Beautiful Day!

The weather has been amazingly beautiful these past couple days! Patchy clouds, sunshine, and wind! Lovely... and it's kept the temperature and humidity down. I've felt so refreshed!

Here are a couple pictures on campus...

Scripture Chapel went really well today! It was so encouraging to just sit and take in the Word! Thank you for your prayers - it was well received blessing. I also received my Syntax & Morphology test back... and received an 'A-'... PRAISE GOD!

With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; and in the midst of many I will praise Him. (Psalm 109:30)

Never a dull moment!!

We were congregating for Skit Night in a classroom last night, when we had a bona fide tornado warning! We were all herded to the basement of the dorm buildings as the tornado siren blared across town! Crazy, but exciting. Here's the only news I could find on it: http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/124332/ Around 7:22pm, one was sighted by 32nd avenue (about 2 miles away near walmart), and then at 7:43pm one touched down two miles away, along U.S. Hwy 2.

We had to stay away from all the windows, but a couple people in charge of our whole group reported seeing the black clouds starting to rotate outside. However, everybody remained calm, and we made the most of the experience by chatting, goofing off, and bonding while stuck in a hot, humid basement.

Quote of the event belongs to Dr. Bickford, who declared: "Well, I have to live through this because, when it's all over, I have to direct traffic!"

In the meantime, I stole this adorable child...

And we passed the time together. :)

We were locked down till 8:45pm... which was perfect timing because the Pooh Party commenced, on time, at 9pm. ;) No tornado can compete with RuthMary.

:) Friday

A quick update... :)

Wednesday, our Syntax & Morphology teacher had mercy upon us... he was appalled to hear students had spent 5-6 hours on ONE night's homework, and compassionately extended us the weekend for our next homework set. It was as if the heavens opened and angel choruses sang - the class rippled with applause and gratitude. And that set the tone for the rest of my week.

I got an 'A' on my phonetics test, completed my Syntax & Morphology test today, pulled off a great presentation in Sociolinguistics, and had a great session in SLA (despite a tired, sleep-deprived language nurturer). :) The past few days have been so full of God's peace and calm. Amazing. THANK YOU, Jesus! And thank you all for your prayers!

With a great deal more to tackle for this weekend, I'll spend a couple hours more tonight, and then take the rest of the evening off!! Tonight is "Skit Night" at 7pm, and then "Pooh Party w/RuthMary" (a dear, dear woman in her early 80's who reads Winnie the Pooh stories aloud, provides a ridiculous amount of junk food "refreshments" and does ALL the voices! Quite frankly, a highlight of the week here) at 9pm - both SIL traditions. :)

A happy, blessed weekend to you all!

Resting in His hands,
Bethany

"But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you." -Deut. 4:4

Matt 11:28

Over the past two years, I've grown increasingly fond of this verse in Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." It continues to mean more to me than ever before!

Week 3 is marching on, and we're beginning to feel it. I've had some late nights, but last night broke the record... I spent more hours on my Syntax & Morphology homework than I did sleeping last night/early this morning. But God's grace has been so tangible today! I'm excited about the lessons in greater dependency on Him. And indeed, He IS my Rest!! Supernatural, the calm and peace and rest I feel today despite my long night.

While sitting at dinner, the SIL-UND Director shared that the intense homework load is not only for our learning the content, but also strategic. It is meant to push the students to learn how to depend on each other and fellow SIL-UND community members (as is vital in the context of the mission field). Study groups form out of necessity as we can't carry the loads ourselves. It's a beautiful, frustrating, stretching thing - and I'm feeling the growing pains inevitable with every growth spurt. But it is good. So good. You definitely start bonding faster than when you're in a "pressure cooker" of sorts.

