so the lack of posting has been due to the lovely internet situation here in Oz. it´s not so good. quite complicated to get set up, and in essence quite frustrating. it´s just that you don´t think about it, when you have unlimited, whenever you need it kind of access. anyways, learning curve from the beginning.
well intensives started this week. it´s pretty much non-stop lectures and information overload. i feel like a total newby, but i know this is where i need to be. there´s been unbelievable opposition, i know the enemy is trying everything up his sleeve. i´ve thought so much of home, how i miss my family and friends, and not being able to talk to them has been very heart breaking. but i went into this season asking God to teach me to be more reliant on him; this is the answer. i´ve felt weak, i´ve felt empty and even considered calling the whole thing off. but i can´t and won´t give in that easy. i´ve waited for this season for too long, for this opportunity to operate out of God´s power and might. i know that at the end of all this there won´t be one thing that i will be able to take credit for. last night i was crying, missing home and family so much, and my sweet sisters here just held me and cried with me. and it hit me, i´ve only known them for about 2 weeks and they are my family already. i can´t imagine not knowing them. it´s such a testament to God´s mercy that 12 girls get along so well, and we desire to know each other and be there for each other. it´s so amazing. it´s quite a unique situation, or a better wording would be a gift from God. just tonight we had some other girls over and they were so amazed at the relationships here in the mansion. i´m so grateful. it really has been a big hug from God with homesickness. even now i can hear all of them talking and laughing, i pray this house is always filled with that. that encouragement would be our language and we would exhibit grace.
this heat is so intense. i´m just soaking in my own sweat right now. you´re always sweating, always thinking about how can i get cool. there´s no AC in the house so we utilize fans all the time. earlier today we hosed each other down in the yard, felt so good :) we´ve really been having a lot of fun. tomorrow we are going to go to bondi. i cannot wait, i mean it´s one of the most famous beaches in the world. it´s just so incredible to me that i´m in australia, able to see these amazing sights. i´ll let you know how it goes, hopefully i won´t come home sun burnt. come on 50 spf ;)
i just found out today how i´ll be serving in the church. we have 2 separate assignments, one that is on a weekly basis and then we serve at the weekend services. so for my weekly serving i´ll be working with the pastoral care team. it will mostly consist of visiting homes where a family member is sick or maybe an older couple who have trouble with day to day activies. i am very anxious to start this. because in a sense i have been on that receiving end. when mom was sick and our friends brought food or cleaned or just did whatever they could, it blessed my family beyond words. i feel indebted to them for eternity for the love they showed us. so i know what a blessing it is and how it just encourages and let´s your heart know "it´s gonna be alright". i´m excited to meet my team and get trained and get out there.
then for the weekend services i will be on venue safety. i know haha, if you´re like me i thought that meant i was going to be like a security guard. haha better start working out. but a second year friend told me it´s more i will be responsible for a specific section in the auditorium and when something needs to be corrected in terms of safety i will intervene in a small way. for major disturbences they´ll bring in the big guys. but i´ll get to be back stage as well, so i´m excited to see the speakers i will meet :D i´ll have an ear piece and everything, so legit. haha
yep. so that´s pretty much the update for now. i really am excited about this season, even though it´s already been really hard emotionally. i know God is faithful and he is the strength of my heart and soul.
i love you and miss you. thank you for praying for me, even though my communication has been awful. prayer doesn´t need an internet connection. know i think of you often.
talk to you soon,
shan
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