"I WANNA KNOW WHAT LOVE IS"

... First please just accept that the title of this post will only make sense to a very small number of folks, but it makes me laugh! And as we all know I'm always up for a good laugh. Now that that is taken care of...

Just wanted to put out a quick post about what we've been up too, and maybe (if the world, electricity, internet, and Fredrick all cooperate) put up a few pictures. We'll see. Last week at school was crazy, and incredibly rewarding at the same time. Mrs. Mpata my team teacher was out sick all week. She is back this week and feeling better but keep her and her family in your prayers as they are still not certain what is wrong. But because she was out I was in the classroom alone...BUT! I survived and it was a great feeling. By the end of the week things were running smoothly and and we were having a great time.... There is currently a trail of any walking down the wall by my bed I have looked at least 17 times since I started writing this and there is nothing there for them to even get they are simply walking up and down. I clearly am ignoring them as I continue to write and leave them be, mmmm life in Africa.... anyway so that was last week and lets just say as good as it was it was a LOOONG week.
So the weekend came and we were all very excited. This weekend was Michelle's birthday, and so Ogles and I decided to kidnap her and take a trip to the lake. We absolutely could not have made a better decision. We loaded up the car Friday afternoon and headed out. We drove for and drove and drove some more and finally arrived at the lake around 8 or so that night, I think I don't really know. We decided that we would turn our phones off and really enjoy the weekend so time was irrelevant for most of it. We didn't have any plans other than to enjoy ourselves and that is what we did. Saturday we just hung out and played games for a bit we spent tons of time in the lake and at the beach, we had a nice dinner which included a cake for Michelle that read "Micheal, Happy Bathday" possibly the best cake I have ever seen. Sunday we did exactly the same thing and had a GREAT time!!! We left Sunday evening and drove and drove... we may or may not have spend a significant amount of time belting out "I wanna know what love is"... and loving every minute of it! We came back to campus around 9 or 9:30 Sunday night and went immediately to bed. So here we are Monday afternoon, refreshed and ready to start a new week. Praise the Lord!!
Until next time...
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12.9 (read it, it'll change your life)

This is looking down from the side of Table Mountain in Cape Town

The Beach in Cape Town

This is at our class Christmas party! Fun times!

Most of the Kindergarten students at ABC

Reading Day at ABC, I may have posted this but I don't remember

LAKE MALAWI

I just really liked this flower

Say CHEESE! 

I think Michelle missed the ugly face memo... 

Everyone smile this time. 

The End. 

What have you been doing lately?

Please accept my sincerest apologies for being an absolute failure when it comes to blogging. Along with my poor grammar skills you are also forced to put up with my apparent inability to blog in a timely manner. I hope that in the future I will not leave you waiting in suspense (for quiet as long) for my next up date.
  Now that my ego is sufficiently boosted lets see if I can bring you up to speed on what has happened in the last oh... month. :D

