So, this summer several major things have gone according to plan:
- Visit the tribe. Check.
- Move. Check.
- Spend a lot on stuff I didn’t own (instead of flying to US). Check.
- Settle in. Check-ish.
- Read a little. Check-ish.
- Work. Work. Check. Check.
And then there are a few things that haven’t gone according to plan:
Prepare to teach photography.- Prepare to teach Tiwalan (yearbook). <– sidenote: I feel like no matter how much I prepare I will not be prepared.
Find a script for fall play.- Learn/refresh memory/become master of lighting and sound. <– wishful thinking at best.
Be happily reuinted with my co-worker in crime.
These were the major goals of the summer. I would have loved to have had them all checked off, but sometimes things do not go according to our plan. Thankfully, I’m not in control (as much I try to be) and the Lord knows what he’s doing, but that doesn’t typically take away the entirety of the stress. At least for me, I have to sometime beat the anxiety down with a stick. Haha. A big stick.
I found out late last week that my co-manager and friend Jason and his family won’t be here for a while, probably not until December at the earliest. They are struggling to raise enough support to come back to the field. Their mission requires them to be nearly 100% funded before they can even buy tickets. For most missionaries the money thing is such a huge source of stress and anxiety. None of us like asking for it. Many of us aren’t GOOD at doing it when we do finally suck it up and ask. Then you try really really really hard to trust the the Lord will provide and not be disappointed in people you hoped would support you but don’t. Yes, don’t get me wrong, of course I know there are ways of support beyond financial and that prayer support can be worth more than highest value of donation, but the reality is that we still have to pay our rent, eat, and support our families. Faith Academy does not pay us, we are strictly “volunteer” missionary based staffed.
Jason not being here means a couple of major changes in my plans. At the end of the school year I had agreed to take on two new classes in addition to my Cadd center management position and directing a play because sharing the management job with a collegue (who has now sadly left the field) went really well this year. There is a lot of the managing job that only takes one person but there’s a good bit, particularly prepping for and running the major events, that really requires two. So, this means time during the school day getting ready and time that I can’t afford lost to class time. So I will not be teaching photography after all. And as much as I hate the idea of not directing a play I feel that I must put my efforts toward helping to see the curricular play happen (since I am the theater manager and all) with it’s tech needs. I also happen to be a class advisor #2016swag which happens to be the junior class which happens to be the class that puts on the most technically intense event of the year which happens to start getting busy right around the time my play would have been scheduled and overlaps the major production time for the curricular play. SO, you see why it’s unwise for me to push forward. Oh. yeah. ::deep breath:: (The other teensy weensy problem with my being on my own is that my technical skills are rusty from years of disuse: cue the anxiety.) #operationkeeptechteamalive
There is some saving grace here in that at least things changed BEFORE school started and before any of these things were already in motion. So, although it’s a little disheartening that things won’t go as I had planned for this year I have faith that they will go exactly as planned for the glory of Him who loves us.
My Support Reality
I should be raising approximately $1500/mo.
My current monthly support level for 2014 avg $280/mo
In 2013 I also had a few one time gifts.
If you are asking the, “If your support is so low, how can you still be there?” question. The answer is that for the last 4 years I have been partnered with Threads of Hope fundraising. My mom, myself (when I’m in the US), my friend Julie, and a myriad of other people have spent many a festival selling bracelets and raising money for Threads and me. I would geniunely love to see the funds being raised through Threads going back into Threads and I would love for us to not have to worry about what happens to my support when sales are slow (which has been a struggle this summer). Although the Lord is currently providing in this way, it was never planned to be nor can it be a long term solution. So, I would ask that you might consider being a part of my monthly financial support team. Even amounts as little as $5 a month are helpful.
Of c
ourse I would love your support, but I don’t pretend to think that you could not also be led to give a gift to Jason and his family. We are all praying they’ll be back at Faith soon! #cutiefam
