First off I just want to say that I cannot believe its been over a year already. I can definitely tell that it has been a year though because I have this deep and overwhelming desire to be in Africa. I seriously have looked at plane tickets. I can't go though because I have a plan!
Many of you out there have been wondering when I am going back to Africa, if I am ever going to go back to Africa, and what I am currently doing right now. The intention of this post is to fill everyone in on all three of these questions.
This is all TENTATIVE though. If God moves me in another direction than from what I put on hear, then I must go. It's extremely difficult to not do what God wants you to do :)
I will start with the easiest question: What am I doing right now...
I am currently studying Early Childhood Education at Lane Community College. It takes about 2 years to obtain an Associates degree. If I wish to teach in Oregon I must have a Masters degree. So I am looking at about 5 years of college. After I finish at Lane I will most likely transfer over to the U of O. This takes me to the next 2 questions:
Am I ever going to go back to Africa/When am I going back to Africa...
I decided to answer theses 2 together because I can use the same answer for both. I would love to go back after I get my degree. I would love to go back the day after I graduate. The whole point in getting my degree is so I can go back and teach there permanently, however with school loans and other expenses I would most likely not be able to go back for at least a year after I graduate. Siiiiiiiiiiiigh :( I definitely plan on going back someday soon, and would even love to take holidays there while Im in school, or maybe even short term outreach groups!
So you all are stuck with me for awhile. I hope this post is helpful to those of you who are wondering :)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday, September 3, 2010
A Typical Day In Namibia
Wow, time has flown by! Everything has gone smoothly, and the favor of God has been so evident in every minute of the time since we have been here. I have met some very amazing missionaries and even more amazing children. I don’t quite know what to say in this update, so I thought that the best thing that I could do is tell you what a typical day for me is like.
SO….
5:00am – 6:15am : Alarm goes off and I roll off the bed onto the ground. I lie there for a couple of moments and then feel around for clothing and the light. Then drag myself off to the shower. After showering and other hygienic stuff, I go out into the kitchen area and look around for breakfast which usually turns out to be bread and butter. Around 6:15 or a little after the combi (an old van that is used as the school bus) comes to pick up Marye, Theo, and myself. Marye and Theo are the 3rd and 2nd grade teachers at Community Hope, and also my roommates. Jodi (the art teacher and school administrator) also lives in the same house as us, but she drives herself to school in case she needs to leave for something.
6:15am – 6:45am : Driving, Driving, Driving
6:45am – 7:30am : 6:45 is a tentative arrival time. Sometimes we leave the house a little later, and other times we have to pick up other people to take them to school. The school is actually a church that is allowing the school to be there. John and Suzanne are currently trying to find a more permanent building. Once we arrive at the school we go to our classrooms and put down our bags and other things and then we meet in the sanctuary to pray for the day and the children. After prayer I go and make tea, then go outside to watch the children play. The children have also decided to use this time to give me lessons in damara (the local language). Needless to say it is not going as well as they thought it would. At 7:30 school begins. I have been working in the grade 1 class and I absolutely love it!
7:30am – 9:45am : worship, math, spelling, story time, break. During this time I usually work on correcting homework from the day before and then updating the homework folders for that day. The first week that I was here though, Mr. Beukes (the grade 1 teacher) had to go over to the pre-school to test next year’s grade 1s, so I actually taught the class for the 4 days that he was gone. It was such a wonderful learning experience for me.
9:45 – 10:15am : at this time the children have snack which is 2 slices of bread with something like butter, peanut butter, and syrup (which sounds strange but is actually quite nice) or just plain peanut butter and jam. They also all get a cup of tea. After they have finished their snack they go outside to play for about 15 minutes. During this time I also have my snack (whatever the children are having) and supervise outside. Sometimes after we come back inside we will take the children to the toilet, but most of the time we go back to the class.
10:15am – 12:00pm : bible, history, geography, science, literature, reading. These are the subjects that are covered at this time of the entire week, not all on the same day. During this time I usually do whatever is most helpful to Mr. Beukes.
12:00pm – 1:00pm : Monday = Art (taught by Jodi), Tuesday= Computer Class (taught at Beautiful Kidz), Wednesday= Sports (taught by Mr. Beukes). I don’t really have anything to do during this time unless Mr. Beukes has a special project that he asks me to do, like putting contact paper on signs for his class room, or filing papers. Normally I try to help out where ever I can be most useful.
1:00pm – 1:30pm : At 1 o’clock school is officially over for grades 1, 2, and 3. The majority of the children eat lunch at school and then head home. Grades 4, 5, and 6 all stay until 2:30 so they eat and then have recess. At this time I am done with class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have tutoring with a couple of girls from my class at 1:30 till 2:00. Also Thursdays and Fridays there is Youth Club at Beautiful Kidz which I help out with.
