hi dear friends & readers. i know that i haven't been the world's best blogger, but i'm hoping that my blogger status will soon be improving. because this blogging website is blocked by the ethiopian government, i have found one that is not and that hopefully i will be able to (provided there is electricity and working internet connection) update, more frequently. so for now, this is the end of this current blog and the beginning of a new blogging life for this ethiopian.
so check it out: www.mustardseeddiaries.wordpress.com
BIG love.
laura
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
well, its not snowing in ethiopia...
while the weather has been quite unusual the past week, still no snow yet to be seen on the ethiopian forecast. its been a cloudy week, and i'm quite ready for the sun to reveal itself once again. regardless of the ugly weather, the Lord's faithfulness continues and life in ethiopia is good.
i've been having a really wonderful time with the kids as always, soaking up every precious moment of laughter and fun.
had the awesome experience of going to my first habasha wedding, two sweet friends from bingham got married last weekend, what an experience. great energy. and a beautiful bride.
this week, me and two friends from bingham started teaching english at a local ethiopian school. we will be doing some lessons with them one day a week, after school. our first lesson went so well and it was so great to get to spend the afternoon getting to know the kids a little, they are all really excited to strengthen their english. you can definitely pray over this time, that we can really build relationships with these kids and the Lord would be glorified, and that they would see Him in us.
things are busy. and i'm pretty exhausted. but the Lord never ceases to provide.
so thankful that the Lord has given me the privilege of being in this beautiful country amongst these beautiful people.
i am so full of joy.
lots of ethiopian love, from this girl.
happy valentine's day.
i've been having a really wonderful time with the kids as always, soaking up every precious moment of laughter and fun.
had the awesome experience of going to my first habasha wedding, two sweet friends from bingham got married last weekend, what an experience. great energy. and a beautiful bride.
this week, me and two friends from bingham started teaching english at a local ethiopian school. we will be doing some lessons with them one day a week, after school. our first lesson went so well and it was so great to get to spend the afternoon getting to know the kids a little, they are all really excited to strengthen their english. you can definitely pray over this time, that we can really build relationships with these kids and the Lord would be glorified, and that they would see Him in us.
things are busy. and i'm pretty exhausted. but the Lord never ceases to provide.
so thankful that the Lord has given me the privilege of being in this beautiful country amongst these beautiful people.
i am so full of joy.
lots of ethiopian love, from this girl.
happy valentine's day.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
penny for my thoughts.
Jan 24 2010
"blessed be your name,
when the sun's shining down on me,
when the world's all as it should be,
blessed be your name"
that is where i am right now.
God is so good & i am so full of joy.
& i just wanted to acknowledge his faithfulness & goodness in a time when everything is going great.
and if we look at the very next verse of the song,
"blessed be your name,
on the road marked with suffering,
though there's pain in the offering,
blessed be your name"
knowing that the difficult days and opposition will come.
& he will continue to be faithful.
the Lord has been doing so much in me lately & i can see the evidence of all of your prayers and love & i am beyond thankful.
exabihir yemesgin.
"blessed be your name,
when the sun's shining down on me,
when the world's all as it should be,
blessed be your name"
that is where i am right now.
God is so good & i am so full of joy.
& i just wanted to acknowledge his faithfulness & goodness in a time when everything is going great.
and if we look at the very next verse of the song,
"blessed be your name,
on the road marked with suffering,
though there's pain in the offering,
blessed be your name"
knowing that the difficult days and opposition will come.
& he will continue to be faithful.
the Lord has been doing so much in me lately & i can see the evidence of all of your prayers and love & i am beyond thankful.
exabihir yemesgin.
He's the GOD of this city.
January 19
hello dear family & friends. it has been quite a while since my last update, but i will try to keep the words to a minimum.
what a busy several weeks it has been.
I successfully finished my first semester teaching and it was absolutely wonderful. The kids and I had a blast celebrating Christmas and it was really nice to have a week of fellowshipping and enjoying this special season together. Although the sunny warm weather wasn’t exactly conducive to the Christmas mood.
But the Christmas spirit was easy for me to catch when I arrived back home for a two-week vacation. It was so wonderful to be home with my family and see so many people who mean so much to me. It was refreshing to hear all that God is doing back home and to share all that He is and has been doing in my life. Of course those two weeks flew by and I headed off for the second part of my break to England. I was able to spend time with great friends, seeing the beautiful sights of England.
And then, before I knew it, I was back home in Ethiopia. And quite happy to see the sunshine again. The semester has gotten off to a great start and I am so glad to be back with my kids. I have two new kids in my class and they are both adjusting well.
Today is the Orthodox holiday Timket, celebrating the baptism of Jesus. It’s a beautiful celebration going on all across the city, I just posted some pictures so be sure to check it out.
This morning, I expected to be woken by the music and celebration of timket, but instead I was awoken by quite different sights and sounds. A large multi-story building across the street from our compound was on fire and the streets were filled with horrified onlookers. The building housed many local businesses and the community was overwhelmed and unprepared to handle this type of crisis. There were only a few people inside the building, but those few did jump from the building and it was a very difficult thing for onlookers to experience and process. Please join me in praying for the families of those who died in the fire and for the neighborhood as they recover from this traumatic event. It is so hard to see the people go through something like this.
