Home sweet Home

It is so good to be home. I can't believe how much I missed it. It was great to get home and then go shopping for a Christmas tree and decorate it. It was such a surprise after a long trip. It was so nice to worship with people at my church and to see the Christmas program. Being a teacher sometimes I just don't want to see or be around kids because I am always around them but it is such a reminder of how we are to have faith and worship God and remind us the real meaning of Christmas.

I have also been amazed at how many people now about what I am doing in Ghana. I would have never fathomed how many people would know about me going to Ghana. I also have noticed how people have surprised me with little blessings that mean so much to me.

I am adjusting to the time change pretty well but the cold weather not so much. It is cold here but I am super excited about wearing sweaters and I have straightened my hair which may sound stupid but for someone who loves sweaters and hates having crazy hair because of the humidity loves it.

Missing Ghana but loving it here. God bless you this CHristmas.

It's Christmas time

The thing about Christmas in Ghana is that it doesn't really feel like Christmas. It is beginning to get hotter here. We had our Christmas program on Saturday and it was good very hectic but the message went out. Now going into the last week of school before break and I am excited about all the Christmas things I am doing with my class this week. It is so important for these kids to see what Christmas is really about and that it is not about getting gifts and santa. That it was about us receiving the best gift that we could ever get JESUS.

I am getting everything ready to go home. I have my presents packed, some random things packed and just have to wait till Friday to pack some other things. Please pray for safe travels. Also pray that I wont have to pay a fine when I leave the country because of my visa or if I do it is small small. There is a group of us on my flight so hopefully they will take pity on us as we go through immigration here in GHana.

Praise God for all He is doing here in Ghana.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE.

ISAIAH 9:6

Thankfulness

This week has been a fun week at school. I only had two teaching days and then we had field day which was a blast. It is awesome to see the older students take care of the younger students. I was originally supposed to be a leader of a team and I was really excited about that opportunity because I had an amazing team. However, instead I get put in charge of a game because we didn't have enough parent volunteers but I loved hanging out with all the students.

This is one of my third graders that was on team New Zealand.

This is one of third graders from last year also on Team New Zealand.

This little girl is the cutest. When we first started field day she was scared of her team captain who is an 11th grade boy. By the end of the first game she wouldn't let go of his hand. It was adorable. It also shows the heart that these students have. They get a little taste of what we as teachers get a chance to do every day. I am so thankful for that.

Of course Thursday was thanksgiving and coming into this week I was not sure of what I would be doing . A lot of my close friends were leaving to go see the elephants and then a lot of the other girls were going to their pastors house. I am so thankful God has placed an amazing family who really show Christ to our staff and they had a bunch of us over that did not have anywhere to go. I am so thankful for the wrights. I don't know what I would do without them here. I am so thankful that they are staying here next year.

Friday I got to just relax by the pool and take in the sun. I got to hang out with one of my housemates Erin. She is probably one of my best friends here, I am so excited that God put her in my house this year. We have gotten close and I love that.

Being here in Ghana I realize how much I am blessed. I have a house to live in, I know where my food is going to come from and I have a hope that keeps me going every single day. I am so thankful that I have something more to live for .

Prayer Request

My flight home in 13 days. I fly out on December 10th.

The last weeks of school. These are very hectic. I have a couple of students leaving early so I have to get everything ready for them.

So Life this week has been a little crazy, but a lot of fun. So this week we didn't have school on Tuesday. So we took this opportunity to hang out with our mentoring girls. So we went to the movies and we saw the movie Unstoppable. Then we went to the coffee house and play games. It was a blast. Then this week we had volleyball and it was unusually fun. Thursday I played with them and we had four people and then three high school boys who just watched but I gave them each a job. THen on Friday their was a teacher who held tryouts for praise band so we had music during volleyball. After volleyball it was kind of a dance party. Then there was a movie night at school and Christy and I went to get dinner and then we went back to watch the movie. It was a blast.

Saturday I did something I have never done before, I coached a soccer match. It was a lot of fun. I coached 6 girls and we lost but they did well. I learned a lot about soccer and by the end of the first half I really was getting the hang of it. The second half of the game I was telling them where to mark and where to stand. It was great. We played against the team that we go to do minister against once a month. So we knew some of the players on the other team. It was a blast and hang out with the students. That night we went out for sushi my new favorite thing to do.

I Have some exciting news I have decided to stay for another year here in Ghana. I have such a peace about being here and working with these students. THese kids just need someone to listen to them and just be here for them. I feel like God has given me the students this year and I have been put in charge of especially of the high schoolers for a reason and they are starting to open up to me and how can I leave them now. I am so excited about where God is leading me. THis year has not been easy by any means but God gives us not so easy things to teach us something.

life as a teacher

How do you know what to say when you have a student searching for something that is more. Struggling with who they are and what their purpose is. On Friday I had a student just share what was going on in their life and it just broke my heart. They keep everything inside of them until it is just overbearing especially when there is a lot of decisions. I thought about what I could say or how I could relate to this student. I then remembered Job and how his friends didn't have to say anything. They just sat there with them. We have been doing Esther for our Bible study and we have been seeing that Esther was put in the palace for a time as this to save the Jewish people.

What happens if I were brought to Ghana for the second year of teaching Third grade and having a random high school study hall is not random at all. Maybe for a time as this to be here with this student listening to what is going on in their life. More and more I realize that nothing is random we are brought to certain places and given certain students for a reason. God is good and He gives us the people we need. I am so thankful for God using me in a time as this.

Please pray for this student their is a lot decisions they have to make. Continue to pray for the decision I have to make for next year. I will be with you in a little while. Just remember God has you where you are for a reason.

oh to be in Ghana...

There are some things that rarely happen in the states but in Ghana it happens very frequently . THese happened to me all this week in a matter of like 4 days. Okay so here we go...