Let us start with Christmas. We had a wonderful time with the Kyser family. We enjoyed Christmas eve festivities and late night conversation followed by the ever exciting Christmas morning! It was great! Forgetting the fact that it was Sunday, Ogles and I only packed pj's and so we skipped church and just vegged at the Kyser's away from all the madness. Thanks to the joys of technology, power, and a mostly fast internet connection I got to skype with my family and all but be in the room with them as they started their own early morning Christmas festivities. Later that evening we had a lovely dinner with the Kyser and McDonald families. Overall I would say a lovely African Christmas.
The following two days were filled with movie watching and packing for our Cape Town adventure. Not a whole lot of excitement.
Finally we left for Cape Town. I had been secretly dreading the flight and other travel, but we made it just fine. No delays or hold ups any where it was wonderful. We arrived in Cape Town around 8:30 or so exhaustion only barely masking our thorough excitement about our adventure. We were met by some rather enthusiastic salesmen for a shuttle company. PERFECT! They took us straight to our hotel where we were quickly settled. After a bit of planning we went to bed resolved to wake up "a little bit early."
The next several days filled with fun and excitement as well as some much needed relaxation away from home. We ate nothing other than McDonalds, Subway, and ice cream. We shopped for days in this HUMONGOUS mall, and managed not to buy everything we saw. We took a bus tour of the city... Cape Town is gorgeous. As Ogles likes to say that hit the "geographical jackpot" withe the ocean to one side and the the mountains to the other. We took pictures, but I'm afraid all the pictures in the world could not do justice to the beauty. We walked around the city a bit and saw some of the touristy things and just had a good time. We also saw Phantom of the Opera! OH MY STARS! I think we cried through most of it. It was incredible. I think we would have seen in again and again if given the opportunity. While we didn't do anything crazy or too terribly exciting the trip was just what we needed. We were able to relax for the first time in months and just enjoy life for a bit.
After a week away we came back refreshed and ready to start the year. Well we still had two weeks of vacation during which we.... did absolutely nothing. (see there was good reason for my lack of "bloggage") I am fairly certain the only reason we left the house was to go grocery shopping one day. OH! Our new room mate is here, Tracy. That's right folks, 5 girls living in one house, any prayers you could spare would be greatly appreciated. Not that we're arguing or going crazy or anything, but all the same there are 5 of us in 1 house. Really though we like Tracy she is sweet and fun, we like her. The rest of our break consisted of us reading books and continuing in our goal to watch the entire series of Numbers before school started back up. We got pretty close. If it hadn't been for a few unfortunate and lengthy power outages I think we could have done it. Haha. Oh well, there is always Easter.
  School started back this Tuesday. While it was incredibly difficult to wake up at 5 am. It was nice to get back to school to see all the smiling faces and hear about what they all did over the holiday. Stories from kindergartens are always fun. So now that we're back into it all hopefully there will be more fun and exciting things to write home about. Soon the college will be back in session than things really will start to pick up.
Life in Malawi is difficult at times, with increasing government and economic issues things keep getting tougher. Fuel is practically nonexistent at times, power outages are increasing in frequency and the people here are getting angry and impatient.
As always continue to pray: pray for the country, the government, pray for patience and understanding on all accounts. Pray for continued financial support as we serve here.Pray that we will continue to seek God and his will and his teaching and guidance as we server here. Pray that we would have peace in every situation.

Until next time...
"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, 'Yet a little while and the coming one will come and not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." Hebrews 10.35-39 (I recommend the whole chapter.... the whole book!)

A long overdue update

It seems like things have been pretty crazy here the past couple of weeks finding time to stop and write a blog has been near impossible. On top of that the generator for the top half of campus is no longer working so we are often without power. It's okay we're finding ways to entertain ourselves and getting a lot of reading at such done.
Unfortunately, I missed... all of the countdown to Christmas break, but rest assured there was much counting down and happiness when it was all said and done. Let me see if I can give you a quick run down of what has happened in the last three weeks or so.
-we got a cat... her name is Beyonce she is probably one of the most obnoxious things I have ever seen. Lucky for her she is cute, and will (hopefully) one day eat many many rats and other unfortunate things.
-We eat a lot of pancakes. We try and make sure to share these with our wonderful friends
-We have sat in a few fuel queues some successfully others not so much.
-we have had some incredibly awkward conversations
-We were brave enough to take ourselves to the market, which really isn't all that bad. Santo, that sells us our vegetables really likes us so that's fortunate (kinda)
-We attended the MR. and MISS ABC pageant which was phenomenal and hilarious and just a really good time. It carries such a different atmosphere from anything like that back home. It was really enjoyable.
-We've managed to lay in bed for almost an entire day.
-We have contemplated our decision to come here... and despite what sometimes seems better judgement know that this is where we should be.
-Started and finished counting down to Christmas break
-Attended the Christmas band/choir/other random stuff concert at the college. The concert was probably one of the best things I have done here yet. The students are so sincere, and it was truly a blessing when I really needed one.
-I got a Christmas package from my family!!!! (and I have some how managed not to open anything yet.)
-we had lots of friends over for dinner (something other than pancakes)
-We made several attempts to visit the post office
-we spent an entire week making Christmas cookies with Michelle for the college. We would make them in the afternoon and take them up to the cafeteria and hand them out during dinner. We had so much fun and got to meet a lot of wonderful people!
-We successful had the Christmas program at the academy
-We played a crazy game with Michelle and bunch of the college students.
-We ran into some friends from home.
-WE SURVIVED OUR FIRST SEMESTER TEACHING AT ABC!!!!!!!!
We really did it. While teaching had been fun I am definitely glad for a break Ogles and I have made very few plans aside from spending some time in Cape Town and even then we didn't make many plans for that week. We're just planning on taking things as they come. Our only real plan is to watch the entire series of numbers before school starts again. So far we're well on our way. (HAHA) Thus far the break has been mostly uneventful and we're glad of it. We spent yesterday evening at a Christmas party with the Floreens which was excellent times we even managed to meet a few new people I think.  Not much else in the works for this week we may have some friends over for dinner. Saturday we'll head to the Kyser's to spend Christmas with them the we'll be packing and getting ready for Cape Town!

