Water, electricity, rain and more

This has been such a great place to work with families. The need here is great! The time is too limited to do everything that needs to be done.

Yesterday I consulted with a family whose children are experiencing delays in education. After the consultation it would have been great to do further testing, but there just isn't enough time.

There were also several consultations with Korean families who are educating their children in English. The challenge is to provide enough resources so that they can adequately help their kids to succeed. There is just not enough time for me to sit down with them and write a whole program that will be helpful.

Then there are the lovely consultations wherein the children are doing very well and the parents just want to know if they are on the right track. It is like a vacation to sit with them and affirm what they are already doing.

The families are extremely grateful to have us here. They have us over for meals and bring meals to us and express verbally their thanks. It's humbling to see how great the need is.

Now about the country -- the mountains are snow covered and absolutely beautiful!

The water comes out of the tap a beige to light brown color sometimes and is not potable. I haven't forgotten to use the purified water for brushing my teeth yet, but I often get to the point of putting toothpaste on the toothbrush before I remember to go get some clean water.

Electricity is not reliable. Every night at 10:30 it goes off and it comes on every morning at 5am. This is especially problematic if the lights go off because the electricity goes off and we forget to flip the switch. It is quite and awakening to have the light glare in your face at 5 am. During the day, the electricity can be turned off without notice. An example, right in the middle of setting up for the workshops ( I had 4 that day that were each 1.25 - 1.5 hours), the electricity went off and stayed off until after the first three workshops were over. So much for media presentations:)

Today is the only day that we will get out to see the city and, guess what... it's raining. I think we will still go. I brought and umbrella. Places that we want to visit include a salon that is run by a woman who trains and employs marginalized women who might otherwise be forced into prostitution or worse. It is such a great thing to see how many here are working to help these girls. The men on our team are staying at Caravan of Hope, another place that trains marginalized girls and women in skills that will enable them to support themselves. They make satchels in one section, roast coffee beans in another, and make peanut butter in yet another. Today we will also visit Morning Star Cafe which was started for the same reason. All week they have been bringing us our lunches and the food is fabulous. So we will go to the cafe in person today for our brunch and thank the ladies.

When we finish with our brunch we are planning to go to the open air bazaar. It is one of the primary employers in Dushanbe. So it should be interesting to see. Then we will drive to see the mountains up close. They are only about an hour away and rise to about 23,000 ft elevation (we will only go up to about 5-6,000 ft). Evidently they have some of the highest peaks in the world.

Almost on a plane again

Hi friends,

Istanbul was a crazy time. I wish that I had blogged all of it for you!

2 events are really stand-outs for me.

1. A mom who attended all 4 days of workshops, had her children tested for Achievement, and who spent many hours talking through various issues wrote on her conference evaluation, "This was life-changing for me!" Wow!
2. The taxi driver who took me back to the airport started out our hour-long journey with, "I don't believe there is a God. Where is He in all the bad things that are happening in the world?" What a gift-wrapped opportunity to talk about deep things with him!

And now, I am getting everything ready for the next trip -- to Tajikistan. You can keep me in your thoughts and prayers while I (and the team) are there. Here is what we received yesterday in preparation for the trip:

Security Guidelines for Tajikistan

I.                  Most important rule of security:

Trust No One

Remember that your security is YOUR responsibility.  Ensure your safety against intentional and unintentional harm through the following procedures:

A.      Remain vigilant.  Be aware at all times of who and what is within 10 feet of you.

B.      Identify potential areas of danger.

1.     Road junctions/River crossings/Bridges

2.     Mountain passes/ Canyons and rough terrain

3.     Traffic Jams/ Buses

4.     Crowds/Bazaars/Downtown areas – know other exit options

5.     Dusk and Dawn

6.     Vehicle awareness – look for tampering or foreign objects

C.      Practice Information Security

You are being watched and people will be looking for information to use against you.  Do not make their job easy.  Talk about subjects of a sensitive nature in non-specific terms.

II.               Expect the unexpected.

A.      Always have photo ID on your person.

B.      Keep the phone list and map on your person.

C.      Always tell at least one other person where you are going and stay in pairs in crowded places.

D.      Have a sufficient amount of money on your person to resolve transportation, communication or other issue.

The city on two continents

Istanbul - next stop - below is some info on the city where we will be.