1. Thursday night after our schools soccer match I walked home was home for about ten minutes when I hear this awful screeching noise. A dog had chased a chicken into our compound and our guard, Daniel was trying to catch it. He finally caught it and we decided that we wanted to take a picture so we took our pictures but then however, one of housemates was like I want to hold it and I was like I am not holding that thing.

However in the end of course I held a live chicken.

2. On Friday night we went to our new favorite place the Koffee House and we went to have dinner and play some games. We were not there for more than an hour and a half hour later of course the electricity went off. So we immediately pull out our phones that have flashlights turn them on and set them on the table and continue to play our game.

3. So I get to sleep very easily on Friday night excited to sleep a very long time. However, at a bright and early 5.45am a car decided that this was a good time to get someones attention and was honkey his car horn for 15 minutes. so by that time I was wide awake. Hence exhausted for the whole day.

This week has been a rough week I have not felt the best. I had a cold like thing this whole week and didn't feel good at all. I went to school everyday even though I should have been at home asleep. I am still not feeling the best, so please pray I get better. I think the toughest part about being overseas is not being informed of things going on stateside, and things changing without knowing.

I have included some more pictures.

THese are most of our "sharpeners" girls, we went out for pizza last week.
My third graders
Liz, Kim, and Me at the AIS soccer game on THursday.
Me and Fanny she is one of my mentoring girls.

ALno and me one of the high school soccer players.

Listening and waiting...

is probably the two hardest things to do. I am in this state of waiting and listening. Knowing that God has His perfect timing is reassuring but how do you make that comforting when you have to make decisions that impact your life. Right now I am in the process of choosing what to do next year. There are a couple of options stay here in Ghana and continue to teach on a year contract, or I could transfer to another school and teach another grade level for two more years. My waiting is soon to be done because I am soon going to get that paper in my hand where I have to make the choice, but how do I really know where God wants me. How do I discern where God wants me and where it is not just my emotions. This Sunday afternoon from when I get back from Church till 5 pm I am going to just pray and listen and search the Bible just really seeking God's direction. I am really looking at maybe going to Turkey and see if I could get the k-5 teaching job. I miss the joy of little kids. Is it not amazing God already knows where I am going to be and He is already laying down the carpet for me.

Less stressful updates:

Volleyball is going ok. We only have two students now. We have had three quit. We could have had an opportunity to play a game in the near future but had to say no because we only have two students. It is hard to do anything at practice with only two people. Some days I wonder what is the point of having volleyball with only two players. It seems worthless to me but then God just says you are working with two that want to learn and you are ministering to them so keep working at it.

Sharpeners is on its way. I have two ninth graders and tonight the girls are going out for Mama Mia's pizza.

Today is also Character day at school the students get to dress up like their favorite book character. I am excited because I am reading the story Running Out of Time, which was like one of my favorite books as a kid and I just read the part where she goes outside of Clifton 1800's to 1996 in jeans and a tee-shirt so I am dressing up as Jessie Keyser and it is going to be awesome. I will try to post some pictures of my class up here so you can see what they have dressed up as.

GOd is good all the time and all the time God is good. He will bring what he will and I am eagerly waiting for where I belong in the plan. Please pray for my next year and where GOd wants me. Pray for my class this year has been a rough one and a struggle to keep it all together with this class. Safety especially this weekend as it is halloween and witchcraft is around here and so just pray for this continent this weekend.

As iron sharpens iron

This week we had our first meeting for the sharpeners and it was a blast. I really feel God is going to impact these kids lives for Him. They have so many good ideas and they really just want to be stronger young men and women for Christ. We have grown to about 10 students, which we have gained 2 tenth graders.

My students have been such an encouragement to me this week in little ways. Little notes they have left me or random hugs. God is good and he uses the little things to impact huge in my life and others.

God has been working here in Ghana we had many students come to Christ at a chapel call in the high school I think two weeks ago at chapel and I know there are some students in my class that are really struggling with the idea of Christ.

Yesterday I got to relax by the pool which was nice and just read the Bible, read my book and listen to Shawn Mcdonald, and truly just a get a relaxation and refreshment from the Lord. Then I got to go out to sushi with some of the wonderful teachers that I work with. After a good message today in church about not being of the world there is 30 people I work with coming over for our 2nd annual fiesta. This week we have a 4 day week. We get Friday off which is great.

Pray:

There has been a lot more robberies around East Legon which is the part of Accra that I live in. Pray for safety as the police have stopped their road blocks. PRay for the continued work of the Holy Spirit in all of my classes, and our school. Praise the Lord for all the rain we are getting it is still raining here which is very odd for this time of year. Praise the Lord for good health I have yet to be sick this year which is an 100% improvement from last year.

THanks for all the prayers and the support.

a chance to change a ...

life. Today I found out how it felt to really encourage a student and why I am here in Accra. Today I had a student that went from a great attitude to a bad, sad, i don't care about anything attitude. I dealt with the situation and eventually had to put him in the hall. I went out to talk to him and I was telling him how I love the positive _____ and how I want him to do well and succeed and how I care what happens to him. I asked him if he believed it and he said why should I and started crying. My heart broke that this third grader felt like he was not cared for. So we talked for a little bit more and I sent him to the bathroom to wipe his face. Then when I sent the rest of the kids out to lunch I prayed with him and sent him to recess. I assured him that I was here for him and that if he needed to come talk to me I was here and any thing he said to me would stay between my unless it was something I had to pass on. Please pray for him. I am not sure where his heart lies but pray for this student who is going something hard right now. Pray that he knows he is cared for.

This week I have learned a couple of things. They all have to do with my high schoolers. God is really using my study hall to challenge me to conversations and intentional things with the high schoolers.

