club last friday!

its been a while. just so you know....

things are going excellently. im still satisfied in the Lord and am amazed by how He is blessing me and the ministry.

of course everything is not perfect, but why dwell on bad things when there are so many great things to reflect on?

we had club on friday! it was SO MUCH FUN!!!! i made taco salad for 20 people. that was funny. most of them didnt know what it was, but they thought it was yummy! one more meal success. thank God because each day we have club more and more people sign up. do you have any ideas for good, fun, easy things to make for 20 people? im running out of ideas and im only one person. who knew this would be part of my job description! hahaha

after dinner i was the one who led the games. we played several things that they either had never played before or that they havent play in quite some time. right after that we sung and then had our message/discussion.

good good times. please continue to pray for the wavre club. it is booming! if it continues to grow we will not be having it at my place. we had over 30 kids!! more importantly that the kids are learning about Christ.

im starting a Bible study next week for kids that are interested in knowing more, exploring their faith, going in and figuring things out. its in conjunction with the youth group (ask me if you dont know what im talking about). this study is different then RPJ, the study i have with rebecca and perrine. that is a discipleship time. this is really just opening the bible with them and figuring things out. I NEED WISDOM and WORD IN FRENCH!! pray for that please :)

ok well i have a lot to get done and we have a leader meeting tonight so i gotta get running.

have a great day!

represent

i dont understand.

here everything is going incredibly well! i cant even tell you. the encounters ive had with new people, the relationships that continue to grow, the ministry that is booming..... Lord, things are great, but what about the funds?

what do i do? i dont know where else to go. i dont want anyone in the U.S. to think that im keeping in touch with them to ask for money. that is definitely not why i keep in touch with ppl. i know that ill be back and that is where my home is, so i need to have people and friends there.

anyway, if you know anyone that has a heart for missions, teenagers, europe, anything..... and that would be my advocate, I NEED ONE!!! represent us, represent what God is doing here in Belgium.

i dont know what else to say. i just feel like when things are great, something always goes down.

the newsletter issues

FYI- i dont know how you are receiving my newsletter, but when i preview and edit it i'm very careful to make sure it looks right. i mean..for those of you who know me, im a little bit of a perfectionist with this stuff. communication, ya know was MY MAJOR and MY JOB!

so i apologize for what the program does to it. when i get it in my Inbox the paragraphs are centered! what the heck?!?! its not supposed to be like that. anyhoo. gotta get back to work. thanks for reading this if you still are!!

God is good and im so excited to be seeing God work in the lives of my Belgian friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can't you tell?!?

if you are reading this and didnt get my newsletter than please check your SPAM folder! i found several responses from my last update in my spam folder.

whats really in your head?

hey hey-

its been sunny here and boy does it change things! ive been working on my training assignments. im going to training on wednesday and will be back on sunday. if the weather stays like this belgium might not be so bad ;)

great news...noora, my finish friend said that she would do the weekend retreat with me. that means im going. i was debating on whether or not to go...since im old. but she is psyched and really wants to go. that confirms that i should go! she came to ski camp and loved it. i hope that she really soaks up what she has been hearing.

on another note, benoit, a guy that goes to the church in bierges hung himself on Friday. i cant believe it. its so freaky. i know ive said this several times, but ive NEVER heard of so much suicide until i came here. his wife found him in their bedroom. LUCKILY their 10 year old son was at their grandparents house!

PRAY FOR BELGIUM!!!! miss the States and everyone, but loving the weather here!

bisous- jessica

Bon Anniversaire!!

11:30pm February 8th, 2008, Praz de Lys France: sad that I was not in the States to celebrate a HUGE birthday with my friends and family.

12:00am February 9th, 2008, Praz de Lys France: the girls in my room start singing happy birthday! the girls in the sorrounding rooms hear, they run in the room singing happy birthday!

i've never heard so many people singing happy birthday to me all at once....AND in FRENCH!!!! it was amazing. i went to feeling so blahhh to wow! this is neat, these girls are the best! i got emotional. it was wonderful!

here is a little clip of the end of happy birthday in french. these were most of the girls. enjoy!

Belgium Update Jan '08

Dear Friends and Family,

It's 2008!! Oh my, can you believe it? I can’t! I never thought I would make it through high school then through college. Here I am out of college, out of corporate America, living in Wavre, Belgium. Who woulda thunk?! J

Once again, thank you for a wonderful year of support! I am incredibly blessed to know you. While in the States last month, I became incredibly discouraged as the month home to fundraise went nothing as planned. Nevertheless, our faithful God is providing as you continue to support me in this mission!

A rocky month it was….my month began with death and ended with life! It’s amazing how God sees us through our trials, struggles, difficulties, sorrow, and happiness. The other day I was reading Hebrews and was struck by the first verse in chapter 11, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” It is very neat to be on the frontlines seeing the lives of Belgian teenagers change. I hope you see how you are impacting our future!

When I get discouraged, I need to remind myself that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. How do I know that?! Because God continues to provide! He wouldn’t just throw me out to the wolves now would He? No! He is a caring God. Hebrews 10:36 says, “You need to preserve so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” He has everything all planned out. We just need to follow His guidance and have faith. If it were only that easy all the time, huh?

May you be encouraged to persevere, do His will, follow His guidance, and have faith!

Hugs and love,

Jessica

Current happenings and requests:

Ski camp 2008: This Friday, February 1^st to Saturday, February 9^th. Pray for snow, for changed lives, for good relationships, for the speakers, for safety on the slopes, for fun times, and a safe travels to and from.

JV Interclub: February 16^th. All clubs come together and have one club. It is a lot of fun for everyone as the kids get to be with their friends that they seldom see. Pray for Nat Winston, the speaker.

Wavre Club: Through June. Pray for deeper relationships, for the desire to know more about Jesus, pray for fun times, good weather, and unity within the group.

Young Life Training: February 27^th -29^th. Pray that I will get all my assignments done! Pray that this time together with others will be productive and encouraging.

JV Day: April 5^th. A day trip to the beach with all the kids. Road trip!!! Food, club, and fun! They love it!

Study Camp: May 9^th-12^th. Pray for a good group, for new kids, for the kids who need to be in this type of environment to come.

New Young Life branding: Very soon!

READ THE NEXT BLOG!!!!

things to consider...

1. Be on my prayer team: a few prayer requests sent out once a week or once every two weeks.
2. Be a fundraiser: just as if you would fundraise for anything else. We've all done it. Tell people what Young Life Belgium is all about. Meet the need.
3. Be a donor: donate to YL Belgium at giving.younglife.org. I must raise another $1,1,00/month. Don't ever think any amount is too little. $10 & $20/month adds up!
4. Do you know anyone... that has French experience?: we need some help! If you know anyone that has a heart for kids, missions, or Europe, please have them contact me.
5. Did you get the e-update?: If you'd like to get the e-update (which is above) and you have not, please email me at IHEARTYLjpereira@europe.younglife.org. (remove IHEARTYL).
6. Pray over the general list on the e-update.

