Some thoughts while I have time

Well I'm serving God but it doesn't seem like I am doing much. I meet people here and there, but they aren't really interested in hearing anything that we have to say. We hand out stuff so maybe someone will watch it or read it, I hope they do. I'm halfway done and it still feels like I've just started. I'm halfway across the world with people I bearly know, but if I were home I'd be surrounded by people I know, yet wouldn't have time for. It's interesting how being further separated from the things that I held onto so dearly begin to fade. It talks about seasons and how life changes so quickly and so often depending on where we are and what we are doing...I've realized that in the past year. The friends I had in high school are really just a glimpse of the past now, but I'm excited about my new friends. The friends that I'm excited to get emails from...the ones I'm excited to see when I get back...but even then part of me will still be here. In 6 weeks I've met some amazing people here. People whose hearts' are for the lord...It's amazing. I love spending one on one time with the girls who have so much to offer and they don't realize what they are giving me...I ask them questions prodding into their lives learning why and how they got here and what God has on their hearts...its fun. I had lunch with one yesterday and we hung out for a few hours alone on wednesday..it was great. Then when the group met up with us it started to rain..only it was more like a mist and it continued the rest of the night. We went down to the latin quarter and there was some great music and a lot of people. I spent almost an hour in mcdonalds trying to buy a coke in order to go to the bathroom... as the french say...oh la la. My pants were already a little wet so I started puddle jumping as we were strolling for the Effiel tower.. its quite beautiful when it sparkles.. The friends I am with here are so full of life..not that the others aren't but it's a different kind of life...we all have the same passion, our hearts beat with the same rhythm..its a new thing for me. It's going to be hard to leave..but a relief to be home...I'm not sure.

In the midst of it all

Lately it's been fun. Doing stuff here doing stuff there. Nothing too exciting has happened since last monday and the toilet explosion thing...Never in my life have I ever experienced that before. Wow. Okay so this week...
Today: Doing some surveys hopefully meeting people
Tuesday: Surveys again meeting with some girls we met last week
Wendesday: Kids carnival music festival...woo free music all around Paris
Thursday: more surveys? maybe meet with new people or old people
Friday: surveys again? meet with people? who knows
Saturday: eating some lunch/dinner with Alex and Tyler

It's kinda all the same everyday not much change and seems to run together. I've been speaking more French and I can understand people for the most part, which is really good. I'm not going to Hungary since my friends are too busy to see...sad...looks like I'm off to somewhere else in Europe or France....Any ideas? Glorious! I'm learning how to bend and be very flexible even if it's completely backwards or all the way forwards...i hope my muscles don't tear. Email me I'm feeling slightly disconnected.

An experience of a lifetime

It started out as a normal day...Annette and Tyler came over for the usual bible study...followed by Tyler staying a bit longer to hang out to past some time until he met Jim. Melanie and I were reading on the couch when I got bored and decided to take a little nap...Melanie left to go over to the internet cafe and then it all started...I heard some strange noise, like water turned on and they were hosing something off outside my apartment but curiosity didn't stir much so I didn't get up and look because it stopped after a few minutes. Naturally after a nap you feel the urge of needing to go to the bathroom so I did...This experience, however, would not be a normal trip to the WC. Before I had finished I heard a rumble beneath my seat (no i didn't fart)...before there was time to react the toilet became proactive. If you have been to Yellowstone you know what Old Faithful is like, I had something like a first hand experience with a geyser, only my geyer was my toilet. Water was spraying everywhere and it wasn't like a normal backup...this water was out for a vengence and out to get me. When it started spraying I moved quickly to the door, opening and then shutting it while I was outside...then proceeded to pull up my pants...Yeah it happened that quickly. I was standing outside the bathroom stunned that this had occured...I then called some people to try and get help, but all I got was laughter and confused people on the other line. Jim finally called me back and said he was coming over later with a man who would help us figure out what had gone wrong....He came over and they looked and there was no explination. They decided to go over to the property manager to find out there was a sign in the hallway saying that they would be cleaning out the sewers that day... The sign needless to say is not in a spot I normally look and wouldn't have spent time reading it considering the context was quite dense in French with vocab I don't understand.. So that is my story of the exploding toilet...an experience of a lifetime....our God surely has a sense of humor.

new PICS AGAIN....

Paris is beautiful when the sun shines

How is everyone doing? I am doing well. I went into Paris today...lots of fun...posted some pictures so click the link to see those. Today we went to Sacre Coeur/Montmartre then over to Luxembourg Gardens, saw the outside of the Pantheon, walked the Champs-Elysees and happened to run into a parade of somesort so we stopped to watch that...we went over to La Defense which has the Grand Arch..and then back...Long day with lots of walking, around lots of people...Good old Paris. This week has been full of activities. Monday we had a visit with a Christian women who was at one time Muslim, so she kinda has some things mixed up between the too. so please be in prayer for her. I went to a party to say goodbye to someone that I just met a couple of weeks ago. Her name is Cathy and she is from Pupa New Guinea and left on Friday. Tuesday I went to the class and hoped to have a visit to go on, but I didn't so I came back home and read and studied my stories and such. Wednesday we had another kids carnival but it rained so we went to the church and played there. I went to a really cute shop after that called Provence, a really Frenchy store. Thursday went to the class again and no visit either. Friday I had a visit with a woman, who is an Egyption and she isn't always receptive to stories so be in prayer for her. She is a widow and has several children. We went and prayer walked one of the new families houses, which is a huge PRAISE!!!! Some of the others went over to another neighborhood where another new family is in the process of renting a house but that paperwork hasn't gone through yet, so please be in prayer for that! I had a lot of time last night just hanging out with myself. I have been reading Joshua and it talks a lot about how God was with the Isrealites as they defeated all the people in the promise land...but you all know that...it's a great testamony though. This week...
Church tomorrow, free museums tomorrow, then maybe some 24 sometime this week at Anne's house, training all day monday, class tuesday and thursday and then whatever else I'm told to do....woohooo.
GOD BLESS

Don't be afraid

Lately God has been saying over and over again, "Don't be afraid." I think it is an echo that I have been ignoring because I don't want to admit I am afraid. I think that not being able to speak fluently has affected me much here. I have no confidence to stand and talk to people about anything. Even though we speak French we speak mostly English, and only say one or two sentences to others when we want something. I have been learning stories. Creation to Noah. I don't have much time to explain all that's going on...pray for courage and obediance.