|
|
 |
THE LATEST NEWS FROM "T"
Sent: Tuesday,
October 28, 2008 5:06:03 AM
Subject: I PASSED!
Well..
It's over! I am
teacher! I passed! :) I now have my "certificate" that
allows me to teach in Almaty!
Even though it
is good to be back in Almaty, leaving Bishkek was sad. The
Understanding Fiction class I taught opened the door for so
many GREAT conversations. The class had five students who
had great English skills. The students wanted to talk about
the tough things in life.
I became really
close with a student names Fatima. She was great. One of
the stories we read brought up the topic of extra-marital
affairs. All of the girls in the class thought it was
pretty normal for men to do this. They all basically
thought that when they get married at some point their
husbands would cheat on them. The girls just hoped they
would not find out. They said they knew no matter what
happened their husbands would come back to them, because a
divorce brings shame to the family. This conversation just
broke my heart. Some of the girls even got tears in their
eyes because they knew they would have to deal with this one
day.
After class,
Fatima and I had a really great talk about this. I told her
that I was a believer (I explained what that meant) and I
want to marry a believer, and when both people are committed
to Dad and committed to each other, then an affair should
not happen. It was the first time she had ever heard
anything like this. It was great. She is now connected
with our extended team in Bishkek and she is asking all
kinds of questions about Dad and Jay. She is really
seeking. Wow! When I left, she hugged me like she never
wanted to let go and her eyes filled with tears.
I hope that she
will be able to come and visit me in Almaty or that I will
be able to go back and visit her.
You know.. one
of the most difficult things about life is everywhere I go I
meet new people... and when I leave, a piece of my heart
stays with them. On my own, I do not have enough to go
around, that is why I need Him to refill me everyday.
Needing to be
refilled,
T
Sent: Sunday,
September 28, 2008 11:37:04 PM
Subject: I teach literature..
Well... I am
half way through my time in Bishkek.
Teaching is
going great. I am teaching my first "unit" this week. A
until is 3 lessons, so basically I have the whole week of
teaching to myself. I am a little nervous about it. But I
have found I really enjoy Literature. I like teaching
literature a lot better than learning it. I am teaching at
a university here, so the students English levels are really
good. That means we can have pretty good discussions about
the stories and what they mean. So for we have been reading
some very thought provoking stories. The story I am doing
this week is called "The Lottery". It is very grim, but it
will allow for some really heart to heart discussion, if I
play my cards right.
The university
is very suspicious of why we want to teach there. A few
years ago, they had some people come in and came they were
English teachers, but they were not teaching English at
all. They were using the classroom as a place to spread the
news. For 4 years since then the university has not let
foreigners back in... until now. So... sometimes people
peep in to see what we are talking about and we think one of
the students is sort of a spy.
Today class went
well. We had lots of good discussion on traditions and if
traditions are always "good". And we talked about
bride-napping and how all of that works, because that is a
tradition here that is horrible. The people here think it
is horrible. So I asked why does it still happen? Why do
we have traditions that have lost their meaning? I am not
trying to change society, but I want students to think about
their surroundings and ask why?
When people ask
questions.. things start to happen, inside and out.
Learning...
T
Sent:
Sunday, September 28, 2008 6:10:49 AM
Subject: Directions
For those of you
who do not know... I do not have a washing machine while I
am in Bishkek. (That is 2 months without a washing
machine!) So, the bath tub doubles as my washing machine.
I have decided
there is an art to washing clothes by hand. The first time
I washed clothes, I thought it was important to give
attention to each individual piece of clothing. This may
seem like a good idea, but it is a waste of time. I mean..
think about it. Does your washing machine pay attention to
each individual piece of clothing?? NO! It just spends it
around.