I've loaded two short videos of hanging out at our Pirate themed Fall Camp in October.

dreams

its late, but i felt like blogging....

i havent dreamt in a long time and recently i have been dreaming every night. weird dreams. nothing really scary. Thank God! do you think they mean anything? why am i dreaming so much and what do my dreams mean? the night before last i woke up to hear a male voice say "Jess!" what does that mean? it was 5AM, no one was here. i can't hear anything up in my room from downstairs anyway. anyone have answers?

tonight had dinner with adriana, ray, susan, claudia, ioana, gerald, and his mom. then went to visit with marissa and liesl at the phipps house. it was a good time of reflecting on this month. get a little pep talk...

tomorrow is our big assemble generale. im supposed to say a little something. dont really know what to expect but i hope it goes well. ill probablly start in french and then just switch to english. if i talk the whole time in french everyone will think im so dumb. i dont like how people label/categorize you by the way you speak in their own language. no! im not dumb, i just can express myself in your language...thank you very much!

ok goodnight to all. and thank you for reading my blog. fo shizzle ;)

we got some S-U-N wahoo!

someone must have been praying for some sun here in belgium!! it was sunny all day today! THANK GOD :)

some prayer requests:
-BIGGIE.... pray that the kids will get over the fact that we are restricting cell phones and limiting ipod usage. this is huge! in the US it is normal to give it up for a week, but this will be the first time. the kids are gonna have a COW!!!
-pray for an office for Jeunesse et Vie (Young Life Belgium)
-pray for all the kids going to ski camp (we don't know a lot of them!)
-pray for kids to understand the messages, to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.


***photo of Roselie and I at the Young Life All Staff Conference in Florida.***

je déteste la pluie

rain rain go away DON'T COME BACK ANOTHER DAY! blahhhhhh

pray for snow while we are at ski camp. 2 Feb-9 Feb 2008.

REUNITED!

my dad got away from florida for a hot second!! woohoo!! he came to say goodbye to me the day before i left to come back to belgium. AND to see he FIRST grandchild, Veronica. im SOOOOO glad you came dad! Thanks.
below is a family picture of us ALL! usually we do a family picture, make it in to a Christmas card and send it out. so many normal things just got put to the side after this month. i wish things would have just been the same...but then again that wouldn't be a "normal" life now would it?


So, yes, i'm back in belgium! the conference was FANTASTICO! lol it was a hoot. i'm so thankful i was able to go. before the conference i was able to spend time with my aunt and uncle in tampa. thank you very much for having me! i wish i could have spent more time with rod and kim, but anytime is enough.

we had club on friday! went to church this morning. and now im studying for a huge french exam on tuesday. this may be the first time i fail something!! ahhh. ive missed so much. and even the other students say they arent prepared.
pray that i can learn this stuff. not to just pass, but to really learn it. i mean, that is the whole reason im taking classes, duh! lol maybe ill take this section over again next year.

Ski camp is coming up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kids are pumped. they get a whole week off :) we leave on the 2nd at 1AM (that is really the night of the 1st)
a la prochaine!

Lord Help!

Bringin' back old memories! Well, this December...has been royally CRAPPY. I don't want to even get in to it because that would keep you here for more than 5 min and the point of this is to be short and to the point.

I've included the photo to remind me of spending time with my family ALL TOGETHER. This was our silly Christmas picture from last year.

Wish my dad was here this year. Elizabeth is about to pop any day! My neck is killing me..for the past 3 days. I haven't done much fundraising because a MILLION family issues. I'm stressed. I'm sad. I'm upset. I'm happy. I'm lonely. I'm frustrated. I want to go back to Belgium. I think I've wept more this month than the past 7 months living in a new country by myself.

How do I raise more funds when I have to be with my family through all these struggles? What do I do when I go back? I'm scared. I'm trusting, but afraid. Lord HELPPPPPPPP!

thanks everyone!

hi everyone. i know since i just sent out my newsletter everyone will be checking my blog.

its already the 18th of december and i leave in just a few weeks. today was the day that EVERYTHING hit me. i came here to fundraise. yes, to raise funds to share Christ with kids in Belgium. it has been absolutely crazy with getting together with people and hard times with the family.

thanks for checking my blog. if you want to stay up-to-date you can put this on your RSS feed.

glad to be home, but excited about going back and do what ive been called to do!!!

Thank you for your prayer and financial support!

(pic of my grandparents....i was able to see them again!)

VIDEO WORKED!

since blogger video worked, im posting this video from when we girls were able to be together in august. it was a WONDERFUL time. i was browsing through the radio and this came on! ive never been so proud :) enjoy

things are busy as i am now beginning to meet up with people to visit and give an update.

im home now. its been really different than i had expected.

here is what has been going on. actually it was an email to laure (my temporary roommate) with some edits

________
yeah everything is crazy here. duane, elizabeth's brother (my sister-in-law) passed away on friday night. today is the viewing (there are two) and wednesday is the funeral.

my grandfather is out of ICU but still in the hospital. we think he might get transferred to this rehab/old folks place really soon.

my grandmother is getting worse daily. she has Alzheimer's and my dad is still in florida taking care of her by himself. it is so sad because she is like a little kid. so he has been down there for over a week now watching after her. who knows what is going to happen now. he cant leave them alone.

my grandfather in brasil is better. he was not in the hospital for long. thank god! my mom is still here.

as for me...its weird being back. i got really emotional at church. it was neat to see familiar faces. but malia and rachel were so right when they said that life goes on without you. and that is so hard when your heart is burdened with wanting to help all these lost souls and everyone here is just going on with their day to day lives. WAKE UP PEOPLE!! thats what i want to say. WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS WORLD!

im still having mixed feelings about being in both places. but now they are different. if i had stayed in belgium i would not be living this craziness which is good. if i had not come i would not be experience this part of life. this "difficultness", time supporting family, time being with family when everything seems to be falling apart.

on another note. it is FREEZINGGGGGG here. a lot of very cold wind. yes, i think it is colder than belgium.

i have so much to do and its already the 4th!! oh my goodness! today is gonna be a long day. im gonna go to the viewing and then watch all the kids in the family while the parents are at the second viewing.

my french is going to be horrible. but i knew i wanted to write a lot and get it out so i wrote in english. this is not confidential information so if you feel inclined to share more details, you may.

i am soooo fat. i weighed myself after 4 or 5 months. yeah..i gained 8 pounds. THAT IS A LOT!! i wont be going to the gym here so i dont know what ill do to lose the weight. blahhhhhhhhhhh!

