The Questions Everyone's Asking...

The Questions:

Are you excited? 

Are you stressed?

How are your plans coming along? 

When do you leave? 

The {simple} Answers:

Yes!

Not really...
As good as they can be.

August 5th.

These questions seem to be conversation starters with me recently. I don't mind them at all since they give me reason to share my excitement about moving to Peru without bringing it up on my own. However, I feel like I bore people with all of my Peru talk, so stop me if you desire. I won't be offended I promise!

And for all of you who aren't bored to death with my Peru talk, read further for the more explained answers to the daily questions I've been getting.

Q: Are you excited?

A: I am most definitely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, absolutely, positively excited for my upcoming move to Peru! There are some nights recently I haven't been able to sleep because my mind just gets going. I'm excited for authentic Peruvian food. I'm excited to live near the ocean. I'm excited to actually spend time with and really get to know friends that I've only met and known for months at a time. I'm thrilled to finally have this chance to follow through with this dream and desire God placed on my heart as a teenager. 

Q: Are you stressed?

A: Did you read the second sentence in the answer above {the one where I mentioned not being able to sleep some nights}? I think deep down inside I am certainly stressed, but on the surface I'm feeling great. I'm trying to take one day at a time and get done what I can while also working in time to run, read, and soak up hours with family and friends. I don't want to miss any opportunity to be with those important to me, so packing for Peru and all that jazz is of least importance at this point. I still have a month before I have to be out of my apartment, and I've got 44 days before I leave the country...plenty of time!!

Q: How are your plans coming along?

A: Now this is a complicated answer to say the least. God's plans are falling into place, while my plans are irrelevant at this point. I feel that I've done and am doing everything I can possibly do. I have my visa, I'm reading through the curriculum framework I was given, and I'm in prayer daily asking the Lord to guide me and direct me. Like I said in the previous answer, I'm just taking one day at a time. I don't know where my permanent residence will be in Peru, I don't know what my budget will look like,  and I have no idea how to even begin to plan for teaching since I don't know my daily schedules or even how the framework actually works in a real setting. However, my confidence lies in the fact that the Lord has provided up to this point, and I firmly believe that He isn't going to leave me hanging now. Thankfully, I do have a place to stay for the first few weeks I'm in Peru, I will be bringing home more money than I am currently making and the cost of living should be less, and I will be co-teaching the first semester so I can learn the programs and curriculum firsthand before being thrown to the wolves.

Q: When do you leave?

A: My flight is scheduled for departure at 11:55 a.m. central time on Monday, August 5th out of Chicago, and I'll need to arrive at the airport around 9:30 or 10 a.m. Considering the drive is about 2 1/2 hours from where I live, we'll need to leave for the airport at 8:00 a.m. eastern time. If you want to get technical that is 44 days, 7 hours, and 38 minutes from right now. I don't think I'll actually believe that this is really happening though until I'm on the plane, and then I'm sure it will hit me like a ton of bricks. {I will be home for Christmas though, and every time I say it I start to sing it in my mind.}

Prayer cards will be mailed out tomorrow. If you would like one, please let me know so that I can get one in the mail to you, also. I plan to send my first prayer warrior newsletter mid-July, so if you aren't on the email list for that and would like to be, please let me know that, too!

Thank you all for your prayers and support. <3

A Night to Forget

"Boooooo!!!"

Do you hear that?

That's the sound of mockery my dear friends.

I've heard it in the presence of sporting events mostly, until just recently that is.

When I heard the boo-ing, I couldn't help but remind myself of the popular quote I had hanging on my door during my teen years, "What's popular is not always right. What's right is not always popular."

What had I been doing to have this mockery directed at me, you might ask. The reality is that the answer is quite complicated.

I was at a party. A party in fact that I didn't want to go to in the first place, but I went because I was visiting a friend in her hometown, and she wanted me to meet her friends.

What else was going on?

I was seated in a circle with the crowd, but completely disconnected from them while playing games and reading my Bible via the app on my phone in effort to avoid my surroundings of drinking, smoking, cursing, and other inappropriate, unsettling conversation.

No one knew what I was doing aside from playing on my phone, but I know they noticed my discomfort. Yet, even my good friend didn't seem to care.

Later in the evening one guy started chanting shots, and the discussion of everyone doing tequila shots sprang up. He went around asking everyone who was in. Of course, they all said yes. Except me that is.

And that's when the boo-ing began.

"You can boo me all you want, but I'm not going to do a shot," I demanded.

I wasn't sure if I should be hurt or peace.

Hurt because for one of the only times in my life I truly was absolutely unable to camouflage into my surroundings. I didn't fit into any part of the evening. Not the activities, not the conversations, not even the show on television in the living room was appropriate to engage my interest.

