I'm Learning.... He's teaching. It's All About our Attitude.

We have been here for 3 weeks. Can't believe it!  There have been ups and downs:times where I've desperately wanted my old life back...with it's conveniences, and ease of living, with the ability to see my daughter on a regular basis, and spend time with my friends, but times where I've delighted in the new people God has put in my life, the convenience on living on school property and the confidence in knowing that this is where God has placed us.

We are settling in and I am learning new things. I'm being pushed out of my comfort zone - especially in the classroom. Back into working with 7/8 year olds who have an energy that makes me appreciate more fully all early elementary teachers. I can guarantee you - these people do this job for the love of the children and the calling God has put in their lives, not for the money! 

Some of the things I'm learning is to be more organized! I have to ensure my lessons are planned more than a week in advance so that I can organize anything I need copied at least 2 days before I need them. The school does not have a copy machine on campus, but sends copies out. No last minute copies for this lady!!

I'm remembering that 7/8 year olds are not able to control themselves in as far as their peers are concerned. I constantly hear .... he touched me, he's playing with paper, she's not eating her snack, he pushed in line, she's eating candy in class......  So I'm learning patience; I'm learning that they need to be taught these skills of handing different situations; I'm learning that they are just children who thrive when they know what is expected from them.
  
I was reading this morning about how Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him. After Peter said he did, 3 times, Jesus simply said "Feed my Sheep".  We need to know that Jesus' sheep aren't perfect. They can be  loud, disrespectful, pushy, naughty, etc. but it is impossible to exhaust His love for them, or my love for them if it flows through the Spirit of God within me. I have no business being guided by natural emotions - I have to feed His sheep. He will not release us from His commission to us. Jesus says - pour yourself out. Don't testify about how much you love me and don't talk about the wonderful revelation you have had - just feed my sheep.

We asked God to put us where He wanted us. He put us in Asuncion, Paraguay.

He put us in a small school with children from all over the world - Korea, Taiwan, the US and local children. He found us a community to live in with caring people who have helped us acclimate to the area. 

He has taught us that He is faithful. He will be with us...wherever we may go. We need to suck up the whiny selves that we sometimes become, and look for the blessings in each day - and believe me, there are many!  We are here for 2 years. After that, who knows. We just want to be where He wants us to be. 

I want to encourage you to take each situation, even the sucky ones, and see how you can approach it. If you see it as an opportunity to encourage someone else, or grow in ways you didn't expect, then you will find that it is not as bad as you expected. No, not everything is going to be fun, or great, or wonderful. But we can make the decision to get through it with God's help - because He will never fail us.

First full Week

                                          

Our first week at school is over and we are enjoying our weekend :)  It's been busy, crazy, hectic, different, strange, and yet really good.  We've had so many experiences this week that have put us totally out of our comfort zones, which, I guess, is a good thing. We never tend to stretch ourselves unless we're forced to. And then, we find that we are capable of things we never thought we could do.

This week brought new tastes.  Our cantina (cafeteria) serves hot lunch every day and I've tasted food such as empanadas, a type of savory tart with tomato, ham, egg, cheese and a crispy pastry, and a few other treats. Many, many starchy foods (which is not good for me), but great to try out new tastes.

My empanada :)

Students lining up for lunch in the Cantina.

It's been a challenge finding my feet in 2nd grade again, and trying to figure out the curriculum, but I know it won't take long before I'll be comfortable. I have 18 incredibly sweet, but VERY energetic, 2nd graders. The language is a challenge sometimes, because some of them don't speak English very well. However, others help to translate, especially when they are trying to tell me something. I do teach in English, for those who asked ;)

The staff at this school are wonderful!  From the office staff, cafeteria staff to administration. We have been made very welcome here, and know that we will be happy here for the time we are here.

