9/28

Today I took free time to really pray and decompress from all the new things I've been learning.

With such an accelerated rate of change, it seems like my mood takes a lot of ups and downs. I know that usually isn't a good thing, but it is so constructive and exactly what I came here for, so I am really learning to rejoice in the confusion and frustration just as I can in the new understanding.

After free time, we started our "International Night" with a traditional German dinner of sauerkraut,  bratwurst, pretzels, sparkling apple juice, and Bavarian Cream with strawberries (once again, so much for eating healthy :P).

Afterwards, each country represented here gave a presentation. We began with Germany, whose citizens had created a sort of game show with a couple lessons about their country, followed by a play showing the common stereotypes held about the German people.

Next was Switzerland, then Canada had a history of their country and a series of lip-syncing students depicting Justin Bieber, Shania Twain, and Michael Buble.

Then came the Netherlands and the Philipines. Then the U.S. with a movie about a few American stereotypes, some making fun of Canada, and a music video we made to the tune of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA", quite classy. (I even danced in the video! Needless to say, I have an incredible amount of talent=P) Also represented was Israel, Serbia, Russia, and Malaysia.

A small group of us finished off the night with an all-girls swim in the freezing cold lake. I figured I had to do it at some point, and it turned out to be quite the bonding experience.


Ezekiel 34:11-16
New International Version (NIV)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.