Home and Continuing On

Hello one last time,

I am so sorry for the VERY late last email.  I figured I had better send one more because God worked so amazingly in my travel home. I started writing this over a month ago, but for one reason or another I never finished it.  

I made it home July 31, Sunday afternoon. It never ceases to amaze me how God provides.  He had someone or something help me on every leg of my journey home.  Miss W drove me from Sakeji to Solwezi. We left around 6am for the five hour drive.  The trip was extended a bit because the gate where we should have exited wasn't open yet so we had to go the long way around through the villages.  Miss W had to continue on soon after she dropped me off, but she knew a woman in Solwezi who could help me.  

The woman's daughter was a student at Sakeji years ago.  The woman ordered a cab and stayed with it while I had a chance to eat my lunch after the five hour car ride. She brought me to the airport where she brought me to the small shop with some touristy items.  They were mostly too big or heavy to fit in my suitcase, but I was able to find one thing.  She walked me over to the tiny building which contained the security check, departures, and arrivals.  While there, there was a great hubbub going on at the airport.  I knew there was a lot of campaigning going on with the elections happening later this month.  I couldn't figure out why it was so loud that day. Later, when we were about the board the plane, a helicopter landed and one of the candidates for president came out.  There was much cheering and excitement.  The crowds gathered around him and guided him out off the airstrip.  Everything settled down and we boarded our flight.  Once I arrived at the airport in Lusaka, I was able to find more gifts for friends and family.

As I boarded the flight in Lusaka, they gave me a meal voucher for my layover in Dubai because I was staying for more than 4 hours.  I slept for a little while on the plane, but I was still exhausted when I arrived.  There were rounded couches which were much more comfortable to sleep on than the airport chairs.  Someone had also reminded me of Audible so I was able to have an audio book with me to help pass the time.  

When I got to New York, I had a 16 hour layover which I only found out about the day before I started traveling.   Through one of the teachers, who calls California home, I was able to find a connection in Brooklyn where I could stay the night.  That was definitely God working! 

Now that I am home, I have started another step to becoming a teacher.  I started m y first year of my Bachelor of Education this week.  All is going well.  Please, continue to pray for me that I will be a light for God to my classmates.  I am traveling with the same 45 students for the next year or two.  

(: Yolanda :)

Parting shot: One of my last mornings at Sakeji.

I Am Still Alive

Hello All,

As the subject line indicates, I have not dropped off the face of the earth. I have been quite busy with out even realizing it. This past week alone I have been trying to sort out form papers for school in the fall, had visitors for Sport's Day and Half Term break, and got ready for two other girls to stay with me for three weeks.

I got a notification saying the down payment on my tuition was due June 1 on June 30. Thanks for letting  me know. I knew there was something I was forgetting. So currently I am trying to find the form via Selena so that can be taken care of. I also get an email with a list of forms that need to be sent in by July 15. I have them all filled out. Now I just need to scan them home so they can be mailed to the school. I never quite experienced the complications living in the middle of Africa can bring. That was mostly Thursday.

Friday at supper we had three medical students from Kalene arrive for the long weekend: E, B, and D. E stayed with me and the boys stayed with another teacher, J (he helps me with the grade ones as well as other classes). The medical students helped on Sport's Day by timing races, keeping an eye on field events, and running in staff races. While here they helped me in the kitchen when I was on dishes; extra hands to dry the dishes is always nice. B showed the kids tricks with his diabolos. You will have to look that one up for yourselves. I don't know how to explain it. Coincidentally, it is very similar to the Spanish word for Devil (diablo), but it has nothing to do with that. We had a few game nights either at Miss W's house or J's house. We even played scrabble on the trampoline a couple times. That only worked when the kids were down at the river or had gone to bed. That's right, we played scrabble on the trampoline after dark. We are that talented. E, B, D and I went up to the airstrip on their last night here (Monday). The stars were so brilliant! We went up after a games at Miss W's so it was 11pm by the time we got up there. We walked out into the middle of the field and lay on the ground looking up at the sky. There were so many to look at! I felt incredibly small knowing how big each of those stars really are. God is so awesome in that he loved me so much he sent his only son to die for me even though I am just this little speck on this tiny planet called earth. By the time we got home again it was midnight. We had to be at breakfast by 7am so I lost a little more sleep than I wanted, but it was totally worth it. We had the second half of Sport's Day Tuesday morning. These were all the fun races including sack races, barrel races (with an actual barrel!), and three legged race. The medical students left Tuesday afternoon.

I am now preparing for two girls to be staying with me. They arrive sometime this afternoon. Hopefully, it will be at the time where I do not have to be teaching a class. I would like to go up to the airstrip to meet them. They will be helping in the small but important tasks that need to be done. They will help me with reading groups, hand crafts, and helping individual grade ones. They will be helping in many other areas as well: such as library, other reading groups, dishes, supervisions, etc. They will basically be taking the jobs that S and P (the two other girls who were here) were doing. I have been living on my own since they left. It will be nice to have the house full again.

I suppose that's it for now. Oh, yes. I forgot. I have also been trying to get things together for camp in the midst of everything. I will be glad to be back in Canada so I can communicate more easily with everyone.

Please pray for:

Grade one

-At least one is struggling with spelling and reading

-we are learning a new concept in Math that they are struggling with. We are learning to count in the hundreds now.  They are having a hard time finding the number that goes between 299 and 301. It usually comes out 2910 or some variation.

-integrity: I have caught a couple of them cheating on their tests.