1. Purity is not in their vocabulary. I have had more than one conversation about purity with the boys. The first one was a couple days of when I first had them and they noticed a ring on my finger where a wedding ring goes and they asked if I was married, which I replied and to that they asked why I wore a ring on that finger. I went on to explain that that was my purity and ring. They went on to ask me what that meant. I explained that it meant that I was waiting until God gives me my husband and till I was married. Then just this week after volleyball practice and two of them were in my classroom they started asking about purity again, and I just got from them that it is not significant at all. They think of it as a joke and it breaks my heart that having sex is a joke and not sacred. One of them even said that guys need to practice for their wives. That statement tells me that it is nothing. I just pray that I can be a witness of saving themselves and the gift of purity for their wives instead of it being something they do with everyone. Please pray for these boys and especially two of them that they are really just searching for answers and I believe GOd is opening up their hearts. Pray for me as I am faced with some hard questions and pray God gives me the words to share with them and be open with them.

2. High Schoolers are very observant. More than one this past week has come up to me and asked me what was wrong. They said I have seemed more sad and not my happy joyful self. They said I have been different. These shows me two things that I am under watch by them and they can see the joy that I have in Christ and just a difference in my life. I am not going to lie this year of teaching has been very hard on me. My class is nothing like last years and they are a struggle. I get more frustrated with them, often because they are not listening and they do not care about not listening which is hard for me because I want to do fun things and be joyful and show Christ love but it is so hard when all you are doing is repeating directions and talking sternly to your students. They also see me at lunch when I am ready for a break and be by myself and refresh and I cant because I have them. Pray that my students start listening and I have more patience with them. THat I show Christ love for them even when I am frustrated with them. Help me to share the joy with my students and especially the high schoolers.

Prayer

1. the high schoolers

2. My third grade class just that their ears would be open and that their hearts would be open to the Lord.

3. my stress level it has been up and so has my frustration that I can be joyful even when I am upset and disappointed with my students.

4. for strength on many of my days they are very long with little breaks especially no lunch breaks working with the high schoolers on tuesday-thursday and then lunch duty on Mondays and Fridays.

5. Volleyball it has been going well we have about 7 kids and then me and the other coach.

6. Sharpeners hopefully we will start this Friday.

it is all about the gutters...

the past couple of weeks I have encountered gutters more than I would like to. So the past two weeks it has been raining which is great. We always need rain here in Ghana so the fact that it is still rainy season is awesome. So because there has been so much rain there has been a lot of puddles, mud, and small lakes. While walking to school last week I encountered a puddle and there was no way around it. So with all of my things in my hand climbed up on this little ledge and straddle the gutter and walked until I could get down without falling in mud or stepping in the puddle. It was a very difficult task. However I made it but still managed to step in some mud.

Then at volleyball while bumping a ball went over the fence across the street and straight in the gutter. Here I am on the corner looking into the gutter and was about to say to myself sorry I am not going into the gutter a guy came over and said he would get it out for me. So I held everything he had in his hand and he crawled down and got it. Now the dilemma was carrying it back across the street to the school. I carried it with exactly two fingers and i through it over the wall and then ran to go wash my hands. Even though I washed my hands they stilled smelt horrible too. However the smell has come out.

Life here is going well, the weather is still really nice and of course it is rainy. I spend most of my time in my classroom, tutoring, playing volleyball with the high school and Jr. Higher, and hanging in my bedroom doing more school work. I got a new student on Friday and my class is already making sure he is welcomed.

Please pray for the decision that I am soon going to have to make at the end of November of what I am going to do next year. Pray for the teenagers that are coming out for volleyball. Continue to pray for a couple of boys in my study hall they are really searching for some answers to questions and that I would have answers to their questions.

I don't believe in coincidences, only in God's perfect plan

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Praise the Lord I am so glad that I am not made like anyone else. I am glad that God has given me so many special traits and talents which are impacting my life right now. God is using the things that has given me and I have seen it this week more than I have the last couple of weeks. It all begins last Sunday.

Last Sunday me and a couple of my roommates went to Prom Prom. Prom Prom is a ministry for street kids and they get to live in this compound and go to school and every first Sunday of the month we get to go and do the little kids service. This last Sunday we read the story You Are Special by Max Locado. It was just really cool to hear the reminder that God makes you who you are for a reason and he does not make mistakes. Sharing this story with these kids that have a rough up brining and telling them God made you this way and He does not makes mistakes is just an amazing thing to realize. He puts us in situations and places that we ask why Lord and He says I know and you will see in due time.

Thursday was our last day of school for the week and it was the best day of the week. So many amazing things happened and I made a couple of realizations. First I have realized more and more that a couple of the high school boys in my study hall keep stopping by room throughout the day. Having this study hall was just another thing that I had volunteered for and did not think anything about it. THis week I realized GOd put each one of these students in my study hall and I relate with each one on a different level. Then I had my first volleyball practice we only had two that had permission slips but there was about 4 or 5 that were actually standing around us watching or playing. Once we have our Friday practice we will have more because soccer won't be going on, so we will get the soccer players that want to play. Volleyball practice was interesting we don't have a volleyball yet so we were playing with a beach ball which when it is windy does not work very well. So instead I focused on the basics and how to do them correctly. Then we jumped rope a little bit and then cooled down. Over all it was fun and I can't wait for the rest of the volleyball year. Then after school I was in my room just organizing and two of my study hall boys were hanging around down stairs when I went to get something so they came up to my room and helped me do things. In this time I really got to talk with these two boys and just what was going on in their lives. Then the one left and I had one still in my room and I asked him Don't you want to go home and he said no there is nothing for me at home I am having more fun sitting here coloring for you. That just broke my heart a 16 -17 year old boy saying he would rather color than go home because there is no one there and nothing to do. God used this time just to really talk to him and I noticed the day before he was having a bad day and so we really got to share in his life. God is using me to work with high school who knew that me a third grade teacher who voweled never to teach high school be doing so many things this year with high schoolers. Pray for this young man. I don't know his relationship with Christ but just pray that the teachers at this school whether it be me or another teacher just really step out and share their lives with these students. I hope that I get more opportunities just to share Christ with these students. I have a feeling that this one student will be hanging out in my room more often and I pray that Christ uses me to share Him with this student and plant the seed for GOd to do His work.