i know the power of prayer and am blessed to have people petitioning God for me. there is so much to pray for, so i wont be specific.

today was great!!

once again it is really late here.

today was an AWESOME DAY!!! wow :) for the past week ive wanted to write about how much i like it here. besides the cold weather, which i know is just as bad in VA, everything is great. ive been able to make some really cool friends.

life has been up and down. i guess without that it wouldnt be such an adventure. as much as i think about the things that have recently occurred i continue to think about my purpose here in belgium. i thank god every day for what He has done for me. He has put me here and everything is happening because of Him. i dont know what the future holds for me and that is very scary...especially for those of you who know me well...i like to have a plan, a schedule, a vision. not for just the week, but the month, the year and so on. anyhooo im still learning to put my faith in Him because if he takes care of the birds how can He not take care of us? PLUS He has plans to makes us prosperous and successful.

so...the valley sucks, but you cant be on the mountain till youve passed through the valley.

pic worked!!!! wahhooo...its of some girls at the fall camp :) love it!!!!!!!

hugs and kisses

march for Sadia

this is a link to a page that was made in memory of Sadia whom I lived with at the Murrus for 2 weeks and who was killed by her brother on October 24th, 2007.

It's in French. There is an organized march planned for tomorrow in Charleroi.

http://sadia12.skyrock.com/

frontline internet campus

man! fronline internet campus IS SOOOOOOOO COOL!

i am so thankful for it. belgium is great and all, but i wish people would really take advantage and realize how precious worship and church is in the US. we are very lucky there and often dont realize it. it is VERY dead here.

it was amazing to feel like i was there! and all along ive been telling my friends how much i miss worship, hearing a good sermon, the fellowship. i definitely felt i had it last night. i REALLY felt connected.

its neat to be a part of the internet campus, but the coolest part is that it makes me more passionate for the people here in belgium. oh they are missing so much. the only way they can get it is if we bring it to them! ITS INCREDIBLE!! i dont know how to explain it. i am excited about going to frontline in person on the 2nd of december!..you dont even know!!! :) :) :)
..............................
today i didnt have my meeting with malia :( but she was able to spend time with the boys.

so i went to school. then had a supplemental french time with some women in my french class. then came home and rested. now doing bills and working on some stuff.

will be going to the gym soon. things are a little less stressful for the moment, but i still have to memorize my verses, finish reading my books, and respond to what i have read.

picture upload thing not working. ..OF COURSE.
BELGIUM REPRESENT!!!

today

club was fun last night
we had 15 kids for dinner at 6:30 and then we had club at 7:30. we played games, sang, then talked about being pro-active. one of the 7 highly effective habits for teens.

today i went to Mezi's house. i am going to spend an hour a week speaking, playing, and teaching her son english. he is really cute. after that i came home and just loafed around. i loved it. man did i need a day to do nothing! now im on the computer chatting with some kids.

tomorrow i plan on going to church, coming home to have lunch, then cleaning after the bazarre from Friday, and reading. im sure ill do my french homework late in the evening.

i had a great talk on msn with emilie! her dad doesnt want her to come to JV because we arent catholic and he thinks she needs to do the catholic stuff. she said she doesnt go to church because her parents dont go...they dont believe.. and the catholic church is boring. (anyhoo it was a good talk)

20 more days until i go home!

thanks for msgs

thanks everyone...
for your emails and messages. it means a lot to me to receive your thoughts, concerns, and encouragement.

i was washing the dishes on tuesday night at the murrus and thought of when sadia and i would do the dishes together...things are still weird, but definitely getting better. her body was being sent to pakistan for burial. (the spookiest part is: they sent her body in the wedding dress that had been bought for her to wear)

also still feeling weird about katelynn and duane. please pray for a MIRACLE! we serve a BIG God. he can do BIG things.

only two ppl :(

its really late here. today was such a productive day! i love when i REALLY get things done and can check them off. yes i had a good day because i worked hard, got a lot done, and best of all love my job.

i think when you absolutely enjoy what you are doing and know that youre truly making an impact that is just right where you need to be. woot woot!

HOWEVER!!! im a little discouraged. seems like on 2 people are going to be on my prayer team :(

end of oct. beginning of nov.

well this week is all saints week and the kids have off of school. i was hoping to get back on track with all the work that has been piling up. since my parents were here and i didnt have internet things have been on hold. now everything is back on track except when my computer decided to croak again! grrrr. Dennis i need you ;)

for now i can deal with it, but i hope that everything can be fixed while im at home. what do you think dennis? will you spare a couple hours to give my computer a check up?

last weekend was camp and it was GREAT! however there were many people who were sick. yup, so i got sick too. this week hasnt been so bad...just lots of tissues everywhere, lots of tea, cough drops, etc. you know how it goes.

lee corder also came last thursday with rick beckwith. it was a good time of sharing about the ministry and some visions for the future.

ill be studying today, tomorrow, and sunday for my BIG french exam on monday. it will be 3.5 hrs of what we have learned since september. doesnt sound like a long time but when you learn like 2 or 3 things a day it is A L O T!

Priscillas birthday is on Sunday so ill be going to the murrus house for her birthday lunch. she will be 14!! she is getting so old :) the lunch will be a sit-down lunch with both roselie's family and sergio's family. that means like 40 some people!

fall camp TODAY! prayer requests

going to fall camp today
pray that it will go smoothly. For the leaders, the clubs, the activities, the traveling to and from, the cooks, the preparations, for changed lives, for kids to see Christ.

Other prayer needs:

• For peace, forgiveness, wisdom, and comfort for our team after the death of Sadia.
• For Duane, Elizabeth's brother whom we recently has cancer.
• For the Moore family. As well as Uncle Paul, Aunt Robin, Sarah, and Kellie as they deal with Katelynn's death on Wednesday. She is also part of my extended family.
• The small study that we are having on Thursdays: "arpijei" (we are keeping it small to get things going)- The girls are very excited! I think we have established good ground work and trust. They have expressed to me how comfortable they are with sharing with one another. Pray that this time is a time of really digging into the Word and learning how to seek after the Lord.
• Clubs- that it is animated, fun, interesting, and that it is about God and not about numbers or putting on a show. Pray that the kids feel welcome and will invite their friends. Also, that they will be encouraged by what Sergio will be presenting.
  

news on sadia

recent news...posting what i sent out to you all.

was going to send a normal update. this is more important. thanks for your prayers.

somber and still awake,

jessica

________

Dearest friends and family,

Oh, how precious is a life. Today has been a day of mixed emotions. I received news of the death of a friend of the Murrus. She was a 20 year old Muslim girl that went to high school with Sarah, the Murrus oldest daughter. She had some family problems as she resisted her arranged marriage. She wanted to live her life as she wished. Sadia was striving to work in the law field. To escape from her family she was staying at a women’s shelter in Brussels and commuting to Charleroi where she took classes.