God knows.
So full of joy. So thankful for your love, prayers and encouragement.
This is one very blessed and happy girl.
lb
hello dear family & friends. it has been quite a while since my last update, but i will try to keep the words to a minimum.
what a busy several weeks it has been.
I successfully finished my first semester teaching and it was absolutely wonderful. The kids and I had a blast celebrating Christmas and it was really nice to have a week of fellowshipping and enjoying this special season together. Although the sunny warm weather wasn’t exactly conducive to the Christmas mood.
But the Christmas spirit was easy for me to catch when I arrived back home for a two-week vacation. It was so wonderful to be home with my family and see so many people who mean so much to me. It was refreshing to hear all that God is doing back home and to share all that He is and has been doing in my life. Of course those two weeks flew by and I headed off for the second part of my break to England. I was able to spend time with great friends, seeing the beautiful sights of England.
And then, before I knew it, I was back home in Ethiopia. And quite happy to see the sunshine again. The semester has gotten off to a great start and I am so glad to be back with my kids. I have two new kids in my class and they are both adjusting well.
Today is the Orthodox holiday Timket, celebrating the baptism of Jesus. It’s a beautiful celebration going on all across the city, I just posted some pictures so be sure to check it out.
This morning, I expected to be woken by the music and celebration of timket, but instead I was awoken by quite different sights and sounds. A large multi-story building across the street from our compound was on fire and the streets were filled with horrified onlookers. The building housed many local businesses and the community was overwhelmed and unprepared to handle this type of crisis. There were only a few people inside the building, but those few did jump from the building and it was a very difficult thing for onlookers to experience and process. Please join me in praying for the families of those who died in the fire and for the neighborhood as they recover from this traumatic event. It is so hard to see the people go through something like this.
God knows.
So full of joy. So thankful for your love, prayers and encouragement.
This is one very blessed and happy girl.
lb
giving thanks.
November 22, 2009
its unbelievable that it is already thanksgiving week. one, because time is going by so quickly & i'm doing my best to hold on to each precious day here. two, because the sunny 75 degree weather in ethiopia doesn't exactly feel like the holiday season.
while we will still be in school all week and unable to have a proper thanksgiving, i have been thinking about all that i am thankful for, and this year i have been overwhelmed by blessings and have SO MUCH to be thankful for. i am thankful that the Lord has brought me to this beautiful place & given me this incredible opportunity. i am thankful for his faithfulness in my life & for the mighty works he is doing in my heart. i am thankful for the precious children i get to spend each day with. for new friends. for healthy days. for Bingham academy. for this country. I am thankful for you. for the people who have supported me financially, emotionally & prayerfully. i am one blessed girl. the Lord has been too good to me.
things are great here. its been really busy lately. had my first experience bowling in ethiopia last weekend. it was... unique. my tennis team had their big tournament on friday which went really great, the kids played really well & we had a good time. i had the pleasure of spending most of my week with the african funny tummy, one of the precious joys of living here, but am doing much better now. this morning we did the Great Ethiopian Run. it was a 10k around Addis with 30,000 participants & we had an absolute blast.
i've just posted some new pictures in my "life in addis" album, so be sure to check them out.
things to be praying for:
-pray for me & my fourth graders as we lead elementary school chapel on friday. for my kids as they sing & say some memory verses and me as i teach on Jesus' death on the cross, that it would be meaningful and real in their hearts.
-pray for endurance as the semester winds down & there is much still to be done.
-pray for sick & struggling people of Addis.
-pray for Bingham Academy, as they recruit new staff & make plans for Bingham's future.
-pray for my language learning.
salam-neow.
lb
ps.
i'm coming home for a few weeks over christmas.
fly out dec 18th. :)
its unbelievable that it is already thanksgiving week. one, because time is going by so quickly & i'm doing my best to hold on to each precious day here. two, because the sunny 75 degree weather in ethiopia doesn't exactly feel like the holiday season.
while we will still be in school all week and unable to have a proper thanksgiving, i have been thinking about all that i am thankful for, and this year i have been overwhelmed by blessings and have SO MUCH to be thankful for. i am thankful that the Lord has brought me to this beautiful place & given me this incredible opportunity. i am thankful for his faithfulness in my life & for the mighty works he is doing in my heart. i am thankful for the precious children i get to spend each day with. for new friends. for healthy days. for Bingham academy. for this country. I am thankful for you. for the people who have supported me financially, emotionally & prayerfully. i am one blessed girl. the Lord has been too good to me.
things are great here. its been really busy lately. had my first experience bowling in ethiopia last weekend. it was... unique. my tennis team had their big tournament on friday which went really great, the kids played really well & we had a good time. i had the pleasure of spending most of my week with the african funny tummy, one of the precious joys of living here, but am doing much better now. this morning we did the Great Ethiopian Run. it was a 10k around Addis with 30,000 participants & we had an absolute blast.
i've just posted some new pictures in my "life in addis" album, so be sure to check them out.
things to be praying for:
-pray for me & my fourth graders as we lead elementary school chapel on friday. for my kids as they sing & say some memory verses and me as i teach on Jesus' death on the cross, that it would be meaningful and real in their hearts.
-pray for endurance as the semester winds down & there is much still to be done.