PRayer Request

Please pray for the 6 boys in my high school study hall and for the time that they are going to be in there. I don't know when their teacher will be coming so just that I will use every opportunity to share Christ with them for the short time I will have them.

Volleyball that more kids will come out and that it will be a great ministry

The directors from all the african and asian schools are coming this week pray for a safe week with a lot of fun.

Decisions on what to do next year whether I will stay another year in Ghana or transfer to another NICs school. The decision for next year is coming soon.

Patience with a few students in my class. This week I am going to be sharing my testimony with them in two different occasions. That the gospel will get put out there again. God will soften their hearts to who He is. That the seed will be planted.

How can it be that one person can change....

a class,

a house,

a world?

This week I have experience all of these. There is three ways one person can affect these three things in a good way. in a bad way, and change these three for Christ.

In my class I saw how when one student is in my class I have a totally different class than when that ONE student is absent I have the most calm class in the world. The past two weeks have been the most stressful, difficult weeks of my teaching career. The past two weeks I have come home and been completely drained. All I could do was go to sleep. On Tuesday I had the biggest headache and did not feel good at all because I believe it was just a highly stressful day and my body was reacting to it. Every single day I had a headache minus Friday when that student happen to be absent. I was sad that the student was not there but I realized that I would have a less stressful day and my Friday was amazing. I felt good I was smiling, no headaches, and I could enjoy teaching. I could enjoy my students.

Please pray for my class. It has been a rough year and we have only been in school for starting our 4Th week. Pray that I will have patience with this particular student and really be able to show Christ with him and just see a change of heart.

In my house wow I love my house and I love my housemates. We got a new housemate last week and it has been an adventure. We got to show her around, and different things. I have gotten a little frustrated though because it is like teaching someone how to do things all over again when they are just like in the states. I guess because I when got here things like telephones and washing machines are just like in the states so I could use them. However our new roommate is not realizing that, and she is not technology savoy which is also frustrating for me because it comes so easy for me. Our house has changed and not just because of that one roommate it just went from being loud and having fun with each other to seclusion in our own space, which I hate and I have done it a lot this week but I miss our whole house just hanging out with each other.

Pray for our house that we don't go against each other and that we can stay focused on why we are here and the relationships that we have.

The world. I have two stories from this week:

Story One

This week I and another teacher have been fighting for volleyball at our school for those who do not want to play soccer, because lets just face it some people hate soccer and have no desire to play it but do because it is the only thing at our school. So we finally got our director to approve volleyball and it starts on Thursday. I am really excited because I get to spend more time with the Jr. High and high school students and get the opportunity to continue to share Christ in their lives. This is an amazing opportunity to share Christ with the future leaders of the world. Touching just one of these students could impact a country or a continent and that is an amazing opportunity. Plus I get to teach something that I am so passionate about and love to play.

Story two

This week in my classroom we have been talking about God's blueprint and how Jesus is the main structure of this blueprint. We also talked about How God prepared Jesus for ministry by Jesus being baptized and being tempted in the wilderness. Even through all the frustration with my class this week I shared about how Jesus was in flesh and blood just like us and had the same human tendencies that we did but even though he was tempted he did not give in and so we have that perfect example of how we are to act. The whole main reason for these temptations was all preparing him for the cross to take our sin and give us that gift of forgiveness and being saw as perfect in God's eyes and how all they had to do was accept that gift and we would be in Heaven with the perfect human Jesus, and with our heavenly father and then we prayed. That was the end of our day two days last week. I don't know if any of my students were touched by the lesson but God has that all worked out and I don't necessarily need to know because I am to plant the seed and God brings the harvest in. Praise the Lord.

Pray for the students both in the volleyball program, and in my class that Christ would just work in the lives of these students and that I can just show Christ's love to them even in the most stressful times. Pray that the students just have an open heart to the Lord.

elementary teacher and Jr. High and high school study hall

Ok so I have a high school study hall during my lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Tuesday and THursday I also had the 7th grade but the art teacher is here so now I only have the high schoolers. I love having the high schoolers there are 7 of them. On Wednesday they were filling out SAT things and they were asking me all these questions about school and some things that I did in college and things like. One of the questions was did I party in college? I got to tell them about where I went to school and why I went to Cedarville. It was just a great opportunity to share with them. I hope this week I can really just get to know them and be Christ to them. I also got a new roommate on Friday. We got to go over to the directors house on Friday night for an american dinner. It was so good. Then on Saturday we went to the mall to get our new housemate all the essentials that she needs.

four girls, a spider the size of a tennis ball, and clean up

This weekend has started out crazy. I felt like little miss muffet in my house. Every where I went there was a huge spider. I went to the kitchen to make my food and almost stepped on one in bear feet. Then I went back to my room to wash my face and brush my teeth and I was brushing my teeth and I looked up and there was a huge smile less than an arms length away on the wall that crawled out from the mirror. I ran up stairs but I could not see anyone up so I sat on the couch until Tayler came out and she came to get Erin to come kill the spider. However, when we got back the spider was gone so we sprayed my room in the corners with raid. I left for school and when I got home I went into my bathroom and Mr. Spider was back so I called up stairs and everyone came running. ERin went to kill it meanwhile me, Tayler, and Shari are up on the bed in case it feels like running towards us as soon as Erin goes to hit it Tayler screams which makes me scream and SHari run. We are go running out of the room and Abdul our guard comes running to see if we are ok. We go back in to wait for it to come back and we raid it so now we think it is dead behind the mirror. We went out to the mall to eat pizza and when we came back we were still aware of the spider that was not there. Daniel had come in and took the dead spider out from behind the mirror. THis morning when I woke up I had the raid right by my bed ready to kill any spider that I saw. I woke up this morning at about 6.15 which is sleeping in for me here in Ghana. I got up and started doing laundry and washing dishes from all our cabinets which is a chore. Then the directors wife sent a text to see if anyone wanted to go basket shopping and fabric shopping and pedicures. So I was out busy doing some shopping. I got one basket that I am really excited about and then some really pretty fabric which I am supper excited about. THen I got a pedicure with hot pink nail polish again. It is fun.

