not a blondie anymore....

just thought that I'd let y'all in on the secret...
this girl ain't a blondie anymore!! =)

Ping Dong

Heya Peoples,

here are some pictures from a trip that I went on recently. Wes and Junes went down to Ping Dong to see the new English Village that they were/are setting up. I decided to tag along...

Junes and I had a blast keeping each other entertained on the way down...we played "whose camera is cooler." ;-)

This is the view that I had on the way down there. Ok, maybe we did have more scenery, but this seemed to be a majority of it.

The school was amazing. It wasn't the "biggest" school that I've seen, but it seemed much bigger with over 2,000 students attending it! I think that what I found even more fascinating was that the principle of this school knows each of those students by name! Yeah, talk about amazing...

The principle is a Christian and warmly invited us into her house overnight. It was so nice. SHE was wonderful! Very hospitable and Christ's light was totally flowing through her!!

The E.V. itself was quite cool too. They did a good job of putting this together quite fast.

I met a lot of new friends while I was there. I have some email addresses and I am really hoping that I can get (and stay) in touch with them.

It was so nice to get a "new change of faces" for two days.
Much as I LOVE (LOVE!!!) Elementary school children, it was a nice change to see some middle school children and almost get into conversation. =)

And, if nothing else, it was nice just to hang with Wes and Junes. They are so inspirational and their love for Taiwan is super contagious! I love you guys!! <3 <3

1 year ago...

Believe it or not,

it was exactly one year ago today that i first heard about this whole "TAIWAN" thing.

Interesting, isn't it?

i just happened to be looking throw past journal entries that i had done and i stumbled upon the first one that mentioned Taiwan...it was June 3rd, 2007! It seems so weird to think about it.

i was so naive to everything that i would be doing here -

it was totally a LEAP OF FAITH for me.

Here's what my entry said:

"I might be going to Taiwan! The day after I got back from the journey, mom told be about this trip that Gina S. was going on in July. I said that I was interested, but that was all I needed to say in order to get the ball rolling. Mom told Dad, got more info. from Mrs. Sirpless, and had me call to get an application. Well, I now have both parents full blessing and we are all totally at peace about this whole thing - thatz weird!! Well, here's more info: The trip starts in July (07) and is a year (and a month?) long. IBLP is starting an "Americanized City" in Taiwan so that people can send their "foreign exchange students" to that city instead of sending them all the way to America."

Wow. Little did i know that i would, in fact, be here that year. i thought that i was just playing around, not really getting myself into anything.

i was a little off.

however, i love my job here. i do so much more than just teaching -it's totally all about the relationships here. the children CRAVE relationships, friendships, touch, LOVE!

God has done such a wonderful work here in Taiwan

...and in me!

"Be still and KNOW that I AM God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"
~Ps. 46:10