-pray for sick & struggling people of Addis.
-pray for Bingham Academy, as they recruit new staff & make plans for Bingham's future.
-pray for my language learning.
salam-neow.
lb
ps.
i'm coming home for a few weeks over christmas.
fly out dec 18th. :)
now THIS is africa.
Oct 31 2009
it is hot. the sun is out and the beautiful ethiopian weather i've heard so much about is here. and IT IS beautiful.
time continues just to fly by. and the Lord continues to overwhelm me with blessings.
we had a week off of school and i was able to join the CMF team in kiramu. its a remote village about 10 hours west of addis. the drive itself was an experience, getting to go through blue nile gorge and see the countryside of ethiopia. it was beautiful. i was able to spend time getting to know my team better, relax, read, pray, and enjoy the sun. it was really wonderful to hear about all of the work the other members of the cmf team are doing and to hear about the Lord's great movement in this country.
pray for the cmf team.. www.cmfi.org/ethiopia
then, back to school this week. as always great week. great kids. lots of fun. 80's day on friday. the kids had a blast dressing up (and i think the teachers may have enjoyed it more than the kids). friday my basketball team had a game, and we won! they've been working really hard and it was great to see them so encouraged. things are getting busier and sometimes the pressures of school, teaching, coaching, and being in ethiopia get heavy, but the Lord continues to provide good friends, fun, and His sweet love.
i love this place.
and these people.
and so thankful to be here, experiencing the beauty.
it is hot. the sun is out and the beautiful ethiopian weather i've heard so much about is here. and IT IS beautiful.
time continues just to fly by. and the Lord continues to overwhelm me with blessings.
we had a week off of school and i was able to join the CMF team in kiramu. its a remote village about 10 hours west of addis. the drive itself was an experience, getting to go through blue nile gorge and see the countryside of ethiopia. it was beautiful. i was able to spend time getting to know my team better, relax, read, pray, and enjoy the sun. it was really wonderful to hear about all of the work the other members of the cmf team are doing and to hear about the Lord's great movement in this country.
pray for the cmf team.. www.cmfi.org/ethiopia
then, back to school this week. as always great week. great kids. lots of fun. 80's day on friday. the kids had a blast dressing up (and i think the teachers may have enjoyed it more than the kids). friday my basketball team had a game, and we won! they've been working really hard and it was great to see them so encouraged. things are getting busier and sometimes the pressures of school, teaching, coaching, and being in ethiopia get heavy, but the Lord continues to provide good friends, fun, and His sweet love.
i love this place.
and these people.
and so thankful to be here, experiencing the beauty.
just gets sweeter with time.
October 16 2009
i'm alive & WELL. fully recovered from the mystery illness, renewed appreciation for my health, and broken hearted for the people in the streets of addis who don't have a bed to rest in, water, medicine, or loving & compassionate friends surrounding them and taking care of them. i find myself waking up each morning now, thanking God for life, rest, health and for the warm bed I am blessed to sleep in each night.
its been an awesome couple of weeks. brief recap:
-returned to school after being ill, welcomed by 29 kids running towards me with open arms, talk about feeling loved.
-had more cooking lessons & my first trip to the cinema here in addis
-my basketball team had their first game, and even though we lost, they played so hard and came back & were only a few points behind in the end
-had a viking celebration/feast with the kiddos
-was the damsel in distress for our midevil themed "memory verse prize day"
-survived my first ever parent-teacher conferences
-and now have completed the first term of the school year!
we are now on our mid-semester break and have a week off from school. i'm going to be traveling to Kiramu to see more of this beautiful country. we've had gorgeous sunny weather and the Lord continues to overwhelm me each day with his love.
at church on sunday we had a musician from india come & play his guitar and he shared a really awesome thought i want to leave you with...
"great things don't happen because of great people, but because of the GREAT GOD that lives in them".
salam.
i'm alive & WELL. fully recovered from the mystery illness, renewed appreciation for my health, and broken hearted for the people in the streets of addis who don't have a bed to rest in, water, medicine, or loving & compassionate friends surrounding them and taking care of them. i find myself waking up each morning now, thanking God for life, rest, health and for the warm bed I am blessed to sleep in each night.
its been an awesome couple of weeks. brief recap:
-returned to school after being ill, welcomed by 29 kids running towards me with open arms, talk about feeling loved.
-had more cooking lessons & my first trip to the cinema here in addis
-my basketball team had their first game, and even though we lost, they played so hard and came back & were only a few points behind in the end
-had a viking celebration/feast with the kiddos
-was the damsel in distress for our midevil themed "memory verse prize day"
-survived my first ever parent-teacher conferences
-and now have completed the first term of the school year!
we are now on our mid-semester break and have a week off from school. i'm going to be traveling to Kiramu to see more of this beautiful country. we've had gorgeous sunny weather and the Lord continues to overwhelm me each day with his love.
at church on sunday we had a musician from india come & play his guitar and he shared a really awesome thought i want to leave you with...
"great things don't happen because of great people, but because of the GREAT GOD that lives in them".
salam.
