit of the Living God Fall a fresh on Me

This trip has been a humbling experience so far because I feel like we have been blessed far more than we deserve, and we have been served far more than we have served. These are no strangers to hospitality. Getting to explore the city with Marsha and Jon has been such an adventure. We all feel like we were brought here to grow in our relationship with God and and our understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit. We are also asking God to teach us how to pray. Already, He has provided incredible times of prayer and worship. My heart is slowly softening towards this people and I am beginning to see them in the way the Father does. We were able to sit in on three English classes yesterday. It was a pleasure to meet the students and talk with them. We are hoping to spend time with them outside of class soon.

Prayer requests:

• For Marsha to be 100% healthy again. AKA no coughing!!!
• That we would be open to the Spirit's direction
• That we would be partaking in sweet times in the Word
• That we would each have the opportunity to get to know at least one person here and share the good news
  

Marhaba.

Marhaba. A simple hello I like to say to everyone I pass. In Holland, I used to bike around with friends and make it a point to say, “Hoi!” to everyone we passed. Here is no different. So every morning when we walk to where we are teaching, I greet everyone we pass with a mostly-tired hello, Marhaba.

Last night, Kevin and I went out to purchase some refreshments and tonight’s dinner from the local grocery store. We wondered past the store near the roundabout as we were going to check the hours at an internet café. We had just passed the fish-smelling store with the 4-ft empty fishbowl and hear a call from behind us.

“Heej, Hey…you!”

We turned around and saw a man, probably late 20s, calling after us. We turned around to see him coming out of his store after us as our faces probably looked so confused.

“You. You normally say Marhaba…every morning you say. But today, no marhaba. You forget? I no forget.”

That morning, we had be at school at 8 instead of 9 and the shops were not open yet. And he noticed his Marhaba was missing! Wow…honestly, I didn’t even remember his face from before! (Probably in large part because I am not a morning person so normally I’m not fully awake yet!) But he told me to not forget his hello the next day. And I don’t think I will!

My Heart is Stirring

Wow, just finished our first day of "work" which included orientation and some survival Arabic. I was sharing with the team how I haven't felt so inadequate and frustrated in a very long time. I'm reminded of King Jehoshaphat's plea where it says, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

In the midst of my weakness, I desire to draw closer to Him and He has started to do amazing things already. Here's one quick story of God being God:

We had just finished visiting our work site, and I was commenting on how Asians (and most other ethnicities) are viewed in the Middle East, when out of the blue I hear, "Ahn yea ha se yo?" (Korean for How are you?). I turn around and to my surprise I realize this girl is talking to me. From that, we were able to share with her why we are here and she is extremely excited (to the point that she was shaking) to hang out with us and take us around. She was even considering taking a few English courses at our Center!!!

God is amazing and the Holy Spirit is stirring.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray as both the teams start the work weeks and are adjusting to everything.

J