Peace

I was just a tad frustrated two days ago with the lack of movement on the job front. Granted, I've only been on the island a week, and I had visited with places where I wanted to work. I had only been waiting one week for an answer, so that's absolutely no reason to be frustrated. But if you put it in the bigger scope of things, of me resigning my job in Kenya at the end of September and starting the job search way back in October, well, then it might make sense that five months later, the waiting game is getting a bit old...

As I spent time with God before starting the day, though, I read Psalms 16, and was filled with immense peace about the day and the ongoing journey. Here's how David put it:

¹ Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.

² I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
⁵ Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
⁶ The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!

⁷ I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

⁹ No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.

¹¹ You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Verse 11 especially spoke to my heart. As I stepped out into the busy-ness of the city, my heart truly was at peace, and I was looking forward to simply enjoying "the joy of God's presence" throughout the day.

I won't bore you with all the details of the day, but by the end of the day, I had news that I've been accepted as a substitute teacher at Taipei American School. This is an excellent school, and being a sub is perfect since it allows me flexibility in my schedule to accommodate for my studies. Plus I can use the school's libraries to sit and work on my studies when I'm not subbing. Now I just need to pray for good hours at the school, that they'd be able to use me a lot! :)

Next: Find a place to live. I searched various directories till deep into the night, and sent out some inquiries. This morning, I made some follow-up calls to people who had already responded. I had a delightful visit with the first lady I called about a room! She's American, has one younger American roommate, and the apartment is about a minute's walk to school! It's perfect! As we visited, we discovered that we have a lot of mutual friends (people who had already left the island). I'm heading there this afternoon to see the room, but I'm pretty sure I'll be moving in on Saturday morning!

After that, I made a foll0w-up call with the Taipei Philharmonic Chorus. I had sung with them before and had inquired about joining them again. They told me I'm very welcome back, and rehearsal is this evening. We're performing Mendelsohn's Elijah in a month, on April 7! This oratorio is one of my favorite pieces! This is where we're performing.

So, in a span of just more than 24 hours, I have a job, a place to live, and some culture!

Needless to say, I indeed have joy. And peace that for now, this is where I'm supposed to be.

On a completely different note, I just got news last night that the cow we got the Sifunas died of West Coast fever. I am disappointed by the news, especially since that's something completely preventable. But there's nothing I can do about it. The cow is dead.