:: Harvesters ::
December 25 wasn't just Christmas Day...it was also the end of the fourth Harvesters class. We had a short graduation ceremony during the church service and gave the students their certificates.
This group has been such a blessing to my heart. I realize I say that every time, but it's always true (which is fine by me)! Over the past three months, they have learned, practiced, prayed, shared, been challenged, grown, and served. This group amazed me with their hearts to know and run after God. We had a bit of a debrief time over lunch yesterday and one of the questions I asked was: "How have you grown in the last three months?", to which the answers included things like:...I know how to be an example in word and action...
...I learned of God's character and saw a change in my characteristics too...
...I have more experience through practice...
...I know the Word of God more clearly...
...I have better relationships with God and others around me...
...I have learned to surrender and submit to God more...
Great answers, but I can testify to say that they are not just words...they are really the ways that their lives were changed. I have seen the evidence of God transforming their hearts and putting those changes into action. I will miss this group...a lot. But I am also looking forward to seeing them walk out the changes more and more as time goes by. And I am looking forward to the next group of students that will study in the Harvesters. We will start on January 31. Please be praying that we have students sign up and that God continues to use the Harvesters in this church and in this nation.
:: The Holidays ::
Spending Christmas away from my family, our traditions, and our own brand of personal chaos is not exactly the easiest thing. I have been "adopted" into a family here in Cambodia and I absolutely LOVE them, but it's still a little difficult and definitely an adjustment. Case in point...
Christmas Eve family tradition: candlelight service at church...smoked sausage, cheese, crackers, too many cookies...opening one present (ALWAYS pajamas)...finally going to bed.
Christmas Eve this year: out-of-control photo booth extravaganza with a few friends...dumplings, green beans, and fried noodle stir fry at a chinese restaurant. VERY different...but we had fun...and have pictures to prove it ;-)
Christmas evening and the following day I spent in the village with the pastor and his family. I always love it out there. What I did not care for so much was the morning of the 27th, when I woke up and realized very quickly that I was pretty sick. I am completely better now, but it was not so much my favorite way to spend my time off from work. I also "decided" to have a root canal done at the end of the week. Needless to say it was kind of a rough week. But I am all about finding silver lining to things like that and so here it is...the root canal was only $35 and my prayer for "supernatural novacaine" was answered...there was very little pain and discomfort afterwards. Not at all the horror stories I have heard from others on their RC recoveries. Praising God for that!
So many others things to write, but this post is already quite full and so they will have to wait for the next blog post...
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