Monday, October 5, 2009
just keepin it real & completing my ethiopian experience.
let me just start by saying it was a really great week. it flew by, its hard to believe its already october and that i've been here for 8 weeks already.
this weekend has been, well.. not what i expected. I had lots of big fun plans that i so wish i could be telling you about, but unfortunately i've been very sick this weekend. saturday i ended up having to go to the hospital to have some tests run, which revealed, i am NOT, in fact, dying (as i may have thought). i have had three amazing friends (kat, dave, and vicky) at my side throughout the entire weekend taking care of me and a steady stream of visitors and phone calls. i am so blessed. it is hard to be here, a million miles from home, and feel so horrible. but i have felt so loved and encouraged. hopefully in the next couple of days i'll be back to normal... just completing the ethiopian experience, i mean what fun would it be if i didn't end up at the hospital at some point during my time here.
its funny, because on friday in my quiet time i was reading about how the mountain tops are measured by the valleys. and here i am, been having this mountain top experience, everyday in awe of God's faithfulness, so full of joy and having such an amazing time. but sometimes we need these valleys to remind us of our desperate need for the Lord. and to show us his unbelievable strength and faithfulness.
pray for continued strengthening of health, spirit, & energy so that i can quickly get back to my kids & just feel better.
salam.
this weekend has been, well.. not what i expected. I had lots of big fun plans that i so wish i could be telling you about, but unfortunately i've been very sick this weekend. saturday i ended up having to go to the hospital to have some tests run, which revealed, i am NOT, in fact, dying (as i may have thought). i have had three amazing friends (kat, dave, and vicky) at my side throughout the entire weekend taking care of me and a steady stream of visitors and phone calls. i am so blessed. it is hard to be here, a million miles from home, and feel so horrible. but i have felt so loved and encouraged. hopefully in the next couple of days i'll be back to normal... just completing the ethiopian experience, i mean what fun would it be if i didn't end up at the hospital at some point during my time here.
its funny, because on friday in my quiet time i was reading about how the mountain tops are measured by the valleys. and here i am, been having this mountain top experience, everyday in awe of God's faithfulness, so full of joy and having such an amazing time. but sometimes we need these valleys to remind us of our desperate need for the Lord. and to show us his unbelievable strength and faithfulness.
pray for continued strengthening of health, spirit, & energy so that i can quickly get back to my kids & just feel better.
salam.
Monday, September 28, 2009
selam-neow.
it appears that the rainy season is over! we have had a gorgeous week of sunshine. everything is green & life in addis is beautiful. what a great week this has been. definitely my best week here so far. :) how sweet is the Lord, that each week just seems to get better and better. lots of fun with my kids, our class is really growing together and it is such a blessing to see the growth in each of them.
my tennis and basketball teams are both going great. the kids seem to be having lots of fun & are really making improvements.
my language tutoring is going really well. its hard only having a couple of lessons a week and trying to balance practicing and studying with school and preparation, but i am learning some & doing pretty well. i've learned a good foundation of basics for speaking and have learned 3 forms of fidel (which is the amharic writing) i've had several people tell me that i sound like an habasha (an ethiopian) when i speak amharic. watch out. i do realize however, they were probably just being nice. but i'll let it boost my confidence anyway.
this weekend was great. played softball on saturday with some families that live on compound, it was a really nice taste of home. and it was a lot of fun to teach our british and australian friends the concept of the game.
saturday afternoon i went over to my dear friend Lidya's and spent the rest of the day with her family, learning to cook traditional ethiopian food and of course eating lots of it. it was so lovely to spend the day with them, they have made me part of their family and i am so blessed to know such beautiful people. & its quite nice to have a family here in Addis :)
another great morning of worship at Beza. & lunch with some new friends from church. what a beautiful way to start the week, filled with excitement, thanking the Lord for another great week and praising him for the blessing of each day to come. & challenged to seek Him even more.
the Lord continues to amaze me each day. and my heart continues to overflow. i'm definitely receiving far more than i am giving here and pray that the Lord is working in each of your lives and blessing ya'll as much as he is me. pray for my kids, that each day the Lord would become more and more real to them and that they wouldn't see me, but ONLY Him and his great love. pray for my language learning. that i would have time and opportunities to study and practice. pray for continued peace, rest & joy. and that when the hard days come, i will be reminded of the great blessing that it is to be here.
much peace & lots of ethiopian love.
lb
my tennis and basketball teams are both going great. the kids seem to be having lots of fun & are really making improvements.
my language tutoring is going really well. its hard only having a couple of lessons a week and trying to balance practicing and studying with school and preparation, but i am learning some & doing pretty well. i've learned a good foundation of basics for speaking and have learned 3 forms of fidel (which is the amharic writing) i've had several people tell me that i sound like an habasha (an ethiopian) when i speak amharic. watch out. i do realize however, they were probably just being nice. but i'll let it boost my confidence anyway.
this weekend was great. played softball on saturday with some families that live on compound, it was a really nice taste of home. and it was a lot of fun to teach our british and australian friends the concept of the game.
saturday afternoon i went over to my dear friend Lidya's and spent the rest of the day with her family, learning to cook traditional ethiopian food and of course eating lots of it. it was so lovely to spend the day with them, they have made me part of their family and i am so blessed to know such beautiful people. & its quite nice to have a family here in Addis :)
another great morning of worship at Beza. & lunch with some new friends from church. what a beautiful way to start the week, filled with excitement, thanking the Lord for another great week and praising him for the blessing of each day to come. & challenged to seek Him even more.
