It's a miracle...

I'm actually posting in a week's time after my last update! WHOA. Ladies and gents, it's a miracle. :)

This past week has been the first week back from Spring break. Surprisingly, the switch wasn't difficult at all. After not teaching for two weeks, I began to miss it. Does this mean that I'm officially becoming a teacher? We will see.

Although I was sunshine and rainbows coming back after a week of relaxation, many of my students were not. I can't blame them; it's hard to get back into the swing of things when you're a student. Needless to say, however, this did make teaching a wee bit difficult the first couple of days. I've been trying to come up with some creative methods of teaching literature to the class. Maybe that will break up the monotony and boredom for them. If I could just find some different methods for implementing group discussion, I think I'll be good. We'll see...depending on what I can find, it's worksheets and journal entries for now. ;) If any of you have some good ideas, feel free to pass them along!

Regarding my AP class, we just began reading The Power and the Glory, the novel I've mentioned before as having countless religious themes and ideas throughout. So far, the discussion has been very refreshing and substantial. I have some very bright students in my class, so I'm interested in hearing their insights regarding the novel. However, it is a bit difficult to tie all the messages and ideas together; so much of the book feels scattered and a bit disjointed. You have to work hard to trace the common thread. We'll see how the rest of the discussion goes. I am extremely excited though, as I will be having them read C.S. Lewis's essay "The Weight of Glory" and comparing/contrasting his ideas with Graham Greene's. Pray for that discussion--it should be very interesting.

My honors and regular sophomore classes finished their research papers yesterday!! So although my life will be consumed by editing those countless pages, I do have to say that I am so relieved that their hard work is done. This project has been an area of stress for so many of them, so I'm glad that they have this weekend to relax. For celebration, we had a party for them in each class yesterday. I baked cookies all night for it, but it was definitely worth it. :) They seemed to have a lot of fun; a needed ending to a long, draining, beneficial assignment. I begin To Kill a Mockingbird with them on Monday, so it will be interesting to see how different literature discussions are with tenth graders in comparison to seniors.

For this past week, teaching has taken on a different quality for me. I've finally began to take ownership of my classes and feel like they are truly my own. Along with that comes a different degree of confidence in my instruction that I haven't experienced until now. Although I'm still a bit nervous before the day starts (which I'm not exactly sure if this will go away for a while), I am so much more secure in front of my classes. I truly feel like their teacher. It's a long time in coming, but that mentality is difficult to develop when you're in someone else's classroom under the title of "student" teacher instead of actual teacher. I've also began to take more liberties in lesson planning than I had before. As I'm taking more ownership of the classes, I'm now becoming so incredibly focused and motivated by the goal of my students' achievement. Not overall achievement necessarily (i.e. I want all the class to get an A), but an achievement that targets the individual progress of each student (i.e. if student A received a C on his/her test, how can I help him/her get a B on the next?). It's very refreshing to embrace thinking this way. I've been contemplating student achievement from the start, but more in a way of how I could make the perfect lesson plan. I'm very thankful for this switch; it's very refreshing to me. :)

So that's my update in the teaching department. I did receive several written reflections from my students who went to Cambodia with me, and reading about the different areas they felt they had grown in as a result of the trip is AWESOME. Thank you for all your prayers for them; many of the students who I knew were distant from the Lord expressed some degree of reconciliation, which (as always) is extremely exciting and just awesome to see.

One of my students looked at me yesterday and said, "You're going to miss us when you're gone, aren't you?" It gets a bit harder every time I think about May 4th. I've developed some awesome relationships over here; some with the teachers, a lot with the students. It's hard to think that in a month, I'll be physically removed from their lives. This transition phase is definitely difficult--moving to one place, getting settled and adjusted, only to move elsewhere. I guess college is always defined by that: you go from dorm to dorm, friend group to friend group. I've always been the kind to look for change as well, to jump from one thing to the next despite my hating the inevitable adjustment periods that go with this. But now, I'm seeing more and more the benefit of being planted somewhere for a long period of time. Of just allowing yourself the time to grow roots in the soil in which He's placed you. Paul definitely skipped from place to place during his ministry, but there were several places where he stayed 2-3 years, ministering and pouring himself into the people in that one location. My students are so open to relationship and mentorship here; and at just the point where they're becoming more open, I'm leaving. To be honest, it kinda sucks. It's awesome to see what impact He's allowed me to have, but I keep thinking about the impact I would have if I stay, and it just pales in comparison. All the while, I know how illogical this is, of assuming that the future would have been different if...There's no way that I could ever know that it would be different at all, but that just doesn't seem to stop me from thinking about it. ;)