Thank you all for your prayers - they keep me going! Specifics for this week:
-it's an intense week for Syntax & Morphology, culminating to a comprehensive test on Friday
-Thursday is a Sign Language Phonetics Test, which I'm not prepared for, nor have had enough hours in the day to invest in preparation
-Friday, I give a presentation in Sociolinguistics, and lead my Second Language Acquisition Lab (the latter of which I'm excited about)
-Next Monday, I'll be facilitating a "Scripture Chapel" (45 minutes of open time to just read/share God's Word with each other). Pray the Lord would use it powerfully to encourage everyone here and provide much-needed perspective!
-Pray I would continue to steal away with Him in little spurts, as He provides little moments here and there.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together! -Col. 1:17
He is so, so, so Faithful!

24 years

One thing is for sure... graduate level classes make me, more than ever, long for simplicity. The basics. Yet the Lord keeps reminding me it's not about the classes, or the rhetoric, or the in-depth theories. It's about becoming equipped to go out and spread the simplest, most profound TRUTH--of a Savior, a cross, and an empty tomb--with those whose language I do not yet know. He faithfully maintains my perspective - Praise God!

Thank you all for your thoughtful birthday wishes today!!!! :) Despite being really tired from staying up till all hours last night in an attempt to keep up with my classes, today was a great day.

One highlight was being sung a birthday blessing in Paraguayan Sign Language in my SLA (Second Language Acquisition) Lab this afternoon. It was longer than a traditional "happy birthday" song, but also far meatier... a sort of blessing/prayer for God to hold you close, pour out His love and grace, and more. *smile* Very touching.

Everyone has been so gracious and welcoming - I've had more "happy birthdays," cards, text messages, post-its on my dorm door, and hugs today. There's even a 7-up-bottle-turned-vase of hand-picked wildflowers sitting on my desk, from a classmate. :) At dinner, Mom & Dad had ordered a small birthday cake for me through the dining center.

I shared dinner and the cake with some new friends and a family who I'm coming to adore here (a couple from Argentina, who'll be starting a translation project for the Argentine Deaf community, and their two little daughters). 3-year-old Abigail's eyes lit up when she saw me, and she sang me "Happy Birthday" in Spanish. :) Awwwww!!!!! Delightful. Of course, she approved of the cake being chocolate. ;) Such a precious community of people here.

Switching gears now, and I'm off to write my Sociolinguistics presentation and thesis. Have a BLESSED evening. Keep your eyes on CHRIST - He alone is worthy of our love and adoration! So, so, so WORTHY!

Week 2

Hello!

My lack of a post speaks loudly of my class load! And more homework sits on my desk staring me down as I'm running off to breakfast.

I've received my work assignment! A new friend, Jessica, and I are the "SIL-UND 2009 T-shirt Committee." Our 5-7 hours a week of volunteer time will go towards researching, designing, ordering, coordinating, promoting, and selling this year's T-shirts! We're excited for the challenge (having heard in years past, this is a hot button issue among everyone in coming to an agreement). We hope to make this year one that's talked about in future years....

I am falling in love with the community here! The teachers, staff, and students all share the same space - as we're housed in one large dorm building this summer. It's the sharing across all age groups that I love most, like one large extended family. We have older couples, younger couples, older families, younger families, children, teens, singles, marrieds, fiances... all sharing, learning, and interacting together as one larger community. L-o-v-e it. I'm realizing this is very much like what a the field will be like.

Here's a picture from the other day. From my dorm room window, I look out over a knoll that leads to an "English Coulee," (ie: slow-moving stream) and beyond: the Chester Fritz Auditorium. You can see the coulee behind me.

Settling In

I'm registered, orientated, and paid in full. :) It's nice to have all the little details behind me and the classes ahead.

I've met our Deaf man from Paraguay whose come to teach both Field Methods and Second Language Acquisition (the signed language sections). I've also met and spent some time with his interpreter, who is a dear woman whose language skills blow my mind. Just today she interpreted for the orientation from spoken English (ahhh!) into Paraguayan Sign Language - which means her brain was operating in THREE tiers for the 3 hour time slot (English-to-Spanish-to-Paraguayan SL). Incredible. The diversity here is definitely an exciting element of this whole program.