the Lord continues to amaze me each day. and my heart continues to overflow. i'm definitely receiving far more than i am giving here and pray that the Lord is working in each of your lives and blessing ya'll as much as he is me. pray for my kids, that each day the Lord would become more and more real to them and that they wouldn't see me, but ONLY Him and his great love. pray for my language learning. that i would have time and opportunities to study and practice. pray for continued peace, rest & joy. and that when the hard days come, i will be reminded of the great blessing that it is to be here.
much peace & lots of ethiopian love.
lb
Sunday, September 20, 2009
his joy comes with the morning.
i wish there was a way to truly capture how beautiful it has been in addis this weekend and share it with you all. the sun has been shining so brilliantly, the skies so blue, & the colorful birds are singing such beautiful songs. this week has been so much fun. with the gorgeous weather, comes lots of fun outside during the school day. me & my kids have had a blast this week and have really grown together as a class. i am continually building relationships within the community and feel so blessed to be able to share in the lives of these people. tomorrow we have the day off of school so a group of us are going up to the mountains for a picnic & a hike :)
this morning at church, we talked about what it means to be in the presence of God and in 2 Samuel, when David was carrying the Arc of the Covenant into the city, and he stopped and just began to worship because it really hit him how very blessed he was, and he became undignified before the Lord... so this morning, we had an awesome celebration, it was incredible. i am so very blessed to be here. my heart is bursting with joy. i have the silliest grin on my face. what a mighty God we serve.
things you can pray for...
-today marked the end of Ramadan, join me in praying over the muslim community here in Addis, that their eyes would be opened to the truth & love of Christ.
-pray over my tutoring as i am learning amharic, so that i can better communicate here in Addis
-pray for my 30 beautiful children, & our bible time each day, that it would be a time where the love of God & the truth of his word become real to them.
igzee-abhair yimesgen.
(praise God!)
lb
this morning at church, we talked about what it means to be in the presence of God and in 2 Samuel, when David was carrying the Arc of the Covenant into the city, and he stopped and just began to worship because it really hit him how very blessed he was, and he became undignified before the Lord... so this morning, we had an awesome celebration, it was incredible. i am so very blessed to be here. my heart is bursting with joy. i have the silliest grin on my face. what a mighty God we serve.
things you can pray for...
-today marked the end of Ramadan, join me in praying over the muslim community here in Addis, that their eyes would be opened to the truth & love of Christ.
-pray over my tutoring as i am learning amharic, so that i can better communicate here in Addis
-pray for my 30 beautiful children, & our bible time each day, that it would be a time where the love of God & the truth of his word become real to them.
igzee-abhair yimesgen.
(praise God!)
lb
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
langano. & the year 2002.
back from langano & officially living in the year 2002. the weekend was absolutely incredible. it was one of the most beautiful places i've ever been. and it was the most peaceful i've ever felt. just before God in all of his beauty and absolutely amazed by the complexity of his creation. ((i put up pictures be sure to look at them!))
people dream their whole lives of doing and experiencing the things that i am doing and for whatever reason, God is allowing me to live this incredible life. i don't understand why, but i am SO THANKFUL. we camped along the edge of the lake, with a gorgeous view of the lake & the mountains and at night laid underneath the most gorgeous sky, bursting with stars... we were able to go to house of hope, a home that takes care of babies whose mothers have died in child birth.. we just got to love on the babies all afternoon and it was wonderful.
it was so nice to get out of addis & away from school and relax. and it made coming back to addis so great and now addis feels like home. gah, i'm so blessed to be here. i love it here so much, and i walk around with this goofy smile on my face because i'm so overwhelmed by how happy i am to be here and how much i love addis.
missing you all, as always.
lots of ethiopian love,
lb.
people dream their whole lives of doing and experiencing the things that i am doing and for whatever reason, God is allowing me to live this incredible life. i don't understand why, but i am SO THANKFUL. we camped along the edge of the lake, with a gorgeous view of the lake & the mountains and at night laid underneath the most gorgeous sky, bursting with stars... we were able to go to house of hope, a home that takes care of babies whose mothers have died in child birth.. we just got to love on the babies all afternoon and it was wonderful.
it was so nice to get out of addis & away from school and relax. and it made coming back to addis so great and now addis feels like home. gah, i'm so blessed to be here. i love it here so much, and i walk around with this goofy smile on my face because i'm so overwhelmed by how happy i am to be here and how much i love addis.
missing you all, as always.
lots of ethiopian love,
lb.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
this is my life. (9/6)
seriously? i get to live this beautiful life? i live in africa. get to spend my days with 30 wonderful kids. in community with some incredible people from all over the world. pinch me please. can you tell i love it here?
i have been living in addis for a month already! its so hard to believe because it has absolutely flown by.
this week has been quite a roller coaster. had lots of great time with friends. had a blast with my kids. passed my drivers test, which is a huge accomplishment. driving in addis is ridiculous. wednesday, i had a rough day, feeling really homesick and overwhelmed. but received so much encouragement and reminders of how blessed i am to be here. this weekend i've been a little sick, with sinus junk. so hopefully i'll be feeling better before school tomorrow.
