The School of Biblical Studies in Lonavala has begun! One-and-a-half weeks ago the 2010-2011 SBS has started and both staff and students are very excited! For the first three weeks we have the "Seminar" which is the time we teach them the study method and how to observe, interpret, and apply the book we are currently studying. It is three weeks of class from 10:30 AM until 6:30 PM with a few breaks here and there and a major break for lunch. Basically it is the most overwhelming three weeks of anyone's life! They learn tons of new things every single day and feel like they will never be able to remember them over the next nine months. O what will they do? How will they ever complete this SBS with passing grades?? Well, I am here, an alumni, a survivor, to say that if I can do it literally anyone can do it. Look at me now! I am even staffing this school! How crazy am I? SBS really is not as hard as people make it out to be. It just takes up so much of your time, that is all. If you are good at managing your time then you would be super at an SBS!
We have 15 students and 8 staff for this school year. There are a few students who are planning to only do the first quarter, or first three months of the school, but typically once they complete the first quarter they end up finishing all 9 months because why stop without finishing the New Testament? Then, why stop without knowing the Old Testament which is the foundation for the New! And so, that's typically how it works.
Monsoon is officially over! It is sunny all day every day, and now my things are finally beginning to dry out and I pray the smell of mold gets out of my bedroom soon. I wish I could just rip off the roof of my house and let my bedroom bask in the sunlight all day so that it dries.
Recently I have started working out every day. Running every other morning, and then "weight training" every other day in between. But as I do this I know I need to eat more veggies and protein, but it is so hard in India to get protein in your system. I really think I have an iron deficiency when I come here because I eat no red meat and am not sure how to get iron any other way. Spinach maybe? No thanks. Anyway, at least it is not impossible to get iron tablets here.
The theme for our school this year is, "Experiencing God." We are encouraging staff and students to experience God every single day, and to write down or somehow record their experiences. How did you experience God today? Because, as we study the Bible we realize we are studying other people's experiences with God, not necessarily God Himself, but other's experiences. From those experiences we can know who God is. Therefore, we are desperate to have our own experiences with God so that we can know Him even more and be inspired to go out and do the things He calls us to.
I have been experiencing God's goodness lately. His goodness in bringing me here and providing all my needs. His goodness in calming my nerves and removing my fear of teaching and replacing it with confidence. Even through a bad teaching outreach experience He was good and has strengthened my confidence through it. I have seen His goodness in my family as my brother and sister-in-law just had a beautiful, healthy baby boy a few days ago! His goodness is seen every time I walk to my house here in Lonavala because just living off campus is good in and of itself! He has provided a new and wonderful roommate who is consistent and so encouraging. He has answered a huge prayer in my life and I am so excited for what the future holds in this area. God is truly good. In the midst of all this I feel as if I have never been attacked spiritually as much as I am right now, but I don't even focus or think about that because God is good in the midst of this. I often wake up singing praise songs, it is crazy the things God is doing here in India.
I am truly blessed to be living this life right now. To be in India, a country that is so hungry for a real God. A country that desperately needs justice and peace. To be here teaching that there is a God who brings justice and peace. A God that is real and alive and active. I am blessed to be a part of God's heart for India, and am excited because I think that He is beginning to show me that India will always be a part of my life. I am blessed to have so many people here and at home who are partners with me in bringing God's kingdom to this earth. Partnering with me in prayer, finances, and love. I could not ask for anything more than obeying God and bringing others along with me!
I hope that the days begin to get cooler. It is now becoming quite hot as the monsoon is over and the sun is out and shining brightly. It will get cooler next month, but for now I think it will remain hot for a few weeks. I would say it is around 90 degrees every single day now, but the funny thing is that the first time I came to India was at this same time of year and I thought I would never stop sweating. I slept with no covers at night and I took only cold showers. Now I have become used to this weather somewhat. I still am pretty sweaty (I know you are enjoying hearing about how much I sweat), but I take hot showers because cold is too cold for me, and I also sleep in a sleeping bag at night! A sleeping bag! That is a super contrast to when I first came to this country.
This week we are studying Philippians and next week we begin Ephesians. Pray for the students as they are feeling overwhelmed learning all these new things suddenly! I will be teaching the book of James on November 5th! Pray for inspiration to make creative assignments and to use creative teaching methods as all the staff are teaching. We want to see more creativity in this school.
