Adele's Update: June 2011

Last days as "Ms. Adele, preschool teacher." At the end of next week, I'll move on and be a full-time student for a while.
I know I'll miss these pumpkins. I've learned a ton from them this year...

It's been a very long time since I've written a general update. And since a major change is underway in my life yet again, it might be good to bring you up to speed on the constantly-changing world of Adele...

Weren't you going to Indonesia for two years?
When I moved to Indonesia last summer, I thought it was for two years. The plan was to teach little ones at the new city campus of an international school. The teaching load would've afforded me the time and energy to devote my evenings to completing the final phase of my studies: my dissertation. And then the plan was to go try and find a teaching position at a university somewhere around the world in my field, Transformational Leadership.

However, a month into my time here, I was asked to move to our other campus in southern parts of Jakarta. The move meant a drastic increase in my teaching hours, and I realized right away that this would have long-term implications on my plans to finish my dissertation and move to things that's more up my alley. So I renegotiated my contract with the school and agreed to stay on for just one year rather than the original two.

So what's next?
This meant that I had to start my job search anew January. Though it would be way easier to find a position in the international teaching circuit (I could've even stayed on and just moved to teaching high school, what I'm trained to do). But that's not my long-term goal nor my passion, and I thus decided to step out in faith and apply for university positions again.

One opportunity in Kuala Lumpur looked very good. We started a dialogue, and somewhere along the way, someone higher up at the university sidetracked my application and asked me to instead consider a position at a partner institute. It was a position that would afford me amazing opportunities to work alongside a brilliant strategist in the field of transformational leadership. Everything about the position seemed to fit perfectly. All in all, I had 13 interviews, two of which were formal presentations to a panel. Everything looked very positive. But in the end, I was told they thought I'd be bored in the position, that I'm an abstract thinker and they needed a concrete thinker... I would still love to work with this group somewhere down the line in a different role. Time will tell.

So I went back to visiting with the university in KL about the original position there, the one I first applied for in January. They told me they'll make a decision by July... It's a great position, and I'd love for it to work out. But I won't just hang around Asia and wait to hear.

Where are you flying to when school closes?
School closes in two weeks' time, and I get to return to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to focus on working on my dissertation. Cedar Rapids is home for me when I'm in the US. I could go home to South Africa, but studying wouldn't be as easy there. Hence, I'm going to Iowa, where I have a car and community, and access to great university libraries.

I am very excited about diving into my dissertation and having time to focus just on being a student. I am excited about living with good friends for the next few months. I'll be staying at my friend Nan's house and making use of one of the college libraries in town for my writing times. I look forward to just being with close friends. I look forward to having the freedom to get into my car and go places. I look forward to getting as much of my dissertation done as is possible! I look forward to going to a Living Proof event the weekend after I arrive. I look forward to doing some traveling around the US. I look forward to going to see my sister Liesl and her family, and helping them as they move. I look forward to seeing my adorable nieces. I look forward to getting my cup filled doing things I love, seeing people I love... and then writing from a place of fullness.

Once I know whether I got the job in KL or not, I'll obviously post an update. But for now, my goal is to be a full-time doctoral student for the next season.

What the season after that will hold, God only knows!

Adele's Final Update: 60 Degrees of Separation

I just sent this update out to everyone on my mailing list. For those of you who don't get my e-mails but follow the journey on my blog, here's the latest.
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Dear friends,

This morning, I checked the weather in Taipei and in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where I am right now. There's a 60-degree difference (in Fahrenheit). And though the actual temperature in Taipei and that in Kipkaren isn't as vastly different (it's actually 6 degrees warmer in Kenya than in Taiwan right now), the world I'm heading to this weekend couldn't be any more different.

What? You're heading to Taiwan?
Indeed, I am. Though a university has been pursuing me since the time of my resignation from ELI, they have a hiring freeze brought on by the economic crisis, and thus cannot offer me a contract at this time. And so, I need to move on and find a position, earn an income, do what I love doing: Work hard.

Since I've lived in Taiwan before, since I know one can find teaching jobs there fairly easily, since it would be good to brush up my Chinese in any case, since the island nation is in the 10/40 Window and opportunities to have an impact on young (and older) friends abound, the decision to head back to the island wasn't too difficult.

But even with my bags packed, I still don't know how long I'll be in Asia. This morning, I realized again that God may have simply not allowed the university position to come through yet since he has something totally different he wants me to do in Asia. I don't know. But He does. When I arrived in Taiwan in 1995, I thought I wouldn't stay more than a year. I left almost 8 years later. So I simply don't know what to expect this time around.

What I do know is that life in Taipei honestly couldn't be more different than life in an African village. Here are some general differences.

In Kipkaren, everyone knows everyone. You hardly ever walk past neighbors without stopping and enquiring about their day, about their family, their farm.

In Taipei, many people don't even know anyone in their own apartment block.

In Kipkaren, most people live in homes made of sticks and mud, with floors that get a fresh coat of a cow-dung-and-mud mixture every week or so.

In Taipei, I'd guess less than 1% of the population live in single-family homes. Instead, most people live in high-rise apartment buildings.

