A Very Large Update

Yum... Dead goose guts...

I am so sorry that I have not been faithful in blog-writing!  A lot has gone on in the past two months.  We started language classes and moved into the dorm.  About three weeks later we met one of our best friends here.  We started visiting with her almost every day. “Justice” has become such a great friend for all of us.  Her wisdom is well beyond her years.  She is a deep thinker and is very well educated.  She reminds me a little bit of Einstein in that if a subject is too boring and mundane, she is not interested in succeeding.  However, she has become very interested in what we have to say about our Father.  When we started hanging out with her on a regular basis, she asked us lots of questions about love.  We had the opportunity to share with her about Love.  Her life has been changing as she grasps hold of the Word and clings tight to the Father.  She holds the Word as authority, but still has not yet placed her hope in He who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Please lift up Justice.

It's Da pig...

We had the opportunity to go back and hang out with the family that we stayed with during the summer!  One of the friends had butchered a pig, so there was a huge flank of meat just sitting out for quite a while.  And grandpa went out shooting geese for his birthday and brought home three beauties that made the house smell o so good.  just like dead geese haha. it was a wonderful time to be able to glean from their wisdom and we were encouraged that we could now communicate more effectively since we can speak a little of the language now!  That Sunday was the harvest festival so there was singing and dancing at fellowship.  Callie and I even went forward and sang a song, in English though. It was a jolly good time thanking the Father for what he has provided and remembering the harvest of souls to come.

Summer Friends!

The first week I was here I made a wonderful friend named Star.  She and I get a long really well since we both love the Arts.  We have spent a decent amount of time together over the past few months (though we both wish it were more).  Two weeks ago I had the privilege of going with her and two Sisters to a central Asian theatrical production. The actors/dancers did a marvelous job! The performers were all the professors from nearby schools of the arts. To see traditional artistic dance on stage was a wonderful gift.  An even greater gift was what went on after the performance.  We all went out to eat at a local restaurant.  While we were eating, we were talking about the performance which was about love. The conversation changed when Star was asked if she had ever heard that our Father loves her.  She said yes kinda wishy-washy. My friends started sharing with her (they’re locals who don’t speak English well) in the common local language.  One Sister started relating to His Love to sacrifice and to Korban Eid. Korban Eid is a Muslim holiday which celebrates God’s provision of providing a ram to sacrifice in place of Abraham’s son.  On this day, many slaughter goats, sheep and horses and have a big feast.  My friend shared who that sacrifice was for-shadowing—the Lamb.  They switched to their heart language, which is different from which I am studying, but Dad allowed me to be able to get the gist of the main idea. Star heard the whole story, from beginning to end in her heart language.  That is what made the difference. She has heard in English, in the common language but I think that night was when it clicked that she didn’t have to be white to believe what was being said.  She started thinking that night.  She believed it was true, she said, but she had to think of the consequences such a life-change would make. Oh, how difficult it was for us when she said, “yes it’s true, I know. But my heart’s not ready yet.”  Well, we have been asking the Father that she would make a decision on her own, not prompted by us or any locals.  Yesterday she told me she wanted to tell me something.  She said that she was up in her special place where she likes to go to think.  She was thinking and talking to Dad, when she knew.  She couldn’t tell me in English what had happened.  She had to continue in the local language.  “And then…” her face changed to show a new sense of joy, “I put my faith in Him.”(Him=the Lamb!) Oh, praise that Lamb!  Please lift her up, she is just and infant.  Ask that she would have a strong local mentor who can disciple her in their heart tongue.

Some Korban Eid food... the prelim...

As for me, I have made another friend in my dorm.  A harder friend.  She has been scarred by the world and turned rebellious.  Please ask that I would have more opportunities to spend time with her and that the Comforter would give me the words to say that will have an impact on her life.

So, Korban Eid…. We had quite the celebration!  We made a feast with some friends and invited a lot of friends to come too!  And did they come!  We had over twenty adults/students.  We talked and laughed over leg of lamb and other local dishes.  I made no-bake cookies and apple cobbler which were a hit!  It was that day that Star said she believed but that her heart was not yet ready.  The same day many other good discussions took place and all attendees heard the story of Abraham which has led to more good discussions.  Lift these many friends up who have had seeds planted!

Our Halloween Costumes!

We celebrated Halloween with our English Clubs by having Mummy wrapping contests with toilet paper, playing mafia, carving 20lbs pumpkins and bobbing for apples.  English Club is going really well!  I am so blessed to be able to have a place where I can use some of that creative energy :)  We will soon have a Thanksgiving festival!  Please be thinking about that and if you have any ideas, let me know!!

My 20 lbs pumpkin, which I still have half of...

Getting some needed Rest

Well, all…. That’s a lot all at once.  Thank you for lifting me up!! Please continue to do so!