the present, the future...and the past

The present

Just finished the second-to-last week of camp. A highlight of this past week came from the creek where I've lead at least 13 creek hikes in the previous six weeks. Over the last weekend, a tree fell down, and as the group climbed over it during a hike this week, I studied the half of the trunk left on the bank. The tree had been completely hollowed out--by termites or beetles, I'm not really sure--and weakened to the point that when a strong wind blew, the tree simply ripped in half. Beyond being something new and cool to show the kids, it also provided a quick spiritual lesson! A person can look solid on the outside, but if his core isn't strong, if his heart is empty of God, any storm that hits him will rip him completely in half. 

This picture is from a few weeks ago, but here's to prove that I'm conquering fears: five years ago, I could barely climb a rock wall. Now I'm climbing them blindfolded.

Climb by faith, not by sight!

 The future

When I arrived at 'home base' tonight I found a package waiting for me, the first of several. I've been growing more excited (truly, actually excited!) about moving to Uganda since Wednesday, and when I saw this package, I literally squealed with delight. The family I'll be teaching is having some curriculum shipped to me since paying for an extra airline bag is far cheaper than shipping to Africa. I ripped open the box to oooh and ahhh over each book. Any doubts about teaching I had are quickly disappearing. I'm SOO excited because I love school!!

10th grade history, literature, and Bible. YAAAY!!

The past

Receiving that package brought back memories of my own schooling, when we would receive a giant box of books in late summer, which I would plead with my mother to allow me to open and read just one book. Just one book, Mom! Please!! I was always so excited to start school so we could finally read everything.

Apparently, once a geek, always a geek. 

the one month mark

 Exactly 4 weeks from this posting, I will be boarding onto an airplane with 100+ potential seatmates to spend eight hours hurtling through the skies in a metal tube to land in London for 11 hours to then board another metal tube with hopefully fewer potential seatmates to fly nine hours to land in a sunny, hot, diesel-smelling, accent-laden new culture. 

At the airport, I'll buy a visa for $50, then walk out to meet the folks whom I'll be living and working with for the next year...and I've never met them previously. I'll exchange American dollars for Ugandan shillings, buy a cell phone and SIM card, sit in Kampala traffic, and drive several hours to my new home, where I will be filtering water to drink, living with sometimes consistent electricity, and learning a new language. Oh, did I mention that I'm also learning a new job? I've never been a full-time teacher.

This is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done.

But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' ... For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  
                                                                                     --2 Cor. 12: 9a, 10

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
                                                                                                            --James 1.12

This is my comfort in my affliction,
  that your promise gives me life. ...
It is good for me that I was afflicted,
  that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
   than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
                                            --Psalm 119.50, 71-72

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

      so great is his steadfast love to those who fear him.

                                   --Psalm 103.11

a cold shoulder to anxiety

I’m moving to Africa in 1 month, 7 days, and 14 minutes. This fact caused me no little consternation earlier in the week, when I realized that after removing camp days, travel days, beach days, family days, and sleep days, my preparation time drops to 11 days, max. Eleven days to figure out water filters and to find past-knee-length skirts, the two lingering items on my preparation list. Not to mention packing, moving, selling my car, and saying goodbye. That’s not enough time, said my brain, with very worldly logic.

By God’s grace, before my anxiety was even a few hours old, I read Matthew 6.

I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

--Matt. 6.25, 27, 31-34

Jesus specifically tells his followers not to worry about what they will drink. It’s as if he knew that someday, an insignificant girl from America would be concerned about how to get clean water in Africa. Don’t worry about it, He says. I’ve got this. Just trust me. So by His grace, I rejected my anxiety and reminded myself that God knows I need clean water. I wasn’t sure how He would provide it, but I refused to let it distract me.

Lo and behold, I arrive home tonight to find an email from my future housemate in Uganda. Don’t worry about bringing a water filter, she says. I’ve got one and so does the house where we’re staying. So 2 is uber plenty! What a timely reminder of how God delights to provide good gifts to His children, if only we will rest in His steadfast love and unending faithfulness. 

I’m moving to Africa in 1 month, 6 days, 23 hours, and 34 minutes. And I refuse to worry about a thing.

summer, in some of its glory

It's been pretty quiet on the blog, mainly because it's been pretty loud in my life. For the past 4 weeks, summer adventure camp has consumed my life. Sunday afternoon through Friday evening, I'm working what has become the favorite job of my life thus far. I'm leading creek hikes, low ropes courses, pool times, high ropes courses, canoes, Bible story times, and all sorts of odd jobs, such as wrangling stray horses, washing dishes in a veritable sauna, running competitions for which group can enter the dining hall first, and of course, getting a really nice tan.

One of the best parts of this summer is working with this guy:

My brother, the coolest counselor at camp.

Living the outdoors life is pretty epic. Here we are collecting 50 gallons of water (as part of a challenge, not for drinking!)

And here's a group of campers & counselors, right after we became mud warriors during a creek hike:

Yup, I'm loving this job. Hard to believe there's only 6 weeks left until I move to Africa!!