A Father to the fatherless....

That moment when sharing one water bottle and one soccer ball with random kids is the highlight of your day... 

Most of you know that I coach a girl's soccer team. For the past couple months, soccer practice has been a hit or miss because of rainy season. Nobody wants to get struck by lightning or swept away by a torrential downpour. Plus, nobody cut the grass for like 3 months... And, aint nobody got time to tread through knee high grass!!!!

Anyways, someone finally cut the grass! So, yesterday we got to resume or Saturday practices. Score!
And then one girl shows up... Oh boy! What on earth do I do with one girl? The field that we play on is pretty ghetto, but it works. And there's a school and an orphanage right by the field. Kids usually climb the brick wall and sit on top/watch the big kids play.

WELL!!!! Guess who got to play on my team yesterday??? A bunch of shoeless kids. We had a blast! They had a basketball with them, so they were pretty excited to play with a nice soccer ball. Overall, I consider the whole thing a big blessing. The joy in seeing kids play and giggle washed over me and soaked down to the bone.

There is a father for the fatherless in this world. Thank you, God for sending your children my way to play. 

Distractions

This morning, I decided to ride my bicycle around for some exercise. You have to seize the opportunity to do so when the rain lets up! I usually ride with my backpack and just soak in the sounds of the town: chickens, dogs, cows, local language, and stares! But, today I was thinking... I really just wanna listen to some music. I brought my iPod with me. This is the first time I've been on a bike ride and not had to listen to the sounds of the town. I could see things, but I couldn't hear anything but Maroon 5.

When I got back home a few hours later, I got my journal out and started writing down some thoughts. I was thinking about how easy it was for me to tune out the world around me. Just pop in my headphones and escape for a while. Here, versus America, it's kind of hard to escape from things. You can't just go to the movies, malls, and entertainment centers that are on every corner in America. Everything is on the front porch of your mind, and there's no running from it. I started to think about times back home when I'd be somewhere with my friends and they'd all be glued to their smart phones. We were together physically, but not mentally or emotionally. So much for quality time!!

So, what am I going to do when I get back to America? Will I get distracted? Will I constantly fill my mind with things other than what really matters? I'm no fortune teller, so I cannot say what I will or will not do, but I am concerned about going back to that world. It seems so detached and scary. It seems inauthentic and robotic. Yet, I know all the people glaring at their screens are thinking something... They're feeling something... When they lay down to sleep at night, things in their world get quiet. I know this, because I've had many a night when I'd do the same thing.

What if we purposefully threw our distractions out the window in light of something with more purpose?

What if we hit the brakes and dealt with ourselves, our sin, our past, our hurts, our offenses against others, and the things that hold us back?

What if we choose to stop being detached?

Things could change. We could change.

And I believe the fire would spread relentlessly.

Friends, I've been forced to change. And that is an understatement! Haha! Living here has made me open up my eyes to a whole lot of needs that not only I have to take care of for myself, but needs of others around me. If I could make some prescription glasses that shared this new vision so easily, I'd do it in a heartbeat. All I'm asking the father is that he changes my eyesight so much that it cannot go back to what it used to be. And, I'm starting to take full responsibility for the way that I chose/choose to distract myself.

This is just what I've been chewing on lately. Now, you can chew on it too.

School's Out!!! Just kidding...

This is my first week of term 2 teaching ESL. On Friday, I got to meet my students and make them do crazy ice-breaker games in class. This week, we're hitting the books!!! It's hard to believe that my students from last term have gotten their certificates and moved on to the next level up of ESL!!

I have 27 students so far this term. Some I already know. Some are brand new friendships that will start. Either way, it will be exciting to see what the father does this term.

Good News:

• Of my returning students, two of them are seeking truth still. Ask for good opportunities to love on and share with them. 
• We have a hand-full of local monks studying at our school this term. This is a great great opportunity for good conversations. 
• Schedules make me a little weary and tend to exhaust me, as well as all of the other teachers I'm sure, so asking for strength for this term would be great! 

There is no bad news, but some other information is... I've been in country for 7 months and some change. This little fact makes me think: Really? Has is really been that long? And then again... Really? Has is only been 7 months??? Some days go by quickly, some days feel like frozen molasses, and others feel like putting salt in a wound. Regardless, 7 months is pretty long! I am amazed that the father has helped me to make it this far. He is my strength. This is the longest I've ever been away from home. This is the longest I've been overseas. This is the most I've ever been stretched, pulled, poked, and molded. And, I'm loving every bit of it! Keep changing me, God. Keep working on me. 

KITTENS!!!!! Inspired by: KITTENS!!!!!

I  LOVE CATS!!!! <3 

As most of you know, I'm quite fond of felines. Well, I moved out of the house I was living in (which came with 2 cats). They were my roomie's cats. I really miss those guys! Just to cuddle with and love. So, the new house needed a cat... big time! 

WELL, Here she is!!!! Say hello to Rosie! 

This, my friends, is a genuinely happy smile :) 

Rosie is very sweet and friendly. She's a teenage cat I guess. Caught somewhere in-between kitten and adult cat. There are no vets here since most animals are considered the main entree, so she's not fixed. Which means.... MORE kittens!!!! Haha!  There are already two different male cats roaming the vicinity waiting for her to come of age. This makes for a chorus of different cat noises throughout the day. Anyways, I wanted you to meet this furry bundle of joy!