Gypsy Feet

Therefore I Have Hope

2012-01-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

When I first got back to school last August I was trying so hard to finish reading through the New Testament. All I had left was the Gospels but I was having SUCH a hard time getting through them. One morning in my exasperation, I flipped to to the first Psalm and began a journey that would be my saving grace through the next semester. Trust me, if you are angry or sad or whatever you're feeling, Psalms has got the stuff for you!

I used to always think that David was WAY too emotional and overdramatic. I mean seriously, he spends half of the rather large book banging his head against the wall in sorrow. Nowadays I find he's rather normal. If we really admit it to ourselves, we have bad days sometimes! What I love about David is that he knew how to grieve. Rather than wallowing in despair he expresses his feelings and then proclaims the One Thing he knows the true: God is God, He is good, and HE LOVES US. Over and over again David ends his Psalms with a word of praise to the God who is worthy of all glory, despite what our feelings might say.

If you are a follower of Jesus take a moment and think about that. God loves you. SO much. When I think of that, and I mean really meditate on it, I am overwhelmed by a sense of peace that chases away all fear, doubt, anger, and loneliness. He loves us.

It's kind of funny... and crazy as this past year has been, it has been the most significant time of spiritual growth I have ever had. As important as blind faith is, sometimes I feel like we need to ask the big questions of God. If I've learned anything from the Psalms its that God can take those moments and use them to reveal His beautiful faithfulness. Its amazing.

Once of my new favorite books in the Bible is actually Lamentations. I know... its kind of a downer 95 % of the time, but in chapter 3(21-33) the author takes a break from the tears and writes what I find to be some of the most beautifully hopeful scriptures ever written.

"But this I call to mind and therefor I have hope:

the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;His mercies never come to and end.

they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.

'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.'

For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though He cause grief He will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

How beautiful is that?! The Lord is good and his mercies are everlasting!

Looking Back and Moving Forward

2012-01-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well friends we are already a week into the New Year! Crazy... 2011 was an insane year for me and I honestly can’t wait to see what God has planned for this next year. One thing I am certain of is that He will surprise me… He always does! Though I am looking forward to everything 2012 has in store for me, I am a firm believer in learning from the past. So please bear with me as I try to put into words what 2011 meant to me.

On January 13, a week from this coming Friday, I got on a plane and flew across the world to my new South Asian. Though I had been on many short-term trips overseas, I was naïve and really little idea what was in store for me. The next six months taught me a lot about a lot of different things. (you can read about some specific ones in my blogposts from January to July) I learned what it meant to truly love someone like Christ does. I learned that I am oh so weak, but god is oh so strong. I learned that Satan will use anything, even your own team to bring you down and destroy your ministry. I learned that God is strong enough to break the bonds of Satan, so I didn’t need to be afraid.

I fell in love with sweet Khaleda’s hugs and Shimla’s perfect smile. I think I fell in love with the children of Bangladesh in general… I wish you all could go meet them! I fell in love with the sweet aunties would gather around as we told the stories of the Word them.

Its safe to say that I didn’t know what real agape love was until I arrived in Bangladesh.

But then, it was over and I had to come home. At first I was fine! I was excited be home. I have the best family in the world and I was overjoyed to be back with them. I was excited to get back to school and see my friends and take in all the things I had missed at Liberty. Besides, I’ve never been one to outwardly deal with any emotion other than happiness... I’m more of a “suppress them till they disappear’ kind of person.

In my high school Psychology class we learned the seven stages of grief (there were originally five but apparently grief keeps getting more and more complicated.) Looking back over my last six months since my return and they eerily mimic those stages. Apparently ignoring things didn’t make them go away.

The first stage of grief is denial. That would accurately sum up my first month or so of being home. Being home felt like a dream that I was just enjoying until I woke up again in Bangladesh. Aside from sharing a few stories here and there with churches and family members, I kept almost everything to myself. It was easier to almost pretend that my time in Bangladesh wasn’t as big of a deal as it really was.

The next stage of grief is guilt and boy did that hit me like a wall. I had just gotten back to school. Everyone was happy to see me and I was happy to see them but it was different. I think I expected everything to be the same, but the truth was I didn’t fit so neatly into the same boxes I had before. As silly as it may sound I felt guilty for abandoning my girls, my students, Amar Desh (my country.) That guilt made it hard to sit at the rot and laugh about things that seemed so small in the light of everything I had seen.

The third stage is anger and bargaining. In an attempt to be honest and actually share my emotions (definitely something I’m working on this year) I’m kind of baring my soul on this one. Guilt quickly turned into bitterness. I was made at God for taking me away from a place that I had come to love. I was mad the church for not doing enough to reach the world. I was mad at my friends for not caring that there are people dieing without knowing Christ. I was made at myself for not doing enough

The fourth stage of grief is loneliness, depression and sorrow. Again, I’m not one to display my emotions for the world so I’m sure few would guess, but after stopped being so mad I just felt alone. While a large portion of that is in my mind, I do have a problem of shutting people out. I don’t like them to get close, but I’m starting to learn that it gets kind of lonely if you never let anyone in. It’s in this stage where the reality of your “loss” really hits and all your left with is the reality that you miss what you once had. I miss South Asia. I miss what my life was there. My heart is still broken for those people.

To be honest I am still in that stage, but things are looking up! We serve a God that is incredibly faithful and understanding and He comes to bind the broken hearts. He is still the anchor of my soul!

So here’s what I’m going to work on in 2012. I hate to use the word resolution…. more like new standards to live by

I’d like to work my way through the rest of this “grieving process.” Thankfully the remaining stages are hopeful and happy ones. But I don’t want to totally move on or forget. I simply want to be content with here and now. To be joyful in the circumstances I live in today.
I’m going to put myself out there and be more open with the friends God has blessed me with. Its time to go deeper and take my guard down. This month marks the two-year anniversary of our move to VA Beach! Though I have many acquaintances, I have few close friends here. I know I’m only here a few months out of the year but I’m ready to let people in. the same goes for at school
This year I want to dream things and then actually do them! I’m definitely more of a dreamer than a planner… hopefully this will be the year that changes!

On my twentieth birthday I happened to read the Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. Though I had read it a million I was freshly moved by the picture it painted and decided to claim it for the following year. Well I’ve only got about six more months to be begin practicing it, so I’m claiming this year as the year of Love. I want to take what I learned about the Love of Jesus while I was in Bangladesh and translate it to life here in the states. I want to have His love for my family, my friends (old AND new) my home, and the people of the world (and if God decided to toss a few dates my way I certainly wouldn’t argue…) This is the year of Faith, hope and love! I can’t wait to see how it unfolds!

"Three things will last forever- Faith, Hope, and Love- and the greatest of these is Love" 1 Corinthians 13:13

Article of the week:

2011-11-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

So this week instead of doing an article, our class got to go on a little field trip to an Artist Series art show on campus. We were supposed to study the photographers work and write a review answering a few questions, so here we go!

The artist's name was Morgan Taylor and the first thing I noticed was the style that the images conveyed. Each photograph was tacked onto wooden boards, giving off an air that we all dubbed as "rustic magic." Overall, the images had an extremely classy and vintage feel to them. Some qualities that were consistent in each images were the muted tones (a mix of sepia, black and white, and a slightly bluish hue.) Each image also conveyed a sense of texture. I really felt like I could feel the bamboo or the cowboy boots on the rail. The detail of each shot was amazing, from the crumbs of a fortune cookie scattered on the table to the individual blades of grass blowing in the wind.

I'd have to say my favorite photo was the untitled image of a girl in the field. It was the only image of a person so it definitely stood out to me. The mix of tones, detail, and scenery made the entire image almost dreamy.

The most inspiring thing about Morgan's work was the way each and every moment was made special in the images. Simple things like a coffee cup or a street sign were transformed into works of art. It was a great reminder that even the tiniest things are special because they are the details of a life. In the artist bio, this quote was printed and I thought it was a fitting way to describe the images.

"We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are." -Morris Camhi

Week 12- Calendar

2011-11-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I posted images of different fall inspired numbers and mentioned that we were eventually going to create a calendar with those images. Well this was the week of the calendar! It was my first experience using Adobe InDesign and I really enjoyed putting it together! Blogspot, however is refusing to allow me to post the actual image, you can find it on my shutterfly account at the following web address. Hope you like it!

http://gypsyfeet.shutterfly.com/pictures/170

Week 11- Clone stamps, Burn tools, and cropping

2011-11-08T13:53:00.001-08:00

Week 11- Black and White

2011-11-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

We also learned different ways to change a photo into black and white. I have posted them in order of my favorites. The one I liked the most was editing Black and White in Adobe Bridge. It just gave a whole lot more control. The one I liked next was the black and white layer in Photoshop. It gave me some options to adjust but not as many as Bridge. The worst was simply changing it automatically to black and white. The image looks so flat! Here they all are!

Week 11- Sharpening in Photoshop pt. 2

2011-11-08T13:29:00.001-08:00

Here are the rest of the sharpened images! Befores and afters!

Week 11- Sharpening in Photoshop

2011-11-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

This week We had to try our hand at sharpening images in photoshop! Its amazing how a little tweak can change the whole look of the shot... For some reason its not letting me upload the rest, but I'll keep on trying!

Before:

After:

Article of the Week: Photoshop

2011-11-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Most of this week was spent discussing the in's and out's of photoshop. Since I have never really spent much time with it I decided to look up some useful tips and tricks. The article I found was written by Dirk Metzmacher, a photoshop trainer and author.

In this article, Metzmacher gave many useful photoshop tricks of varying degrees of difficulties. All of the tips are really great, particularly the ones dealing with color correction and skin tones. I think its so cool that you can do all of these things by just making a few clicks, and I'm excited to try some of them out! Obviously, some of these tips aren't going to be used daily (ex. creating a smile) but some are definitely fun!

I'm looking forward to playing around with photoshop some more but I still think your pictures should be good enough in camera that you don't have to do too much post processing. The rest of the article can be found here:

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/03/09/useful-photoshop-tips-and-tricks-for-photo-retouching/

Week 10: Depth of Field

2011-11-01T12:51:00.001-07:00

This weeks assignment was to take pictures using both deep and shallow depth of field. This assignment definitely forced me to spend more time adjusting my aperture, and it was great practice. Plus its always fun to explore down town Lynchburg! Here are a few of my favorites!

The rest can be found here :

http://gypsyfeet.shutterfly.com/pictures

Color Correction

2011-10-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

In today's class we learned about color correction. We went over five different ways to adjust color within photoshop. Here are some examples of each from the best to the worst.

For this image I color corrected using Photo filters. While I might not use that with everything (it's probably be weird with skin tones..) It was definitely my favorite to use because everything was so immediate and vibrant.

Before:
After:

For this image I color corrected with an adjustment level of Hue/Saturation. I love how it warmed up the image without making it look fake. The sliders made it easy to control.

Before:
After:

For this image I simply used a new adjustment layer of curves to color correct. I liked it a lot, this image was just difficult. I did like how hands on the editing was with curves.

Before:
After:

For this image, the cake was originally yellow and since much of it was in shadow I used the color balance tool. I liked that there were different areas to adjust, but I felt like the changes were very drastic. I ended up applying a gradient tool just to amp up the yellow a little

Before:
After:

For this image I used the auto color to color correct and honestly it was pretty lame... it did pretty much nothing, but oh well!

Before:
After:

Article of the Week: Workflow

2011-10-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday the majority of our class was spent talking about developing an efficient workflow and editing metadata. So for this weeks article, I tried to find something that had to do with post-processing and work flow. The article I found was written by Steven Paxton, a photographer from Seattle who has been in the business for over ten years. His work can be found here: http://www.paxtonprints.com/

Paxton begins the article by talking about the importance of a consistent workflow. According to him, "consistency in how you handle your images after they're shot is nearly as important as the techniques you employ to compose and shoot your images in the field." He then goes on to describe his own personal workflow, covering everything from backing up the images, sorting them, applying metadata, and of course the actual editing.

Since I do very little editing to most of my pictures, my own workflow is rather simple. However as I shoot more and more, I am realizing my need for a more consistent and sophisticated work flow. I will definitely use some of Paxton's tips as well as the things we learned in class this week.

The rest of the article can be found here: http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/develop-an-efficient-photography-workflow/

Week 9: Calendar Photos

2011-10-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

For the next few weeks our class will be working on calendars. Our task was for this week was to pick a theme and take pictures of numbers that had to do with the theme. Since I decided to do the month of November, I decided on a fall theme. I collected items that reminded me of fall: Starbucks lattes, candy corn, crunchy leaves, and pumpkins. I definitely had to be creative with what I had around me! Here are a few of my favorites..

For the rest of the images, you can go to my shutterfly account!

http://gypsyfeet.shutterfly.com/pictures

Editing with Adobe Bridge

2011-10-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

Class this past week was SO much fun because we actually got to get in Adobe Bridge and edit some of our shots in RAW. Our professor asked us to choose a few images and edit them using the tools we'd learned about in class. Here are the befores and afters that came from just a few minutes of editing.

This first shot was from our Dramatic lighting assignment. Overall it was fine, but it definitely wasn't one of my favorites so I decided to see what I could do to it.

Since it was my very first shot that I'd edited in Raw I didn't get too crazy... I used the crop tool to tighten the shot followed by some spot control to get rid of a little sensor dust. I finished it off with a few graduated filters to punch up the lighting a little. Here's the finished product!

This next shot was taken for the Outdoor portraits assignment. Again it was cute (how could these girls not be?!) but I knew there were a few things I wanted to try.

I started with the spot control tool to remove some of the spots or scabs from the girls faces. (by the way, how cool is it that we can do that?!) Then I used the targeted adjustment tool to amp up a few of the colors that I liked in the shot. Finally I adjusted the clarity to make the girls faces a little sharper!

This next shot was taken for our Photojournalism assignment.

I knew I needed to lighten up her face so I used the adjustment brush to bring up the exposure just around her face so she's no longer in the shadows. Then I used the targeted adjustment tool to play up the contrast of some of the colors.

THis final one is my favorite. It was taken for the Portraits assignment and by the time I got to editing I was feeling a little more comfortable with each of the tools.

First of all, I loved the colors in the this picture so I used several graduated filters to enhance the gold of the sunlight, the blue of the cotton candy, and the colors in the shirt. Then I adjusted the exposure to brighten up the whole shot a little more.

Article of the Week: Photo Editing Software

2011-10-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

Most of what we discussed in class this week centered around creating a digital darkroom. We covered topics ranging from printers to backup systems to the amount of light in your space, but the topic I most enjoyed was about photo editing software. Later in the semester we'll actually spend more time with digital editing, but as someone who only uses the software that came with my Mac, I was interested to see what program offered the most. Rob Sheppard is a photographer and videographer who has written several books and articles about digital photography.

In this particular article he talks about the features that are present in Lightroom as opposed to standard Photoshop. He covers everything from range of colors to the amount of history that is kept, but what I liked most was his point about the readily accessible controls. Sheppard says, "In Photoshop, everything is based on opening and closing individual adjustment windows.... all Lightroom controls are kept available..." He does point out however that everyone should have standard photoshop along with Lightroom because it does allow you to have more creative freedom, offering things such as HDR formatting.

This article definitely showed me that Lightroom seems a little bit easier to navigate that standard Photoshop. Since I have little experience with either of them, I am very interested in trying them out!

The rest of the article can be found here!

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/columns/digital-horizons/lightroom-vs-photoshop.html?start=1

Week 8: Photojournalism

2011-10-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

So as you can see from the title, this weeks assignment was photojournalism, or capturing the events that occur around us. Luckily, this weekend was homecoming here at LU, so there were no shortage of events to photograph. Probably the biggest thing I learned this week was how to be flexible and adapt to my surroundings. Lighting conditions at the bonfire were totally different from the lighting at the midnight rave which was totally different from the next days parade which was even different from that afternoons football game. Thankfully, I have become well acquainted with my camera's light meter and was able to produce well exposed shots no matter where I was. Here are a few of my favorites from this weekend! The rest can be viewed here: http://gypsyfeet.shutterfly.com/

Article of the Week Portraits

2011-10-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Since our assignment this week was portraits, I searched for an article that had tips on how to create interesting portraits. I found an awesome article on the increasingly reliable Digital Photography School website (seriously... i know I use them a lot, but their stuff is so good!!) Once again, Darren Rowse is is the editor and manager of the Digital Photography School and he specializes in making fabulous photography accessible to the masses.

