Thank you!

When I arrived at the Christian Campus House today, Christmas was waiting for me :)
I got to open up a rather large stack of envelopes full of checks for my trip. Now, receiving money at birthdays and Christmases is always good, but knowing that others have a heart for me, for my trip, for these people who need Him, that makes each dollar so much sweeter. And the generosity of my family and friends--I know that's a gift that can only be from God.
Thank you all, for your prayers and your support.

Hallelujah

I am blessed.
I'm learning this more as I journey through the Perspectives course; my eyes are being opened so much. Mostly to the blessings that God is pouring down on me.
Tonight we had small group (composed of Indian families, the occasional other American, and college-age me) at a family's home.  The room was filled with people of brown and "wheatish" skin praising the Lord.  It's ordinary for them, but for me, it's pure bliss. Knowing that the church I intend to go to one day has spread here is comforting.
To hear an aunty open in prayer in Hindi brought tears to my eyes. I'm so glad He is "a global God."
The feelings I have when I'm surrounded by this community are indescribable. It's better than falling in love, that's the only comparison I can give that even comes close.  Just knowing that He has given me ALL this to bless me now is remarkable. Knowing that He has given me this purpose makes a year and a half more of grad school bearable.
Speaking of grad school, He is blessing me there too, although I know at times I will not see it as such! My research advisor is Indian, which gives me opportunities to adapt to the different levels of respect in Indian culture. Both my pediatric and adult clients are nonverbal and the most "challenging" clients, according to my professors.  I see this as His way of preparing me for not being able to communicate with some of my patients overseas.  I see the challenge as a "therapy bootcamp" so that I will be ready to be the primary (temporary) therapist of children this summer.
On a less serious note, I have confidence that my hindi will improve greatly before I leave! Through both tonight's Punjabi Bible study translation and Mama's Farsi explanations during English tutoring, I am able to pick out many words that I know.  And these languages are not even the one I am learning!  Now, if I could only gain confidence to speak. . . .
Either way, I am blessed because I have $3549 left to raise, 118 days to work on my vocabulary, and ??? number of hours until my second nephew will be born!

The "M" Word

I mailed the majority of my support letters today and am trusting that He will provide for this journey.  On that note, I'm glad that I feel being a "tentmaker" is my path when I return overseas later on.

What is a tentmaker? The best definition I've found is on this website: http://paul-timothy.net/pages/perspectives/lesson_15_readings.pdf (It's PDF, so just search for Siemens, the author, in the search bar, and it will take you right there!)

I must say that I've always hated that "M" word for myself. Missionary. Ugh. I don't want to be "one of those" :) That word creates the image in my head of a floor-length-skirt-wearing mom who lost her sense of fashion in 1960 and at least five socially awkward children. Her husband probably has a bushy beard and is wearing a khaki safari outfit. Yep, that's not me. At all!

Tentmaking, though, that's more my cup of tea. No coming back on furlough every fourth year creating familial and social instability. I can still be a "career-woman," a therapist, with coworkers, a salary, and a "normal" lifestyle. I can live life there just like I can here. 

The main challenge with being a tentmaker is the same as being a person anywhere else:  living life intentionally. I can't say that I will live the same kind of life as I do in the middle of Missouri.  Here, my main "ministry" is to those from overseas--students, parents, my tutoring kids who I meet with online as they live in Korea!  There, I'm going to be the foreigner. Maybe it will be there that I finally fit in with Americans :) Maybe my work will be with refugees. Maybe it will be with the locals, I have no idea. But I am excited that being in the health care field brings such awesome opportunities. I wonder who the other therapists or doctors at my clinic will be.  How will He use me in the lives of my Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist or Jain or Sikh or Zoroastrian or Christian coworkers and patients?

Time will tell. In the meantime, I am devouring the "culture" section of my Perspectives textbook. It's truly beautiful to have other human beings describe (in more eloquent terms) precisely what I feel in my own heart.

Progression...

If I thought this trip felt real when I purchased my flights, it's nothing compared to how real it feels now!

A few days ago, I received my first financial blessing for the trip! (Thank you!!!) And I've recently been bombarded with questions regarding why I want to go, what I'll do there, and how my parents feel about me going.   Anytime anyone asks me, I get this huge smile on my face and confidence that I know will not be there when I helplessly bargain at a village market!

To answer the question about my parents, they are fine with me going. I wouldn't call it ecstatic, by any means, but they are glad that I am volunteering while simultaneously doing the traveling that I've always wanted to do.   I'm arranging to stay with friends or friends of friends in each different city, and someone from the orphanage will be meeting my late night flight when I first arrive in Chennai.  This more or less sets their minds at ease. Nevertheless, I will be texting or emailing Mom every morning and night so that she knows I am still alive.  I have no idea what she's going to do if I'm over there full-time soon after college. . . . Maybe she'll make me wear a Garmin watch with GPS and heart rate monitor features ;)

I'm in the midst of distributing my letters of support. Other than that and figuring out places to stay while I'm there, I'm temporarily done planning for the trip.  Now, I'm looking forward to the start of the semester and just trusting God that all will fall into place.