The students arrive next weekend. We have been busy unpacking supplies, cleaning up the property, preparing Pastor Chet's house, and all the other mad responsibilities that are required in preparing for another term. It is cold here, like Idaho in the late fall/early winter. I am very grateful for my scarf and beanie and other goodies you sent Mom :) The only frustrating thing is that although the mornings and nights are cold, midday can get warm. So I find myself constantly putting on and taking off layers.
The buildings are heated or insulated, so we've had to adjust to that, and make our beds warmer. The nice thing is there is no shock of change in temperature when you walk outside. It's all equal.
We had our first workout as a staff yesterday morning. Praise the Lord, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (with the cold and higher altitude) and I did quite well. Every morning I love to watch the fog rising up from the river on the other side of the property. It reminds me of Bokindini. In fact, this whole place reminds me of Bok. The way the light sifts through the luscious green trees interspersed over the grassy property is beautiful! I'll have to get pictures.
I was on KP this morning. The kitchen is two stories, situated on the side of a hill, at the bottom of the long building that is in the shape of a cross. The staff is very patient with all of us as we stumble through communication. They teach us everything by demonstration...and I am far less efficient with a knife than I should be :( We have to wear hair nets. There is a retreat in, the last one until Patmos leaves. The rest of this summer (winter) the property is entirely ours. Every meal is quite the ordeal here...it took 4 plus hours to prepare, serve, and clean up from breakfast. Of course, lunch prep started in the morning too. The kitchen is very efficent with what they do and they are professionals at timing everything perfectly! I was ecstatic when I saw the baker coming up the steps from downstairs with his fresh baked french bread!!! Unbelievably soft, melts in your mouth, crunchy crusty goodness!!!!!
It is beautiful here, but I feel so restless. I have been praying a lot and waiting on the Lord. I know that when the term actually starts everything will look different--pre and post student Patmos is always so different. Our schedules have to be flexible and we have to be available to do anything. It is my least favorite time of the term, because there is little order, and I rarely know what is expected of me. Plus Meredith is not here yet, and it is hard for me to assist her when we are on different continents.
Pray for my health: I have the feeling that if I get sick here, it will be a battle to get well again. The last day or two I've been feeling funny--almost malaria funny, but they don't have malaria here much. I had a headache, then nausea, then something like chills and fever, but it was all very very mild. Just enough to make me want to sleep for two days. I hope it's really nothing--just my body adjusting to everything here. Who knows.
Tonight we are having pizza cooked out of our very own brick oven!! We did it once when we were here last term and it was amazing!!! So I am excited.
Love and miss you all!!!! Would love to hear from you every chance you get :D !!!
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