The Update Letter with all the cool Links!

Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Update Letter with all the cool Links! Greetings! Another month has come and gone here at ABC, so it's about time for an official "Hello All!" from me to you! Having completed 5 weeks of school already, it's safe to say that we're in full swing. Highlights from September include an upper school back-to-school game-day bash, a field-trip to the local plant nursery, and tomorrow my students are turning in their first big reports: their Dendrologist Reports! (For those of you who were about to Google that term, a dendrologist is someone who studies trees, so this is just a fancy name for tree reports, ha!) We have memorized the first 16 verses of James, we've begun learning about algebra in math, and we are nearly through our first novel, Maniac Magee.... basically, we're learning stuff and blessed to be here! ;) Feel free to check out the new pictures at http://lalalady911.myphotoalbum.com (a site that rarely cooperates with me, so forgive me because it's a work-in-progress!) My favorite after-school activity so far has been watching the sunsets from my front porch while sipping cold sweet tea, and hanging out with the neighbors. It has been very windy recently, and there have been a few days that I had no other choice than to take my kite out and and dive-bomb some kids! However, with the official start of after school activities, things have really picked up around here. Please pray that I would be effective not only in the classroom, but in the other areas of my work at ABCCA. I lifeguard at the pool twice weekly, and within the next few weeks we will launch a junior high and high school girl's Bible study, which I will be leading. I am still involved in taking the students out to Chitipi, an orphan home where our students are able to develop relationships and minister to the kids there. We go to Chitipi every other week, and on the weeks we don't go there, I am launching a yearbook club, with hopes of producing something decent by the end of the year! The logistics are still being worked out, but I, for one, am really anticipating what we could do with this!! I am thankful that it hasn't been too hot yet, but we're entering October, the hottest month in Malawi, so I guess I'm in for a surprise! Another area of surprise around here is what will or will not be working each day. I was so excited to be able to report to you that finally, today has been the first day in over a month when everything (the electricity, the internet, the water and the water heater) have all been working, but alas, when I came home from ultimate frisbee and was in desperate need of a refreshing shower, the water was off once again. Cool. On one hand, living this way keeps you on your toes... you never know when you will be able to cook lunch or when you'll have to bust out the peanut butter for a simple sandwich; you never know when you will get to take a real shower, or when it will be a bucket shower, or whether or not you'll get to flush the toilet. Graphic, perhaps, but I wanted to illustrate the implications of inadequate basics on a day-to-day basis. Generally, these are just minor inconveniences that you come to expect when you live in Malawi, but when you think about the fact that this stuff should be working and it's ridiculous that it's not but you can't do anything about it yourself, you start to pray for patience and endurance! Any prayer for our generator and our water tower to be restored to working order would be much appreciated! I heard that "convenience never produces character," so I guess I am getting a major character work-our these days! And now, the fun part... Last semester, a few guys came out to spend time at the Academy and capture footage for a "come teach at ABCCA" video. That video is now completed, and you can see it at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3775214202663584994 Keep in mind, the videographers were here during the my mullet-meets-80's-wave phase, so yes, you have permission to make fun of my horrible haircut. Ahh, the sacrifices...! ha! All mullet jokes aside, when you see this video, not only will you get a chance to "meet" some of my co-workers and our students, but you'll get to see the motivation behind the ministry. I trust that you will get the warm-fuzzies the way I did with the reminder that YES, we are changing the future of Africa here at ABCCA. May this 8-minute video enhance your understanding of ABCCA and your passion for what God is doing in Malawi! Blessings and thanks for those of you who have taken it upon yourselves to $upport and pray for my ministry here! You truly play a vital role in the ministry of ABC Christian Academy! Recently I have been able to understand new truths from God that have been carrying me through the personal aspects of living far from the familiar. Though I have never doubted that Malawi is where I belong right now, it's not always easy! I am thankful that I get to share life with my students, but on the other hand, I often remember that I am missing out on sharing life with my family and friends back home. For example, I won't get to meet my new nephew until he is nearly walking, and I will be absent from two close friend's weddings in the coming months. I read that "God is not limited by out circumstances; Our geographical location does not thwart His will or purpose," but I would still appreciate a few prayers for the "I'm far from home" aspect of my commitment here. Zikomo! :) And by the way, it is always great to hear from you guys! I'm not the only one who has exciting stories and prayer requests to share! ;) With that, let's embrace October and all that God has in store for us, shall we?!? Bonhoeffer reminds us that "the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ," so let's continue to keep each other in prayer. Besides the previously mentioned prayer requests, please lift up my financial support to the Lord. Currently I have just over half of what I need to be here for the 6th grade school year. For those of you who want to join in the fun, things just got a little more exciting! You can still send a check with my name on it to African Bible College, Inc. P.O. Box 103, Clinton, MS 39060... OR... check this out! http://www.africanbiblecolleges.org/dir_kowalski_lisa.asp Pretty snazzy, hu?!? Blessed and thankful, Lisa2 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not receive it? I am making a way in the desert, and streams in the wasteland. -Isaiah 43:19