{gratitude}

Thank you Father for:
A labor day that was the least laborious of them all: encouraging time in the word, challenges from wise counsel, and spending the afternoon climbing rocks, swimming currents almost too strong for my arms and legs and laughter with new friends that feel like old ones.

Community driven by obedience

$2 movies at the Byrd Theater

Lebanese food so good you'll smack your momma and move to the Middle East

Provision in the form of a visa appointment 4 weeks earlier than planned! Thank you Dad for having a timing more secure and a plan more perfect than my own.

Tonight I am full. (and not just from platefuls of kafta and falafel!)

{lately}

Interesting things from my time here:

The train station in downtown Richmond is beautiful! It makes me want buy some Vineyard Vines clothes then jump on the Amtrak and ride up and down the East Coast.

My friend's hand with henna on it. We use henna as a way to share the gospel with women in various parts of the world. This is the story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears. A lot of my girl friends here are learning how to draw this and many other designs and we are willing to offer up our hands and feet to be illustrated on!

The sky here looked so interesting one night a few weeks ago so I had to grab a picture! I still am not quite sure what that line in the sky was...

This is a shot of our mini library in our quad! We have some required reading but most of these are just for reading on your own time. I finished a book recently called Honor and Shame. It talks about 3 different types of cultures: Shame based, Guilt based and Fear based. I really enjoyed this book because it was a more anthropological look at doing ministry in the shame-based culture of the Arab world.

"The Farm" right next to where I live. I walk past here most evenings on strolls.

{Days}

Many friends have been wondering what our days are like here so I thought I'd sum it up for y'all.

Wake up, early breakfast, group reflection time (we are going through the book of Acts together), 1 or 2 morning talks, lunch, 1 or 2 afternoon talks, free time before dinner and after 6 we are usually done with things.

It doesn't sound like a lot but our talks range from biblical doctrine, to evangelism training, to in-depth bible study, to managing finances, to dealing with transition, grief, culture shock, conflict and the myriad of diseases that are prevalent where many of my co-workers will be going. On top of that we spend time with our teams focusing on language learning, cultural practices, and applying for visas. We also spend a lot of time in prayer. I have been more challenged in my prayer life in the past 4 weeks than I can ever remember. We spend time daily praying for our team-members in the places we are moving, our fellow individuals and families at training, the people whom we are going to live amongst, the government officials of those countries, our friends and families back home, and the churches that have commissioned us. This emphasis and application of prayer is changing the way that I look at the world. By recognizing the people I'm sent out from, I am humbled by the offerings given that enable me to move out and be obedient to this calling. In praying for the city and people I'm moving to be amongst, I realize that all of my best efforts are for nothing if it is without the Holy Spirit. God has promised that he will call all the nations to his name, but we are all privileged that he allows us and wants us to be his hands and feet on the earth. wow.

In addition to all of that, I spend time playing volleyball, running, playing phase 10 and apples to apples and occasionally doing pilates workout videos that leave me sore for days. The conversations with my new friends and family are sweet and I've come to have a loving community around me here helping me sidestep into life abroad. I sit up late with my quad-mates telling stories, occasionally we go into town to see a movie or eat mexican food or make a Wal-Mart run, but it is always so so fun. These people are the BEST type of ridiculous!

Best,

mgw