Meet Asia

A car raced over the bridge, and a little black fluff ball was seen flying through the air.  The kids watched horrified, had the car just ran over the black yelping puppy or tossed it out the window.  She lay helpless on the road, occasionally yelping painfully.  Before the kids could get closer an old man walked by, yelled at the pitiful creature and then decided to toss it over the bridge to it’s death.  Kids being a bit morbid as they were are , were drawn to stare at the dead dog, and could see her laying in a pool of water amidst the concrete and stones, totally lifeless.  Or so they thought, until two days later they crossed the bridge again and looked to see the dead dog, only this time it was gone.  Searching more earnestly they could see a black shadow with eyes, hiding amidst the garbage.

The little creature ended up in my care, to see if I could nurse her back to health.  She was covered in fleas, and sewage, so my first  thing was to wash her, then to get a little food in her, some milk and hotdogs mixed with pasta.  she ate greedily and I took it away lest she cause herself to vomit.  After that we ventured outside where I could observe and probe, she was swollen, her poop blood red,  her torso bulged and twisted and she could hardly walk.  She slept for two days, woke up, ate, pooped, peed and slept some more.  Everyone kept asking for her name.  I bounced around a few ideas, but truth is I wasn't naming this one till I knew she was going to live.  Saturday morning I set her down on the ground so I could put my shoes on and while I slipped my foot into one shoe she viciously attacked the croc my foot had just left.  She was going to live! 

Took her to a vet, a new concept here in southern Turkey, her left front foot has chips in the bone but no breaks, and her hip has twisted muscles, hopefully they will come back into alignment.   Some fleas spray, wormer pills and she is on her way to a better life.

I was torn, what should I call her, I was drawn to names popular amidst the Wyoming/cowboy culture,  such as Shelby, Riata, Saige, Bailey, as was I drawn to some cool Irish names: Kierra, Rylie: Regan  or Kenzie which sounds both scot-Irish and very  western both……but nothing fit.  Then one my students looking at the atlas says “How about Cairo or Africa or Asia? 

Always enough Flour and Oil.

Remember the story of Elijah and how God commanded him to go ask the widow for food.  Her initial reply was “I only have this tiny bit of flour, which I'm going to use to make my son and I a meal and then we will die.”  Elijah challenged this woman to trust God by first making him some bread, and then making some for herself and her son.  She obeyed and sure enough there was enough to feed the prophet, the widow and her boy.  In fact she lived like this for several days.

Those last few weeks or preparing to come here I did not want to come.  I didn't have the committed support base.  I have worked as an M for 10 years, back home I can always take a job for extra cash, here that is not an option.  But I had committed and the plane ticket was bought so I came.

I needed money to buy boxes to store my belongings in back home, I need to replace my tennis shoes, and I needed to pay hefty overweight and extra baggage fees to get all these books here.  It was there when I needed it! (you may recall the cool story of the overweight fees being waived in Billings and cut in half on this end.)

I had to attend a camp with these guys, on my first arrival.  The money was there.

I came home with a severe ear infection none of my home remedies' worked.  I had to see a doctor and get medication…the money was there.

Time and time I have needed groceries, or pay bills and always I have enough.

I needed to get a plane ticket for my first visa run, I had to pay some back bills that the lady who lives here for real didn't get the chance to pay before she left and cold weather came earlier then usual, my friends kept pressuring me that I needed to buy firewood, diesel  and get my wood stove installed. I was looking at 800 dollars. 

Well the day came I could no longer put off the plane ticket, but the money was there.   The warm weather returned, buying me an extra month or more before needing to prepare for winter.  I sent word to my land lord that I needed to know the amount owed for the water and electricity….he hasn't gotten back to me yet…but I am confident, that when he does, the money will be there!

