For me, I have been subconsciously equating the new school year with the start of a new year. Over the last few weeks my contract as been renewed and I've re-upped my visa and work permits. So it feels like the year is getting started. And boy do I have a lot of Iron in the Fire this year. So let's look at those irons:
1. Ministry - This summer we haven't been able to connect much with our students, so really looking forward to this upcoming year. As of right now we are still looking for place to meet up. We may not have one until the year starts and we can get with our students figure out what works best for all of us.
2. Family - Anne is getting larger and as of right now we have 80 days until the due date. Big, big change happening right there. And we are looking to make our lives more stable for our baby girl and our sanity's sake. To that end:
3. Building a house - We have land as soon as the gov. gets the new deeds made and we nearly have house plans finished. We are taking the advice of family all around that if we are going to build, make sure it is a house that we can stay in long term and absolutely love and we are nearly there. Of course the next step means:
4. Taking our a Mortgage - If we are going to build, we don't really have the cash on hand to just outright do it, so that means going into a bit of debt. I'll go more into that at the bottom:
5. Classes - taking my classes from last year and kicking them up a notch. To do it will be a fun challenge. That's my main project at work the next two months.
6. Purdue - The university is partnering with Purdue to do a study about how to improve international trade from handicraft villages.... or something like that. So I'm going to go along and help as a translator but also to hopefully learn some. Anne and I have been looking into alternate streams of revenue and online sales has crossed our minds more than once.
7. The English Experience - As part of my contract, I need to do a project this year, so I am putting this together. It's something the students sorely need in terms of contact with native speakers, but it comes at a price. Have to see if my students and the university are willing to pay it.
8. Curriculum Research - I am co-researching with a fellow teacher the needs for a curriculum for the Tourist Police. If it goes well, then we could end up putting together something that would be published and used nation wide. That would be cool.
9. Other random things - The university always has this or that starting and needing 'volunteers', so we'll see what surprises they throw at me this year.
10. Moving (again) - We are going to take Anne's mom up on her offer and go live in her house (which she is not using at the moment). This way we can save money for the future as well as, when we get closer to Baby time, rent an apartment for a month or two near the hospital where our child will be born.
So like I said, quite a bit going on as we head into this new school year.
More on the house.
This house will be our base of operations for the foreseeable future. But we need your help. In the next few weeks we will be starting a fundraising drive for the down payment for this house. We need to get a few key details from owners of the constructions company we will most likely use, but when we have that, we will need to get going quick. Rough guesstimate is that we will need to raise around $6,000 to get thing rolling with the actual construction. This will be the biggest fund raiser we will have attempted yet, so right now wee need prayers from everyone as we move forward that God will provide exactly what we need when we need it.
Also be praying as we move out into the village about our ministry. This is a great opportunity to live near and witness to Anne's immediate family. It will also be a time where I am going to have to redefine the student ministry I have been pursuing since I graduated DTS. There is amazing opportunity if Anne and I have the wisdom to see it. So your prayers are deeply appreciated.
Love you all, and talk again after we finalize the house plans.