This June Sadia lived with the Murrus for 2 weeks where I spent quite a bit of time with her. We had some good discussions on the difference between being Christian and being Muslim. During this time both she and I were studying. She was studying for her exams and I was preparing my YL papers. Sadia was very energetic, fun, caring, and full of life. We would message each other on MSN to arrange a time to go downstairs and have lunch together. For our breaks from our work we would arrange to play JungleSpeed with Priscilla and Anthony. Sadia was very proactive. After finishing her exams she talked about finding a job and finding a place to live. It was most imperative she stay away from her family who were searching for her.

For two weeks, Sadia would wake up; put on a ball cap and a long jacket to disguise herself, and Sergio would drive her to school to take her exam. Often they saw her brother outside of her school. Luckily, as far as we know, he never saw her. After her exams, Sadia returned to the women’s shelter where she could only stay for a few more weeks. That time seemed to be good for her as she found a new school and a different city to be in. We talked over MSN a couple times. The last time we talked she wanted to invite the Murrus and I over for dinner at her new place.

Sadia really cared for the Murrus and definitely recognized everything they had done for her. She told me several times how thankful she was for them. They helped her a lot, and not just this time.

When we were talking about moving I had thought about her being my roommate. I know we would get along so well, however I was afraid of her family situation and how that would affect me. I never brought it up, but I did think it would be cool.

On Monday, Sadia was shot at two times by her own brother. She was in critical condition in intensive care. Early afternoon today she passed away. It is my understanding that they would rather see her dead than to dishonor the family.

I share this with you because this is REAL! I lived with Sadia. Sergio was like the father she was lacking. She knew exactly what the Murrus do as their career. She cared for them and they cared for her. I didn’t think this would affect me as much as it has. So often we don’t realize how precious our lives are. We MUST share The Truth! The time is NOW!

Please pray for healing, forgiveness, wisdom, and peace.
Love from a broken hearted team,

Jessica
(photograph of Sadia and Sarah at Priscilla's voice recital)

whats up..move, RPJ, club, family

i FINALLY moved! yup thats right. i have my own place! all though my stuff is there, im not sleeping there yet. it still feels like just a building. i feel alone there. pray that i can make it my home soon!

mom is coming on saturday...hopefully dad too!!! pray that they have a good trip here. also that it stops raining.

for my house...things are ok so far, but it is hard to fit everything that i need in my budget. i need to buy things for the house but will have to wait for another several months. the stuff that i have now i have managed to get second hand from an xpats site here. thats basically an online yardsale. all great deals.

tomorrow ill be getting together with the girls of "aRPiJei." that is what they decided to call it. pretty cool. anyway, we are going to start our actual study. will keep you posted. please pray for rebecca and perrine. that they will grow from our time together, from what we are studying, and from their application of what we learn.

club is on friday at my place!! pray that it goes well and that the kids will see Christ in us and what we are doing. pray that the night is only about the Lord and not anything else.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS AND PRAYING!

last weekend

what do you know blogger was being stupid and not letting me upload pics. so i waited until today!

ok back to last weekend. i woke up at 5:15 to leave the house by 6:10. walked down the gravel road(huge rocks that kinda hurt your feet) to the train station to catch the train. took two trains and arrived at the airport at 7:45. my goal was to try to get on the 8:50 flight to munich. once i got to the ticket counter the woman said i would have to buy another ticket if i wanted to get on the earlier flight!!! ahhh so i checked in and waited for my flight at 11:10. we were supposed to start boarding at 10:40. all in all my flight was delayed and we didnt leave the gate until 12:00.

while all this is happening barbara (YL Area Director in Spain) and Anna (intern in spain) were waiting for me. i was supposed to meet them at 12:30. they were so kind to wait for me.

after taking two trains and having someone pick us up from the train station (luckily we didnt have to take a taxi) we arrived at the training. it was great to be with everyone.

now i have some assignments to do on top of everything else that is going on here. good assignments of course!

the pic is of my new haircut :) ill be letting it grow out again.

KIDS!!!!

ahh im pooped right now. should have been in bed an hour ago. just a quick not to say how excited i am today about seeing kids.

i was walking in town near my new house with someone and i saw timothee! he is one of our club kids. he fell at school and twisted his ankle so he is walking with crutches. before that i saw joseph (another club kid) at the house im moving in to.

THEN i was walking back home (to where i am now) and passed by one of the schools. it was just on the way and it was not planned at all. so i saw clementine, said hello, and met her two friends (amelie and virginie). we had a little convo and then we said good bye. while walking again i saw perrine! we said hello and made plans to see each other tomorrow. so tomorrow perrine and rebecca are coming over to have lunch, chat about our bible study, and to study for school.

i just think it is so cool how i saw 4 kids today!!!!!!! and this was not planned! God is so good :)

anyway it was a fiasco of day, not to mention this weekend. ill write more tomorrow while the girls are studying.

j is out...

prayer requests

hello!

leaving tomorrow at 6 to walk to the train station to catch the train to the airport. hoping to arrive at the airport at 7:30. my original flight leaves at 11:10 however i am going to try to get on the 8:50 flight.

either way ill be in munich at 10:10 or 12:30 where i will meet ana and barbara. boy am i thankful we are going together. we have to catch the train in munich to starnberg which is over an hour trip. then we have to take a taxi from the train station to where our conference/training is. uhhhh what a long day it will be.

please pray for:

• safe travels to and from
• no travel anxiety
• smooth transitioning between modes of transportation
• safety in general
• a good training overall
• that i get some type of sleep
• that i can get my presentation squared away
• that the presentation will go well and will be well received (for saturday at the leaders weekend)
• when i get back i can catch up on all my email and homework.

club tomorrow- pray for a fun time, a good turn out, and for changed lives

i got my hair cut!! woot woot.... 5 euros. he he he yes thats right. it was either that or wait until december when i get home cause im not paying what it costs here to get a hair cut. RI- DICULOUS!

also, TOMORROW is our first club! yahhhhhooo. ill share what happens on saturday.

Vovo's 90th birthday

Oh my goodness! It worked :) wahhooo.

