These two simple words have never tested themselves more in my life than what they are right now. How willing am I to follow the Lord no matter what that means?
With saying that, it is official, I am moving to China. Crazy, right?! Many of you who have known me for years are probably thinking, just another one of Chelsie’s adventures! And honestly, you would be correct, only this one is not mine, it was never in my plans or even in my imagination to go to China. I never prayed for China or desired it until recently. The Lord radically changed my path and started to shift something inside of me. Now I am passionately praying for the people I will be living next to, the children I will be teaching, the relationships I will be building and the people I will be doing life with. Those that will become family in a foreign land.
I go through waves of being really excited, not believing its really happening and feeling sad over what I am leaving. Charleston and my family here have been such a huge part of my life and shaped me in ways I could have never seen coming. Leaving the life I have known for so long is hard. I have less than a month and I can not even begin to imagine how everything that needs to be accomplished on top of the time I wish to spend with friends will all come into place. I feel like there is not enough time in the day and that its flying by! Yet I am excited facing a new direction and moving forward knowing this is how the Lord is directing me right now. Today I have just allowed myself to think through the memories I have had in this season of my life. It has been so fun to walk through the stages, the adventures, the laughter, the joy and even the difficulty. How it has shaped my life and my heart in Christ. There is something so weird about recognizing a season is ending and a new one is beginning. The excitement of something new, the unknown possibilities of what Jesus is going to do but also truly understanding and seeing how the Lord has loved me through this process. It is a relief to know He is in control. And a joy to leave knowing He is already there!
Now for the Details..
I am leaving Charleston the first weekend in August to head to Ohio where my parents live. I will leave from Ohio to go to training in Michigan on the 15th of August and will actually be leaving the states on the 19th of August. From the time I arrive in China I will have about ten days to get settled and work on some lessons and then will begin teaching. I will be working with Jr. High students at a local middle school in Haungshi. My job is to prepare lessons and teach the students how to use the English language. They have a Chinese professor who teaches them the grammar and writing and I am in charge of the fun part, conversation! Making them more competent and confident with speaking English. How fun! I plan on using music, games and have some fun playful ideas on how to help these younger students become more confident. And we all know the ability to talk is definitely not something that I lack so it’s a perfect fit!:) As far as a time line, I will be teaching for a year and returning to the states sometime in July 2012!
My goal is now to get myself organized and to work out the details at this point to start marking off my forever long "To do" list. I have been so blessed in this process that I have nothing but complete confidence that the Lord is in this and will see it to its completion. Thank you all for you constant love and support! (The map at the top is the best map I could find to show you all where I will be living in Huangshi!)
