The Zoo: Part 2

This post is part #2.  If you would like to start from the beginning, click here.

Now we've come along to my favorite event of the day.  You see, this one kid in Callie's class had been toting around a banana the entire time.  He was waiting for the monkeys, and he was so excited that he was sweating!!  When we arrived at the monkeys, the kids tried to figure out how on earth they could get the banana to the monkeys.

First they held up the banana and taunted the monkeys.  They went nuts.  Grunting, clapping, and waving for the teacher to give the banana.

Never fear.  Teacher had a plan!  He tossed the banana over the wall.  The kids cheered.  The monkeys converged on the banana.

Unfortunately, I could not get a good picture of this event because my jaw was on the ground!  I could not believe what I was witnessing!  The last time I went to the zoo in America they wouldn't even let people drink from straws, let alone get near an animal.  And I am pretty sure you'd have been shot if you pulled a stunt like this. 

After the success of the banana the monkeys wanted more.  Unfortunately that was the only banana.  So the kids came up with various snacks from their snack-bags.  The monkeys were not a fan of salty snacks.

So we moved on to sweet snacks.  They were a hit!!

But again, the minimal fencing was making it hard to pass harmful snacks to the animals.  So, what did teacher do?

He tossed a package of cookies over the wall to the monkeys!!  See that blue wrapper in that monkey's had.  Those are tasty treats thanks to our class!!

Next, we moved on to another nightmare involving monkeys.  You may know that I am not a fan of birds.  I hate them and cannot stand to be near them.  Before the trip I was worried that I would have to get close to a bird.  Other than the peacock- which again, my jaw was on the ground and I was too shocked to freak out- the birds didn't bother me.  But, these monkeys have been showing up in my nightmares!!

Check out this inventive cage system.  The monkeys can look down on you.  They have little bowls on chains that they drop down and people are supposed to put food in.  They were throwing those bowls down, screeching like well... psychotic monkeys, and then pulling them back up as fast as they could.  If they didn't like the food placed in the bowl they'd throw it down at the people.  

I was terrified.  If I had been pooped on, or in any way hit with feces, I was going to take a taxi cab home that moment- regardless of the cost!!  

One of the little girls in the class was going ballistic.  She could not pass under the cage.  I had to cover her with myself and drag her body under it, running  like freaks.  That's all great, but no one was there to do that for me.  Mom?  Where were you?  I needed my mommy!!!

This fine animal had managed to peel back the wire on his cage.  So he could stick his arm way out and grab at the children.  Here he is waiting to strike!  Yes, folks, we are taking about monkey nightmares for weeks!!!

This grotesque animal sure didn't help things.  Not even the baby was cute!!

After we survived the monkey nightmare we went into the aquarium and reptile house.  Nothing crazy.  Business as usual for the coldbloods.

Then we came across this cute little dear.  Hope he doesn't bite!  I've seen those things maul people on When Animals Attack.

The camel came out to see us.

He liked this kid!!

After the petting zoo sort of area we arrived here:

Now, I cannot for the life of me understand this goofy sports equipment.  They have it al throughout the city in parks.  But, seriously... at the zoo?  Why on earth did they put exercise equipment at the zoo?  The kid in the foreground with the blue and orange sweat shirt is Gökan.  He is the kid that brought the banana for the monkeys.

Some of the kids did the pony rides.

For most of them it was their first chance to ride a pony.  Some were scared and some were thrilled.

Isn't she adorable?

Giddy- Up!

Next to the exercise equipment and pony rides there was a playground.  The whole class played on this merry-go-round.

They played that fun game:  spin and spin and spin until someone falls down or barfs.

Ever heard of it?  Its fun!

The ponies were in a cute little corral.  Also, in the corral were tons of bunnies.  The pony man was very careful not to let his bunnies escape when opening and closing the gate for the children doing the pony rides.

