Saying Goodbye to Bolivia

Ever since February 2nd, when God helped me make the decision to not return for another year in Bolivia, I have been saying goodbye.  I have tried to make it a point to take in every moment until the end.  I said goodbye to different foods (Maracuyá, Nacho Mexicamba and Salteñas), places in Santa Cruz (the plaza, Alexanders, the km 6 market, etc.), café con leche, my classroom and office, my apartment, my walk to and from school, sand in my shoes, my church, taxis, walking to work, the birds, the beautiful flowers and trees, and the Spanish language, yet the thing that I will miss the most is the people.  I have been blessed to have great friends and students in my life.  My heart aches and tears come to my eyes just thinking about them. No words can really express the joy they have given me over the last two years.  

I am very thankful for my time in Bolivia.  I praise God for the hard times I have had and the good times I have had.  I praise Him for the blessing of fast friendships that will be forever friendships.  I praise Him for the church where I was blessed to worship.  I praise Him for the simple life I got to live in Bolivia.  Even for the hot, humid days, I praise Him!  My experience in Bolivia would have not been a full experience without the nasty smells, the gross taxis, the crazy driving, the mold, and the sweat.  God was good to me in all of it! 

Below are a few picture of my goodbyes...I will never be the same because of Bolivia.

Being prayed over my last Sunday at Kairos

Catching Up...TeachBeyond Conference

Madrid
My 1^st flight toward Turkey was to Madrid on April 5^th.  I thought I was going to be traveling by myself all the way to Turkey, and much to my surprise and joy He blessed me with a friend from Cochabamba that was going to the conference as well.  We had every flight together.  If that was not divine provision, I don’t know what is.  We even spent a few hours traveling around Madrid (something I would not have done alone)!  

 

The TeachBeyond Conference
The conference in Turkey was great!  In my opinion, it was way too short!  I would have loved to spend more time just being with the other missionaries.  It was a joy to see a lot of my orientation friends that went to teach in Tanzania, Albania,  Prague, and Germany.  It was also great to sit and talk with a few people about counseling…getting encouragement, advice, and just knowing that I am not alone in this.  The workshops led by other missionaries about Misplaced Fear, Listening Prayer, and Burn Out were all groups I needed to be a part of.  Whether I needed to hear the information for myself or for fellow missionaries, they were another blessing from God. I was blessed by those that shared!!

The Mediterranean and me

I also sat down with some of my favorite TeachBeyond administrations to talk about confirming my next steps.  I am excited to say that I will definitely be staying with TeachBeyond to work with member care (more on that at a later time).  One thing I will say is that God awakened a passion in me to help missionaries be healthy in their transitioning to, from, and on the mission field.  I am really excited about the opportunities to do that with TeachBeyond.  I can’t wait to get started!

A view of the Mediterranean from the hotel

Melissa from my orientation

Bolivia girls and the Tanzania girls last dinner

Belek, Turkey...A few of us walked here...it was not 20 minutes

Scotland
After Turkey, I flew to Scotland to see Daisha and Jr Sheets.  Daisha and I graduated from high school together, and we have been friends ever since.  It was a blessing to be with her and her family to experience how they serve their church and the community of Peterhead, Scotland.  My time there was spent resting, laughing, playing with their kids, and seeing the beauty that surrounds them.  Daisha and I also spent 3 days in Edinburgh being tourists, relaxing, and having girl time!  We both needed it!   

First stop ...hazelnut latte

Boulders of Buchan

Edinburgh Castle

 

In a way, this was a trip of rest and answers!  I am very thankful that He is in control of my future with TeachBeyond and in whatever else he puts in front of me.  He is a faithful God!

In other news…

-My varsity basketball girls got 3^rd place. They played their hardest and that is all I ask of them.  I am proud!!

-April 30th,  my 7^th and 8^th grade students had an evolution vs. creation debate in my Science class.  They did a great job bringing up different points of view and having answers to questions that were thrown at them.  I was very impressed!!

Catching Up...Jr./Sr. Banquet and Katherine's visit

A Night in Paris

Jr./Sr. Banquet

The weekend after returning from Scotland, we had our annual Jr./Sr. Banquet.  The juniors did a great job of creating "A Night in Paris"!  They did a great job with decorations, events, and especially the photo booth!  I had a fun night with a great group of people at my table and my ride home.  Here are some pictures of the evening...

