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.