Friends and Family,
I have hesitated in sharing this with you; however, just now after reading another friend's update, who is serving in another part of the world, I feel like I need to post this request. Many of you know that the past 15 months of my life in Camel Land have been anything but easy. You also may know that in the time I've been here He has been revealing a lot of things to me that unfortunately I wasn't ready to hear before I came or was just too stubborn and hard of heart.
Most of my close friends and my family know that since I was a sophmore in college the Father made it very clear to me that He had called me into teaching. I love teaching! I love the classroom, I love the sticky little hands, I love the "dumb" questions, I love the sweaty smells after recess/the b/o smells in overseas classrooms, everything about teaching I love.....even the things I complain about when I'm in the middle of it, when it's all said and done it's very clear to me and others around me that I'm a teacher. Some of you know my story, while I was in college I declared my major in Early Childhood Ed, and I proceeded to follow that degree plan until I reached a requirement called the Praxis test. Time and again I took that test and I kept missing by one or two points a passing score on one of the requirements of that test; so after a lot of painful pr and study over it I came to the conclusion that for whatever reason, Dad was closing the door on my getting that full degree at the time. It was one of the lowest points for me. Having to put down that degree was hard and I was very angry with Dad over it.
As a result of having to lay that degree down at the time, I had to declare another major. This major had to be one I could complete in 2 semesters, and it had to be one that I already had all the pre-reqs for, so I became a sociology major. At the time I hated that major, and it was with a lot of grumbling that I completed my degree in order to graduate in December 2003. It was after I was finished with college I realized my attitude and behaviour were not desirable to Dad, and I was not being a good witness or example of Him. In this period of repentenance He lead me into the journeyman program, and He also opened the door for me to teach! It was at that point that I started teaching ESL. It was also at this time I realized why he had lead me into sociology. Having a degree in sociology really helped me to be a better ESL teacher, and a better teacher altogether.
I was able to teach ESL for 3 years in Southeast Asia, and then I was able to continue teaching ESL for 3 more years in Fort Worth. However, in my steps coming here to Camel Land....it has been made apparent to me this time of my life teaching has been taken away, for a lot of reasons between me and the Father, which I won't go into right now. However, in the past 15 months He has been showing me teaching isn't gone forever, but it is now time for me to begin working towards that teaching degree again.
All of this is to say and to ask for your pr that I would hold to his Hand. These are difficult days. A person who is called to teach, yet who is not being allowed to teach is like someone who needs water but can't reach it. I read the stories and newsletters of other friends who are involved in ESL work around the world, and I literally sob because I want so badly to be doing that same kind of work. I am asking that you would join me in pr as I continue to walk this road of teachlessness, until He opens that door for me again. I also ask that you would join me in pr as I seek out the Father in knowing where, when, and how to pursue and get my full teaching license.
Thank you for your pr, and I pr you will join me in this special request.
Serving Him with You,
Rachel
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
November is Almost Here
Well it has been another 2 months almost 3 since I put an update on the blog. I hope this one finds you all well. Part of the reason I think I put off posting here is that I feel like to post I need to include pictures. Trying to take pictures here is a challenge in and of itself! However, I have some new pictures to share with you, so I thought I would go ahead and post again. Also I apologize to those that didn't receive my letter 2 months ago. I couldn't get my internet connection to cooperate in order to send a big group e-mail, so some got the letter and some didn't. I will try again this month.
Since the last post the biggest change that has occured is that I did not go on the language immersion trip. The plans and the timing for the trip changed several times and then fell through completely. So now it looks like I will be going on that trip, or something similar in January. For the time being I have still been working on language. My language schedule has changed somewhat in that I am now meeting only 3 days a week with a tutor for 2 hours each time. It was time for this change, but I must confess I am so burned out on language. Please be asking that I would soon be able to stop intentionally studying language like this, and that a role would be found for me to fill other than language student.