we only have a four day week at school this week. friday is the ethiopian new year. so this weekend a bunch of us are going to Langano for the weekend, which is a down-country mission station, so we can see some more of this beautiful country and ring in the new year. (which will be 2002, here in Ethiopia, a little behind...)
i wish i could really explain the incredible things God is doing in my heart. he reveals himself to me in a new way each day. its amazing how stepping away from the distractions of the everyday can allow you to see Him so much more clearly. my heart is so full. and the exciting thing is you don't have to come to ethiopia for Him to do that, He meets us exactly where we are. even though i have so much junk and even though i don't deserve it, He loves me with a love that i can't even fathom. and even in this city, where my heart is broken everyday over the poverty and the sickness and the filth, GOD IS SO PRESENT HERE. and the same God who is here doing such incredible things in my heart, is working in the hearts of people all across this city and in all of your hearts back at home. seriously? what an AWESOME GOD.
i am missing you guys BIG TIME. thanks for all of your sweet messages.. it means more than you know. & makes being so far away so much easier. keep it coming ;)
pray for me, that i will continue to be stretched and challenged. for health and for energy. pray for my kids. pray for Bingham and the staff. & pray for this beautiful city, that the people would give their needs to the Lord, that they would hunger & thirst for Him. and that they would find satisfaction, peace, and joy in Him.
i have been living in addis for a month already! its so hard to believe because it has absolutely flown by.
this week has been quite a roller coaster. had lots of great time with friends. had a blast with my kids. passed my drivers test, which is a huge accomplishment. driving in addis is ridiculous. wednesday, i had a rough day, feeling really homesick and overwhelmed. but received so much encouragement and reminders of how blessed i am to be here. this weekend i've been a little sick, with sinus junk. so hopefully i'll be feeling better before school tomorrow.
we only have a four day week at school this week. friday is the ethiopian new year. so this weekend a bunch of us are going to Langano for the weekend, which is a down-country mission station, so we can see some more of this beautiful country and ring in the new year. (which will be 2002, here in Ethiopia, a little behind...)
i wish i could really explain the incredible things God is doing in my heart. he reveals himself to me in a new way each day. its amazing how stepping away from the distractions of the everyday can allow you to see Him so much more clearly. my heart is so full. and the exciting thing is you don't have to come to ethiopia for Him to do that, He meets us exactly where we are. even though i have so much junk and even though i don't deserve it, He loves me with a love that i can't even fathom. and even in this city, where my heart is broken everyday over the poverty and the sickness and the filth, GOD IS SO PRESENT HERE. and the same God who is here doing such incredible things in my heart, is working in the hearts of people all across this city and in all of your hearts back at home. seriously? what an AWESOME GOD.
i am missing you guys BIG TIME. thanks for all of your sweet messages.. it means more than you know. & makes being so far away so much easier. keep it coming ;)
pray for me, that i will continue to be stretched and challenged. for health and for energy. pray for my kids. pray for Bingham and the staff. & pray for this beautiful city, that the people would give their needs to the Lord, that they would hunger & thirst for Him. and that they would find satisfaction, peace, and joy in Him.
so... i've got this room full of kids... (8/28)
let me just start by saying, today was one of the most gorgeous days i've ever seen. the sky is here is so blue its unreal. i took my kids to read outside today and i looked around and thanked God for bringing me to this gorgeous place... seriously? i get to do this everyday?... ridiculous.
so, week one of school. done. check.
and i have fallen head over heels for 30 gorgeous nine-year olds.
we have had a blast this week getting to know each other. i have kids from zimbabwe, finland, us, australia, maritious, germany, ireland, and ethiopia. talk about diversity. the lives these children lead and the things they've been able to experience at just 9 years old is incredible.
i just can't wipe the smile off my face. i get to spend everyday with a room full of children who are eager to learn and are absolutely hilarious and i get to share the love that i have been so blessed to receive and i actually get to get in the Word with them, and tell them about this amazing God who has been so faithful to me. i'm overwhelmed.
i miss you all so very much. but i am so full of joy. i have fallen in love with this city and this school and these people. i am so blessed. seriously.
pray that the kids will not see or hear me, but that I would overflow the love and wisdom of Christ alone and that he would be glorified in our classroom.
i've posted pictures of our room in my most recent album on facebook. check it out.
peace & love.
lb
so, week one of school. done. check.
and i have fallen head over heels for 30 gorgeous nine-year olds.
we have had a blast this week getting to know each other. i have kids from zimbabwe, finland, us, australia, maritious, germany, ireland, and ethiopia. talk about diversity. the lives these children lead and the things they've been able to experience at just 9 years old is incredible.
i just can't wipe the smile off my face. i get to spend everyday with a room full of children who are eager to learn and are absolutely hilarious and i get to share the love that i have been so blessed to receive and i actually get to get in the Word with them, and tell them about this amazing God who has been so faithful to me. i'm overwhelmed.
i miss you all so very much. but i am so full of joy. i have fallen in love with this city and this school and these people. i am so blessed. seriously.
pray that the kids will not see or hear me, but that I would overflow the love and wisdom of Christ alone and that he would be glorified in our classroom.
i've posted pictures of our room in my most recent album on facebook. check it out.
peace & love.
lb
first day of school. (8/24)
hello sweet family & friends.
