Hey! :) If you are reading this, then you may already know about the exciting journey we are on. In less than 3 weeks, we will be moving to the other side of the world! At this moment, I am sitting amongst boxes and messes trying to stay glued to this seat to finish this "To Do List" line item so I can free up some brain space by crossing off one more item off of my super long list. This is a very difficult task because the boxes are still calling my name!
Back to the point.
So "Are we CRAZY?" Why YES, yes I do believe we are!!!
We are packing up and heading to the UAE (United Arab Emirates) in the Middle East. I, Amy have accepted a teaching position for the next 2 years. This is an exciting opportunity to take what I know of education to help with their educational reform. They are undergoing a 10 year educational reform, recruiting Western educators to come help take their educational system to a new level.
It has been a whirlwind of events already! We have already experienced every emotion---and we aren't even there yet! Regardless of the emotion, we can stand up on this truth--we know that God has called us to this new adventure. A couple months ago, some were asked to pray specifics at the time of the interview, and this was a portion of the prayer: "Please Lord, do not be silent." And He wasn't! He was VERY CLEAR! We are a testimony of 300 NO's leading to the 1 YES! Greg's favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11---"For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." WAITING AND TRUSTING---WAITING AND TRUSTING. This has been our theme for lessons being learned for a while now. Sooooo, again, we are waiting and trusting for what is yet to come!
I am so excited, and as you know, I could talk for days! I wish I could tell you every detail of what the Lord has done so far. I just get so excited that I want to tell everyone- EVERYTHING! But I will chill.....and try to use fewer words. SOME people appreciate FEWER words! lol
OKAY. Here we go. We want to keep you up to date on our journey in another land. We also want to know about YOU! I know that hearing from you will bring comfort to us on the tough and lonely days. Have I mentioned that none of the Davidsons speak Arabic? So hearing from you in English will be exactly what we need! haha
Here are a few specifics, you will indeed think we are crazy after reading this! :) We are also asking that you please pray for us and pray for these details as well.
*Please pray for smooth transitions
*We do not know when exactly we are leaving. We will get the plane tickets in the mail---there may be 1 for me, or all 4 at the same time. We won't know until the tiickets arrive! If it's just mine, the rest of the clan will come a month later! We are praying that we ALL get to leave at the same time!
*We don't know where we will be living, where I will be teaching, or what grade I will be in UNTIL we get there! (typing this, I am laughing out loud because IT IS CRAZY!)
*VERY IMPORTANT---please pray for us to find the RIGHT school for Hayden and Riley! This is a "stress" I find myself laying at His feet every morning, or driving down the road when the sweat outbreaks and heart racing starts!
* Speaking of sweat---I don't want to die of heatstroke while there either! :)
*Cars to sell before leaving
*a JOB for Greg! No, we don't know what he will be doing over there but praying for opportunities to open up for him quickly.
*Pray for Amy and her new school. All of you teacher people----you know how to pray specifically! SO PLEASE DO! Pray for my Administration---that they would be on board with this new reform and embrace theWestern educators. Pray for my classroom---that God would give me exactly who I need and who needs me. I've been told I will most likely be in an all boy's school 1st/2nd grade. EEEEEK!!!! Boys don't scare me---but boys in a culture that doesn't respect women and/or discipline DO! oh my.....I'm sweating now, so I will stop on that note and trust you to pray! HA!
* Please pray for Hayden and Riley. Oh my, I can't see to type because now I'm crying. I know they are resilient. I know they are HIS. I know they will be fine. I just pray that it would be a smooth transition for them, that they will adjust quickly to a new school and a new culture quickly. I pray that the Lord would use them mightily---beyond their age and understanding to love on and shine Jesus to those they come into contact with. I pray they would learn more about the love of Jesus and trust and depend on Him in ways like never before as they learn how to do life in a very dark place.
*We have found a church that we will look into. HOWEVER, we have no idea how close we will be to it or any others. Please pray that we will find Christian fellowship, other Believers close by and a place to call our church "home" for a while.
*Please pray that MY personality, loud laughter and constant talking to strangers would not get me into trouble! It is somewhat frowned up there for women to be quite like me! haha
I will stop there for now! Thank you so much for loving us, following us, encouraging and praying for us. We love you and appreciate you. You have touched our lives more than you know. You each hold a special spot in our story. Thank you!
