Praise, glory and honor be to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He has gotten me to a point I was not sure I would ever make it to—my last day of class. It is 8th period on the last Friday of school. Next week is finals and graduation is Thursday night. Then I get to wrap up everything at school and say goodbye to many people. I remember a few weeks into school I honestly could not even grasp reaching the end because I was so overwhelmed with what was.
I have 4 more Fridays in Cameroon and I am really looking forward to time to just be and reflect on all I have learned before I am forced into the movement of the American culture again. Some lessons I am sure of, others I am not sure I even realize I have learned or grown in. I need to time to reflect and give God the praise that is due Him for every moment he has given me strength to move on.
Please pray for me as I go through this transition of goodbyes and reflection these next few weeks.
Sorry I don’t have many words to say today. My heart is full, but my mouth is empty.
Blessings to you All,
AMY
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Trusting God's call
Wow! I can’t believe it is Friday already! I feel like I JUST wrote a blog. (Apparently I was very out of it when I wrote my last update because it had a lot of grammatical mistakes in it.) We had a long weekend and started school on Wednesday this week, so the days have gone by fast.
Our school banquet last weekend turned out great. I helped do hair for 7 girls. It was fun to see everyone all dressed up. I will post a few pictures. It was a time to say goodbye to the seniors in a formal way. So many goodbyes are happening, they cannot be stopped.
This week in chapel the worship team members each shared about how God has been working in their lives this year through being on worship team. Being a worship team advisor I got to share as well. I was struggling with what to say because I don’t feel like I have gone through as many changes in worship and understanding of it as the students have. But I did realize something. In college I started as a music ministry major because I felt God has called me to lead people into worship. But then my desires changed and I switched to a youth ministry major. I thought perhaps I had felt God’s leading wrong. But because of being on worship team this year and leading the kids into worship at the retreat, I realized something. I realized that though standing in front and leading worship through music is not something I feel strongly called to do; leading youth into worship by encountering God in new, different and real ways is something I have a great desire to do. I want these kids and any others I work with to understand how much God loves them and be drawn to worship Him because of that. So my understanding of God’s call for me is different now than I originally thought, but I didn’t hear Him wrong. I feel He has called me to lead youth to encounter Him and I desire to use whatever means I can to do that. I just thought I would share that realization with you.
We shouldn’t doubt God’s leading even if it confuses us. He has reasons and timing that we may never see. But trust His voice. His timing is so different.
I think I could write a book on timing and all the confusing things I have learned this year about time and how slow, fast and confusing it is.
Tonight we have a staff appreciation dinner. Just one more goodbye thing to go to, but it should be fun. I enjoy the staff I work with. I have one more week of teaching left, then finals. Just over 40 days before I leave. My emotions are torn.
I would appreciate prayer for finishing well and strong. I need to manage my time well so I get a chance to say goodbye to all the people, places and experiences I need to.
Enjoy God’s beauty around you this weekend. Get outside and seek to give Him praise for all He has created and all He is.
Be Blessed,
AMY
Our school banquet last weekend turned out great. I helped do hair for 7 girls. It was fun to see everyone all dressed up. I will post a few pictures. It was a time to say goodbye to the seniors in a formal way. So many goodbyes are happening, they cannot be stopped.
This week in chapel the worship team members each shared about how God has been working in their lives this year through being on worship team. Being a worship team advisor I got to share as well. I was struggling with what to say because I don’t feel like I have gone through as many changes in worship and understanding of it as the students have. But I did realize something. In college I started as a music ministry major because I felt God has called me to lead people into worship. But then my desires changed and I switched to a youth ministry major. I thought perhaps I had felt God’s leading wrong. But because of being on worship team this year and leading the kids into worship at the retreat, I realized something. I realized that though standing in front and leading worship through music is not something I feel strongly called to do; leading youth into worship by encountering God in new, different and real ways is something I have a great desire to do. I want these kids and any others I work with to understand how much God loves them and be drawn to worship Him because of that. So my understanding of God’s call for me is different now than I originally thought, but I didn’t hear Him wrong. I feel He has called me to lead youth to encounter Him and I desire to use whatever means I can to do that. I just thought I would share that realization with you.
We shouldn’t doubt God’s leading even if it confuses us. He has reasons and timing that we may never see. But trust His voice. His timing is so different.
