If a Vacuum Doesn't Suck, Then How Can it be Useful

            So here I am in Hungary and I know I haven’t updated y’all in a while. We arrived without much event. We were the last students to arrive (no surprise there for those that know me). We made it through orientation and registration. All students have devotions for 30 minutes Monday through Friday as well as church Thursday nights, evangelism and discipleship on Friday, and a servant hood class, which consists of eight hours a week of serving in the castle in some capacity. I work in housekeeping (God sweet sense of humor). Thus the reason why I’m so excited about the new vacuums that arrived a few weeks ago (A point on which I may draw a spiritual analogy later). All of the classes I mentioned earlier we are required to submit notes and are graded on. So Monday Abigail and I are both taking a class on John, which is very in depth and wonderful. It’s such a blessing to be spending so much time pouring over Jesus’ ministry. Tuesday is my missionary leadership class, which consists of a lot of discussion over the book we’re reading. It’s so wonderful to dedicate three hours a week to discussing different principles of missions. I’m learning so much. Wednesday I don’t have class, which is wonderful because I can catch up on homework. Thursday is my class on Acts (so incredibly amazing!!!!!!!). I’ll say it again, what an incredibly blessing to be able to spend three hours a week studying the ministry of the early church. Within the first week of classes we were required to read John, Luke, and Acts in their entirety with taking notes.
             Our second weekend here Abigail and I were able to travel to northern Serbia for a weekend outreach. It reminded me so much of the villages in Peru. It was almost like coming home. I think it was a sweet gift from God to help me settle in. The children were such a blessing. I’m not used to spending so much time around my peers and not with children. Serbia was such a sweet time with the kids and I cuddled a few babies too. My second weekend outreach was to a village here in Hungary. My dorm mom and most of my roomies drove and spent the weekend with Pastor George, his wife, and their son. I had so many favorite parts of being with the kids and the youth, but one of God’s sweet little blessings was just to be in the kitchen. At the castle all of our meals are prepared for us, which is an amazing blessing, but I do miss cooking.
            There have been many adjustments like a whole new community of people to meet and get to know. I’m sure all of the adjustments have been good for me and God is challenging me on so many levels. I’m so thankful to know that so many of you are supporting me in prayer.
            So when I started in housekeeping at the beginning of the semester we only had two vacuums, and they just didn’t suck. All of our work trying to clean the carpets was completely futile. Well the new vacuums arrived and it was ridiculous how excited I got. As I lifted the incredibly lighter weight piece of equipment and took it up the stairs (no elevators in the three story castle I live in, which is so good for character building), and began to clean the classrooms I pondered how valuable it is to have a sucky vacuum.
            “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Matthew 5:13
             I can apply both of these to me (sorry mom). I want to be salty and sucky for Jesus otherwise I’m good for nothing (Although I probably should be using this time to become a better writer, because I know that Rachel will be ashamed of me when she reads this). Please be praying for Our 10-day outreach to Ukraine coming up in two weeks That I would be spending time just listening to God For the interns at the school that are working super hard for us this semester

Please be praying for:

Our 10-day outreach to Ukraine coming up in two weeks

That I would be spending time just listening to God

For the interns at the school that are working super hard for us this semester

Here are some pics from my weekend outreach trips to Serbia and Hungary