Hi all,
well May has come, and is about to go, I feel as though I blink and the month is finished and I find myself thinking again I need to write my blog for the month... so here it is.
This month I have been so blessed beyond words in that I celebrated my birthday, and truly do count each day as a blessing.
As I sit here, in the dark as we again have no power, I think about what it is that I want to share this month with you all.
Life as I know it life as a missionary. What does this actually mean? How does this look? Why am I here doing what I am doing?
As I think about these things, I want to share a little insight into some of these questions.
What does it actually mean to be a missionary? Well for me this means that I have had to give up many different things in order to truly serve Jesus. It means that at different times I know what it is to have much, to be with plenty, but I also truly know what it means to have nothing. To be without, that my only option is to rely on God. It means that I am learning and growing to be both with and without. I feel that over time the lord has been teaching me this, more on the scale of being without. I am trusting his every words, and holding tight to the promises that I know that he has for me. This for me is part of being a missionary.
I find that to be a 'missionary' I have to let go of some of the things the stuff that perhaps I once held to. Its about laughing in the times when you cant see what is next or how to move. Its truly about trusting the lord in everything that I do.
How does this look? and what does it mean? Some of you may wonder, what does this actually look like on a day to day scale? To me each day brings new adventures, some more of a challenge than others, some just plain funny. Take for example I have had to have my car to be fixed (serviced) and I left inside of the car a box with lots of toilet rolls. Well I thought that they would be fine there, but as I went to get my car I noticed that they were gone. When I asked about this, James the fundi (Mechanic) says to me... "Oh I thought they were trash". I laughed because I was using them for school (collage for the kids). This is just one example of how communication or lack of can be funny on a daily basis.
So my day usually consists of being at school with preschool for the mornings, I come back home just a short walk away to where often the workers on our base will greet me and see how things are going. This is all in Swahili.
I then usually come home and then begin university work. Lots of readings and being online for chats.
I am thankful to be surrounded in community. This means that every Wednesday we have team prayer and every other Thursday we have a team dinner. (Its a pot luck dinner and we rotate around the base to people's houses), every other Friday we have what is called workers lunch. This is where our whole team meets together and we eat lunch together in community.
Living as a missionary really means living in community with others, each day. Walking together, growing together, laughing and living.
Every other Sunday evening we have team worship. This is where we meet at times have worship a time of teaching a time of growing in community together.
Communal living,
Why am I here? I have for so many years felt such a strong calling upon my life, and while this is a season of growth, stretching and really hearing and listening to the lord, I know that I know and have that peace that passes all understanding that this is where the lord wants me to be right now. I have been appointed for a time, a time where I can truly serve others, Its as I learn to love that I can serve. Its through teachings that I have with the children at school.
I am here because I believe in the calling that God has upon my life. I believe that he has put me here in this place to grow and learn, to serve and love, to be loved.
It is the Lord who gives me my hope and strength each and every day, to serve, to love, to learn and to grow.
As I say (Write really) this is a season of growth, a time of learning. This is exciting for me as I can see this in my life first hand the work that he is doing in me. I am not totally there yet, its a process, its gradual, because the lord knows exactly how much I can take, just as he does with each of you reading this update. He knows it... how thankful I am that I serve a God who is so caring in this way, and that it is through him that all things are possible because he is the one who gives me strength.
So there is my short spin on the life as a 'missionary'. It is in no way boring or a life that is just not fun. If anything I am so thankful that each day is slightly different each time.
What next you may wonder....
I am and will continue to trust in God for my every need, and I am asking that you would continue to join me in prayer for this too. Some Praise (Because there is ALWAYS something to be praiseful of) and Prayer (There are ALWAYS needs to be prayed for) are.
Praise Points-
Getting great grades in an assignment, this I danced was so excited for.
I am so thankful and full of praise that I was able to Skype with Maitland Baptist Church last weekend. This totally made my weekend.
Am praising Jesus for great community and the diversity that it brings living here, I am thankful for all the people who I have met, in just a short time I have become friends with Canadians, Americans, Bulgarians, Kiwis, Fellow Australians, Germans, Danish, Netherlands and so many more I am sure that I am forgetting. I love the connections that can be made all over the world.
Some Prayer points, as there are things that you can be praying for, no matter where in the world you may be right now.
Pray with me for my car, as it is being fixed, but please pray for the finances to pay for it, this is an added cost that comes around every so often, often throwing out the budget for the month that I have. This will equate to around $380.00 Australian dollars. My car has been and continues to be a blessing to me, as it means that I am able to attend church as well as being able to provide lifts for people when needed, please join me in this prayer need.
Please continue to pray for me as I finish off three more subjects for university. I am almost half way there. In this I pray for provision for better power, (AKA no more power cuts), and internet that will work.
AND finally
The final prayer request I have is to please be up lifting each of the 10 kids in prayer. Please pray that they would continue to have confidence in their ability. Pray for me as well to give fun, exciting and new ways of teaching mathematics and phonics each day to these precious children.
I too need to remind each of you that if you have a prayer request, praise point or just want to share something fun that's going on in your life to please send me through an email, facebook or even skype with me to keep me up dated. I love to rejoice and celebrate with each of you even if it is from afar.
Ill leave you with my account information below.
Newcastle Permenant Building Society.
Account name: Carly Greening
Account number: 823918007
BSB number: 650 000
May the month of June be filled with joy, until the next update.
Blessings.
