melt down

scott was playing some top game. the kid in the back was "the man"

Yesterday was our first day teaching at the elementary. In the morning I could feel my emotions in my throat. I was nervous, overwhelmed, hot, and desperately trying to grab on to some sort of control. Every day, as a group, we bring things places, clean, eat, sleep, pick up, tear down, drive here, drive there. With all the different personalities and cultural differences it gets crowded physically and mentally. As an introvert I get my energy from alone time so a melt down was bound to happen sooner than later. It was my day.

We get to the school just in time for all the kids to be there before most of us. It was a late start. I had no clue of what I was getting into. I stood in front of these adorable kids and lost my mind. Absolutely lost it! I have never spoke through a translator, I had never spoke to a class full of third graders since I was a third grader. Long story short, everything I had prepared myself for and the group I was leading, went out the window in about 20 minutes. I excused myself to the bathroom, and stood in there trying to hold it together. The Lord broke me. I was in tears for the next 45 minutes unable to go to class. Completely out of my comfort zone I asked God to lead again. Four of the team members prayed for me and it blessed me so much. I ate my pride and embarrassement and walked into the classroom and watched my teammates take over in a beautiful way. I learned so much from them over the next couple of hours. I guess God just wanted me to love that day. My main gifts and talents that He blessed me with were not necessary. He called me to serve and love.

We finished our teaching with a game at the end of the day. I began to fall in love with these kids when I saw that they don't me to be anything but me. This culture appreciates everything so much. They recycle, they say thank you for teaching them an english word, they take their shoes off before they come in the house, they don't put their feet on tables, they don't sit on tables, they get up at 4am to work, go to school, then come to help us with whatever we may need. It is unbelievable! I hope I take home a fraction of that appreciation for what God has given me.

After all that we got to see a Taiwan cultural arts center. They had so many different shops with authentic Taiwanese souveniers. Scott and Eric picked up paper hats and I dressed up with the girls in traditional chinese dresses. We sampled so much food, good and bad. People love to take pictures with americans. A lot of dhinese people say I look famous because I have blond hair. Even with my sweaty face and fuzzy hair! It was a priviledge to be there to see all the different things.

Later on we got to go to a seafood buffet called Noah's Ark. It was absolutely amazing! I mean AMAZING! The best sushi I have ever had. It melted in your mouth. For those of you that love sushi, you would just die, for those of you that don't, you probably would like it. On the way there, we lost a couple of vehicles with leaders and kids in them. It was chaotic for a bit but God knew where they were and I knew he would bring them back to us. He did!

God is stretching me so much right now and I am holding onto whatever I can. All this stretching is really opening my heart. I can't complain!