Callie's teacher reached down in the pen and picked up a bunny to show the kids.  He set it down so everyone could get a closer look and pet the sweet little bunny.

It hopped away!!

We worked our way through the rest of the zoo.  And ended up at back at the big cats.

This panther looks like it want to tear this kid's face off!

That was the end of our zoo adventure!

Throughout the day only two kids got lost- Isa and Ibrahim... that's Jesus and Abraham.  Figures!  Historically they've been quite the leaders!  But we found them fairly quickly. 

We boarded the bus and headed home.  I may have dozed off for a bit and woke up to find all the kids laughing at me.  But, by that point I didn't care, all kids were alive and accounted for.  None of the pleading mothers would be disappointed!  

Praise the Lord!!

The zoo was AWESOME!!!  I can't wait to volunteer for the next field trip!!

The Zoo

This is a repost of one of my favorite stories ever.  It's really cold and rainy.  Justin is in Korea.  The kids are stir-crazy.  So I need a laugh!

The time has come for me to share with you one of the most interesting cultural experiences that I have ever had.  Make sure you've had your coffee and you're in a comfortable chair.  This could take awhile!

A month ago when I was at the Women's Retreat, Justin and another friend whose wife was at the conference got together and took the kids to the zoo.  Thats 2 dads and 5 kids if you're counting.

When they returned and I returned they had the most amazing and crazy storied about their adventure at the zoo.  Needless to say, it was unlike any zoo trip they've ever experienced!  So, obviously I was dying to experience the zoo, too!

Not a week later we got a paper home saying that the kids' school was sponsoring a field trip and Callie's class was participating.  I sent the teacher a note and asked if I could come, too.  I mean really, who wouldn't want to help chaperone 53 7 and 8 year olds as they ran through a maze of improperly caged wild animals?

WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?

The day of the field trip arrived.  Callie and I showed up at school bright and early in the morning excited for the day's events.  Callie was talking so fast smoke was coming out of her jaws!  The mass of unorganized people was my first clue that this field trip was going to be different than ones I'd been on in the past!

**A little note- Have I ever told you about mothers in this country?  WOW!  They are the most overprotective worry warts on the planet!  But not about what we would consider important like safety or discipline.  They just hover without really doing anything but constantly making sure their child is properly bundled up for the weather.  Its a constant battle against being too cold and too hot.  If their child sweats, surely they will get sick!  If their child gets cold, surely they will get sick!

So anyway, the children all lined up in their class lines and the mothers crowded in around the children being nosey and bossy but not really helping anything.  Then they heard that I was going along on the trip.  Mothers started coming up to me and begging me to help take care of their child, help them int he bathroom, make sure they stayed with the group, protect them, etc.

This is when I started to panic.

I was nodding, "of course'" to the moms but on the inside thinking, I couldn't pick their child out in a lineup.  My heart was pounding with the responsibility.  2 adults 50 kids, and one of those adults was pretty inept at the language.  This should be interesting.

The classes piled onto 8 charter busses and off we went.  You would have thought we were setting out on a world tour by the way the moms were standing next to the busses waving, and ultimately following the busses waving for bit.

The entire one hour drive out to the zoo I prayed for the Lord's mercy and helping hand over these kids, and that the parents of whichever child(ren) who was lost or mangled by an animal would forgive me in due time.  I was certain that not all of us would be returning on that bus.

Luckily I was seated next to a odd child who thought that I was interesting and kept rattling on the whole time.  He had great questions like, "can you write in American?" "What do Americans eat?" "What is my favorite animal?" "What animals will we see?"  The list was endless and my head was throbbing.

We arrived at the zoo at 11:00.  Um... zoo doesn't open until 11:30.  I guess nobody thought to check that minor detail!

So the eight charter busses full of excited, unruly, screaming children back (yes, I said back) their way up a VERY steep hill and drop us all off at the park on the top.

Hello people trying to enjoy a nice quiet walk in the park.  A few hundred kids have arrived!!!  Hope you like screaming!!

