I'm home!

Hello Everyone! I'm so sorry that I didn't blog earlier that I'm home in the States. In light of all that is happening in India, many of you were wondering if I made it home safely. I sure did, several days before the terror there started. I know my mom is sure thankful I'm home! :)

India was wonderful. I was in a city called Luck now which is southeast of Delhi. We had an amazing time speaking to so many groups of people and teaching English each afternoon. We talked to over 1300 people throughout the 2 weeks. We were exhausted but so happy to be playing such an integral part of the work there. The Indian team will follow up with all we connected with. We felt like a catalyst to take their ministry to the next level. We sure did attract enough attention. Lucknow has almost no foreigners so my light colored hair made me a celebrity. You know I loved that :)

Here's a picture of my own little class. Yep, even the kids were a part of my class, although the little boy tended to wander around sometimes. He was super smart at English, though, and would grin from ear to ear when I told him, "Good job!" Then he would say, "Tammymam, you told me 14 times today "good job." So cute! The women really wear the sari or punjabi outfits all the time. So they are always so colorful. What I have on in the picture is a punjabi suit. It has pants underneat and is like a long tunic. The saris are 5 meters of cloth wrapped around you just right. The food was delicious. I think they toned down the spices for us. Our team worked well together and it was amazing to see how God had each of us designed for specific roles. My role was to do 3 hours of lesson plans for us each night and then teach the rest of the team the lesson plans and how to teach them each morning. I loved it! We each gave our testimony to hundreds of people. We did those speaking engagements in the mornings and in the evenings, teaching English in the afternoons. Like I said, we were kept busy but we didn't mind at all!

Overall, I had three incredible months of travel and work. I am so thankful that God had His hand upon me and took care of me each step of the way. It is good to be home, but I'm already preparing for my next trip ... to Thailand! More on that to come :)

Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia

I'm afraid I haven't had easy access to a computer for a while. In fact, today and tomorrow are my last days to be near a computer until I get back from India. Let me catch you up on all that's happened since last time I wrote:

Hong Kong was wonderful. There was a big ELIC dinner on Saturday with a record attendance. You know I love talking with strangers so I had a great time!

Then I flew to Singapore. Wow, what a great city. I was on the 19th floor of a hotel right downtown. From my window, I could even see as far as Indonesia! The Indian holiday of Deepavali was in full swing when we got here. This is a picture of some Indian girls who were performing at a high class country club where we were eating dinner (thanks to a generous donor who hosted us).

The ELIC President and his wife and 2 VPs were all in Singapore as well and we crammed in a dozen meetings into about 3 days.

On the last evening they were here, I found myself with some unexpected tears. As I was saying goodbye to my ELIC friends, I was also saying goodbye to my long career with ELIC. Here's a pic of our crew on that last evening ... before the tears :)

The next day I was fine and back to meetings. I wasn't actually officially unemployed until November 1st and I worked right up until the end meeting great people in Singapore.

On November 2nd, my first day of unemployment, I did what anyone would do ... if they could. I took a ferry for about an hour to Indonesia. There I stayed at a resort for 2 nights. Amazing! The ocean was so clear and warm. The food was delicious. And God gave me the best room in the resort with an amazing view of the ocean. It was just what I had hoped it would be. What a great way to usher in a time of unemployment (and thankfully, it was relatively cheap too!)

Now I'm in Singapore for 2 days with old friends from Wheaton. Tomorrow I hop on a plane to India. The time has flown by and I can't believe I've been away from America for well over 2 months.

End of Australia and beginning of Hong Kong

I spent a wonderful week in the Sunshine Coast with Rosemary. We had fun going to a lot of senior activities :) Then she took me to the Newton's in Brisbane. They were a family who volunteered to keep me for a few days while I was in Brisbane. I spoke at their church on Sunday morning. I also went to a "Bush Dance" at their church on Saturday night. Did you know that the Australians say "bush" when we would say "forest" or "wilderness?" I found out that a bush dance is an old fashioned square dance. We had a blast! I have a picture of the family I stayed with but I don't have access to download it on this computer. I'll try to do that later.