Along with this has come some anxiety about returning to the States. I'm sure that I'll transition back easily; Singapore isn't that different from the States. But my role back at home is different. I'm leaving as Ms. Sarchet and returning as Dana. This will change obviously when I become a GSA, but for the summer it won't. I'm just wondering what life will look like, what my friendships will be like after being gone for 4 months, if friendships in Singapore will be sustained, etc.

So all of this has made me realize that I need to stop focusing on the "What if" and my fear regarding my return back to the States.  I know its the wisest decision to go back and complete my masters. I especially want to get that done so that I can have the freedom to grow and plant myself somewhere possibly overseas. And I'm so excited for it, honestly I am. But in order to really plant myself here in this last month, I need to stop thinking about this "what if," I need to stop thinking about leaving and how I'm going to handle things when I'm back home. Please pray for me regarding this. Pray that I make the most of the time I have left with my students and coworkers, not allowing May 4th to inhibit these relationships at all.

Once again, I just thank you all for reading this and supporting me throughout. :) I'm off to school for some more planning and portfolio comprising.

Cambodia, Indonesia, Oh my!

Hello one and all. :) I have finally decided to emerge from the hundreds of student pages I've been editing to write a post. As usual, it's been way too long, and as usual, I deeply apologize. :( But I do thank you all for your patience and your constant prayers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the prayers directed towards this trip to Cambodia. We left March 8th and returned on the 15th, but accomplished SO much in the short amount of time we had. Like I had mentioned previously, our job was to help build a fence for the orphanage. However, when we first arrived to the orphanage, we realized that there was a bit more work needing to be done than we had thought. Not only did we need to dig deep holes around the property line for the fence posts, fill the holes with heavy rocks, and make countless batches of dry and wet cement and carry them to the holes, but we also needed to clear some of the landscape to make way for the fence. And lo and behold, there were several armies of rather large fire ants who were determined to make our job as difficult as possible. But after several days of working from 8:30 am until 5:30 pm, some delightful "bonfires" to give the red villains a taste of their own medicine, and a few minor injuries among the students, we nearly completed the entire fence.  Although the work was definitely more intense than some of the students had imagined, the students really came together after the first day of work and poured their hearts into their service. It was such a blessing to see and experience. Sure, they had their share of distractions, but for the most part each person stayed on task.

As a result of the strong male leadership being so strong, I was able to just relax and get to know the students on the team, which I LOVED (for those students who are reading this blog, I STINKIN' LOVE YOU!!!). Between playing card games late into the night and having light-hearted (and some deeper) conversations, I got to see many of their hearts, hear some of their struggles, and just listen. I see SUCH value in them, and just longed to help them see themselves and their lives through the lens of Christ. I wanted to wipe away all their frustrations with school, their relationship difficulties, and just expand their perspective to more than just their story, but the holistic, all-encompassing and continually unfolding story of Christ--a story that is so much more than research papers, friends, and even random acts of service. Although I so wanted to just tell the students this, they didn't need yet another "teacher" telling them things about God. They have enough of that at school, and I think it grates on them from time to time. They needed someone to listen, and so I listened. Or at least I tried to. :) He definitely worked in my heart during the trip, so I'm certain that He worked in the students' as well. Please continue to pray for the entire team, that the change, if any, that occurred during the trip would not just disappear as soon as we all return to school on Monday.

