Reflections on the Day

I awoke with one thought in my mind: “I’m on the good side of the hotel! Life is good!” Yes, I find my self once again in the most fabulous hotel in Kaohsiung. My room, on the 37th floor, looks out towards the ocean. I’m not sure I’ve actually seen the ocean yet, but it’s there…I know because I saw it once last year… ;-)

The day stretched out before me with promise—today the CI would begin. Breakfast at this amazing hotel is no less then you would expect: amazing! (that is for all you parents who are afraid your kids are only eating stewed dog and fried squid) After a cheese omelet, a bowl of granola, and 4 cups of coffee I’m ready for anything!

Devotions, led by Tim Chen (our Most Excellent Team Leader) was based on Ex. 4-5 and made us think about Moses, and his response to God’s direction.

Directly after our study we headed out to the church to prepare for the evening. Set up consisted of watching Jerry (our Kind of Excellent Materials Guy ;-) and his minions run around and move things back and forth. Quite a good time if you ask me!

We had Mexican for lunch! Can you believe it! We come all the way to Taiwan-ready to experience any number of horrors in the cuisine world, and they feed us Mexican! Ah, life is good! I love this! :)

Then the real work began: teacher training. For this we have to actually use our brains…by now jet lag is beginning to kick in a little and our eye lids are drooping…but Rachel (our Most Excellent Teacher Trainer) did a wonderful job of keeping us interested and focused. At the end of training we were set loose to prepare, and then eat dinner. I had spicy chicken!, At least they told me it was chicken… (once again, the running log of our food is to set all parents minds at ease…)

6 o’clock came…show time! The kids start to arrive…freak out time! My team got two kids…and then none. The team next to us got about 38 kids, and still we only had two! I was beginning to worry…especially when my only two kids appeared to be much more interested in killing each other then coloring in their oh-so-cool books of remembrance…finally I decided to begin the lesson. Like clockwork, as soon as I started to teach, the rest of my eleven kids showed up—successfully causing chaos every time a new child entered the room. The lesson was on Elohim, God our Creator. I love this name of God, and enjoyed teaching about it, even though it was in 10 second increments.

By the end of the seminar, as the kids were being picked up by Mom or Dad, I was totally exhausted. Chasing small children will be a sport at the 2010 Olympics, I’m sure. It was a good night, it had tough moments, but God was in it all, and I can’t ask for more then that.

Please be praying for us. Wisdom is always needed, as is patience and enthusiasm…but the most necessary component is love. Pray that God’s love would shine brightly in each of our lives, that we would love the annoying as well as the adorable, that we would see these kids as God sees them. I couldn’t ask for more then that.

Tired yet excited about the days to come, I fell into my bed at about midnight. Glancing out at the beautiful skyline etched against the night sky, I was again struck by gratefulness—happy to be back in this land I love, thankful to be chosen by God to be a part of the 2009 CI team.







From the Most Excellent Group,
Nomes (Naomi Kallberg)