In this article, Rowse explains and gives examples of 10 different ways to make your portraits look a little less stiff. My favorite tip was about breaking the rules of composition. According to Rowse, photography's "rule of thirds can be effective to break." Its nice to know that no matter how much technical knowledge one has, the art of photography is still about creative vision. The ultimate goal is to create a memorable photograph, something that hasn't been overdone.

I tried a few of these tips out this week and I'm excited to attempt the rest! I love photographing people, so It's nice to find new ways of viewing a shot!

The rest of the article can be found here:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-ways-to-take-stunning-portraits

Week 7: Outdoor Portraits

2011-10-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

For this week, our assignment was to take a series of outdoor portraits. Now when I think "portraits" the words that usually come to mind are stiff and posed... not truly my thing. My goal became to capture a person spontaneously! Lucky for me, this weekend happened to be fall break so I spent it at home with my FABULOUS family! Sunday was the annual church wide picnic and mudbowl at our church so I used that time to find my portraits. My totally creative mom gave me the fabulous idea to try black and white on the pictures of the mud bowl. I LOVE the way they turned out.. I learned a lot about capturing a moment, even if its moving quickly! Here are a few of my favorites!

The rest of the pictures can be found here: http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=9b80a46f59dac2d32f762628e38c6d8e

Article of the Week: Light Painting

2011-10-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Ya'll, this thing is so cool... Since I didn't get a chance to try my hand at light painting, I decided to do my article of the week on it. The author of the article is one i've used before, Darren Rowse. Rowse is a photographer from Melbourne Australia and he founded and is the editor of Digital Photography School. This website has allowed him to share what he has learned in his years of photography as well as sharing tips from others in the business.

According to Rowse, this particular technique 'has been a growing trend on Flickr and other photo sharing sites in the last couple of years." Basically light painting is taking a shot in the dark with a long exposure and using a small light source (flashlight, LED bulb, etc.) to "paint" designs or images into the darkness. It can be as simple as drawing a heart or as difficult as creating people. All in all its a really cool way to add something unique to your portfolio. No one will ever be able to recreate that shot in the exact same way you did.

This article definitely showed me some cool Light painting ideas that I need to try. Perhaps I can incorporate some into this weeks Portrait assignment.

The article can be found here:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/25-spectacular-light-painting-images

Week Six: Panorama

2011-10-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

Another thing we learned about was how to do a seamless panorama shot. Again, it was surprisingly much more simple than I originally thought it would be. I can't wait to try it out on a sunrise or a beautiful cityscape or something.. Here's a couple that I came up with!

Week Six: HDR Photography

2011-10-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

This week instead of having an actual assignment, my professor offered extra credit for anyone who could produce three types of pictures. The first was HDR photography. I had heard of it and had of course seen the amazing results it produced but I was surprised to learn how simple it was!I didn't have a ton of time to play with it this week, but here are a few of my attempts! I will definitely be doing this more often!

In honor of my Papa pt. 4

2011-09-30T09:46:00.001-07:00

In honor of my Papa pt. 3

2011-09-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

In Honor of my Papa pt. 2

2011-09-30T09:42:00.001-07:00

In Honor of my Papa

2011-09-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago I was blessed to be able to experience one of the coolest things ever. My Papa, Jerry Edwards, was inducted into the Liberty University Athletics Hall of Fame for his service as a broadcaster and "The Voice of the Flames" for the past 29 years. listening to him accept his speech, I was once again overwhelmed with pride and gratitude over the family God has chosen to bless me with. All of them are sincerely the most incredible people in the world! Here are some of the pictures from that AWESOME weekend of family time!

Article of the Week: Motion blur

2011-09-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

Since this week was more of a struggle for me I decided to look up an article that would give me tips on how to achieve tasteful looking motion blur. I wanted to know things like how to balance my aperture and shutterspeed so that all my shots wouldn't be blurred but overexposed. With thirty years of experience as an award winning photographer, I figured Tedric Garrison's article on the subject would be a good place to start. As a graphic designer, Garrison has a unique and marketable way of looking at a subject, knowing which way would be best to portray it to the masses.

What I really loved about this article was he pointed out which times stop motion is beneficial and which times blurred motion would possibly be better. If I'm being totally honest, around the middle of this assignment I was pretty much sure I would never ever try to blur anything ever again. Garrison did a good job at pointing out its more positive points. One example he uses is a Nascar Race, posing the question as to whether stop motion or blurred motion would be better. His response was blurred motion, "because if you took the picture the way it was just described, it could just be parked on the track for all anyone knows."

While there may not have been as much technical information in this article (I found more technical goodness here: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-capture-motion-blur-in-photography) I did restore my good faith in the beauty of the blur and encouraged me that just maybe I should give it another shot. When properly used, motion blur can help achieve a much more interesting photo than a stop motion shot of the same subject. It all comes down to practicing, feeling out what I like and what works best in my eyes. Wish me luck!

Tedric Garrison's article can be found here

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-capture-motion-and-blur-in-photography/

Week 5: Motion

2011-09-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

So for this week we were supposed to capture both still motion and blurred motion. As soon as we heard about our assignment my head instantly started to fill with ideas! Turns out my imagination is occasionally greater than my ability... In the end many of my images did not turn out as planned! However by the end of the week I was a little more comfortable with how to operate my shutter speed and how it relates with my aperture. While I'm not totally pleased with my images, here are a few that I did like!

This is my lovely roommate (thank goodness she is always willing to be a model for myself and our other roommate!) I like the blurring of the umbrella as she spun it. It really makes the colors look awesome!

This is a bus going by and I'm just a fan of the lights!

I got the idea of photographing and blurring the ticking of the clock from my mom and I think they turned out pretty well! This one is more of a still shot, on some of the others you can see the tick marks as they second hand passes.

I love fall, particularly when the leaves change! I knew I had to get a picture of the colors blurring together! I like the way they almost look like they're reflecting.

Much to my dismay, most of the week was spent under rain, so it made taking pictures outside a little more difficult. But I made the most of it and managed to take this still shot of the rain sliding down a leaf. I like the way the weight of the rain made the leaf quiver and blur while the drops themselves are frozen.

My flickr capacity was full for the month so the rest of the pictures can be viewed here instead:

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=761291780bc8423dcf4ab00f16ca9e1e

Article of the Week: Exposure and Stops

2011-09-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

I found this article at www.digital-photography-school.com just like I did a few weeks ago, but this article is by Neil Creek. Creek has been a professional photographer from Melbourne Australia for several years and has been blogging about his own journey as a photographer since 2006. He enjoys allowing other people to learn along side of him. His blog can be found here:

http://www.neilcreek.com/blog/

Since we spent much of our time this week talking about the Big Three of Exposure (Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO) I wanted to review how the three worked together to craft a perfectly exposed shot. Creek does a really great job at explaining how the three interact with each other. He explains how the variation of light that your camera picks up can be much larger than we actually think. "A subject lit by the midday sun on a beach looks over four thousand times brighter to your camera than the the same subject lit by the moon." Basically, understanding how to use your camera to work with such light is HUGELY important.

This article really did help me to feel even more comfortable with branching out of my comfortable "P' setting and into "M" or manual. Now that I actually understood how each component worked, I had more freedom to manipulate the shot to how I wanted it too look. It often took several test shots (some things look better a little under exposed to me...) But I'm sure as I practice more, I will get more comfortable.

The rest of the article can be found here:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/photography-1014-exposure-and-stops

Week 4: Patterns, Reflection, and Repetition

2011-09-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

Basically for me this week was about finding patterns and double-sided things that had visual interest and capturing them. The goal was to use the structure of the repetition to give the photo interesting lines. This week in class we talked about exposure so I decided to go for it and shot every picture on manual! While it did take more time and adjustment to capture each shot, I ended up being much more satisfied with everything I took! I was finally actually able to manipulate the pictures to look the way I wanted them to!

So here are a few of my favorites!

I took this one at the 9/11 memorial downtown! I love the colors and way the fabric sort of reflects the sun.

I thought the lines of this ladder created interesting patterns against the overcast sky.

I LOVED the way this string of lights looked! On a dreary day, they added little pops of color to the railing.

I'm always impressed by a marching band's ability to maintain their patterns! I love the contrast of their uniforms against the field.

Mainly I just love the colors in this and the way the plastic seats almost look like they could be soft.

You can view the rest of the images from this week and previous weeks at http://www.flickr.com/photos/66723195@N07/

Article of the Week: Lighting!

2011-09-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

So I'm am not/ have never been a fan of using flash! I have never liked the way it washes things out so whenever possible, I usually try to be creative with what light I do have. However, instead of completely ignoring flash, perhaps it's time to learn how use it to my advantage! The article I found specifically caters to wedding photography but the tips given are applicable to pretty much any situation. Brady Dillsworth is a professional wedding photographer and the lighting director for his company.

What he does in the article is break down all the different methods of flash, from bounce flash to off camera flash with cable. according to Dillsworth, "nine times out of ten, i can light a wedding with a bounce flash diffused flash hybrid." He then breaks down exactly what settings he uses to create the perfectly lit shot. His positives and negatives for each alternative were very helpful as well.

While I don't actually own most of the equipment used in the article, it did inspire me to branch out into the world of flash a little more. Some things I will still be able to try, even without cables or external flash... I'm already looking into creating my own filter!

The article can be found here

http://www.weddingphotographydirectory.com/wedding-photo/for-wedding-photographers/professional-articles/camera-flash-techniques.aspx

Week 3: Lighting

2011-09-12T12:29:00.001-07:00

Anyone who's ever taken any sort of picture knows that lighting is huge! Dramatic lighting can make up for a lot of flaws while poor lighting can ruin even the most carefully crafted composition. So when we were told that our assignment this week was to tackle lighting, I was a little less than excited. I have a love/hate relationship with any light that doesn't come during "the golden hour." So, armed with only my in-camera flash, my new found greater knowledge of shutter speed, and my love for off-center angles, I set off to tackle my biggest foe: the hazy gray monster that is low lighting! I took all of my pictures between 8 PM and 7AM and didn't use a flash on a shingle one! Despite my initial misgivings, this week taught me a lot about how to manipulate the lighting that is in front of me.

Here are a few of my favorites!

Article of the Week: Depth of Field

2011-09-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

So for this week's article, I decided to see what I could find about Depth of Field and how to manipulate it. You could take two pictures of the exact same thing but changing the depth of field and create two totally different looking shots and highlight totally different parts of the picture. I just love that! The article I found was called Tutorials: Depth of Field and it was written by Sean McHugh, editor and creator of Cambridge in Colour. As a trained scientist (he has a phd in chemical engineering) Mr. McHugh was very interested in the technical side of photography so he created Cambridge in Colour, a place where he could not only showcase his love of Cambridge, but also what he's learned about the craft of photography.

According to his tutorial, depth of field "refers to the range of distance that appears acceptably sharp." However rather than being simply sharp or unfocused, it is the gradual transition and range all in between those two points. It is also defined by what "confusion" is noticeable in a print of certain sizes. Thought the print size is what actually determines how well you see the "confusion" it can be manipulated using larger apertures and closer focal distances. He uses these different images to demonstrate. Each is taken at the same focal distance with merely a change in aperture.


f/8.0	f/5.6	f/2.8

This article did a really great job at explaining how different focal lengths and apertures will achieve a different shot. He used several charts that broke down the math really well (a blessing for someone as numbers challenged as I am! I can't wait to try some of this out an expand the creativity of my shots!

The article can be found here:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

All quotes and pictures come from Sean McHugh

Week 2: Structure

2011-09-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

This week each of us were given a word and we were instructed to take photos exploring the different themes or meanings of that word. I was given the word "structure." Naturally the first things I thought of were buildings, literal structures, but as I thought about it more, I began to think of structure as something that forms and sort of "holds in" our lives. It is what we are built upon. These next few shots are a few of my favorites.

This was sort of about organizational structure. After all what is more organized (in theory at least...) than the dewey decimal system. Organization provides structure to the often haphazard way we live our lives. Mostly though I just love the colors and the angle...

Some of the things that provide structure in our lives are our ideas, our beliefs, and our mentors. They are the framework for how we look at the world. Here at Liberty, Dr. Falwell definitely continues to shape and structure the way things are done. For many of us, his words are still very influential.

This is sort of a literal interpretation of structure, but I just have a thing for old stone...

I found these chairs all neatly lined up while wandering around a nearby campus and I immediately loved the perfection of the lines. Nothing says structure and organization like perfectly placed chairs!

I had a lot of fun with this assignment! It really taught me to think outside of the literal meaning of things and look at them in a new way. I also had to experiment with several different lighting situations which was challenging. Look at my pictures I've noticed that i take a lot of them angled from the left side... perhaps its time to shake up my point of view!

Article of the Week!

2011-08-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

So every week, my classmates and I get to choose an article dealing with the content we'd learned the previous week in class. Our assignment is to create a post detailing what we gained from the article. This week I chose an article called Raw vs. JPEG by Darren Rowse. Rowse is a photographer from Australia and is the creator and editor of Digital Photography School. (http://www.digital-photography-school.com/) He is great at making photography accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Some of his photos can be found here.(http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenrowse/) This particular article talks about what exactly is "Raw."

I had never heard of "raw" before taking this class, so this article was really helpful with explaining what it was! Now I think it's one of the coolest things ever. When you shoot in Raw, "your computer rather than the camera will process the data and generate an image file from it." This gives you much more power to edit and change your photos without totally destroying them. If your lighting is off, changing it in Raw is much easier than changing a JPEG. You will have to use a different software to view the photos (they are easy to download.) Over all however, if you are serious about going further with photography and editing, Raw is certainly the way to go.

I chose this article because it did a great job at explaining the differences between JPEG and RAW. While the writer clearly seems to prefer shooting in RAW, he does a great job at presenting the pros and cons of both sides. I'm definitely excited to explore the possibilities of shooting in RAW, but until I'm more comfortable with it, I'll probably still use regular old JPEG for now. I don't know if all the editing possibilities that RAW provides are necessary all the time.

You can find the article here:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/raw-vs-jpeg

Week 1- Scavenger Hunt

2011-08-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

For our first official assignment, my classmates and I were given a list of things that we were supposed to capture. Items on this list ranged anywhere from vanity license plates to engagement rings and we were supposed to find at least twenty of the items. When we first received the assignment, I figured it would be easy. I mean... how hard could it be to get a good picture of a dog... Anyways the whole things turned out to be a lot more difficult than I imagined! Taking ordinary things and showing their beauty truly is an art form. I think this assignment taught me to look for and capture the beauty in everything, even a license plate. Anyone can capture the beauty of a majestic mountain or a blushing bride, but to capture the beauty of everyday life takes a true artist.

Here are my top three shots from this weeks assignment!

Something that's your favorite color (teal)

A Silhouette

Someone reading their Bible

My Top 5 (or 6...)

2011-08-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well friends I'm back at school! Being back is a crazy mass of emotions, but over all I'm excited for my classes and what God has in store for me this year! One of the classes i'm most excited about is my photography class. Throughout the semester I'll be posting pictures on this blog as part of my assignments. I hope you all enjoy them!

For this first weeks assignment we had to choose our top five pictures that we'd ever taken and explain why. Being the indecisive person that I am, choosing only five was difficult so I'm throwing in a bonus at the bottom. It didn't make it into my top five but it made it pretty close!

So we'll start with picture number 5: Old Delhi, India

I love this picture for a lot of reasons... first of which being that for me it represented newness. It was taken on my first week in India right before I left for Bangladesh. It was also taken with my brand new telephoto lens (that I LOVE) I love the character in this guys face, the slight smile, the creases on his forehead and of course, that awesome blue turban. For me, seeing him was sort of a reassurance that I was going to love that place.

Picture number 4: Malawi

This picture was taken on my second trip to Malawi. It was one of my first days back at the school and I was SO excited to see these kids again. I loved being at the schools and helping the kids learn and gain the skills they needed for a better life. It was truly beautiful. I love this picture because it captures this little girls focus. She wants to learn because to her learning is a gift! I feel like we in America have a lot to learn from that attitude

Picture number 3: Malawi

This picture was taken after school one day. My friends and I were surrounded by hundreds of little kids all desperately wanting to do the "chicken dance" when I looked to my left and saw this girls standing shyly off to the side. She was older than the other kids and stood nervously fixing her hair, wanting desperately to be noticed. My favorite part of this picture is actually what happened right after I took it. She gave me the most beautiful smile! I had noticed her and that made all the difference in the world.