Spring break was directly after Cambodia, so I had plenty of time to recuperate from and try to process the trip! After several days of research paper grading, movie watching, and SLEEPING, I went to Indonesia with two teachers at the school, Erika and Hannah. We spent two days and one night at the island of Bintan, shopping in the markets and swimming at the beach. It was the perfect amount of time, and we were able to meet several amazing people. Honestly, I have to say, though, that I've never felt like such a foreigner before in my life! The men were much more forward to me than the men in Indian, so that obviously made for several awkward moments. And though the people were extremely nice there, I've also never been laughed at so much before in other foreign countries. Oh well, what can I say? I guess I'm just a dumb American to them. ;) Other than the constant stares, questioning, and various giggles, I definitely enjoyed myself.

But the BEST part of the spring break trip happened last night, when Erika, Hannah, and I took a cab from the ferry in Singapore to Queenstown MRT. We lucked out in getting a chatty taxi cab driver (most cab drivers are extremely quiet). We had a long cab drive, so this man talked on and on, covering topics from car expenses to family. I listened, laughed, and smiled, trying my hardest to decode his broken English. Then I heard the word "Christian" come out of his mouth. Turns out, his daughter has recently come to know Christ, and he wants nothing to do with "this Christ." He had been a crime inspector in Singapore for five years, and had consequently seen countless Christians and pastors steal from charities and tithes, commit adultery, etc.  Although he talked most of the conversation about his experiences and beliefs (he even pulled the car over and stopped the meter so he could share), I was able to get a few words in regarding true Christianity and even the exclusivity of Christ. Please pray for him as soon as you read this. He is not entirely closed-off, and I feel like his daughter might have great opportunity in the future with him.

After our conversation, I was just overwhelmed by the grace of God. Recently, I have been wrestling with a few issues in my walk, sometimes (and even that very morning) falling into old, unhealthy habits. Through reading Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper, I've been convicted about how self-focused my day to day life can be. And then suddenly, God brings this taxi cab driver into my life, this man who out of the blue mentions Christ in an area like Singapore where the people intentionally avoid religious conversations so they won't offend anyone. It was then that I realized even more that it is never about how insufficient I am, but how sufficient He is to make a way for Himself. Why focus on my weaknesses when He has already promised to provide enough strength (2 Cor. 12:9)? Weakness and inability aren't even legitimate factors when someone has already made an allowance for them. Why freak out that the passenger of a car can't drive when he isn't even the one at the wheel?

And it is through my Christ's strength that I see His grace. He can easily accomplish His will without me, and yet this tattered clay jar (2 Cor. 4: 7) sat in a taxi cab on the side of the road as a representation of Christ. I am His representative...I am an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor.5:20; Isa. 61:1), not from my own accord but from His glorious work on the cross to redeem. True believers are a constant picture of the cross, of how Christ has taken something purposed for destruction, torture, and death, and has transformed it into a sign of redemption, resurrection, and future glory (1 Cor. 1:28). "Because suddenly we realize that our sins have so much beauty..." --Graham Greene in The Power and the Glory. Beauty not in essence, but in the trans-formative power of Christ. Of His grace in not only expunging our sins at the cross, but also in giving us the opportunity of being a part of His story. Last night, I realized all the more that there is no higher pleasure on this earth than being given opportunities of speaking His name to the darkness, and these opportunities  have been made possible only through His death on the cross. As a result, these opportunities not only draw others to Him, but draw us closer to Him as we have yet another reason to glory in His work on the cross. Being His witness is not just a mandate; it is a manifestation and amazing gift of His grace. 

On top of all of this, I also found out last night that a Mexican student I taught English to during my first missions trip in Puebla, Mexico three years ago came to know Christ!! His name is Baruc. Please pray for him as he begins his new life in Christ.

I do believe that I will shut up now. I'm so sorry for how long these updates are, but I guess that's what I get for not updating as frequently as I should. Thank you for being patient, and being a support for me throughout this trip. I can't wait to see you all in May!! Here are some pictures of Cambodia, Indonesia, and Baruc:

Cambodia from the plane :)

Some of the orphans

Myself and Toklai

Some of the group with some of the orphans :)

Erika, myself, and Hannah at the Bintan resort

With some AMAZING shop owners

Bintan beach...BEAUTIFUL

Myself and my new brother in Christ, Baruc!!