This at Vovo Pereira's (grandfather) 90th birthday service at his church in Boca Raton, FL. I wish I could have been there. They were all up until like 2:30 in the morning! Miss my family.

these days

blogger isnt uploading pictures again! ahhhhhkkkk what the heck? i have several mini posts to put up. ill keep trying, but this is like the 3rd day in row that it is not working.

yesterday i went to cornerstone international church. it was really cool. i liked it a lot. right now it is the best international (english speaking) church that ive been to. but, i've only been to two. im still going to go to other international and french churches. i hope to find a "home" international church and a "home" french church. i haven't felt fed at any french churches yet. im pretty sure it is because of the language.

i had class today with my new teacher. it was fine but different. i like the other lady better.

next week im going to munich. itll be my first time there. i really don't like german, so i'm sure it will be difficult for me to navigate over there. christophe will be picking me up from the airport here in brussels then we will go directly to the sea-side where we will have our leaders weekend.

french class

I have French class 3 mornings a week and really like it! My commute is a 10 minute walk. I will be moving to my own place on the 1st of October. Wahoooo! Right now I am living with my new friend Adriana. Everything here has been wonderful. Even though we will be living 5 minutes walking distance from each other, I will miss our time as roomies.

forever

it has been forever! man!

so here is some info on moi.

• I'm going to be the aunt of a baby niece!! wahoo.
• I'm getting ready to take french courses in Wavre (where I'm going to live)
• school starts (for the kids) in the next couple weeks
• I'm still catching up on email...like always
• i took 4 girls to Paris with me on Thursday! it was great :) pictures to be posted in the next several days
• had a leaders meeting for the Wavre club! it went well!
• will be in my own place between the 1st of October and the 5th
• going to live with Adriana in Wavre until i move into my house!
• things are going a lot better than before
• am SO appreciative of everyones prayers. 1,000,000,000,000 thank yous! He hears us!!
• the weather sucks here, but hopefully it will get better for September
• we have a calender filled of things to do. so if someone wants to visit let me know well in advance. after my birthday would be better...thats February 9th!
• going to a birthday party tomorrow for Mathias (Roselie's youngest nephew)

gotta run for now. its been non-stop here since last week. bisous!

MERCI! mille fois

Just sent off my newsletter. I get so excited when I push the send button :)

• I check it is off my "to do" list! (just being honest)
• For real, I mean all month I have so much to tell, but don't want to bombard everyone. So I have to be selective in what I write AND hope that it is something you want to hear.
• Telling you what is going on here is keeping you informed..I mean the only reason I'm here is because you have made it possible.
• There are fantastic things happening and who wouldn't want to be involved. It is like feeding the hungry. Who wouldn't want to say they were involved?

So, with that...I'd like to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your financial support, prayers, patience, love, and commitment! THANK YOU!!!!!

I'm not all about pointing people out because I am thankful to everyone, but special thanks to Rachel who weekly, if not more, sends me a card from home :) It really means a lot!

To see pictures from camp click here: Jeunesse et Vie Summer Camp 2007

Picture: of me in the Grand Place on Belgium's National holiday (like the 4th), smiling at you saying THANK YOU! missing everyone

sticking it through

I've been going to this small group on Tuesday nights in Brussels. It's pretty cool because I only knew one person and met everyone else. Adriana, who is Romanian, invited me to this English speaking international group.

This month we were studying James. Here is ONLY one verse that I've been reflecting on.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. —James 1:2

I'd also like to thank Nilsa for sending me a devotional that was exactly what I need to read/hear. The graphic and the next two sentences are from her. I hope that you too are blessed by these words and verses.

If we embrace adversity, accepting every pain, then we will learn what we should know; our grief will turn to gain. —Sper

God chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it.

P.S. This group in NO WAY substitutes the group I come from in the States. I like this group because we can share, discuss, and learn. It is a good place to keep me growing, though I lack the close friendship. Miss you all!

everyday, something new

Well, when you think it can't get any worse...think again!

So, my car's power-steering light has been on since I got the car. We (the previous owner and I) thought it was just a matter of filling the fluid. Unfortunately neither him nor Sergio could find where to put the fluid. Yeah, really strange.

Yesterday while at Grandma and Grandpa's I asked Olivier and Grandpa to see if they could find. No luck! Then Grandpa decided to check online. He found this one discussion thread that mentioned a "capteur d'angle d'attaque" and "300 euros." Now do people see why I just want to go home to what I know?!?! I mean every freakin' day is something new.

We only checked one source, but I was so fed up last night that I didn't want to do any more research on it. I just spent 410 euros fixing the timing belt and some other belt.

That's the latest news...the pic is from the wedding most of us went to at the end of June. This is Nath goofing off. The kids in the youth group did most of the serving of the appetizers and drinks.

Leuven

It has been 10 days since my last blog. Please know that I attempt to add a photo to each blog because I LOVE PICTURES! With that, blogger loves to malfunction when I have something really good to say or a picture to go with it. Anyway the pics give you a better idea of what is going on.

This past week Mary, Angie, and Anjanette came to visit. We did so many things! It was great to see people from home. The best part was that they got to see how and where I am living. They were able to see the little things that are frustrating. Boy am I glad a few people know what I'm talking about now.

The picture from above was from Leuven! It is an awesome town :) So cute. Since I can say I'm still in my third month of culture shock..I must add one bad thing...there was one thing I was missing...a boy. Yes, that's right a boy to walk around with, to hold my hand, for some smoochy smoochy! LOL. Hey I didn't say I didn't appreciate it how it was. I'm just being honest and putting out my feelings right here in this blog :) One day, One day!

ga ga ga GRADES!

Attention folks!!!!!! for those of you who know how long it took me to get my butt into gear after packing, moving, and transition, you will be glad to hear that i got an A- and a B+ on my papers!! wahooooooooooooo.

im a little frustrated with my grad work that is ahead of me. it isnt clear to me what exactly and how i need to be doing things. please pray that i receive guidance on that. im hoping that i can just take the YL courses while im over here and then i can resume my education when i get back to the US.

p.s. ITS SUNNY AND WARM HERE!!! (for now)

back from Switzerland

so i'm back from Switzerland! we arrived late on saturday night. it was a fun time, but the trip there and back was long. we drove about 9hrs both ways.

most of our time was spent in the rain....blahhhh. but whats new? our last two days of camp (thursday and friday) were the best! it was excellent. and saturday was a beautiful day to return home. we drove through france, germany, and luxembourg.

this is a picture of one or our hikes. it was drizzling in the mountains but raining down in town.

im excited to say i actually got a tan. BUT who knows how long it will last because im back in belgium.

the biggest news is that in 10 days ill officially have been here for 3 months. definitely feeling the downhill of culture shock which i have expressed to many of you. yeah basically everything sucks and i just want to go back to what i know. not very many people are understanding me, i cant be myself, i have no friends, i cant just hang out, i have to worry about money all the time. i wonder if this is how life is supposed to be.