Although not doing this immersion trip did change plans a little bit, it was definitely in His plan because just a few weeks ago one of my guards had his father pass away. Both of my guards are O (the are members of the predominant ch here); therefore, the reality of them not being true Believers is very prevelent. With an O funeral, especially if it is taking place in the countryside, the funeral itself and the activites that go along with it take 14 days or longer. Currently my guard, his wife, and his brother are all in the countryside participating in the funeral for his father. This guard also has four little children; however, here it is not uncommon for parents to leave their children in the care of their neighbours for long periods of time. Please pr for my guard, his wife, and brother as they participate in the funeral, visiting with family, and especially as they travel back to AA at the end of the 14 days. Also lift up their kids, typically children left in the care of the neighbours do fine; however, sometimes things can happen. Please pr for the safety of these children, that they would be attending school as they are supposed to, and that they would have enough to eat while mom and dad are gone. Pr especially that my guard, his wife, and brother would be wise and discerning and have enough money to pay for the transport to get back to AA.
In the culture here money is seen as something you have from day to day. For example if I were to get paid today (even though that would be my whole salary for the month), I would think, "I have money! How can I spend it all today?" Yes, this is kind of a foolish thought, however, this is the thought process here. This kind of thinking has also caused some problems in the past months for the family that I do Story time with each week or every other week. The mother of this family has a job; however, minimum wage is not such a thing here (at least not the way we think of it). However, instead of saving part of her meager salary over the past several months, the mother of this family got to the point where it was time to pay dues for her daughter's school and she had nothing. I put off trying to help this family monetarily as long as I could and continued to pr that He would provide for them. Finally it got to the point where I gave them some money for the school fees. I explained that this money was not from me but a gift from the Father and was only to be used for school fees. My pr for this family is not that I would keep helping them like this, but that they would learn to depend upon Him for their needs and not the foreign face. Please pr like that for this family and for this entire country in that vein.
Rainy season has stopped, and we are now several weeks into dry season. This means that sunshine is 24/7, and the weather is warmer. However, AA's elevation is so high the temeprature is never unbearable. Although when rainy season stops everyone tends to have water problems. Pr that we would have enough water from day to day. Praise Him for the great rainy season this year, and ask that the people would be wise in the bounty of the harvest. I have also started running again. This doesn't mean I'm running outside that just isn't an option for me here although I dearly don't like that. However, I have started back to running on the treadmill again at the gym. Pr that I can keep it up, so I'll be road ready in December when I visit the States for vacation.
December is getting closer! Pr that it will come quickly, and that the weeks and days would be full until then. I am excited about getting to come home after a year and a half. Pr that this trip would go smoothly, and that He would give me clarity on things. I will have access to a car while I am in the US thanks for lifting that up! If you would like to contact me while I'm in the US you can e-mail me, I don't have a phone number there yet, or you can send a note to 5304 Glenn Cove Bryant, AR 72022. My e-mail is racfarmer@mailboxwiz.com
Thank you to those of you that have sent packages in the past few months. For whatever reason I have not received any packages in the past 2 months, and I know that some of you have sent some. I apologize for this. Hopefully the packages will be returned to you if they never reach me. Thank you for thinking of me. If you would like to encourage me in this way or help me in this way, I encourage you to send a small package/envelope to 5304 Glenn Cove Bryant, AR 72022. While I am in the US I will be restocking on supplies, so any help you could give would be appreciated.
Enjoy the pictures.
Serving Him with You wherever I am,
Rachel
Pictures: 1. This is in the house of the family I do Story time with. The little girl at the fire/stove is the daughter of the woman in the house, and the little girl with her back to us is the next door neighbour.