Ms. Sarchet

It has been almost a MONTH since I've last written. Again, I'm so sorry for this. My student teaching has definitely picked up since the last time I wrote. I'm officially teaching all English classes now, so life is very hectic to say the least. But thank you SO much for your patience and prayers for me. Today is a teacher work day, so time is in abundance. :)

As many of you know, I am teaching two grades: 10th and 12th grade. I started out with teaching the honors tenth grade class along with the regular class, took on the seniors class after two weeks, and just yesterday I finished my second day of teaching full-time, adding the AP English students onto my workload. I am officially Ms. Sarchet. It's taken me awhile to get used of introducing myself like that. I kept wanting to say Dana instead. But now, I think that title is starting to grow on me.

In tenth grade, I'm currently teaching my students how to write a research paper. They had to read a book of their own choosing, identify a particular literary device used within that novel, and then connect the historical background of the novel to this literary device (i.e. what is the historical significance of the author using this literary device to reveal meaning?). Sounds difficult? It is. I didn't start writing a paper like this until college, so it's been a bit difficult for the students to pick up. But they have definitely surprised me so far. They are BRILLIANT. And so adorable. Guys, I cannot even describe how much I love my tenth grade students. I love helping them figure out how to write, I love making jokes with them during class, I love giving them hugs in the hallway, I love getting to know their backgrounds in order to understand how I can I reach out to them more effectively, I love teaching them about maintaining perspective during difficult times (including research papers), and I absolutely LOVE encouraging them, both those who are struggling and those who are surpassing my expectations. That has been the most rewarding, fulfilling element of this experience so far. I just want to show them how much He loves them, and if somehow they can see that through me, I'd be ecstatic. It sounds cheesy, but words cannot possibly describe how much they've captured my love. They've sketched out a permanent home in my heart for them...they're making it very difficult for me to leave here.

Teaching the 12th graders is not as visibly rewarding, but I do honestly enjoy them. I've been able to get to know a few of the girls in that class and develop a semblance of a relationship with them. I LOVE these girls. All I want to do is just sit down with them, talk to them about going off to college, ask them about their families, and hear about their beliefs and thoughts about Jesus. I so badly want them to know Him, in heart, mind, and soul. I can just see so clearly the need they have for Him once they leave here to begin one of the biggest transitions of their lives. Ah man...it kills me how you can be burdened by a need that isn't necessarily felt to the same extent by those who have that need. I wasn't aware of how badly I needed Him before I went off to college...even now, at 21 years of age, I'm realizing to a greater extent than ever the weight of the reality that I can do absolutely nothing without Him. Honestly, I'm more concerned with getting to know this class and having opportunities to just hang out and talk with them that it makes having to teach them a bit difficult. The only time I have with them is in class, and it takes a bit more effort to get to know a 12th grader than it does a 10th grader. But we are currently covering The Power and the Glory, a novel by Graham Greene that's CHALK full of faith issues. It's not necessarily an enjoyable read, but it's masterfully written and full of things to analyze and pick a part. So I've been trying to wrap my lectures around themes that apply to the 12th graders (having them define faith, insecurity, and personally evaluate the worldviews of the characters within the novel). But it's difficult...12th graders a just checked out, ya know? Most of them don't do the reading (and I don't blame them. It's not an enjoyable book), which makes discussion a bit strained because I end up talking all the time. And even though I try to make the subject material applicable to them, most of their minds are focused on completing their senior thesis papers or thinking about sleep. So most of them just don't care. Honestly, I don't blame them. It's just disappointing because it inhibits me from getting to know them. But that's ok. :) We're taking it a step at a time.

I just start teaching the AP class, and it is definitely a different beast from the 12th grade class, even though the students are the same age. These students are so incredibly smart. The level of analysis and insight they have rival the quality of discussions I've had in my upper level English classes at Liberty. It's awesome. I'm learning that I just need to let go of my role as "teacher" and let them discover the literature by themselves. I'm just there to redirect the discussion if necessary. It takes a lot of intention and discretion, which my lack of experience doesn't necessarily help. But again, that's ok. :) I'm learning over here...I'm learning so much. And I get to hang out with teens in it all. It's just the perfect combination.

