Note the two new links in my sidebar to blogs of worth 🙂

Well, tomorrow morning I will be leaving for two weeks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, by a beautiful lake…with 100 kids/teenagers. Tomorrow is the first day of my first experience in being a camp director–as well as being a teacher and counselor, my usual duties. It will be a challenging experience, but rewarding as well.

Pray for my best-friend and I as we lead these teenagers…pray that the Lord would speak through us at ALL times, and that HIS message would be preached, not our own agendas.

I am looking forward to July, when I will be able to blog regularly, use my cell phone whenever I please, and won’t have to wear bug repellent 24/7.

Have a great two weeks!!

Here is a link to HALF of my pictures from Tunisia! If the link doesn’t work, please let me know. Sorry for the delay, for those of you who have asked me about pictures 🙂 The quality of the online album is much less than my actual pictures, but it will give you an idea of what Tunisia looks like! 🙂

I’ve been in Red Bluff for a few days now, enjoying the peacefulness and the beauty of Northern California. No, we did not feel the 7.0 earthquake the other day, though we normally feel the earthquakes in Eureka.

I just finished season three of “24” and I am TOTALLY ready for season four to come out on DVD (August). That show is absolutely enthralling!

I’m preparing for another two weeks away from technology as I will be co-directing two weeks of youth camp in the mountains. It promises to be both rewarding and exhausting! 🙂 I leave on Tuesday, so I’ll try to post before then.

The more I pray about moving to D.C., the more peace I feel about it. I am not sure when the big move will take place, but I am thinking late August. I am so excited about my future roommate, since she is someone with whom I have already lived, and I am excited to see where the Lord takes me.

Thank you for continuing to read my blog–I will be posting regularly soon!

Sorry for the multiple posts today! There is so much to say after three weeks of not blogging!

Here’s a site from my denomination describing in brief the work in Tunisia.

Also, here are words to a song that I feel describes Tunisia to a tee…the Believers there feel so alone! I was listening to my iPod and journaling one night, and God really impressed upon me the relevance of this song for Tunisia.

SEA OF FACES
by Kutless

I see the city lights all around me
Everyone’s obscure
Ten million people each with their problems (population of Tunisia)
Why should anyone care
And in Your eyes I can see

I am not just a man,
vastly lost in this world
Lost in a Sea of Faces
Your body’s the bread,
Your blood is the wine
Because you traded Your life for mine

Sometimes my life it feels so trivial
Immersed in the greatness of space
Yet somehow you still find the time for me
It’s then You show me Your love
And In Your eyes I can see
And in Your arms I will be

I am not just a man,
vastly lost in this world
Lost in a Sea of Faces
Your body’s the bread,
Your blood is the wine
Because you traded Your life for mine

If only my one heart
Was all you’d gain from all it cost
Well I know you would have still been a man
With a reason
To willingly offer your life

I am not just a man,
vastly lost in this world
Lost in a Sea of Faces
Your body’s the bread,
Your blood is the wine
Because you traded Your life for mine

Just one in a million faces

Team Tunisia with a Tunisian Family

During our de-briefing in Hammamet, Tunisia (a city on the Mediterranean Sea), we discussed at great length the importance of integrating what we had learned, and the danger of merely assimilating to our old ways or alienating ourselves from American culture altogether. Yesterday, I kept these thoughts in mind as I experienced my first day back in the United States.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am experiencing reverse culture shock (at least, not yet), but there were a few things that stood out to me yesterday.

1–There are SO many choices in America for everything.
Example: My mentor took me to lunch yesterday, and asked me which restaurant I would like. I just sat there, because after almost a month of eating the same thing everyday, I didn’t know what I wanted to eat. I did know that I wanted Mexican food (something that our team missed while in Tunisia), so he decided from there. There are just so many choices for EVERYTHING. That isn’t a bad thing, just an observation.

2–I am so thankful that, for the most part, American drivers obey the laws.
In Tunisia, driving (or being a passenger, really) was an adventure, and not a fun one. Lanes are a suggestion, and no one uses mirrors or looks over their shoulder. So, they’ll drive in two lanes at once, or move over when a car is right next to them. Shockingly, I did not see even one accident the entire time I was there! I guess that they all know how to drive in that country, and they probably would think that Americans are bad drivers, but it was a difficult adjustment.

3–Americans are much more insistent on “personal space” than Tunisians.
In Tunisia, we all felt smothered at times because the nationals would latch on to us, call a million times a day, invite us over and want us to stay for hours, etc. We felt like we didn’t have enough “alone time”…and I wonder if this need for personal space and alone time is primarily an American thing, or if it exists elsewhere. Tunisians love being with people, showing hospitality (Tunisia is known as “the country of hospitality), and they really value friendships over their own “alone time”.

4–America is incredibly free, and we shouldn’t complain so much about little things that “infringe” on our freedom.
We were not allowed to check our email, or send emails that had any “spiritual” language that might endanger those with whom we were serving. Why? The government monitors ALL incoming and outgoing communication, including phone. The police knew where our team was at all times, and even followed us (well, actually, preceded us) when we were in the desert, where Star Wars was filmed. They claimed it was for our protection, because they want to maintain good relations with America. I doubt that I will ever complain about little things in America again. We are more free than Tunisians would ever dream of being.

5–Women in America are treated like royalty in comparison to much of the world…
That says it all. Even though Tunisia is perhaps the most progessive Arab nation in this area, it still was apparent to us all that they are no where near the equality they proclaim. American women really have nothing to complain about–things may not be perfectly equal here, but all it takes is an experience in a foreign country where a man flat out tells you that “woman without man is zero” to change your perspective on things.

6–Christians in Tunisia have truly learned the meaning of sacrifice.
While in Tunisia, I was struck by the level of faith that I observed by the Believers. Many Christians in America (and other countries like America) think they have sacrificed a lot of things for their faith, but in reality it cannot even begin to compare to what Believers in countries like Tunisia (or any Muslim country) have had to sacrifice. In some cases, they lose their families, their friends, their jobs. They are forced to fellowship in secret, extending the Kingdom of God in ways that are hidden from the eyes of man.

Yet, they continue to seek the Lord, they seek to grow, and their faith is so much stronger than many Christians I know in the States. They have had to “take up their cross” to a greater extent than I will probably ever have to, and that is so humbling. I often grumble about my life, but after being there, I will think twice. I was incredibly encouraged and blessed by them!

As I continue to reflect upon this incredible experience, I know that more things will come to light. But, for now, this is what I have observed. God is doing great and amazing things in that country, and I am so excited to watch Him at work!

Hello to my loyal readers! I am finally back in the States after three and a half weeks in the beautiful country of Tunisia. There is so much to say, but I’m not quite ready to say it.

I took about 500 pictures, and I will post one or two sometime in the near future. No worries, I won’t post them all!

Yesterday I was on a plane (well, three planes) for a total of 24 hours, so I’m pretty exhausted. The nine hour time difference is quite a killer!

Anyway, I’d love to catch up with you all, so please give me a call! I’ll be at APU until Monday evening, so if you’re in the area, we could have coffee (I’ve missed Starbucks SO much!)!

Tunisia is amazing…that’s all I can say for now!