Saturday, March 14, 2009

Making Plans

I have been feeling swamped lately. Between work and studying, I don’t have much free time. Fortunately, there was some nice weather last week and I was able to study in Michael and Ashley’s (my brother and sister-in law) backyard, which backs up to a lake. It was absolutely wonderful to be outside after feeling cooped-up for so long. Moving to Virginia from Florida in the winter has been an adjustment and I am ready for Spring! Anyways… I took off Friday from studying and now I just feel guilty about it. Oh well, guess it’s time to play catch up today.

I have been praying about what God wants me to do this summer and there are so many things up in the air right now. What I really want to do is spend the summer in Africa.
However, I am not sure if that is God’s plan for me. I have been talking to World Harvest about going to Kenya for a couple years once I finish my education (which is a whole nother story). Anyhow, the missionaries from Kenya will be in the States this summer, so there will be no opportunity to visit them in Kenya. However, I am hoping to see them while they are in the States.
I have an opportunity to go to Tanzania to work in an orphanage and school that was started by a Tanzanian man and his wife who will be graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary in May and returning. I got connected with them through some friends in Orlando and now I am just trying to see if there is an organization who would send me to work with them (World Harvest will not).
World Harvest has encouraged me to apply for a summer internship in London ministering to South Asians. I have really never had a desire to go to London, but I think God could really teach me many things through this. For one, my life is not my own, no matter how much I sometimes think it is. World Harvest’s reasons for wanting me to go to London are that I will receive excellent training in discipleship and evangelism. I will also be exposed to another cross-cultural setting, and I would be working with seasoned experienced missionaries. All of these things are great and I have applied for the internship. I am praying that God would give me a real desire to serve Him wherever He sends me, including if I end up staying in the States this summer, which would be a real challenge for this wandering girl.

Taking anatomy has confirmed in me that I have no desire to go into the health field. The class is interesting but a TON of work. I don’t want to study this stuff for two+ more years…so now I am just trying to get through the class. I could really use your prayers because my motivation is really dwindling.
However, God has given me a love for teaching. I don’t know why I have fought this for so many years. I have just tried to talk myself out of being a teacher. But it really makes sense…I love kids and I love seeing them blossom and grow. So it makes sense that I would enjoy being a teacher. I love going to work and being in the classroom. I have applied to graduate school to get my masters degree in elementary education. I even found a school in Africa through SIM (Serving in Mission) that allows students to do student-teaching in Africa! Which would be awesome! But I know there will be opportunities for that in Virginia Beach too.

So I am just waiting now…waiting to hear about grad school, and to figure out plans for the summer. I am looking forward to August because all of the interns that were with me in Kenya last summer are coming to visit me in Virginia Beach! I miss them and can’t wait to see them again and reminisce about our time last summer.
I’ll be keeping y’all posted as things fall into place!

1 comment:

kelly said...

hey Pamela! I have been thinking about you lately. BTW- I think you would make an excellent teacher. If you can teach a dolphin, I am SURE you can teach a kiddo!! :)