Marlowe and I decided to go to the store this week. Just the 2 of us. No translators. We had been told which buses to take, but I wasn't 100% sure of the stops. We waited about 20 minutes for the bus, stuck out our hands and climbed aboard. We paid, walked through the turnstile and looked for a rail to hold onto because it was pretty full.  When we were near (or when I THOUGHT we were near) the store, we pushed the button and climbed off. Right outside an Ace Hardware. Beautiful - looked like a mix of a mini Target and Walmart. Big and open and very, very clean. Marlowe found his hummingbird feeders. Then we left and realized we had about another mile and a half to walk to our store.  Long story short.....it was an experience, and now we REALLY know where to get off!!

We're loving the fact that, even though school starts at the crack of dawn, it takes us less than 5 minutes to walk to our classrooms. Zane can come home after school on his own, and the school field is his playground.

Today, 2 of the girls from our apartments bravely took part in a 42km marathon in the town. Temperatures are expected to his 97F today, but the race started at 6, so I think that helped them. A few of us went to cheer them on. We stood in the middle of the road, on a pavement, and enjoyed the breeze and shade. It really is a pretty town - it's just a pity seeing trash everywhere. It seems like the many trashcans on the sides of the roads are more for decoration...?? Here are some pics of our view today, including our girls. Well done, Courtney and Annie - we are so proud of you!!

Yes, the random dude had a fake beard!! Funny!

On our way home, we took an older bus that was very interesting. When sitting inside, I saw wooden boards wired together, a nail or two lying on the ground and, every now and then, the road showing between the boards. The bus moaned and groaned, but got us home.

The week ahead is going to be wonderful - Brendon arrives on Tuesday!!! Cannot WAIT to see him. We will feel more complete with him here.

Please continue to pray for Shelaine, as she continues her life without her family. Praising God for her amazing husband and adorable dog. This is her season to be living the life God has planned for both her and Jordan as a married couple. Both Jordan and her have decided to try to keep Layla with them, or with Jordan's parents. That is a blessing, knowing she doesn't have to be put down. However, pray she behaves because if she doesn't..........(remember, she does not get on well with other dogs, although it seems to be working for now!).

I know this is going to be good. If God is in it, how can it not be?

                                              

Expect the Unexpected

After 3 full days here, even though our heads are still spinning, we are finding that we are slowly settling in.  We have an amazing community of new friends in our apartments and have unexpected and delightful times together. For example, we made a fire and told our neighbors that if they had anything to put on it, they were welcome. It ended up with us sharing our sides, and them sharing theirs, and a dinner with warm conversation and laughs as our children entertained us around the table.

Yesterday was a huge eye opener for me. Where we are, we do not have transport. However, the bus system is very regular. There are many things we still need and one of the young ladies in our apartments very kindly offered to take us "newbies" on the bus to a store to get what we needed. We walked up to the gate and went outside to wait for the bus. You have to look for buses with certain numbers, because these take you to different places. As the bus approaches, you have to put out your arm so they will stop. You climb on, pay your 2mil (the equivalent of 40c - U.S.) and walk through a turnstile to find a seat. When you are about to arrive at your destination, you push a button or pull a cord (whichever is on the bus), and he will stop. Then you walk out the back through another turnstile.  This was a 15ish minute ride, and not bad at all.

We went into the store which had bits of everything. The first thing we had to do was hand in our backpacks, or get our purses put into a material bag that was zipped and sealed and given back.  Prices vary from "not bad" to "hmmm...do I really need a toaster in my apartment or can I just continue to walk upstairs and use that one?"  I even saw some items with clearance $3.79 stickers on them (I assume imported from Target!). 

When we were done, we walked a couple of block to find the bus that would take us back. This is where the fun began. It looked full. There were people standing. However, we paid our 2.3mil and squeezed on. Not easy when you are carrying 2 huge packets of items!  You either hold onto the rails overhead, or the back of someone's seat.  As we went on, the people kept coming. It was a loooong ride!! Eventually, we had to squeeze through people to get off the back and then you need to hustle because the driver doesn't wait long.

I realized that I had not bought the groceries that we desperately needed so my poor neighbor (who had just taken us out) graciously offered to walk with me to the shop a little later in the day.  With my backpack on my back, we left and did the 15 minute walk to the store. It's interesting to see everything around you. There are cars, buses, and motorcycles all over the road. It's a little crazy. The roads are not in very good condition and the pavements tend to be cracked and broken. 