They dropped me off at the airport on Sunday. I had a 4:00 flight to Sydney. We were halfway to Sydney when the pilot came on and said there was a storm in Sydney and we would have to turn around and fly back to Brisbane. Once we landed, we were told that our flight had been cancelled and that they would put us up in hotels. But that wouldn't work for me as I had an early morning flight from Sydney to Hong Kong the next morning. When I got off the plane, everyone was gathered around the two agents at our gate. But nobody was talking to the agents at the gate next to us. So I went to them and explained my situation. They looked on the computer and gave me the LAST seat on the 7:00 flight. I then had to run downstairs, pick up my luggage, and run to re-check it in for the new flight. Thankfully it all went well and I made it to Sydney by 10:30 that night. My hotel was within walking distance. Early the next morning I was off to Hong Kong! Whew!

Hong Kong has been wonderful so far. I'm in a guesthouse right in the center of the city. I can go running in the morning along the harbor where I can see the tall buildings and the "Avenue of Stars." I only recognized Bruce Lee :) I can also go running in Kowloon park as long as I dodge the crowds who are doing tai chi. It's a whole new world here and I love it!

Great Barrier Reef

I couldn't come to Australia without seeing the Great Barrier Reef. I needed to fly up to Brisbane for work. From there, during a few days that I had no appointments, I was able to take a Greyhound Bus (yep, they have those here too) for 12 hours up to a city called 1770 which is at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. I sat in the front of the bus so that I could see out the front as well as the side. I asked the bus driver to keep an eye out for kangaroos and other animals and birds and he took me seriously! He would point out wild horses, kangaroos, and all sorts of birds.

The bus dropped me off at a backpacker's hostel. Wow, I felt old among all of these 20-somethings. Did you known that Australia has set up a system where a backpacker can get a year long visa if they will travel around and help at least three months of that year in harvests throughout the country. But for $24 Australian dollars (which is even cheaper when translated to US dollars) a night, I could handle a bunk in a room with several other girls.

I had booked the next day on a boat called the Spirit of 1770. Their shuttle picked me up at 7:30 and by 8:00 about 200 of us were on a great boat for a 90 minute trip to a lagoon/island in the Great Barrier Reef called Lady Musgrave. The boat docked beside a huge pontoon from which we could go snorkeling all day long. But the first thing I did was take a small boat over to the island for an island tour. Lots of birds called Notties (I kept thinking she was saying naughty birds). I also saw sharks and turtles off the shore and through the glass bottom boat.

Once back on the pontoon, I immediately suited up in a full-body wetsuit because ... for the first time in my life ... I was about to go SCUBA DIVING! This boat has a 30 minute introductory dive that I could do without all the classes and certifications. I couldn't believe it! I had always wanted to go scuba diving just once to see what it was like ... and here was a wonderful and cheap way to do just that (about $55 US dollars for the dive). Our instructor taught the 4 of us how to use the regulator and how to clear our mask if water got in while we were at the bottom of the ocean. Then they put a belt of weights around each of us (wow, heavy!) and then the big backpack full of our tank and regulator and other stuff that I didn't even know the names for. We hopped in the water and our instructor slowly brought us down to the bottom, stopping along the way to try to regulate the pressure in our ears. We were all finally at the bottom of the ocean in the Great Barrier Reef!! Somebody pinch me!! We were only about 7 meters down but hey, that's enough for me! We followed our instructor all over the place. Amazing coral and the most unique fish I've ever seen. I bought an underwater camera but don't have those back yet (old fashioned film camera). But here are a few shots of me getting ready to go down. When we returned to the boat, I continued to be amazed at the fish as I went snorkeling. Such a great trip!!

