jill.musick

On the 4th and 5th of July, I played violin for patriotic services at Kline Creek Farm, which is an 1890s living history farm. They dressed me up in period clothing, including a hat with a hat pin! 

It rained on the 4th, so we moved into the barn for the service. I volunteered to climb up into the hay loft to play.

Up in the hay loft

We had a visit from Miss Columbia and Uncle Sam

Sheep! One of them tried to eat my sleeve.

Along with all the serious sessions, we also had a bit of time off for sightseeing. It was my first time in New York state, so I’m glad I was able to enjoy some of the scenery!

Walking at Letchworth Park on Friday, June 26

On Sunday, June 28, we went to Niagara Falls.

About to enter Canada at Niagara

Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls

This picture was taken BEFORE the Maid of the Mist took me into the monsoon (aka the Canadian Horseshoe side of the Falls). We came out soaking wet and sat for a while in a Tim Horton’s to dry off.

We managed to get our passports stamped on the Canadian side before returning to the US.

Walking back to the USA

In addition to sight-seeing around New York, we found many ways to amuse ourselves at Houghton during the down-times between sessions. We played Settlers of Catan, Dutch Blitz, Farkle (dice game), Balderdash, Bananagrams, President, and other games.   Ultimate frisbee and soccer games happened almost every night after dinner. It rained a lot during the two weeks of PFO, so the field usually had a couple puddles. One soccer game was particularly wet, and I ended up covered from head to toe in dirty water! 

On Wednesday, July 1 we had the PFO talent show. The four of us on the left sang “Shout to the Lord” in German, then the three girls on the right sang it in Spanish. We finished by singing the chorus all together in English.

Talent Show: Me, Reesa, Amanda, Katrina, Becky, Peggy, Natalie

On the serious side, we had lectures (overload of power point presentations, but lots of really useful information!), cultural simulations, individual sessions with our advisors, and small group Bible studies. 

Small Group: Robin, Amanda (top), Reesa, Katrina, Me, Kristi (bottom)

PFO was definitely an enriching experience.  I felt like I connected immediately with many of the other girls. We had unity in the Spirit, and we had a common goal and vision. 

I hope to see these friends again. Some will be close, teaching in other cities in Europe. We already have plans to reconnect. Others are not so close, but one day we may end up teaching in the same schools or going to other conferences. Even if email and facebook are our only ways of staying connected, I have been blessed by knowing these friends for two weeks!

Here at the TCK/PFO training, we’ve had sessions discussing cultural issues and third culture kids (TCKs). We also have small group meetings and Bible studies. I’ve met some staff from BFA, which is exciting – these people will be part of my home away from home.

Many of the topics in the sessions are the same ones I encountered during my orientation for student teaching overseas. Rather than being boring and repetitive, I am discovering that it is really helpful to gain a new perspective on my past experiences, and use the combined knowledge to help me in the future.

The past couple days, I have begun to realize that leaving home is not without cost. In the devotional this morning, the speaker quoted 1 Chronicles 21:24 – “But King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” My obedience to God is sacrificial – I have offered Him my life as a living sacrifice. Part of this sacrifice means leaving home. For all of you friends and family out there reading this, I love you and I miss you already!

When I was in Brussels, my home was still in West Chicago, and I knew I would get to be home for Easter to see my family. Moving to Germany will be different. It will be my new home (eventually). I will no longer be able to say, “I live in West Chicago.” I take comfort in the truth that Jesus spoke: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). It is for the sake of His precious name that I go. Ultimately, the uprootedness I will feel is a reminder that I will never be as at home on earth as I will be in Heaven, my true home, as an adopted child of God.

There are risks to leaving, and there are costs, but the important thing to remember is that the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. Though my home seems like the safest place right now, I trust that God will always be with me, and my home is in His will. 

I have a hard time admitting to myself when I am grieving, hurting, or struggling. In Brussels, I did not realize all the times when I was missing home. I literally do not recognize loss since I have experienced so little loss and pain in my life. This week has given me a chance to think back on what I lost in Brussels (i.e. the last semester of college with my friends; being around people who know me for who I really am). Though I experienced loss (which I now recognize – it hurts!), the experience was positive because I believe it was in God’s will for me to be there. It prepared me in so many ways to teach at BFA. 

In Germany, I will have to deal with my own losses and the cost of ministry overseas, but most of the students will have experienced far more loss and grief than I can ever understand. Most kids in boarding schools have to deal with the (temporary) loss of their parents. They also grieve the seemingly permanent loss of friends as they leave for an indefinite amount of time. As TCKs, stability in relationships is really important. I will never be able to completely identify with the emotional costs on a TCK, but at least now I recognize that they are dealing with loss on a much deeper level from having to say goodbye to so many people and places every year; knowing this, I hope to be available to the students to listen as they vent their frustrations and grief as they themselves go through transitions, but at the same time valuing them for the rich experiences they have had!

This Saturday, June 20, I will be going to Houghton College in New York to attend a Pre-Field Orientation for teaching at Black Forest Academy. PFO is designed for teachers, dorm parents, RAs, and other people who will be working at private Christian boarding schools. Sessions will prepare us for teaching third culture kids in an MK school setting. I’ll be back to Illinois on July 3!

Please keep me in prayer as I go to this conference. Go to my Prayer Requests page on the right to see how you can be praying. I appreciate your support!

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

I have been encouraged lately by many members of the Body coming alongside me and supporting me with words of encouragement and prayer. More than ever, I feel connected to the Body. I realize that I cannot be isolated from the other members. If I were to cut myself off and try to exist as a lone foot, I would be useless. I would be useless as a teacher in Germany without other believers sending and supporting me.

As I am connected to the Head, Christ, I begin to see parts of the Body that I never noticed before. These seemingly invisible parts are absolutely crucial to the church! “The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:22). 

This is the theme verse of the STARS disability ministry at College Church. Tomorrow I’ll be running in the Run for the STARS 5k race. In volunteering with the STARS over the past couple years, one of the things I have come to appreciate is the power of the simplest prayers, spoken honestly and truly by humble hearts. In God’s Kingdom, it’s not about having all the right words; it is about admitting that God is all-powerful, and He is faithful even when we mess up.

During this time of fund raising, God has blessed me with the opportunity to learn to rely solely on Him to provide for all my needs. It can be scary – “What if my support doesn’t come in? What if I can’t go?” It can also be scary for contributors – “What if I lose my job? What if I can’t continue to support her?” For both missionaries and supporters: God is in control. He provides. Trust Him, and don’t worry! He feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field; will He not much more clothe and feed you? Trust in the Lord forever, for He is an everlasting rock. Stay connected to Christ, and He will continue to sustain you.