there are a few things that keep me going (besides God and my relationship with Christ)... some friends are coming in to town at the end of this week. wahoooo!!! people that actually care about me, that will rely on me, that need me, that support me, that know me. second, im still going home in December! amen for that! i am dyyyyyyyyyiiiinnnnnnggggg to see my friends and family. i want to go back to the life i know. i life i spent so long building. the place where i can help others and others can help me.

most of you know this is a little out of my element since im always chipper, happy, and excited about life. id really like to see myself out of this somber state, so if you need something to pray about, this would be a good thing. thank you :)

NEWS and Updates

• Let me clarify....we are not staying that that ginormous hotel in Gstaad. It would be nice, but it isn't happening! I just wanted to give you the link for you to check out the surrounding area and read a little history about the hotel. It's pretty interesting.
• I have SEVERAL emails I still need to reply to. Please bare with me again as I respond. Sorry to keep you waiting.
• I'm going to a wedding on Saturday morning then going to babysit until Sunday. This Sunday I hope to go to Liesl's church to check it out.
• There is this cool thing going on here next week called Serve the City. You can check it out at www.servethecity.be. I might volunteer one day. If so, I'll give you the scoop on it.
• The house deal is 100% official!!!! I'm gonna get it :) wahooooooooo Now I'll just have to stay put until I can move in. I can't wait to be there!

Birthdays

Blogger never works when I want it to. (Well at least the uploading a photo part) This was really supposed to be up last night. Technology...sheesh!

So, this weekend we celebrated Anthony's birthday. We went to his Aunt Franca's house to have lunch. We got there right after church at noon. We had appetizers, then a break, then lunch, then a break, then cheese and bread, then coffee and dessert. It was a great time of being with family and having good food. I am glad that I can be a part of a family celebration. The night ended at 7:30 p.m. The only bad thing about the get together was it was on Sunday...and Dad, you know what we like to do on Sunday afternoons after lunch ;)

Last week we celebrated Sarah's birthday. The picture is from her birthday evening last Saturday. Photographed above is Sarah(21), Anthony(19), Priscilla(13), their little cousin, and their childhood friends Jem and Ben.

The best part of these meals is that I get to help cook! I love cooking and it is great that I can cook for a lot of people.

Please pray: car

I don't know who reads this or when you read it, but....

The car situation is in discussion. We are working out the transaction. Will you please pray for guidance in making the right decisions. For wisdom, that God gives me the right words to say. For the long term situation, expectations, etc. BIG BIG issues to deal with. Feeling lots of negativism, not towards me, but not liking it at all. PLEASE PRAY!

Feeling strange and unsettled,

Jessica

Evermore

(eating paella at Euroferia)
hey again...I should really be working on my papers :0

Club on Friday was great! It was a "light" Club where the kids take a break from studying for exams. We watched Freedom Writers and then discussed it. Two of the girls from Study Camp showed up!! Wahoo.

Praying for a car and finances with that situation. Here is an excerpt from an email I sent someone which sums it up.

:::Right now I'm praying for a car that is reasonably priced and in good condition. There is one that I will most likely purchase but it $1500 over what we had originally budgeted. Everything is so expensive here and the exchange rate is hurting me. In any case, I know the Lord will provide! He has brought me here, so He'll get me through the difficulties. :::

Thanks for reading this and for your prayers. Be encouraged by this song!

Evermore by Hillsong
Lost for words with all to say
Lord you take my breath away
Still my soul, my soul cries out
For you are holy

And as I look upon your name
Circumstances fade away
Now your glory steals my heart
You are holy
You are holy
You are holy Lord

Evermore my heart, my heart will say
Above all, I live for your glory
Even if my world falls I will say
Above all, I live for your glory

Euroferia Brussels 2007

Liesl and I FINALLY got to hang out this past weekend! Wahoooo :) It was so much fun. We went to Euroferia Brussels 2007. You can google it and check it out online. There were several Brasilian boothes. Yes, I was so in my element. Salsa music, Spanish, Portuguese, latin food, Spanish food....hmmmm!

We also stopped by the Grand Place to pick some things up. Saturday night Liesl cooked a yummy dinner. Boys: currently accepting applications... please take a number. On Sunday we went to the International Protestant Church of Brussels. It was good, but I've begun to feel right at home in the all French services.

This weekend was an incredible confirmation of where I need to be. I could go on and on and on about it. Wow, God uses everything to teach us and show us His will for us.

Pressing on,

Jessica
Listening to Evermore by Hillsong. It is a beautiful song. I thought I would include the words for you. See next post...

the right time

I got a letter from a good childhood friend of mine in the States yesterday. She said that she has been reading my blogs but was waiting for more details. I think I'm getting better at giving more details about my feelings, but would love some more input. Please let me know. As for now, I think this blog will be the most interesting.

Well, I guess this is an excerpt from my testimony aka life story...

Once I got to college I told myself and others that I wanted to be married by September of the year I graduated (now now, you know I don't share my age, so just go along with it). Ummm yeah!??! That did not happen. When I graduated I knew that I was not ready for marriage. All I wanted to do was get my life in line. So I worked, which was awesome! (he he he Viv gets annoyed with that word) Then all I wanted to do was get to Belgium.

During my time working in corporate America and the year I spent fundraising, God taught me a lot about myself and who I want to be. Yeah, I thought I knew. I wouldn't be who I am today if I hadn't gone through what I've been through. He teaches me everyday.

Now that I am in Belgium I feel even more a desire to be married. No, it isn't because all my friends are married. I know it isn't gonna happen right now, but I feel like I've gotten to where I need to be. Not really sure how to explain it. Maybe like running a race. When you get to the finish line and you take a few strides in a circle and then you put you hands on your knees, hang our head down and breathe heavily while you try to catch your breath.

Anyway, I know there is an incredible amount that God is still teaching me. I can't wait! Will He send me a mate?

HAHAHAHA sorry I just wrote that last sentence because it rhymed. Seriously, will He send me someone? Do we ever really know when it is "the right time?"
P.S. The picture has nothing to do with this blog besides ME! Me being happy drinking green tea :)

latest news..........drum roll please

yes yes, it is true! i am going to move in to the house that we have Club in!!!!!!!! Yippeeeee :) Not sure exactly when but sometime before October 1st.

I know many of you have been praying about this for me. I appreciate it! God answers our prayers according to His will. My team here has prayed A LOT about the situation, but we have been praying for His will to be done. We prayed specifically for it in a Leadership meeting on Tuesday and we got word of the news on Wednesday!!!