We went in the store, which looks very similar to most stores, with a few differences - practically all the products are different with different brands. Sweet Katie took me on a tour of the store and showed me the different products and what they were. She then took me to the meat counter and told me it was very important for me to learn my numbers in Spanish because you have to take a number and then they will call you when it's your turn. Needless to say, she ordered my meat for me :)

THEN....we had to walk home. That was the walk that reminded me that you shouldn't buy so much if you have to walk. I had boxes of milk and all my meat in my backpack (which weighed a ton) and we each carried 2 packets. All I can say is....my lifestyle is going to be a lot more active, which is a GOOD thing. I may not like it, but it is what it is, and it can only be good for me.

                                                     

We have found many unexpected things here. Some have thrown us off balance, some have been delightful, some have been daunting. These are some of the examples - and you can decide which fit into the above categories :

*  a community of neighbors that are very supportive
*  a school within walking distance
*  apartments on the school property that are all surrounded by walls and      fencing, and a guard by the gate, making this entire property a huge    playground for our children
*  the fact that Paraguayans don't put toilet paper into their toilets because of small pipes....... *nuff said there
*  communal microwaves and toasters
*  knowing that you now need to be super-organized when wanting to go to the stores
*  water that is delivered to your front door in huge containers for 11.5mil (about $2.30)
*  inability to print what I need at home....and the need to be super-organized at school as you put your request for printing in, and received it up to 48 hours later!)
*  a language barrier that needs to be addressed by me asap
* a winter that is comparable to the US summer (for now...I believe it does get cold after the rains)
*  being able to watch parrots breed in the roof of the playground
*  knowing that you are in the place God wants you to be

We were told in our orientation that we need to ask people / our church back home for support, both in prayer and financially, as salaries here are not good. We do pay for rent, utilities, health insurance, etc. but at this stage, we just want to ask for prayer because we feel that if we have needs, God will provide. He has already shown us that He will. We are content. We are excited. We are ready to sew into His Kingdom.

Today, Marlowe and I will walk up to our classrooms and ready them for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I meet my new "babies" and begin a year of unexpected blessings.

                             

                             

God is good.....ALL the time!

                                          

Well, we made it!  What a whirlwind! After 4 days of frantic packing, we left for Charlotte on Monday afternoon. 2 of Brendon's precious friends, Justin and Maddie, helped drive us there. On the way, we went through a torrential thunderstorm and our luggage got pretty wet, but it mostly dried out before we flew.

We got up at 4am to catch the 4.30 shuttle to the airport. Groggy after just a few hours sleep, we checked in with no trouble. We boarded and took off just after 6.00am.  At 8.30 we arrived in Newark, and had to pick up our luggage as we were changing airports. We grabbed something to eat and then made the big trek to the area where the bus would collect us. It was hilarious, because there were 3 of us pulling 6 big bags and 3 carry on bags. We did it in shifts (carts are EXPENSIVE!!!!). We JUST made it to the bus and were hustled on by a very impatient driver. Our drive in to town took about 1 1/2 hours. When we got there, we had to get off the bus with all our luggage, and wait for another bus. The driver of that bus was amazing, and helped us with all our luggage. We arrived at JFK and got in line to wait to check in to our international flight. We were about 45 minutes early but it was good to take a breath!

After we checked through our luggage, we went and had something to eat before boarding. Our flight left at 4.30pm,so it was a fairly long day, but we were excited.  The flight was wonderful. The stewards on board Aerolineus Argentinas were so friendly and helpful (food wasn't amazing, but we weren't starving anyway).

We arrived in Argentina at 3am and had 3 or so hours to wait. So we found a cute little coffee shop (managed to interpret the menu for the coffee we wanted) and sat and waited while Zane slept on the bench for about 2 hours.  
                                                            

After our final flight, we landed in Asuncion, Paraguay and went through customs. Such a wonderful experience!  The people were friendly and smiling, and it was so casual. No screening, no stress.....God was there! And, most importantly, no questioning Zane's passport which expires in September (I was told it may not be easy to get in as most countries require 6 months on the passport). As we walked through, we saw the wonderful, smiling faces of our hosts, the General Director of the school and his wife (who have been amazing, and are also from South Africa!). They helped with luggage and whisked us out of there. The drive was interesting, to say the least. Traffic is hectic, people are walking all over, there are motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic.....it's just like Africa!