Teaching is such a sharpening tool in my walk with Christ right now. I have goals in mind that I want to accomplish within the classroom, but there is absolutely no way that that will happen without His guidance. Just now, I'm reading my 12th grade students' evaluations of the characters' worldviews, and exactly what I didn't want to happen happened. Disappointing--yes. Humbling--absolutely.

He is the only one who can penetrate their hearts...I have only to listen and hope that He will develop a hospitality in my heart that draws those He wants to draw. Sarah, my cooperating teacher, gave me this quote by Henri Nouwen yesterday: “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” I cannot possibly tell you how much this truth has been breaking me down. It's an emotionally draining, stripping process to realize that I have no influence apart from what the Lord decides to give me. It's not up to me. I have to let go of accomplishing want I see needs to be accomplished; even if I'm right, I have to let go of my instinct to control this and make it happen. It's freeing...absolutely. But definitely painful at times. 

It's amazing being over here...I'm definitely blessed to have this experience.

In a week and a half, I leave for Cambodia. The high school team I will be chaperoning will be going to an orphanage and building a fence for the people there. Evidently, we will be doing very physically draining work, so please pray for energy. The students will be exhausted, but we as leaders need to be refreshed enough to effectively lead the team. Also pray for soft hearts with the students and--as always--pray for opportunities. :) 

Please also pray for my finances. For situations that I cannot detail now, things have to be tighter than I was planning and budgeting for.  

THANK YOU FOR READING ALL OF THIS!! Here are some pictures of my latest excursion to the east coast of Singapore: 

Myself and Angela. I don't know why the picture is refusing to be right-side up. :( Silly picture...

Snapshot of the coast

Myself and Heidi. We had jumbo chili crab. DELICIOUS.

 

 



 



 

Ups and Downs and All around Chinatown.

Hey all. So this once a week posting hasn't gone so well, huh? I'm so sorry about that. :( If intentions get any credit, I've been thinking about what to say for these past two weeks. So at least it's been on my mind, right? ;) I'll try to be more prompt in posting next time!

I want to preface this whole thing before I start. It has been my intention from the beginning of this blog to be as open and honest as wisdom and discernment will allow. I see no point in just telling you all the brightest and best moments I have during my trip without telling you about the bumps and bruises in between; you deserve to see the whole picture as best as I can paint it. But sometimes that picture just isn't pretty. So here it goes!

The past week and half has been hard. Teaching at ICS, or at an international school in general, is very different from teaching in America. The students here are highly academic and motivated. Academically, there are very few days where I feel prepared to teach such a motivated group of kids, especially considering my AP seniors. It's a blessing, but definitely intimidating. ICS is also different in that it is an extremely relational school. I love this and wouldn't have it any other way. But along with it comes the social pressure to constantly be in check. I'm being watched; these kids immediately look up to you if they know you're a teacher. They desire a relationship with you.

So there's the mental demand on you before, during, and after school. Then there's the constant awareness that you're being watched, that the students around you could be looking for Christ in you (and for an introvert like myself, being around people all day with this awareness in mind can be extra draining). On top of that, you have friends. On top of that, you have lesson planning and grading (which takes a significantly longer time than I imagined). And then--let's not forget-- you have your walk with Him.

All of this just hit me last week. Hard. And I'll admit it: when I'm overwhelmed and away from the people that I'm used to receiving support from, I feel incredibly distant from God. I couldn't connect to Him through prayer, I didn't feel connected with anyone here despite how incredible everyone has been, and any bit of the Word I read seemed difficult to grasp. And when I'm like this, when I'm not close to Him, I never feel myself. The only way I can describe it is uncomfortable.

But thankfully there can't be a down without the existence of an up. One of my close, close friends Caitlin wrote me a note before I left for Singapore. After reading that note, something just clicked. And this is what I've learned as a result...

"Humble (submit) yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you." 1 Peter 5: 6. I'm finding that this is something that needs to be done constantly if I am ever to get through the week. I am in a position that demands the Lord to lead if I am to be any bit successful in this classroom, if these students are to see anything in my life that draws them to Christ. I cannot possibly do this on my own.