Picture number 2: Chittagong, Bangladesh

This picture was taken at the wedding of a friend of mine. I love it for many reasons, the main one being that I LOVE this little girl. She was one of my sweet students and this was taken shortly after we'd met. I love the colors because they remind me that even though she had little, she had put on her very best for the wedding and while it may not have been fancy, I thought she looked beautiful!

Picture number 1!!!! Malawi

I just love this little guy. When we first got to the village, most of the older boys like him were too shy to play with us. Then out of nowhere, I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around it was this face I saw. He wanted me to come and play with his friends and teach them songs about Jesus. My heart melted.

And now for the bonus: Agra, India

I saw this guy while wandering through the Red Fort in Agra, India. I don't know his story, but I love the lines in his face. He was sitting all by himself and I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about.

Well I hope you enjoyed them!

And So the Process Begins

2011-07-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

It's 1:32 AM on Sunday morning. Only a few hours ago my mom and I drove to the airport which has honestly become somewhat of a second home these days. My baby sister, cousin and dad were coming home from a week in Guatemala. I'm so excited for the things they got to do and experience but as I stood in the kitchen listening, all i could think about was the fact that exactly two weeks ago I walked into this very kitchen for the first time in six months.

These past two weeks have been great! The first was spent catching up with friends, eating bacon and basically having a family reunion with my grandparents, my uncle and my cousin. The second week was special! With everyone else gone I got to spend lots of one on one time with my momma. If you haven't met her, you should, cause she's awesome! We watched movies, ate pizza, and did all the things I'd been dreaming about doing for months now. I was happy to be home!

I still am....

But listening to Liv and Kat share their stories made my heart hurt. Somehow for the first time it really made me confront how much leaving South Asia hurt. All I could think about was sweet Leizu, secretly pressing the precious fabric she'd embroidered into my hands. All I could think about was Moni, calling me only a few hours after we'd said goodbye to tell me I had to come back. All I could think about was precious little Abul, grabbing my hands and dancing with me in front of the entire class. And Sumaya, grinning up at me with that beautiful gap-toothed smile. And Meena, giving me millions of kisses all over my face as she ran out the door. And Morjina, giving me the tightest hug I'd ever recieved.

Those last few days were hard. I HATE goodbyes... but Rachel and I were so busy that I hardly had a moment to think much less process much of anything. So I guess processing begins right now, the moment I acknowledge the fact that my heart is broken. That it's grieving the death of an experience, of a part of me!

Leaving those girls, leaving my students... the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

Honestly... I don't even know what I feel right now.

The Best Day

2011-06-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

The day began with rain. Lots and lots of rain. One look outside of my window assured me that Shanlyn (a sweet new friend who was coming to meet my students) and I would be in for an adventure. At around 8:15 the driver arrived and we headed towards the free school. About ten minutes later, we were in the middle of a slum sitting in a car that was very much stuck in the mud. Knowing we had to get to school, Shanlyn and I piled out of the car and began the trek on foot. Being the brilliant person that I am, I had neglected to bring an umbrella or wear sensible shoes. That’s right folks, my flip flops and I slid all over as Shanlyn and I did our best to find the least muddy pathway to the school.

Into this slippery and slimy scene rode my night in shining armor, a 3^rd grader named Sajeed. Ever since March, when I started teaching 3^rd grade, Sajeed has been one of my favorites. This kid is so smart, it kind of awesome to watch him work! I think he’s just plain awesome and apparently the feeling is mutual because from day one Sajeed became my self proclaimed assistant. He’s always ready to help me out when I need it and today was no exception. As I slid through the water and mud and other “things” that covered the road, I hear someone calling “madam!” I looked up and there was Sajeed, holding multiple umbrellas and prepared to lead us in the best path. If it wouldn’t have totally embarrassed him, I could have hugged him right there in the street!

We arrived at the school a few minutes later and Shanlyn and I were immediately rushed off to First Grade A. Imagine the cutest kid on the planet and times his or her cuteness by 15 and you’ll get the cuteness of my first graders! Seriously, I could having the worst day of my life and it would all be made better by seeing their excited smiles when I enter the room. I love them. We did the hokey pokey, heads up seven up, and few other English games and songs. We repeated the lesson in First Grade B with a few fabulous new additions. Some of the six graders apparently weren’t having class so they decided to join us and promptly followed us for the rest of the day. They were awesome! By the time we left, I had gotten to at least see (and high five…) all of my students and then some. Words can’t even describe how much I’m going to miss my free school kids so I won’t even try, but I thank Father for them!

We waded through the mud and made it back to the car, then Shanlyn and I headed to the Center. It was pretty late so I figured I had already missed the big girls and wouldn’t get to see them today. Thankfully, as I turned the corner, I was met with hugs and shouts of “Emily Auntie!” I love those sweet girls…

We headed inside and I felt like my heart was going to burst, I was so excited! Today was the first day of VBS with all the little girls! I was going to see my babies again! However two o clock came and only a few girls were there. I was happy to see them, but missing the others. We decided to start anyways and halfway through the music time I heard the door open and in rushed all the other little girls! Piya, Puja, Kulsum, Meena, all were there except three! Hugs and kisses ensued and it was a good ten minutes before we were able to settle everyone down. The rest of the afternoon was spent with crafts and stories and games and lots of laughter and “I love you’s”

If you could all see me right now you would probably think I look a little ridiculous. Sitting here, I can’t stop smiling when I think about these kids, those moments, this day. All I can do breath a word (or ten million words) of thanks to the Author and Finisher of this day’s story. Perhaps it wasn’t much of a page-turner for you, but for me, it was beautiful. It was perfect.

Fifteen

2011-06-24T02:01:00.000-07:00

The last time I blogged, I was thirty days away from being home. Today, I’m down to fifteen. These past fifteen days have been kind of crazy so I’ll just fill you in on a few of the big happenings.

A large portion of this past week has been devoted to VBS at the center. Games, makeshift costumes, new songs, and ice cream made for a fantastic week! I wish you could have seen the girls faces when Rachel and I swooped in the room in our super hero costumes…

On Monday I said my first goodbye. My dear friend and house-mate headed home to the states for a month of vacation. By the time she gets back, Rachel and I will be long gone! I will miss her “isms,” her crazy dances, and the laughter that always seems to accompany her into the room. I am so grateful that Father placed her in my life. She certainly made our time here so much easier.

The second goodbye came yesterday. Since next Thursday is a holiday, it was my last day with my kids at the Home of Love. It was so hard saying goodbye! I took pictures and gave final hugs and high-fives and then walked away, wondering if I will ever see my precious kids again. Not exactly the most fun morning of my life… It makes me wonder how I will ever survive next Sunday and Monday.

These last few weeks are bittersweet ones! I’m excited to be home, to be with my family, but I’ll miss my people here!

Oh, but on a completely awesome note I think the oocoon is gone! PTL

I promise to try and write more regularly these next few days… In the mean time, I have a “to-do” list the length of my arm to conquer!

Thirty

2011-06-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Thirty days from this moment, I will be a mere 10 hours away from home. Floating in the air somewhere between London and Dallas, I will probably be very anxious to finally be home. And just as the last few hours before Christmas seem to take an eternity, I’m sure that four-hour layover in Dallas will seem much longer.

Its funny, I can still remember when Rachel and I were saying to each other “only four more months to go!” This past month has had quite a few rocky moments and there were times (sometimes quite a few…) where I wanted nothing more than to be done with all this and just go home. Now that “home” is so close, I’m actually a little nervous to leave.

In one of my classes last semester I learned a lot about re-entry. This is what it is in a nutshell: a turbulent roller coaster of emotions ranging from elation at finally being able to eat a Big Mac, panic at the numerous toothpaste brands at my disposal, and grief over the death and ending of an experience. Sounds fun, huh? Not exactly… If you know me well then you probably know that showing emotions is not my strong suit. I rarely cry, I don’t enjoy talking about issues and I REALLY don’t like conflict. So the idea of randomly bursting tears at the local Costco does not sound like my idea of a good time.

Normally, I would brush off the idea that I will have an emotional response to re-entry. After all, as I mentioned above, I rarely cry. But here’s the thing. I love this place. I love its people. I love my girls from the center. I love the women I tell stories too. I love my students and the free school and I LOVE my students at orphanage. I love the funny rickshaw drivers. I love Ali, the sweet little beggar boy outside of the grocery store who always helps me get a rickshaw for a good price. I love the darwan from next door with the awesome beard. I love our tailor with her sweet smile and her awesome hugs. I love our house helper and the way she swaddles Ted (my teddy bear I’ve had since I was born… he was my sentimental home item, don’t judge!) every time she cleans in our room.

What is my life going to be like when I don’t see these people every day? When I don’t hear the Call To Prayer all the time? When I can’t look forward to seeing the beautiful smiles of my girls? Be prepared my friends, the waterworks might come.

These next few weeks are definitely going to be busy! We head our for a village visit tomorrow, then it’s a short trip with our supervisors to help with their kids. When we get back we have two VBS’s to plan and execute as well as an English curriculum to write and henna designs to create. And of course we still have classes to teach and stories to tell! On July the 5^th Rachel and I will pack our belongings and head across the border for debrief. Then it’s just a few short days till I’m home again on the 9^th! Shores friends, you can bet I’ll be there on Sunday morning and I’ll want lots of hugs!

But for these next thirty days, I want to finish strong, to pour myself out until there’s nothing left! To love as much as possible and to not regret one moment. (and to get rid of the oocoon, but that’s not quite as huge…)

These next few weeks are going to rock!

This Week The Trend… and other happenings

2011-06-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

As human beings we are often slaves to trends. When one person does something “cool,” the rest of us are obliged by society to follow. I remember I was in 4^th or 5^th grade when this shrinking shirt became popular. Sitting in a drawer or on a shelf, the puffy shirt appeared only large enough to fit my American Girl Doll, but pick it up and the tiny triangles of fabric stretched out to create a one-size-fits-all phenomenon. Looking back, it was completely ridiculous looking, but as a young girl I had to have it! Of course, once I possessed said shirt, I only wore it about twice before it was out of style and shoved in the back of my drawer.

Whether we like it or not, almost everyone cares about what is “cool” and what is most certainly not. If you think that people who have next to nothing are any different than you are sadly mistaken. Here at the center, we have girls that live in tiny shacks. They beg on the streets and are considered blessed if they own more than two outfits. Coming here I thought trends would not be a factor. I was wrong!

Here’s what happens. One girl will decide to be a little bit different and put her hair in a bun rather than the customary single long braid. She is the trendsetter and within a few hours, at least half of the girls will have imitated her! Its kind of hilarious seeing what is cool from week to week. One week it was braids, the next it was clips. Then the girls all wanted to put their hair up using chopsticks! This week (for some completely unknown reason…) the trend has been bangs! In case you haven’t picked up on this fact, its at least 10 million degrees here with ridiculously high humidity. The weather +thick hair+ short bangs= a very impractical and hot combination. Nevertheless, several of our girls spent the week sporting short straight bangs! The funny thing was, it was only a few hours later when they began to beg us for clips and headbands to keep their freshly cut bangs off their foreheads.

Of course the already insane heat was only made worse by the large amount of dance parties the girls and I had! The girls have all discovered that Emily Auntie dearly loves to dance around and be silly… and they love it too! We busted out the drum and the tambourine and tangoed, discoed, bollywooded, and hip hopped all around the music room! It was hilarious and a memory that I will always cherish!

And then there’s Puja. Puja, my little giggle box is probably one of the cutest little girls you will ever see! She’s my baby and the thought of saying goodbye to her was/is breaking my heart. Yesterday, sweet little Puja tripped on a rug and hurt her knee. I scooped her up and carried her to the office where I got to spend the next fifteen or so minutes just holding her. While I’m sad her little knee was bruised, I happy I got those few special minutes of Emily Auntie/ Puja time!

I cannot believe it’s actually June! Thirty-Seven more days till I’m home and I’m sure they will fly! They will be busy though, so Rachel and I would definitely appreciate being lifted up to Father. We want to finish strong

I’ll leave you with a quote from St. Augustine that kind of sums up life here…

“Hope has two beautiful daughters: Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are and Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”

Colors of the Wind/ Changes are a Comin'

2011-05-24T00:15:00.001-07:00

I remember nearly every time my parents told me that we were going to move, they began with something sweet. Before livi and I were told that we were moving to California, I’m pretty sure my my mom made us cookies. A few months before we moved to Tennessee, Dad took me to the park and bought me a hot fudge milkshake from sonic. Lesson learned? Milkshakes = change. I always enjoyed moving, so change was fun!
This time, I didn’t get a milkshake and the change isn’t sounding so fun.
Now before you all jump to conclusions and go crazy, no, my family is not moving again (at least not that I know of…) This change has to do the with center here in B. Due to different circumstances such as relocations and long trips back to America, our supervisors were forced to make what I consider to be an extremely difficult choice. In just two short weeks, the center will go from having two sessions with thirty-six girls to having a single session with only fifteen of the older girls. This means that in two weeks, I’ll have to say goodbye to my babies, the precious little girls who have completely and utterly captivated my heart. I know that in this situation, this is the best solution, but I can’t help but wonder what will happen to my girls!
What will happen to Puja, my sweet curly haired bundle of giggles that stole my heart from day one?
And Shuma, the precocious, energetic and only occasionally naughty little girl that never fails to make me laugh.
And my little Meena monkey with her crazy little dances
And Jolekha with her adorable raspy voice and sassy attitude
And tiny little Pia whose favorite thing to do is imitate the silly things we bideshis do
And Kulsum, my shy, sweet little angel in pigtails who’s finally begun to really believe that I love her to the moon and back.
I remember the first time I left Malawi, my heart was a little broken. I felt like I had betrayed the children I had met by leaving them behind. I had to come to grips with the fact the El Roi, the one who sees me, is also the one who sees every child in Malawi. I may have left them, but HE hadn’t. Now I must learn this lesson again. I’m having to learn to trust that Father will care for my sweet baby girls even when I cannot. I may love them so much that my heart feels like it will burst, but his heart is bigger! He loves them more and he will not forget them.
The other night I went up to our roof of our building as the sun went down. On the roof is this small structure with a rickety old bamboo ladder leading to its roof. We call it the “roof of the roof” and it is my favorite spot. It was around 5:30 so I could hear at least three different Calls to Prayer as I sat up there with my legs dangling down. Looking up, I could see dark storm clouds rushing in and a cooling breeze swirled around me. Maybe its because I watched the Prince of Egypt too many times as a child (Father always speaks to Moses through a breeze…) but I have always associated wind with the presence of Father. It’s comforting to me! Sitting up there I was transported to a similar moment that happened a over a year ago in Morocco. I was sitting in the courtyard of the Hassan II Mosque. The Call to Prayer was being sounded and a light rain fell from the dark clouds above my head. I remember sitting there with tears in my eyes, mourning the darkness surrounding me. Then a breeze rushed in and I was overwhelmed by feelings of the Father’s presence and his love. He LOVED the patrons of that mosque. Sitting on the roof of the roof, I got the same feeling. He loves this country. He loves this city. He loves my little girls.
And sitting up there, I worshiped, allowing the breeze to carry my song, “He loves us, oh how He loves us…”

For Rachel

2011-05-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

As I was looking through a few of my old posts, I realized that I have forgotten to tell you about my fabulous partner, Rachel. This is a tragedy that I must remedy… so without further ado I present to you the totally talented, ever hilarious and wonderful Rachel E.

Before I had even left the country I was yarping that Father would bless me with a great partner, but I’ll admit, I was nervous! I mean, this was going to be six months of my life spent with this person I hardly knew. What if she was crazy? What if she was one of those exceptionally perky morning people? What if (heaven forbid!!) she only listened to country or heavy metal music? Well after a few attempts at facebook stalking I discovered that she loved basically every song by Phil Wickham, and no one who loves his ethereal acoustic goodness can be that bad.

Fast forward to orientation week. I was sitting on my bed sending an email when Rachel walked in and handed me a cup of her precious Starbucks via brew coffee and our friendship was sealed. This friendship was rather quickly tested a few days later as we made our way through different airports and immigration lines in an attempt to reach our new home.

