Renewed by Light

Has it really only been a month?! It honestly feels like I’ve been here for a few months. There’s a lot that’s happened, and it’s been hard to adjust to change. I’m still praising God that he’s brought me here, though because I can tell I’m growing a lot.

I’m writing this in recovery from a throat infection that caught me by surprise and derailed my plans for the weekend and into the week. I was supposed to sing on Sunday (was really looking forward to that) and go to Łódź on Monday for my residence card appointment. Well, not this time. Thankfully, antibiotics and rest are working their magic and I’m feeling well enough to write an update. And the appointment was rescheduled for the end of October so I don’t feel as rushed to have the paperwork ready. AND I have almost the entire week off to recover. So, really, it’s turned out pretty good.

If I can sum up the lesson I’ve taken away from this first month, it would be “laugh a lot.” Seriously. A month ago, I would have been crying (and trust me, I have cried a few times here) and angry and frustrated that things weren’t happening the way they should. Today, though? I smile and shake my head because it’s just one more thing that’s trying to beat me down, but it honestly doesn’t now. God put me half-way across the world for great things, so I can’t let small obstacles derail the bigger vision of things to come. And he’s blessed me through these challenges, too. I’m growing in patience, tolerance, and perseverance. James 1:1-8, case in point. I’m also learning to lean on people around me more, too. To let go of feeling so independent. Those days when I miss home, feeling stressed about Polish, or just miss the culture of the US, I have other Americans who feel my pain and understand it. We have to support each other through this.

Anyway, I talk a lot about lows, but there’s a good bit of highs too. The kids I work with are great fun. Yes, kids are still kids, so you have days when you want to just leave the room and let survival of the fittest play out. But they take to the songs and games in English well, and we have a good time learning together. I actually miss being with them quite a lot today.

And one of the teachers at the school was baptized this past Sunday! Hopefully, more to follow as the school year progresses. I’m hoping to have more conversations with teachers and staff as my Polish improves. The new gymnasium for the school has started construction. The expectations is that by the end of the year, it will be open for graduation ceremonies and whatever else they have at the end of the school year. New camps started this year, Proem is sending a team to help finish a building in a school in Zimbabwe they support, the świetlica/after-school program in Tomaszów and Łódź is going great…there’s a lot to celebrate!

The only thing I would probably change is the weather. Rain for days on end here. And some cold days, too. But there’s bright sun out today, and I’m really happy to see it.