"Culture Shock"

Cultural Stress Model

Stage 1          FUN- Honeymoon Stage

Stage 2          FLIGHT- Avoidance

Stage 3          FIGHT - Anger/mockery

Stage 3          FIT- Tolerance/Understanding/Creativity

I really thought the idea of culture shock was great but that it wouldn't apply to me. I must have had a really idealistic idea of missionary life. To me it is something you don't know you are in while you are in it, and it is hard to explain exactly what happens during it. Not to say I am over the "hump", but I do admit that the flight mode sounds pretty accurate considering I have tried to quit my job twice in the last two weeks... but it didn't take either time. And this week, maybe I am understanding a little more because I have not once had the desire to turn in a third notice!;) Hopefully I will skip over that third stage!! What has made it 4 times as hard is that we all 4 have been going through these same feelings in our own unique ways. 

All of this mostly to say, while in these moments of, "WHAT HAVE WE DONE??????" It has been very hard to blog. I will also say that God has been incredibly graceful with all four of us. He has continuosly gently reminded us that He has been with us every moment of every day. I am pretty sure he has been knowingly giggling at us a little too... like a parent does to a toddler who is throwing a funny little tantrum.

Some awesome happenings that have kept us so excited and encouraged to be here:

• Travis and many guys at the seminary harvested over 700 ears of corn that have been distributed in several ways. Some have gone to the garbage dump where many families live. Some are going to be used in the seminary cafeteria. And they have been planting beans! That is exciting!
• Travis and Phillip have been making fun and growing relationships with many of the young men who work on the seminary property. They all joke with Phillip even though they don't speak the same language... much. They have Tuesday afternoon baseball and all seem excited about that.
• Travis is going to be helping to build a garden at CEE, my school. He is super excited about this. He is also going to start some extracurricular sports... baseball and basketball after school, open to the neighborhood. The school is very open and welcoming to this idea! AND Travis is going to help and probably convince others to let him take over devotionals at the school. All of this means that he will be at my school more often which also makes me VERY happy!:)
• I have been teaching and helping Ivis' with Sunday school in the 5-9 year old's class. This has been SOOOOO fun to me. They don't speak English so I get to practice my Spanish to little sweet ears. A lot of them don't come with parents, but walk to church by themselves. That makes my heart happy and sad for them all at the same time! We learned, "Yo Tengo Gozo en mi Corozon"... "I've Got Joy in my Heart," at church on Sunday. One little girl, Gabriela, just couldn't stop singing it. SO sweet.

A few things we would like prayer for:

• We WANT to learn MORE Spanish!  We are all trying but please pray that our brains will be like sponges!!  Knowing more language would open SO many more doors and we both feel a real sense of urgency about this!
• This weekend people are coming from all over Honduras and other countries to the seminary for a conference about business and missions.  Pray that it goes smoothly.
• We have to take our first Visa trip Oct. 29 - Nov. 2.  We are traveling to Antigua, Guatemala.  Pray this goes smoothly. 
• Please pray that financially God provides for us.  We came with savings and money from the things we sold, but beyond that we are just trusting that the Lord will provide the rest.  Travis, my entrepeneur of a husband always has ideas of ways to make money, but I would really like his focus to remain on people for now and not turn to how to make money for ourselves at this time. 

I promise to TRY to be better about blogging... but in the inbetween times, please stay in touch through facebook.  You would not believe the encouragement and excitement we get over a small red dot indicating we have a message on facebook!  We love our family and friends a huge amount and you all continue to remain very important to all of us!  Let us know how we can be praying for you!!

Love,

Julie