We have had many experiences since that first week. Crazy first days of teaching, nearly falling from rickshaws into sewers, food so spicy it makes you feel like your soul is on fire… It has certainly been an adventure! While we occasionally have minor disagreements (being stuffed in tiny living spaces in over 100 degree heat will do that to people…) they always end up being more humorous than annoying. In fact, the only real argument that I remember was centered around which one of us was going to carry a paper bag home. It was completely ridiculous and we both laugh about it now. And let’s be honest, Rachel deserves a medal or the Nobel Peace prize for all the things she’s had to do for me. She’s combed out my lice at least eight times now and she had to stick her finger up my nose to help me change my nose ring (yeah, I did those things for her too, but I only had to comb her hair out twice…. Not as impressive.) Basically she’s awesome!

The fun part is, we are totally different in many ways. She’s incredibly organized, I’m kind of a slob (just ask my mother…) She’s a planner, I’m a imaginer. She’s from the south and I’m from pretty much everywhere else. The other day we watched a movie about dinosaurs with our supervisor’s young children. In the middle of the movie, one of the boys turned to us and said “Aunt Emily, Aunt Rachel, how do you go back in time?” Rachel responded with, “oh Tommy, you can’t!” At the same time, I answered, “Easy, you just need a time machine!” We both looked at each other and laughed at our different mindsets. You would think such differences would tear us apart, but they actually make for a pretty great team. Father certainly knew what he was doing

So Rachel (because I know you’ll awkwardly read this in front of me at some point…) thank you for being such a great partner! Thank you for commiserating with me about our frustrations over endless bowls of macaroni. Thank you for laughing with me about over-boiled eggs, sweet things the girls say, and the fact that none of the lights in our room ever seem to want to work. Thank you for understanding and utilizing sarcasm. You da bomb diggity and amar prio bideshi bondu in all of South Asia

Salons and Celebrations

2011-05-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well my dear readers the weeks have once again slipped by without a post. My sincerest apologies! You see last week I completed and turned in all of my school-work (exciting, right?!) and my mind rather quickly went into “I don’t want to write single word ever again” mode. Luckily I am over that and am here to present to you a rather random list of what has happened these last few weeks.

For starters Rachel and I had a day of partner/ roommate bonding. And of course, what better way to bond than through an experience of mutual pain! We made our way to a local salon, marched up to the counter, and a little while later emerged with freshly threaded eyebrows. It’s kind of the thing to do here and I knew I couldn’t leave the country without at least giving it a try. I had heard horror stories of the pain it would bring, but honestly it wasn’t too bad! The women who threaded my eyebrows kept me laughing by making these hilarious faces…turns out she was just trying to show me how to hold the skin on my face tight.

This was actually my second visit to this salon. The first stemmed from pure frustration rather than a desire for outer attractiveness. I had been battling the fierce ookoon (bangla for lice…) for weeks and in a fit of spontaneous frustration I marched off to the salon and promptly chopped off somewhere around ten inches of my hair. That’s right, in an attempt to make the delousing process easier for both my self and Rachel (she deserves a medal for the amount of times she’s combed out my hair…) my mid-back length hair was transformed into shoulder length layers! I’m still getting used to it, but its not so bad looking! Granted it takes about seven or so bobby pins simply to achieve a pony tail but at least it’s easy to clean! The ookoon still remain unconquered, but I have faith that my comb and I will prevail!

Oh and who can forget what happened last Tuesday! That’s right, ladies and gentleman, I, Emily Wall, turned twenty. It still seems crazy to me. Twenty always seemed so far away, so grown up and yet here I am! And what a lovely day it was. My day began with a fabulous skype date with my family. As hard as it was to be away from them, at least I was able to see their dear faces! Then I headed off to the shelter where I was blown away by love. The girls showered me with flowers, cards and millions of hugs and kisses. Not a moment went by that I was being told “Happy Birthday, Auntie!” or “I love you, Auntie!” Some of the girls even brought me gifts like earrings and sparkly lip-gloss. How they managed to pay for these things, I’ll never know but I felt so loved! Those girls certainly know how to celebrate a birthday! The day ended with a fabulous dinner at pizza hut complete with a serenade by the staff and the gift of an engraved cricket bat. All in all, it was a wonderful day. I feel so blessed.

Well those are a few of the major events that have happened these past few weeks. I’ll try to post a few more in the coming days!

Everything

2011-04-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Something totally exciting has been happening these past few months. I’m rediscovering the beautiful words of the Father! I have used the same Bible for about five years now, and last year I began to notice that my precious little book was falling apart. It is full of notes and underlinings and scraps of paper. The cover has been stripped off almost entirely.

I knew it was time to get a new Bible so I headed off to the bookstore. But the one I purchased was so shiny and new that it looked nothing like the one who had become a dear companion to me. So I put it away and didn’t look at it again until this January. While packing, I decided on a whim to bring it with me, along with my old one. Maybe I would actually use it. That second Bible ended up being one of the best things I packed!

You see my old Bible was so full of underlinings and notes that every time I read, my eyes were automatically drawn to the same things they were before. I wasn’t searching for new truths or seeking a word from God, I was just reliving the old ones over again. My scripture time had become stagnant! So I decided to put away my old Bible and begin afresh with my new copy. It has been amazing the things I have discovered that I previously passed over. And I believe that it’s fitting! After all, my circumstances have changed, shouldn’t I be in need of a fresh word from the Father? If your Bible is filled with notes like mine was than I highly suggest that you find a new one. Make it your goal to read through the scriptures carefully book by book and discover what new things the Father has for you! His mercies are new every morning so maybe it’s time you discovered them!

As far as the Scriptures go, I’m definitely an Old Testament buff… I love the dynamic characters and the beautiful stories. So this time around I decided to start with the New Testament. With Jesus. After all, He is what it’s all about, right?

Have you every really thought about just how much Jesus went through for you? Growing up, I was pretty good kid and it was easy to think that Jesus came for the really bad sinners. But the fact is, even if I were the only person in the entire world, Jesus still would have had to save me. Modern Christianity is big on the “self worth” kick these days. We preach that we’re beautiful from the inside out and that we need to be confident in our selves, but that’s not really what the scriptures tell us. We are corrupt, sinful beings, but God in his infinite and beautiful mercy loved us enough to restore us to him through the death and resurrection of His Son. And it is Christ that makes us worthy! We cannot boast in ourselves…

Charles Spurgeon said “there is no beauty in any of us than but what our Lord has worked in us.” He is our beauty, our pride, our glory, our portion, our strength, he is everything! And because of that, I owe Him everything! How, knowing that He gave up heaven and gave up His entire life for me, only give Him a portion of my time? How could I only give Him small sections of my life, my dreams, reserving the rest for my control? When Jesus told people to follow Him, he did not say “whenever you feel like it,” or “come when it’s comfortable and convenient for you!” Instead He tells us to forsake everything, our homes, our families, our friends, our jobs, our wealth, even, if necessary our lives. From the moment we rise to the moment we lay our heads down in sleep, our thoughts and speech and actions should be consumed with Christ. Consumed, obsessed, devoted to our King. I’m not totally there yet... There are still pieces of me that I’m scared to let go of. My future career, my future love story… But Christ is working on me! And it’s truly becoming the most beautiful journey of my entire life!

Check out this video I found that talks about being obsessed, consumed, and totally set apart for Christ. He has got to be everything in our lives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8vFGp8QpJk

And I thought I'd been to every Sea World...

2011-04-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Apparently I was wrong! Yesterday, two friends and I got the chance to take four children and two of the older girls from the shelter to “sea world.” Now before your mind is totally blown by the fact that there is a sea world in this part of South Asia (mine certainly was when I heard about it…) it is not what you think. There are no dolphins doing back flips, no cute seals, and certainly no splash happy whales named Shamu. Picture a few assorted wave pools and water slides surrounded by a massive lake and jungle-esque terrain and you’ve pretty much got the idea! And we had a blast!

The day began by cramming all nine of us into two CNGs and driving to a nearby lake. Then came the craziness of buying tickets, winding our way through the little amusement park, and ensuring that each child made it on to the boat safely (not an easy task with a year old baby girl and three boys under the age of six…) Then we puttered along down the lake towards Sea World. The boat ride was absolutely gorgeous! It was like boating through a jungle and the breeze that came of the lake was delightful! Finally we pulled up to the dock and entered the water park.

When I think of water parks, I usually picture a place crowded with young children in bright swimsuits and floaties shaped like ducks… This was definitely not like that! There were actually only a few children there at all, with the rest of the patrons being college aged Bengali’s. As I walked through the park I spotted a little pavilion filled with men in white tank tops and fluorescent colored capri pants. They were dancing to some techno Bollywood beats and I knew right then that this day would at least be entertaining…

We quickly slathered the kids with sunscreen, loaded our bags into lockers, and headed for the wave pool. One obvious difference between this park and one’s back in America is that all of the women were fully clothed. And when I say when I say fully clothed, I mean puffy Salwar pants, long (knee-length) Kamiz shirt, and an Orna draped around the neck and chest. I was a little worried that swimming with so much on would be uncomfortable, but the water was so refreshing, I could’ve worn a fur-trimmed parka and it would have felt good!

After a full day of inner tubes, water slides and being hit on by Bengali men, we headed out and enjoyed dinner at pizza hut before returning some very worn out children to their parents. All in all a fabulous Friday!

Sumaya's Smile

2011-04-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

The longer you are here, the easier it is to become numb to the poverty that is always visible. Even though we spend time in the slums on a weekly basis, it’s easy to rationalize and say, “this isn’t so bad…” Sometimes, I need a reminder of just how bad it really is. This week, I got just such a reminder.

Precious little Sumaya had been absent for several days. Though we try not to pick favorites, if I had to, she would be one of mine. I love seeing her every day! Her favorite little game is to come bouncing in to the room singing, “Emaallleee Auntieeeee!” It is then my job to reply by singing “Sumaaaayaaaa babyyyy!” Then she jumps into my lap, puts her tiny hands on my cheeks and kisses my cheeks, my nose, my chin, my forhead… basically everything on my face and I do the same to her. It is her favorite game! Names are special here, particularly to the people who live on the streets and in the slums. They are treated by most like worthless, nameless beings, someone you give a few taka to in order to soothe your conscience. That is why when I meet a beggar, I try to always ask their name. To know their name is to acknowledge that they are a person, worthy of an identity. And sweet little Sumaya loves to hear us say her name! But I digress…

She had been absent for several days, but on Monday she finally reappeared and we found out why she had been gone. My sweet little Sumaya had the worst case of scabies that I have ever seen. The girls get scabies a lot as it is rampant in the slums, but usually it is on their arms or legs and pretty easy to treat. Sumaya’s scabs were on her neck and around one of her ears. She looked like she’d been burned the way the skin was bubbled up! After her shower, we rubbed an ointment on the sores. That sweet little girl was trying so hard not to wince in pain… Unfortunately we discovered that we were out of clips and weren’t able to pin her hair off her neck. Then I remembered I’d used two bobby pins that morning, so as gently as I could, I pinned her hair up off her neck. She gave me the biggest smile!

The problem is, no matter how much we scrub her and give her ointment, she is going home to the slums. She will share a single bed with her entire family, most of who probably have scabies as well. She will wear clothes that haven’t been washed in who knows how long. She will play in the dirt and the filth and spend precious little time cleaning herself afterwards. It will be a long process to actually rid her of those sores.

So what can I do? Keep trying. We can pin her hair and rub ointment all day long if we must. And we can love her. I must admit, the first time she hugged me after we found out what she had I was a little freaked out. I mean she was rubbing her scabies all over me! I already have a head full of lice, I do not want sores to boot… But then I looked at her smile and I knew right then that I would hug her and squeeze her until the world ended if it was necessary. Who cares about scabies when a little girls smile and heart is on the line?

Think about Jesus. He spent most of his time touching the lepers and the bleeders and the otherwise untouchables. He loved them far more than he loved his own skin, his own vanity, his own pride. His goal was to let every single one of them know that He loved them, he valued them, he knew their name.

I can do no less.

We're Halfway There!

2011-04-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

I have been here for over three months now! The time spent here is now greater than the time I have left… Crazy! I only have a little over two months remaining and I know it will go by quickly!

So many people have asked me what I miss most about home. Well now that it’s been three months, here’s a few of the big things..

My family- Most definitely the number one thing that I miss is being with my family. Skype is a blessing for sure, but I can’t wait for the chance to talk with them and not have a thirty second delay or frozen screen or just general internet problems… I miss my Daddy’s hugs, conversations with my Mommy, and laughing with my baby sister (who is probably about a foot taller than when I left her…) I miss my Sunday lunches with Nana, Papa and Uncle Mark (and that Chinese buffet we go to…) I miss my Louisiana family and our trips into the “big city” of Lake Charles. I just miss my family!
Free refills- lame, I know, but restaurants here only give you a small cup to drink and there are no free refills so if you want more, you have to buy another cup… Restaurants of Virginia Beach be prepared, I will sit in your establishment and drink as many glasses as I can when I get home
My legs- I would LOVE to wear a dress… but legs are totally inappropriate here. Basically, my knees haven’t seen the sun in three months.
Bacon- do I really need to explain this one? I love the South Asians but I need more bacon in m life. Luckily my mother is amazing and sent me some Bacon Salt
LU- I actually miss school! I miss the dorms, the people, the pizza at the rot, and even convo! LU kids, don’t take what you have for granted… you’ll miss it when it’s gone!
Reliable electricity and water- I can’t even remember what it feels like to have 24 hour electricity, water, air conditioning and wifi…. Man…
Shores- I miss my Shores family! I miss my Daddy’s preaching and our stellar worship team. Shoresies be thankful for the awesome family that you have
Hugs- with the exception of the little girls, this is not a very touchy-feely culture… I expect lots of tackle hugs the Sunday that I get back!

There are other little things of course, but those are some of my most missed things! Father has certainly used these months to enhance my thankfulness and love for what He has given me. He has RICHLY blessed me, and I could thank him every day for a million years and never come to the end of my gratitude. I love every single one of you who’s reading this and can’t wait to see you in person in 2 and half months!

Oh and do me a few favors… Go eat some bacon and get a refill of your favorite drink! And give my family members some BIG Emily hugs.

Donobad!! (that’s thank you in bangla…)

I Love Storying

2011-04-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

The way the Father works is truly mind blowing. I love how He pursues His people and draws them to Him, even when they don’t realize it! For the past few weeks, Cara and I have been able to spend time storying with a true person of peace. It’s such a Godcidence how we found her… We had been storying at the home of one our girls and this young woman came one week. I have never seen anyone pick up a story as fast as she did. It was as if she craved the stories! A few weeks later, the family we’d been visiting moved in search of a place with water. We went to her old house in hopes of finding someone who knew where they had moved and instead ran into the young woman. She brought us into her home and we told her and her neighbor the story. As we left, she grabbed my hand and told me that she would walk as far as she must to hear us tell the stories. Wow.

Needless to say, we’ve been going back there every week since and are now joined by the young woman’s mother and sister in law and two of her neighbors. They are the sweetest and most attentive group I have ever seen! The mother in law is absolutely precious! The first week she came, she just sat by me, held my hand, and smiled at me. Now she gives me hugs and calls me her granddaughter. I think Father is definitely doing a work in all of them.

This week, we told the story of the women at the well. They told me that they wished they could see J so that they could believe in Him. They are so close…. After the story, we asked how we could talk to Father for them. The mother in law asked us to yarp that her husband, who has been sick and in pain for many years would die so that he would be in pain no longer. We told her that we would certainly yarp for his healing, but we would not yarp for him to die until he knew J. Then she led us to her house to meet her husband. They do not know their birthdays or their ages, but he was probably in his late seventies. Bent and slightly crippled, he was covered in sores and spots from where he had fallen. He was nearly blind and deaf and I honestly have no idea whether or not he actually knew we were there… So we yarped for him, his family, for their health and their safety, and the J would bring them to him. The cool thing was, when Cara opened her mouth to speak, Bangla came out instead of English. It was such a beautiful Godcidence. While we prayed, I watched as my sweet new grandmother helped her husband cup his hands in prayer and then bring them to his face in blessing. My heart cried for them.

Before we left, we promised that we would yarp for them daily. As we hugged our dear grandma, so she began to cry. I didn’t want leave…

So I ask you, my dear readers, to join us in talking with Father on this family’s behalf. I know He is crazy about them. And may He bless you for your love and you faithful yarping.

Shoboo Nobi Bosho!!

