My NEW Everyday, Ordinay Life

I am a college graduate.

I am unemployed - but I like to see it as employed by Jesus.

I am a teacher.

I am HAPPY :-)

Most of you are probably wondering how teaching for me is going. Well ..... it is going AMAZINGLY! I am in love with it. I have been teaching the Reading & Writing class for the past few weeks. I have about 20 students. 9 of my students are related. They are all either siblings or cousins. That half of my of my class is Somalian. The other half is Sudanese, Congolese,  Ethiopian, or Eritrean. I love my students and I love teaching. They are all eager to learn because they so desperately want to learn.

I will admit though - it has been MUCH harder than I thought. When I started my first thought was " I have been speaking English my whole life - sure I can teach it to some foreigners". But no.... it has been much harder than I expected. Especially since I now realize that I just speak English - and most of the time I don't speak it well. I had no idea how to teach these students how to READ.  When they don't know a word ... I just tell them it. But that is not helping them. So It has been MUCH harder than I had ever thought it would be.

Looking back on my schooling, I remember the sense of achievement that I received when I finished a book. It feels so great to know that you have finished a task such as reading a book. So ..... I have purchased Charlotte's Web. I am in the process of making them all a copy of the book so that they can have it in front of them as they read. My hope is to read the book together as a class by Christmas. Then hopefully they will feel the happiness that I once got as a child when I finished my first book.

Life as a teacher has been fun. I love serving in this way. I am much happier with GOD's plan than I was with my plan :-)

Therefore, my NEW everyday ordinary life is still placed before God as an offering. I am still taking my life and taking what God has done for me to glorify him in every aspect of my days. I am simply doing something different with my time spent here in Uganda. Instead of empowering children though bible stories, songs, and games.... I am now empowering young students through teaching and through love.

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it." 

                                                   Romans 12:1-2 (The Message) 

Prayer Requests:  

* For me to be filled with knowledge of how best to teach my students. 

* For walls to be broken down and doors to be open for me to get to know each one of my students better.

* For stress of financial issues to leave me. Because of lack of funds, I often find myself stressed more than necessary. Please pray that God will do something huge in this area so that I may focus solely onto the work He has brought me here to do.

* For my Dad,Mom, and sister (Brandi) back home. The lack of contact with me due to internet access worries them. Please pray that God will give them peace and comfort as I finish out my time here in Uganda.