Thanks to everyone who is sending support in every form Money, letters, packages, e-mail, facebook, and most importantly prayer. I most definitely would not have made it this far without all the prayers and support from everyone.  Please continue to pray that we would have a restful and relaxing break. that we would have safe travels, and that we would continue to learn and be open to God's teaching even (especially) on our break.

Until next time...
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" Isaiah 6.8

The countdown is on!

It seems as though I have finally managed to coordinate working internet, power and actually have time to sit down and write a blog. It seems like everything and nothing has happened since I last posted.
Ogles and I have booked our tickets to Cape Town as well as our hotel room for the week (If you would still like contribute to this cause please let me know). We are so stinking excited about getting out for a bit. It will be a much needed break from life here. We didn't do a whole lot last week just the normal routine, which I am honestly okay with. Even the "normal" routine involves learning something new everyday. We're making it though. God is providing.
Last Friday was International Day here at ABC. This is a day that is in place to recognize the, over 23, different countries and cultures represented at our school. All of the kids come to school in "traditional" dress from their country. (Good luck if you're from America, Ogles and I decked out in sports gear and had a grand time!) There is a parade of countries and some entertainment including several national anthems and performance of local drummers which was excellent. (hopefully I can get some pictures posted, soonish) After that we all went back to our classrooms for a bit and then we feasted. All of the parents bring "traditional" food to share with the school. There was SO much food it was crazy! Everything was great, everyone look great and we had a lovely time. AND It RAINED! Oh the rain is a beautiful thing here! Later Friday night we went to Thanksgiving Potluck... where there was TURKEY! it was so delicious. We had a good time sharing a meal with many of the other single folks on campus and just having a good time.
Saturday we spent the day with the excellent Kyser family and enjoyed a more traditional southern Thanksgiving dinner (sans the turkey) and afterward watched White Christmas! We had so much fun we are so truly blessed to know the Kysers! They have made so many things so much easier. The rest of the weekend was pretty low key reading books watching movies... just relaxing before we were back to school on Monday.
AND SO NOW ONLY 3 WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for it to be Christmas time. We have our decorations up and our Christmas clothes out and basically everything that I am doing in school is Christmas something or another. HOORAY!

Until next time...

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3.1-8

I do not have a good title.

Lets see... what has happened since my last post...? Well we left off on Monday... So, Tuesday. Tuesday was a pretty average day wake up early (well less early considering the late night basketball game) and go to school. School was followed by parent conferences and a pizza night with the guys. (there was also a chop chop involved which Owen thankfully killed) Wednesday was game one of the championships so Ogles and I decided to nap that afternoon so we could stay up late and watch the game. The guys played hard but we lost. Thursday was back to school and more parent conferences and Friday was the same. Friday was the second game of the championships, another well played game but we lost putting us second. It was fun though and everyone played hard. The guys still have a few more opportunities to play before the season is completely over though.

Saturday we attempted, once again, to sleep in but our faithful friends came to sing at our windows. Clearly, by friends here I mean the men who are working to build a trench in our back yard, which is all of 5 feet from the back of our house to the wall around campus. Its okay though we've learned to just embrace them at some point one of them really did start singing and all I could do was laugh. 

Later that day some friends came over for lunch and just to hang out. I also had the opportunity to go to a wedding on Saturday for one of the girls that works at the academy. We only went for the reception, but it was fun. One of the main things they do is call up different groups of people to dance and throw money around the new couple. We arrived just as they were calling up the ABC staff, what an experience. 

After the wedding we came home and decided that ice cream was clearly in our future so we drove up the street to have ice cream and coke (no judgment please). While we were sitting around Michelle called and told us there was petrol at such-and-such a place and we should go, and so we did... only to find out that they had stopped pumping for the evening and we would could come back at 6am. Okay that was the plan. We went back home and were just sitting around when Michelle called again and send several other places where also pumping and we should go to one of them after some (much) debating we decided we should probably go. So we drove around town for a bit, but no luck. So we came home and resolved to go back out in the morning. 