We were up by the windmill, and the zoo was way down in that valley.  I can't say this enough, we backed up the mountain, in a charter bus,  to this park.  I was thanking God that in His wisdom and great plans we were all going to die so that then I wouldn't have to answer to the parents of the lost and/or mangled children when we returned to the school.

But, we survived.  And after a  few minutes of running around and eating the lunches that they were supposed to eat later we hopped back on the bus and again headed toward the zoo.  This time it was open.

We saw lovely creatures like this:

I was at the back of the group praying to God that no one got left behind when I heard screaming and saw children scattering and running for their lives.  Feathers were flying and sound of wings frantically flapping filled the air.  The kids parted and this is what was coming my way:

Callie's teacher wrestling and ultimately capturing a peacock!  Look at the kids.  They've hopped fences and are fleeing to the hills!

He managed to get the bird in his arms.

After a bit more struggling,

and wing flapping,

and last ditch efforts,

the bird reconciled to his fate.

The teacher explained to the kids all about peacocks, and then released the bird.  As we were walking away, some old lady walked right up to the peacock and snatched one of its fancy feathers out!!  I used to feel sorry for the animals in cages.  I think in this country the animals in the cages are the lucky ones!!

We moved along looking at the animals.  The teacher had told the kids to bring pencil and paper to take notes on each animal.  So the kids were walking around like little detectives writing down who knows what!

We came along to the lions' cage.  The teacher explained to us that this was a mom and 3 babies.  The babies were 8 months old.  You can see him sort of reaching towards the cage.

That's because he was playing Here Kitty, Kitty with the babies.  They would jump up and bat against the cage.  I was waiting for him to lose a finger, or at least his camera!

Then we arrived at the bears' den.  Doesn't this bear look close?

That's because he was!  (Have I ever told you that safety is not really a concern in this country?)

Here he is looking up at the children.  They are furiously searching through their snack-bags for food to toss at the bear.

He liked the food and wanted more!  Hey kids!  Who wants to pet a hungry bear?  

Hello bird!

This post is getting too long.  I will continue the rest tomorrow.  The monkey story will shock you!!!

Justin, I Miss You

Pictures... Finally

Remember this thrilling and terrifying event?

My sweet friend, Aly, sent me some pictures:

Mayhem outside the stadium.

Never again in my life will I get to sit in such awesome seats!
Did I tell you I caught a ball?  I had to throw it back, of course. :(

All the women watching and chanting.

At the end of the game police surround the field to make sure no one tries to get on it.

Sunday Sneak Peak: Birthday Edition

Somebody in my house turned 5 this week!!

Show Us Your Life: Narnia

Today, I'm joining up with Kelly's Korner Blog to share a bit about our lives here in Narnia.


I grew up in the church, and from about middle school I felt the Lord calling me to full-time overseas missions.  Because all of my experience (i.e.- short term mission trips) were in Latin and South America and I spoke Spanish, I figured for sure that is where I was headed.  However, the Lord opened Justin and my eyes to unreached people.  There is a whole slew of people who have never gotten even one chance to hear the truth about Jesus.

So, as we began to get serious about going overseas, we surrendered our dreams of serving in Latin America and watched as He lead us to the Middle East.  We have been here for over four years loving and serving Muslims.  We live a pretty ordinary life, and try our best to do things just like everyone around us does while letting Jesus shine through us.

Although you can read all about Narnia in the New Testament and many of the early Christian churches started and thrived here, it is now 99.9% Muslim.  Our friends and neighbors are so very kind, but they are stuck under an overbearing and zealous government, religious traditions that play into every aspect of daily life, lack of education, and lack of truth.  In this land of 70 million people, there are only about 3 thousand Christians.  The people here have no hope, and their hearts are very hardened to the Lord.

