Getting into Gear

  
   After a wonderful trip to Budapest, I feel like my summer has officially ended and my season of preparation for South Sudan has officially begun.  I am no longer editing my support letter-- I am sending it out to people.  I am no longer meeting with my church's mission team-- I am actually going out and talking to people.  I am making presentations about what is going on in South Sudan, what I will be doing, and how the church can be involved.  It feels good to be taking steps towards this goal.  I am trying my hardest not to view support raising from a secular perspective.  That would be easy to do, given my past experiences with fundraising.  It is easy to view every relationship and potential conversation as a convenient way to accomplish my goals.  "And why shouldn't I?" I ask myself.  This is something that I am extremely passionate about; teaching in South Sudan is a dream come true for me, and I would like for everyone I know to be a part of the realization of that dream.

But when does it become too much of a focus?  
I know preparing for Mundri should be a focus, and it does require work on my part.  However, with my obsessive tendencies, it can become the only thing on mind.  I don't want to start praying that a hoard of teachers will come down with the flu, but I am in serious need of some part time substitute teaching work.  I need to get into a daily routine of work, so my work with World Harvest Mission involves more daily action, instead of daily obsessions and waiting around.

On the up side, I listened to a lecture from Rose Marie Miller this morning.  Her husband founded WHM, and the two have spent their lives traveling all over the world and housing people in need.  She gave her testimony, spanning decades of her life, and she mentioned how quickly she can forget gospel truths that she had once held so dear.  That was encouraging to hear; I thought I was the only forgetful person who does not take to heart what she hears.  It is good to know that I'm not the only person who needs to be taught the same lessons and reread the same passages over and over again.