Praise the Lord I have been healthy and my body has adjusted to Ghana very well. My class is really nice. I have all 12 of my students now and my classroom has changed a lot with just two more students. On Friday we got to have a discussion during reading about how sometimes God uses things that we see as horrible or bad luck to teach us something or show us what is important. We also talked about how God sometimes uses those situations to bring us back to Him or for somebody else to come to Him. Please pray for my class this year as they are a few students in my class that God is showing me patience with and sometimes it is really hard. On my calendar at school I wrote Colossians 1.9-14 just as a reminder of who gives me strength and who I am qualified by. Praise the Lord for his mercies every morning. Pray also for me as I have a high school Study hall during my lunch everyday minus Monday and Friday so pray that I can just share Christ with these students. Pray also for our mentoring program right now we have 7 kids pray for a good turn out of the high school kids. Please pray as we are still looking for a Bible teacher. Thanks for all your prayers. God is working in our school.

Captivate me Lord Jesus with you

I was listening to a song called Captivate Us by watermark. I was thinking about this year and what my goal as a teacher was going to be and how I wanted my life to change through that. I honestly want this to be my goal and I wanted to share the lyrics with you.

Lyrics to Captivate Us :

Your face is beautiful

And Your eyes are like the stars

Your gentle hands have healing

There inside the scars

Your loving arms they draw me near

And Your smile it brings me peace

Draw me closer oh my Lord

Draw me closer Lord to Thee

(chorus)

Captivate us, Lord Jesus

Set our eyes on You

Devastate us with Your presence

Falling down

And rushing river, draw us nearer

Holy fountain consume us with You

Captivate us Lord Jesus, with You

Your voice is powerful

And Your words are radiant bright

In Your breath and shadow

I will come close and abide

You whisper love and life divine

And Your fellowship is free

Draw me closer O my Lord

Draw me closer Lord to Thee

(chorus)

Let everything be lost in the shadows

Of the light of Your face

Let every chain be broken from me

As I’m bound in Your grace

For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light

You’re full of wisdom, power and might

And every eye will see You

(chorus)

The past couple of months I have seen a lot of lost of earthly things and there is a part in this song where it says Lord devastate me with Your presence and we look at devastation as bad but how many times does God use loss to bring us to him. I want this song to be my goal for my life and my class. I want to be in his presence at all times good and bad. I want to be captivated in Him. My prayer is that our school and home will be Captivated in who Christ is.

School starts Monday and I am so excited for my students to come. I have 12 students 5 boys and 7 girls. My room is all set up and pictures will come to the blog soon.

Wow!, I can't believe I am back in Ghana. Life here seems to be so simple compare to America. There are not the distractions that you have in the US. I am all moved into my house and all my house mates are here minus one and we don't know when she is coming in. Coming back was an exciting time for me. My flights went well after about a 45 minute delay in Chicago we made it off the ground and was in the air and made it to Washington D.C. where I could finally relax and wait for Tayler. I arrived and there was William ready to pick us up and I was thrilled to be back. THe school looked amazing there was another floor. GOd is working here in Ghana and it shows by how much our school has grown. So I got to school and I have found out that my classroom was moved again, I am not going to lie I was kinda of disappointed but then God showed me what a blessing my room is going to be. Setting up my classroom I started to get even more excited about the opportunity to teach. I will have pictures coming soon. More to come with Monday the first day of school.

13 days and counting...

Today in my devotions I read about Nehemiah and how he was building the wall and how he could not do it by himself. It later went on to say that this person worked side by side with another person. The main passage was Mark 6. 7-13 and how God sent them out two by two so they could work together to share the gospel and work in miraculous ways. That really got me thinking about how I fit into this whole situation and this passage. My first thought was I am at a school where I work with 13-20 teachers and staff in a school setting where are purpose is the same. We at AIS are all there to teach the students subjects but more importantly to share the gospel of Christ. Every single teacher or staff that comes in contact and shares Christ is on the team and it is just not one teacher that is working with these students but there are many and that is the whole point of the passage. I also think that God sent them out in pairs to be accountability to each other and an encouragement to keep each other built up so that the purpose will stand.

So as I head back to Ghana I ask that you pray our team is strong in its purpose of sharing Christ and build each other up and not be divided against each other. Pray that I can take everything I need to back to Ghana with me and that my suitcases are on weight. Pray as I travel in a couple of days and as I meet up with the first grade teacher.

PArty in the USA

I am back in the states and going like crazy. I have done VBS and now i am in Memphis for two weeks and then I will be back home. Feel free to give me a call because I am always looking to hang out with people.

God's Faithfulness

More and more this year I have seen God's faithfulness to me. I was reflecting this morning on all the times God has been there for me. I would like to recap them for you just so that maybe if you are going through a hard time that God is faithful to be there with you.

Getting me to Ghana was the first thing. The week before I came to Ghana I had the stomach flu and I was well enough to leave and not be sick on the plane.

Then when I first got here my bank card didn't work and I couldn't get money out. However God has one bank in my area that would allow me to get out with my debt card and there is one in the mall which is also just amazing part of God's plan and His faithfulness.

The next event came 3 weeks before we were to leave for Christmas break and we still didn't have our passports back from immigration. The week before we were supposed to leave we had to fill out all the paper work again and knowing that everything takes so much longer here in Ghana, it was not looking good. However a couple of days before we left God delivered again and His faithfulness won against doubt.