           

                

When we got to the school, we were taken to our apartment. SO adorable. Beds were ready, and we had all the basics that we needed. There was even food in the fridge and on the counter for us. 



I have so much more to write, but am going to end here for today. I am just so thankful at the way God has provided and been there for us. You know, we often say the words, "He'll be there for you", "He'll provide for you", "He will make your paths straight", but until those words get into your heart, they cannot come true. His Word has the power to do all He promises, but you REALLY have to believe it, deep down. You can say the words over and over, but nothing is going to happen until you let go, and 100% give it to Him. This is what we have experienced in the last week. When we finally said, "Ok God, this has to be all you, we cannot do anything," He smiled and took over and everything fell into place.  It was our stubborn hearts that were making us hope for something else.

So now, we will take each day as a blessing, and see where God wants to use us.  I will continue to update as we go along, and I pray that through this blog, you can see how good our God is. He's not just a big man/magician/ being/mystery out there somewhere. He's real. He's our Father, and He loves us and will take care of us.

Be blessed, as we have been.  This is a great place to be.

                                 

                                                  

Our journey continues. As you know we have been praying for God to show us His will for us regarding our future. We have no idea about whether the visa will or will not be approved.  The lawyer is not even certain.  So what this means is that we would need to wait until the 10^th August for more information. If the information needed by the Dept. of Labor is not received, we can’t file, and therefore can’t stay. Everything is uncertain as far as this is concerned. I hate this for the school because I don't want them rushing to try to find someone a few days before school starts. I want them to be able to find the best teacher for the students that are coming up to 5th grade - precious students that I WANT to get my hands on and spend time with.

                                                  

While waiting,  we have been putting our resumes out all over the world and praying that God would open or close doors according to His will.  I have had several interviews for a school in Russia, one in Abu Dhabi and two recruiters from Canada and Australia (who recruit for all around the world). There have been problems in each one (I won’t go into details). Closed doors.

On Monday, we received an email from a Christian school in Asuncion, Paraguay (never thought of going there). The school is under the same accreditation as BCA (my current school) which is wonderful. What concerned me is that we would have to pay for our own flights, and salary was not as competitive as all the other packages.

So, Marlowe and I prayed over it, and asked God to show us what He would want us to do. We discussed the fact that if we went to South Africa, we would have to find money to fly, and we would end up there with no jobs or a place to stay. Nothing was opening up there.  In Paraguay, we were being offered jobs and accommodation.

We were set up for an interview this morning which went really well. We spoke with the Directors of the school (one who happens to be South African - wow) who were delightful and put us totally at ease. We were told that accommodation was fully furnished and all we’d need was our toothbrushes!! Wow. Marlowe would be able to teach again, and Brendon may even have something to do after school.  We discussed the interview afterwards and felt that God was opening this door wide. We said that if we were offered the jobs, we would take them. This would be a certainty, whereas the visa is uncertain.

So, as of now, we are going to be teaching in Paraguay!! School starts NEXT WEEK!!!

                                                 

 We are taking a step of faith and trusting that God will help provide the funds we need to get there, and to pay off our accounts here.  I have no worries, because I KNOW that this is from Him. The peace we both feel is amazing.  We will have a yard sale this weekend and try to sell as much as we can and then, God willing, will be flying out on Tuesday or Wednesday, arrive Wednesday or Thursday, and possibly be in the classroom on Friday or even Monday.

                                                   

Nothing in life is certain, but when you get that feeling of peace from God,  and you KNOW that His hand is in it, then you have the certainty that all is going to be okay. It is wonderful to see His promises come to fruition. It’s been a LONG waiting game, but He has been teaching us patience, and trust, and gave us a huge measure of faith.