2011-04-20T01:50:00.000-07:00

Asalam walikum my friends (loosely translated- what’s up) Once again I have neglected my blogging… my apologies! To make up for it, I have seven new blogs for you and I will post one a day! Enjoy!

Last Wednesday was one of the most fun days that I’ve ever had! It was the day before schools would be closed for the Muslim New Year so we decided to spend the day in celebration with the girls. EVERYONE was in a great mood, even the teachers! The day began as usual with coloring time and morning nasta, showers and then music class. However, after music time we surprised the girls with ice cream! They pray before every meal here, but I have never heard them pray as enthusiastically as they did for that ice cream. It was hilarious watching them stuff their faces!

We watched, smiling as they enjoyed their ice cream, when suddenly they noticed that all of the adults had finished their ice cream already. That would not do! All of the little girls proceeded to shove spoonfuls of their own ice cream into our mouths. They often missed which resulted in rather sticky faces for the three of us. But the girls were beaming and we were too. It was perfect.

Then the girls had to go to class (sad, I know, but whatevs…) for about an hour and then it was my turn to teach. Instead of the usual English lesson or craft, my friend Ginny and I decided to have a New Years party! We showed them pictures of Times Square and fireworks and then they taught us about their New Year. They even danced and sang for us, it was so much fun!

However, we finished about 15 minutes before their next class, so what did we do? Taught the Little Sally Walker of course! And they LOVED it! The idea of dancing around a circle was hilarious to them and they went crazy! Note to self: Dancing, no matter how bad or crazy or uncoordinated, transcends all languages and cultures because it brings a smile and a laugh to both the dancer and the bystander.

After lunch, the day began again with the afternoon girls which means more ice cream and more dancing! All in all, an extremely productive school day in my mind… The day ended with the girls smearing glitter on our faces and laughing with us. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much!

Rachel and I spent the actual New Years day relaxing and watching movies and doing homework. It was much needed!

So Shoboo nobi Bosho (Happy New Year) everyone!

Finding Kolkota

2011-04-10T03:44:00.000-07:00

On August 26, 1910 in the city of Skopje, a little baby girl was born to Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu. They named her Gonxha Agnes, which in Albanian means “flower bud.” Little did they know that this precious little baby girl would bloom and become one of the greatest humanitarian servants of all time, known all around the world as Mother Teresa.

This past weekend, two of my housemates and I had the chance to cross the border and spend a few days in Kolkota (know as Calcutta to the western world…) It was amazing! Truly one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen in South Asia. But what is most amazing is the impact that Mother Teresa has had on the place. Ask anyone in town and they can direct you to “the Mother House.” She was truly a mother to all, particularly the ones the world had forgotten. She loved until she could loved no more and then she simply allowed God to love through her. What a cool woman and what an amazing legacy she left!

I will leave you with a few of the dear Mother’s quotes

“Unless a life is lived for others, it is not worthwhile.”

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

“There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation than for bread.”

“To God there is nothing small. The moment we have given it to God, it becomes infinite.”

“ I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

“I just take one day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come. We have only today to love Jesus.”

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

“ I see God in the eyes of every child- every unwanted child is welcomed by us”

“There should be less talk; a preaching point is not a meeting point. What do you do then? Take a broom and clean someone’s house. That says enough."

“ I heard the call to give up and follow Christ into the slums to serve Him among the poorest of the poor. It was an order. I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them.”

“Lets do something beautiful for God.”

An Anchor For My Soul

2011-04-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

It’s Tuesday night. I’m sitting here, savoring a cup of some tasty, but overpriced Swiss Ice cream, watching some chick flick and chatting with my housemates about our plans for the weekend. This is the first night in awhile that I haven’t even bothered to plan a lesson or work on homework. It is bliss!

We’re all tired! As the weeks go by, days get hotter, lesson plans get tougher, and sleep seems like it has little affect on us. I think part of my weariness has to do with the fact that I’m living in two very different worlds!

In one world, I’m a student. I have books to read, papers to write, forms to complete, and deadlines to meet. I have friends to keep in touch with, and a family that I miss more than anything. I have to figure out who I will room with, and what classes I want to take, and the only real drama consists of who is dating and who is hating.

But in my other world, I am a teacher. In total, I teach 20 classes with around 500 students on a weekly basis. When I’m not teaching, I am planning lessons, helping do laundry at the shelter, shopping for bread and milk, and counting bills. I’m an auntie to 34 of the most wonderful little girls in the entire world. I drink on average at least two cups of tea a day and I can’t really remember the last time I did something completely spontaneous.

Do me a favor, and picture yourself at the beach with one foot in the sand and the other in the water. That’s what things are like here. For me, South Asia is like the ocean. It’s unpredictable, it’s different, and in many ways, it’s unnatural. But it thrilling, its fresh, and it’s indescribably beautiful. I am experiencing things here that I never would have experienced if I had stayed on the shore. But the shore is wonderful! It’s warm and comfortable and for the most part, I know exactly what to expect. It’s home!

Sometimes these two worlds blend and swirl together, like when a high tide causes the frothy surf to invade the dry mounds of sand. Last fall, as my departure date drew closer and closer, the tide rushed in and my future life in South Asia seemed to almost eclipse my life at home. Now that the semester (school wise at least…I still have three more months here...) is drawing to an end, the tide is going out and my focus is somewhat shifting towards the papers due a month from today and the forms that must be filled out and the decisions that need to be made.

Two worlds, one life…

Even my relationship with God looks different! At home, I spent most of my time rejoicing in Christ! All smiles, all singing…. here it’s different. I still rejoice in His works (probably more so now..) and I still smile and sing His praises regularly! But there are hard times too, and through those times, God has become my life’s very breath. When I am exasperated with my insane seventh graders, He gets me through and gives me the patience to respond in grace. When I’m exhausted to the point of tears, He quiets my soul. He listens as I pour out my heart and my prayers for the people I encounter and daily reminds me that He is in control and the He loves these people far more than I ever could. Which by the way, still blows my mind, because I can’t imagine being able to love them more than I do now! He wakes me each morning with His promises and His mercies and each night, He stills my heart and brings rest and peace. He is the anchor to my soul. And the most beautiful thing is that He is deeper than I could ever imagine! I will never come to the end of Him…

I found this passage in Hebrews chapter 6 the other day and its basically my new favorite! I’ll leave you with it…

“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf…”

Rain

2011-03-30T01:31:00.000-07:00

I love the rain. There are few things that calm me and allow me to rest like a rainy day. Sadly, South Asia was definitely lacking in the rain department… until last Sunday that is. I was getting ready to head to the free school when I noticed the huge dark clouds hanging outside my window. Honestly, I dismissed it as smoggy haze or something and bounded down the stairs to meet the driver. Halfway there, the skies opened up! It was beautiful! The heat and smog disappeared and everything almost fresh (quite the achievement… fresh isn’t high on most people’s list of South Asia descriptions.) I was thrilled!

Then I thought about my girls. For them, rain means flooded houses with absolutely now way of drying anything out. Rain means muddy and impassible streets and since most of our girl’s fathers are rickshaw drivers, that also means no work. Rain mean ruined food and clothes and bedding. Rain means things are cold and sickness is rampant.

As we drove on, I noticed the streets looked different. Usually we struggle to get through the tiny winding streets simply because the sheer amount of people, carts, dogs, and chickens that congest them. On this day, the streets were bare. Peering through the darkness I could see groups of people huddled together in shops, trying to avoid the water that to them, brings destruction.

The roads are so bad that I usually have to walk the last few minutes, but today the roads were so bad that I was going to have to trek much further…. And it was POURING! My sweet driver was extremely concerned about me getting wet and told me he would just take me home. I wasn’t about to bail on my students so I ignored his protests, threw open the door and pretty much swam my way to the school. Have you ever seen One Night With the King? If so, you know the scene where Esther goes in to see the king and she dramatically bursts through the door, soaked from the rain? Yeah, that’s basically what it looked like when I threw open the gate to the school…

Inside was even crazier than outside. Students and teachers were soaked, everyone was frantically trying to move school books away from the innumerable leaks. The principal rushed me into his office and offered me a small washcloth ( to dry my face I suppose, because there was no way it was going to help the rest of me.) Power was out (not unusual) but without the sunlight coming through the windows, the classrooms were dark. In an attempt to cheer up my students, I did the one thing that’s guaranteed to get a smile: The Hokie Pokie. It doesn’t matter what age group, this song is always a huge hit when it comes to South Asian school children. They think it’s hilarious and soon, their smiles were so bright, you hardly noticed the darkness of the room.

To a South Asian, rain is both a blessing and a curse. It cleans the earth and removes the dust and filth that weighs heavy on the land. It refreshes things, bringing life to the fruit trees, the flowers, and even the air. But it also brings a flood of water, something they are never really prepared to handle.

Nevertheless, I thank Father for the rain he gave us and ask Him everyday that when the rainy season comes, He will take care of his children.

Matthew 7:7- Ask and It will be given to you

Another Week Gone By

2011-03-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Well friends, its Thursday, and with that comes another weekend! YAY! Seriously, it has been a long week and while last weekends trip to the capital was fun, it wasn’t exactly relaxing. Here’s what’s gone down since last week.

My three housemates and I were up early last Thursday, ready for our exciting trip to our country’s capital city. It’s supposedly the most populated city in the world, so who wouldn’t be pumped to see that?! Anyways, we loaded into two CNGs and chugged on down to the train station. I had never ridden a train before (well except for those little amusement park ones…) so I was excited! I mean what is more romantic than a train? After about fifteen minutes of awkwardly standing around we finally found someone to help us find our train and our seats (give us a break, everything was in High Bangla and there were NO women around) To our excitement, we were seated in a private box! This way we wouldn’t have to spend the entire time being stared at by a bunch of men… WIN. Besides, we were supposed to be on the express train, so it would only be for 5 hours, right?

Fast forward about an hour and you’ll see four very grumpy ladies… turns out our private box was actually made for three people, and guess what, we weren’t on an express train! We would be spending nearly nine hours in the little 4 by 6 closet with at least 10 million mosquitoes and an air conditioning that, when on (which was only about 90 % of the ride..) leaked a ridiculous amount of water on our heads… On the plus side, the countryside that we passed was gorgeous and SO GREEN! And it was great bonding time for the four of us. The grumpiness quickly passed and we eventually just enjoyed the time for what it was. However I will never believe trains to be romantic again. Our biggest consolation was the promise that our destination had a Mexican restaurant and we would that very evening be dining on guacamole. Well, turns out there’s a shortage of avocados in South Asia… go figure!

It was a fun weekend though, even sans guacamole! It was fun to just be in a new place for awhile! With my schedule the way it is, I rarely get time to explore new areas so it was fun to see the sights and eat the food (we hit every good western restaurant we could find! Which was only like 3 but it was awesome!)

The rest of the week was spent with two things: teaching/lesson planning, and dousing my scalp in every sort of lice killing agent I could find. Yep, I got lice and I got it badly! Before coming to South Asia, my supervisors told me to bring plenty of lice shampoo, telling me that everyone who has come here before has gotten it. It’s a big problem for the girls at the center, so it’s natural that we get it too. Honestly though, two months into this I had forgotten about it! Then my scalp started to itch like it had been rubbed in poison ivy for twelve hours… that brought it back to my mind pretty quickly! Apparently it’s one of the worst cases most of then have seen… I guess the lice took one look and my hair and decided that it was paradise! With the humidity my already overwhelmingly thick hair is even thicker and fluffier than usual so I guess they were right! Anyways, for the past several days my nights have been spent doing whatever I can to rid my scalp of the obnoxious critters… Hopefully they’ll be gone soon!

This week has been a long and stressful one, with people sick and lots of drama at the center, but for everything bad that happened, there were many more beautiful moments. Like today, when I was walking at the orphanage, and hearing heavy breathing, I turned to find an adorable little boy running to catch up with me. He grabbed my hand, and panting, smiled up at me and said “Hi, Auntie!” I melted… Or yesterday, when Shuma learned to say “I love you” and spent the rest of the day saying it to me as much as she could. Or when Morjina (our shyest girl) out of the blue sat with me and just held my hand. Turns out words aren’t needed to communicate trust… or when I FINALLY had macaroni and cheese for the first time since I left home (sounds lame I know but I’d been craving it big time so I consider it a victory!)

Life is Beautiful, God is Mind Blowingly Faithful, and South Asia is as wonderfully unique as usual. And it’s mine for three and a half more months!

Fun Day Friday

2011-03-11T04:07:00.000-08:00

Friday :) mmmm

Around here, weeks run from Sunday through Thursday, with Friday and Saturday being our weekends. Now that my Saturdays are spent at the orphanage, Friday is pretty much my only day of rest, my Sabbath.

I love everything I do here. There is not a single activity that I would want to give up, but still... TGIF! All four of us generally sleep in on Fridays.. most days we are up by seven so the chance to catch some extra sleep is a blessing. Then it's breakfast time! This morning we made french toast and homemade syrup... it was delicious!

Most of our Friday's are spent in the house... it's the only day we can forget about wearing our shalwar kameez and ornas and actually wear shorts and a T shirt! But today, Rachel and I were craving a little adventure. We heading out to spend our afternoon exploring the city and the Mela (local trade market) It was fun! Every day we see the same things over and over... It was nice to get out and see sides of our home that we'd never experienced!

Anyways, in honor of Friday I'm keeping this short :) Tomorrow I'll be back at the orphanage, teaching 9 classes so I plan to enjoy my evening! Have a great weekend!

So Do Not Be Afraid...

2011-03-10T06:20:00.001-08:00

Well I did it! I made it through my first day teaching at the orphanage! To say I was nervous would be an understatement. Most of the other places I am teaching at have at least had a book of some sort or some kind of idea of what they wanted me to teach. As nice as this place was, they had no curriculum and no ideas so I would basically be winging it… Awesome.

I did my best to come up with a few lessons. Younger kids are simple. You do the hokey Pokey and point to different body parts and colors and you have a fun English lesson that’s guaranteed to make them laugh! But what was I going to do with a group of tenth graders that looked older than I was?! I will be teaching at least one class in every grade, not to mention the two classes for the teachers. My total for two days? 14 separate classes. As I tried to sleep last night my mind was racing. “Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to do this…. Is it too late to say no? Holy Hera, what in the world did I get my self in to…”

When I was a little girl, I learned two verses that have had a huge impact on my life. Isaiah 41:9-10 say “I have called you from the ends of the earth, saying you are my servant, I will not throw you away. So do not be afraid, for I am with you, Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will help you, and I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” Every time I was scared or worried, I would repeat that verse to myself over and over and over until I fell asleep. So what did I do last night? I talked to Father for awhile, then repeated that verse over and over. And I slept great!

This morning when I woke up, I felt at peace. I could do this, it was going to be ok. I was supposed to meet my ride outside of a nearby market, and when the van full of grinning Koreans pulled up, I instantly began to smile. It takes about 45 minutes to drive to the orphanage and I enjoyed every minute of it. We chatted casually for the first few minutes, then I settled back and watched the scenery fly past. To my right was a group of men, waist deep in a muddy canal, transporting things across. On the left, the remains of an old Mosque that had crumbled in a recent earthquake. It’s remaining blue minarets pointed proudly to the sky in an effort to remind the world what it once was. Women in burqas and hijabs walk quickly to the nearby market. They are selling fish and goat today… On the right is an old wall with shards of glass stuck in the top to prevent trespassers. A bird flies over the wall and reminds me of the Robin in The Secret Garden. Somehow I feel as though whatever’s behind this particular wall is far less whimsical than an abandoned rose garden. The further we go, the more it looks like we’ve driven into the final scene of The Jungle Book. Emerald colored ponds, bamboo forests, and palm trees are everywhere. Then finally, we arrive!

And it went great! The kids are all so precious, I want to take them home with me! Most of our time today was spent with introductions… They loved telling me their favorite sports and asking me questions about America. Dad, they think your name is hilarious… After classes, I spent time with one of the directors of the orphanage. I spent about an hour and a half sitting in her apartment, sipping chai and helping her with her English. She is such a cool lady and I think I’m really going to value her friendship!

I think I’m going to love it there! As scary and unnerving as it was, the moment I saw those kids smile, everything changed. Turns out Father’s promises in those verses still ring true today!