So... I have
decided that the clothes need to go through two cycles. The
first cycle is with the soap. I put the water, soap, and
clothes in the tub. Then, I make the clothes move for
about 10 minutes. I just act like I am trying to make lots
of bubbles with my hand in the water. This may sound easy,
but it is a lot of work. Then, I drain all of the water out
and squeeze each individual piece of clothing. I mean... I
wish you all could see this water before I drain it. It is
disgusting!!! I think it is because of all the dust in the
air. The water is definitely some shade of black before I
drain it. Okay.. 2nd cycle. You can call it the rinse
cycle. I do the exact same thing, but with no soap for
about 5-10 minutes. Then drain the water.
Well.. now is
the difficult part. Each individual piece of clothing has
to be rung dry to the point it will air dry and not take 3
days to do it. And it is getting colder here, so drying is
not that easy. We do not have heat in our apartments yet,
because the government doesn't turn the heat on until the
middle of October. This is not much fun. I mean.. my hands
are so rough and I have only done this twice. It is sort of
like raking leaves for a few hours. That is what it feels
like!
At least my
clothes are clean.. well... at least most of them. :)
I have 4 more
weeks left in Bishkek.
Learning
something new everyday,
T
Sent:
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:49:12 PM
Subject: Life
I want to take a
few minutes and tell you a little about my students.
Out of 40
students...
For 6 weeks
these students will be in my class. There is no telling
what these students go home to at night... but for 3 hours a
week... I want to show them light and hope. I want to give
them topics that help them think beyond themselves and their
situations. I want to give them a chance to succeed in
life... a chance to see that they can do something right.
Throughout J's life, he served and gave hope. That is what
I want the next six weeks of my life to be about.
Right now, I am
sitting across from a 5 year old boy that lives in one small
room in a dormitory with his Mother, Father, and 2 other
siblings. They share a kitchen with 60 other families and
one bathroom area. He is the cutest boy ever.
You know... Life
isn't so bad.
He is my Joy, my
Strength, and my Song,
T
Sent: Tuesday,
September 9, 2008 8:12:59 AM
Subject: Bishkek... Well... This is my second day in here.
My classes have been really, really amazing. Our teacher has been teaching ESL for many years and it is exciting to learn to from him. He said that this is the first time he has taught the class when it has been all believers. So.. he also incorporated a Word study with the curriculum and it is great also!!
My favorite thing he has talked about in class so far is that learning language is not just learning new words and grammar... it is learning a whole new world and culture. For students to really understand English you have to explain culture, body language, speech inclination... it is really very interesting to me. As teachers we do not have center stage, rather we are guides that facilitate and give direction.
As for Bishkek... the city itself I do not really like it... BUT... I am very drawn to it's Muslim culture. There is a much stronger Muslim presence here, than in Almaty. In Almaty... most everyone claims to be Muslim but few actually practice. Sort of like in the Southern part of the US, when everybody claims to be believers, just because they have grown up in fellowship. But in Bishkek, there are many women that actually wear their head coverings and long sleeves.
My heart is so drawn to these women... I feel like I can see the bondage all over their faces... and it is not just because of what they wear. It is because they have dedicated their lives to something false... and I wonder if all of them will ever hear truth. Oh Father that they would hear truth!
A block from our apartment there is a rather large mosque... (For those of you who may not know... there is a call to prayer 5 times a day for these people)... at night, we can hear the call to prayer. You know... in Africa we heard the call to prayer every time because there so many mosques around... and every time I heard it.. something in my heart was drawn to it. Not in a bad way... but my heart just broke. These people are in bondage... and I want the Father to use me to set them free. I want to sit and have tea with these very religious Muslim women... I long to share my life with them.. I want to be their friend and learn their culture.. I want them to see J.
(okay... so this big black man just walked into the cafe sat down at a table close to me and started talking to me... it was sort of weird... and then he invited himself to sit with me.. he was French... then he bought me supper... it was very interesting, but I am glad he is gone.)
All of this to say.... Dad is showing me many things about myself and Himself... and I have only been here a short while. Dad is good... and I trust that His plan is better than any plan I could make on my own.