"Humble, vrb.: to lower yourself in dignity or importance." When I read this, I automatically think of extreme "Christian" self-denial. Of saying that you're not important and labeling that as humility. But can we ever truly acknowledge what's unimportant if we don't first recognize what's most important? Humility is often defined by something negative; by a debasement of yourself in order to achieve moral character. But humility is by far a positive turning.  Humility shouldn't be defined by what you're turning away from, but what you're turning towards. Maybe it's not so much about lowering yourself in dignity and importance as it is in raising Someone up in your heart, in giving Him the dignity and importance in your life that He deserves. Yes, the natural outflow of that is a lowering of yourself. But that's the effect of humility, not the cause. The cause is giving Him the proper authority He designed Himself to have in your life. I think that that's true humility.

Sometimes that means relinquishing what everything around you is saying to be true. Letting go of doubts, fears, anxieties. 1 Peter 5: 6 continues, saying, "casting all your anxieties (plural) on Him, because He cares for you." And this is His promise to us: "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5: 10). That's a promise that I can, that I have to claim as I teach at ICS or in any environment. I have to recognize Who really is in control of this, and that is most definitely not myself. ;)

So there you have it! Since the start of Wednesday, things have been so much better, thankfully. Here are a few prayer requests for you to keep in mind:
1.) Half of my senior class and one-third of my AP class isn't saved. There are couple of girls and one boy in these classes that I'm very drawn towards. I think that there might be some opportunities with them soon. Please pray for that!
2.) Aunti Sarah--this is an Indian woman who works at ICS. She's 75, and an active Hindu. However, she's extremely relational. She just loves to talk, even though her English is very broken. She seems lonely. Pray that He will make a way for the faculty at ICS to see her and take advantage of opportunities.
3.) The strength to be vulnerable, with God and with those around me.

I love you all SO much! Thanks for reading all of this...I keep trying to condense, but it just never works out. :( I'll be posting some pictures and a financial update soon. Hope you all are doing well!

I have arrived!

Life in Singapore began on the 10th of January and has now commenced for a grand total of six days. That's crazy to me; I feel like I've lived here for months. My transition here has been so incredibly smooth thus far. I've already been learning so much, but I'll try to touch on a few highlights instead of writing novels. :)

My roommates are absolutely amazing. I am so incredibly blessed that He placed me in this house. I live with six other girls (yes, you are correct; there are SEVEN girls living together. I know it seems a bit much, but ironically we hardly see each other). Most of them work at ICS, so it's been helpful having someone by my side guiding me through the MRT (basically a train I take to get to school), bus systems, and hallways of ICS.

Besides the convenient factor of living with these girls, there is also the emotional and personal factor. I've had a lot of experience in being with groups of people that I don't know and who don't know me. The feeling of loneliness doesn't go away, but a tolerance for it and reliance on God definitely strengthens through it. This increased reliance combined with the relational hearts of my roommates has resulted in me almost immediately feeling at home with them. These girls are who they 24/7; there's no fake faces with them. They are simply great, chill people, and I'm so grateful for His grace and sovereignty for placing me with them. 

 Now for Singapore. Singapore isn't exactly a difficult place to transition to. Everything is in English. Everything. The island is also incredibly industrialized, so scenes of poverty or indigenous culture are extremely rare. I pretty much left America to live for four months in a highly cultural version of America. I knew this before arriving to Singapore, but I guess it just didn't sink in until my plane landed. I initially struggled with this similarity (at times I still do). I'm realizing the more and more I'm here that my heart truly lies with people who are impoverished both spiritually and physically. However, after a bit of angst towards the Lord for bringing me here, I realized just that: He brought me here. He has a purpose for whatever action He decides to take. Who am I to criticize His work when I'm covering my eyes with my own hands, refusing to see anything beyond what I decide to see? You can't see, appreciate, and experience the entire masterpiece when you're focusing on only one simple brushstroke used to paint it. 

So after that little piece of humble pie, I've begun to realize how much opportunity there is here.