I Am My Mother After All

2011-03-09T06:56:00.001-08:00

It was my junior year of high school. One of my friends invited me to go with her and some other girls to see a movie. When we got to the the theatre I texted my parents to tell them what time I'd be home... problem was the movie was much longer than I anticipated, and being the responsible movie patron that I was, my phone was turned off. I got home almost an hour later than I had promised and found my mother worried to death. Apparently she was seconds away from actually sending my dad out to check and see if my little honda and I were crashed in a ditch... At the time I thought that was a little much. I mean ditches..? Really..? Momma just shook her head and told me that one day, when I had a child of my own I would understand. The fact is, my mom loves me and the thought of anything ever happening to me basically broke her heart. I'm her baby!

I think I'm starting to get it. No, I do not have a child of my own, but I care for our girls at the center like they were by own. Tonight I had a terrified momma moment.. We got a call tonight from one of the girls parent's saying that she had never come home that night. She hadn't called, and that was totally unlike her... In some places that would be ok! Here, not so much. Here, girls disappear and are never heard from again. They are used, abused and sold. That is why we put such an emphasis on the girls never ever walking alone.

Anyways as soon as we heard the news, my heart and my brain went into panic mode. I literally thought "what if she's in a ditch somewhere...?" Ironic, no? About an hour later we got the call saying she was home and she was fine. Crisis averted.

So Momma, if you're reading this, thanks. Thanks for caring and loving me enough to worry about me. You really are the best mom in the world and I'm sorry for every panic moment I've put you through. I love you to the moon and back!

And Kids, give your parents some slack. Their worries may seem a little ridiculous, but its only because they love you. I know a lot of little girls here who would kill for what you have!

The Symphony

2011-03-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

It’s afternoon here in South Asia. The sun is bright and hot, and the air is steamy. My hair is a frizzy hot mess. Outside my window is a Symphony of colors and sounds.

Living here makes all other places seem sort of dim. Everything here is a swirl of the brightest colors imaginable. From the clusters of bright mangos and bananas to the brilliant emerald palm trees, to the violet flowers that grow on nearby trees, the land itself is a veritable rainbow. And her people are no less colorful! Men walk around in bright plaid lunghis (a long table cloth-esque man skirt that is a fashion staple here) with hair and beards dyed a vivid orange to symbolize their completion of the Hadj (the trip to Mecca, one of the five Pillars of Islam.) They ride around on rickshaws that seem to be in competition over who can be the most colorful or the most sparkly. A brighter rickshaw means more notice which means more customers which means more Taka (money) for them. Win.

And we cannot forget the women and children. A woman’s salwar kameez and orna or her sari can be as colorful as she desires. Since women cannot really speak their mind in this culture, they let the colors of their clothes speak for them. Oranges, reds, yellows, blues and purples seem to be the favorites. As with most things here, the brighter the better. Bangles on both arms symbolize age, maturity, and marriage. Deep red mehendi streaks its way around a woman’s hands and arms in complicated designs. The young children, not bound as much by standards of modesty like their mothers, are free to wear whatever their heart desires. Heads, arms, and legs go uncovered and they are completely free.

And everywhere you go, are symbols of the country’s fierce national pride. From tall, ivory monuments to dearly beloved martyrs, to pictures of its proud native and national symbol, the Bengal Tiger, every decoration is without a doubt, Bengali. With the upcoming cricket World Cup being held here, the whole country is in a tizzy, painting everything in sight green and red, the national colors. Shoot it makes me proud to be a Bengali, and I’m not even from here!

But of course, South Asia would not be complete without it’s sounds. In the background is the ever present honking of horns, results of the traffic jams that occur every 3.5 seconds… Five times a day, I hear the melancholy sound of the Call to Prayer. Across the street I hear the laughter of five young boys, playing a game of cricket and enjoying being out of school. Right outside of my window, there is the sound of a mobile market, a man walking up a down the street with two baskets of goods tied on the ends of a long stick of bamboo that’s resting on his shoulders. Daily, these men walk back and forth, singing their inventory in hopes of tempting some of the nearby residents. Then theirs the animals… the barking of the dogs that live in the nearby junk yard, the rumble of the cows walking down the street, and the pitter patter of the roaming flock of chickens and ducks that seem to be everywhere. Right inside my room, is a little lizard (he eats mosquitoes so we like him) named Tik Tik for the noise he makes. There’s Bollywood music coming from the tempos (little buses available for public transportation) and the sound of cheers coming from those gathered around tiny TVs to watch a cricket match.

South Asia is it’s own beautiful, noisy animal and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Shock of Culture

2011-03-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

For months leading up to my departure I had been flooded with comments about my impending culture shock (most of which, honestly I disregarded…) After all, I had been on many trips before and had never had a problem! Yes, the longest any of those trips had been was two weeks but still, I was resilient, right?

Yes, and no… Culture shock was not the tear filled emotion fest that it was portrayed to be, but it has had its moments! At first it came in the form of pure physical exhaustion. Everything was new and excited and honestly it produced a deep weariness every day. I slept better those first two weeks than I can ever remember and it wasn’t because I was doing anything particularly crazy or physically taxing. I have learned that total newness wears on your mind, body and spirit, even if you don’t at first notice it. Next came general irritability, both with my team members, and with those I came in contact with (rickshaw wallas, shop keepers, etc.) Rachel and I even got in a fight over who would carry a bag to the house… it was completely ridiculous!

Life here is different! The power is always going out, there’s often no water and people stare me everywhere I go! A simple task like going to the store can end taking me hours longer to complete than it would at home, and though I’m trying to learn Bangla, “ami budjena” (I don’t understand) is still one of my most frequently used phrases. Oh and its hot… REAL hot…

But for every frustrating moment, there are at least a million beautiful ones! For every rude rickshaw walla, there is a kind one. For every phrase I don’t understand, there are moments of linguistic triumph.

I was foolish to believe I wouldn’t deal with any sort of culture shock! However I think I’ve discovered the secret to overcoming it… I’ve been reading all of the books by the apostle John and the subject he favors the most is Love. And that’s the answer! When I love my teammates, my rickshaw walla, my girls at the center, and my students at the free school, it becomes increasingly difficult to act out of frustration or engage in a self-indulgent pity party. Suddenly those five flights of stairs to my apartment don’t seem so difficult… the ever-present heat doesn’t seem so stifling… people’s stares don’t seem so intrusive. When I reach the point that I become hopelessly entangled in the lives and the culture around me, culture shock sort of disappears and everything becomes beautiful again. And my prayer is that Father increases my love every single moment of every day

These days

2011-03-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

I am sorry it has taken so long for me to update this! Rachel and I have been incredibly busy these past few weeks, so any and all free time is spent either sleeping or catching up on lesson plans…. So here’s what I’m going to do! Every day for the next week I will post once a day to make up for all of the thing I’ve wanted to say. Sound good? Cool Cool…anyways, where to begin?! These past few weeks have seen so much…

One of the things that I am loving about this country is that it’s sort of the catch all for those who need to leave their own country for a two month visa run. I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from many new friends and I deeply thank Father for putting them in my life, even for such a short time. There is such a community here, it is a blessing, particularly for me and Rachel. Having a team around us made even simple tasks like going to the market or getting a rickshaw so much easier and worry free. I can’t even imagine what those first few crazy weeks would have been like without them.

My Bangla classes have been going surprisingly well! I’ve learned all of the conjugations and necessary verbs and my vocabulary is expanding on a daily basis. Now Rachel and I are doing our best to tackle the alphabet, which would be totally easy if there weren’t like four letters that make the sound “d.” We’ve actually been able to identify what a few signs mean so yay! A personal goal of mine was to start learning how to tell the B stories in Bangla and last week I did it! I told the story of the bleeding women and while my pronunciation was probably far from perfect, they understood what I meant and I think they appreciated it! Next week we’ll being using mehendi( henna) as an incentive for the women to learn the stories. If they can repeat the stories back to us, we do the corresponding design on their hands and tell them to go and share the story with their friends! The women are ecstatic about it! They love mehendi and think it makes it more beautiful, so offering it for free is like giving them a day at the spa or something… it’s really exciting! We also are starting a new storying location tomorrow at one of our girls houses.. her mom seems incredibly sweet and we are thinking she might be a person of peace!

Work at the center is going really well! We have several girls that go every afternoon to be apprenticed by a tailor, but starting last Thursday, we have a tailor that is coming once a week to teach ALL the girls some basic tailoring skills. The goal of the center is to give the girls the skills they need to get respectful, decently paying jobs, giving them an opportunity to get out of the slums and provide for themselves. This tailoring apprenticeship is a huge part of that. Along with their studies in Bangla, English, and math, the girls are also getting to learn some cooking, cleaning, and jewelry making.

And there’s more newness starting this week! Every Thursday and Saturday, I’ll head 45 minutes outside of the city to a beautiful orphanage where I get to spend the day teaching English! On Thursdays, I’ll teach third through fifth grade and then a class for the teachers. Saturdays, I’ll teach grades six through ten. We got to tour the facility on Saturday and I’m in love with it! Most of the kids come from the tribes that live out in the Hill Tracts, and they are all precious! I’m excited to see how it goes.

Well that’s all for now! Check back in tomorrow!

One Month Later

2011-02-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 13^th, 2011, was exactly one month from today. That afternoon I was standing in the Norfolk airport with tears streaming down my face, ready to head to my new home… time is one crazy thing!

I would love to sit down with everyone who reads this and tell you every single detail of this past month, but since that isn’t exactly possible, I’ll just give you a few snippets of just what this month has meant to me. One thing I know for sure is that God is faithful in every single detail of every single thing. It’s truly beautiful to watch Him unfold life!

Storying and Slums

Like I said in the previous bloggage, I get the chance to go twice a week to two of the slums that some of our girls live in. While there, we tell different Bible stories and pray for the women. I have a love/hate relationship with these times… I love getting to talk with the women, even if it is often through a translator. I love seeing my girls outside of school and seeing where they live. But its heartbreaking, seeing how many people are crammed into such a tiny place. The smells, the sights, the filth… it’s all a little overwhelming at first. And the discouraging thing is, the women are not always super pumped up by the stories… But they love it when we pray for them! And I know God is not wasting this time

Guy Holoud and a Wedding

One of our teachers got married this weekend! The whole process really started last weekend when we had a housemate shopping date! We needed to saris, one cotton one that was yellow or orange for the guy holoud and another, far more flashy one for the wedding. Then came at least 140 bangles, 70 for each sari, matching earings, toe rings, and every conceivable bling bling a person can imagine! Then came the party at the school and finally, the Guy holoud. Guy Holoud is a traditional party that happens the night before the wedding. Basically it’s a ceremony where everyone blesses the bride and groom by smearing this turmeric paste all over them and wishing them happiness. Then the leftover paste is smeared all over everyone else. It’s every man for himself! Finally its dancing time!

The wedding the next afternoon was beautiful! The bride and the groom were precious and it was fun seeing all of our girls dressed up! And if you know me at all, you know I’m not much into getting dressed up with accessories and make up, but it was nice getting dressed up!

Rickshaws

There are really only three ways to travel around here… CNG s (the auto or gas run rickshaws) Bicycle rickshaws, or on foot. Bicycle rickshaws are totally my jam! There is something totally peaceful about riding one! Well at least when you’re not being nearly thrown into the roadside sewage canals….

Free school

I had my first day of teaching English today and I am honestly I’m in love with my students! Its an entertaining place because the teachers, students, and even the headmaster speak very little English and I speak very barely passable Bangla. But I made it through! My morning begins with two different classes of first graders. Then I moved onto the seventh graders. I had no idea I would be teaching any older students so I’ll admit there was a moment of panic. I had NOTHING prepared for them and some of the students looked like they were older than I was. One of the students was nice enough to let me borrow his book and I was able to use that, but next week I will definitely be more prepared! Then it’s on to two classes of nursery/ kindergarten. You have never seen children more adorable than these ones! We sang songs and danced around and worked on our alphabet and I had a blast! Finally I moved on to the second graders :) All in all, it was a great day and I can’t wait to see how the next few months go

Henna

During orientation, we were introduced to the idea of using henna/ mehendi designs to tell Bible stories. Since then, I’ve been practicing the different designs and this weekend we got to hold our first training! I’m not going to lie, I’m in love with the whole thing! It’s so much fun to create a work of art that shares the Good News on someone’s hands and arms! Today we gave a demonstration for the girls at the center and did Jesus feeding the 5000 on each of them. They loved it!! My fingers are stained from the henna, but it’s all good! I will definitely offer to do henna for anyone when I get home :)

It has seriously been such a blessing of a month! I promise I’ll try to update more often

Bruised, Bitten, and T otally Blessed

2011-01-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

If you had asked me a few weeks ago if it were possible to have mosquito bites on my eyelids, I would have responded with a rather appropriate "ahhh I hope not!! But that would totally happen to me..."

And now it has! Two lovely red bumps now rest on my eyelids, complementing the identical bumps that cover the rest of my face, my legs and my arms... I look like I have the chicken pox! And my reputation as a clutz translates rather well over here, resulting in multiple bright blue and green bruises... Lovely, let me tell you! However, strange as this may sound, I wouldn't trade it for the world! I am in love with my job here!

Heres a short run down of what I get the pleasure of doing on a weekly basis:

1) Most of my time will be spent at the shelter with the girls. I'll teach there a few times a week, but most of the time I'm just there to love on them! I can definitely do that..

2) A few times a week I get to teach English at a local school that was started to provide free education for kids from the slums. You see most of the schools here would be considered private schools( basically meaning you have to pay to join) Because of this, few kids are actually able to get an education, sealing their fate in the slums. I can't wait to do what I can to at least help a few of these kids!

3) I also get to help out at another local school, spending a few hours reading to the kids in English. If you know me at all, you know I will LOVE this!

4) Rachel and I are in charge of Children's church for our House Church! I'm super stoked about this, I'll be teaching about Gideon this week!

5) Storying: Twice a week, I get to go into the slums where our girls live and tell Bible stories to the women and children there. Sometimes I'll use mehendi(henna) designs to illustrate the story, other times I'll just tell it and ask them questions! This culture is such an oral one, so I'm excited to see what happens with this

6) Discipleship class: Some of our girls meet weekly for Discipleship and I get to teach it once a month! Pretty pumped about this one too...

7) Bangla class- Three times a week, a language helper will come to my apartment to teach me the ins and outs of Bangla... She doesn't speak much english so this should be good!

We'll hopefully get to start a few things with some of the women in the garment district soon, but until then, this is pretty much it! I've spent the last few days at the Shelter all day and I already love the girls with everything in my being! My heart literally leaps when I hear them call "Emily Auntie!" Or when they all try to hold my hand during prayer, or when little Shuma had a fever and just crawled into my lap and sat there for an hour, just wanting to be held, or when they give me a thousand kisses goodbye every afternoon... I love it all!

If you think about it while you're talking to Father, please mention:

1) My Bangla classes... I want to learn quickly! I start on tuesday :)

2) The shelter: Right now, the girls are all on scholarship through a grant, but that expires in a year! None of them can afford school, so we are looking to get some sort of sponsorship program started

3) That mosquitos will go far far away... forever...

Thats all for now!

This post is not for the squeamish...

2011-01-16T03:02:00.000-08:00

I have always considered myself to be a pretty good traveller! I love flying and airports, and I have always had a stomach of iron when it comes to international food. Shoot, I was pretty positive that I would OWN The Amazing Race if I ever went on it!

To borrow the words of some wise man somewhere, "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before the porcelain throne.."

Upon arrival, we were quickly told about this South Asian phenomenon not so affectionately called "Delhi Belly." I dismissed it pretty quickly. After all, I'd been to Mexico three times, Malawi twice, and North Africa once and had never ever gotten sick from any of the strange and not so hygienic "delicacies" I had eaten. There was no way anything was going to affect me!

HA HA HA

I made it through the first day with no problems whatsoever! We ate traditional dishes with enough spice in them to put my cajun relatives to shame, but I felt great! Today, however was a different story. We all got up early, ate some toast and peanut butter for breakfast and moved into the mornings training session. After a few hours, we quickly ate lunch and the afternoon session began. About an hour later, I was on my knees, bowing before the toilet...

The dreaded Delhi Belly had struck!

What made it even worse was that our apartment had no water at the time, so cleaning up was next to impossible... I also seemed to have disturbed our neighbor, a crazed pigeon stuck between walls in our bathroom. Fortunately, men soon arrived to refill the water tank, which was good since I would soon resumed my position before the throne and the pigeon.

