Week 6 of classes is complete. That’s
the half way mark for the first year class and 2/3 completed for the 2nd
year class. Teaching two classes has
been a lot for me. I'm drained a lot of
the time and have not been able to do some of the things I want to do, like have
people over for dinner and also really work on learning Pidgin (well, speaking for the most part) before I'm back
in the hospital for the clinical part of the semester. Other things have gotten to me recently, like
the power being out almost every night!
Clock reaches 7 pm, click, power goes off! Then it can come back on for a few minutes,
but watch out, it will go off again within 5-15 minutes, numerous times each
night! Our head of maintenance, Jordan,
truly does a great job trying to keep the power going but it’s a never ending
battle. Lesson plans, lesson plans. I try to get a weeks' worth of them done on
my only full day of not teaching, Thursday, but it doesn't happen!! Power outages (yup, even during the day!),
students with questions and papers they want me to proof read, other teachers
with projects needing help, etc. etc.
This past week I got to a point I just gave up. Some things just are not going to happen!
Not all lessons for the coming week can be done the week
before.
Not all dishes can be done before 7 pm.
Not all laundry will dry before the rain comes again, no
matter when you put it out.
Not all dinner plans will succeed (or plans of any kind for
that matter!)
Not all attempts to exercise every day will work out.
Not all attempts to drive stick shift will go well.
Not all cockroaches, ants or spiders will be killed.
But then I
came to Isaiah 40 in my bible study.
"Why do you
complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my
cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord
is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow
tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to
the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:27-29 NIV)
Yes, sometimes I have felt like Jacob recently, or like those
Israelites. I catch myself struggling
and complaining and I don't want to be like that. I know God hasn't forgotten me or my
cause. I see him at work here too
much. In the smile of my neighbor kids,
in the voices of my students during praise time prior to class, in all the
beauty around me in nature. In the lives
he is changing in the Hydro Electric workers who have recently experienced a
great revival and times of discipleship and many other miracles that occur at
the hospital and all over. I remember my
strength is not my own. He is allowing
me to do all these things and he also allows the struggles. They do tend to help me keep my eyes on
Him.
All lessons for the week got done, and we had some great
classes this week. The students are
understanding and most are applying the lessons very well. And He will continue to help the rest.
All dishes are washed at this moment and I even got some
baking done this week. I was able to
take banana bread over to two of my coworkers on Tuesday. One was to Grace, who has had sick family
members. The other went to Serah, who
along with her sister has helped clean out my garden and get it ready for planting.
All laundry will dry eventually and two loads got an extra
rinse of rain water. I also have some
space in the spare room to hang things to dry and it works well.
All things in His time.
I still haven't had some people over for dinner who I would like to, but
I did have many good meals this week (some prepared by friends!) and I still
have leftovers.
All times with God were a success, His presence is
real. And I exercised three days this
week, got in 3 plus miles and 10 trips up and down Hydro Hill despite, rain, mud, back aches and plantar fasciitis acting up again. The other days I got some much needed sleep
and also finished lesson plans just in time because the power was on! And I took a Sabbath day of rest, even if it
wasn't Sunday.
All attempts to drive stick shift resulted in NO injuries
and lots of laughs (once I got over being upset at myself). I successfully (if your definition of success
is no injuries and no accidents) drove to Banz for a shopping trip with the
ladies and some teens and got some great second hand bargains.
All bugs are not in my food (at the moment) and many throughout
the house were killed, hopefully before they reproduced!
And then
there were some other highlights this week.
Many students are coming to me with questions on assignments and other
things in life and I truly do enjoy those interruptions. Prayers to be able to relate to them more are
being answered. Some of the girls came
over to help me harvest my banana tree and they thoroughly enjoyed teaching me
what to do! Demonstration time in OB
class caused so many laughs the other two classes of students wanted to know
what we were doing. I would have a hard
time explaining all the humor here!
All in All, I
truly had a good week and a good time these last six weeks of class. I know to never give up, because my strength
is in Him. The Matt Redman song, "10,000 Reasons" has been in my head, and then we sang it at English Lotu (Service) a little while ago. (I wrote most of this blog prior to going to the service.) One part struck me especially while we were singing it this afternoon.
The sun comes up, its a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
That whole singing when the evening comes part had been an issue. As much as I can start my day off well in His Presence, I still don't really want to sing when the power goes out each night and evening plans get changed, or reduced to whatever can be done after all the other little hiccups throughout the day. But that's beside the point! The next lines are the chorus,
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
And that I plan to do, no giving up on that one.
Please keep all of us at Kudjip, especially the
students and the hospital in your prayers.
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