First of all, there are so many Asian cultures and beliefs represented here. Just yesterday, I went to the hauker. Haukers are somewhat like very Asian versions of food courts that are generally found around HDBs (housing development buildings). Quick Singapore fact: HDBs are government housing for rather unwealthy Singaporeans. The government requires that people of differing ethnicity [Indonesian, Malaysian, Chinese, etc.] inhabit these buildings, thereby establishing cultural harmony by preventing similar ethnic groups from disincluding those different from them. Unity is very important to Singapore. Anyways, haukers develop around HDBs because they provide very cheap food while giving inhabitants of the HDBs an authentic taste of their culture. While I was there, I ordered from an Indian food stall and began talking with the owner. He was incredibly friendly and open about his distaste for Singapore (too much work and no entertainment :P). And I realized right then that simple interactions like these open doors for the Gospel. There are plenty of interactions I've had already, and I can't wait for the opportunity when I can hopefully engage in some spiritual conversations with the locals.

Furthermore, the kids at ICS are fabulous. They have such a caring, warm quality in their interactions with each other and with myself. Thankfully, I've already connected with many of the students in my Cambodia mission trip group meetings and a few from my English classes. However, many of them, if not the majority, are unsaved. I just found out today from my cooperating teacher that most of the seniors I will be instructing do not claim to believe in Christ. I so badly want this to change...

And that leads me to prayer requests:
1.) Please pray for the salvation of the students in my classes, and that my heart would be broken for them.
2.) Pray that I will be able to direct the classroom discussion in such a way that would cause my students to think about their faith in a meaningful, searching fashion. These students, although many of which aren't saved, are constantly surrounded by Christian truths at ICS, whether that's through their Bible classes or chapel services. Christianity is easily turning into a concept to them instead of living truth. They can't keep being told what to believe; they have to think for themselves and believe on their own accord. Please pray for wisdom, discernment, and sensitivity towards the Spirit in my instruction and interactions with these students.
3.) Pray that I would be sensitive to whatever opportunities He may have for me with the locals.
4.) Pray that I would have humility and discretion. Humility to effectively lean on Christ, and discretion to conduct myself in a professional manner around the students. I'm finding it's very easy for me to slip into "friend-mode" with the seniors; whereas I can be more relaxed with them, they still need to respect me. It's hard to be an "adult" when you're only three or four years older than the "kids." Pray for balance and discernment.
5.) Pray for the missions trip to Cambodia that I'm chaperoning from March 8 - 16th. The team is a bit divided and seemingly ambivalent. Pray for soft hearts.

Wow. There's so much more I could write, but I'm going to leave it at that. :) Thank you for reading all of this if you're still here with me. I will be updating this on a weekly basis, but once I begin teaching it will probably be bi-weekly. For now, here are some pictures of my explorations thus far.

 Chinatown: everyone is decorating for Chinese New Year, the year of the dragon.

 Dim Sum! Waiters with carts of food stop by all the tables, and you choose what you want to eat. The food keeps changing with each waiter that stops at your table. It's like a buffet on wheels. :)

Marina Bay Sands--a.k.a where really, really rich people live. :P I'm on the left, and Laura, one of my roommates, is on the right.
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My next piece of the puzzle

Hey guys! I've never really done one of these things before, so I'm not quite sure how to start ("Welcome"?).

If you're reading this, I'm probably in Singapore by now. Crazy, huh? I'll be there for four months, charging my way through teaching English literature to international high school students. I've never been out of the country for more than two weeks, and I knew that I would need a way to keep people updated while I'm away and keep me connected. So voila! A blog.

It's 4 am, and I'm leaving in fifteen minutes to drive to the airport. So for a first post, this isn't going to be all that inspirational. :P With that said, please join me in this little adventure through prayer. I'm so excited to see how He has swung this door open for me to go to Singapore and Cambodia as well; please pray for wisdom and discernment for me as I interact with my students and try to lead them to the best of my ability.

If there is anything that He's taught me over the few years of my life (which He definitely has), it's that He leads one step at a time. Life is so similar to piecing a puzzle together without a solid idea of what the picture looks like. So for now, Singapore is my next puzzle piece. I'm not quite sure where it fits in with the other cardboard edges that have already been laid down and those that haven't, but He does. He knows exactly where Singapore fits into my life. And that's enough for me. He's been sovereign enough to piece things together thus far, and He's sovereign enough to continue to do so.

Slowly but surely, He'll show me what He's planned all along. For now, I wait.

Off I go! You'll be hearing from me soon hopefully. :)