Facial Hair, Cat Poop, And A New Stove :)

Apparently my attempt at facial hair growth has made individuals question my nationality.  This week I was asked if I was Israeli, French, and Jamaican…by three different people.   I also was told I look like a hippie. lol  

Anyway this week has been one of great joy as we got a new stove.  That’s right.  It’s goodbye to having to start the charcoal every morning and night.  No more waiting for 25 minutes as the flame lights upon the charcoal.  Now it’s just pop a switch, light a match, and BOOM…we’ve got fire to cook upon.  I know all of you are like what’s the big deal about a stove?   Well, I challenge you to try and use a charcoal grill (with no lighter fluid) two times a day for two months and then you’ll know how big of a deal a propane powered stove really is. 

With our new stove came the giddiness of a twelve year old girl going clothes shopping for school.   All of us missionaries just kept going on and on about all the things we were going to make and could cook now that we had an oven.  Our bellies have been quite full the last few nights as we have had mango pie, a birthday cake, and biscuits.   We’ve definitely been eating like royalty :)

Something else that is new that I never blogged about is the new mouth in the household that I am responsible for feeding.  Some of you may be thinking, “He’s at an orphanage…maybe he was put in charge of special care for a child.” Well to put your mind at ease, that isn’t the case.  I got a cat…or “chat” in Creole :)  Her name is Sparrow.  Ryan and Sheena (the other missionaries that are here) also got a cat.  So instead of my room smelling like baby poop and having to clean up from babies (which some have going for them here) my room smells like cat poop and I have to clean up from their messes :)

Prayer…what is it?  It is calling upon or talking with God anytime about anything.  I’ve learned what that means this last week as both the kids and I learned about prayer.  God sometimes calls us to labor in prayer having us ask again and again and again until He answers.  The example that I used/was given this last week was the story of Elijah and the rain cloud.  He prayed seven times before God answered His prayer.  I have no doubt that He would have kept praying longer too if God had not answered after the seventh time. 

So, something I’ve learned about prayer is that sometimes (a lot of times) prayer requires persistence until the answer comes.  But along with that we need to be watching for God’s answer.  In Elijah’s case, the answer came in the form of a cloud the size of man’s hand.  That isn’t very big but Elijah had been praying and he knew it was the answer.  He even got so excited about the answered prayer that he outran a chariot. :)

Along the lines of prayer, I just want to say a GIGANTIC THANK YOU to you all for your prayers.   I can’t say it enough.  But the reason I have gotten thus far in my time here is because of prayer.  Your prayers on my behalf have given me:  patience that is needed, creativity for teaching, finances, energy, consistency, and encouragement.  Thank you.  Know that you all are in my prayers too :)

Love ya guys,
Shane