Learning to Listen,
T
Sent:
Sunday, September 7, 2008 10:19:44 AM
Hello!!
Just wanted to
let you all know that I arrived in Bishkek safely. While in
Bishkek I will be getting a certificate that allows me to
teach English in universities here.
My apartment is
very interesting. It is very old and very Soviet. I can
sort of see the permanent stain of soviet grime on the floor
and walls. I didn't feel all that great about it, until I
cleaned it myself. And at least now I know it is clean
soviet grime. :)
Oh... and the
bath tub does not have a shower rod.. so that means there is
no shower curtain. (Susie) I am not sure how I feel about
that... but I guess I will get us to it. And the toilet has
this shelf in the bowl... so everything just sort of sits
there, until you flush.. .yeah.. it is weird. I am not sure
how I feel about that at all. hmm..... We are also
having 6 hour a day power outages. We never know when they
are going to have them. We just know for exactly six hours
everyday we will not have power. The reason for this is
because the Kyrgyzstan government decided they would sell
some of their power resources to Uzbekistan and Pakistan, so
to make up for the loss of resources the goverment turns the
people's power off for 6 hours everyday.. so they can have
enough resources for the winter. Now.. I do not really
understand this.. but the people here are not very happy
about this.
Honestly... I am
not too excited about being here. So you all can think for
my heart and spirit. It was difficult leaving all of the
relationships I had made in Almaty and I really do not like
Kyrgyzstan. But I guess Dad has some shaping and molding in
me to do about where I find my joy. My joy should not come
from my situation.. it should only come from Him. So..
please think for me on this.
Okay....
Much love,
T
Monday,
July 21, 2008 7:58 AM So...
Inessa and I have
been hanging out a good bit, considering she works a full time
job. So, we mostly try to hang out on the weekends. She
works for a "high-end" cosmetics company, but her dream is to
be a photographer. She loves it!!
Most of the time
we just sit and talk. We can sit and talk for hours! It is
really great! We do sometimes have trouble understanding one
another, but we always get the point. Lately, we have been
talking about her going to Italy. She wants to go there and
see all the sights and take lots of pictures!! Her face
lights up when she talks about it.
We got together
last Tuesday because earlier she had called and told me she
had the opportunity to go to Italy. She also told me that I
was one of her "heart" friends, that when we got together the
air was light and free. She said, "Tara, I want you to go to
Italy with me.. .just for 10 days... I want to see Italy with
you!"
I was sort of
shocked when she asked me this, but I told her I would think
about it. So, when we met on Tuesday she told me more
information and asked me if I wanted to go. She said,
"Tara... it would be so fun to go with you!!! You are always
so happy and your heart is light." We talked a little more
and she asked, "Tara.. what makes you so happy?"
Now... Inessa has
heard my story many times and heard the news many times. She
was my translator last summer and heard me share with many
children. And I also shared with her. So.. I was a little
surprised when she asked me this question, but I saw it as an
open door to share again.
I told her...It is
because my hope and my joy are in Him. That when I seek Him
with all I have, He puts desires in my heart that only He can
fill. I have hope because His Word promises eternal life, if
I hope and trust in Him. I know that when I trust Him, good
and bad days will come, but because I know Dad is good, I can
trust in Him through good and bad. That we can have a
relationship with Dad and it is not about following a list of
rules... that Esa came to bring grace and forgiveness where we
fall short. There is no shame in Him.
As she listened
her spirit seemed lighter. She knows what she should do, but
she is not ready. I am going to start reading the scriptures
with her. It is the Word of Him and His Spirit that changes
lives... it is not me... it is nothing I can do or say... it
is Dad working through me.
Please think that
Dad would use me in her life. That I would be His
instrument. That I would hear Dad's voice and know what to
say or do.
Thank you all,
T
Monday,
July 21, 2008 7:57 AM Over the past few weeks, our team has been studying the scriptures to find elements of what a believing community should look like. We study different things during the week and then get together on Friday nights to discuss what Dad has shown us.
