One Full Week

"What's new this week?" a friend asked. As I began recounting various events and developments, I realized that many, many things are "new" this week:

- We just celebrated graduation at the school where I live. Fourteen students finished the 4 year Bible School / Cross-Cultural Missions Training Course, and one finished a modified version of both. Some are heading back to their own tribes to carry on evangelism & discipleship there; others have a heart to move into a different tribe and present the Gospel there. Two have plans to intern here at the school next year. Praise God for His work in the lives of these graduates!

- I helped scrape young coconut meat out of 50 fruits to make a refreshing dessert/drink for 300 graduation guests.

- After graduation, the staff from the school (and I) went on a 20 hour retreat. It was a great time of relaxing, swimming, and having no responsibilities.

- I had the chance to share my testimony and help lead a meeting with several teens and young adults. I made some mistakes but they were very gracious.  :)

- We recently had a staff potluck. I brought pizza. Although almost all the toppings were a little different than what I would have used 'back home,' it still tasted like pizza. :)

- God has brought reconciliation and healing to a couple friends of mine after years of bitterness!

- I had a language/culture evaluation and got my results back already. We use a 12-level scale to measure language proficiency, and I am required to reach at least level 9. I just learned that I am now at level 8! Yay; only one more level to go! :)

- My visa plans have changed (again). I am now planning to leave the country for about 10 days while my one-year visa is processed. I plan to leave early next week. Please pray that everything would be processed smoothly.

So, yes, it has been a full week. And a good one. Now I am enjoying the chance to catch up on a few things, and I'm also getting my paperwork in order for my visa trip. I hope to use the trip as a time to catch up on some administration things as well as take some vacation time to enjoy the sights of a new place. Maybe later on I'll post some pics of my time away!