ministry update

Contrary to popular belief and blog entries, I am going to seminary and I am busy with classes and ministry. I've had the opportunity the past two weekends to compete in a couple of races which were a blessing and much needed break in the action. This weekend is going to be a little different and I am even more excited for the things that are in store.

Friday night one of my small group (China small group) teammates and I are having a sushi dinner with 5 of our Chinese high school girls to celebrate (belated) Chinese Fall Festival...the Moon Festival. We are going to hang out, make dinner together and then have a short Gospel presentation. Saturday we are going with ALL of our students to the zoo...it's a discount day for school and college students. This will be a time of low key fellowship and getting to know each other better. Sunday is our week to go to the Chinese Church together. The students can go to a church in their heart language 1x a month (the reason being wanting to learn and push English most of the time in their program). Anita and I will be leading them in our Sunday school time through the story of the Prodigal Son making it interactive and culturally relevant...teens from China!

Please pray for this coming weekend and all that HE has in store. This past week the two guys on our China team had a dinner with some of the guy students and 3 of them inquired about believing in God and made decisions to follow him. Please pray for their growth as new Christians, for discipleship and follow up to take place in a culturally relevant way. I am EXCITED to be able to work with these students and look forward to all that this semester and year holds! Thank you for your prayer support, our team is eternally grateful!!

a few more...

And we're off! Teams took off every 30 seconds, there were over 600 teams!


brief pause for a team pic


little mud swim...not sure how deep the trench was but deeper than 5.5 feet


Swimmin' through the trenches


action shot


one of several log obstacles,over, under, over, under, GO TEAM!!


final obstacle, stretcher run across the finish line!


anyone need to borrow some shoes???


the group with Cindi our team photographer


Gayle glad to be done!


Stephanie with her tribal face paint

Mud Run

Group hose down...notice the garbage pile of shoes and socks


CHEESE!!


Post race pic...candidates for a Tide commercial


Gayle and me after our trudge through mud trenches under the jeeps


Me, Gayle, Rick Higgins, Stephanie


This weekend I had a break in action from school related stuff. Friday night I went to a Grad Life retreat about 45 min. from campus. One of my housemates and I along with a couple other people had the opportunity to lead worship that night and were blessed by it. The speakers were encouraging and the time with other grad studens was refreshing.

Saturday morning I ran in a race called the "Mud Run" with one of my profs and two other girls. The Mud Run is a HUGE race in Columbia on one of the military bases down here. You run 4 miles with a team of 4 through 39 different obstacles, everything from climbing walls, swinging on rope swings over trenches, swiming though mud trenches, to crawling on your belly through the mud under huge jeeps. I have never been so dirty in all my life. It was GREAT!!! I had a blast and would do it again next year in a heart beat. I was asked by my prof (he teaches one of my classes) if I'd consider joining his team this year b/c they were one man short. I said yes not knowing initially that one of his teammates last year fell off one of the obstacles (cargo net wall) broke his wrist and knocked himself unconscious. Another man last year died of cardiac arrest in the middle of the race! We prayed for safety and all of us made it through with minimal scrapes AND we had a GREAT time! Teams are seeded and we started a little after 11:00 a.m. in 90 degree sunshine!! The mud was a welcome retreat to the heat!

One of my friends came along to photograph the event. I've got a few from my camera here but will add some more when I get the full CD of pics.

lookin' for a church home

I have been reminded that moving involves a lot of transition...new place, new friends, new work/school, new culture (south!), and a new church. I've got to 4 over the past few weeks and am still praying and seeking where the best fit would be for me. Today I went to Gateway Baptist, a larger church abou 30 minutes from my house. A friend of mine in class, Ben, is the Young Professionals pastor at this church and he recommended it to me.

I came to find out as I sat and reviewed my bulletin this morning that this is the same church Adam Brown is a youth pastor at! After reading the pastoral list I looked around a little and spotted Adam and Connie over a couple sections from me. After church I went over and caught up with them. Adam is Ashley Brown's brother. He and Connie just had their first baby, Josiah 2 months ago. He, by the way, is ADORABLE! He looks a lot like Adam to me.

Anyway, it was fun to meet some "familiar" faces in a far away place. I do have to say though it was a little weird not having Sarah and Ashley there too. The last time I saw Adam and Connie was at Thanksgiving at the Browns. I MISS not having the other Brown's here too!! Guess I'll have to get my Sarah fix in December!

For those who are praying for me, please continue to pray for wisdom on where to plug in to church. I will be going to the Chinese church with our students every last Sunday of the month, but am looking for another church to plug into on a regular basis.

Lexington Fun Run

Team post race pose


Showin' off our medals (Anita and Cindi won in their age divisions)


I took 3rd place overall for the women...small races can do beautiful things for self esteem!


Anita coming across the finish line!


Our enthusiastic 1st time racers (Anita and Matt)


Cindi, me, Anita


Matt, Anita Chik, Cindi

This weekend a group of us ran a 5K race in Lexington, about a 30 minute drive from campus. Two of the 4 of us had never run a race before so it was fun to experience. There were only about 40 runners total so we all ended up winning a medal for something. Good times were had! The race started at 7:30 which was perfect b/c the temps got up in the 90s later that afternoon!! It is still pretty warm here. Today cooled down a little...reminded me of an AK summer day.

more pictures of Charlestown

Me and Jenn (my housemate)


Kristin with our group plate (the restaurant lets people design their own plate and hang it on the wall)


JP and Kristin


Matt, Ben and Jenn

roommates!

Kristin, Jenn, me getting ready to go to church
Krissy, our 4th roommate is in a picture below

Charlestown

Me and Jenn, my other roommate


Two of my roommates, Krissy and Kristin

For Labor Day my roommates and I along with 6 other friends drove down to Charlestown to get away from campus and tour the area a little. We strolled down the main boulevard, walked through the market, ate lunch at a great seafood place and ended at the marina. It was a low key, low budget trip but VERY refreshing! I'd love to go back later and spend some time on the beach.