Here is something
from my study that Dad has laid on my heart. I wanted to share
my heart with you all.
As I was reading
through the NT, I found 4 places the word "devote"
was used. This word just stuck out in my mind when I read it.
It gripped my heart. It is such a strong word!! To be devoted
to something means not to stray away from it... that you are
faithful to it.
So.. believers
should be devoted to these 3 things...
1. Devoted
to each other in teaching and in fellowship. (Acts
2:42)
2. They
devoted themselves to prayer. (Col. 4:2)
3. They
devoted themselves to doing good. (Titus 3:8)
So... I begin
everyday with these things in mind. When these things are
before me everyday... I can't help but be surrendered to Him and
devoted to his purposes.
If any of you have
any other thoughts, feel free to send it back this way.
Learning and working
along side of you,
T
VIEW NEW PHOTOS OF "T" AND HER FRIENDS AT THIS WEBSITE
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 8:18 AM
For me to
receive mail or a package.. my address must look EXACTLY like
this...
P.O. Box 27
Almaty, 050035
Republic of
Kazakhstan
To send a 20lb
box cost about $40. According to
USPS
Postage Price Calculator. It takes me about 2 weeks to get
something. If you are interested in sending a package and are
wondering what you might want to add... here are some
suggestions. :)
York Peppermint
Patties
Chessy Hamburger
Helper Mix (you can take the ingredients out of the box and cut
the instructions off the back to save room.)
Lipton French Onion
Soup Mix
Codi - those
earrings you gave me for Christmas... the round ones?? they are
not here. :(
Bath and Body Works
Fresia Body Cream or whatever else you think i might like
Pecans (no pecans
here)
Reese cups
the pair of black
high heels i left
the yellow dress and
white thing that goes with it
And whatever else
you all think I might need or want. :) If you have any
questions.. feel free to ask. I would love to receive MAIL...
:) Anything that you all have touched would be nice. I know
that sounds kind of weird. :) Just let me know when you are
going to mail something, so I will know to look for it. The
mail does not come to my apartment... it goes to the post
office. If you mail a letter it just requires international
postage... i think it is around $1. Remember to be careful in
how you say things. :)
Much Love,
T
Tuesday, July
8, 2008 7:38 AM
Subject: Self-Rising Flour I realize there is a difference in normal flour and self rising. I am not a complete slow kid.
However...
I was making
pancakes this morning and used regular flour. Kids.... this is
not a good idea. Instead of nice fluffy pancakes, I got
intensely doughy pancakes. I was so bumbed about them. Today
is my day off and this morning I woke up thinking about
pancakes. And they didn't turn out good at all. It seems they
do not have self rising flour here. You have to make it own
your own. I now have the recipe.. maybe I will give it one more
chance. hmmm......
BUT...
I totally redeemed
myself tonight!! I love black-eyed peas!!! And you cannot get
them anywhere around here. But.. I was walking in the bizarre
the other day and I saw a small package of dried peas. They
were the only ones around and i got the pack for 70 cents!!! I
was so pumped!!! It is not a usual thing to find peas here.
So.. I decided I wanted to base my meal around these peas.
I have REALLY been
craving some southern cooking. Here's the menu! Fried pork
chops, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, and english peas.
(Tammy doesn't like black eyes.) I also had some sweet fresh
onion to go with it. YUM, YUM!!! It was GREAT!
This week, I will be
learning how to make home made salsa and tortilla chips. Sounds
exciting!
Until Next Time,
T
Sent: Monday, July 7, 2008 12:42:34
PM
Subject: July 4th
Well.. July
4th isn't a big deal over here. It is actually the second
July 4th I spend over here. The first was in 2004. Being
away from the States on this holiday really helps you to
realize how amazing it is to grow up in a free country.
I spent Friday
working with a group called Hands of Mercy. They have a
work focused completely on old widowed women, who have no
one to care for them. We visited two women, while a week
long team came and worked on fixing up other women's
houses.
