A new year and a new semester.
We have finished the first week back at school and are about to begin the second. I arrived in last Saturday evening and had Sunday to unpack, rest, organize a bit before things started on Monday. Monday was a staff breakfast, meeting and campus cleanup day. And then Tuesday classes started. You could hear the squeals from down the hall as the kids reconnected. I was of course very aware of my own jetlag as classes began but I had failed to realize that most of my students would be quite jet lagged as well. Most of them arrived only the day before classes started which means they were travel weary and jet lagged. My students had traveled from Africa, Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Western Europe and the States. Not too bad when you only have 33 students total. They all had stories to tell of their adventures traveling and of their time at home. With the snow storms that hit Western Europe the week before Christmas students and staff all had stories to tell of delays, cancellations, nights in hotels, etc. Some of my students were able to use their French while on break. One student was able to use some of his French with the Frenchman that was sitting next to him on the plane. Another used it in the Paris airport. One of my middle-schoolers started reciting a play that we have memorized in French to dissuade a very persistent street salesman in Turkey who was not getting the hint in English. Who knew that French could be so handy? :)
On Wednesday we started back with our small groups. All my girls begged to tell their “airplane” stories, we had to work on taking turns but eventually they all had a chance to tell their story. Some of them had quite the adventures traveling many of them by themselves or with another sibling. Hearing these stories reminded me of the amazing kids that I get the privilege of serving. It also reminded me of the sacrifices these parents and their children are making for them to be in school at BFA. My freshman girls seemed happy to be back, but all commented on how hard it was to say goodbye to their families. It was so good to reconnect though with them and look ahead to the coming semester and a new year. I have been praying that Jesus would draw each one of my students closer to Himself this new year and they would turn to Him, in their adventures, in their goodbyes, on their good days and on their hardest days. I pray that this year will be one that they draw nearer to the heart of God. As for me, while saying goodbye was not easy (it never seems to get easier even with age and lots of practice) yet I feel thankful to be back. Life here is still new and overwhelming but I am amazed at the difference between this semester and last semester. It is wonderful to have a furnished apartment, to know and enjoy my roommates, to know my fellow staff members, to know who to go to with my questions, to know Kandern, to know and love my students and to see them excited to be back together. I look forward to all that Jesus has in the coming semester.
I am so thankful for the time at home and for the chance to see many of you and to spend some time with my family. Jesus is very good to me! I am thankful for all the people that have loved me and prayed for me and supported me in so many ways. You are the reason that I am here and I thank you!