I know you're probably wondering, why in the world is she writing this on the freakin internet?! TMI much? Well yeah... But I've been taught that when the Father teaches you a lesson, you should share it with others. Doing that not only further ingrains it upon your own heart, but perhaps can teach others something!

The moral of the story is this: I had some serious pride in my life, and it wasn't just a pride in my stomach of iron. In a lot of ways I was concentrating on what I would do here, how I was going to help the girls at the school. The reality is, I can do little apart from His help. He is the one that is needed in South Asia. The cool thing is, he wants to use me! I simply have to let Him be in control. I must rely on His strength, His patience, His wisdom, and most importantly, His love.

I must decrease so He can increase

Pax et Bonum my friends

Gypsy Feet

2010-12-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

I have lived in 5 states, 8 cities, 11 Houses, 4 apartments, and the occasional hotel. On average, the longest my family has stayed anywhere is about 2.5 years. Because of this I have an extremely hard time staying in one place for any longer than two years. By the time the third year hits, I'm ready to pack my boxes and start all over again!

Mom calls it gypsy feet. Its that irrepressible desire to keep moving, to explore, the experience, to travel as far as my feet will take me. It simply can't be helped! Today, I began the next step in my gypsy journey through life. Normally, this time of year would be spent packing enough clothes to last me for our month long break, but this year was different. Everything had to go! I packed every sock, every hoodie, my Magic Bullet, and all of my belongings into my little Honda Accord and bid farewell to M16. In January, when all of my friends and roommates return, I will be getting on a plane and heading to my new home in South Asia.

Is This Real Life?

I'm excited. REALLY excited! But today was bittersweet. I'll be back to LU, but it wont be for another 8 or so months and a lot of things will change! Buildings will be built (they ALWAYS are around here....) new roommates will have moved onto the hall, classes will be taken, and life will go on. As much as I will miss it here, I am even more excited for this new journey. Growing up, I never moved by myself, my family was always at my side. And while college was definitely new and definitely far away from my parents and my little sister, my grandparents and uncle lived nearby so I never truly had to be alone. This time however, I'm going solo. I'm going to a country I've never seen with a partner I've never met. But like I said, I honestly couldn't be more excited for my first real solo journey!

The thing that always comforted me when I moved as a child was my parent's assurance that they were stepping out in the will of God. They knew they were doing what He had called them to do, so we never had to fear. God was always by our side. The same is true for this journey. I know that I am doing what God wants for me and because of that, I know I'll never really be alone!

I can't wait to share with you the details of my journey. I'm sure it will be quite a roller coaster... good thing I like those! So to all of my LU friends, I love you and will miss you tons! We can skype for sure (my skype name is emifaywall by the way) I can't wait for you all to walk this journey with me

Peace out!

Fortiter, Fidelter, Feliciter

2010-10-21T13:06:00.001-07:00

SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.... but seriously....

I could sit and write down every detail of my life for the past month but honestly I'd much rather talk about what God's been teaching me. This semester has been a time of serious growth and honestly I'm overflowing! For the past few weeks, I've spent my quiet time doing character studies on different people in the Bible. Honestly, If you think the Bible is boring, you are cray cray... The way God works in his people's lives is absolutely amazing!

So without further ado and in not particular order, I introduce to you my Top Nine Bible characters!

1) Moses

Cliche, I know, but seriously I love this guy and his story! You don't have to look very hard to see the hand of God working through every detail of his very existence. From his courageous mother, to Pharaoh's compassionate daughter, to meeting Jethro and the Midianites, God was clearly paving the way for the deliverance of His people.

And I LOVE the conversations Moses has with God, particularly at the burning bush! God lays out this whole plan before Moses and the first thing Moses can say is "why me?" At this point he'd been in the desert for years and wasn't exactly in great standing with the Egyptians and Hebrews, not to mention his fear of speaking. But when God looked at Moses, He didn't see his shortcomings or his inabilities, He saw his opportunity and his future.

How cool is that?! I cannot tell you how many times I have felt inadequate and fearful, positive that there was someone better for the job. But when God chooses us, He sees us through the task, standing by our side and carrying us when we feel like we can't make it. And when God is for us, who could ever stand against us?!

2)Hannah

Hannah's story is found in 1 Samuel chapters 1-2 and it's a beautiful story of answered prayers and opened hands. You see Hannah had been married to Elkanah for a long time. She loved him very much, but much to her despair, they were childless while Elkanah's other wife Peninnah had multiple children. Needless to say, Hannah desperately longed for a child, hoping it would restore her reputation! So she traveled to the temple and began to beseech God to bless her womb and grant her a child. She was praying so fervently that Eli the priest thought her to be drunk! Before leaving the temple, Hannah promised she would give the child back to the Lord. Not long after, Hannah gave birth to Samuel, and instead of keeping him to herself, she honored her commitment to God and brought her precious baby to the temple, unaware that he would become one of Israel's most memorable prophets. I often wonder how hard it must have been for her to give up her only son, but Hannah had found the secret to success. In chapter 2 we find her song of praise and in verse 2 she proclaims "there is no Rock like our God!" Hannah was willing to part with Samuel knowing that God would not only take care of him, but also of her!

3)Benaiah

There is only a single paragraph about Benaiah found in 2 Samuel 23:20-23, but 3 verses was all it took for me to totally dig this guy. He was one of David's Mighty Men, and elite task force that traveled with David and conquered the world (sort of like the A-Team or Scooby Doo and the Gang) These guys were about as legit as they come and Benaiah was one of the greatest and ended up being promoted to captain of King David's personal Body gaurds! What I love most about his guy is his fearless attitude about life. I know if I saw a lion running towards me, my first thought would probably be to run away, but that was not Benaiah's style! Instead he ran TOWARDS the lion, chased him into a pit, and freakin JUMPED IN AFTER IT.... Surely it was that attitude of willingness to face anything that David loved about him! If you want to read more about Benaiah, I would highly recommend reading Mark Batterson's book "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day"

4) Jehosheba

Her story is found both in 2 Kings 11 and 2 Chronicles 22. She was the Daughter of King Jehoram and a direct descendant of the line of David through which the promised Messiah would come. She is truly an amazing woman! First of all, she was married to the High Priest, Jehoiada. This is the only recorded instance of an Israeli princess marrying a priest, and was particularly unusual when you consider the fact the her father and stepmother, Athaliah were two of the most evil rulers Israel would ever have. They weren't exactly friendly with the priests of that day. After the death of Jehoram, Jehosheba's half brother Ahaziah became king. Ahaziah was also evil and followed his father in death soon after. As soon as her son was gone Athaliah took control of the kingdom and began to destroy every member of Judah's royal family. But Jehosheba, knowing this would end the Messianic line, managed to steal away her step brother's infant son and proceeded to hide little Joash for six years until he was old enough to take up the throne. God used this young princess to single handedly preserve the line of the Messiah.

5) Simeon and Anna

I know, this is two people, but their stories sort of mesh so I'll count them as one entity for now. They are found in Luke 2: 25-40, shortly after the birth of Jesus. While not much is said about them, we do know that they were both older, and both deeply in love with God and anxious for the Messiah. What a moment that must of been when Simeon first laid eyes on little baby Jesus! For most of us, our lives work will revolve around our occupation or the path that we choose, but for Simeon, his life's work, his deepest passion was wrapped upon seeing the face of the long awaited Messiah. And Anna, long since widowed, how overjoyed she must have been to literally SEE the face of God! It says that she was so excited that she immediately began to proclaim to all she saw that God had finally come to rescue his beloved people!

6) The Shepherds of Luke 2

I love these guys, really I do. They are probably my favorite picture of God's grace in the entire Bible! Shepherds were sort of the outcasts of society... I mean they literally spent their entire life out in the wilderness with a flock of sheep. Then one night, Jesus, the long awaited savior came to the earth! He could have chosen great kings or warriors or politicians to herald his birth, but he didn't! Instead, the first to see the literal face of God were a bunch of shepherds. They were the first to experience the love and beauty of His presence. Seriously, how beautiful is that?! Then the scriptures say that they ran off and continued to sing His praises before all they encountered, sharing the Good news that Christ had been born!

7) The Bleeding woman of Matthew 9: 19-22, Mark 5: 25-34, and Luke 8:43-47

In this story, Jesus is actually on his way to heal the daughter of one of the Synagogue elders. He is walking through the crown when all the sudden, he stops, saying "someone touched me!" His disciples are of course confused, after all he's is in a crowd! Hundreds of people were probably touching him! But Jesus looks down and at his feet is a woman who suffered from constant bleeding. blood was considered unclean to the Jews so doubtless, this woman was somewhat of an outcast! However, she had heard about this Jesus and believed in his power so desperately that she thought even touching the corner of his robe would heal her! I can just imagine the compassion in the eyes of Jesus as he knelt down, Touched her face and said "daughter, your faith has made you well! Go in peace, your suffering is over!" Jesus literally touched and changed her life, creating a truly beautiful testimony!

8) The father in Mark 9

I wonder what life was like for this man. His son had been possessed since birth to the point of violence. He was forced to watch his son cast him self into fire over and over and over, knowing there was nothing he could do about it. So out of desperation, He turned to the healer. But how discouraged he must have felt when the disciples told him that healing for his precious boy was impossible! Then Jesus stepped in and promised that anything could happen for those who believed. "Do you believe?" he asked. And then the father uttered some of my favorite words in the Bible. " I do believe, Lord! Help me with my unbelief." I love that phrase. I think God understands that there are times when we cannot wrap our minds around him. There are times when we don't understand what is going on or why God would do such a thing! And He is able and willing to help us through all of that.

9) Thomas

Poor guy! When people talk about Thomas, the first thing that usually comes to mind is "doubter." The thing is, thats not all there is to his story! In John chapter 11, Jesus has received the news that his dear friend Lazarus is sick to the point of death. After a few days, He decides to head to Bethany to see be with the family (and to raise Lazarus from the dead, but his disciples haven't picked up on that yet...) The disciples instantly being to freak out, and understandably so! The last time Jesus was in Judea, the people had tried to stone him! In the eyes of the disciples, a trip through Judea was a bad idea! But Jesus insisted on going and this is where Thomas speaks up and gets really bold! He says "Lets go too, and die with Jesus!' Thats a big statement for these guys! Most of them are still a little unsure of who Jesus really is, but Thomas seems to get it and he is one of the first to promise to die with Christ. History says that He would later be speared to death in Southern India for preaching about his savior.

What I love most about each of these stories is that each person had some sort of encounter with God and there life was changed! Whether it was the willingness to give up their own child, of the boldness to chase lions, or passion to proclaim the good news, each person was used in an incredible way by God! And these people were fairly ordinary! By the worlds standards, most would not have amounted to much, but God had bigger plans, and each of these nine were willing to let God move them.

In the Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA there is a plaque that has these words inscribed on the bottom: Fortiter, Fidelter, Feliciter. In latin these words mean Boldly, Faithfully, Successfully. I would guess to say that that would be the motto for each of these characters lives. To live boldly, faithfully, and successfully for Christ.

May we all be like that

2010-09-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

"May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor."

-Fransican Prayer

I have gotten several emails from my field supervisor reminding me that I must prepare my heart for what is ahead. But honestly, with classes and prayer groups and everything else, South Asia seems not only miles, but years away.

Actually, it's only 3 and a half months till I board a plane that will take me to my new home.

Cray Cray

Please pray that in the midst of plane travel agents, visas, packing lists and itineraries that my heart will be broken for the people I will be working with. The prayer above is one that I'm praying for myself daily. Join me as I prepare emotionally and spiritually for my journey to come :)

South Asia Bound!!

2010-09-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Well the verdict is finally in!! In a little over 3 months I'll be packed up and headed on my way to South Asia for 6 and 1/2 months! Im ECSTATIC!!

So here's a few details...

Together with one other girl, I'll be spending a little over six months working at a school for girls in South Asia. Due to security reasons, I cannot reveal the name of the Country, school, or any of the people that I'll be working with, but I can tell you a little bit about what we'll be doing.

On January 14th, I'll meet all of the interns for the South Asia Region in a major city for orientation. We'll spend about a week in preparation for our ministry and then my partner and I will travel to our home for the next six months! While in country we will be working with a school that gives girls off the street the chance to get a bath, clean clothes, two meals a day, and an education. Every year, hundreds and hundreds of girls are trafficked into India from this particular country and forced to sell themselves for money. What we are trying to do is provide the girls with a quality education so that they may escape that life. Not only will we teach them english, reading, and writing, but also marketable skills such as sewing and cooking. By simply showering the girls with as much love as we can, we hope to lead them to a more fulfilled life

My job: to show these girls that they are valuable and loved and to teach them to use their gifts in a way that will provide them with a better life! I'm extremely excited to get to teach overseas! The country is highly muslim so it will certainly be an experience!

Here's the deal though, I need A LOT of prayer! I will not return to the States until July 12th and that is a long time to be away! I ask that you would partner with me and pray for strength as I enter this new phase of life. I will still be taking classes online during this time so life will be CRAZY! As I prepare to leave and while I am gone, I will continue to post prayer requests and stories.

I also need to raise a little over $4,000 to cover my travel and living expenses. I will be setting up a pay pal account soon so If you feel led to give, I would GREATLY appreciate it!

In the meantime, continue to check here for further updates!

You Are Still Holy

2010-09-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

I knew this year wouldn't be easy....

With a crazy packed class schedule, OSL, volunteering at TRBC, and preparing for my internship, I was prepared for a semester of all-nighters and massive amounts of caffeine. I knew I would need to be spiritually full, not only so I could pour back into my girls, but also to simply make it through the week.

I had no idea..

All of the prayer leaders arrived a week before classes started, excited and ready to face a new semester. The next few days were filled with training and sis/bro/sis and leadership team bonding. We were so busy that it took me almost 4 days to actually unpack my things!

In the midst of the craziness, we were all SO excited for what God was going to do on M-16 and all over campus! We were short 4 prayer leaders and 1 SLD, but we were confident that God would see us through and provide the right people for the job. We spent many hours praying over each room and each girl, knowing that God loved each one of these girls deeply and had amazing plans for their time on our hall.

Moving the in the freshman was SO much fun! Each one was bubbling with anticipation for what this new year and place would hold and we joined them in the excitement! Later in the week, my roommates finally moved in and the hall was once again full of girls, laughter, and chick flicks.

As it should be.

Classes and prayer groups began smoothly! My prayer group is so sweet and I honestly love every one of them already. I cannot wait to walk this next semester with them! Most of my classes were important to my major and minor, so I was sure I would at least enjoy the subject matter. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me, but I was confident I would have plenty of time to finish everything. Thats when the first curve ball hit me. One of my girls sprained her ankle so I got the chance to take her to the ER at 11:30 at night. When I say that Lynchburg General is in a SKETCH part of town and I was a little lost, I am not exaggerating! But we finally arrived and got her checked in. 4 and a half hours of quality bonding time later, we headed back to campus with a newly acquired pair of crutches and the mandate to take it easy.

And so began the sleepless nights... and the sickness... not long after, I picked up a cold that refused to go away, resulting in a ridiculous man-voice and enough tissues to soak up the oil spill in the Gulf.

Meanwhile, God was still taking care of things on the hall. We had acquired 3 awesome new prayer leaders and things were going smoothly. The All Night of Prayer was a beautiful time for all of the girls and it definitely set the tone for the upcoming Spiritual Emphasis Week. During the upcoming services, SO many came to Christ, including a few of our beautiful M-16 girls :) It was seriously beautiful to watch as God freed the campus from the bondages of fear. God really worked in my heart as Clayton talked about God's plan for relationships (there will be a later post, i'm sure) Amazing things were happening and the devil did not like that.

Just this week, we've lost two team members, experienced a lot of sickness, weariness, and family and relational problems. It's been crazy, discouraging, and extremely tiring for us all!

This weekend I drove home to see my family, hoping that some quality time, food, and sleep would make everything better. It helped!

But I'm still sick

I'm still tired

I'm still busy

We're still missing 4 team members

We are still stretched thin

And God is still God and He is ALWAYS good

We knew that God had big plans for this hall and those plans will not be stopped by the flu or break ups or stress or arguments. If I have learned anything in my life it is that when I feel like I'm not strong enough to do much of anything, God is MORE than capable to carry me through it and he promises to always do so! He is beautiful and He is holy and He is good and He is never surprised or overwhelmed by circumstances.

I ask that you join me in prayer for my hall, my girls, and the entire campus in general. God is doing great and mighty things here, and the enemy is NOT happy about it!