Then when I was leaving for Spring break we were not sure if we were going to have our passports again however God is faithful to get those for us our visas were not renewed but we had our passport. Knowing we would have to pay a fee we were prepared to leave for Germany. We got to immigration and God again proved His faithfulness by getting us through immigration with no fee at all. Praise His Name!

Now with British Airway on strike my flight gets cancelled and I am stuck in Ghana however, God worked in His ways and I have a flight home on Monday night through Germany and then straight from Germany to Chicago. God is good and His faithfulness reaches to the mountains.

Why do we still doubt? I think its because we try to control situations and we can't see how something good can come from it however as Christians we need to just realized and believe that God is in the driver seat and that He is more than capable and He knows the outcome of any situation. We have to remember that God is not going to give us more than we can bear and He has His hand in everything. In Bible class we have been looking at Christ overcoming things and one was overcoming nature and it was the story of Peter and Jesus walking on water and how Peter when he was focused on who GOd was he was more than able to walk on water. However, when Peter started looking at the waves and all the negatives he sunk. In this world I think ( I know I do ) so often we look at all the things that go wrong and don't look at the times God has gotten us through these situations and we can rejoice in the positives rather than the negatives. Even the little things like a hug from a student when you are having a bad day or a wave from a little boy on your way home from school that has never waved to you before even though you wave at him all the time after a stressful day when you are about to break into tears. God puts those little reminders around us on our worst days I believe to give us a reminder to look at who He is and His faithfulness.

I will be home with you all on Tuesday evening. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and His knowledge of all we do.

You alone can rescue. You alone can save. You alone can lift us from the grave, You came down to find us, lead us out of death You alone belong the highest Praise.

flight

My flight has been cancelled so I do not know when I will be home with you all. Missing you greatly Pray for a flight that is in the next weekend, SOoner then later.

The last weekend with everyone

Preparing for the last week of school is exciting and sad all at the same time. Being in Ghana and the people here have impacted my life and to think that the people who have been my family this past year are now leaving is a joyful sad occasion. I never knew how hard it would be to say goodbye to the people I live with. It is kind of being like in college again. Each day this weekend was a little bit different. On Friday I went with the girls downstairs to La Gallete. It was so good and it was awesome to spend the last Friday night for some of them with them. Then all day on Saturday I helped clean downstairs and picked up some of the things they didn't want for next year. Then tonight we had our last care group where we just worshipped and listen to the people that were leaving talking about what they learned. After hearing all those testimonies and hearing how faithful God is to His promises, you just come away inspired.

This past week I have really noticed how God has been talking to me about not worrying about the things I can't change and the negatives and focus on the positives. This week in Bible we have been talking about Jesus' miracles and how He walked on water and Peter joined Him, and as soon as Peter started focusing on the bad things and the waves and took his focus away from Jesus he sank. This week I have been reminded more than once to focus on God and His faithfulness in every situation. For instance I taught it on Tuesday and on Tuesday it seemed like I was hungry all day so I randomly said "I am hungry" in class and one of my students Winy raised her hand and said "Miss Meitzler you should focus on the positive things and not the negative things just like Peter and Jesus." How precious is that little reminder she gave me. Then also on Tuesday I found out that my friends flight was cancelled and it is two days before mine so I started stressing about that and again I was reminded of turning my focus to the positive things instead of the negative . I am so worried over something that God already has his hand in.

I Peter 5.7

Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you!

Prayer Request

Flight I find out on Tuesday wether it is canceled or not.

Adjusting back into America

The ladies in my group for PFO (Pre Field Orientation)

8 days until I home worshiping with you !

Faith

video

Today my class in Bible was learning Proverbs 4.20-27 and so they paraphrase the verses and put actions to it and I took a video and thought it would be fun if you guys could see it.

I hope you enjoy it. This video shows a lot of the personalities of my students.

2 week notice

This past week and weekend has been very busy. We have had a lot of things to do with school this week. Then this weekend it has been full of good eating. On Sunday three of Lebanese families had us over to dinner. There was so much food. It was so good. Then this morning we got to go to breakfast at the golden tulip which is a really nice hotel with really good food. I got to have bacon, potatoes, and other good food. We had no school today so it was nice to just go to breakfast. Then I just went to school and worked for 4 and a half hours. It was a really sad occasion looking back at all the memories that I had setting up my classroom and now I am starting to take down my classroom. God has been faithful to me this year and I am so excited about the year to finish and for next year.

Prayer Request:

I have been getting really bad migraines because of sinus pressure and it was getting to the point where I could not do anything because my head hurt so bad.

My flight home and that BA would stop striking so I can get to London and then fly out.

My class is going on a field trip next Monday pray that everything goes smoothly.

I hope to be home soon with you.

Prayer Request for traveling home.

So I have been a little worried about the strike going on with BA we found out that the high courts said that they could not go on strike. HOwever the union appealed and the courts now say that they can go on strike. Which means my flight could be cancelled. Just pray that even if they do go on strike they will run my flight from Accra to London. Also pray that the volcano stops erupting so that I can fly to London also.

Things I have learned about myself this week.

This weekend was great and stressful. THis weekend we had a huge jumbo sale at school. It was a blast there was a whole bunch of people there and it was fun walking around with Amanda and trying on clothes. HOwever, I learned a lot this weekend.

1. One is that sometimes being around the same people day after day can wear on you. I am to the point where I need a change of people.

2. I need an outlet other than the people I work with and live with. Last night being in the house by myself was nice I just got to think and something that really hit me was this past year I have learned a lot but I have focused to much on the people I live with and the people I work with and that is not why I am here.

3. I shouldn't need an outlet from them because I should focus on them. My focus should be on who Christ is and sharing him with my students and nothing else matters. So many times I just want to be alone and people in my house take is as being angry with them and I am to the point where I am over it because they are not my focus.

