another thing

I have a new blog that I’m going to try and update more faithfully (as I’ll be using it to communicate from overseas). here’s the link:

http://saraebibb.wordpress.com

thanks all!

 

This Summer

This summer is looking like a whirlwind.

Not even two weeks ago, I got in touch with a high school friend of my brother’s. He does work with a group called The Boaz Project. They serve orphanages in Russia and India. Today I had a conference call with David (my brother’s friend) and the two founders of the organization: Jim and April Jurgensen. It was a fantastic conversation in which I managed not to ramble to much. At the end I was invited to go on a trip with them to Russia at the end of August.

This opportunity is huge. I have been dreaming of serving in Russia for years. It’s amazing how God has literally dropped this in my lap when I wasn’t looking. The timing of it all, the way that this fits me in so many areas, the fact that they have a trip available for me to join, so many things have fallen into place. David said in an email today that it is crazy, but it can only be the Lord at work. I am so overwhelmed by everything that is going on that I hardly know what to feel. There’s nervous anxiety–what if things don’t work out? There’s some dread–what if I discover my dreams really aren’t what God had planned or what I had hoped for? But over all this, there is excitement and trust.

Would you pray with me about this?

I need a visa–and I have a short time frame for that.

I need strength and energy as I am preparing not only for Russia but also 5 weeks in France prior to that.

I need God’s love and patience for those around me who may not understand why I am doing this. I want to treat them with honour and respect, but it can be difficult when it seems that people are putting their grimy toes on your dreams.

More than anything, please pray that I would be sensitive and obedient to God’s will in this.

more info? http://boazproject.org or email me.

 

Camping and Welcoming the Kodiak!

[prepare for ridiculous length]

Memorial Day Weekend was wonderful. I don’t know what happened in the previous post (about such a crummy week). Maybe it was the weather, or caffiene withdrawals, or something. I don’t want to disregard it, as though it wasn’t real and valid. But it’s hard not to do that when the weekend and week after a bad one is so beyond good.

The weekend was really busy. On Friday night, we had to pull together a few final plans for backpacking with MuKappa. On Saturday morning, Caitlin and I were in a bit of a hurry. We hadn’t packed the night before, we realized we needed to go to the grocery store, and were just running late in general. I hate to admit, it was one of those moments I realized I’m a girl. But it turned out okay! We made it to the rest of the MuKappa group and we headed out to the Olympic Peninsula to backpack and camp on Duckabush trail. These are a few pictures from our trip. It was gorgeous. We camped on a beach right next to the river; I fell asleep to the sound of Caitlin squirming in her sleeping bag and the water crashing past the stones that sheltered our camp.

I love being in nature. It’s strange to say, because I realized recently I don’t like the activity of backpacking. But I love the result. There’s something about being next to a river and watching your friends climb over fallen trees that have been dead longer than you’ve been alive. There’s something about the river–bluer than the Fox, smaller than the Colorado, more shallow than the Pacific, and [clearly] more powerful than the Skookumchuk. It just reminds me of God. Beautiful, alluring and dangers. It makes me want to run until I can’t breathe, sit until I’m a part of the ground, sing until I’m hoarse and listen until I can hear the whisper in the wind. (1 Kings 19.12) It reminds me of home. And the home for which I’m still waiting.

The next morning at 5.15 AM (for which Daniel will never forgive me), three of us hiked out ahead of the rest of the group. It was beautiful. The mountains were hazy from the lookouts, you could see clouds and fog in the valleys. The sun made the trees glow, but wasn’t hot enough to be a bother. We jogged the switchbacks (going down) and made it out in just under 2 hours. I felt so proud to keep up with two very patient young men. It was a miracle, and that’s not an exaggeration. After a 3 hour drive down to Vancouver/Portland, we ate lunch, showered off the stench of sweat and campfire and then went off to our next set of events: welcoming MAF’s new Kodiak plane.

New Heights Church helped to raise a lot of the funds that were used to purchase this new plane that will replace the 206. So MAF had a dedication at Pearson Air Field with a few thousand attendees from the church. I don’t know if I’ve ever been with so many MAF people in my life. It was glorious. Sunday night we spent at Uncle Perry and Aunt Linnea’s; there must have been 40 people going in and out–all of whom had lived in Indonesia. We stayed up late, reminisced, hugged and laughed, played volleyball, all while sipping Aunt Linnea’s famous iced tea.

I love the Indo people, I know I’ve said this before. I love them because… they show me what the family of God should be. Sure, we annoy each other sometimes, we have disagreements, and on the indoor soccer court things can be heated. But when I tease Kevin about his “perfect break up song” for his last girl friend, he knows I’m joking. Jared can sing to his goofy dog, because he also sings to me after a futbol game; not to mention the incredible hospitality shown by  he and his wife. Anthony comes alive when we are with these people. We tell storeis about eating bat, night diving and losing flashlights. While we also talk about theology, relationships, shame, callings and dreams. This group takes care of each other. They call me family. Me.

This is what the mission community should look like. And more than that, this is what the body should look like.

So Sunday night was like a taste of heaven. Volleyball, reminiscing, teasing, laughing and I could have cried when we said goodbye. It was heaven. I think that Jesus gives us moments like this, to glimpse the kingdom that is here and is coming. It was there, in that crowded room, and the presence of God was heavy.