The seniors

Sophi and Karla

Having fun at the photo booth.

Me, Clara, and Abie being silly in the photo booth.

Katherine Came to Visit

The next Friday, my friend and former roommate from Atlanta flew into town for a week and a few days.  It was a joy to have her here.  While she was here we had a game night with most of the single ladies. She came to school with me. We went shopping.  We ate at different restaurants. I took her to the market, and she even got to celebrate her birthday with me.  Her first Sunday here was her birthday. We  went to church, ate Bolivian food, and traveled out to a small town called Porongo.  I think she had a pretty great time!  I am so thankful for her visit.  It was great timing. As I prepare to leave, I am cleaning out drawers that have been a collecting place for a lot of odds and ends as well as figuring out what to sell, keep, or just throw away.  It was nice to have her here to help, to give encouragement, and to just have some one to talk to.  Packing up and leaving has never been easy for me, and this time is not any different.  It was great to have a friend who has been with me through a couple of packing up and leaving phases of my life.  She was truly a blessing!!

Porongo

Bolivian Birthday lunch with the ladies

Dinner with my neighbors

Enjoying a selfie with Jessica

2014- My Word of the Year...a few months behind

Today is the first time in 2 months that I have been able to get on google, blogger, or my gmail from home.  I am totally excited to finally share a new blog.  

Each year a few of my friends from the ATL choose a word to focus on throughout their year.  They look at what God has taught them throughout their year and the struggles they have faced.  They set out at the beginning of each year to be intentional in their walk with the Lord and to let God teach them.  In 2012 I decided that I wanted a word because it was the cool thing to do, and I needed a change, a opening up of myself to what God wanted of me.  My word for 2012 was Bold, and as I focused on that word in my time with God and in my study of his word he called me to step out in boldness and out of my comfort zone to teach in Bolivia.  In 2013, I focused on joy...not really succeeding at remembering that my hope in Him should give me joy.  Let's just say that I was not very intentional in living through the joy.  This year as I sit and await words from God about my unknown future, I am being intentional at learning to...

ABIDE!

Some of the many definitions, I found for the word abide, are to remain, to accept without rejection, to stay with, to bear patiently, and to wait for.  Some synonyms of abide are dwell and remain. 

This year I believe the Lord is calling me to ABIDE in Him.  I have found myself trying to go through life in my own strength, not allowing Him to carry me through.  I found myself leaning on my own understanding in making decisions, in helping students and teachers, and in disciplining students.  There comes a time when I have to understand that his way is better than mine will ever be. 

I desire to walk so closely to Him that His voice is so clear that I am not tempted to move forward on my own accord.  I need to accept his presence without rejection.  I want to remain aware of His presence, and stay with him all my days.  I want to wait for Him even if I don’t feel like it.  I long to experience His presence on a daily basis.

I can’t do these things if I do not ABIDE in Him.  He even tells us in John 15: 4-5--

“ABIDE in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever ABIDES in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (ESV)

I want to bear fruit for the Lord, so I must ABIDE in Him.

2014 is my year to form the habit of ABIDING in Christ.  John 15:4-5 are verses that will keep my grounded in the realization of why it is necessary for me to ABIDE.  I have even started a playlist of music in iTunes that centers on ABIDING.  I want to encourage you to seek the Father’s face daily, practice being aware his presence, waiting patiently on Him to speak, and to allow Him to change you into a fruit bearer as you ABIDE.  As we ABIDE in Him, we will find joy.  I know He will bless us as we ABIDE in Him.

Here are some lyrics to one of the songs on my playlist.

ABIDE
by the Band Abide :)

Waters in the wilderness
Streams in the desert
Shoulder for your heaviness
And you I will shelter

I am waiting in the garden
A quiet place I have set apart for you
Waiting to be gracious and to pardon
Come and meet me
That is all I ask of you
All I ask of you

Come give your life to me
Lay it at my feet
My yoke is easy
My burden light
Come unto me
Come and drink freely
Thirsty and weary
Come and be with me
Come and be with me
Come be with me

Let me be your victory
Over every failure
You were created to lean on me
And to depend on your creator

I have things I want to tell you
Beautiful purpose for your life
You need to know
I am the vine that will supply you
Water your branches that you may be made whole
Be made whole

Come give your life to me
Lay it at my feet
My yoke is easy
My burden light
Come unto me
Come and drink freely
Thirsty and weary
Come and be with me
Come and be with me
Come be with me

Bridge:
So come and walk beside me
Quiet and still
Abide in me

Abide in me

Come give your life to me
Lay it at my feet
My yoke is easy
My burden light
Come unto me
Come and drink freely
Thirsty and weary
Come and be with me
Come and be with me
Come be with me

The Little Things that Become Big Things When God gets involved!

