Time flies when you are having fun! It has been quite awhile since my last blog post. A lot has happened since then. I have been on the field for a over 3 months. I have adjusted well to the culture. It is a bit frightening being in a country with a whole different language and culture, at first I was worried how I would go to the grocery store, going shopping or even use public transportation. It was difficult to communicate at first, I was nervous telling a taxi driver where I needed to go, I am still a bit nervous today but it gets easier the more I am learning the language. I am so thankful I am here as a student learning the language. I am thankful that I get to meet with a tutor and have local friends here that help me with my pronunciation and help me to learn new words and create sentences. I am learning something new every day and as the day goes by I am getting more comfortable interacting with locals. It is also super exciting and a huge accomplishment for me to be able to read characters and understand it. I have grown a lot compared to when I first arrived back in September.
Since being in a country doing ministry it can get draining and I have come to realize that I cannot do this on my own. I need Christ daily; I can only go on pouring myself out for so long before I am become completely empty. Earlier this month some of my Christian friends and two new university students who came to know the Lord, came together to read the book of Hebrews together. For the day we challenged ourselves to be in the word from 9am till 6:30pm and fast together. We had spent 9+ hours on the first three chapters of Hebrews. It was a challenge, we were so drained and hungry as well but we grew together in our faith, in our friendship and gained new disciplines. I am so glad that there is a Christian community here that challenges me. Fasting and spending the whole day in the Bible is a totally new discipline and something I have never tried. I was anxious on what the outcome would be but in the end, it was a rewarding experience and I am glad to share it with the close friends I have made here.
I am learning so much about the culture here and growing in my faith. I cannot wait what happens next.