Violins....anyone?

We seem to be soaring through these weeks of school.

We're already into week 5 and tomorrow is Friday! It seems that a good deal of our focus now is on preparing for next term (after the summer) and beginning to establish what we're going to be involved with in the coming year.

Like our group back "there" had to have a plan for all the "programs" of the year...it appears that so too do we! There are dozens of requests now for us to work with ministry to the poor (very top of our list), the local orphanage (clearly a top priority too), counseling and teaching in the local body of International folks AND locals...plus...many, many requests for Book study with various groups.

We've had some exciting chances to begin going deeper with some parents in our school who have sought us out to speak about our view of things...world financial situation, child rearing and ultimately faith. We see these opportunities only continuing to expand.

Now we need discernment!

We have limited, very limited time for additional work beyond the schedule we keep at the school. We arise each morning at 6:30 and aim to be out the door by 7:45. School for us begins at 8 am and then we leave each afternoon when the "teacher's bell" rings at 4:45. Homework is a passion "here" so there's much work in Math and Chinese for the kids, plus English must be represented too. Dinner prepared and consumed takes 1-1 1/2 hours. By 6:30 we are finishing homework, trying to digest food and getting on pajamas. At 7:30 PM everyone gathers on the couches for devotion time.

(This has been a recent addition to our routine and it has rapidly become the family favorite time of day. I don't know why it took us so long to implement. We tried to pray with the kids individually, or at least by "bedroom unit" before sleep...always hurried...often perfunctory. Now we settle and we're using a book that combines scripture with devotions for kids and parents on Attitude! Bedtime is now the easiest transition in the past 9 years!)

Saturday brings communications via SKYPE with "there" and usually some sort of shopping or visiting effort. Then Sunday we leave at 12 for the one hour drive to Meeting where we are for 2 hours and finally a stop by the Western Food store brings us wearily home at 7 PM....just in time for devotions and the next week to begin!

We really need discernment on where to fit and what to choose for extra opportunities!

This week also marked the official beginning for language tutoring for Dad and the Author. Twice a week, one hour each, we're spending with a personal language tutor. So exciting and so taxing for these OLD brains!

We're rejoicing because we've been Asking for teammates. We've just in the past few weeks received confirmation that a family will be joining us here to serve alongside us in August...starting a coffee house and bakery! What a fantastic story of His leading that is! I will blog about it in the future.

Lastly...a bit of a funny story about "here."

Last weekend, we divided to conquer our tasks by splitting up the kids and adults and venturing out on separate buses to shop for necessities.

Once arriving at the destination with my co-travelers: Bub, Potato and Magpie, we laid eyes upon the sign advertising Papa John's Pizza. When we arrived at the Papa Johns we thought we'd happened upon the shooting of a film...or perhaps some famous person had decided to dine at Papa J's. Cameras were everywhere and there were two men in cream-colored tuxes...playing the violin! I scratched my head and thought "We're in PJ's Pizza? This does not compute!" Of course living here...most things don't compute...so I am relatively comfortable with the fugue state of confusion.

In fact some bloke was having his love serenaded at their table at PJ's! There was a cake and they were eating...pizza...and we were stupefied. Come to find out it was "Women's Day" here. I thought for certain it was a proposal...apparently not...just a celebration of her womanhood, I guess.

I'll never think of PJ's Pizza the same way again...