The First Sabbath

      Today was like a roller coaster of emotions. It started out with a lovely walk where I got to mingle with the village people that literally live right behind my apartment. We then ate a wonderful breakfast and went to visit the Sabbath schools. All of us missionary girls who were suppose to be observing the Sabbath schools and seeing how they worked ended up telling stories in the classes and singing up front. I thought it was bad when Pastor Greg asked me to talk in front of chapel the night before but these people asked me to tell a story a few minutes before they pushed me up front. By the time church rolled around I was to exhausted and the thought of sitting in a stuffy hot building sweating like crazy didn’t sound appealing. During the sermon I had too much time to think since I couldn’t really understand what was being said even though it was translated. I began to feel a little home sick and I wanted to crawl back into my shell of comfort at home. Last Sabbath was such a wonderful day where my mom and sibling came to visit me before I left and now I was sitting on a mat dripping with sweat (I know they say that girls don’t sweat “they glisten” but obviously those girls have not been to Bangladesh). The pastor approached us after church and asked us if we would go to the village Sabbath School at 2:00 and we all hesitantly agreed.
            There was about two hours until we had to leave so we all decided that a Sabbath nap sounded beautiful!  I brushed some bugs off my bed and laid down, I felt like never moving again. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get use to this heat, humidity, or simply just being out of my comfort zone. Prayers began to bubble in my head as I surrendered my unwilling and uncomfortable spirit to the only one who can change my outlook. Just as I was beginning to fall asleep Danny came and rang our doorbell (we didn’t even realize we had a door bell until then) and he told us that it was time to go for a walk in the village. Lauren, Heather, and I stumbled out and threw our olna’s (scarf’s) around our necks. Danny was waiting at the bottom and he popped out and scared Heather and Lauren who were ahead of me. Hearing all this commotion I decided that I would pop out and scare Danny. So I jumped around the corner and yelled “BOO.” He jumped back and began laughing hysterically. At that point I realized that God had renewed my spirit.
            By two we were ready to walk to the other end of the village (I have walked 5 or 6 miles in 96-100 degree weather by this point). The village road is gorgeous though it is raised up high to keep it above the rice fields and lined with trees to give shade to everyone walking along the path. Sabbath school was actually really fun of course we were put on the spot once again and asked to tell the story and come up with a new song (how are we suppose to know what songs they know?). Lauren told the story about Jesus feeding the 5000 and the village kids who are all from hindu and muslim families listened intently to this story that they had probably never heard before. I think next week is my turn to tell a story (does anyone have a suggestion of one I should tell? Hahah).
            God is so amazing. Even though I have been so overwhelmed and cannot focus completely on Him all the time because I am so stinking hot He is still with me every moment. He knows that all of this is hard for me and He will give me the strength to get through this time here in Bangladesh. Thank goodness we have a God who cares soooo deeply for us.