The 8 nieces and nephews!!  I love them all!

We are about to start our second week back to school from Christmas break, and I am still thinking about what God did while I was in the states for Christmas.  December 22nd, I boarded a plane to spend a little less than 2 weeks with my family and friends in the states.  I am so very thankful that God provided a ticket home for the holidays.

Handmade stockings by Mama

This was the first time in 7 years that we were all together for Christmas, all the kids (and spouses...except mine, he didn't show up this year) and 8 grandkids were under one roof for meals, fun, laughter, and catching up.  I have to say that it was the loudest my parents' house has been in a long time.  It was such a joy to be a part it!

Besides the amazing time with friends and family, there were a few things that stuck out to me as God moments.  He is always working even in the little things.  He has taught me since I have been here in Bolivia to look for those small amazing moments that only He can provide.

The first God moment was receiving a gift from my friend, Sheila Dove.  The night I got home my mom said she had a present for me to open before everyone arrived.  Returning from her office with a mail envelope, she told me that this had arrived for me the week after I left to come back to Bolivia from the summer.  After opening the envelope, I pulled out a white, 3-ring binder full of paper.  I saw there was a note on the front as I flip it over.  This was a journal of prayers that she had prayed for me throughout the year.  It was filled with prayers from scripture and from her heart.  Every day from August 1, 2012 to August 1, 2013 she took time to write out a prayer for me.  WOW!!  I was overwhelmed by the love that was on those pages, not only from her but from the Word.  What an amazing blessing it was to start my time with family knowing that this beautiful woman prayed for me 365 days in a row!!

As my family started to arrive at my parents' house, I was amazed at how great it was to hold them in my arms again.  I love their hugs!!  As Christmas dinner, dessert, and present opening ended, our family Nerf war commenced!  It was so fun to think about how the last time my older nieces were involved in our war, they were between 6 and 8 and now the youngest niece was 3.  Everybody was involved throwing something, shooting something, running from someone, sweating, hiding behind pillows or doors, gasping for breath, and teaching the younger ones how to shoot the different guns.  It was enjoyable to be able to shoot my brothers (insert evil laugh) with toys we played with when we were young.  However, that was not the best part.  When the war and clean-up were over, we sat around the living room and shared what we were thankful for.  When it was my oldest brother's turn, it was so nice to hear him say he was thankful to be home!  To hear my older nieces say they missed me and loved me was music to my ears.  What a joy to be loved by family!

My bros playing their Bolivian instruments

Being silly!

Toward the end of my time home with family, my parents and I took a road trip to Atlanta for a wedding of a dear friend!  As I sat in back seat of the car and observed my parents, I could tell that their love for each other had grown over the years. They have always kissed in front of us and made loving comments to each other (grossed us out...see picture below:) ), but this time I experienced their love for each other in a different way.

When I was younger, my dad did a lot of bird watching.  He enjoyed the beauty of each bird.  I would sometimes hear my parents counting the hawks they saw as we rode home from my grandparents.  It never seemed like something mom enjoyed.  My mom loves to read, yet all I remember seeing my dad read was the Bible and textbooks. On this road trip, it was such a joy to be able to experience my mom's exclamation of the beauty of the thousands (I think millions) of birds we saw flying...I would explain it as a tornado of birds.  It was an amazing sight to behold!  It was also fun to watch my dad enjoy a book read aloud by my mom.  We both loved her voice for God (a southern black woman).  They have adopted the interests of each other naturally, not through force or obligation...just love.

I praise the Lord for opening my eyes to what great parents I have and to see how their love has evolved over the years.  I am blessed to have them as an example of how to continually love a spouse through the ups and downs.  They are pretty great!

The middle children causing trouble in the background!

Pop and Ma with the grandkids

I have been abundantly blessed with a family that loves!