all is well in ethiopia. i am loving it here more everyday. we have had gorgeous weather the past couple of days and almost four days straight with water! i've spent most of the past several days getting ready for school.. which starts TOMORROW. i am so excited to meet those precious children i've been praying for!
so starting tomorrow, things are going to get busy and hectic but lots of fun. i'm also going to be coaching the tennis team here at Bingham and maybe a basketball team.. which will be a lot of fun.
just wanted to give a quick update and ask for your prayers over tomorrow. pray for me, in my first day of teaching. pray for those 32 4th graders i have the privilege of spending everyday with. pray that God will open their hearts and minds to learn. that our classroom will be a beautiful community that seeks to honor and glorify God. love ya'll & miss you very much.
peace & love all the way from ethiopia.
lb
all is well in ethiopia. i am loving it here more everyday. we have had gorgeous weather the past couple of days and almost four days straight with water! i've spent most of the past several days getting ready for school.. which starts TOMORROW. i am so excited to meet those precious children i've been praying for!
so starting tomorrow, things are going to get busy and hectic but lots of fun. i'm also going to be coaching the tennis team here at Bingham and maybe a basketball team.. which will be a lot of fun.
just wanted to give a quick update and ask for your prayers over tomorrow. pray for me, in my first day of teaching. pray for those 32 4th graders i have the privilege of spending everyday with. pray that God will open their hearts and minds to learn. that our classroom will be a beautiful community that seeks to honor and glorify God. love ya'll & miss you very much.
peace & love all the way from ethiopia.
lb
Sunday, August 23, 2009
so... i'm here! (8/16)
And I love it, so much. It has overcome any and all expectations. Everyone here is so wonderful. The community is an absolute blessing. I now have friends from UK, New Zealand, Switzerland, Australia and Ethiopia of course. There is so much to tell I’m not sure where to start. Bingham is absolutely beautiful. There are beautiful flowers and plants everywhere. My flat is so precious, and very large. We only have electricity every other day and water is in and out. It takes some getting used to, but its really not all that bad. Its kind of nice to be away from the distractions, but sitting in the cold and the dark gets a little old.
I’ve been in language tutoring, it’s a funny language and my tutors are wonderful! Hirut and Lydia. Lydia and I have become very good friends, she is wonderful and we have so much fun together! The food is great, and I’ve had zero problems adjusting. I find myself hungry all the time, but if you know me, then you know that’s nothing unusual, haha.
The sky & the stars are breathtaking. Its so hard to believe I’m here, so far away.
God has been so good, and being removed from the everyday and the distractions has been so nice. And I’m learning so much about relying on God. He really is it. Everything. And that has become so clear to me already. I’ve slept pretty well and almost all through the night since I’ve been here. I usually wake up very hungry so I eat something and go back to bed.
I found out on my first day that I will no longer be teaching art, but I am the new grade 4 teacher. Which means I will have 28 precious 9 & 10 year olds that I get to spend everyday with! I could not be more excited. I love them and am praying for them already. School starts august 25th so I’ve got about a week to figure out what I’m going to do for the first couple weeks of school.
I miss everyone a lot, but I am having the most amazing time. The Lord is so present in this city, he is doing great things and I feel so blessed to be a part of it and be in the company of some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met.
I love you all and hope to be hearing from you!
laurakboyd@hotmail.com
I’ve been in language tutoring, it’s a funny language and my tutors are wonderful! Hirut and Lydia. Lydia and I have become very good friends, she is wonderful and we have so much fun together! The food is great, and I’ve had zero problems adjusting. I find myself hungry all the time, but if you know me, then you know that’s nothing unusual, haha.
The sky & the stars are breathtaking. Its so hard to believe I’m here, so far away.
God has been so good, and being removed from the everyday and the distractions has been so nice. And I’m learning so much about relying on God. He really is it. Everything. And that has become so clear to me already. I’ve slept pretty well and almost all through the night since I’ve been here. I usually wake up very hungry so I eat something and go back to bed.
I found out on my first day that I will no longer be teaching art, but I am the new grade 4 teacher. Which means I will have 28 precious 9 & 10 year olds that I get to spend everyday with! I could not be more excited. I love them and am praying for them already. School starts august 25th so I’ve got about a week to figure out what I’m going to do for the first couple weeks of school.
I miss everyone a lot, but I am having the most amazing time. The Lord is so present in this city, he is doing great things and I feel so blessed to be a part of it and be in the company of some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met.
I love you all and hope to be hearing from you!
laurakboyd@hotmail.com
Saturday, August 8, 2009
the final countdown.
it is hard to believe that it is already august 8th. the summer flew by so quickly, but it was absolutely perfect. i have been anticipating these next three days for so long, it is going to be a whirlwind of fun, excitement, and emotions. this week at home has been great, relaxing, packing, eating lots of my favorite foods, and lots of hang out time with my family and the lakeside kids that i love so much.
packing was an undertaking for sure.
i had to fit all of this...
into this...
and somehow i managed to do it.
it only took 4 days and 4 people staying up way too late.
tomorrow is my commissioning service at Lakeside.
monday i graduate from Auburn.
tuesday i fly out of atlanta.
