A difficult first Sunday
I didn't mean for there to be two negatively starting blog posts in a row, but I also didn't set out to sugarcoat this experience.
Today I woke up and I didn't feel myself. I just felt lower than usual. So far, everything has been great. Even yesterday when I over slept and didn't start the day right, it was a good day. Today, for some reason, I just felt 'off'.
Probably because its Sunday and I knew I had to attend training almost all day. In the past when I have had to be away from church for a Sunday it has been a one off, and not the beginning of an 11 week stretch with limited contact with family in Christ and the house of God.
I did not get time off to listen to anything good or dedicate an hour or so to reading. Unlike yesterday, when we unexpectedly got hours off, today has been pretty non-stop fulltime. And the training has felt difficult. We had a good Khmer lesson, but some of the training felt like a repetition of what we did in November, which felt a bit frustrating and unnecessary, especially since I had other things I wanted to do.
I had some helpful advice to pick a verse or a hymn to play over in my head during the day, which has helped a bit, but I am surrounded by secular things and people with no knowledge of faith, so it's hard to keep good things in mind.
At about 4.45, when we were finally free, there was a glimmer of light that I might be able to tune in to the live video at home at 5.30pm/10.30am UK time (if the wifi wasn't acting up). And then my TL scheduled our counterpart matching at that time. So I got about 30 minutes to myself to read some more of my Bible plan, but no more.
(The good news amongst the difficult times is that I get to keep Channa! My emotional levels at that point may not have sustained too much disappointment in that area!)
Then we had to go straight away for dinner in time to be back for curfew...
...and now I have just finished watching Cardiff on YouTube!
I am so glad I was able to do this! In Community, it is more likely that I will get at least part of each Lord's day to myself to keep. Especially since other members of my team are Christians, which my TL knows.
Also, it is highly unlikely that I will be able to watch Tabernacle again while I'm gone, because there is no wifi in community, and I only get a certain amount if data. So it was so nice to be able to watch and listen. And see some of my family! And sing along with the hymns and psalm.
So a good ending to a tough day.
Thank you to those who prayed.
And I have discovered there is a cute baby at my host home, where Channa and I will get a whole floor of the house to ourselves!
Tomorrow we go to community, so I will post about that hopefully tomorrow. It's going to be hot! And a big change. But I am very grateful for my team and my counterpart.
I'll end it here:
Today I woke up and I didn't feel myself. I just felt lower than usual. So far, everything has been great. Even yesterday when I over slept and didn't start the day right, it was a good day. Today, for some reason, I just felt 'off'.
Probably because its Sunday and I knew I had to attend training almost all day. In the past when I have had to be away from church for a Sunday it has been a one off, and not the beginning of an 11 week stretch with limited contact with family in Christ and the house of God.
I did not get time off to listen to anything good or dedicate an hour or so to reading. Unlike yesterday, when we unexpectedly got hours off, today has been pretty non-stop fulltime. And the training has felt difficult. We had a good Khmer lesson, but some of the training felt like a repetition of what we did in November, which felt a bit frustrating and unnecessary, especially since I had other things I wanted to do.
I had some helpful advice to pick a verse or a hymn to play over in my head during the day, which has helped a bit, but I am surrounded by secular things and people with no knowledge of faith, so it's hard to keep good things in mind.
At about 4.45, when we were finally free, there was a glimmer of light that I might be able to tune in to the live video at home at 5.30pm/10.30am UK time (if the wifi wasn't acting up). And then my TL scheduled our counterpart matching at that time. So I got about 30 minutes to myself to read some more of my Bible plan, but no more.
(The good news amongst the difficult times is that I get to keep Channa! My emotional levels at that point may not have sustained too much disappointment in that area!)
Then we had to go straight away for dinner in time to be back for curfew...
...and now I have just finished watching Cardiff on YouTube!
Also, it is highly unlikely that I will be able to watch Tabernacle again while I'm gone, because there is no wifi in community, and I only get a certain amount if data. So it was so nice to be able to watch and listen. And see some of my family! And sing along with the hymns and psalm.
So a good ending to a tough day.
Thank you to those who prayed.
And I have discovered there is a cute baby at my host home, where Channa and I will get a whole floor of the house to ourselves!
Tomorrow we go to community, so I will post about that hopefully tomorrow. It's going to be hot! And a big change. But I am very grateful for my team and my counterpart.
I'll end it here:
Reading this morning.... Romans 5:1-5
ReplyDelete1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Reminds me of when I complained to a missionary friend in 1992 that, having moved far away from home, there were churches everywhere but 'not a drop to drink'. He suggested I would have to mine my own gold.Its still vital, even in a good church.
Ephesians 5:18 be filled with the Spirit
Thanks Dad 💕
DeleteWhat a good word we were thinking about in the service "reconciliation". That's a good one to keep in mind! 😘🙏
ReplyDeleteThanks Mum 💞
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