I'm thrilled and will have plenty of room for guests =p

WE CALL. HE ANSWERS.

correction and EXCHANGE RATE!!!

hi there :)

correction on the blog below the 10,50 euros is round trip so really it is 5,25 euros each train ride.

mom let me have the few euros she had left over from a previous trip and that is what i've been using. i don't have that money anymore so i finally had to exchange dollars for euros. (we've been waiting for me to get a bank account)

i got $50 exchanged and got back 35 euros!!!! that is so bad! i'm gonna be so poor by the time i leave here. you know what i could do with $15?! oh my goodness. i don't know how long it will take me to get over this shock.

have a headache today and really need a tan! have a good one

I took the train by myself

For those of you who have emailed me within the past two days....

I was at another staff couple's house and their computer crashed. Please be praying that they can get everything back. It is such a time consuming matter and Teddy has a class he is teaching tonight that he must prepare for. Anyway, I couldn't check email.

Bare with me as I reply to all the emails while I was not connected to you virtually!

I took the train for the first time yesterday!!! Wahooo that was great. I'm slowly integrating, making this my home, and being more independent. I'M EXCITED! But, I am so thankful for the Murrus and all they do :)

P.S. It is so incredibly expensive here. I took the train to Braine l'Alleud from Charleroi and it would be 10,50 Euros. That is like $12 for one freakin' train ride. How ridiculous?!?! So, visitors please take note of the ginormous price difference. (I got a pass which turns out being 4,50 Euros per train ride anywhere throughout Belgium)

skyblog like myspace

Missing these girls and so many others. XOXO

Picture taken at my going away party.

Not photographed Ann Marie, Danielle, Jill, Kimera, and Kelly.

Here in Belgium the kids do this thing called skyblog. It is kinda like myspace/blogging. Below is a link to one of the girls' skyblogs. The link takes you to the page with some of her pictures of Study Camp. They are on this page and the few pages after. P.S. the words are in internet slang. Don't get confused, French isn't really like Dutch!

http://tokiohotel6280.skyblog.com/10.html

For just one interesting picture click on this link!
http://tokiohotel6280.skyrock.com/photo.html?id_article=960703002

Enjoy :) comments welcome...

Other stuff

Here is a picture of Elise studying at Study Camp.

Summer Camp is only 5 weeks away! We have so many kids coming that we are praying that God provides more vehicles for us to take the kids in. We are still praying for a few more key girls to come.

Roselie and I started discussing room assignments, but we will have to wait and see if there are a few more girls that really need to come will come.

I'm listening to Kari Jobe and HIGHLY recommend you checking her out. Listen at www.karijobe.com. My favorite is Pure (the first song that plays when you go to the site). GO LISTEN!!

Other updates:
***No policeman yet...boooo. We are still waiting.
***We haven't discussed car issues in a week or more. Don't know what is happening with that. It's in God's hands.
***Still don't know about the living situation for September. Keep praying!

Study Camp May '07

This past weekend was Study Camp! It was great :) I was able to meet a lot of kids. After breakfast the kids would study for 90 minutes then have a 30 minute break. That is what they did for the entire 3 days. During breaks, us leaders spent time with the kids. We played soccer, ultimate frisbee, badminton, volleyball, foosball, cards, ping-pong, and just chatted with them.

I was very excited that the kids warmed up to me and I didn't have to feel like I was being an annoying American. They wanted to see pictures of America, so I showed them a few slideshows on my laptop. The best part was that I spoke a lot of French and asked the kids to correct me. We figured out words that we were unfamiliar with in both languages.

When everyone arrived I was intentional about meeting or at least saying hello to most of the girls. I didn't get a chance to say hello to everyone. However, the last girl I said "hi" to was Angelique. She looked so down, upset, tired, and not happy to be there. I even mentioned it to Anthony, another leader.

On Friday night as we were preparing for bed, one of the girls Clementine (13 or 14), from another room came in to say goodnight to everyone and told us that Angelique (15) was talking on her phone with her boyfriend and had some pills with her. Apparently she took several pills and the girls saw, then they didn't know where she went. So, we had to try to find her. Luckily she was just outside smoking. Phewwwff! Yeah, apparently she had just spent a few days in the psych-ward for depression...I don't know the complete story. She met her 35 year old boyfriend there.

She slept in on Saturday and then came out to start studying. Angelique had told Teddy (one of the leaders) that she did not want to have anything to do with God and she was going to go to her room during Club time. During our first Club she went to her room and then came back out to study. On Sunday during Club time she stayed at her table "studying." The studying tables were right next to where we have Club, as a matter of fact, in the same room!!! Yeah :) So, God was definitely working in her. By Monday Angelique was smiling, chatting with others, laughing, and almost able to be a 15 year old girl.

At the end of camp I got everyone's MSN address. It has been so cool to have the kids IM me! I haven't initiated any conversations yet. God has definitely been using me to be in contact with these kids. It has been neat to hear some of them open up with me as well!

Please be praying for Angelique and the other kids here that are unable to just be kids. Many of the kids lives are filled with crap and there is no running from it.

**Picture of the entire group including leaders and some teachers.

food for thought

Many of you have asked about the police man....no he hasn't come yet :/ booooooo
I'm reading a few books right now, but I'd like to share a little bit about one in particular. This is for "churchies" and "non-churchies." So don't stop after you read the title of the book!

I'm reading Philip Yancey's "The Jesus I Never Knew." In his chapter on the Beatitudes, he lists Monika Hellwig's "advantages" to being poor:

1. The poor know they are in urgent need of redemption.
2. The poor know not only their dependence on God and on powerful people but also their interdependence with one another.
3. The poor rest their security not on things but on people.
4. The poor have no exaggerated sense of their own importance, and no exaggerated need of privacy.
5. The poor expect little from competition and much from cooperation.
6. The poor can distinguish between necessities and luxuries.
7. The poor can wait, because they have acquired a kind of dogged patience born of acknowledged dependence.
8. The fears of the poor are more realistic and less exaggerated, because they already know that one can survive great suffering and want.
9. When the poor have the Gospel preached to them, it sounds like good news and not like a threat or a scolding.
10. The poor can respond to the call of the Gospel with a certain abandonment and uncomplicated totality because they have so little to lose and are ready for anything.

I love how Yancey sums this up. He says "[...] poor people find themselves in a posture that befits the grace of God. In their state of neediness, dependence, and dissatisfaction with life, they may welcome Gods' free gift of love." NOW try to substitute the word RICH for poor.

Next, he asked himself if his own attitudes more resembled those of the poor or of the rich. I challenge you to question yourself as well.

1. Do I easily acknowledge my needs?
2. Do I readily depend on God and on other people?
3. Where does my security rest?
4. Am I more likely to compete or cooperate?
5. Can I distinguish between necessities and luxuries?
6. Am I patient?
7. Do the Beatitudes sound to me like good news or like a scolding?

Finally, he states “Dependence, humility, simplicity, cooperation, and a sense of abandon are qualities greatly prized in the spiritual life, but extremely elusive for people who live in comfort.”

