Coach C on campus at TASOK

If anyone is reading this...here is part of a recent email from Steve (Coach "C"). It is late and I am avoiding going to bed for the last time here on Turnagin Ct...very strange.
Anyway, here's Steve:
Classes are going great. I just passed a senior in the hallway who thanked me for being a great PE teacher......she had a PE class at the same time I had a class with my 8th graders...I took them all and exercised them and ran a fitness test (the Pacer test). The kids have been working hard and are challenged by the testing.
A little 4th grader came up to me today and said sadly "Coach C, I am moving home on Saturday"...he said "my mom is too scared something is going to happen to us and so we're moving home. Dad is staying here but we're going" I told him that that makes me sad and he said "me too, our home and our car are even bullet and bomb proof, but she is still scared. She thinks someone will come into the school campus and hurt everyone." He wants me to come see him....he was so cute....telling me about 8 times his address in some suburb of Dayton.

I can't wait till your here to make our place homey....I made a really cool headboard out of sliced bamboo...really neat looking but the smell may have been why I got sick....It has a real distinct smell so I am letting it 'air out' to see if the smell will go away before I put it back in again. Hopefully it will as it ages....

Steve is good

I talked to Steve this morning, and he sounds good. They cancelled school today, but he said he feels safe. The school is near Kibula's headquarters so that's why it is noisy where he lives.
Below is something Naomi sent that encouraged me this morning...I thought we could all glean from it. So true, enjoy! gc

Thought of you this morning when I was reading in my one-year Bible .... I'm in Job right now and at the end of the reading, John McArthur had a short note on the subject of why God doesn't answer all of Job's (and our) questions.

He uses the illustration of a little girl jumping off some steps into her daddy's arms .... she asks, will you catch me? he says, yes I will, and then she may jump or there may be endless versions of the first question. If she does jump, it will be more because of whom she knows her father to be than because of his answer to one of her questions. The fact that she jumps is not because she has run out of fears or questions, but because her trust is greater than her fears or questions.

So .... Grace heads for the Congo on Sept. 5, not because she has run out of fears or questions, but because her trust is greater than her fears or questions.... and she knows who her Father is!!

Blessings,

Naomi

TANKS in the streets

Just a quick update...election craziness on the streets of Kinshasa. All Americans have been advised to stay indoors at night and not be in crowds etc. If you are reading this, I'd really appreciate it if you'd say a special prayer for that place, and of course, for Steve. It is so hard to be here with him there, and at the same time, I don't want to leave here!
Steve had his first day of school today. All the Christians are saying he is an answer to prayer. There were no sports (to speak of) til he came. We are still at peace that this is where we are to be...but being at peace doesn't necessarily mean it is easy.
Thank you!
gc

Email from Steve

here is some news from Steve. Please pray for him!Hey....its Tuesday Evening. I just got our computer set up with the total help from Mike. They are awesome and have been really special to me. Have had a great 2 days at school....love the small staff...a few really interesting staff members and lots of really cool people....you'll love them all as they all have an adventurous heart. Really impressed with Rob Leavelle (?) as a leader.

I was first bent a little because what my assignment was suppose to be has been pretty radically changed....I am teaching elementary PE - Middle School PE. Classes are twice a week for each class..different big time for me....and I am not coaching swimming. Golf will not be a sport but a once a week activity (if we can gain approval from the course). I am officially
coaching tennis and High school guys soccer. But that may change in the
future....that's kinds how it seems to work around here. We created seasons the other day (when certain sports will be played)....they have no set program from year to year. Kinda weird but whatever.....

Been downtown twice now.....yesterday with Rob to shop for some necessities and today for lunch/dinner with 5 other staff. We had a great time at a rest. Then to a store for a little shopping. Most everything is super expensive here....spent 150 on food and stuff....$47 for detergent...had I known I would never have gotten it....it was definitely a lesson for me.....milk is like $3 for one of those cartons that we got in Ro.

Steve made it!

Steve called early Sunday am and he is there with ALL his bags. He said our apt. is great (needs rugs), and that he feels good. So, thanks again for your prayers.He starts meetings tomorrow.
gc

Steve is off!

Unbelieveable...we got to LAX at 6:15 AM, and Steve with 11 check-ins was through by 6:50! Thank you for your prayers! We are exhausted from painful good-byes (and I have to do it all again!), and time-pressed packing..but still enjoying God's peace and assurance.

Goodbyes...

Last feeding from 'Poppy'

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age...and in the age to come." (Mark 10:29)
we're holding tight to this truth...