19 days!
Dear friends,
I am sorry that I have not been in contact sooner, I have found myself very consumed over the last few months by work and church and pouring into people's lives in Reading. And now, I'm on the countdown from 20 days already which is quite astonishing. I can happily talk about Nepal to anyone who is interested, but I don't think I have grasped the fact that I am going there myself. To be honest, it will probably hit me when I'm on the plane!
There isn't loads more that I have to share with you right at the moment as you have the videos from and information about the school (KISC) on my last post. I will be teaching Grade 4 (equivalent to British Year 5) which is perfect for me! I am running an after school club on Roald Dahl each week which will be fun! There are 8 of us who will be starting new, 3 of us are actually arriving on the same flight from Istanbul! And there are a handful of us staying in the staff house, which is walking distance from the school.
I feel very peaceful about it all, so peaceful that I haven't done much research or mentally left where I am as I feel it is important to finish as well as possible on all fronts here. So don't ask me what people eat in Nepal, whether I have started learning Nepali, what altitude Kathmandu is at... Nepal was never in my plan, so the way that God has spoken so directly and all of the "co-incidences" that have all come together at the right time make it really easy for me to walk out in faith - because not much faith is required! He said go, so I'm going! "If the wind goes where You send it, so will I" is one of my all-time-favourite lines from a song called "So Will I". It reminds me again of the verse that kept coming back to me before I went to Hawaii last year from John 3:8 "the wind blows where it pleases, you hear its sound but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going, so it is with everyone born of the Spirit." Makes me giggle as I'm fairly extroverted and loud so you can often hear me but you may not know where I'm coming from or where I'm going!! And I want my life to be used by God for His glory and His purposes, wherever in the world He wants me, with whichever people or culture and for however long.
This year, particularly walking through my Aunt passing away, and then my Grandma passing away, I've been reminded again that our lives are so short and that as humans we waste time as if we have all the time in the world, but the truth is we cannot guarantee our next breath. So I want to really live fully and freely with the time that I have been given, surrendered to the One who created the galaxies and holds my heart.
How can you pray for me over the next 19 days?
- Finishing well at work.
- For us as a church as we are walking through a difficult season.
- For the practicalities of getting everything that I need to sorted out. I am fairly on top of things, I think, but I don't want to forget anything important!
- For rest!
- That I would love people well and have good quality time with friends as I prepare to leave.
I think that's about it for now. I will, of course, be much more in touch once I am there! Thank you for your kindness, prayer, encouragement and general loveliness.
With much love
Hannah
