JANUARY 22
I have missed writing two nights—and I can hardly remember all that has happened. I must try to keep up, or it will all be forgotten.
We are in the midst of great change at the school—in the high school. Shane, the principal, is trying to do classes, activities, teacher assignments, etc. in a different way—and it is hard. He is so very good—young, intelligent, personable—an excellent communicator who handles students, teachers, and situations very well in my opinion…he is a bit discouraged, so last night at the weekly Bible Study, we had a prayer meeting instead. Dr. Theo, who is principal of elementary (grades 2-6), was also in need of prayer. So we sat those two in the middle of the room and all of us gathered around and laid hands and Mary, my roommate, prayed a prayer full of the Word—just wonderful and based on scripture after scripture. She is really an outgoing person who knows the Word and speaks it.
Shane also reminded everyone of what he had suggested at the beginning of the year—about walking the halls before school, or going into our classroom or office and praying for God’s blessings on the building and all that enter. Wonderful—just wonderful.
I told him not to be discouraged—because just because we pray doesn’t mean everything is going to go wonderfully well. I do go in my room and pray before class—and yesterday, I went in before the students came in and walked around and prayed and asked God’s blessings and for any spirit of rebellion to be dismissed—etc…and then 11b walked in and I had the worst class I have had! They were so awful—I had to write a note to Shane and John about them—and Erin told me today that she talked to a couple of the more difficult ones. And today they were almost flawless! It was almost uncanny! So I believe God answered my prayer from yesterday today!
These kids absolutely knock me over with what they know. The 11A class is unbelievable. They not only know English words, but they know the connotation, the various nuances of words that really are seldom used. It isn’t rote memory work for them. They think. Amazing—yet they are rowdy kids—loud and playful. I have 11A and 11B—so I have the entire 11th grade—about 26, I think. There is a vast difference in the maturity level of these two groups, but little difference in ability.
Mr. Ross Byars, the superintendent, arrived yesterday. He has many important positions—across the Middle East and Europe—in the Assembly of God and in other organizations. He has lived here over 25 years—raised his family here—and was the initiator of this school. I met him, but saw little of him. He met with Shane most of the day…we made plans to spend some time Monday—as things are a little vague on a few things here for me.
I look out my window in my apartment and ride along in the car (YES-I got to go to the Mall again! Wilma and I went Tuesday night—it was their night to have the car and she invited me to go with her! I got sweats—as I had nothing casual to put on after school…and we ate and enjoyed visiting…she (age is 59) is from Dalton GA…her husband died suddenly of a heart attack the year before she came here—she’s been here 3 years—lives across the hall with two young girls who are also from Dalton…Erin and Christy. Their apartment is really really nice—new furniture and rugs, etc. They were all from the same church (at one time) so their church bought the furniture for them…they are really fun and sorta regular—watch TV, movies, cook together or not cook…just a good situation.
Well…I got off my story—I look outside as we are driving and I just can’t take it all in. The city is so beautiful—and at night it is almost eerily beautiful. All those dwellings in the mountains with little lights in the windows—and beautiful, beautiful stone walls built beside the highways—or main thoroughfares. Just beautiful. Erin told me they often close part of the roads because they are digging—she said they dug up an entire village a few years back—excavated things and covered it up and built roads over it…amazing. I just keep looking at the mountains and thinking that the Lord Jesus Christ may have put his eyes on that same mountain when He walked this earth. Overwhelming…
I am so interested in learning about everything—but I have a very limited perspective because I live “in the West Bank”—not really, but it’s ½ a block—and right outside my window and beyond a check point—so I am not free to just take off and walk, etc. And in no way can I be anywhere after dark by myself. We all walk to school—even in the morning…although I think that will let up as the tension in Gaza is less.
I can’t possibly drive yet—unbelievable driving and I am afraid I would hit someone or more likely get hit by someone. So I am still dependent! Dr. Theo started the process to get me a visa today--forms, copied passport, etc. and then told me I had to have a Dr. check up…now how do I do that? I ask Mrs. Maja—she is the resident Arabic Dean! She is really knowledgeable and they depend on her a lot. She has the money—and exchanges it for us, etc. So he told me to ask her and she will call the Dr…and then I said how do I get there, and he started telling me where the Dr’s office is…and I reminded him I have no way to go, no idea where the place is so I can’t ride a bus—and there ARE NO ADDRESSES in Arab sectors, so I can’t call a taxi and tell him where to take me! Can you imagine all these people and no street names and certainly no numbers on buildings…or apartments! I have no idea how I will get that Dr. appt. thing done.
Kristen and Trish have invited me to go with them tonight—to eat and to get coffee…it’s their turn to have the car. Isn’t that just the neatest thing—they are young—all of them are under 30…but they are being very nice to me.
Then tomorrow I am going to try to dye my hair! First time—and I really would rather go to a hairdresser but NO WAY TO GET THERE! YIKES! Can you tell that is getting difficult! Erin and Wilma have told me about one in the Old City, so I am going to try to go when I can get some transportation.
