High School all over again!

Today Avan and I got the chance to go teach at a local high school about Mexico. Well i guess you can say he taught, i was just kind of there, assisting whenever he needed it. We did the normal presentation except the itsy bitsy spider, instead we did the macarena. It was so much fun and the kids really enjoyed it.

First Sunday

My first Sunday here was good! its different than what i am use to in the states (which isn't always a bad thing) because we take communion at the end of the service. After worship, we split and the kids head down stairs. I headed downstair to listen to the lesson Avan was going to teach on with him and Sara Lin. We only had one kid so after the lesson was over Introducing the fruit of the spirit. After church, we went to lunch and got glass cups. It turned out to be one of the best days here so far!

Youth Group

Tonight I went with the one of our church cell groups to dinner at Ponderosa. It was really nice to see people my age and to eat american food. I know, I know why do i eat american food after flying half way around the world, but i really was homesick, and the streak hit the spot. After we finished eating, we just sat around and talked and fellow shipped with each other. I am really excited to get to know these young adults.

Public School

Yesterday and Today, I got to go with Avan and Joanne into the public school and watch them teach. Yesterday Avan taught about Jesus turning water into wine, and shared with them. Today we went to 2 different classrooms and shared with them about Mexico. The kids learned how to say Hello, Thank you, I am good & "and you" in Spanish. Avan did an amazing job with teaching them.  Then he teaches them the motions to the itsy bitsy spider, so they can do it while he sings it in Spanish.Then when he finishes that, he shares with them apples with lime and chili powder, and explains that this is how they eat apples in Mexico. While the kids are passing around the apples and eating and watch a video of pictures from his hometown, Avan runs off to the bathroom and changes for the dance he  preforms for them. After the dance is over, Avan reviews the words with them, and then he explains that we came to the school to invite them all to our VBS and we hand out flyers. After taking a couple pictures class is dismissed and we leave.

*The picture above is of the outside of the school building.*

Chinese Learning

OK, so before I arrived here in Taiwan my biggest fear was learning the language! Because Chinese is a tonal language and it is very different from English I was worried I was going to say something totally different when I spoke it. On the train ride home, Avan told me that Joanne would be teaching us Chinese, and that she spoke perfect English and Chinese. I was really excited to hear that, and I think that was the point that I realized that I was going to be OK, and God had everything under control!

Jet Lagging :(

Sorry that I haven't wrote on here in a couple of days, but I have been busy learning Chinese and doing other things. Mark the calendar today was the first day that I was able to sleep all the way through the night and not have to take a nap during the day! this is the only thing that i really dislike about flying, jumping time zones is fun in all but getting use to a different sleep pattern is not.

So i arrived in Taiwan on Sunday night (for those of you that dont know i left the US on Saturday) and my teammate Avan met me at the airport. Right off the bat he seemed like a really cool guy, but i was a little worried because we had to travel from Taipei to Taichung which is 2 hours south of the capital, and i didn't think he knew where he was going. But by the grace of God everything went great and i dont think we could have timed it anymore prefectly! From the airport we took a 15 min. bus ride to the high speed rail, which is like our trains in the US but they go alot faster! :) I was alittle scared to get one, but Avan told me that you really dont feel like you are going fast, and who would have thought he'd be right. LOL From the high speed rail, we then called for a Taxi to take me to my temporary "home" while Dave and Brenda are still in the states. Its a really nice place....i will post pictures later! well thats it for now, gotta run!

Flying

I never really realized how over whelming flying was but now I do. I can't imagine how i am going to feel when I get to Taiwan, if I am feeling this way and I am still in the states! :( This is really going to be interesting! I really wish I had a coach with me or even another person!

Taiwan: Thank you!

Taiwan: Thank you!

Thank you!

Dear Friends and Family,
I just wanted to take this time right now and thank you for everything that you have done for me. Your encouraging, servant hearts are truly a blessing and I am grateful. If you don’t know by now, I am headed this summer with Team Expansion to Taiwan. I will be teaching English, sharing the Gospel and learning from Dave and Brenda Atkins. Again I thank you all for everything you have done for me whether it was financial support or praying for me, it means more than you will ever know! May newsletter coming soon, keep a look out for my monthly letters informing you about all that I am doing for the work of the Kingdom! It’s in His name that I go, and His name we Praise daily!


Please Pray
 That my words are not my own when I teach, but that they come from God.
 Pray for the people that I will encounter this summer that they will be open to what I have to say.
 Pray for me while I learn the language and try to communicate with the people.
 Pray for me and the other Pathway interns that are in Japan, and Kosovo, and the states.