Thanks everyone!

I have had alot of time to think and pray since my last blog entry. I haven't had access to the internet even since before the hurricane so just this week now that i'm at hte other base for a week I finally got to read everyone's comments and emails. So first of all I need to thank all of you for your words of encouragement and prayers. It helped me get through this. There were times when I felt so overwhelmed and I didn't want to deal wiht it, but I know that your prayers helped me during those times.

During my whole ordeal with homesickness I knew that I needed to do whatever God told me to do. The hard part was knowing exactly what it was that God wanted. I prayed and prayed and still felt so strongly to go home, but at the same time it didn't quite feel right. I talked to my leaders about it and they told me that I just needed to hear from God and do what he says. Which wasn't what I wanted to hear, I sorta just wanted them to tell me what to do so taht I didn't have to make any decisions.

Before the hurricane God gave me a peace about the upcoming natural disaster. It wasn't so fun, being homesick and then having to deal with that as well. But God showed me that he was there with me and so I made it through. And i really felt like God would clearly show me where I was supposed to be after the hurricane. SO the day after I did alot more thinking and praying and I talked about it with Janet-Sue and God really spoke clearly to me and told me that I need to stay in Jamaica and teach. I guess I was thinking that if the school was destroyed in the hurricane then that was an obvious sign that I could go home....but that didn't happen. The school is still standing!

Since the hurricane I have had a week to clean up from the hurricane and to prepare for teaching. Now that I am confident that God wants me to stay I am getting excited about teaching. I have disobeyed God's instructions before and HIGHLY regretted it afterwards, I have learned my lesson. I know that GOd has the perfect plans for me, that He loves me and that He will get me through this year even if I do miss home.

School was pushed back a week because of the hurricane so it will be starting September 10th. I will have 5 students in my class, just today it was made official! Two boys and three girls. As I plan and schedule and strategize God has been giving me creativity and I am now really excited for this year to begin.

I still miss everyone back home like crazy. I wish that I could have spent longer wiht all of you, but I know that you are wiht me through prayers and emails and letters. Please continue to stay in contact wiht me, it really helps wiht the homesickness! And I really do love getting phone calls too!!!!!

Bless you all,
Kristen

PS- I will write about the hurricane experience later this week!