Also George (Kwahani)-a friend of Jack/Linda Park’s who is an Israeli-Arab and a wonderful Christian man working in some sort of Christian organization—called me last night and wanted to take me to eat tonight. But I couldn’t do that—without him having to drive me all the way back to the apartment—so I told him in a couple of weeks I’ll feel more free to come and go and will meet them in Jerusalem somewhere. His wife is Palestinian—and they have a little baby—they live in another city because she can’t live in Jerusalem and if he lives in Arab sector, he loses his Israeli citizenship…so she couldn’t come where I am because she couldn’t get past the checkpoint going back in to Jerusalem. What an awful way to live…but it almost seems accepted…those checkpoint lines are pretty difficult…not the waiting, but the whole idea that men w/guns are checking you and your car, etc…just so different.
As I have been writing this—Wilma knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to go to the mall!! So my reputation is out: ASK—Beth is ready to go wherever! I told her Kristen and Trish had invited me and for her to go with us…I called Kristen, and they were glad…and Erin is going too! So we have a whole group—sounds like a party in the making!
My roommate Mary is tutoring on the Mount of Olives—yep that’s where she is. We have students who live up there, and she goes on a regular basis to tutor their child and eat with them. A whole group of kids also meets up there in the home of one of the teachers at our school: Mr. Jamison—I don’t know who that is, but they have game night—social stuff on Thursdays at Jamison’s…so Mary will walk over there and ride home with some of the kids.
Bethany also lives with Kristen and Trish—and she is going to spend the night with a friend who lives in Jerusalem—the friend’s husband is out of town, so they are going to go eat, and have a girls’ night. Just such fun…
Wilma also told me she is going to try to get an appointment with “Jameel”-the hairdresser in the Old City…so we can go tomorrow…so I may be on the go tomorrow also.
Then I’ve not said a word, because I didn’t know if something would interfere…but I have plans Sunday with Adam and Bethany and Mary to go to Tiberius—for the day. Doesn’t that sound just wonderful! I can’t imagine all we will see. I am really excited about that.
So many wonderful things—I wish my girls were here to go and see and do too…maybe someday. Melissa and Holly are both writing the best blogs ever—Holly’s escapades are so entertaining—a little too exciting at times! Funny girl…and Melissa’s everyday stuff just makes me feel so wonderfully connected as best I can with her and her life and Maegan and what is going on. Melissa includes pictures of Maegan—and her school project and stuff and even a copy of the best report card I have ever seen! So grateful for those precious 3 girls…I absolutely love every word and picture.
So many many of you have sent me emails…and I read every word and treasure it. It is honestly like manna—please please don’t wait for me to write back or don’t think I don’t get them. Today when I came home, the internet was working. When I get ready to check the emails again, it may be completely out. I couldn’t even get on any part of the internet last night—not just my email, but I couldn’t even read the blogs…so extremely frustrating…because there is no one to call. I used to have such a fit with Time Warner…now I wish I had a Time Warner to call and have a fit!!! Amazing how one’s perspective changes with the lack of things!
I also have the yearbook class—that means that I have 5 senior girls who are in charge—literally in charge! They are absolutely so beautiful and smart and they are running the show—amazing…I am just checking on where they are and how far along and what I need to do to keep up. Melissa has agreed to make them shirts…black ones with gold letters and a yellow jacket on the front with their names under it. Then she is going to put YEARBOOK STAFF on the back.
No kids have any shirts of any kind that are about school—like all of PNG has some kind of shirt…even if it is just a purple shirt with white letters. So maybe that is something we might start them doing. I’m glad she’s going to do that.
Well…social life will start in a few minutes, so I best get busy. Please continue to pray for us—my family and me. And I would especially ask for prayer for the school. We have some problems that need to be worked out—but the law is not the same as it is in the states, and we have to work within the confines of the Israeli Educational Minister and the Palestinian Authority—or something like that. Anyway, the hearts of the people ministering here are just unbelievably full of love for these people. I stand amazed at the students—really just indescribably enjoyable…call me “Miss”…constantly…noisy and talkative and super friendly.
And the volunteers—such varied stories…and so like Joseph’s coat of many colors. Everyone has a different story, but I have yet to meet one person that is not so much like I am: amazed that I am ministering in Jerusalem. Many of them are very mission-minded and have always wanted to do some sort of missions…not me… I’m just a teacher. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a mission trip (like Ronda and Becky do)…but I can promise you, God has called me on this mission.
Next week will be finals—then we will have teacher training sessions in the afternoon. I have a pretty light load—he has decided to have “department chairs”—and yesterday, we met—me and two Arab men—super nice—Mr. Mustafa and Mr. Baseem…I will be the one for the English department. I would ask super big prayers for me—I have had years of experience in teaching English and I am old, but I am new…so I pray there is no problem with other teachers and I am extremely ignorant of the culture and need to be led by them. So we need to work together…please please pray that all goes well. No one knows all that yet…so we’ll see.
I continue to ask for prayer for my girls—I will be home March 9 for about 4 days. I am really looking forward to that—I plan to leave to come back on Sat. March 14, so I won’t have much time. The plane trip home is 27 hours (12 hour layover in Paris) so I pray I’ll have energy to get out and about… the last day of school is still not set (?)…graduation is either May 31 or June 6…strange that we don’t know that. So I don’t know what day I will be home.
I love ya’ll…I have a family group, friend group, church group, and PNGHS group—whom I have emailed…but when I send a group email out, I get this response that says something about DESTINATION NUMBER…something…so I don’t know if ya’ll are getting anything or not. I have pretty much given up on the emails…but I do receive them on my wonderful Blackberry—or as Janet says “Smackberry”!
Thanks again for every prayer and email and interest in what God is doing in this wee small life!
Beth