The next day I took the train to Buderim where Rosemary, an ELIC alumna, picked me up. I'll be staying with her for an entire week. She's been great! We've gone for a drive in the hinterland which are the hills behind the coastline. We've eaten fish and chips (french fries) in Maloolooba. I went to her water aerobics class ... what a hoot ... I think I was the youngest person to ever attend. :) Last night we went to the Outback Spectacular which was a dinner show with lots of horses. I learned a lot about Australia's history and enjoyed the great show. Here we are in our Australian cowboy hats called akubras.

Lest you think I'm not working at all, don't you worry, I am :) Today I spoke at 3 different services and also enjoyed being a part of an ESL ministry at the local church.

7th Continent!

Hello from Australia, my 7th continent. I love it so far! I was picked up by my hosts, Warwick and Jessica. They are the coordinators of the Perspectives here. They also are deeply involved in all things "overseas outreach" oriented in Australia and have helped me set up great interviews with folks here. God really does guide each day for me.

On the first day here, I arrived in at 7:00am. They picked me up and Warwick dropped Jessica and I off near Chinatown in Sydney and then went to work. Jessica and I walked through Chinatown to Darling Harbour. Then we walked Queen Victoria Building where I found a great little jacket/dress. But the only purple one was on the dummy, so I started to undress it. Jessica said in a very non-confronting way, "Are you sure you want to undress the dummy?" But me in a very American way didn't catch the clue and just undressed it anyway. The dress fit. The salesperson scolded me but was happier when I actually bought the dress ... for $15. Worth the undressing and scolding! :)

Then we walked to the Rocks where the old convicts used to be housed. Then it was up the Harbor Bridge to see amazing views of the Opera House. Honestly, Sydney is a phenomenally beautiful city with so much water and greenery and nice walking everywhere!

Jessica and I hopped on the train up to the Blue Mountains where they live (about an hour outside of Sydney). Along the way, guess what I saw out the window ... yep ... a kangaroo!!! I'm in Australia now!! :) Their house has a second floor verandah that looks right into the trees (not the trunks of the trees, but the upper portions with all the leaves). Their tree tops are right out of a zoo!! Sulfer Crested Cockatoos, Rainbow Lorikeets, and the King Parrot. Warwick and I actually got the King Parrot to eat out of our hands. As the King Parrot bent into my hand to grab the seed, I could feel the soft feathers of his neck with my fingertips. I was in awe as I thought, this is a wild bird eating out of my hand! I got a pic of Warwick and he tried to get a pic of me but a Cockatoo swooped in right then and off my little King Parrot flew. Here's a shot of Warwick with the same bird.

The next day Warwick and Jessica took me for a long drive through the Blue Mountains. Amazing views from every corner. Here is a picture of my hosts and just to their left are three jutting rocks that are called the Three Sisters. The background is all Blue Mountains. They are called Blue Mountains because all of the Eucalyptus trees emit a bluish oil into the air. Fascinating.

Did I happen to mention that Warwick and Jessica were complete strangers to me? I called Jessica from America to ask if I could visit any Perspectives courses and she invited me to stay with them. They really personify the family of God!

Last Days in New Zealand

When I flew back into Auckland, I was picked up by my friend, Rosemary. She and I met when we were on the same cruise to Antarctica. I spent this weekend at her lovely home near the seaside. We've climbed to the top of Cornwall Park with amazing views of all sides of Auckland. Today we visited an underwater world place and saw penguins (she and I always seem to see penguins when we're together) and my favorite ... turtles. In fact, they were having a special exhibit on turtles this month. Tomorrow morning I'll be on a plane heading to Australia!

Five Stitches!