Monday a lot happened, but the most exciting was watching Uncle Paul take off in that Kodiak. We had finally said our goodbyes, the crew had checked everything, we’d taken our pictures, and everyone had climbed inside. I stood with Twaan and we watched it taxi  down and wait for an eternity. And then suddenly, it was going. Moving forward an inch at a time and then gaining speed. I wanted to run alongside on our adjacent runway. I could have run behind that gorgeous red and blue plane for miles. I wanted to wave my arms and whoop like the Dani. Because this plane is going to do so much good in Papua. It can bring the news to people, it will bring food, medicine, relief, aid. It will bring people and Jesus (reintroducing him to lost kinfolk). I wanted to jump and shout God’s glory because it is so exciting what he is going to do with this plane, what he already has done and continues to do. It reminds me of the cause for hope, the reason for living, the point to love.

and then, that night, we drove back home. but I think a part of me has been reliving that weekend and the glory of God with each smell of dew soaked ground and each cheer that reminds me of the Dani whoop.

 

Crazy Quarter

I just got back from Vancouver on Monday night. It feels like yesterday, and at the same time like years ago. Today is Thursday. I just finished a paper. I’m scrambling to find journal articles for another (the library seems to be severely lacking in anything relating to my topic). I have a million pages to read for Monday. I have study sessions to host, papers to review, people to meet with, and my likely hours of sleep seem to dwindle constantly. How is this possible? I just had a long weekend, felt remarkably productive, am one day from the next weekend, and I am consumed with deadlines!

how, how, how does this happen?

 

Well Hello Again

Look! I’m updating! And it’s been less than three months! jaja

Let’s see. there isn’t much to say. Christmas break has been nice. I’ve worked a bit so I’ve made some good money that will help pay for books and get me through this next quarter. I’ve also decided to work this quarter. It won’t be much, but enough to pay for textbooks for spring quarter, and enough money to pay for gas on our roadtrip down to Colorado, assuming that all works out.

I think it’s interesting how so often in my life, I don’t make much money, but God supplies just enough to get me by. Sometimes, it’s the exact amount that I need to pay books, or just the perfect bonus so I can buy myself a coat I had been admiring for a while, but lamenting the cost. Really, it’s pretty incredible. God is super good to me. I don’t even understand it.

But he’s also calling for something. I mean, he always has. And I’ve been pretty good at giving back. I’m sure I’ve been innaccurate now and then in my math. But I try to give Corinthians-style and do it sacrificially. Whatever that means each month. It’s always different. But now, he’s calling for more. And I don’t think it’s just money now. I keep getting all these messages, in a million places. Like the movie we watched while I was working Elevation Nursery this week. It was about giving God whatever you have, even if it isn’t much. Because he took two small fish and five loaves and he made a feast for five thousand. Or my dad telling me I need to Trust God a bit more. And Kelsie saying the same thing. And Sarah Barton. And I think I know what God wants me to give to him. In some ways.

I think he wants my future.

Which is strange to say, because he’s always had it. I mean, I’m working for him, right? So that was giving my future to him. But I think he wants it a bit more expansive than just my job. I mean, I thought about grad school, and seminary, and I thought that I would have time to burn, and I would work to support myself, and I would be fine. Because for so long, my decisions have really only affected me. (I mean that in a general sense. obviously my decisions always affect others) Now my choices affect not only me, but Anthony too. I mean, grad school is still a nice idea, but in some ways, it’s a bit out of the question now. And I am saving money now, not only for myself, but for the hope of a future.

and I have to give that hope to God too. Which is hard. Because God likes to take away, just as much as he likes to give. I know he loves to bless us. But often, that blessing can be expressed in the act of God retracting something from our lives. I don’t want that to happen here, and sometimes, I’m afraid of giving that hope to God. So he’s calling for that.

and he’s calling to take away  my worry.

and my money.

and my time.

and my burdens.

and my entire life.

which is so odd. Because I thought I had given it all over to him. I really had.

I think, I just took it back over time.

and now he’s holding out his hand, and asking if I’m going to give it back. Which I should. Because, really, he has a much bigger, broader, more holistic view of what the heck is going on in this psychotic world than I do. But I like my view! But he is taking that all away too.

He’s taking a lot isn’t he?

But then again, he isn’t really taking it.

He’s calling for it.

and slowly, ever so slowly, I’m giving it back.

es solo por mi cinta, no, es por anda cinta Dios. Aku cinta Dios.

and I need to stop combining multiple languages.

 

wow.

I just finished 24 pages on an allegory I just started about…two weeks ago. (okay, maybe it’s three, I can’ recall)

what’s surprising isn’t hte number. I mean, I’ve written more than just those 24 pages on this allegory. and I’ve been working on other things as well. so it isn’t the number at all. but it is the number, because I was just jotting down some thoughts, thinking that it would be anice easy peice to work on later, maybe during the school year or next summer even. and then I just couldn’t stop. 24 pages! when I thought I was just jotting down thoughts.

shabat shalom

 

Summer Reading List

(thus far)

 Books from Nick

Showdown

A Severe Mercy

The End of Poverty

Augustine: Confessions

Descartes

Tale of Two Cities

The Sillmarillion

Sex God

Through Painted Deserts

maybe Shake Hands With the Devil… that’s undecided

and probably rereading Screwtape Letters

also have to finish up Exiles and The Shaping of Things to Come

well it’ll be a busy summer, and some pretty provocative, probing things. I’ve already gone through all my junk thanks to the book on poverty… and thanks to living in seattle, and being friends with Kelsie and Sarah. Yeah. But I have Thursdays and Fridays off of work. So who knows what can get done? This may even be a short list! Considering, I have three done…