Let me encourage you to rest in Him for whatever you may be going through. Sometimes it doesn’t look like there’s hope for the future. But His word doesn’t lie. He promises us that He will give us a hope, and a future. For now, our future is in South America. But I believe, in my heart, that we will be back as soon as He is ready for us to come back. So, at the earliest, 2 years.... 

Please continue to pray for us for wisdom and guidance, and please pray for our precious Shelaine who has to go through this once again. I praise God that she has a wonderful husband and friends that will support her through this.

Replace worry and fear with trust

This verse is one that I feel I'm growing into. I'm not always sure about the strength, and I know I don't always have the dignity down straight.... but I'm about at the stage where I can laugh without fear of the future.  This is something God has been teaching me.

So many things in our lives are unsure, especially in this day and age. Our family has certainly experienced a lot of unsurety. It has been a long and difficult journey. However, as I read through my blogs (which I write mainly to check back and see how far we've come), I realize that much of the time, it's been difficult because we've made it so. We've been holding onto our wishes and desires and praying for God to please help us and make things work out, yet we haven't actually given these requests to Him - completely. It's like a child who has a broken toy and wants daddy to fix it. She holds it out to him, but as he takes it, she keeps hanging on because she's scared that if she gives it up completely, she'll never get it back. Little does she realize that she'll get it back even better than it was before!

So last week, when we went away, we spent time asking God to show us what He wanted from us. The words we got back were "Do not worry or have fear", "Trust that I will take care of you", "I give you my Peace".

A passage I read that week stated : "At the root of worry, we find fear. In an effort to overcome that fear, we try to be brave. This doesn't replace or take away fear - it just masks it and gives us strength to act. We need to replace fear with security. As God becomes bigger worry becomes smaller. When we are secure in Christ, we don't have to fear. When we don't fear, we don't have to worry. Worry and fear are now replaced by trust.

                        -  Fear separates; Trust brings together
                        -  Fear blurs;  Trust clarifies
                        -  Fear disconnects us;    Trust re-engages us

Everything won't make sense. It doesn't have to. We won't have to try to make sense of the chaos, but instead can trust that God is with us. He will strengthen us and help us. He will hold us. He is THAT good. You can be secure in that. You can trust in that."

Saying all that, let me update you on where we are. At the moment, we have until August 10th to send in further documentation for Immigration. Due to all the issues with the green card, as well as some more that came up, we have sent in a request for Administrative Review. If they agree to that, and it is done before August 10th, we can go ahead and apply for a year's extension based on that petition pending. If, however, it does not come in before then, the visa application falls through and we will have to leave by the end of August.

I do not want to be surprised again, and have to rush and panic with packing up and getting ready for another overseas move. So, in the meantime, I have registered with several recruitment agencies and sent out all my info. I have already interviewed with a Principal in Abu Dhabi (in the Middle East), as well as a recruiter from Melbourne who has sent me some job offers in Abu Dhabi, Tanzania and Cairo. 

No, I am not accepting anything right now. I am preparing just in case we have to leave. I do not know what God's plan is right now, and I don't need to know. All I need to know is that He is in control. I believe He will open the doors He wants us to go through, or close doors that He doesn't. I believe He will give us the wisdom we need at the right time, to make the right decisions.

Do I have worries and concerns? Of course!  I worry about my old dog that will not do well with anyone (she's a little cranky with other dogs and is very protective). She may need to be put down :(  I worry about paying off our credit cards that we had to use after we got here, because we used up all our savings in South Africa. I worry about paying off our phones as they're still under contract.  I could go on, but then that gentle whisper reminds me :

He reminds me of His command :

So that's where I stand. Giving every situation to Him, with thanksgiving, and He, in His infinite wisdom and kindness, gives me His peace.

I do not have the strength for this. 
I do not have the patience for this.
I do not have the answers, or a plan.

I do have a God that is bigger than all of this. He is in tomorrow. I believe He will make this trial a blessing, and will teach me the lessons I need to learn. I believe, in His time, He will bring our family out of this. How and when? He knows.

Therefore :  I am here
            -  by God's appointment
            -  in His keeping
            -  under His training
            -  for His time.