The Blue Mosque In Istanbul

Istanbul is the only city in the world which lies on the shores of two continents, Europe and Asia. It is located in the northeastern Marmara Sea. It has a population of approximately 18.8 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area (2010), or about 18% of Turkey’s apparel, particular from over 73 million inhabitants. One can appreciate that the number of people can actually be higher by at least one million floating population, like all big cities. (http://www.metrolic.com/istanbul-a-city-on-two-continents-144289/ )

The next couple of months are crazy for me. 

1. My brother, Chuck, arrives today to spend today and tomorrow with us.

2. Sunday morning at 2 am we drive to LAX to catch my flight to Istanbul. I will meet a colleague at the airport and we will somehow get to our hotel. Our flights arrive in the afternoon on Monday.

3. Tuesday I will do a full day workshop on homeschooling for the families. 

4. The conference begins. I will help with achievement testing, scoring tests, consulting and do 6 more workshops including : Teaching Writing, Supplementing National Schools (local public schools), etc.

5. Tuesday, March 22,  I will fly home arriving on the same day late at night.

6. Thursday, March 24, I will teach my regular classes (Economics, Literature and Composition) for high schoolers.

7. Saturday, March 26, I will do a workshop day here (suggested by one of our local families to get an idea of what I do overseas and to learn more about homeschooling).

8. March 27 - CHURCH -- I have missed being with you all.

9. March 28, , 31 -- teach regular classes and have an Informational Meeting at my house.

10. Sat, April 2, leave for Tajikistan/Kazakhstan (similar to Turkey, but with a more informal feel)

11. April 14 , arrive home

12. April 30-May 14  -- my mom here for a visit

13. April 9 - last day of Artios, Artios graduation

And then I will need to relax and do nothing for a week or so to recover:)

Pray for supernateral peace and endurance.

 

Also please pray for our trips to Istanbul and Central Asia. Pray that we will be able to serve well the families who are there. 

New blog name

Hi friends,

You may have noticed how the old blog address looked when it stood on its own. I am embarrassed to say that it never crossed my mind. But now that I see it, I am changing it to the above.

On Friday, my brother will be here from Maryland to visit and then I will leave for my next trip on Sunday. Will you pray that I will be able to get everything done before Chuck arrives so that I can enjoy seeing him (I have not seen him in almost 3 years, though we talk on the phone more than that).

Also continue to pray for the families that we served in Hungary. Pray that they will not feel bereft without us there - especially those who received news about their child that requires significant intervention.

THANK YOU! You  bless me so much!!

Almost Home

We leave to come home tomorrow and I realize that I have not been able to tell you all the wonderful things that have been happening here.

- One dear family that I consulted (I mentioned them before) was able to get extensive testing for their son and will continue to do so since he has some significant learning issues. The mom requested several consultations with me and with various other staff. After her consultations with the other staff, she returned to me and asked if there was anything more that she needed to know before moving forward. We prayed together and I was impressed that I should pray specifically for the house that they are living in (a duplex that shares a wall with another family). After praying, she mentioned that she has been impressed that she should pray similarly many times. Would you please pray for this dear family as well?

- We (another consultant and I) were able to hostess a 'senior lunch' with the MK seniors who were at the conference. It was such a blessing to pray for and give special attention to these ones who will transition back to the States within the next couple of months. This is such a special group of young people!!!

- Many hours of handscoring achievement tests and staring at books for norming them -- technical jargon for my eyes are tired:) -- have passed and the grateful parents have been given the results. The parents were happy to receive the results and can now make plans for what to do next. They are so grateful for this piece of the puzzle to be put into place.

- There were multiple consultations about specific issues that parents are experiencing during the last couple of days. Please pray for these dear families who are making key decisions about what to do.

Tomorrow we get on the plane to come home. And I can honestly say that 'There is no place like home.' I will be glad to be in my own home, see my dear husband, etc....

Pray for me as I get ready for the next trip. I leave next Sunday. Yes, that is only 6 days at home. I have some to do, but it is not packed. I am hoping to get rested and really enjoy Matt's birthday with him.

- -

Workshops and Answers

Good morning,

Matthew 4 is so interesting because Jesus starts out weary. I never really noticed that before. And yet it does not stop Him from ministering to the needs of others. He goes right on to talk to the woman at the well.

Okay, so about the time here. So far I have met with 4 or 5 families for consultations, given 2 workshops, and administered achievement tests to 6 very fun teenaged kids. My schedule for the rest of the week is very nearly booked solid with 1 more workshop, many consultations, and more achievement and reading diagnostic tests.

