Baby steps

Well, I am still not employed, but I did get the chance to connect and sub at another local classical Christian school last week, and as of today I am an approved Lyft driver, so that should be both interesting as well as helping me work towards independence again. Unfortunately I seem to have picked up bronchitis, so I'm hoping I can get over that quickly as I continue to job hunt not just for now, but also for the fall. I have a location and a tuned piano to use for teaching; there are still a few things I need to think through on that front, but hopefully I'll be able to find a few students. This has been a very challenging season of life for me, but I am trying to view it as a growing time as well, where I work on some areas that need refining as I head into my next chapter. I was thrilled and encouraged to see a rainbow yesterday evening while on the north side of town; it's been very gray and rainy the last week, and to have a beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness painted so brilliantly across the sky was so encouraging. God is good, all the time.

Still waiting

Well, I was kind of hoping to have more to share before the next time I wrote, but it's been a month, so I guess y'all are about due for an update. I am still deep in the process of trying to find a job; I have several applications/inquiries out, and an interview on Friday, so I'm praying for guidance, patience, and direction. I have a place to teach piano, so I am working through the steps needed before I start my piano studio up again. I did some subbing for a local classical Christian school and hope to do some more if I am not able to find a traditional i.e. full time job. I'm slowly starting to find ways to connect in town again, and I'm looking to start volunteering at the library. It's a mixed blessing, this slower pace of life. On the one hand I'm realizing how desperately I was in need of rest-physical, mental, and emotional. On the other, I really need to have some sort of income by the end of the month. So, hour by hour I'm trying to take advantage of opportunities and ideas while still trusting that God knows what He is doing with this unstable feeling season. Thank you to everyone who is praying and encouraging; knowing people are rooting for me makes all the difference. I don't know what all God is doing right now, but I'm trying to use the slowness to listen better. As I keep reminding myself, no time spent getting to know God better is ever wasted!

Big Step 1!

While I absolutely knew that it was time for me to come back to the States and start a new chapter of my life, one of the hardest parts has been the fact that after nine years away there were three big, rather daunting steps that needed to happen, and in this order. 1) car, 2) job, 3) my own place to live. I'm a planner and find it really hard to wait patiently for something, but maybe learning more about that is what this season of my life is about!

Shortly before new years I called a used car dealer here in town that we've known for years. In fact, we used to go to church with him. He looked at a few auctions for cars in my price range, but also had ready to go on his lot a 2009 Toyota Matrix. I went up with my dad last week to check out the Matrix, and was very happy with it. I waited to make sure the dealer didn't find anything better, prayed a lot about this car it felt like the Lord was leading me to, and on Wednesday this week I signed the papers for my first car in my name! It isn't new, it's got a few dings in it and a lot of miles, but so do I! And it's mine, and it's low cost means I'll be able to get it paid off soon and not be carrying a big debt as I continue to settle back to the States. Praise the faithful Lord who provides so much!

Now, on to step 2!

Quick update; life has been 'interesting' lately!

Sorry it's been so long; rather predictably my life got super crazy. Things are a little quieter now, but I don't expect the interesting to end for a few months yet. Here is the highlights reel of what I've been up to.

* I survived the end of the 2018 school year, which included report cards, playing for the program, prize giving, interviews, and lots of teary children saying goodbye. God gave strength, and I stayed healthy. I'm so grateful for his help in ending well!

* With the help of the incredibly generous and helpful Ruthie and Anna I spent an intense afternoon and evening working on packing up my house and leaving it ready for some much needed maintenance. I did not get as far as I would have liked, but without those two wonderful ladies helping me I would have been in much worse shape.

* While I was packing up, I found that I had been robbed and among other things, my laptop and all my cash had been stolen. The thing that makes me really sad, is that it had to have been one of the school's employees, and they would have had to watch all afternoon for a chance to get into the house when no one was there. On the plus side, they left my cards and documents, and I had just backed up my files the day before. So, while it is pretty inconvenient to have lost a tool I can ill afford to replace just now, things could have been so much worse. Not that this is likely to leak out the rural community I just left, but if you want more details please communicate with me directly, in respect for the person handling this at the school's request.

* I spent an afternoon and a day in Lusaka with some longtime friends before heading out on a whirlwind tour of Germany! I have an uncle and aunt, and several cousins living there, so I got to see the Frankfurt area, the Black Forest, and Bavaria. I had so much fun reconnecting with my family, and it was a very healing time to talk through some things and bounce some plans off wise people. I'm so thankful for belonging to a family of wanderers and Christ followers that makes time for each other and supports each other in the Lord.