Because we serve in a closed country we have to be a bit careful about how and what we communicate.  So we always call our country of service Narnia.  Legend has it, C.S. Lewis actually wrote several of the books from his Chronicles of Narnia series in this country.  Also, he borrowed from the language.  Aslan is the local word for lion and Cadis (the White Witch) is from the local word for witch, cadı.  This is the land that always has winter, but never Christmas.  And, of course, it's the home of the special dessert that Edmund likes best.


So anyway... that's enough background info.  I though that you'd like to see a few pictures from our lives here...

This is me, Elizabeth.  Hi!
I don't usually wear a headscarf unless I am going to something where the Koran will be read.

This is my stovetop.
Everyone here uses double teapots like this, and drinks  tea non-stop throughout the day.
The big pot is full of stuffed grape leaves that my neighbors and I made.

Drinking tea with some friends.

My daughter (second row, second from the left) participating in a folk dance for one of the big local holidays.

Shopping for vegetables.

Cutting through the fish market while trying not to have to hold my nose and gag!

Big huge mosques like this are very prevalent.

Smaller local mosques like this are located every few blocks.

Exploring the old city walls with my two older kids.

city rooftops

I still cannot imagine how a plain 'ole girl from the South ended up living in one of the largest cities in the world!

My sweet family.  Always up for an adventure!

Please pray for my city!
Pray that God would move mightily here and that people's hearts would be softened and redeemed!

Thanks, for taking a minute to pop by and peek into our lives.  If you'd like to read more, a few of my favorites are linked at the top of the right-hand column.

 "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"

Romans 10:14

Writing...

Um....

Oh yeah...

I have a blog and I should be writing on it.

I hate it when I pick up a hobby and then all the sudden it feels like work.  Like I have to keep up with it.  It started out as something fun to learn and dabble at, but I quickly become a slave to it.  So I walk away from it.

Hello, cross-stiching 1988.

Hello, painting 1990.

Hello, exercise 1998.

Hello, scrap-booking 2000.

Hello, home-decorating 2004.

Hello, cooking 2005.

Hello, entertaining, 2006.

Hello, language learning 2008.


Remember me?  Nah... I didn't think so.


But, this blog is a bit different.  It's not so much a hobby as an outlet.  I get in a slump and stop writing.  Then I start to miss it, but don't know where to start and can't think of anything to write.

When I write, I feel better.  I am the kind of girl that needs to vent (I did not say rant).  Even if it's the daily mundane stuff of life, I need to tell someone about it.  So I come here to my computer and tell the world-wide-web.  It doesn't matter if anyone even reads it, I feel better after I hit publish.  I've shared a bit of myself and my crazy life here.  Catharsis at its finest!

I used to have a friend who write me a nice but forceful little email when I would knock of on my writing.  That's all I needed to get back on track.  Tragically she passed away just a week before we went to the States.  Without her little kick in the pants I've let it go.

But, I am determined that blogging will not go by the wayside.  It is good for me to share what God is doing in me.  I need this written record to look back on when I feel weak and ready to pack up and go home.

So, here I am at my computer writing.

YUM!

Country Fried Steak- like Momma used to make
Gravy (Duh!)
Mashed Potatoes
Creamed Spinach
Biscuits-like MawMaw used to make


...it's what's for dinner!

My tastebuds just did a leap of joy even if my heart didn't!

Favorite YouTube Video Ever

Well, Justin has outlawed the viewing of talking animal videos on YouTube in our flat!

UGH!

What's wrong with him?!  This is hilarious!!

Some people have NO sense of humor!

BUT...

 this is my new favorite YouTube video.  Look, Justin, no talking animals!!

You are Getting Sleepy... and Well Behaved... and Using Inside Voices, When I Clap My Hands It will be Bedtime!*

I downloaded a bunch of really beautiful classical music.  It's been on repeat for a few days.  It is so peaceful and I just love it.

But really, I'm using it to try to hypnotize my children.


*Bonus points for longest title ever!

Sunday Sneak Peek