its going to be a crazy next couple of days. but that also means in just 3 days i will be in Addis! please be praying for me over the next 3 days and they days that follow. that i will quickly adjust and get settled in.
i am excited because my next post will be filled with great details about my new life. :)
love & peace.
lb
packing was an undertaking for sure.
i had to fit all of this...
into this...
and somehow i managed to do it.
it only took 4 days and 4 people staying up way too late.
tomorrow is my commissioning service at Lakeside.
monday i graduate from Auburn.
tuesday i fly out of atlanta.
its going to be a crazy next couple of days. but that also means in just 3 days i will be in Addis! please be praying for me over the next 3 days and they days that follow. that i will quickly adjust and get settled in.
i am excited because my next post will be filled with great details about my new life. :)
love & peace.
lb
Saturday, May 16, 2009
sweet summertime.
summer is here.
finishing up a few classes.
the summer holds:
being in auburn.
spending time with good friends.
weekend trips.
new adventures.
meeting new people.
graduating in august.
just 2 & 1/2 months until i am in africa.
i'm just holding on with 2 hands & letting God.
much peace & love.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
surreal.
tomorrow is may 1st. seriously?
it is hard to believe that this semester is already over and i am just 3 short months away from moving to addis. i know i've not been a very good blogger but my now things are slowing down and there is much more to report, so hopefully the updates will be much more frequent & exciting as well.
so lets get caught up on my life & journey.
- this semester has been absolutely incredible. while it has
been difficult trying to balance internship, family and friends, the Lord has taught me so much & is really moving in my life. my internship was better than i could have ever imagined. over the past 4 months, i have fallen absolutely in love with 28 of the most incredible kids i know. i've never been so sure of something, as i am that this is exactly what i need to be doing. these kids have taught me more & touched my heart, every single day. i have been so very blessed and am so thankful for such an incredible student teaching experience.
- i have officially become an ACF hasbeen. it is so hard to see this chapter in my life closing & my time at acf coming to an end. these past 3 years have been the best of my life. the Lord has truly blessed me with the MOST incredible friends and memories. i h
ave grown more in the Lord in the past 3 years and that is greatly due to love, accountability, and encouragement that i have found in acf.
- and the final major update to report is the most exciting.
i have officially been promised 100% of my support. the Lord is so very faithful. he always provides, despite our lack of trust and confidence in his abilities. the generosity that i have received has been overwhelming and i am so very loved. it is so exciting to know that i am not going alone, but that all of the people that i love so dearly will be joining me through prayer, financial support and encouraging words.
now i am in the process of filling out the great stacks of paperwork that required of me in order to work, live, travel to, & stay healthy in ethiopia.
pray for me:
-as i struggle with saying goodbye to some of my closest friends as they graduate & move away to begin their careers or leave for the summer
-that the Lord would continue to use me here in auburn for the remainder of the 3 months in the states
-in this time of transition as i am no longer in my internship & with my kids, moving into summer school, and preparing my heart for the next major steps in my journey.
-bingham academy, the cmf urban poor team, addis ababa
Sunday, February 8, 2009
6 months.
so this week is 6 months & counting until i leave for Addis. its crazy how quickly time is flying by me. my senior year has been so incredible. i am so blessed, & have had the most amazing college experience. the Lord has continued to be faithful throughout my fundraising. a few weeks ago, i was feeling pretty discouraged about the amount of support coming in. i was receiving support, but definitely not as quickly as i had imagined. feeling overwhelmed and trying to balance everything, with internship, school, acf, friends, & family. so i gathered my prayer team i've assembled here in auburn & shared my heart with them & asked for prayer. & wow, what a powerful tool the Lord has given us. days later, the support began pouring in & the Lord flooded my heart with peace, reassurance & encouragement.
HE IS SO GOOD.
things are going great & my heart is so full of joy and excitement.
6 months.
-- 6 more months to enjoy this beautiful city, spend time with my amazing friends & soak up the ending of my college career.
-- 6 months until i take the biggest leap of my life & jump into the lives of some beautiful people & share some of this love i am so overwhelmingly blessed with.
thank you for all the prayers.
keep em' coming.
Monday, November 10, 2008
blessed
the Lord has truly blessed me with peace & for that I am beyond thankful.
i have officially began support raising.
things are becoming so real to me now.
& i am so excited to see all that is in store.
in all of the excitement, my prayer is that the Lord would continue to use me here and now in auburn. that i would be present and focused and embrace the opportunities he has before me now. but that i would be continually preparing for the journey ahead.
pray for:
-my support raising
-my ability to balance, with my school work load increasing
-continued peace
-the people of addis ababa
-my team that is already at work in ethiopia
-bingham academy, the staff & students
have questions or want to hear more about my journey?
email me.
laurakboyd@hotmail.com
i have officially began support raising.
things are becoming so real to me now.
& i am so excited to see all that is in store.
in all of the excitement, my prayer is that the Lord would continue to use me here and now in auburn. that i would be present and focused and embrace the opportunities he has before me now. but that i would be continually preparing for the journey ahead.
pray for:
-my support raising
-my ability to balance, with my school work load increasing
-continued peace
-the people of addis ababa
-my team that is already at work in ethiopia
-bingham academy, the staff & students
have questions or want to hear more about my journey?
email me.
laurakboyd@hotmail.com
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