The First Time I've Sat Down

I even took a picture out the
plane window!

To all my partners and friends, 

I've only been in Dallas, TX for 11 days and it has felt like a month. It started with my very first plane flight, which went less horribly than I'd imagined. My seat was in the emergency exit row. You cannot cover the windows when you're in the emergency exit row. As I'm sure you can imagine, I panicked a little. However, in my fear, God provided for me. A kind man sat to my right who fueled me with tips for flying and navigating the Dallas airport. Two Christian women sat across the aisle from me. They welcomed me into their conversation, took pictures out the window for me, and one of them even let me hold her hand as we took off and landed. It was a beautiful reminder to me that God sees my fears, and to Him they are significant. 

72 cm high

We started with a week of Pre-Field Orientation (PFO). During that week all the interns got to know one another and formed deeper connections within their teams. My team, the Red Team, is amazing. We've all become friends and it feels like I've known them for years. We shared our life stories and also built an award-winning spaghetti-marshmallow tower. 

This past week has been Discovery. During Discovery, missionaries from Pioneer Bible Translators come to present. These presentations have covered all sorts of topics from dealing with spiritual warfare on the field, to literacy development in orally based cultures. Did you know that there are approximately 7,300 languages in the world? Or that one of the biggest needs on the missions field are business people? I didn't know either! It has truly been a fantastic learning experience. 

I finally met the Deaf Group face-to-face after nearly three years of talking with them. We all exchanged hugs. I was so excited I could hardly breathe! One night Mark Lowenstein, our fearless leader, gave a presentation. The sheer joy of experiencing American Sign Language in a ministry setting brought me to tears. I'm finally here, guys! 

One thing the interns have been practicing this week is listening for God's voice. Yesterday, we did an activity where we asked God what He wanted to speak to us, and then waited. The most random thing stuck out to me in the room: the sound dampeners hung all over the walls. I was like, "Okay God, so what?" I thought about their use and how teachers use similar things to dampen the noise in their classrooms. Teachers have important things to say to their students. I care about them and I want them to be able to hear my voice. However, if my students do not want to hear me, they won't listen. God spoke to me saying, "My dear daughter, I am the same. I will give you every tool you need to hear My voice, you only need to stop and listen."

The Red Team!

I'm sure you can tell that my schedule has been very busy! Every night I have been excited and relieved to crawl into bed. Even so, I have learned so much already. I am so thankful for all of your prayers and support as I finished up school and prepared for the summer. Here are some ways you can continue praying for me:

-Pray that, while our schedules are packed, the Lord would give me and my teammates good rest and motivation for the day. 

-While I am leaving early, pray that God will use the time I have here to be a blessing both for me and the groups I'll be a part of (Deaf Group, Third Culture Kids Group, Red Team, etc.)

 -Pray that the Lord would protect me from any evil anxiety so I can be bold. 

Let's not forget to praise the Lord for the beautiful things He has done already:

-I am praising God that my internship did not happen last year. He brought me here just at the right time to refocus my desires, to meet the right people, and to grow my relationship with Him before I move out on my own. His timing is perfect.  

-Thank the Lord for the kind people He brought to me to help me through my first flight! From Emma helping me buy my tickets and frontloading me with tips, to the kind woman who held my hand while I was afraid, to the lovely flight attendant who made sure I was doing okay. God provides for me and sees me in all circumstances. 

-The girls on the Red Team are amazing. We've worked well together the past 11 days, and I am hoping our friendships are long-lasting. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support! I couldn't be here without you! 

Love and hugs, 

Rebekah Knisley