Now I'm back in the States, and will be heading to Colorado for my brother's wedding tomorrow. Some prayer points for me at this moment include,
* Wisdom in replacing my laptop and beginning to restart my life Stateside
* Health as I've done a great deal of traveling during cold season, and I feel one starting to take a grip. I'd rather be well for Christmas!
* Finances--an unexpected electronic need as well as the need for a car so I can find a job quickly has left things a little stretched.
* Traveling safety as my family and I head to Colorado and back. There are no guarantees in this life!

Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouragement, and I look forward to a new chapter in my life and a new adventure with the Lord. While there are a lot of things for me to work through, I am so excited to see what will come next!

Gr 7 Exams are done, and the last quarter of term is begun!

The lasts keep coming! This weekend I hosted my last senior Friday night out and taught my last senior Sunday school. Because of half-term I was able to get caught up—just, but things are starting to move faster into that end of term rush. I have had multiple conversations and meetings with the headmaster and the head teacher about my challenging classroom, and I’m having to continue working on some hard lessons about not basing my worth as a human and a teacher on how much my students perform (or, as is the current case, don’t).

Praise the Lord the ECZ grade 7 exams are over, and there a straight three week shot to the end of term. Of course there are many activities that need to happen in that time, but at least there are no more special days to derail the train!

Parting shot: I took almost no pictures this week, but this flower is blooming away like a firework in my garden, and it has made me smile on some rough days.

A string of lasts

As I go into the last four weeks of term, the ‘lasts’ are starting to come one after another. Last week was my last school birthday party, and this week Monday and Tuesday was my last half-term. The last early morning swim (complete with roaring fire in the chota and hot chocolate),

and the last nshima lunch down at the river. My last activity--this time making snowflakes with the grade 5-6 girls.

I’m preparing for my last end of term, my last program (my shoulder is soooo ready for this to be over), and my last parent interviews. While there is an overwhelming number of things that have to take place between now and December 16th (my brother’s wedding), I am so, so thankful for the Lord providing step by step. A basket to transport my cat in made it up to me today. Three big pieces of marking were accomplished in an evening. Clarity is being given regarding the books remaining on my shelves. A ride back from the airport when I arrive Stateside has been arranged. A trip through Germany on the way home to see family has worked out. A start towards finding a car (that’s a big prayer point by the way—I’m going to need my own car so I can get a job!). While there are still many details that haven’t been sorted out yet, I am learning to unwrap this wonderful, messy gift of a new start one bit at a time.

The birthday party theme was Christmas Carols, so I went as “I Head the Bells of Christmas Day.” The show had more songs than skits, so it was actually rather enjoyable. I didn’t have time to decorate a cake, but I appreciated other’s efforts as always!

There was quite a bit of uncertainty with the ECZ exams; the grade 9 exams were suspended for a few weeks because of leaked answers (nothing new by the way), and it looked like the grade 7 exams might be canceled. Thankfully they worked things out and my students started writing Monday. They are not thrilled about them being over half-term, but that does make things a little easier for me!

Please pray for me as I continue to sort through things in my house, make decisions about where to give things and what to take. Pray for wisdom as I try to leave my classroom and curriculum in as good shape as possible for my replacement, and pray for help as I finish up this overwhelming term. Pray for my shoulder to hold out through the end of term shows, and for me to have the endurance to get through all my work while also having the sensitivity to my students that I need. Four more weeks!

Last Independence Day

Last week I had every intention of updating, but as I had to make a 'shopping' trip with a coworker into Ikelenge, I ended up being a bit behind. We were held up by a truck that was being loaded with pineapples right after our bridge, but thankfully they were able to get them all on board fairly quickly so we could continue to 'town.'

We were going to look for chetengi for the end of term show, and I was looking for something to use as a cat basket. I didn't find that, but I did find a nice kanga that I had to come home with!

Zambian Independence Day is October 24th, and we always have a busy day of down at the pool. We start by gathering for the flag raising ceremony and a brief message before getting ready for the swimming gala.

Then it's a busy morning and usually first part of the afternoon of swimming races and challenges for all ages. My job is to get the kids to their races on time and keep track of where we are in the program. They were pretty good at listening this year.

This year I took part in the 'drag n' dump' house contest and was enthusiastically pulled across the pool and tipped over three times. I also helped with house dominoes. Part of the reason I got in the pool this year is because it is my last year. Also, I made a deal with one of my students that if I got in, she had to take part in King of the Plank. As you can see, she ended up enjoying herself!

After supper is the bonfire and fireworks. Lots of singing, running, and excitment. So far we haven't had any burn injuries, though this year several kids tripped over the trailer hitch of the four-wheeler while running in the dark.

After that, almost 100 very tired people--student and staff alike!--went to bed so they could get up and start school again in the morning. I think this was one of my most enjoyable Independence Days ever, and I'll treasure the memories I made.

Parting shot: One of the older students wanted to paint my face--you can see the artist in the background and the results.