MARCH 3, 2009
Just as I started to write this, Elaine came in with a piece of mail! My precious brother wrote me a letter! Thank you so much Brother—I loved every word…so glad you get the blogs…and it’s a good thing you are retired…I rattle on so much that people who work don’t have time to read all this!
I had an accident today. I know it could have been much worse—and I thank so many of you for praying for protection for me. My physical injuries are minor, but I did become a bit upset. Much more so than when I crashed the Segway into the light pole in Chicago!

I think I’ve written that our building is multi-storied and we have stairs (44 steps between my floor and the office…several times a day—and 44 more to the canteen for lunch) and 2 elevators. The elevators are slow and most people avoid them because they are so weird. They are rectangular and very narrow boxes that barely hold 2 people and are like no elevators I have ever seen. To get on one, you pull this metal door open and walk in. Then these metal accordion doors shut—all very narrow. Today I started to step in one, and it had not come down level with the floor and I stumbled. I fell headlong into it and hit my head on the back wall…I was a little stung—but then the door closed…and I was on the floor—it started moving and I just was not okay! I finally managed to reach the button and get to the main floor and shove the door open and crawl out. Shane and Erin were both close by, so they took sobbing me into his office, got me an aspirin and I settled down. It was the fright more than the hit on the head and bumps on my legs.

I went to my next class—and my head stopped hurting, and I finished the day. I even tutored from 3 to 4…no pain at all. And I am fine tonight. I just wanted to share that to say thank you for praying for me—I know I could have really hurt myself…and also I walk EVERYWHERE…up and down stairs that are very slippery and on terrible roads home…a fall could happen so easily. So I am grateful for your prayers for my safety.

Tonight Wilma, my friend who lives across the hall with Erin, came over and invited me to come over to their apt and meet some people from Houston! So I went over—they are a sister and brother (her name is Joyce…can’t remember his) but they are on staff at Lakewood Church—they have a Muslim background. I’m not sure the connection with Wilma or how they know them. Nice to meet Texans! I asked him if he had spoken at FBC Houston, and he had. I thought he was the one I had heard on a CD from my sister, but he mentioned a name that I recognized as the one I heard.

This may sound a bit whining…just a realistic picture of life here. I just took a quick bath—very quick because there is absolutely NO heat in the bathroom... and the water was barely tepid…I woke up this morning at 2 a.m. and got up and turned the hot water switch on so I could have a hot shower at 6 a.m….but unless we do that or turn the switch when we first get home OR if the sun shines, we don’t have hot water! Leaving the switch is too costly on the electric bill…(?) and if it is on, we nearly always lose electricity and have to go downstairs and flip the breaker! Friends and family, never take that hot shower for granted!

Having a little accident and taking a cold bath—both very small things. In the midst of all of these things, God is blessing me and deepening my relationship with Him in such a wonderful way. I am very very grateful for His presence and His grace—it’s just so amazing. I know that for this season in my life, He has invited me to a new place…and even though I don’t understand so many things, I am grateful for His plan that even includes oldies like me. Today after I had fallen, I was saying I’m too old for all this…I just want to go home…and Erin was saying, No you’re not…and outside the office was this young man—a 10th grader that I’ve gotten to know—his name is Majd—and he was just so sweet and came by and wanted to get me something…he came back with some ice cream and offered me some. It was just so sweet. I feel really blessed to have formed some good relationships with so many of these kids…and above all, I pray that they would know it is God loving them through me…please pray for that for them.

One more funny thing…I called a number tonight that I thought was Cindy’s (my new friend from Woodville who was here on a tour with FBC Houston and is staying until March 31), but the lady who answered didn’t know Cindy. BUT she picked up on my American voice...and just chatted away…asked me for names of restaurants, etc…she was from Toronto (kept saying eh! Just like my nephew John Erickson!) so I told her about Maegan and I visiting Prince Edward Island…and we just had a nice conversation!

I am looking forward to being home a few days—and then returning until June 6. I appreciate your prayers and interest in this adventure…please continue to pray for my family and Jerusalem School.
Love
Beth