Be blessed today! P.S. This beautiful picture was taken with the awesome camera my small group gave to me as a going away gift! Love you guys XOXO the flower is about the size of my thumbnail!!

This weekend

This weekend I went on a church retreat. The first ever in Belgium or US. It was a great time. James Moore was the speaker for the weekend. He is an American who has lived in Canada for the past 30 years. I'm not sure how he got connected with the Wavre Church in Belgium.

After the first session on Friday night, I taught the kids how to play NERTS! If you don't know this card game, YOU MUST LEARN IT! They loved it :) Saturday we had breakfast (le petit dejeuner) then the morning session. It was REALLY long. I'm doing OK with my French, but not for too long. My brain blows up when all I hear is French. That leads me to say that I don't like watching T.V. in French. OK back on track....after the long session we had lunch and then a walk/scavenger hunt type thing. It was really neat and very well planned. We probably walk 6 or 7 miles looking for the places that matched the little photos we had. That is was our map! At a few places along the way we had activities to play. The activities were for adults and kids :) At one we had to play this bowling-like game and then call out all the capitals of European countries. At another we had to walk with and egg on a spoon. At another we had to look at a tray of things for 30 seconds and try to remember everything that was on it. Then we had to taste test food blindfolded, while listing all the ingredients of the food. At the end we had a sac race, some snacks, and then we hiked all the way back through the woods! SO FUN :) They did an incredible job.

In the evening we had a praise and worship night. I recorded some on my camera, but it is too big of a file! I can't figure out how to compress it so that I can put it on youtube. Can anyone help me???

So, I mentioned a little about Isabelle. To recap: She is a 15 year old girl who is the youngest of three. Her mother passed away when she was 5 years old. Her brother and sister, who were 11 and 12 at the time found their mother in her room. Isabelle’s father was cheating on her already depressed mother. He also had a history of hitting her mother and siblings.
....she doesn't go to JV because her cousin Rebecca goes. Yeah, who cares? right?? Well, her dad! Apparently her brother ran away from home sometime and didn't have a place to stay. His Aunt (Isabelle's maternal mother's sister) let him stay with her. When her dad found out he was very upset. Isabelle says he won't forgive her Aunt and that they don't speak. She said, if I went to JV and my dad saw my Aunt, I would be in big trouble! grrr that is so sad. Why do kids have to suffer because of their parents issues?

Before lunch Isabelle said she was sad about leaving camp/the retreat. She didn't want to go home because she doesn't like it at home. She said she doesn't like the physical home because it is old and not well taken care of, but also she doesn't like the atmosphere. I'm not 100% sure, but I think they still live in the house their mother died in. Plus she has a step mother that she doesn't like very much.

Well, all in all I am SO glad I was able to meet Isabelle and get to know her. I told her we could hang out some more. We exchanged numbers and messenger addresses. What a sweet girl! Praying for her family situation, her father letting her go to JV, and her faith. So, far I think she has a good head on her shoulders, but she is only 15..so much could happen.

my weekend...the end <3<3<3

P.S. I didn't mention beer in my update because I HATE beer! But, yes everyone drinks beer here. It isn't a faux pas....even at church events..its very different...its just a drink not a substance.

I'm going to be an AUNT!!!!

yeah :)

Elizabeth is pregnant!

CONGRATULATIONS

to her and Dennis!

The best part=

I'll be in the States for

the birth.

fingers crossed ;)

Belgium, Belgium, Belgium

So far everything is great! Friday night I went to my first club. There were about 15 of us. We played in the park for an hour then returned to the house we have club at. Then had a little snack, sang some songs, and heard a talk about Jesus and the leper. Everyone was very welcoming. Even in that short time I felt as though I got to know the girls pretty well. A couple of the girls are crazy and outgoing like me. There are a few that are shy but very nice.

Next weekend we are going to a church camp. A few of the girls that I met last night will be there. They are so excited that I am going to be there. Apparently the accommodations are for them to stay with their parents. They really don’t want to be with their parents. One girl, Tatiana, who is 15, said she wanted to be with me! How cool is that!??! She doesn’t even know me! We’ll see what happens. We might just have a slumber party with 6 girls in our room of 3.

After club we took some kids home. That is why I need a car. The public transportation is only good in the city. Wavre is NOT the city. It is more like a big Nokesville. Cows, that nice farm smell, green pastures, and open air. Beautiful nonetheless! Anyway…on the way home I asked a girl how she found out about club. She said she was invited to a ski camp and then started going to club. She said that ski camp was the FIRST place she ever heard about God! I think she is 15 or 16. She goes to school in Charleroi during the week and goes home on the weekend. Apparently, she and her father don’t have a very good relationship. She comes by here (the Murru’s) on Wednesdays. I’m excited about spending some time with her!

Everything has been wonderful. I just pray that this “wonderfulness” continues and is not just the honeymoon phase of culture shock. God has definitely prepared me and the group here. I feel so at home here.

So…this house that we have club at. This is the place that I could potentially live in. IT IS PERFECT!!! It is in walking distance of 2 high schools! The story on this house is so cool. There is a woman, Anne, who used to be a leader back in the day. Now her kids go to club. She bought this house to use for meetings and clubs. She is renting it out, but her ultimate goal is to use it for Jeunesse et Vie. Basically it is a JV house. Right now Jean, a Wavre JV leader lives there. He might be moving out (let’s pray). If he does, there’s been talk about me moving in. How cool is that?!?! I could have kids over for lunch (well the ones that are allowed to leave during lunch time). It is a great opportunity for contact work!

Please pray that if it is God’s will for me to live there everything will work out….
***Jean will move
***another couple that might need a place to stay won’t need this particular place
***that Anne will be ecstatic about renting it to me
***if I’m supposed to have a roommate she will be the perfect one
***if it is His will for Liesl to live with me it will all work out.

Also pray for nice weather on Tuesday. It is Labor Day here and we are having a Committee/Leader cook-out in appreciation to all those involved in JV.

ive been delinquent

I haven't given this out to anyone, so you'll be reading this after the fact.

Sorry for being delinquent on the blogging. So much is going on. For right now I have prayer requests :)

Prayers...definitely needed! Boldness when speaking to individuals about partnering with me in sharing Christ with Belgian high school students. Open minded people and hearts - that individuals understand the dire need for Christ. Just because Belgium is not poor doesn't mean they know about our Lord and Savior. Monthly support- that He provides over and above what is needed. I'm thankful for anything and everything, enough is fine too! ;) Emotions- mine and my parents. Everything is beginning to escalate as this all becomes reality. Classes/school work- so much to do so little time. need time management, discipline, words to write papers, etc. pray for LESS STRESS!

thank you!