And that is for the most part how each day looks for me. Evenings free and I have used this time to bond with other missionaries on the base
PRAYER POINTS
1. I am still in need financially, so please prayerfully consider being used by God in that way
2. A constant renewing of energy would be wonderful
3. That God will continue to form stronger bonds between the students and me
Thank You all so much for your prayers, love, and support. I feel it all these thousands of miles away
SO….
5:00am – 6:15am : Alarm goes off and I roll off the bed onto the ground. I lie there for a couple of moments and then feel around for clothing and the light. Then drag myself off to the shower. After showering and other hygienic stuff, I go out into the kitchen area and look around for breakfast which usually turns out to be bread and butter. Around 6:15 or a little after the combi (an old van that is used as the school bus) comes to pick up Marye, Theo, and myself. Marye and Theo are the 3rd and 2nd grade teachers at Community Hope, and also my roommates. Jodi (the art teacher and school administrator) also lives in the same house as us, but she drives herself to school in case she needs to leave for something.
6:15am – 6:45am : Driving, Driving, Driving
6:45am – 7:30am : 6:45 is a tentative arrival time. Sometimes we leave the house a little later, and other times we have to pick up other people to take them to school. The school is actually a church that is allowing the school to be there. John and Suzanne are currently trying to find a more permanent building. Once we arrive at the school we go to our classrooms and put down our bags and other things and then we meet in the sanctuary to pray for the day and the children. After prayer I go and make tea, then go outside to watch the children play. The children have also decided to use this time to give me lessons in damara (the local language). Needless to say it is not going as well as they thought it would. At 7:30 school begins. I have been working in the grade 1 class and I absolutely love it!
7:30am – 9:45am : worship, math, spelling, story time, break. During this time I usually work on correcting homework from the day before and then updating the homework folders for that day. The first week that I was here though, Mr. Beukes (the grade 1 teacher) had to go over to the pre-school to test next year’s grade 1s, so I actually taught the class for the 4 days that he was gone. It was such a wonderful learning experience for me.
9:45 – 10:15am : at this time the children have snack which is 2 slices of bread with something like butter, peanut butter, and syrup (which sounds strange but is actually quite nice) or just plain peanut butter and jam. They also all get a cup of tea. After they have finished their snack they go outside to play for about 15 minutes. During this time I also have my snack (whatever the children are having) and supervise outside. Sometimes after we come back inside we will take the children to the toilet, but most of the time we go back to the class.
10:15am – 12:00pm : bible, history, geography, science, literature, reading. These are the subjects that are covered at this time of the entire week, not all on the same day. During this time I usually do whatever is most helpful to Mr. Beukes.
12:00pm – 1:00pm : Monday = Art (taught by Jodi), Tuesday= Computer Class (taught at Beautiful Kidz), Wednesday= Sports (taught by Mr. Beukes). I don’t really have anything to do during this time unless Mr. Beukes has a special project that he asks me to do, like putting contact paper on signs for his class room, or filing papers. Normally I try to help out where ever I can be most useful.
1:00pm – 1:30pm : At 1 o’clock school is officially over for grades 1, 2, and 3. The majority of the children eat lunch at school and then head home. Grades 4, 5, and 6 all stay until 2:30 so they eat and then have recess. At this time I am done with class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have tutoring with a couple of girls from my class at 1:30 till 2:00. Also Thursdays and Fridays there is Youth Club at Beautiful Kidz which I help out with.
And that is for the most part how each day looks for me. Evenings free and I have used this time to bond with other missionaries on the base
PRAYER POINTS
1. I am still in need financially, so please prayerfully consider being used by God in that way
2. A constant renewing of energy would be wonderful
3. That God will continue to form stronger bonds between the students and me
Thank You all so much for your prayers, love, and support. I feel it all these thousands of miles away
Friday, April 16, 2010
Getting Started
Woo Hoo! My very first post on my blog!
Well there are approximately 2 months until Hannah and I take off on a jet plane to Namibia. The exact details of the date and such are still not set exactly, but we are hoping to leave sometime in late June or early July. Coming up this Sunday, we will be giving a presentation at church on Namibia, so get ready for that. I am still working on figuring out this blog thing so if this is confusing to you, just know that it is confusing to me too! Thanks for reading!
Well there are approximately 2 months until Hannah and I take off on a jet plane to Namibia. The exact details of the date and such are still not set exactly, but we are hoping to leave sometime in late June or early July. Coming up this Sunday, we will be giving a presentation at church on Namibia, so get ready for that. I am still working on figuring out this blog thing so if this is confusing to you, just know that it is confusing to me too! Thanks for reading!
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