What To Do When Life Becomes Turbulent

                                           
We continue to wait on the Department of Labor, and, afterwards, Immigration. We don't have a timeline. We don't have any idea what the final outcome will be. I have struggled a little today. I had moments of fear this morning, when I broke down and cried out to God... wondering, asking, questioning and worrying.

Through prayer, praise and worship, and the support of friends, I found myself standing up and kicking fear to the curb, because this is not what God promised. He did not promise a life of fear and worry. He told us to give Him our burdens, and He will carry them.



I believe in the Word of God. So I cannot hold onto fear.  I would like to share a devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministries, which was perfect for me today. It talks about our choices when our lives become turbulent.  I hope this can encourage someone.

What To Do When Life Becomes Turbulent LEAH DIPASCAL

"Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?" Psalm 62:2 (TLB)

As I headed down the gateway toward the plane, I noticed something was different. My heart wasn’t racing and my palms weren’t damp with perspiration. To say it was a phenomenon is an understatement.

The fact that I wasn’t afraid was proof God was changing me from the inside out. Years prior, you couldn’t have paid me enough to step foot on a plane.

As I looked out the plane window, I marveled at the beautiful day God created. There’s not a cloud in the sky … It’s going to be great flying weather. No bumps or turbulence to worry about. I can just sit back, relax and enjoy.

One hour into the flight I was singing a different tune. Although the sky was still clear, the turbulence was anything but enjoyable. Even the flight attendants were asked to take their seats, and the cockpit was silent. Uh … hello? Can someone tell me what’s going on up there?!?!

What started out as a relaxing flight turned into a stressful experience. With three hours left in the flight, I didn’t want to feel anxious the entire time. I needed to shift my focus off the turbulence and on to God.

With all the bumping, shifting and rattling, it wouldn’t be easy, but it was necessary. I was determined to learn from this experience, not be terrified by it.

So after praying for God’s protection, I closed my eyes and whispered, "God, what are You trying to teach me? What am I supposed to learn?"

For the remainder of the flight I waited and watched for God to reveal some invaluable lesson. By the time we landed I walked off the plane with this in mind: Unexpected turbulence creates an opportunity to experience more of God.

It’s the perfect opportunity to …

Grow my faith.
Rather than shrink back in fear or become discouraged, I can lean in and draw closer to God’s presence while looking for His activity in the midst of my circumstances. Patiently waiting for God to act on my behalf can be a catalyst for spiritual maturity and deeper faith in Him.

Remember Who is in control.
Remembering God is in control helps lead my heart and mind to a place of peace. I may not always know exactly where I’m headed, but God does. Regardless of how turbulent the journey may be, He promises to get me safely from my present location to His eternal destination (Heaven). Therefore, I have nothing to fear.

Make a refining decision.
Sometimes, turbulence is not an option. So I’m left with two questions: Am I going to worry and wonder if God will get me through this? Or, am I going to relax and trust that God will get me through this? Hebrews 11:6 give us the best answer: "… without faith, it is impossible to please God …" (NIV). I just need to apply it to my life. And when I do, God refines me in the process.

Watch for God’s goodness and glory.
When turbulence comes I can easily miss God’s goodness. I need to look for His glory around me and set my thoughts on the impossible He can do for me.

Has life been tossing you around lately? The next time you experience a little turbulence … whether on a flight or at ground level … remember that you have full access to the One who will hold you steady and secure. Just like Psalm 62:2 states, "Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?"

Heavenly Father, as I face today’s challenges, help me not to shrink back in fear or discouragement. Instead, teach me how to see these challenges as an opportunity to grow my faith, to remember You are in control, to be refined, and to experience Your goodness and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Acts 2:25, "I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." (NLT)

Psalm 91:14-15, "The LORD says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.’" (NLT)

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

What has become a challenge in your life? Ask yourself these questions regarding this challenge:

1. Am I shrinking back in fear and discouragement or am I drawing closer to God’s presence?
2. Do I really believe God is in control of this situation?
3. Am I going to worry or trust God — believing He will get me through this?
4. How can I look for God’s goodness and glory in the midst of my challenge?

Be sure to record your answers in a journal or your Bible.