In Christ Alone My Hope is Found

This past week was a particularly long one. Possibly one of the longest I've had since arriving here. Sometimes I think long is just a nicerish way of saying horribly awful, but last week was both it was a long horribly awful week.  I don't think that there was any one incident that made it so bad it was just everything. Homesickness hit hard last week, and since we're in Africa things happen. So our Internet only worked 1/2 the week and the other 1/2 the power was off. If things were going right it was a bad time to talk with family,  we ran out of doom (ant killer) so the fact that our house wasn't carried away is a miracle, despite my best efforts I never felt prepared for class and was just stressed out...and so it just all piled up. Basically, Monday around 9am we were praying for Friday in a very serious manner.  But we survived! Praise the Lord!! Some folks somewhere must have been praying very hard for us last week, and we are so grateful!
 Saturday was a fun day. We were invited to a breakfast for missionaries at the Kumbali Cultural center. This was basically the furthest out I have been since being here. We drove through a village to get there which was a true taste of the culture and where we are. After breakfast we headed to the IWAM fair.... or something along those lines IWAM is the International Women's Association of Malawi, or something along those line. And I guess every year they set up a big crafts type fair with lots of fun things to buy and yummy food to eat. They even had ice cream and cotton candy!  Later we went for a swim in the still freezing pool, but it was so worth it. It was excellent!! We owe all the fun we had to the wonderful Kyser family for inviting us to join them! We ended the day having dinner with a bunch of the other "singles" on campus, it was fun we enjoyed the company. The whole day was really a excellent cure for a horribly awful long week.
Sunday we went to church, and Allison and I worked the Creche or Nursery. We had fun. It just felt normal... with the exception of at least 3 different languages being spoken by the kids. But, it was good.
I think that things are starting to get better. We're meeting more people and finding our place here. School, while still difficult, is getting better we're figuring it all out. This Friday is reading day! Its a fun day when everyone gets dressed up and we do fun things! So, look forward to that!
Several of you have asked about sending packages and such... I gave my mom some more info on all that so just look her up and she'll help you out there. We're also putting in a t-shirt order soon, so let me know, or just my mom,  if you want in on that too.
And so... until next time please continue to pray it means  so much!

"In Christ alone"


In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.