Kari Jobe and Klaus sing a song called "You are Still Holy" that sums up my prayers at the moment.

Holy, You are still holy

Even when the darkness surrounds my life

Sovereign, You are still sovereign

Even when confusion has blinded my eyes

Lord, I don't deserve Your kind affection

When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch

I want my life to be a pure reflection

Of Your love

Holy, You are still holy

Even though I don't understand Your ways

Sovereign, You will be sovereign

Even when my circumstances don't change

Lord, I don't deserve your tender patience

When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth

I want my life to be a sweet devotion

To You

And so I come into Your chamber

And I dance at Your feet, Lord

You are my Saviour

And I'm at Your mercy

All that has been in my life

Up 'til now

It belongs to You

I belong to You

You are still holy

You are still sovereign

You are still holy, Lord

You are still righteous

You are all-knowing

You are still holy

As we used to say in Sunday School, God is good all the time. All the time, He is Good

Praise God for his Beautiful work in our lives!

A Spectacularly Shores Summer: Pictures

2010-07-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Read below to find out more about my summer!

A Spectacularly Shores Summer: My time as an intern!

2010-07-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

In just a few short weeks I will be headed back to LU... if that’s not cray cray, I don’t know what is! Its been quite a summer, filled with new friends, new experiences, and an even better understanding of how GREAT God’s love is!

My summer began in cardboard boxes… My mom and I packed up my dorm room and drove to our Virginia Beach apartment. My family had moved into about a week earlier, and in three weeks we would be moving again into a hotel room. Finally, about a week after that we moved into our new home and the unpacking began! While all of this was going on, I had begun work at the church as well as two online summer classes… Things were a little hectic, but at least there was no boredom!

My official title at the church was the children’s ministry intern which basically meant that I was there to help out with whatever was needed at the moment. The first few weeks were a whirlwind of props and learning lines and paper cutters and hole punches… and I LOVED it! Getting to see my work turn into something special for the kids every Sunday was great! Pretty soon we began work on our version of VBS (Summer Spectacular). I was given the chance to not only organize a church-wide service project, but also to organize the VBS offering and who would receive it. When VBS finally came, the kids raised almost $5,000 that is going towards Bible translation ALL around the world! There’s little in this world that’s more inspiring than seeing little kids get excited about sharing Jesus with the entire world!

Summer Spectacular couldn’t have gone better! Every day the kids learned about un-named people in the Bible who became Heroes for Jesus. Watching it click for them made every single hour of over-time more that worth it! We had several kids, and even a few adults come to know Christ by the end of the week!

After VBS, things slowed a little, but soon it was time to head for Camp KidJam! What an AMAZING week! God really used it to solidify his Call on my life to work with kids.. seeing them fall in love with Christ is the most beautiful thing in the world to me!

I wish I could sit and have coffee and tell everyone every single detail of my summer, but since I can’t, I’ll just give you some of my lessons learned..

God’s plan is ALWAYS better!

This was my first summer in a LONG time that I didn’t go on any missions trip, and to be honest I was pretty bummed at first! I wasn’t sure why I had to stay home… but God has blessed me so much through my time with these kids, I can’t even imagine being anywhere else. If I had to do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Leading a 3^rd-5^th grade boys small group isn’t as scary as people say it is!

I got to lead a boys small group during camp, and I had heard some horror stories… But I discovered the secret! Throw a Frisbee and climb a few trees with them and those boys will listen to anything you say! It actually ended up being one of the best small group experiences I’ve ever had!

Listen to a kid for two minutes and they’ll love you for life!

I LOVE kids and love spending time with them, so this was easy, but it amazes me how many adults don’t take the time to simply listen! Every kid just wants a little attention, to know that somebody cares enough and thinks they’re cool enough to listen to and hang out with.

You are NEVER too young to be called by God

On the last night of Camp, Mike and I had our boys get up and “preach” the theme verse (1 Timothy 4:12) to the rest of us. One of the boys not only recited the verse, he also explained its meaning and the reviewed the entire weeks lessons! It was pretty amazing, how clear and comfortable he was! Mike asked him if he’d ever considered being a preacher and he said that he’d love teach people about Jesus! Later he ran up to me and told me that he’d never gotten up in front of any one like that before, but he loved it. Getting to encourage him that God not only would use him in the future but wanted to use him now was one of the best moments of my entire summer!

Crushes are unfortunately unavoidable but survivable

I’ve had kids “like” me before, but this time, one of my campers took it to a whole new level! Most boys realize that I am significantly older than them and therefore nothing will ever happen, but this 11 year old actually believed he had a chance! He was CONVINCED that I would come home on weekends to visit him and was even planning on getting a facebook so we could chat… He constantly asked to sit by me and even offered me a massage on the ride home!! What made it worse was that all the boys knew about it and teased him pretty badly… but that didn’t stop him! Even after several leaders tried to explain the age difference and everything else, he was persistant. Needless to say, I was a little relieved when we parted ways after camp. I’d give him a week till he moves on. J

Leaders can learn A LOT from their kids!

I learned so much about worship and God just from hanging out with the kids. A couple months ago, one of the boy’s fathers was killed overseas. We were a little worried about how he would handle being at camp, but he ended up being one of biggest blessings of my summer! Watching him worship God despite what had happened was beautiful. Every night the speaker would have the kids repeat the bottom line for the night and I teared up when I heard this little guy boldly proclaim “I can trust God, even when bad things happen.” If he can, then so can I.

Being around kids is rejuvenating!

Honestly, I could have spent 40 summers with these kids and never grown tired of it! There’s something about them that just brings infinite joy to my heart!

I could go on and on and on about all that’s happened, but I know one thing, I wouldn’t trade my summer for the world. I’m honestly sad to leave all my kids! They have blessed my life more than they’ll ever know… I’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up this year but I’m already counting down the days till next summer with the Shores crew!

Bislama North Africa

2010-04-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well I suppose its time.

Time to write about what I saw and heard.

Honestly, Im not even sure what to write... The minute I stepped foot on American soil, life swept me up in this never-ending whirlwind of activities. Needless to say, this made processing my time in North Africa difficult.

I suppose I could tell you about two days before I even left Lynchburg. Giddy with excitement, the team piled into a classroom for our final pre-trip team meeting. It seemed inconceivable that we were actually going! It was then that Angie, our team leader, broke the news that we might not be going after all. The saturday before we were to leave, the government in this particular country began to crack down on all religious activity. Missionaries were given two hours to pack what they could and flee the country. Local believers were imprisoned. While our leaders were certain that we would be fine, the last thing we wanted to do was bring attention to the workers still in country. They finally decided to continue with the trip with the understanding that we were tourists, nothing more. We would have to be very careful with our speech, especially in addressing the missionaries.

Or I could tell you about walking past a mosque and hearing the eerie strains of my first call to prayer.

Or how moving and humbling it was to hear the missionaries sing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," "Blessed Be Your Name," and "God of this City."

Or how amazing it was to climb mountain after mountain, passing sheep lovingly cared for by their shepherds

Or how terrifying it was when men came on to us in the medina. I never thought I would want to cover up face, but I did that night. We all just wanted to disappear.

Or how I wept as we prayer walked the cities, realizing that this was the first and last time that most of those beautiful people would be prayed for specifically.

Or the hope I felt as I watched our "family" in the village. Such love, I know they would have done anything for us

Or the greater appreciation I had for Mary after riding a donkey for hours

Or how humbled I was by the love and patience of God as I stood beside the second largest mosque in the world.

Oh How He Loves Us

Or how at home I felt playing in the dirt with children at the church

Or how I felt listening to the "workers" pour out their hearts of love for these people. Fifteen years and still no visible response...

Or how I will never be able to erase the sound of crying children being ripped from the arms of their adopted parents who were being deported

Or how beautiful the sunrises were

Or how I truly came to understand God's broken heart over this world

Or how I wouldn't eat another cliff bar if you payed me

Or how confident I am that God is doing great things in that nation. It may not seem like it at first glance. In fact, to many it may seem hopeless! But dig a little deeper, and you can see that God is on the move in North Africa. He is so in love with those people, its beautiful! And I am confident that one day, it will become light for all other nations to see.

Im sure I'll write more as time goes on. I realize this is a very poor representation of a ten day trip, but for now, its all I've got!

How He Love US

Seek His Face

2010-01-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

How do I even begin to describe the craziness that has been these past two months... I headed home to Franklin almost immediately after my exams were finished. It was good to back, but in the back of my mind, I knew that I wouldn't be calling that beautiful city home for much longer. Virginia Beach is now home for the Wall family. I was born there, so i guess you could say I've come full circle!

I will miss Franklin! It was there that I've made some of my very best friends, that I really began to feel out my calling to the mission field, that I truly learned to lead. It was a perfect place for me to grow. I believe that God called more than just my dad to Franklin, he called me too! He nurtured me and taught me lessons there that could not have been learned elsewhere. And Franklin will always have a part of my heart!

I have moved enough to learn that God has something special in mind every time he uproots us! I can look back and clearly tell you what I learned in each of my "homes." I don't know what his plans are for Virginia Beach but I am sincerely excited.

So after a month of packing, cleaning, and goodbyes, we were off to our new home! I was only able to stay for one night before it was back to LU. Its been great to be back! I can already see that this semester will be a beautiful one. My classes are a perfect fit and i'm finally getting into some of the classes for my major! Its going to be challenging, but I love a good challenge :)

One of the first things I did upon coming back to campus was attend the Renew Life conference with Pastor Jim Cymbala. A-mazing... Liberty is making a huge deal about prayer as we begin this semester and its perfect! What better way to start a new chapter than by giving myself, my plans, my everything to god through prayer. To seek his face! So many of us operate under a closed door/ open door philosophy with God. But I'm learning a new approach to my future... If someone is talking from across the room, it is difficult to hear them, especially if others are around. However, the closer you get, the clearer things become. Its like that with God! the closer I get to him, the more I will able to understand him and his beautiful dreams for me and the more distractions will begin to fade away. I can honestly say that I've never been more excited for whats to come!

And I leave for North Africa in nearly two months!!! We're painting shirts today to sell in order to raise more funds. I'm excited for a little bonding time with my team :) They are the best!

Well now that I'm back at school, I'll try to update this more often!

North Africa Bound

2009-11-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Well hello there Blogosphere! I am quite possibly the worst blogger ever... So much has happened since January but rather than try and catch you up, I'm just going to start with whats going on in my life now.

I'm officially a college student! Have been for several wonderful months now and I am loving every bit of it. To put it simply, Liberty University was made for me! I have never been in a place that has such a passion for missions and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to get us out on the field. I'm in a state of bliss :D One of the things that Liberty does for its students is provide countless opportunities for short term missions. Actually, that is the reason Im starting o blog again. This spring break I will be traveling with about 15 other students to North Africa for what is called "immersion missions" We will spend about ten days living in a Muslim village, encouraging and working with local missionaries and simply being open to the movement of God. Who knows what He's got planned!

I am ECSTATIC to be a part of this trip! I have long had a heart for Muslims and for Africa and this trip seems to be the perfect combination of the two. I can't wait to see how God works as he prepares my team and I for what will doubtless be a physically and emotionally taxing yet completely wonderful trip. I covet your prayers throughout this process! Dr. Falwell always said that "nothing of eternal importance is ever accomplished apart from prayer." Please pray that we will be physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally prepared for this journey. It is sure to rock our worlds. I also ask that you consider partnering with me financially! I have to raise about 2,000 dollars very quickly and I need all the help I can get. Please prayerfully consider joining me in this. I truly believe that God will bless you for your generosity!

As my team meets and we draw closer and closer to the trip, I will keep you updated on just what we are doing and how we are preparing. I look forward to what God will do in North africa and in my heart.

"The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to him, the more intensely missionary we become." -Henry Martyn

I Need Africa...

2009-01-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Really I do

Its been over 7 months since I went to Malawi and all I can think about is getting back. All I can see are those kids faces. All I can hear are their songs. Its like I left a part of myself in that village. That was my home.

I'd love to tell you that I went over there and made this huge difference. We built a house, we played with kids, and I know they loved having us there. But I came away with more than I gave. Never have I met a people more loving. I wish I could paint for you a picture of their smiles, their hearts but all I can do is tell you that my heart has changed because of theirs.

From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt welcome. All of us did! The people of Malawi let us into their lives with open arms and made every effort to make sure we knew that we were loved. Those kids loved us! I didn't have to do a thing, but they loved me for being there. I remember the afternoon when Judith, one of the older girls came up to me. She grabbed my hand, looked up to me, and asked me if I would be her friend. I didn't have to earn it, she gave her friendship freely.

I cant wait till I get back. I think I left my heart there....

2000 Decembers Ago

2008-12-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

Out of all the moments of the year, that moment where Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day is probably my favorite. As much as i love the giving of gifts, the gorgeous music, and the general cheerful atmosphere that accompanies this season, I could live without all of that to just relish in that moment. I often sit in my living room just looking at the Nativity scenes that hold prominent positions in our house. They're the most beautiful part of Christmas to me, a perfect reminder of the night that God gave up his home to come to earth for me.

Imagine the days leading up to the beautiful night. For centuries, the people of Israel had been waiting for God to send them their Messiah. This man would restore their freedom, but I'm sure that many had ceased to believe that this wonder would ever come. Darkness had settled over the land and the people of God. It had been a long long winter, and it seemed as if spring would never come again to the children of God. They were displaced, mistreated, abused, and left to wonder if the God who had saved them before would ever do so again

O Come O Come Immanuel

And Ransom Captive Israel

That mourns in lowly exile here

until the Son of God appears

O come O come, though Lord of might

Who to thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times did'st give the Law

In cloud and majesty and awe

O Come Desire of Nations Bind

Our spirits with one heart and mind

Bid envy strife and quarrels cease

Fill all the world with heavens peace

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse free

Thine own from Satan's Tyranny

From Depths of Hell thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And deaths dark shadows put to flight

O come Thou Key of David, come

and open wide our heavenly home

Make safe the way that leads on high

and close the path to misery

Rejoice, Rejoice,

Immanuel shall come to thee O Israel

And He did, quietly, in the form of a tiny, helpless little child, son of a carpenter and his Nazarene wife. As if that weren't enough evidence of God's infinite grace, the first to see Immanuel were not great kings or religious leaders, they were shepherds, the outcasts of humanity. These misfits were among the first to see God face face to face that night; to bow in worship to the only one who loved them enough to give up all He had for their salvation. They abandoned their flocks, their livelihood, their purpose, because their King had come to earth. They discovered a new purpose that night, to love the one who loved them more than they could ever imagine.

God was present on with mankind that night. He would grow up and walk among them in friendship, something hadn't happened since Eden. He restored paradise for His children, and all they needed to do was believe. I wish I could have seen that night, that star, and listened to the voices of the angels and the shepherds. Love cloaked the world that night and it hasn't left since. So Merry Christmas, May you always get caught up in the wonder of that night, the night when we were saved.

Did it feel like a night any different

Then at least a million before

Was there any rare expectation

Like there was some kind of somethin' in store

Did the sky have to hold back the thunder

Did the moon find new reasons to glow

Could the children somehow sense the wonder

2000 Decembers ago

Were the sheep as amazed as the shepherds

At the new sky that lit up the sky

Did the willow trees whisper excitement

To the rivers and streams passing by

Did the joy ricochet off the mountains

Till it filled up the valleys below

Did all the world sense love abounding

2ooo Decembers ago

Was anyone able to look at the stable

And not see a child but a King

I wish I could hear back over the years

as heaven and nature sing, as heaven and nature sing

Oh the love must have been overwhelming

2000 Decembers ago

Did the walls of the barn start to tremble

With a glory they could not contain

Did anyone wake with the feeling

Of peace that they could not explain

Oh the love must have been overwhelming

As it warmed everyone with its flow

For all the earth is Still telling

Of 2000 Decembers ago

- Joy Williams

Here it goes...

2008-12-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

Well I did it! I have finally created a blog. I can't promise that I'll write on this a lot, but i'll do my best!

Let me explain this whole "Roses in December" thing... It comes from a quote by one of my favorite authors, J.M. Barrie. "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." Simply put, this blog will be a place to capture my life and provide me with perfect bouquet of memories. It's senior year and soon I'll be embarking on a journey that I will never wish to forget and I hope this will enable you all to walk this journey with me

Much love!