My tattoo was even mocked during a discussion on tattoos. "The Bible scares me," one girl said. As I tried to ask questions, she said she didn't want to talk about it and went back to the conversations on pornography, graphic novels, and conspiracy theories.

I felt hurt even for these people, including my friend, who are so far from understanding the grace and peace that only Christ can provide. I hurt because even when Christ was brought up by a fellow partier, the discussion quickly died in fear.

Then I felt a sense of peace.

Peace because I have faith that God loves me despite what these mere humans may have thought. Peace because I have security in the cross and death and resurrection of my Savior. Peace because I know that His plans for this world are far greater than the conspiracy theories I heard discussed that evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm thankful that I have a Savior who comforts me in times of hurt and frustration. I'm thankful that God gives me wisdom to make choices and strength to go against what the popular choice might be. I'm thankful for friends and family that I could talk to later who stand by me in trying times.

The only one I'm here to impress is the Lord, and I will stop at nothing to satisfy His calling upon on my life. 

In ALL Things GOD works for the GOOD of Those Who Love Him!

Despite frustration and annoyance, I can’t help but believe that today was a day completely designed and planned out by God himself. I learned yet another lesson in patience, flexibility, determination, and God’s overall provision. After a mechanical issue on my first flight and sitting longer in South Bend Airport {boring}, rebooking for a later flight which would reroute my entire trip, finding out that flight was also delayed until further notice, another rebooking, and 6 hours later than originally planned I arrived in San Antonio tired but full of energy and excited for a great vacation with my high school best friend.

Some of you may be saying, “How in the world would you consider the multiple flight changes God ordained?” At first, that’s what I thought, too. However, having had time to reflect, that’s the only explanation I can comprehend. I’ve flown multiple times and only once been delayed just slightly but without interference to any connecting flights. I’ve not lost luggage, and I’d never been on a plane that’s had known mechanical issues. {Knock on wood, right?} Today all of the above happened – except the luggage - Praise the Lord I didn’t check a bag; it’s hard telling where that might have ended up.

While sitting in South Bend this morning, I noticed a teenage girl hugging good-bye to her mother as we boarded the first flight {the one with the mechanical issue}.  I also observed her mom talking to another couple that seemed to be a family friend. {I love people watching in the airport.} Once on the plane the girl was seated by herself across the aisle from me, and the “family friends” were rows in front of us. We sat on the plane for about 20 minutes waiting for the mechanic to give us the final go {mind you, we’d already been delayed an hour}. After those 20 minutes, it was determined that the mechanic servicing our plane didn’t have the knowledge to fix the error, so we were told we had to get off the plane. I heard the teenage girl across the aisle ask the family friends what she should do, to which they responded that they were just going to go home. I hesitated, but then felt that I should see if she needed help. It was friendship instantly!

We waited at the check-in counter for an hour and a half together talking and sharing similar interests in Christianity, missions, and outreach to the spiritually poor and brokenhearted while also trying to figure out what our options were – she was flying to Philadelphia to visit her biological mom. They booked us on separate flights mine at a later time to Atlanta, and hers still to Detroit but at a later time as well.  Her mother ended up returning to the airport {which I later learned was her foster mom}, and she offered to take us out for lunch.

We left the airport and headed to Subway and Starbucks. Through conversation I learned that my new friend is technically from Liberia, and she moved to Philadelphia with her mom in 2007. In 2008 she was placed in foster care, and she has been with this family since then. Her “mom” is the principal at Elkhart Christian Academy and a former 3^rd grade teacher, so we were able to swap school stories and talk about church and other such things.

Upon returning to the airport for our new flights at 2:30pm, I learned that mine had been delayed to 7pm, and I would then miss my connecting flight out of Atlanta with the next flight to San Antonio being tomorrow morning {my original flight was scheduled for 10:20 this morning and was set to arrive in San Antonio at 5pm}. I immediately went to the ticket counter to see if there was any possible way I could reschedule on an earlier flight. While waiting in line, we learned that Musu’s flight, too, had been delayed.

Long story short, the broken plane from this morning had been fixed, and there was room on it for both of us to fly to Detroit if we left immediately. However, the flights from Detroit were all being delayed due to weather, and we weren’t given departure times for our connections to our final destinations. We arrived in Detroit hoping to find flights to Philadelphia and San Antonio. God is faithful, because we both ended up on flights leaving shortly after 8pm only 9 gates away from one another. {Detriot is huge, so this was a blessing.}

We sat together in the airport for 3 hours, had dinner together, and then parted ways. I’m so thankful that God provided a friend for the day because it would have been a L.O.N.G. day by myself. I’m also glad that I was able to help her out. {I could tell her mom was a bit hesitant putting her on a plane to Detroit with no for sure plan once she got there.}

While I wasn’t thrilled to be delayed, cancelled, late, etc. I do know that in all things God’s plans are best, and I’m sure that today was no exception. I’m now here in San Antonio with Cassandra ready to enjoy the next 4 days together! God is good!! 