I think I could write a book on timing and all the confusing things I have learned this year about time and how slow, fast and confusing it is.
Tonight we have a staff appreciation dinner. Just one more goodbye thing to go to, but it should be fun. I enjoy the staff I work with. I have one more week of teaching left, then finals. Just over 40 days before I leave. My emotions are torn.
I would appreciate prayer for finishing well and strong. I need to manage my time well so I get a chance to say goodbye to all the people, places and experiences I need to.
Enjoy God’s beauty around you this weekend. Get outside and seek to give Him praise for all He has created and all He is.
Be Blessed,
AMY
Friday, May 16, 2008
The ending begins
Hello again. Sorry I didn’t post last week. We had some internet issues at school. As for this week, I am tired. It went very fast though. I had been staying at the Hudlow house with 3 teenagers for two weeks until this past Tuesday. That was a lot of fun and a huge blessing, but also very tiring. You have to think differently when you are now looking out for 3 others and feeding 3 others, (2 teenage boys).
I know only have 8 days of teaching left. Monday and Tuesday of this next week are holidays for Cameroon, which means no school for us. So hopefully I can get my last days planned and work on goodbye notes to my beloved students.
A tradition at the school is to take some time during lunch to express your appreciation for the staff who are leaving. Today was my day, along with some others. I was truly blessed and encouraged by what the students had to say. Those who I never expected I truly impacted were the most who spoke up. I am blessed and encouraged.
This weekend they high school has their Banquet. Which is somewhat equivalent to prom in the states. (Only ballroom dancing though). I get to attend and sit with one of my students. It should be a lot of fun and another level of saying goodbye. Following banquet there is an after party at a students house, that the everyone is invited to. I have been one of several who have been asked to chaperone that. It is until 6 am and they don’t sleep. So I am very grateful to have off Monday and Tuesday.
Our volleyball season ended last Saturday with my team (I was one of two assistant coahes) taking the trophy in the tournament. I was proud of the girls. They had some awesome rallies and showed great improvement. I learned a lot too.
Well I am going to go. It has been a long day and I need some exercise then rest.
I hope you are well. I fly into Pittsburgh on July 4th. I have 48 days until I leave for home. I will never understand time and how it flies by yet moments of it can be so long.
God bless you all.
AMY
I know only have 8 days of teaching left. Monday and Tuesday of this next week are holidays for Cameroon, which means no school for us. So hopefully I can get my last days planned and work on goodbye notes to my beloved students.
A tradition at the school is to take some time during lunch to express your appreciation for the staff who are leaving. Today was my day, along with some others. I was truly blessed and encouraged by what the students had to say. Those who I never expected I truly impacted were the most who spoke up. I am blessed and encouraged.
This weekend they high school has their Banquet. Which is somewhat equivalent to prom in the states. (Only ballroom dancing though). I get to attend and sit with one of my students. It should be a lot of fun and another level of saying goodbye. Following banquet there is an after party at a students house, that the everyone is invited to. I have been one of several who have been asked to chaperone that. It is until 6 am and they don’t sleep. So I am very grateful to have off Monday and Tuesday.
Our volleyball season ended last Saturday with my team (I was one of two assistant coahes) taking the trophy in the tournament. I was proud of the girls. They had some awesome rallies and showed great improvement. I learned a lot too.
Well I am going to go. It has been a long day and I need some exercise then rest.
I hope you are well. I fly into Pittsburgh on July 4th. I have 48 days until I leave for home. I will never understand time and how it flies by yet moments of it can be so long.
God bless you all.
AMY
Thursday, May 1, 2008
New Adventures to Share
Bon jour! As I write this I am free from school for 4 days! There are two national holidays today and Friday. I now only have 18 days of teaching left! I need to work at figuring out how to get my students well prepared for their final.
My choir tour weekend went very well. There were 3 vehicles full of 23 people that caravanned together. We went east to a town called Batouri. The landscape was beautiful! The contrast of the green plants, blue skies, white clouds and red dirt was awesome! We traveled for about 10 hours each way, and were gone for just 4 days, so it made for a long trip. About 75% of our traveling was on dirt roads, but none so bad that we couldn’t pass them. We did lose our spare tire at one point because of a rather large rut in the road, but we had no other problems, which was amazing. We had the chance of singing at a prison, hospital and church. Two nights we invited the town to come to the mission compound and hear us sing, watch a Christian movie with a gospel message and hear a gospel message presented in person.
