A much-needed holiday

It’s November 12, the beginning of our week-long Eid Al Adha break, and it couldn’t have come soon enough. Since arriving back in Kuwait on August 18, I don’t think I’ve stopped moving.

My new job has me constantly, sometimes literally, running from one class to another. There are days when I don’t take even a 15 minute break from the time I arrive at school at 6:30am until I leave at 5pm. Those are Mondays. I have come to dread the Monday. And every Monday I say, “this one won’t be so bad”. And then I yell at the students and almost fall asleep on the way home.

I’m sick for the second time in a month. A MONTH. Yesterday, during staff devotions, I broke down from exhaustion and frustration and started crying while reading Hebrews 4:15-16. I made the other Katie take over the prayer because there was no way I could do it.

I’m pretty sure I haven’t cried in front of the staff yet and I may have scared them a little. They were extra nice to me all day.

I adopted a cat. Her name is Abby. Because she’s very gabby. And sometimes crabby. And I’m trying to make her a little more flabby. She’s cute but insanely annoying. She cries almost constantly and is scared of everything. Sometimes it’s cute. At 5am, it’s a pain in the butt.

Last Friday I spent the day at home, and I think she was sick of me by the afternoon. She went by herself to the bathroom (where I lock her at night) and she slept there for much of the afternoon.

Last Saturday we had the Harvest Festival and it was TONS of fun. We ate delicious foods from other countries and I bought far too many desserts. Mmm. Calories in food purchased for Jesus don’t count. Right?

Before it began, I got to go for a walk beside the Gulf. It was a most beautiful, chilly morning. It was perfect. My toes turned purple. I love November in Kuwait!

Pastor Jerry was able to come to the Harvest Festival, too. He started radiation treatment this week, and the outlook is good.

I know this isn’t the most exciting or uplifting post, but, sometimes life isn’t exciting or uplifting. Sometimes it’s exhausting and frustrating. My prayer is that I will rest enough this week and return to school on the 21st energized, joyful, and ready for another month.

And in the last 4 hours, my lungs have cleared enough that I may be able to go to church today after all! And that makes me very happy.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

27 and counting

Yep, still a good reason to be in Kuwait :)

Yesterday was my birthday and the students (and teachers, and administration, and my parents) made me feel like an absolute princess.

They sang for me at staff devotions.

After staff devotions that went a little too long, I went to the courtyard and found that my students had already gone to my classroom. But when I got to the classroom, the lights were out and there were no students to be found (despite a few stifled giggles coming out from under the desks and tables).

Talking aloud, I made a big deal about the missing students and wondering how on earth they could all skip school ON MY BIRTHDAY of all things, and as I switched on the lights, they all jumped up and yelled, “SURPRISE!!”

My desk was covered in gifts and flowers and cards.

The first thing they did was pray a blessing over me and sing.

The 6th, 7th and 8th graders joined us next for assembly. “Anyone have a birthday in the month of October?”

I looked around, innocently.

More singing.  Three times. “Happy Birthday to you…” “Senna Helwa Yagga Meen…” ”God bless you today…”

They left.

We had Bible class.

I went to teach Grade 1B Art.

MORE singing!

I went to teach Grade 2B Art.

MORE singing!

Back to Grade 5 Art. I gave them cookies. They were enamoured.

I taught Grade 1A Art next.  Singing AND a group hug from the entire class!  It was adorable.  Just before I left, one of the students prayed for me. I love prayers from kids.

I  taught Grade 2A Art next. They had all made cards for me and brought a gift and flowers.  And they were quite good for the lesson (which is a blessing in and of itself…)

After school, Katie and I went to “our” Coffee Shop, where the staff know us by name. “Hi, Ms. Katie, Hi, Ms. Katie!” 

We had girls Bible Study next, where the girls (with the help of Katie G.) had decorated and organized a birthday party. After cake, cookies, donuts, and being harassed and distracted by a bunch of other students, we cleaned up and headed for Mrs. Jacque’s office.

Insert a rip-roaring game of Truth or Dare.

I was dared to prank call a friend and speak a different language.