Let's hope my trip home is slightly less complicated! :)

School Year in Review 2012-2013

My heart breaks a little at the end of each passing school year. The life of a teacher is a wide mix of emotions. The students become like my children as my care and concern for them deepens throughout the year, and then it's over; they move on leaving you "behind" to start over with a new group of students. 

This year though, something was different. In my time at New Paris Elementary, I have never had a group of students that reached so deep into my soul as this group did. There was just something about these kids that filled me with joy, reminded me of my passion for children and concern for their well-being, and brought me to tears when I felt as if I were failing them. Maybe it was the life change of preparing to move to Peru that enabled me to get close to these kids knowing they would be my last group at NPE (for now). Perhaps it was our spiritual talks that flowed more openly with my entire class attending Bible class every other week. Or it possibly could have been the kind hearts, the humor for sarcasm, and the eagerness to learn and explore new ideas that allowed me to really dive deep and reach out to these students.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a perfect year of roses and sweet smelling honeysuckle. We had our ups and downs. I had my moments, days, and weeks of utter frustration (late homework, endless hours spent helping students with math during recess, behavior problems, etc.), but on a typical day those moments of frustration were turned around by a smiling girl standing at my desk with a dandelion she picked at recess or a laughing boy telling me a funny story about something he observed. (And let me tell you, this group noticed things no other group before them noticed, and they pointed out every connection they could in reading, math, science, or just plain every day life.)

As we began to wrap things up this week, I had the kids spend time writing yesterday about third grade. I left it open ended and told them to write about whatever they chose...learning, field trips, friends, etc. Most of them wrote about our trip to the Chocolate Factory and others wrote about our awesome new music teacher. However, what touched me most were the kind words they had to say about me, nearly bringing me to tears. Classes in the past have said similar things, but something about the way these kids so eloquently shared their writing almost brought me to tears.

You are the best teacher ever!

I am praying for you in Peru!

I wish you didn't have to leave me. I want you to be my teacher forever!

The kids in Peru are going to be so lucky when you get there!

I always wanted you to be my 3rd grade teacher.

I love you, Miss O'Connor, and I don't want you to leave!

I will miss you a lot, Miss O'Connor!

This morning as the children filed in for their last day of 3rd grade some came to my desk with gifts and/or cards thanking me for our year spent together. Others gave me candy they had received from our custodian wanting so badly to give me something, yet having nothing else to give. Then one little boy scribbling a quick note on a sheet of paper, covered it up as I walked by.  Later tday, on my chair near my desk was a note that said, "Miss O'Connor, please go to 4th grade with me. I don't want to leave for summer vacation without you!" My heart melted knowing the family situation and home life this child would be facing. School is his distraction; it's an escape. Another little girl hugged me at the end of the day and wouldn't let go; another child quite possibly fearful of the summer she faces away from school.

As the kids left, I had them do the usual before break "Handshake, Hug, or High Five" as they crossed the threshold from our classroom into the world. Most of the students opted for a hug, and a few hugged me and wouldn't let go. As I choked back tears, I couldn't help but smile. It's a bittersweet feeling, but when all was said and done at 2:55 today, I knew that I had given my all to these children, and I hoped that in some way they saw and felt the hope and love of Jesus Christ this year. 

I held back tears and a smile of pure joy and delight spread across my face, yet now as I type this I'm starting to feel my eyes water and my throat tighten.  I could not have asked for a better group of kids to have as my last group at NPE. I'm thankful for the mark each one has left forever on my heart, and I'm proud to call them "mine". God knew just what I needed this year as I transitioned out of this phase of life and into the next, and these kids were just it. 

Parents, if you're reading this, please know that I feel honored that you entrusted your children to me this year, and I pray many blessings over you and your families. Thank you for making 3rd grade such a fun year! Thank you for the gifts, notes, and time you have given this year!

Just a few of the things I received today that so very much touched my heart. 

~A devotional book by a missionary about Jesus's Calling

~A journal to record my adventures in Peru

~A printed Peruvian flag with information about Peru the student had researched on his own because he wanted to know more about where I would be living

~And on top of those, I received flowers, a few notepads, gift cards, and some yummy treats and refreshing soda to enjoy this summer.

Visit to the Consulate

Two trips to Chicago in 4 days time - one for business and the other for play - makes for one exhausted girl. I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't blogged much since Spring Break, but with things beginning to happen for my move to Peru I felt it's time for an update. School's been crazy, and honestly, blogging is often something I do in my leisurely time - something that I've desperately been lacking in the midst of ISTEP testing, end of the year assessments, and the end of another academic year in general.

