first Sunday reflections...

I walked into children's church today for the first time, never having met the kids before. Nathan introduced me, and one girl said, "You were a counselor at camp, and you've stayed at my house." (Both statements were true; last year I led a BS group for a youth retreat weekend, and we were at her house). Another said, "Yeah, didn't you have long hair at camp?"

Ummm, that was a year ago. And they remembered me?!?! I forget how much children absorb and remember, and how much more responsibility that gives me, as someone who will be working with them. And I had a flashback to this summer, where I would see Elami and some of the girls scold the others using the exact same words, tone, and hand motions that I did. Even at age 3!! It is a sobering realization, with a heavy implication.

The new church is sweet. The people are sweet. But it's hard to know exactly what my spot is. I won't have a consistent job on Sunday mornings, just filling in wherever I'm needed. Which is cool and all. But it's a new place with new people and new kids, and I haven't fully claimed it as my own yet, so I have a hard time just jumping in and doing stuff. It's an odd feeling. I did a lot of observing, trying to get a grasp of what this place is about, and what my place is in it.

In many ways, it's South Africa all over again. Fortunately there's no language barrier, but I've just kinda been thrown in to this thing not fully knowing what's going on or what I'm doing, though others seem to assume that I know. And I know that I'll adapt and figure the place out (it took less than 2 months to feel at home in SA), but it will just take time. And with all the other changes going on in my life right now, it's just a lot. When classes start, it will be better because I will have a set schedule. I like schedules and the consistency they bring. I need that type of structure, because then I can better determine how I can best spend my time.