Yesterday, it looked like I might be roommate-less this summer. My original roommate drove up from Minnesota with her best friend (who was roommate-less). After checking with me and a bit of fanagling, she moved in with her best friend instead, which is exactly what I would've done in her shoes. :) This afternoon, as it turns out, I discovered I'll have a roomie after all!! Melanie is a first year student who's been teaching in Kenya for the last 7 years! I'm thrilled.

Tonight is the "Get Acquainted Party." I've already met a whole bunch of wonderful people!! Some of the girls on my floor and I will try to get out for a run this afternoon before dinner. In the meantime... homework beckons. (And I haven't started classes yet; this is very telling!)

My classes:
Second Language Acquisition (Paraguayan Sign Language)
Signed Language Phonetics
Syntax & Morphology (Grammatical Analysis) I
Introduction to Sociolinguistics

"Behold, God is my Helper; the LORD is the Sustainer of my soul." -Psalm 54:4

Safely Arrived!!

I'm sitting in my new "summer home in North Dakota"! ;) Thank you for all the prayers for traveling safety and smooth connections! My flights went splendidly, without any complications. I connected with my fellow student, Monica, in Fargo, and we had a wonderful drive up to Grand Forks! Check-in went well, though I'm slightly overwhelmed by all the new-ness of it all. No sign of a roomie yet, perhaps she'll arrive tomorrow. :)

After checking in, Monica and I made a quick run to Walmart for last minute necessities before we return our rental car. Then we went to dinner in the cafeteria and met some more folks. I've been un-packing and making my room a bit more home-y, but bed is calling! I'm exhausted!

More later... THANK YOU for all your faithful prayers!

With Love,
Bethany

pieces of my heart

These are the amazing young women I've been privileged to study God's Word with for the past (almost) 2 1/2 years. This was taken on Memorial Day, my last night as leader. So many beautiful memories. :) I miss them already!!

June 2009 Update

Warm Greetings from Northern California!

We’ve been having some weird weather this week, as I’m in the Sacramento area visiting extended family and friends. Though, keeping my eye on the weather in Grand Forks, I can’t complain about it being chilly here. I remind myself it’s not officially summer yet.

Tomorrow morning, I board a plane bound for North Dakota!! How time flies! I’m becoming increasingly excited for all the Lord has in store for these upcoming summer months! I’ve received my class schedule, which looks intense but very do-able. I’ll be taking 10 credits in 9 weeks! I’m eager to meet my teachers and classmates (fellow language nerds – hooray!) and to jump into the coursework.

Back home, I passed the baton in Girls’ Bible Study to one of the girls who felt the Lord was calling her to step up and lead it. I had my last night with them on Memorial Day. I’m going to miss these precious, precious sisters in Christ, but I also know the Lord has much in store for their lives. Watching your fruit bear fruit is a beautiful, humbling thing knowing that you really had nothing to do with it, but were simply a tool in the hands of a Mighty God.

A few of you have requested my summer address. You can write me at the following address. You can also reach me on my cell (won't have a college phone #), or via email (the best).

my name
SIL-UND
2901 University Avenue, Stop 8217
Grand Forks ND 58202-8217

Important Note: Please do not use this address after July 31st. Mail will not be forwarded to me; it will be either returned to sender or discarded. This address is only good from June 6-August 1, 2009. If you want to send me snail-mail and don’t think it’ll arrive by the first week of August, you can send it to my permanent address.

I’ll post an update from the Northern Great Plains once I get all settled in and hooked up to the web - so drop back in soon. :) I'll try to update this fairly frequently, depending on if classes allow!

A few things you can specifically be lifting up this month:
--Smooth travel connections for all the SIL-UND staff and students this weekend.
--The Salvadoran Sign Language Bible Translation Project team that’s getting off the ground in El Salvador.
--The transitioning back into the crazy lifestyle of a college student. Pray for HIS strength and rest, as well as focus.

Because of God’s Grace,
With great anticipation,
Bethany