I called one of the other teachers from the school (who is easy-going) and said, in a low voice in Russian, “Hello! How do you say, ‘Peace to the World’ in Russian? You speak Russian very well. No, I don’t, I still speak it poorly.….” at which point he hung up, stating, “sorry, English only, good-bye!”

I’ll tell him about it on Sunday.  I imagine he’ll laugh.

We had barrel races and penguin races and a photograph on the fountain, heard Pastor Jerry speak, and then it was time to call it a night. Katie, Andrea and I joined the fellow worshippers at the Night of Joy (aka. congregational meeting) and sang for a bit.

When we got to the parking lot, I found out that someone had double parked behind my car, blocking me in. Katie’s suggestion was to honk until they came to check and move it. I was a little annoyed that I would have to honk at all…horns are not meant for that…but I did it. 20 minutes later, he came. I gave him my best “what the heck were you thinking?” look, to which he gestured, “just be patient”. I’d been waiting at least 20 minutes. I was a little annoyed. He then had the cajones to TAKE MY PARKING SPACE after I left. I won’t lie. I wanted to pull a “10 Things I Hate About You” move and maim his car.  But A) that’s un-Christian and B) I like my car too much.

Truthfully, B) was the reason I didn’t do it. 

No one is perfect.

All in all, it was an awesome birthday and possibly the best one yet. Little kids have a way of making you feel like a million bucks.

God is so faithful. SO FAITHFUL.

Even when we have thoughts of maiming someone else’s car. It’s a small test of patience…. :)

Looking forward to being 27.

fighting back...with a skip in our step

In the past month, two of my favourite "young at heart" people have been hit with illness.

On a Wednesday at the beginning of September, it was my Grandpa who had a couple of strokes in the night.

Being 7 hours ahead, I heard about it almost right away from my brother, because I was awake when the emails arrived! In fact, I was in my 8th grade art class at the time.

It woke up the Snoek family.

(Literally AND spiritually!)

At first I didn't know what to pray. What to say. "Your will be done," comes in handy at times like these.  But when I found out that Grandpa wasn't ready to go Home yet, the prayers became a whole lot more specific :)

Grandpa is one of the most blessed and hardworking men that I know. In the 1950's, he and Grandma moved across the world away from their families, raised 8 children, send those 8 children to Christian school, and has served God faithfully in the church and schools ever since. He was even a member of the Stroke Support Group, ironically.

So when the strokes hit, we started praying. And praising. And fighting back. It's hard to be across the world when everyone is there, but it's nice to know that prayers don't have far to travel.

I just received an email today telling us that Grandpa can now walk without assistance!!  Grandpa can do his crossword puzzles. He's got a long way to go, but he's working as hard as ever, and he's not going to give up until he's completely healed.  And nothing is impossible with God.

On Wednesday of this past week, we found out that our beloved Pastor Jerry had a brain tumour.

It woke up the church.  In staff devotions on Wednesday, we had a prayer time like we've never had before. We decided that we were NOT going to stand and watch, but we were going to fight!


By Friday, Pastor Jerry was in surgery to have the tumour removed.  Yesterday.  And if you know the Middle East, then you know that Friday is our day of worship.  In every service, from 8 am to 7pm, we prayed for Pastor Jerry and Mrs. Jacque, we praised and worshipped God with all we had in us, and we (literally!!) shouted VICTORY!!

Last night, we found out that the surgery was successful, that some of the pastors visited Pastor Jerry and prayed with him, and that he is looking GOOD.  We will find out this week whether the tumour is malignant or benign, but we're standing in faith that it's benign. 

In Grade 5 Bible, we've just started learning about the book of Job. At the beginning, God praises Job, saying, "Look at my faithful servant. I'm so proud of him." And satan says to God, "Let me at him! You'll see what happens..."  To sum it up? God wins. Of course. Job never gives up his faith and never curses God. 

My friend Katie joked that satan said to God, "Let me at Pastor Jerry!" And God said, "You can try...but I don't think Kuwait will let you."

Never ever give up!  God is good, all the time.  Sometimes bad things happen, but although it seems bad in our eyes, God can and will use it for good.  We've just got to fight! Wake up! Wake up before tragedy forces you to wake up!!

James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."