It was a unique and great experience for myself and for many of the kids. We ate true Cameroonian food the whole weekend. This means plantains (boiled or fried), seasoned beef, rice, dried fish, okra soup, a grassy/leaf peanut sauce combination and manioc fufu (finely ground root mixed with boiled water to form an expanded sticky substance that is used as utensils to scoop up the other food on your plate—a staple food for many Cameroonians). 
At the prison the men only get feed what their families bring to them, generally speaking, so some looked healthy, but there were quite a few that looked like they would not make it another week. Up to this point I had seen malnourished kids and hungry families, but I had never seen someone literally starving to death until last weekend. I pray we planted seeds for Christ in the lives of the men there.
The hospital was unique too. Don’t picture an American hospital, but rather try to picture a dirt cul-de-sac with 5 cement buildings around it. We sang outside each building as there wasn’t much room inside. We had many come out of their rooms to listen to our singing and to the gospel message shared. There were many Fulani refugees staying outside the buildings because family was sick inside. The Fulani people are traditionally of the Islam faith, but it was neat to have them attentive to the message of Christ that we shared. I could write more about this weekend, but I need to stop somewhere.
I am now staying with 3 students for 2 weeks while their guardians are in the US (the same kids I stayed with for a weekend in the fall). It was Kati’s birthday yesterday and today she is having some friends over. That should be fun for all and hopefully not too tiring for me. The 2 boys are in 9th and 10th grade and Kati is 11th, so they are fairly responsible on their own. It is however, something I enjoy doing.
My last piece of news is that I have finely decided for sure, that I am returning to the states next year. I plan on living with my parents in the fall and attending North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago starting in January. I will be arriving in Pittsburgh in the first week of July.
Well, I hope this finds you all well. It is hard to leave hear, but I look forward to seeing many of you again soon.
Much Love,
AMY
My choir tour weekend went very well. There were 3 vehicles full of 23 people that caravanned together. We went east to a town called Batouri. The landscape was beautiful! The contrast of the green plants, blue skies, white clouds and red dirt was awesome! We traveled for about 10 hours each way, and were gone for just 4 days, so it made for a long trip. About 75% of our traveling was on dirt roads, but none so bad that we couldn’t pass them. We did lose our spare tire at one point because of a rather large rut in the road, but we had no other problems, which was amazing. We had the chance of singing at a prison, hospital and church. Two nights we invited the town to come to the mission compound and hear us sing, watch a Christian movie with a gospel message and hear a gospel message presented in person.
It was a unique and great experience for myself and for many of the kids. We ate true Cameroonian food the whole weekend. This means plantains (boiled or fried), seasoned beef, rice, dried fish, okra soup, a grassy/leaf peanut sauce combination and manioc fufu (finely ground root mixed with boiled water to form an expanded sticky substance that is used as utensils to scoop up the other food on your plate—a staple food for many Cameroonians). 
At the prison the men only get feed what their families bring to them, generally speaking, so some looked healthy, but there were quite a few that looked like they would not make it another week. Up to this point I had seen malnourished kids and hungry families, but I had never seen someone literally starving to death until last weekend. I pray we planted seeds for Christ in the lives of the men there.
The hospital was unique too. Don’t picture an American hospital, but rather try to picture a dirt cul-de-sac with 5 cement buildings around it. We sang outside each building as there wasn’t much room inside. We had many come out of their rooms to listen to our singing and to the gospel message shared. There were many Fulani refugees staying outside the buildings because family was sick inside. The Fulani people are traditionally of the Islam faith, but it was neat to have them attentive to the message of Christ that we shared. I could write more about this weekend, but I need to stop somewhere.
I am now staying with 3 students for 2 weeks while their guardians are in the US (the same kids I stayed with for a weekend in the fall). It was Kati’s birthday yesterday and today she is having some friends over. That should be fun for all and hopefully not too tiring for me. The 2 boys are in 9th and 10th grade and Kati is 11th, so they are fairly responsible on their own. It is however, something I enjoy doing.
My last piece of news is that I have finely decided for sure, that I am returning to the states next year. I plan on living with my parents in the fall and attending North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago starting in January. I will be arriving in Pittsburgh in the first week of July.
Well, I hope this finds you all well. It is hard to leave hear, but I look forward to seeing many of you again soon.
Much Love,
AMY
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