4. I realize that relationships need to be here but if they are hindering who you are and your attitude that you don't need them. I have learned that while I just get frustrated with certain people because of how they come off I just need to be by myself and spend time with God and get my focus back to who He is.

5. I learned that being who I am and not changing for people is important. Making a stand for what I believe and my responsibilities is important and I need to do it more often.

There is a song by casting crowns that has really just reminded me this past month of who I should be focused on. It is called I know your'e there.

If all I had was one last breath
I'd spend it just to sing Your praise
Just to say Your name
If all I had was one last prayer
I'd pray it 'cause I know You're always listening
If I could live a thousand lives, bind the hands of time
I would spend every moment by Your side

'cause I, I know You're there, I know You see me
You're the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me
I know You're there, I know You hear me
I can find You anywhere

Lastly I learned that my outlet is not people My outlet should be GOd and so many times I have failed at making Him my ultimate outlet but He remains faithful.

3 weeks and I will be home with you!

Donkey Tales

the music program went really well everything worked and we got everything set up. I love seeing my students parents.
THese are two little kindergartners after the program

four of my third graders already for the program

one of my third graders before the program began

Carly and Charley our business managers kids.

A bunch of the kindergartners before the program

three of the kindergartners playing before the program.

After the program Christy came home and we made dinner and we got to hang out with Daniel. We made him dinner and He got to have his first taste of Chocolate milk and and Oreo.

Ms. Meitzler you sound like a donkey....

This is what one of my students told me today in class when I had the hiccups. My students have their music program tomorrow and its all about a donkey ranch. So all of my students have donkeys on their minds. THis week has been full of ups and downs. My kids have been driving me crazy, they have not been listening and their minds are already on summer break. One thing I have noticed and learned about myself is I get frustrated more easily with my kids because they are not doing things that we have done everyday since the beginning of the year. Another reason is I expect a lot out of them for this time of the year maybe a little to much.

This week my heart has just been set on what is my life sharing with these kids and the neighborhood. Is my life showing Christ or is my life here sharing the values of the world. I would say that sometimes yes sometimes when I am frustrated with my class or my roommates not so much. Today I really focused on being patient and not get frustrated with misbehavior and be calm. I think I did a pretty good job at it today however it is something I strive to be better at.

Prayer request:

The spring musical which is more of just the spring music program is tomorrow pray that we have electricity and that some of the parents will see who Christ is through it. We have a lot of teaching jobs open so just pray that those can get filled they are putting some stress on our director. Pray God will bring the right teachers to the job. Continue to pray for all the attitudes of the teachers as we finish school up. We only have 18 more days so pray the teachers and students finish up strong. Pray that the volcano in Iceland doesn't hinder me getting home because I fly through London and I am traveling by myself. Pray that students sign up for our mentoring program we only have one right now.

I think that is it however if I think of something else I will post it later.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!

waiting patiently with God's love

31 days till I am back in the states with you all

18 days of school left

"If all I had was one last breath I'd spend it just to sing Your praise just to say Your name!"

- casting crowns I know Your'e THere

Faith

I have a renewed spirit this week. God has been answering prayers. I am excited about the rest of this year but more excited about next year and what God is going to be doing at AIS. This week on Friday we had our first annual Poetry Slam which I helped put together. My job was to welcome everyone to the poetry slam and pray for the poetry slam. If you know me however you know I hate being in front of people, but it went well I did not pass out which is always a good thing.

Continue to pray for our mentoring program next year. As of right now we have only person signed up. Pray that the students will come and sign up. Also pray that teachers will be willing to help out with it.

Also continue to pray that all our positions get filled at school. Pray that we get some guy teachers also. The boy students at are school are hurting and they need some good mentors for these boys.

We are also going under construction again this summer so pray that that goes well and we can start school on time.

Waiting patiently with God and hoping to see you soon.

This week has been an amazing new adventure. Each day held something new. On Monday we got the name for the mentoring program I am starting for the high schoolers next year. We gave the flyers to the teachers on TUesday and they went out on Wednesday. Tuesday I helped with kids group at our house and it was a lot of fun. Wednesday was chapel and it went well. A little four year old asked why Jesus had to die for our sins and the first grade class had some great conversations on Jesus and the cross later that day. THursday we had a teacher appreciation lunch at school and it was so good. Friday we went out for chinese food and we had a really good waiter last time so we asked for him again and he was there. this was the best service and the food came out in like 15 minutes which never happens in Ghana. Saturday it rained and it was cool and it was nice and I had to wear a long sleeve shirt because it was like spring. I cant believe that i will be home in 43 days and there is only 30 days of school left.

GOd is working in the lives of these students continue to pray for them.

Pray for the meeting that we are having on Wednesday for the highschool about sharpeners our mentoring program.

Prayer Request

This week my class has chapel. We are talking about forgiveness. I found out on Friday that I would have to lead chapel even speak at chapel because they could not find anyone to speak. SO this week I am going to share the gospel and just ask the question Do you know if you are going to heaven? Pray the students hearts will be open and that everything goes well.

first week back

WOw! I am glad that the first week back from break is over. It was a long week and very tiring. Last night we had a video at school so me and some teachers went and it was a pretty fun time. I have some more pictures that I wanted to put up of some of my students that were there. This is me and Becky a little girl in the pre-k 4 year old
THis is Cara and me one of the students in my class.
A better picture of me and Becky.
Kim, me, and Christy at the movie UP at AIS on Saturday night
Us Agian

On Friday night we had Kim and another teacher and Lauren over and we made a bunch of random food and also talked about our trips it was a blast.

Please pray for Third grade chapel on Wednesday and I am going to be speaking the message and I am going to lay the gospel message down and i hope that it goes well.

