Even toilets are important!

I learned a very important lesson today. We all of the english teachers met and it was nice to be able to talk with everyone and chat about our classes. Today we were to share something we've learned over the past couple of weeks. I mentioned that I've learned I need to work on patience. My director asked me what comes to mind when I say that I need patience. As I began to explain I began to cry. One of the things I hate about culture shock is that you become very aware of yourself and almost to a fault. I think it's important to be self aware but culture shock does something different to you where a lot of things are just about you! It's best to not do this alone where satan can have a dark place to feed off. I shared with the group that my stuff with patience is that we talk about building relationships and I'm not able to at this point. I can chat to a point with people but then we don't understand each other. That's an odd feeling for me. I am not use to getting to know someone and there being such a barrier when it comes to communicating and the conversations growing over time. So my issue has been well then all I do is work. I teach english and come home and do it all over again the next day. A teammate who has been here for about 6 years says she dealt with the same stuff when she arrived. And she realized that God was showing her that even in her working she is demonstrating Christ through her attitude, interactions with the kids, and smile to the teachers. While it doesn't feel like much this can still be opening doors that will allow others to share about Christ. She said that at one point she said she was willing to do it even if it was cleaning toilets so that a door could be opened or that it helped another person get to share about Christ. That is an amazing perspective to have! It really put things into perspective for me today. My attitude when I left that meeting was completely different than when I arrived. It's so true, chances are I won't get to sit down with many people and have very deep conversations with them about Christ and what he's done in my life. But just by teaching and being here that is a difference. My being here does matter. We really don't know what impact God make on peoples lives by us just being there. Someone else may get to water the seeds but at least I get to do some planting right now. I like the thought of that...I'm just planting.