The first lady
we visited could barely even sit up. She lived on the 3rd
floor of an aparment building and had not been outside in
years. The whole place smelt like urine. She was so
excited when we got there. Of course I couldn't
understand everything she said, but I could tell she was
thankful we were there. She told us if we did not bring
her food she couldn't eat. She would have no way of
getting food at all. She completely depends on Hands of
Mercy to take care of her. Wow! I can not even imagine
what that must feel like. To wonder if people are
actually going to bring you food. To sit and wonder IF you
are going to eat or not.
The second
lady we visited was the same way. Some of the guys, on the
week long team, cleaned her house and painted some. The
walls were almost black. We had to pick her up and move
her from room to room.
There is no
system here to take care of the elderly. They basically
just die alone. With nothing.
If these
people had not of formed Hands of Mercy, who would be
helping these women? The Scriptures are full of places
where is says to take care of the widows and the orphans.
This is what we are called too. This is truly the hands
and feet of J. The Word says you will know them by their
love. Oh, that Believers EVERYWHERE would be known by
their love. By their willingness to deny self and count
the cost.
Side by side,
T
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 12:13:23 PM Hello!
So.. I had a very
interesting day... a few days ago. I went to the "beach" with my
friend Inessa. It is really just a huge lake, but it the closest
thing to the beach they have here.
Inessa told me to meet
her at this place called the autovokzal. So.. I did. When I got
there, I realized it was just a huge place to hitch a ride to
another place. Sort of like an all purpose bus stop or car
pooling. For instance, if you decided you wanted to go to
Tuscaloosa and you didn't have a car. You could go to this place
and there would be signs in people's cars saying, "Tuscaloosa".
You would then go up to that person and ask them the price. You
would go around to all the people until you found the price you
wanted. So yeah... it is sort of creative way to make some money
I guess.
So.. Inessa and I
found a ride that took us to Kapchuguy, "the beach", for about $3
each. It takes about an hour to get there. I think that was a
pretty good price! So we get there and have to hitch another ride
to the actual beach part.
I mean... I really
know what a hitch hiker feels like now. I do not have a means to
get places, so I hitch a ride. I stand on the side of the road
and when someone stops I tell them where I want to go and the
price I will pay them to take me there. If they are not going
that way, they shake their head and off they go. If they are
going that way, then they tell me to get in. This is CRAZY!!!
But it works. And everybody does it. hmmm....
So... Inessa and I had
a good day. We talked and really built our friendship up more, so
that is really good. She is really bitter from her mom dying of
cancer a few years ago. And is unsure of how Dad fits into all of
that. So.. continue to be thinking for her.
What else??....
Salta and I are
sharing a room now. A new person is joining our team here and she
will be living with us. Salta really has no where else to go
because she is a orphan. She is a believer though.. so that is
really cool. And her English is getting a lot better or maybe my
Russian is getting better??? I don't know... I just know we
communicate a lot better now than we did when I first got here.
HA! So.. it is sort of like being in college again and having a
roommate. Which is fine. I thought I was sort of out of the
roommate stage of life though. :) I guess when you get married
you have a roommate. BUT... I feel that is probably a lot
different. You married people can fill me in on that one day.
:) HA!
There is a cool breeze
tonight. I am thankful for that. Sometimes it is difficult to
sleep when it is hot.
You know... today has
actually been a very oppressive day. My spirit has been uneasy...
I have just been very sad today and I am not sure why. I mean...
I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning. I talked to
Tammy about it and she said she felt the exact same way. hmmm...
I don't know. Just be thinking for me.
okay.. I am going to
sleep now.