Thank you to all who have been obedient to give!  The oil has not ever run dry

Death Sentence

Would want to make a proclamation of faith, being immersed in water; if in the explanation your friends told you was “It is the point in your walk where by law (in some neighboring nations) you can be put to death? “

Back home babies are sprinkled in some fellowships, others older children or adult step up wanting to be dunked, as a step of obedience to the L.  Yet it has lost its meaning, it is common.  In fact at Rodeo camp I have seen the same kids get up year after year asking to be re-baptized.  But life for the newly washed follower does not drastically change.  They go on much as they had before.  sometime you cant tell them apart from the lost around them.

In most nations where believers are persecuted for their faith, they really have to count the cost before saying “I want to be baptized.”  It is more like a conversion experience, a life changing moment. For at that point they are saying “Come hell or high water, this is the road I’m walking.  There is no turning back.”  In countries who put followers of J to death, it is the ones who have taken that step, that can be condemned.  It is at that point when a young believer says I want Him above all else, that they are mostly likely to be disowned by families, friends, loose their jobs, be tormented by the law.  I wonder sometimes if I would have the courage. 

I have been privileged to witness 5 new friends take that stand, since coming here.  Three of those were locals.  One was a very dear woman, who had a lot of fear coming to that point.  Yet she stepped forward knowing she wanted nothing else but Him.  One of the things she was worried about was the possibility of rain, she did not want to get wet in the rain and potentially get sick.  We hadn't seen any rain yet, so were not too worried, but that morning when I awoke the sky was heavy with clouds.  “Please Abba, don’t let these clouds deter this lady.”  I pleaded.  We loaded up in the van, drove to the sea and rejoiced as our friends took a stand for what they believe.  I took some pictures of the clouds that day….my camera (or the one behind the camera) did not know how to capture what I saw, but on one side of the sky it was brilliant, sunny and hopeful while the other dark, looming and threatening.  Yet the Light prevailed. 

 

 

Home Sweet Home

As promised here are some pictures of my home for the next 10 months.  As you can see Dad really has blessed me!  The greatest blessing is I don’t have to pay the rent on this place :) and it is truly a lovely home!

This is the entry way, we are facing the bathroom and the front door.  Notice my cowboy boots sitting by the door.

From the entry way you can enter into the bathroom or a closet type room that holds a water heater type thing used in winter months (right now my water is heated by solar power).  Straight ahead from the outside door your looking into the kitchen and if you walk towards where I was standing to take this picture you will enter into the living room/dinning area.

My living Room, this and the dinning room table is where the majority of our school takes place.  Doesn't the furniture make you think your in the past somehow? 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the kitchen and the view outside my kitchen door.

 

Next we go upstairs to the second floor.  Immediately on our right is the bedroom of the lady who normally lives here (she is in the states for the next 6 months).  As she has a TV with a VCR, it is also the 6th grade math room (Both girls are using video/DVD teachers for Math, much to my relief!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what  do you think of the shower?  no curtains just tile walls and floor.

Also the washer and dryer.

 

The photos below are the guest bedroom (technically it is larger then the house I lived in back in Meeteetse.)  For now it is where I am sleeping since it is too hot upstairs.

 

  Now it is time to walk to the third floor.  the shelf you saw in the kitchen hold the school books we are currently using, this one hold the stuff we will use.  See the carpet, I commented that it looks like something from the Southwest US in design.  It is a tribal design from here, Small world isn’t it? 

This is my bedroom, and yes I brought all those books with me!  The bottom two shelves are the novels I’m incorporating into this school year.  

The hallway just outside my bedroom door….what is with the yellow line you ask?

 

 

 

 

It  is a time line.  The top half shows the development of mankind  around the world while the bottom half reveals the history of the US.

 

At the end of the hallway is what they call the prayer room, it is set up with carpets on the floor and pillows as chairs along the walls, this is a little more what a typical living room may look like. 

 

 

 

 

This last picture is of my view looking down the stairs, from the third floor I think it is kind of cool, if I could draw it I would!   Later perhaps I will add a picture of my front deck (yard) and a view of the house from the outside…. but It is a weekend and well everyone is outside and they already think the “American is out of place” I don't want to prove them right by taking pictures of my house.