Sunday... Ogles got up around... EARLY... and took some students from the college and went and managed to be car number 5 in the queue and get almost a full tank of gas! Praise the Lord!  We also had lunch with with a lovely family Sunday afternoon and then spent the rest of the day being lazy. SUNDAY was also the 100th day we have been in Malawi!!!!

Monday morning... day 101... the stomach bugs strikes! Ugh! apparently tons of people on campus came down with this rather nasty bug... and in true Aly and Ogles style we managed to catch it. Ogles was out most of Monday and I was out Monday and most of Tuesday... WEDNESDAY we recovered!  and its back to work I was so glad to be back with my students today (even if they were a bit crazy). As for the rest of the week nothing much is planned except for the LECRAE CONCERT ON SUNDAY!!!!! Ahhh! I am so stinking excited!!! You have no idea! Lecrae is coming to Africa... TO Malawi.... TO LILONGWE... Ahhh! This is so great! 

Things are still hard sometimes, I still miss home... the thought of not spending Thanksgiving with my family is tough, but I believe that God has called me here and he will provide for me as he already has time and time again. (today I got a thanksgiving card from my mom! and several other pieces of mail!!! Mail is great here by the way!) For that I am so thankful!!  I'm learning something new everyday, some things are hard some things I've learned before, but all of them are good things. 

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement! We need all we can get here! 

Until next time... 

 "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

   for his steadfast love endures forever!

 Let Israel say,
   "His steadfast love endures forever."
 Let the house of Aaron say,
   "His steadfast love endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
   "His steadfast love endures forever."

  Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
   the LORD answered me and set me free.
 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
   What can man do to me?
 The LORD is on my side as my helper;
   I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
   than to trust in princes." Psalm 118.1-9

Listen closely

... I realized today that I have not been listening closely for God. I have expected him to jump out at me to come through the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, but I've not been listening for the whisper.
    Last week was tough, the lack of power, Internet, fuel, water, and sleep accompanied by tense relationships and close quarters made for a really emotional week. Honestly, most of this I can deal with quite easily. Sure its an inconvenience, or just plain obnoxious, but you deal with it, you move on, no big deal. The things that really make life here difficult are my own struggles, things that make me more comfortable, things like anxiousness and worry. If I can just fret about something I'll be okay... right? NO! Praise the Lord he puts intelligent people in my life. A very wise friend said "Quit giving Satan names." What  I really wanted to say was. SHUT UP, Don't say things like that to me! Just feel sorry for me and let me have it. Thankfully another wise friend who God sent with me to Africa said, "He's right you know...." Okay guys smack me in the face one more time why doncha... Well they didn't have to God took care of that as well.
    Last Wednesday it was one year since a dear friend of mine passed away. I was reading on of the last sermons he wrote, and was encouraged and convicted even more than I had been. I am so grateful  for Christian and the live he lived. What a magnificent example his life was and has continued to be to me and many others.
    It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made last week so incredibly difficult but I'm glad its over and we can start new... a new week... a new beginning. I'll be listening closely this week for the whisper.  PRAISE THE LORD!

In other news we started off this week, Monday, by going to the guys basketball game. The team has made it into the championship playoffs (secretly I'm really confused about all of it) but Ogles and I went to the game last night and it was really great. First off I got to hold the sweetest baby in the world and just enjoy her and it was great. Second, the guys played a great game, and really close game. In the last period of the game the students started singing hymns... I promise for the next 8 minutes or so the other team did not score. It was all really excellent, and we won! so Wednesday we'll play the championship game and see what happens there. It was great!  The week is young, it's been a good week thus far fun things are happening my God is big, bigger than all of the mess that is my life some days.
Please continue to pray... Pray for Malawi its tough right now, things are crazy. Pray for ABC, for the students, teachers, staff, everything you can think of. Pray for peace, wisdom and understanding, and lastly pray for continued financial support. I feel your prayers here more than I can express and I am so grateful!

Until next time...
"And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind and earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper...." 1 Kings 19. 11-12 (I strongly encourage reading the rest of the chapter)

A day in the life of...

