4½ Months and the Honeymoon is Over

My time in West Africa is flying by! The past month was incredibly busy with visitors, my moving into another house, school projects, a lengthy and well-planned trip to the capital, and a change in family dynamics. Only just recently has the action slowed down and allowed us to feel a return of normalcy in our schedules. However, as I settle back into village life, I have become quite aware that my rose-colored glasses have faded to translucent. Although I still love living here, I sense that the village has lost some of its luster and appeal. In a way, I’m glad it finally happened. I’ve wondered for some time when the newness and grandeur would wear off and how I’d react. So far, my reaction has been to spend my free time playing Ultimate Frisbee, walking with other missionary women, and reading for hours.

While my time here has shifted from the “honeymoon” phase into the “reality” phase, the Litsey family has undergone a substantial transition as well. At the end of April, James, Lisa, the kids, and I made the trip to the capital for our tri-annual Branch Meeting. At the conclusion of our trip, Lisa flew back to the United States with Fatu and Laura, both of whom will be continuing their education in Kentucky. In the meantime, Lisa is working with their schools and those hosting the girls and won’t return to Africa for another few weeks. It is because of this move that family dynamics have been shifting in the Litsey household, as the older girls take their place as leaders and as everyone works to fill Lisa’s shoes. That means that I now teach every class and am kept quite busy with planning, preparing, reading, teaching, grading, and tutoring four kids.

Because of timing issues, the Litseys’ schoolyear began late and will also end late. My current projection has the boys finishing up a week into June and the girls at the beginning of July. That will give us around a month for summer vacation before we start up again in August. Lisa and I have already been discussing next year’s curriculum and I must say I’m a little intimidated. I never realized how much reading was involved in homeschooling curriculums! Thankfully, I love to read, learn, and be kept busy, so I guess this is the perfect place for me. In case you’re wondering, the subjects I’ll be teaching next year include: Algebra I & II, Physical Science, Biology, 9th & 10th Grade Language Arts, General World History, 20th Century World History, French, and General Computer Skills.

As this school year winds down and I finish its necessary reading, there are a few activities I hope to engage in. One is to start working with a local, French-speaking woman to begin to study the local language. I am really excited to learn some of the more advanced greetings as well as the basic structure of the language. In addition to learning the local language, I need to be honing my French. I taught some introductory French classes in April to assess the students’ aptitudes and realized that I desperately need to improve my rusty version of French, which is greatly influenced by Haitian Creole. Of course, I would also love to get a head start on next schoolyear’s material and maybe even get to read some just-for-fun books.

But I suspect that the highlight of my summer will be the two weeks my boyfriend, Ben, spends with us in the village. After being away from all of my friends and family in the US for 6 months, I am sure his visit will be a great encouragement as well as a lot of fun. Please pray that all of the necessary packing, preparations, and traveling goes smoothly.

Prayer Requests:
• With the ever-changing schedule of the last month, my one-on-one time with God has faltered. Please pray that I am able to get back into His Word and spend time with Him in prayer regularly.

• More than ever, I want my relationship with the girls to grow. Please pray that I know how to reach out to them, listen to them, and respond to them in a loving and Godly way. Prayer for discernment and wisdom is also needed here, because there’s a fine line between being too much of a teacher or a friend or a parent.

• In anticipation of Ben’s visit, I’ve been preoccupied with thoughts of my future. This summer, Ben and I will have been dating for 3 years and we are seeking God about His desire for our relationship. I suppose my prayer request is two-fold. One is that both Ben and I would know and willingly follow God’s Will for our lives and two is that I would be content with where God has me today and not fret about what the future may or may not hold.

• Although I seem to have great patience while teaching, I’ve noticed that my ability to disregard general commotion is waning. Not only does this make me more irritable, but it hurts my relationship with those creating the disturbance. Please pray that my alone-time is rejuvenating and that I learn to respond with love and not aggravation.

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial gifts. James and Lisa continually tell me that my presence here is a blessing in many ways. It’s because of you and your support that I am able to be here and be a blessing to both their ministry as well as their family. I also have to thank you because you’re allowing me to learn and grow through this experience. I couldn’t be here without your faithfulness to God and His Will and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Please continue to keep me updated on your lives; I love to hear how you’re doing and what you’re up to!

Thank you again for giving me this opportunity and supporting me along the way.

Indebted to Christ and His Will,
Julie