Thursday, July 16, 2009

Adios, Auf Wider Zen...

Hi everyone! Hope you all are well!

I am doing quite well myself, and am very happy to have spent the last two weeks with our visiting NY team, which included my sister and other friends (including one of my pastors). It was so great to see them all and chat with them about life “back home” (I seem to have multiple homes :P). I was of course especially blessed to hang out with my sister!

It’s interesting to be on this side of outreaches; in the past I was here many times as a team member or intern, but not as staff. It was nice that Eric and Ginny let me stay close to the team and spend a lot of time working with them instead of sticking to a more normal schedule.

The team did so many things while they were here, making it very difficult to mention everything… but here it goes: leading games and activities for children and youth programs, leading devotions at Sak Saum, taking the Loaves and Fish orphans on a field trip, helping fix up our Foundation Center building and playground, taking our Sak Saum girls on a water park outing, teaching English and music, preaching at our new Sunday services in Saang… that is just a partial list!

The team’s departure was a tear-jerker; although I’ve never had too much of a problem with homesickness, it was still hard to say goodbye to my sister and friends. But at least I know I’ll see them again at Christmastime. :)

Now I am getting back into more of a routine: office work, starting back up our Bible class with staff, Sak Saum devotions and English, health teachings, etc. Sveta and I had fun at our last health class: we dressed up as clinic doctors and taught about eye and ear care. I am so blessed that a lot of older men and women from the community are attending; this is the first time that some of them have wanted to come to the Foundation Center. So, teaching health and safety is opening up some new doors for us in Saang!

Hope you all are having a great summer! 

God bless,

Emily