But before I go any further I need to tell you about the food. 3 nights ago I had fried Heck fish. That's right Heck fish. I do not know what it was, but it was whole and dipped in batter and fried. Then 2 nights ago I had pork knuckle stew. I really don't know what that was, but it certainly filled me up. So I went to American normal last night and ordered a chef salad. The vegies were fresh but the 1/2 cup of mayo (that was the dressing) was a bit too much for me:) Isn't it funny how much food is central to an experience. I feel like this whole trip has been an adventure so far - from the airlines to the food.

Today I met with a gal who serves with the same denomination that I attend at home. She and her family serve right in Sopron. Please ask the Father for peace for her and her family. They are having their son tested for sensory issues this week that significantly affect both his education and the family. Their daughter (who was adopted) also has sensory issues and suffers from FAS. Already some of the resources that they need in order to deal with this issue are being provided (direct miracles!). Ask that they would be encouraged by what they learn here and that the resources would be of help in nurturing these two made-in-the-image-of-God, by-design-not-by-mistake children.

Day 3 -- Consulting

I started my day at 6 am today with my dear friend who lives over here. She and I always talk about curriculum and how to best nurture our kids for God's glory. It's such a great way to start a day here.

Since then, I have worked on getting all of the details together for the workshop that I will do this afternoon called 'Teaching Kindergarten through First Grade at Home: A Practical Approach. The workshop is very hands-on and gives a ton of information on what to teach when and how to do it very inexpensively with things that you can easily take from the States or get in obscure places like Estonia. It has been one of the most fun workshops that I have ever put together since we will actually do some of the fun activities together (we can act like little children for a little while). 

I have also met with a mom who has a 5th grader and a couple of younger ones. She is making decisions about what venue to use for education next year for her oldest child. They are planning for their children to attend American universities so want them to be prepared for that when it comes. Sounds easy, right? But it is quite a challenge for a student with a US passport to succeed in US university when he/she speaks, writes and reads perfectly in Albanian, but struggles with reading and writing in English (since they only get minimal education in the public system in English). So we discussed the different ways that their family could go about making the decision and all the factors to be considered. 

So now I am off to set up for this afternoon's workshop. Think popsicle sticks, feathers, beans, markers and construction paper. How fun is that?

At the Hotel

You would not believe the sheer amount of food that three teenage girls can eat. We went to a Hungarian restaurant for dinner tonight and the girls decided to 'share'. When it came it was a huge platter (think Thanksgiving turkey size) heaping with food. And they ate it. Maybe they are just storing up for the week:)

We are at the hotel where the families will come We got here just before dinner and unloaded the vans/moving truck. And really saw that the old adage -many hands make light work- really is true as 20 people unloaded and carried all of the supplies and baggage to the various rooms.



James 4:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

 Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."

Here am I, send me.

GETTING HERE - Miracles

Yesterday (actually Thursday, but the days get mixed up when they are combined during a flight), we got to the Santa Barbara airport and immediately saw the creativity and power of our Father. I only have a few minutes before the battery dies on this computer to write about it, but I have been sitting in bed for the past hour just recounting how amazing it was so I decided to get up and write it all down.

As soon as we got to the SB airport we found out that our flight to SanFrancisco was significantly delayed and that we would probably miss our connection to Frankfurt. The agent checking our passports started right way to work on something. She didn't tell us what it was. Finally, we deduced that she was rerouting us through LAX. A couple of minutes later, all four of us -- in the last four seats on the flight to LAX -- RAN- not walked, more than jogged - to security to get on a flight that took off only 5 minutes after we were booked on it.

We arrived in LA only to find out that the re-routing only worked for Amy:) After 45 minutes at the ticket desk waiting for the agent who was 'consulting her supervisor' in the back room (we think they might have had coffee and doughnuts in that back room, but ...), we were again given the last four tickets on a flight. Okay, this flight was completely booked but they had 4 seats. And because we have such a fun and creative Father, the seats were -- wait for it -- together. What are the odds?

So after 10+ hours on the flight to Frankfurt, we arrive too late to catch our connecting flights to Munich and on to Budapest. So we get in line to again be rebooked. Only, for some reason, we notice a different counter off to the side. I told the girls to wait in line while I checked out whether or not we could use that line (there we 50 or more people in the line that we started in). Sure enough, the line that we needed was the off-to-the-side counter with only 3 people in it. I waved the girls over and we started the rebooking process. Amy was already checked into a direct flight to Budapest but needed an escort for that leg, so even she had to wait with us. But, no worries, the flight to Budapest was delayed 20 minutes:) Maybe she would catch that flight and let everyone know what was happening with us.

