On Holiday

Hello everyone!
We’re on “holiday” this week… out of our country, renewing our visas.  The workers here have helped us with logistics and I am so thankful for them. The locals here are equally as nice. Our plane landed and we went through customs fine, but Gabi’s officer asked if we were taking at taxi into town. He then proceeded to tell us that petty officer Jo Bob must take us because all the taxis from the airport are sleezy and they couldn’t have 3 American girls just roaming around the city at night without an escort. So, off we went and as we got closer to the city, I understood why he wanted to drive us. It was Eid. Guys with cans and bottles in hand lined the highway ready for some fun (and ready for some drag racing it looked like!) It was at that moment that I relaxed and began to feel so much safer in the backseat of this random man’s car. We passed the city square where literally thousands of people were out to celebrate.
Like I said, last weekend was Eid, the end of Ramazhan. One could not really tell the difference between Ram time and non-Ram time though, unless you had some friends who were serious about it. This whole month there were billboards and advertisements all over town for it. Some people were very devout and serious about observing the month of fasting, especially men, but not as many as I expected. The impact of religion on the culture here is not at all what I expected. It is very interesting to me to hear the saying, “To be c.a. is to be Mus.,” when in all actuality many people are nominal or do not really understand the implications of following Muh. For instance, a couple weeks ago I met a girl who said she wasn’t participating in the fast because she could not bear to go all day and not eat. So, she ate throughout the day and still celebrated at sundown with her family and friends.

Well, last week we had meetings all day. It was a good time in the word and good preparation for the upcoming semester. I met a lot of ho semester students, who were such a joy to get to know. They are in my thoughts often as we have all spread throughout the country and this region of the world.

Throughout this week I have been reading of Paul's writing to the colosians. It has been a great encouragement to me of my purpose in being here, especially the middle section of his laboring for the ch. He writes, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of Father, namely, his Son, in whom are hidden all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge" (2:2&3). He then talks of the freedom available for those whose trust is in the Son as well as how to live as we set our hearts and minds on things above. Something that had really stuck out to me was later in his letter when he said, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that Father may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Some goals I have made for myself include these exact things. I want to be watchful of how to pray for the people in the context of sharing and ask father to give me opportunities. I ask that I may not walk in foolishness, but in wisdom as I am bold and that I may make the most of my time. 
Lastly, I want to season as many conversations with salt so that they may be flavorful and deep. Our Savior said that "whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (Jn 4:14). I see a lot of "thirsty" people, who are searching for something/Someone to put their trust in. They are needy for something quenchable. (You and I both know Who that is ;)) As I looked at this I remembered some fun facts about electrolytes that I had learned in nursing school. Salt (Sodium Chloride, Na+) is an isotonic solution that works hand-in-hand with water (H20) to maintain homeostasis in the body. If there is too much or too little salt, your body wants to change in order to remain at a normal operating state. So, whether a person has a condition like CHF with edema or they just eat too much Chinese food (which has lots of sodium and MSG!), your body knows it's level of sodium is so high that it needs water to compensate. I hope this makes sense and I am not just rambling on, but I see a very close connection of this in sharing that I think is pretty cool. It is kinda wrapped in this package: salty+HS+belief in the Son->thirst quenched.


Here's a little update on language… I have realized the best way I’ve learned the language (what little I feel like I know, but is actually more than that) has been a combination of total physical response (TPR) and just practicing with people, even if I think I don’t know how to say something. I met someone lately who was very encouraging to me in my language study. Mr. T, one of the creators of TPR! He is a legend not only across the m. world, but here in Central Asia. Actually, I was blessed to have met him just before he and his wife moved to another CA country last week. He is such a sweet man and had been here for many years, helping a linguistics company in translation of the local language. If I understand correctly, their team has translated 3 movies so far: Cars 2, Brave and Men in Black 3. Mr. T has a wealth of knowledge, let me tell you. I talked with him a while about Russian. When I introduced myself I said, “Callie Anna, sounds like Polly Anna.” Then he began to tell me how much he loved that book and encouraged me to even read it in Russian. He said it was an easy read, but idk about that. Nothing is an easy read for me yet! We talked for a while about the university language program I’ll be attending and its style of teaching. “It’s a great program,” he says, “but it’s terribly hard.” Oh my! However, students who study in such classes for a year go straight into regular Russian university classes the year after. So, by those standards I would be able to read Polly Anna in just a couple months! Unfortunately, I do not think I will move ahead in language that quickly, but I am determined to learn as much as I can, as well as I can. I am excited to learn more and more and be able to share in more depth the love the Son has for these people.

Thank you for your continued support, love and prayers!

Kinda Like Nomads

My theme verse, if you will, has been Ps. 18:49 - I will praise you among the nations, Papa; I will sing praises to your name… I think of it no matter where I am because when my geography changes, one thing remains: Papa and his grace. I have been reminded of that so much.
Traveling is my middle name recently; this for a few reasons, but mainly for orientation conference and visa things. Papa could not have orchestrated this at a better time. The month of August is very quiet around our part of the city. Ok, not literally, but the campus is pretty bare and several of our local friends have traveled home for break, so it is relatively quiet. Our English clubs are on break until school starts again, so our schedules look a little different. I’ve had lots of quiet time with Papa and of course lots of time to hang with Gabi, our roommate Meg Ryan and newest crew member Sara.
We are continuing to learn the language and be involved with culture, even if that means going to the market when we have nothing to buy. We finally found the vendor with spices the other day. He was so nice and helpful and I guess he liked us so much that he gave us some mint leaves for free. J I love riding the bus around town. Just about every time we ride it, someone hears us speaking English and wants to practice speaking with us. We have met some interesting people, given them fliers for English club and even had discussions. An extra project that I am excited about is creating a prayer-bussing map. It will essentially be the same idea as prayer walking, only specific to a single bus line with information of what to pray for at every stop. It will be a great way to lift up the city and be in prayer for its people and the nation’s leaders. No matter what the nation and wherever I am, it is so important to remember the president and other leaders in prayer.
We have experienced a couple different house groups lately. They are all unique in style, but similar in heart and spirit. It has been so encouraging to get to know local followers and hear how Papa is changing their lives. Most, if not all, have such a heart for reaching their own people in the city and it is so sweet to see what that looks like. (In modern group lingo, how it “fleshes out.”) The groups are intimate and honest, more like small groups back home. This allows for accountability among brothers and sisters and allows for edification; for the HS to move and convict. It’s like the most organic form of ch. and so genuine. One group has a vision of multiplying greatly. I am drawn to it and interested in Papa’s plan for it. Sitting through class and learning of indigenous communities was one thing, but to actually be a part of one is so cool. The whole time leading up to this semester abroad experience, I wanted to just be a fly on the wall in the believing groups here. Now that I am here, I am soaking it all in!
Some things you can be praying about are visas and travel logistics; that my love for the people would remain genuine and my attitude would always be that of a learner; and that I would always engage the culture, even on hard culture days. I have been encouraged to pray in a specific and intentional way for five friends who are followers, five who are not and five local people groups (uupg’s). Specifics aren’t necessary, but I ask that you partner with me and pray for those people as well.