This week, when I told the small group of 9th grade girls that I co-lead the news about moving to japan, they stared at me with wide eyes and open mouths, not saying a word. You could have heard a pin drop. It's funny: I've been so excited to tell my friends and coworkers the news, but I've been dreading telling my small group girls.
When I think of leaving behind these girls, there's a sadness in my heart. Every week for the past year and a half I've gotten to watch God at work in their hearts as they grow in their relationship to him and I've gotten to really step into their lives. Not many 15 year old girls will be real, open, honest, and genuine like that with an adult.
As much as I love these girls, I know there is One who loves them more who will take care and wants what is best for them. God let me see this in small ways this week: in the way that one of the girls was able to go to another girl to recieve comfort when something shook her world; in the way God reminded me that he will provide another leader and that I should pray for that leader, not rely on my own means to find the leader; in the way that my co-leader had good news to share on the night I shared my news. When she announced she was going to have a baby, our small group went crazy with cheers of joy. That little thing -- of God providing them with something to look forward to and celebrate -- reminded me that He has them in His Hands.
Girls, if you are reading this, know that I am so happy to be your small group leader. I love you and I'm thankful that God allowed us to walk together in life, even if it was for a brief time. Continue to follow Him with all your heart, and may He hold you close at all times.
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| My Girls! |
Lauren and I have spent the last week researching about our upcoming move. Here is a list of some of the weird/funny/depressing things we've found out so far.
- It's almost impossible to find peanut butter over there! This is a disaster for us, especially Lauren. Care packages with peanut butter will be required from everybody who wants to stay our friend.
- The Japanese don't use deodorant, so you can't buy that either! Luckily, Lauren's coupon mania of the last few months has left us well stocked up on free deodorant. (Score 1 for the coupon queen!)
- Public toilets over there are either super modern with heated seats and built in bidets or glorified pit toilets with no toilet paper. Apparently you have to carry around your own TP just in case.
-Walking and drinking water at the same time is extremely rude as is chewing gum in public, sitting anywhere but on a chair or on the floor, putting your hands in your pockets, and rolling your eyes,
-If you wear sunglasses everybody thinks you are in the Yakuza (Mafia).
-Students either wear their school uniforms on Sunday's for no apparent reason or they dress up in a full blown costume, usually of some kind of animal. WTF!?!?!?
-Japanese kitchens don't have ovens. How are we going to make cookies? :-( (I'm not too worried -- I usually make cookies for the dough anyway!)
And that's just the start of our culture shock. It's a little bit intimidating, but I think we'll be alright.
So Lauren and I just got a call from the MeySen Acedemy in Sendai and..... We got the job! We get to go to Japan! When the recruiter called us to tell us the good news Lauren started screaming and jumping up and down on the bed. I was laughing and poor Melissa probably thought we'd lost it. It was a pretty exciting moment. We'll be leaving in February sometime and we'll be gone for 14 months.
One of the things we're most excited about is starting this blog. We've been following the blogs of several current teachers at the school and we always thought it would be fun to write one of our own. Now we get to!
It has been such a long wait since our interview in Chicago. There were sixty applicants this year and we were both wondering how much of a shot we really had. I guess this means God must have something big in store for us over there, because I think He had to pull some strings for us. I think that between Him and the awesomeness of Team Marshall we'll be able to accomplish a lot.
Hopefully we can remember while we're over there that our purpose is to glorify God and spread the Gospel of Christ. Of course, I don't think God will mind too much if we have an amazing adventure together while we do it. Thank you everybody for all your prayers! We're both really excited.
