Cultural Training Weeks 2-3

Wow!!! We have been learning so much! It has been such a good experience though! I wish that I could go into detail of all the things that we have been learning and discussing, but for now, that needs to be saved for personal conversations. Needless to say, we are being prepared for the calling God has on our lives. Whether it be class time, homework, or our cultural experiences outside of class, our eyes or being opened a little bit more. It is an exciting time!

I know that I keep mentioning homework!...But, we have had our share of work to do! Most nights we have several articles to read, then every few days have papers to write. Tonight for instance, we had four articles to read, read 1 Peter, and write a paper! This past weekend we had 6 articles to read and three papers to write! Thankfully though, we are getting it all done!! :)

As, I mentioned last time, we are enjoying being surrounded by people that our in the same circumstances as us. Even though aspects of our stories might be different, we all have many similarities. There is a comfort in relating to people that are going through the same thoughts, feelings, fears, and emotions. It has been such a joy to get to know everyone!!

We are so grateful that there are several other kids here too. The boys have made friends and are staying busy! They might miss the Xbox and Wii, but as a mother, I do not!! Actually though, they don't really talk about it anymore!! They are enjoying riding their bikes, going to the student center and commons area, and swimming. It has been a great time for them to just be outside and hang out with other kids. Not to mention, that these kids too, are in the same boat as them. They are leaving friends, schools, and possessions behind as well. It has made them realize that their feelings are normal and alright to have.

Ellie has jumped right into the class with us! She has shared her opinions and has worked hard. She has, of course, made some young friends!! There is a 2 year old little girl, actually our neighbor, who just loves her! Ellie quite enjoys her too! But, she has also not hesitated in making friends with all of the adults as well. She, too, has seen the benefit of being here!

One thing is for sure, we miss home. As much as we may miss our physical house, that is just an object. We miss the people that make it "home". It is hard for me to imagine what the next months will be like. I know that God will give us grace to go through them and when we are home sick. We will learn to rest in Him. More and more, I see how our lives, each event, has been preparation for this call. I know He will comfort us in our times of weakness. The purpose of going is eternal, which far supersedes being home sick. Even though, that is a true reality, God created us with emotions and it hurts to be away from everyone we love.