Pictures

These are not all of the pictures just some of my favorite ones. You can see more of them at Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2081220&id=141301902

This is a castle that I saw from the train station. It was very pretty and amazing.
This is probably one of my favorite pictures of the whole entire trip. It just shows the whole essence of the trip. It was cold, it was an adventure, and it was a reminder of home with fast food restaurants. There is also a funny story that goes along with this photo. So I got this coke because I was thirsty so I drank it on the train. Our first part of our train ride was an hour before we got to our first transfer. However, little did I know that to get to our first stop would take more than an hour and by the time we would get there I would really have to use the bathroom. So we got off this train and I was just praying there was a bathroom on our next train so we found our next train with little time to spear and there was an older German couple sitting there and I was asking them is there a bathroom on this train and they pointed to where it was at however, I feel like they were amused by me and so we eventually went and sat down and they sat down next to us and we talked a little bit to them and I believe they talked a lot about us but only in german so I couldn't understand.

The train station in Kolon. We rode a train from Landstahl to Kolon. It was about a 4 hour train ride both days. The train station reminded me a lot of a airport. We spent a lot of time people watching here and had some pretty weird interactions here. Loved it though.

This was the cathedral in Kolon. I got to go shopping and it was a blast. I only bought one thing and I also got to eat Duncan Donuts and Mc Donalds and Starbucks. I also had an experience of having to pay one euro to use the bathroom.

Monday we went to Mc Donalds for a snack and it was really good. It was my first Mc Donalds since the summer.

I was sitting on this bench at the Landstahl castle.

This is a German flag at the top of the Landstahl castle.

We went to this castle on Monday and it was amazing.

Meghann and me in Egypt waiting for our flight to Frankfort, Germany.

Wow I am finally back but miss Germany so much. In this blog I just want to recap my spring break by just telling a little bit I did each day and something I learned about God or myself each day.

Thursday night Day 1

So this was a night of answered prayer. Leaving the country could have been potentially very expensive for me because my visa was expired and it was in immigration however we went through and it was not stressful at all we just explained everything and what we thought we were going to have to pay God had a totally different plan. We walked out of immigration without paying anything to leave. We got our stamps and got our visas renewed right there without paying anything. God answers prayer and He is faithful to those who trust in Him.

Friday Day 2

Almost to Germany Yay!!!! One statement I have you know you are in Africa when you get asked for money tips. We got into Egypt and had to go through security. I made it through however my carry on didn't. I had batteries in my carry on. The police officer took the batterities and the plastic bag and asked for a bribe. After I firmly stated that I didnt pay money bribes had taken the batteries out of the plastic bag gave three to me and three to my traveling companion and took the plastic bag and let us on our way. We finally got to our gate and in 4 hours we would be in Germany. So we finally made it after the longest flight ever or so it seemed. When we got there A.J. met us at the gate and we went to Worms, which is where Martin Luther came out with the German Bible. Then that night he took us out for steak, it was good I just had schnitzel but had a little bit of A.J's steak it was good.

Saturday Day 3

We woke up and went to base and ate breakfast at the golf course while A.J. had Bible Study. After that we went to all these little German towns and moved things. After we moved these things we went to Burger King which was amazing! Then we went back and helped with getting things ready for the youth retreat. That night was fun we just stayed in with Anna and watched chick flicks and ate popcorn. It was just a relaxing night.

Sunday Day 4

Easter in Germany amazing. We went to chapel for Easter service it was nice and then A.J. and Anna had been invited to the Officers club and so they went there for lunch and me and Meg went to the Bx/PX and had Taco Bell which was amazing!!!!! Then we went over to their friend's house and we watched Moriah find easter eggs. After that we played a card game and ate lunch meat sandwiches and sun chips and of course drank my favorite drink ever, Dr. Pepper! It was amazing.

One thing that I really focused on in my devotions today was that God uses all of our faults and our inadequacies to relate to people and to grow closer to Him. So many times I fail and God uses those failures which is just another amazing aspect of God.

Monday day 4

We woke up and we watched Moriah for a little bit . After the morning at about 3.30 we went and saw the Landstaul Castle. It was gorgeous and I have pictures that I will put up soon. We then went to help move some closets. You would think this was boring and who would want to do this but the people I met while doing this was just so fun to hear their stories was amazing. After that I got my first Mc Donalds of the trip. It was really good then we went to get Doners. These are amazing, they are turkish and it is a pita, with lamb and cucumbers and tomatoes and then this ranch like sauce they are really good. Then we just called it a night.

I should mention on all these little trips I am just picking A.J.'s mind about interning and what really goes on more at the ministry.

Tuesday Day 5

Youth Group DAY!!!!!!!!!! I loved helping out with youth group. I met some really fun people on this day. So I started out the day with cleaning out the closet in the chapel for A.J. Then the middle schoolers started to come. So I got to share a little bit about what I was doing and I got to see Sara again, we stayed with her the first time I was in Germany, and got to lead games which was a blast and they liked them. Then Jordan and Daniel took us out for dinner, we went to Burger King again and it was still amazing!!! THen high school I felt more comfortable with this group because I had my warm up with middle school. So we ran games and A.J. wasn't feeling the best so we played another game inside and then just worshipped. Then Jordan, Daniel, Julie, Meg and me went out for ice cream. I loved being at the youth group and really just taking interest in the youth. This generation is going to make an impact on the world for Christ.

Wednesday Day 6

We traveled to Kolon on a train. It was a pretty amazing day. I got to go shopping and it was a blast. I got to see an amazing cathedral and it was so much fun.

Thursday Day 7

TOday we just really hung out and watched some movies. Then A.J. made us Red Robin Burgers on the grill. UM!!!!!

Friday Day 8

I watched movies today before we left. Then we went to the base and I got to help out again. Sara came and picked us up to go to her house for the night and then take us back to the airport.

Over all this week was amazing and I love Germany. I can't wait to go back hopefully sometime soon.

Thanks for all the prayers!