After all the hiking and climbing and rocks and windy paths, we finally took a break and walked in a peaceful park in the middle of Christchurch. Beautiful flowers (daffodils in September!) and tulips and nice grassy knolls. And what do I do ... I find a PVC pipe hole in the grass and step right in it. Ouch!! I really dug quite the gash into the back of my ankle. I was leaving drops of my DNA all the way to the information booth where they had a first aid kit. It was deep enough that Robyn thought we should go to her family doctor. He just happened to be coming back from a house call and took one look at it and knew I would need stitches and a tetanus shot. Thirty minutes later the wonderfully kind, gentle doctor had me all stitched back up again with an injection to boot! The best was yet to come. New Zealand almost totally pays for goofy foreigners when they have accidents. I ended up paying a total of $28!!! Now I walk with quite a limp but I'm so thankful nothing was broken, twisted or torn ... except some skin. Here's a pic of me being sown up. :)

Christchurch Day 2 & 3

I'm staying with the parents of one of my recruits from New Zealand. Tony and Robyn Posthuma are in the business of spoiling their visitors! I'm in a great room, being fed wonderful meals, and being shown this amazing island. On Tuesday, Robyn took me for a hike along the Port Hills. From there we could see the entire city of Christchurch as well as Lyttelton Harbor where the first settlers of New Zealand landed (at least for the South Island).

The next day, we picked up Lucrecia, a friend of the family who just arrived home from 8 months taking care of orphans in Uganda. She told us some amazing stories as we drove about 2 hours to Arthur's Pass. The streams were all swollen with winter free to run away now (if you can tell me who I'm quoting, extra bonus points for you). The waterfalls were amazing. We also went climbing among some uniquely shaped rocks at Castle Hill. From there we could see the field where the battle scenes for Narnia were filmed.

Christchurch

On Monday, I hopped on a plane and flew to Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand. One should always ask for a window seat when flying in New Zealand. Here's a land shot as well as an aerial shot of the same mountain, Mt. Ruapehu, in Taupo.

Tauranga and Taupo

The bus drive from Auckland to Tauranga was beautiful! The rolling hills are a springtime green and dotted with baby lambs soaking in the sun. I continue to be blessed with amazing weather and loads of sun. When I arrived in Tauranga, I spent some time at the Bethlehem Tertiary Institute. Then an old friend picked me up. We spent the next day climbing a mountain in Tauranga and then going to visit the thermal pools in Rotorua (which always makes me chuckle because every time I say it, I think "Rotor Rooter.")

After Tauranga, I took another great bus drive to Taupo. An ELIC alumna, Alicia, met me. We drove up and into the mountains yesterday and hung out at a camp in the hills. The people here are so kind and generous. We had a relaxing day including a delicious dinner. After we came home last night, we put on our "togs" (swimming suits) and went to a nearby park. We tramped (hiked) through the dark with our torches (flashlights) until we came to a stream with a 4 foot tall waterfall. That waterfall was pouring hot water down into the stream. We sat near the stream and enjoyed hottub like temps. Outside it was so cold we could see our breath but we were warm and cozy in this thermal heated stream. It was quite the fun adventure. Once we got back to the car, we were just leaving the dark parking lot when we were pulled over by the police. I was worried that we may have been in the park after hours. But the police man smiled about our toweled heads and asked if we had gone swimming. Then he gave the driver a quick breathalizer test (no alcohol ... no worries) and we were on our way. Quite the adventurous night!

Auckland is Amazing

I am being spoiled by Grace (see pic ) and Amy. These two ladies didn't even know me before I arrived. We were connected by a mutual friend. Yet they have taken me into their home, fed me wonderful meals, driven me around, helped me go shopping, connected me with their church and many leaders, helped me understand how to market to Kiwis, and hooked me up with a tax expert so that I could understand how non-profits work in NZ. Grace even gave me a cell phone to use the entire time I've been here.

In this next picture, you can see me taking a morning walk at a beach about a mile from Grace's house. Absolutely beautiful! No surfing on those little

bity waves. But it was a change for me to see the sun rise instead of set on the water.