2. This little baby boy is the cousin of the little girl at the fire. He's about 2 or 3 months here.
3. Me and the little next door neighbour
4. This is the little next door neighbour, her mom, and her little brother (he is about 5 months).
5. Last picture is me in my house, at the end of rainy season.
Since the last post the biggest change that has occured is that I did not go on the language immersion trip. The plans and the timing for the trip changed several times and then fell through completely. So now it looks like I will be going on that trip, or something similar in January. For the time being I have still been working on language. My language schedule has changed somewhat in that I am now meeting only 3 days a week with a tutor for 2 hours each time. It was time for this change, but I must confess I am so burned out on language. Please be asking that I would soon be able to stop intentionally studying language like this, and that a role would be found for me to fill other than language student.Although not doing this immersion trip did change plans a little bit, it was definitely in His plan because just a few weeks ago one of my guards had his father pass away. Both of my guards are O (the are members of the predominant ch here); therefore, the reality of them not being true Believers is very prevelent. With an O funeral, especially if it is taking place in the countryside, the funeral itself and the activites that go along with it take 14 days or longer. Currently my guard, his wife, and his brother are all in the countryside participating in the funeral for his father. This guard also has four little children; however, here it is not uncommon for parents to leave their children in the care of their neighbours for long periods of time. Please pr for my guard, his wife, and brother as they participate in the funeral, visiting with family, and especially as they travel back to AA at the end of the 14 days. Also lift up their kids, typically children left in the care of the neighbours do fine; however, sometimes things can happen. Please pr for the safety of these children, that they would be attending school as they are supposed to, and that they would have enough to eat while mom and dad are gone. Pr especially that my guard, his wife, and brother would be wise and discerning and have enough money to pay for the transport to get back to AA.
In the culture here money is seen as something you have from day to day. For example if I were to get paid today (even though that would be my whole salary for the month), I would think, "I have money! How can I spend it all today?" Yes, this is kind of a foolish thought, however, this is the thought process here. This kind of thinking has also caused some problems in the past months for the family that I do Story time with each week or every other week. The mother of this family has a job; however, minimum wage is not such a thing here (at least not the way we think of it). However, instead of saving part of her meager salary over the past several months, the mother of this family got to the point where it was time to pay dues for her daughter's school and she had nothing. I put off trying to help this family monetarily as long as I could and continued to pr that He would provide for them. Finally it got to the point where I gave them some money for the school fees. I explained that this money was not from me but a gift from the Father and was only to be used for school fees. My pr for this family is not that I would keep helping them like this, but that they would learn to depend upon Him for their needs and not the foreign face. Please pr like that for this family and for this entire country in that vein.Rainy season has stopped, and we are now several weeks into dry season. This means that sunshine is 24/7, and the weather is warmer. However, AA's elevation is so high the temeprature is never unbearable. Although when rainy season stops everyone tends to have water problems. Pr that we would have enough water from day to day. Praise Him for the great rainy season this year, and ask that the people would be wise in the bounty of the harvest. I have also started running again. This doesn't mean I'm running outside that just isn't an option for me here although I dearly don't like that. However, I have started back to running on the treadmill again at the gym. Pr that I can keep it up, so I'll be road ready in December when I visit the States for vacation.
December is getting closer! Pr that it will come quickly, and that the weeks and days would be full until then. I am excited about getting to come home after a year and a half. Pr that this trip would go smoothly, and that He would give me clarity on things. I will have access to a car while I am in the US thanks for lifting that up! If you would like to contact me while I'm in the US you can e-mail me, I don't have a phone number there yet, or you can send a note to 5304 Glenn Cove Bryant, AR 72022. My e-mail is racfarmer@mailboxwiz.com Thank you to those of you that have sent packages in the past few months. For whatever reason I have not received any packages in the past 2 months, and I know that some of you have sent some. I apologize for this. Hopefully the packages will be returned to you if they never reach me. Thank you for thinking of me. If you would like to encourage me in this way or help me in this way, I encourage you to send a small package/envelope to 5304 Glenn Cove Bryant, AR 72022. While I am in the US I will be restocking on supplies, so any help you could give would be appreciated.
Enjoy the pictures.
Serving Him with You wherever I am,
Rachel
Pictures: 1. This is in the house of the family I do Story time with. The little girl at the fire/stove is the daughter of the woman in the house, and the little girl with her back to us is the next door neighbour.
2. This little baby boy is the cousin of the little girl at the fire. He's about 2 or 3 months here.
3. Me and the little next door neighbour
4. This is the little next door neighbour, her mom, and her little brother (he is about 5 months).
5. Last picture is me in my house, at the end of rainy season.
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