Not much has happened since my last post... last was a busy week, but it was pretty routine... kinda. I don't really know everything is mushing together, but I'll do my best to tell you about a day in the life of... well me and the many roles I seem to have found myself in here.
Sunday was actually not typical, since Ogles and I were both free of any duties at IBF on Sunday we decided to visit Flood which is a church popular with the singles and college students here on campus. It was good, it is a bit more contemporary, a bit more like church back home, but I think O and I both realized that IBF is where we need to be right now and we're happy there. It was fun to visit though, I'm sure we'll go back.
Mmmmonday, was back to school after our week off, it was a long day. The fabulous routine we had finally fallen into was nonexistent, and the day was just challenging, but we made it! Later that night we went to the basketball game (GO LIONS!) here on campus it was a really great game, the guys played hard and won! It was a very different atmosphere instead of yelling and screaming everyone sings and dances, and just enjoys the game for what it is.
Tuesday was a much better day at school. I was so glad that it didn't take the kids long to get back in the swing of things. Tuesday night Ogles and I ran off and had dinner. Its always nice to escape campus for a while and just sit and be normal and not have to think about and analyze everything I say. Afterward we came back and just hung out around campus we went to the caf and spent some time there and then we just walked around and were lazy. At some point Tuesday night there was NO ONE at my house except me and it was wonderful and peaceful... I'm praying it happens more often. :D
Wednesday was another day of getting up early and heading out off to school. I really enjoy being greeted by my students every morning. They are always so excited and full of love. Wednesday is staff Bible Study on campus. This week we had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Kamadan (Not sure how to spell that) He is know around campus as Uncle Krabby. He brought a message about being joyful even in the trials. It was such a refreshing and MUCH needed reminder. Life here is special there are rules and regulations for everything and sometimes that is suffocating... other times is frustrating and sometime its just obnoxious. However I realize rule are good... I like rules... but sometimes I am not sure what the rules are that's hard. Also, its November... waking up in to the heat is just a little bit sad. Everyone back home is enjoying the nice fall weather and carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating... don't get me wrong I love it here we're doing fun things its just not the same traditions that we're used to and love. Not to worry though I have already started decorating for Christmas and since there is no Thanksgiving in Malawi I see no reason to put off the rest of the decorating. SO all of that to say a message on joy was just what we needed right now. Praise the Lord he always provides.
Thursday was back to school... haha this is fun (you should at least pretend) Thursday I had my computer at school and my current background is a picture of Ogles (Miss O), Owen (Mista Owen), and myself. (Miss O comes into my room every Tuesday to help with reading centers so my kids know her well) So a bunch of my kids were standing and looking at the picture when one of the says, "Miss Weimer, I didn't know you knew Mista Owen..." Confused I look at them I said, "Guys, Mr. Owen works across the hall, we see him all the time, he come into our classroom EVERYDAY." They returned my confused expression and said, "Yes but we didn't know you KNEW Mista Owen." Okay okay fair enough I really enjoy this age and their mindset. Later that day they were looking at the picture again and one of them asked me. "Where was that picture at?" So, I said, "that picture is at Mr. Owen's house." to which the replied wide eyed... "MISTA OWEN HAS A HOUSE!" at this point I just had to laugh they are so cute I didn't even know what to do. Thursday was also shopping day so Ogles and I mustered up all of our courage and went shopping... okay not really we asked Owen to come and since Owen is a wonderful person he toted us around town and even led us on our first adventure to the clothes market. In order to get to the clothes market you have to cross, what I am sure is the most unsafe bridge in the entire world. I was scared, fortunately Ogles is awesome and didn't rat me out she just let me walk in front of her slowly slowly slowly until we got to the other side. Oh! such good times. 
Friday was a lovely day the weather was a bit cooler and everyone was looking forward to the weekend. Ogles and I decided to skip pot luck and enjoy a quiet evening at our house, and then we went and watched the girls basketball game (AHHH THERE IS A HUGE SPIDER) AHHHHHHH!
Saturday of course was sleep in late and do nothing day later that day we made  p(that spider is really close  to me this is no good) pancakes for dinner and then watched despicable me. what a good way to end the day! (EISH! Its a chop chop! Allison is my HERO! She is trying kill it! there is much screaming, don't judge!) Okay I cna't even think right now. I have tortured you enough with my life. Much love keep the prayers coming we need all we can get!!
 Until next time,
"Count it pure joy, my brothers, when you meet trial of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1: 2-3


also pray that this spider dies!