Ah, but the fun never stops. My limited understanding of German came in handy as I quickly realized that the ticket agents were trying to get the three of us on the plane with Amy directly to Budapest -- she would not even need the escort. The words hurry and quick were used several time. AND then, for the second time on the trip we found ourselves RUNNING to a plane. The security screeners took us right through even though there was a line of 50-75 people. They hand checked us and we ran to the gate.

Miracles -- I'd say our Father was really on a roll:)
  1. of 4 flights for which we had tickets, we flew on none - yet arrive one hour early at our destination.
  2. the attitudes of all 4 of us were attitudes of adventure and not inconvenience - even mine:)
  3. as we landed in Budapest, tired from our trip, I asked the Father if maybe He wouldn't mind arranging something other than 4 transfers on public transportation to get to our destination and as we walked through customs, we saw a dear friend who had a ranged for a van to drive us directly there.

I was reading in John 4 on the plane. In it Jesus is traveling through Samaria and it says that He was weary from the His journey so He sat by the well. We are here now, weary from our journey, and we are sitting with the Giver of Living Water and thanking Him for taking care of us.
Then Jesus, who is tired, does this astounding thing, He starts to minister to the needs of the woman at the well, then to her whole town. Please pray that we will have HIS grace to minister to everyone around us following His example.

We are here. Today we will pack up two moving vans full of all the equipment we need to minister to these families. We will drive 2-3 hours to the hotel where we will be for the next 5-6 days and unload it. We are tired but here to serve.

Tomorrow families will arrive and we will begin to minister to them. Please ask for their safety and a sense that our Father is bigger than any circumstance that can be thrown at us or them.

Serving together with you,
Jean, Holly, Claire, and Amy (together with the SHARE Ed. Team)

Provision

Are you always amazed by what the Father does? I am. I was thinking and praying this morning about how grateful I am that I do not have to do anything in my own strength (and that in my own strength I can do nothing).

As I was getting ready for this first trip, I was struck by the fact that I would have to purchase the plane flights for both subsequent tickets before leaving. I looked in the checkbook and it really did not look like it could possible happen. But within about 36 hours I was able to purchase the tickets to Istanbul and to Central Asia AND saved about $1300 over the estimated cost of tickets. Now that is amazing. And now for the kicker, I still have enough money in the checkbook for the lodging, food, and travel expenses while we are on this first trip. If that is not something to be thankful for, I really can't imagine what is:)

So to top off the whole Provision topic: visas to certain countries are tricky to come by. And, again I am amazed. Both of the visas were granted for me and I just got word that team members who are living in Europe just got the Kazakh one. SO.... YEA!!!

Here we go today. A dear friend is traveling with us. She is 18 and we have one leg of our journey that is different from hers. Would you ask the Father to make sure that all goes well with that transition and the details that are attached to it? THANK YOU!!

Bon Voyage.

Disclaimer

Okay, this is the official and only warning that you will get. This blog will be filled - filled, I tell you - with grammatical errors and misspellings. I most likely will blog at midnight or later, but that is not the real reason. The real reason is that  I will not have my two faithful and trustworthy editors (Linda and Nancy) to fix my errors before they are sent.

I am off to finish my list of things TO DO before going.

Getting Ready

Dear friends,

This blogging thing is totally new to me, but I hope it will help me to keep you updated as I go on each of my trips. If you do not know which trips I am referring to, you can email me to find out more.

The girls and I are getting ready - packing, finishing up school stuff, straightening the house, etc. Last night Matt and I went out to eat to celebrate our 22nd anniversary. If you are saying to yourself, she is old enough to have been married that long, then I send you a special blessing. If you are saying, wow, she is old, well...

I finished the workshops, or at least the handouts for the workshops, that I will be doing in all the countries I will visit. I would really love it if you would ask the Father to lift the burdens from the shoulders of those who will be at each location. Ask also that we will be sensitive to what needs should be addressed for each family. Also that we would not do any of this through our own wisdom.

On a practical note, my knees always bother me on these long flights and there are alot of long flights in the next 6 weeks. I would love for you to lift that up as well. And, of course, safety for the teams and for the families who come.

I am really grateful for all of you and for the opportunities do do all of this! Thank you!!