I'm actually at a new place now ... the original place I was going to stay at before Grace and Amy swept me away. The Hebron House is a home with 21 residents, most of whom are university students from around the world. We counted 7 nationalities last night and they were excited that I made the 8th. We had Chinese, Ethiopian, Korean, Japanese, Indian and of course, Kiwis! Last night was family night. We had a wonderful meal together and then we met in the great room to sing songs. Everyone grabbed a percussion instrument of some sort. We definitely made a joyful noise! Then I got to speak to them about all the ways God has blessed me. Of course, I could have spoken about that for hours, but I kept it down to a good 20 minutes. We went around the room and with each country they were from, I spoke about how I could see characteristics of God in their country. From the immensity of God shown in the numbers of China, to the preciseness of God shown in the Japanese culture. It was a great evening.

1st day in New Zealand

September 11th is the day to travel! I actually left LA on the 10th but arrived in Hong Kong on the 11th. That 15 hour flight was very empty. Three seats all to myself to sleep! From Hong Kong to Auckland, I actually had 4 seats to myself. I could stretch out completely! It was the longest day of flying and the most comfortable day (actually 3 days in a way) of flying I ever experienced!

Thankfully I was well rested when I arrived as we hit the ground running. My host was at the airport to greet me. We drove straight to the Hebron House where I would be staying. The Hebron House rents about 20 rooms to local college students as a ministry. When we arrived, we went immediately across the street to a Christian school. There we taught upperclassmen high schoolers about the 10/40 window.

After class, I took a wonderful shower and an equally wonderful nap. At 6:00, Grace and Amy picked me up. Such a God story. I recently recruited another Grace to go to Vietnam. This Grace is that Grace's friend. And she has set up a number of appointments and speaking engagements for me here in Auckland.

We drove to downtown Auckland to a beautiful old church. There we heard Paul Pruitt from OMF in Denver speak. I felt like I was back at home. Except the sermon was translated into Chinese as well. Then Grace and Amy and many of their friends and I all went out for Chinese food. Above is a picture of us eating and having a great time. Grace is to my left and Amy to my right.

We decided it would be better if I stayed with Grace and Amy for the weekend since everything I am doing this weekend is with them. So now I'm at their home. I had a great night's sleep. I took a walk this morning in the glorious sunshine. It's chilly here, but very nice!

Friends are truly a blessing from God. He decided to give me these 4 friends almost 20 years ago and I'm so very thankful! On Sunday we spent the day together shopping and having dinner, but what we were really doing was talking, telling stories, laughing, and making even more memories.

Deb's Wedding in Chicago

Chicago rolled out the most beautiful weather for Deb's wedding. She was a beautiful bride and Scott was a handsome, lucky man. :) Theirs was the 2nd wedding in the new chapel at the new Wheaton Bible Church. It was great to see the new building ... so different from the church I remembered during my grad school days. After the reception, we went to a beautiful park for pictures. Here's the bride, groom, and me on a very happy day!

Palm Springs, California for ELIC Teacher Training

There's a reason ELIC trains the teachers in the desert ... it's HOT! So hot that nobody in their right mind would spend money on a hotel to be here. Therefore, the hotels are amazingly cheap and wonderfully nice. I'm so thankful to have spent the last few days in Palm Springs seeing a well-qualified group of new teachers start their training. I've also been able to say many goodbyes as my days with ELIC are coming to a close.

In the picture are a few lovely ladies that I had to say goodbye to this morning. Starting on the left is Marianne, an amazing mobilizer and good friend. Next is Jenny , my replacement. I'm happy to hand over the position to her as she's got many years of experience with ELIC. With the butterfly shirt is Erin, a groovy mobilizer and a runner who enjoyed the dry heat as a change from her native Florida.

Welcome to my new blog. I'm about to embark on an amazing 3 month journey to the other side of the world, and I thought this would be a great way to keep you up-to-date on my adventures. For starters, here's my schedule.

August 17-21: Fort Collins, Colorado
August 29-September 5: Palm Springs, California
September 6-8: Chicago, Illinois
September 10-September 30: New Zealand
October 1-20: Australia
October 21-27: Hong Kong
October 27-November 6: Singapore
November 6-21: India