This year's ending is different though as not only do I have to "pack" up my classroom for cleaning, but I must pack up my classroom and move out so that someone else may move in. It's a weird feeling knowing that someone else will be teaching in what has been my classroom the last 3 years, saying good-bye to many wonderful colleagues who have taught me so much about teaching and life, and passing on students to fourth grade knowing that next year I won't see them in the hallway, and I won't be around to watch the grow as they progress through 6th grade. It's a bittersweet feeling, and I feel like my emotions are all over the place. I'm sad to say good-bye, but I'm overjoyed to take on this next step, my life's dream, in the upcoming months.

Anyways, onto the main reason for this post...The Peruvian Consulate in Chicago - what an adventure! Mom and I took the day off work on Thursday to head up to Chicago and begin the visa application process (not knowing what all it would entail, I wanted to be sure to get a jump start so that there is plenty of time should things go awry). I had called the consulate numerous times and left multiple voicemails asking for business hours, information on what paperwork was needed for my visa, and the process in which the visa would be returned (mail or pick-up). Every call went unanswered, and every voicemail was left unreturned. I tried emailing, too, but again no responses were given.

On Thursday, Mom and I decided to take our chances, take a day off work, and head up to Chicago to see what this whole visa process was about. I had done my research online as best I could with no help from the Peruvian Consulate, and I took every government ID document I've every been issued with me just in case. We arrived at the consulate and the place was chaos. There were about 20 people in the room, some seated, some standing, most looking very confused. After standing near the window and being ignored while other person's names were being called out, I asked a man if there was a place to sign in. Apparently the man behind the counter was hoarding it behind the glass, so I asked for the notepad, and I signed my name. I was called up to the window a short time later.

At the window I was greeted by a woman who spoke little English and a man who spoke only Spanish. I decided to speak Spanish since English didn't go so well, and every Peruvian in the place stopped what they were doing to stare and listen in. I handed the man my visa application along with my passport, a letter from the school, my flight schedule, and 2 passport ID photos. They asked for my $30 payment, so I handed the man $40 (in the form of two $20 bills); however, he wanted exact change. {Peruvians don't like giving change if unnecessary, and I have no idea why.} He asked me to sign my name and place my fingerprint on the application, and then he told me to return on Wednesday to pick up my completed visa (which would be placed in my passport). WHAT?!

I explained that I live 3 hours away and that I work, so returning in 6 days was nearly impossible. I asked if there was any way the visa could be processed that day or returned to me via post. There was no way the visa could be processed that day, but a postal return was possible IF I could walk to the post office a mile away, get a cardboard self-addressed, stamped envelope, and return it to the Consulate. {Now why wasn't this piece of information online? Had they returned my phone calls or emails, this was one of the questions I had asked.} This being our only option, we thought it best to take the 2 mile total hike and return.

However, before leaving I asked for a recipe. No, I'm not kidding, I asked for a recipe. Ha! A few people chuckled behind me, and when the man behind the counter looked at me very confused I knew I hadn't used the correct term. I panicked and turned around looking for someone to help me out. At least 3 people shouted the correct word for receipt to me, and I then tried my question again. Ud. puede darme un recibo? {Will you please give me a receipt?} "No," he said, "not today. It will be sent with your passport." I told the man I would return shortly with the proper envelope and postage, and Mom and I left for a jaunt down Michigan Avenue. We returned with the envelope, the man took it, and I left.

Now my passport sits in the Chicago Peruvian Consulate with $30 and a proper envelope waiting to be returned to me. I have no documentation to prove I paid the fee. As a matter of fact, I have no evidence that I left any paperwork at the consulate at all. I was refused any sort of document saying they had my passport or that I paid. I'm a bit concerned that I won't receive my passport back or that it will come without a visa put in it, and I will have no way of proving anything.

I'm clinging to the fact that the Lord has miraculously worked out every other detail of this career move to this point, and I seriously doubt He's going to leave me hanging now. Sending up many prayers that my passport arrives in my mailbox within the next few weeks. If you think of it, please send up a few prayers for me, too!

*As I start to prepare more heavily for this transition, I would like to invite you to subscribe to my {hopefully} monthly updates. I do plan to blog and give updates using this blog and on Facebook; however, more personal prayer requests and updates will be emailed out once a month {at least that's my plan}. If you would like to join this email list, please comment with your email address. I would love to add you to my list of prayer warriors! 
*I will also be making prayer cards to send out. If you would like to receive one of these, please comment with your address. Once these are made and ordered, I will be sure to send one out to you.

**All comments are sent to my inbox and not published until I approve them. Any comments with email or address information will not be published to this blog.**

Thank you for all of your support as I follow the journey the Lord has placed before me!

~One last side note, for those of you who are wondering, I am continuing to pray for the nations. I am currently praying for France and working my way through the countries beginning with F & G. Perhaps I will update you on my Prayer for the Nations challenge in an upcoming entry. Now that school is finishing {this week}, I should have quite a bit of free time.~