Love this blog post!

 http://jamesrusselllingerfelt.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/date-a-boy-who-travels/

I'm going to China!

Several years ago, my sister and brother-in-law went to China to serve with English Language Institute/China for 2 months of their summer.  Ever since then, I knew that The Father was calling me to serve with ELIC someday as well.  
 
In the summer of 2000, I went on a trip to Guatemala with a group of believers.  That trip was a seed that continued to grow and flourish in my life – the seed of love for other cultures and languages, a passion for the poor and oppressed, and most importantly, a deep desire to carry out the great commission and preach the good news to the nations. That first trip was truly the beginning of something that would change the trajectory of my life and cause me to go on more overseas trips, serve in Mexico for a summer, study abroad in Costa Rica for a semester, and teach English in Spain for a year.
 
When I came back from Spain, I felt clearly led to pursue my Master’s degree in Education. But ever since I graduated in December of 2011, I have felt a conviction that The Father was leading me to go abroad again.  Since then, it has been on my mind and I have been petitioning to Him about it on a daily basis.  During this time I have been so blessed in all aspects of my life, that walking away from it is not an easy decision.  There is a song that has been resonating so strongly in me as I accept the reality of leaving family and friends behind to pursue what The Father has called me to.  The words are from the hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God:
                    Let goods and kindred go,

                    this mortal life also;

                    the body they may kill;

                    [His] truth abideth still;

                    his kingdom is forever.

As followers of the Great Shepherd, we must understand that our lives no longer belong to us, that we have been purchased, and through that purchasing, redeemed and given fullness of joy and everlasting hope.  Leaving the life that I have is foolishness by the world’s standards, but I must step out in faith and do this now.  In July of 2013, I will begin teaching English/Spanish in China for the next two years; seeking to develop relationships with people in my community, and opportunities to share the reason for the hope that I have.  

Morocco!

Right before I left Spain, I made quick trip to Morocco with a group of people from my Spanish church. We had a great time learning about the culture, religion, and tasting the local cuisine. Here are a few pictures:

Look - "Coca-Cola" written in Arabic!

In Morocco, people don't have individual ovens, they have a community oven. Everyone brings their dough to the community oven and this guy bakes it for them!

A market in Morocco:

Inma holding a baby turtle for sale in the market:

The End

As I recall, the last page of my favorite childhood fairy-tales finished by displaying these two famous words. But I always wondered – is the story really over? Do the characters go on living? If so, what happens to them? Do they continue to be as happy as they are at the moment when the fairy tale ends? I don’t think I ever really discovered the answers to these questions, but I guess I always kind of assumed that the characters’ lives did go on, but that it would be quite unrealistic to assume that they could continue living at the climax of happiness for every moment in the future. I guess my fairy-tale really isn’t much different. This is the end, and today I was hit in the face with the reality that my time is up. My adventure is over. And it turns out that sometimes the more you love something, the harder it is to let go of. Spain will always be a part of who I am. As I thought about how hard it is to leave the place I have grown to love so much, I realized how much harder still it is to leave the people I love in this place. I can’t really begin to describe, nor will I explain all the ways, in which this experience has impacted me; but just to say that it’s been life-altering, and that I don’t come back the same person that I was. I’m discovering that life is a continual journey of learning and growing, and all I can say is that this part of my journey has been truly unforgettable. This time has been more than I ever could have expected, and I am exceedingly thankful to God for it.
What I also know is that I’m not the only one who has changed in the last 8 months. Time has a way of changing the people and places I left, too. I’m excited to discover those changes, and re-integrate into my own culture and people. I’ve missed my family and friends and I’m ready to invest more of myself into their lives.
So, the question remains – do the protagonists continue to live at the climax of happiness for all of time? I don’t think so. But I think they do know that those moments wouldn’t be nearly as exhilarating if they hadn’t fought the dragon first. They probably even know that there may well be more dragons to fight in their futures. But I don’t think for a moment that they will back down. They’ll go out and fight. Why? Because they have more confidence this time, they’ve done it before, and because they know there’s another exhilarating moment to follow.

All Grown Up...

Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday little Jane and I were playing princesses, jumping on the trampoline, or having secret meetings in the back yard that connected our two backyards. Fast forward to twenty years later, Jane and I are both living in Spain at the same time! I'm sure that at 5 years old we never could have imagined that our paths would lead us in such a direction. But here we both are, loving our siestas and soaking up the Spanish culture. This past weekend Jane came to visit me in Córdoba and we had a blast together. We explored the city, went to several tourist sites, and discovered the May feria. It was my perfect last weekend in Spain!

Jane and I at the Mosque of Cordoba:

Jane and I in the castle gardens in Cordoba:

At the May Feria!

One More Chapter

On May 15th, Lara and I decided to add one last chapter to The Adventures of Lara and Sarah, Part I. We took a road trip through the incredible (and highly allergenic) country-side of Andalucia to visit the town of Arcos de la Frontera. Arcos is a charming white Spanish hill town. I highly recommend making a stop there if you find yourself on a road trip through southern Spain! Lara and I have had so many adventures in such a short time, and have become close friends in even less time. I have valued Lara's friendship so much and will continue to do so. I'll be looking forward to her trip to the U.S. next summer!

Arcos de la Frontera:

Arcos de la Frontera:

The small Spanish hill town of Espera:

Surprise Goodbyes

Inma threw me a surprise goodbye party last weekend (May 16th)! It was so sweet and I loved having one last opportunity to spend time with some of the people who have been really important to me here in Spain!

From left to right: Inma, Sandy, Nani, Ivonne, Me, Norma, Maria Luisa, Susy