Me

-as I get things ready for my own school

-as I get ready for camp

Much love,

(: Yolanda :)

God is Good All the Time

Hello all,

I guess it's been a while since I sent an update.  Things are going well with the grade ones.  There were two short termers who were helping with reading groups.  There are three groups and the other two are covered by other staff.  The two short termers are leaving on Friday (so tomorrow!) so I will be sharing the job with another staff member.  Two more girls are coming at the beginning of July and they can take over then.  In between, I will also be taking a reading group for the grade 2/3 class.  New adventures are in the horizon. :)  The rest of the grade one classes are going well.  I have to remember to keep up with the marking.  Midterm marks are due tomorrow!  I just got a word processor (called LibreOffice) on my computer.  It was wiped a couple weeks before I came out here and I forgot to install a new one.  I now have the ability to input marks with my own computer (They use an Excel document for report cards

Yesterday was supposed to be my convocation if I were at home.  I felt a little like I was missing out.  The feeling rather took me by surprise.  I didn't think I would miss it that much.  However, I got to watch part of it through a live feed.  It was so cool to watch my friends walk across the stage from half way across the world.  Through that and though encouraging messages from friends, I was able to go to bed satisfied.  I know God is all I need and He will keep me satisfied.  "The best place to be is right in the middle of God's will."  I had that reminder from a movie we are watching with the seniors (Last Flight Out).  

It is getting colder so the swimming lessons have stopped and the preparations for Sports Day have started.  Yesterday I was leading the juniors through their skipping race and helping the seniors get ready for their 100 meter race.  Some gave it their all and others...not so much.  Hopefully, they will perk up come race day.  

Last weekend was my weekend off and I planned to walk around with my camera and get a few scenery shots. Instead, I had a nap.  Maybe I will get to it today since it is my afternoon off. Maybe. Miss Y and I will head to the orphanage to sing songs with them, but there is usually about an hour in between when we get back and supper.  

Oh yes.  When the Rs left last week Miss W moved into their house which is attached to the infirmary.  I was living in Miss Y's loft, but then I moved back into Rosebank (I was staying there last time I was here).  The two short termers, S and P also were staying there.  I will be by myself for a couple weeks and then I think the two girls from Scotland will stay there.  

Well that's it for now.  Please pray for 

-S and P as they travel to Livingstone for a few days and them back home.   

-myself and the other teachers as we get all the midterm marks in

-general health and wellness.  There are a lot of coughs and colds going around.

God is good all the time.

Yolanda

A Baptism and Half Term

Hello All,

 This week has been quite busy. I meant to email on Thursday on my afternoon off but I ended up being busy all day. Last weekend Miss W and her girls, the Rs, and I went to see Joel and Kaleigh Griffin at Kalene where they were taking vacation time from Angola. It was so nice to see them and to see the Rs in a more relaxed situation. Mr. R is the headmaster and also the grade one teacher for this year.

 The Rs are actually leaving next week to settle their oldest into university in Saskatchewan. I have been observing Mr. R with the grade ones and slowly taking over classes. On Monday, I will completely take over the classes. I will have circle time, centers, Math, Spelling, Language, Phonics. Mrs. R was doing the handcrafts for the grade 3/4 boys on Saturday mornings. I will take it starting this week.

 This weekend was half term. The kids and teachers get a couple days off school and spend all day down by the pool and river. We had school Thursday but then they started the swimming Thursday afternoon. They have a half term movie the kids all watch together. This time it was Monsters Inc. It is so fun to watch a movie with the kids and see and hear their reactions. One girl in particular has a very infectious laughter. I was on pool supervision Saturday afternoon and Friday morning. I was able to even out my burn over the weekend. I was on one side of the pool all morning so was only really red on my left side. I was on the other side on Saturday. I have a particularly bad spot on my neck. My clothes keep rubbing against it.

 Last Sunday I had the privilege of witnessing four of the senior girls obey the Lord in baptism. I have known them since grade 2 and 3. They are in grade 8 and 9 now. I am so happy to see them going on for God.

And so it starts again

Hello all, I am happy to say I have arrived safe and sound at Sakeji school in Zambia. I had a good trip. From Dubai to Lusaka there was a bit of a delay because of an issue with one of the passengers, but once resolved, the flight went smoothly. The first night in Zambia I stayed at the flight house which is a private guest house for missionaries. I was so tired from my trip I easily slept straight for nine hours. I flew to Sakeji on a private flight Since the plane was smaller, the ride was more bumpy. I almost needed an air sick bag, but I was able to make it through. I was greeted by many of the teachers and many greetings that were long over due. I have missed being here immensely! I had a few surprise greeters as well. Joel (my cousin), his wife Kaleigh, and their three little girls are here in Zambia for a little visit. They are currently missionaries in Angola. It was so nice to see them on this side of the world. I didn't think I was going to be able to. They have gone to a little getaway at Kalene, but I will see them again on the weekend before they head back to Angola.. Since I have been here before I know most of the students in grades 5-9. I don't necessarily recognize all of them because it has been nearly four years since the last time I was here. They have done a lot of growing up! I am slowly learning the younger students' names. I believe their are 83 students in total so it is nice to know half of the names already. Please pray that I will be able to adjust back into the routine of things soon. I woke up at 2am this morning and could not get back to sleep until 5:30. Then my alarm went off at 6:30 to get ready for breakfast. Hopefully, I will be tired enough to sleep through the night and get over my jet leg. I will be taking of the grade one classes the headmaster, Mr. R, has been taking. Please pray the adjustment between teachers go well. Also pray that I will be a good teacher and that the students will be attentive and ready to learn. They are a very energetic bunch, and I am excited to be their teacher this term. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Yolanda