Hi, my name is Bes and I've been renamed by a 2 year old. Yes, my friends, Josiah (almost 2) still cannot say 'Beth' and therefore my name is slowly being converted to 'Bes'. Stephen started it all and the kids soon caught on.
Has January flown by for anyone else? Last I remember I was laying in my bed in Thailand trying to remember the importance of staying up until midnight because of New Years. I fell asleep thinking of the reason why. And now, it's almost February. Just in the last month I have:
-flown internationally (note to any flyers out there: the arm rests in the two seats next to the emergency exits don't actually come up; and sleeping may prove awkward if you try and sit in one and throw your legs in the other seat, best to find a whole 'nother seat.)
-had my wisdom teeth pulled and stitches taken out (which I'm SURE your sick of hearing by now, but really...it was kind of cool.)
- travelled into another national state
-frolicked through tea plantations (don't assume I'm lying. I do frolick.)
-seen a massive male elephant with about 6-foot long tusks grazing close to the road
-swam laps in a relatively warm pool while thinking about all of you trudging through snow
-had good discussions with Abba through highs and lows
-learnt that driving outside the city is much more frightening than bungy jumping (except there's no insurance this time.)
-been to government offices to be registered
So we spent this last weekend up in the mountains with a couple here that Stephen and Tricia are working with. It was an amazing time and the area is beautiful, calm, quiet and clean. Everything I had not yet experienced. We drove 9 hours southeast (we were told it took about 4 hours ;-) ) into the hills. Despite the hairpin turns
The rest of the weekend was rejuvenating and relaxing. Well...how could it not be with a view like this?
We are now back at home and at school. We have been completing 2 days in 1 for the past week or so, just to get caught up and back on track (this means the kids are working until 3pm, which they believe is absolutely dreadful! haha...oh I am a slave driver).
As far as yarp requests goes? I'll put a few just in case you would like specifics:
-To get caught up in Biology (a course I am taking while over here...mostly so I don't loose the academic side of my brain)
-To be able to conquer personal struggles that I have been...revisited with recently (right when I think I've overcome an obstacle, I'm humbled once again to see that I have not)
-To be able to encourage the kids in the area they need it most
-To make friends in the area
-To press on towards the goal to which He has called me (this is general...just because...well..I think general prayers give me a little more room to allow Him to decide what He wants that to mean, haha)
I'm heading up north this weekend to spend some time with friends that I haven't seen before Christmas. Funny how excited I am to see friends that I really only knew for 4 months.
Thank you all for your yarps and letters, they helped enormously in overcoming my temporary homesickness. Now I feel like being back in Canada for one day would be a nice change, but I would certainly want to come back (not like before where I was honestly desiring to hop on a plane and dash home). Your love, more than anything else, means so much to me.
In Him,
~Bes