Side by side,
T
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 4:07:27 AM Subject: some thoughts I recently read this.... "Every soul he [Paul] came in contact with was an opportunity; and all his life, so far as active service went, was poured out in the doing of this one thing: the bringing of men who had never seen J into a place where they might see Him; and the building up of those who had seen Him in their most holy faith from height to height, and from glory unto glory. the whole aim and influence of his life was J." Wow!!! What an impact Paul left! This is how I want to be, this is what my heart desires. All of Paul's life was about showing others Dad and encouraging those who knew Dad. Wow! This is how I want people to remember me. At the end of my life when I am old and gray, that people would say... "There is a woman who exhumes Dad in all she does." Not meaning that I will EVER be perfect in this life, but that I, just like Paul, would be able to say, "Follow me as I follow Him." I do realize this is a HUGE statement! But that is my desire. I often think about Romans 12:1-2. This passage reminds me that we do not automatically become like Him. It takes time and TESTING! Personally, I really do not like this word. It scares me!! I start thinking of all the ways I MIGHT be tested and that doesn't sound like fun at all! HA! BUT... if I truly believe the Father is good and His promises are TRUE, this allows me to walk blindly in His goodness and mercy. A few days ago, at our retreat, one of the head men with our organization came to speak. He told a story about a shepherd and his sheep. (When he began I though... o great... another Shepherd story.. Sometimes my heart is so hard.) Anyway.. he said when many sheep are drinking from the water sometimes herds mix together. The shepherds are not worried about this at all... they have no outward markings to show ownership, they simply all drink intermingled with one another. Well... when it is time to leave.. all the shepherd has to do is... walk away from the hole and talk. Just talk.. not yell... just walk and talk. And one by one, the sheep know which shepherd to follow. The sheep are so "in tune" to the shepherds voice, in the midst of what appears to be total chaos... the sheep know who to follow. hmmm..... That I would be that in tune with Dad's voice. Side by side, "T" Leigh
Mon, 02 June 2008 06:41
Well....
It is extremely hot here. At 9:00
the other morning it was 96 degrees!!! That is too hot! HA!
They said it is very unusual for this time of year. I just
know, with no air conditioner, the inside of our apartment
feels like a sauna!! WOW!!
Language is going well. My
teacher says that I am way ahead and catching on fast! So,
that makes me feel good. It has been very difficult for me
lately not knowing language. There are so many people I want
to communicate with, but I simply can not. And this fact
breaks my heart. I love talking with people and getting to
know them on a more intimate level, but here it is very
difficult. The vast majority of people I come in contact with
on a daily basis do not know English. That will be different
when the Universities begin again August, but for right now it
is very difficult.
However, Dad did remind me that
just because my words are chained, it doesn't mean that He can
not speak through me. I have decided that if I walk the same
route everyday to Russian class, that I see the same people.
As for now, all I can offer is a simple, "Hi" or "How are
you?", but here that is salt and light. And the most
important thing I can do is "think" for the people I see on a
daily basis. It occurred to me that the people I pass everyday
have probably never had anyone think for them. Wow! I maybe
be the first person that has ever lifted them toward the
Father. What a privilege!!!
We do, however, invite girls over
to our house that Tammy, my roommate/team leader, has been
building relationships with over the past year or so. The
other night we got into a long conversation with her. We were
talking with her about Dad and J. We were telling her that J
is standing there knocking at the door and all she has to do
is invite Him in. Ra said she understood all of this. She
said she knows J is knocking. And she thinks that she has
opened the door and she can see Him standing there, but she is
not ready to invite Him in. She said it would be easy to say
yes and not be whole hearted about it. Ra says she
understands the call and when she decides she wants it to be
something she is COMPLETELY sold out too. This so much
reminds me of the passage in Luke 8:9-15.
Wow!! These is HUGE!! She
realizes that J is the ONLY way! This sometimes takes people
many years to realize. Dad is doing an amazing work in her.
Please think for Ra. Think that Dad would press on her heart
that the time of decision is now. I feel the harvest maybe
soon!
Learning to be Salt and Light in a
dark world,
"T"
|
|
|
Copyright © 2008 Fairhaven Baptist Church, Demopolis, AL |
|
|
| Updated 12/04/08 |
Visitors since 03/2005
|
