Celebrations of the Month

BIG hugs, cupcakes, and a beautiful hike. What more could I ask for, besides throwing a day with my sister in the mix? Such was my birthday—actually, the day before my birthday. Rene kidnapped me right after school, ordered me to change clothes, blindfolded me, and brought be to a screeching halt on the side of a back road to be surprised by a group of friends the Lord has blessed me with. From there, we piled in the back of a huge pick-up truck that any redneck would be proud to own to take us to the base of our destination. That ride was an adventure of its own because our driver paid little attention to the natural ditches and ramps in the road except to make the most of them with speed and jerks. It was like a rollercoaster without loops and the safety of equipment and good engineering! Finally I understood that Rene took me to Gog and Magog, the highest point in Jos. Halfway up, the crew (consisting of Dana, Marc, Kav, Matt, Ruth, Corine, and another Kiwi girl) unloaded the cupcakes and drinks. After nourishing our bodies with the goodness, we continued our trek to the top, which required climbing, crawling, squeezing, and jumping. This hike was intense enough to satisfy my restlessness, which was starving from being cooped up in a classroom all day for two months!

I woke up to the most welcomed surprise: Rene was in my house, making pancakes for breakfast! It was the first real breakfast I had had in about a month and, boy, was it delicious! My birthday was complete with my eighth and seventh grade students singing to me, my sixth grade practically dog piling me with hugs, and fairly agreeable behavior across the board. So, “Thanks!” to all who sent me birthday wishes; I certainly had a special one.

Some of you may know that Rene’s birthday recently passed as well (Sept 7^th). I don’t want to go without highlighting the festivities of that night as well. In honor of a strange fetish of hers, we created a pirate theme for her surprise party. She thought she was simply going to enjoy a dinner with a couple of her closest friends. Oh, but she deserves much more than that! We brought her to the designated friend’s house to be greeted by a slue of friends, ridiculously decked out in pirate garb—complete with eye-patches and bandanas! The evening closed with a viewing of the classic movie Hook. Again, loads of fun, made particularly special by the deep love of sisters and close friends.

Oh, can't forget about the Mulsim celebrations of Ramadan. All is over with no drama or even much excitement. All except that I was advised to not even go out on the roads on Monday because young crazies drive wrecklessly on their way to the mosque for the Sala prayers. They aren't hostile at all, just young and careless, which makes it a little dangerous. I decided to take his word for it, since my info was coming from an Nigerian, and if he thinks that driving is crazy, then I should take his advice! Stay tuned for Rene's blog. I'm sure she'll report her experience in Kono, where the famous Dubar is held. :)

More recently, I’ve been able to bond a little with my students through the love of soccer. Yes, Miss Marshall continues to “school” them, even on the soccer field! (For those of you, seasoned folk, to “school” someone is to demonstrate superior skill in a certain area.J) I hoping to use this as a springboard to break down barriers and give them opportunities to talk to me as a person rather than just a teacher. I just had a conversation with the assistant athletic director for Hillcrest, and his story affirms my plans to use soccer for the glory of God because that will buy me more respect in their eyes.

Talk about a celebration if I ever get to see God work in my students’ lives! By God’s grace, I grow fonder and fonder of them. Pray for wisdom, patience, and sincere love for them…if nothing else, God is at work in me!

Looking to the Lord,

Kari

PS: sorry about not having pictures...again. This time, my excuse is that my camara's batteries died. Another day, promise. :\

Rachel Harley (a fellow teacher) and me through a partial aquaduct pipe


Here is a distant view of the platuea I live on

The valley and ariver...just plain pretty

Chin Up!

I’ve been working on this thought for a while, now. This is not to say that I’ve perfected the idea, by any means. Simply put, I think we all should practice looking up more often. If we do, we could overlook many of life’s woes; however, if we don’t, then we could miss out on many of God’s blessings.

I went on a staff retreat last weekend, during which we all had the opportunity to relax, eat, bond, and hear God’s word preached. On my way to my house Friday and Saturday night, I was captivated by the nighttime sky. I’ve always had a fetish with the stars, but they never cease to carry a sense of supernatural mysticism. I slowed to a halt to stare in awe at the contrast of the twinkling diamonds against the dark expanse—and how limitless it was! The sky is a constant metaphor of our God: limitless and largely unexplored, mysterious and transcendent, and yet relevant and near.

That same Saturday morning, I stepped outside after breakfast to be greeted by a handful of noisy birds in the nearby palm trees. It took me a few minutes to acknowledge them, but I was so glad I did! They were a brilliant yellow, the size of a large raven, and performing a magnificent acrobatic act from branch to fruit. Again, I paused to behold their beauty. When was the last time I’ve stopped to behold my Lord’s beauty? Unfortunately, I am looking down all too often and miss the view.

Not surprising, these thoughts tie into what God has been teaching me all along: look at Me, your Lord! When I am stuck on my own inadequacies, worries, and plans, I miss out on the truths of His faithfulness, sovereignty, and indwelling power. I’m pretty sure we neglect these comforts as often as we ignore the beauties of the evening and morning. Just as pausing for a gaze at the sky and birds was relaxing, peeling my eyes off of myself and surrounding cares to fix them on the Lord is restful. Once I do this, then I can go on with newfound confidence and strength. I believe this is what the writer of Hebrews was referring to in Heb 12:1-3.

That said, a quick up-date on the teaching: God has shown Himself faithful to teach me and help me teach. He has also provided opportunities for me to constantly consult my fellow teachers for guidance, ideas, and affirmations. I needed them to speak some truth to me this week to help me heal from a self-bashing defeat. Even still, I am still enjoying where God has me! I am starting to build relationships with some of my girls outside of class time--pray that God uses that time to fill me with wisdom and love to impart to those delicate ones. Praise God!