In Kipkaren, you buy your eggs and milk from neighbors. You pick your lettuce from your garden, or buy veggies from the market in the village.

In Taipei, you buy staples at one of several neighborhood 7Elevens (or the Wellcome store - yes, spelled with two L's), but you also buy the freshest fish and freshly-slaughtered chickens (and great veggies) at the local wet market.

In Kipkaren, well, there's much more land than there are cars or people.

In Taipei, it wouldn't surprise me if there really are more vehicles than the 6 million people that call the city home.

In Kipkaren, most people call themselves Christian.

In Taipei, only about 2% of the people are Christian. Most are Buddhist or Taoist. Temples abound, as do little shrines in almost every store.

In Kipkaren, you cook your own meals. From scratch. Always. Unless you buy an ear of grilled corn on the cob on the side of the road. Or drop in on neighbors at mealtimes.

In Taipei, there were about 50 restaurants in my immediate (say, 3-block radius) neighborhood. It was often cheaper to eat at hole-in-the-wall restaurants than cook at home.

In Kipkaren, people speak Nandi and Swahili; some speak English.

In Taipei, people speak Mandarin, some speak Taiwanese, more and more can speak English.

In Kipkaren, most people have never used a computer.

In Taipei, nearly 70% of all people regularly use the Internet.

In Kipkaren, the staple is ugali, which people usually eat by hand.

In Taipei, the staple is rice, which is always eaten using chopsticks.

I can go on and on. And I'm sure I will frequently bring up the differences between life in Taiwan and that in Kenya in my blog over the next few months. So keep reading. I'll post photos and stories as always.

What about your studies?
I'm still on track with my studies and still hope to graduate next December. In fact, moving to Asia at this time seems to be ideal in terms of dissertation research in the field of marketplace ministry. I'll attend my next class in April, and will share more about that later.

What about ELI?
I frequently hear from my friends both in Kipkaren and Ilula. I miss my friends there. I miss the kids. I miss my quiet times in the gazebo by the river. I miss the simplicity of life in the village. But there are many things I don't miss about living a very secluded, rural life. I don't miss wearing skirts/dresses every day, either. I didn't pack a single skirt for Taiwan! :)

I still have peace that I did the right thing at the right time by moving on.

Will you keep sending out newsletters?
I don't plan to do so. Instead, I'll post frequent updates on my blog. Thank you again for being part of the incredible journey over the past few years. It truly has been an honor to share the joys and challenges with you.

Please do keep in touch! You can post comments on my blog whenever you want, or, of course, just go ahead and e-mail me! I don't want to lose touch with you.

What's next?

I've recently had quite a few people ask me if I knew yet what's next. I wish I did! I know some of what's next, but there are still many variables.

I'm still visiting with one particular university regarding a position. They indicated that they'd like to hire me, but they still have a hiring freeze. I'm supposed to know THIS WEEK if they can at least offer me a contract, even if we don't know the exact starting date since they don't know when the hiring freeze will be lifted. That would allow them to start working on a visa application for me.

In the meantime, I am leaving the US this weekend, and going to Taiwan. How long I'll be there will depend on news from the university this week. If I don't hear from them, or if they cannot offer me a contract, I'll be looking for long-term positions in Taiwan. Teaching positions. Hopefully at a university.

But if they let me know that I have this other job, I'll be in Taiwan for a shorter time, basically focusing on tutoring and writing travel stories. I'll also be going to China in April to interview some businesses there for my dissertation, since I'm still studying. (Which is something others have asked me. "Will you still complete your degree now that you're no longer in Kenya?" The plan is to be done by the end of next year. If all works out well.)

So it could be that I return to the US after the China visit and start working at a university, or it could be that I return to Taiwan after that and continue teaching.

God only knows. And I don't say that flippantly.

I appreciate your prayers as this journey continues...

Why Taiwan? Why not go back to South Africa? That's an easy one to answer. I had lived in Taiwan from 1995-2002. I know I can find jobs there quite easily. Which isn't necessarily true about my home country. I want to work. That's simple. So I'll go where I know I can find a job that I'll find rewarding.

Thankful...

... for the news from Ilula that Sifuna and his family are doing really well.

My colleague Davis wrote this update recently. If you've walked the journey with the Sifunas and I over the last 2 years, the update will either make you smile or tear up.

Thanks for the news, Davis!

I'm back!

It’s about time that I step forward and write an update again. Right now, I’m heading to Cape Town, at the southernmost tip of Africa, to attend a class on “Theology of Work.” The person who wrote the curriculum for the program is offering the class in Cape Town, and she would be best able to answer all the questions I have regarding teaching the content in other contexts.

What is Theology of Work?
The premise behind Theology of Work is that God’s first mandate to man was to work (to take care of the earth). Work came before the fall. Work was originally an act of worship, of unity with God.

In the church, we tend to have an understanding that “regular” work is of lesser value than “spiritual” work. Which can lead to making the majority of the people in church fell like their lives have little significance.

Point in case: A few months ago, I read a disturbing comment on the blog of a friend. She “came out” on her blog, admitting that she worked at an insurance company (if I remember correctly). She said that she felt like all the other Christian bloggers were stay-at-home moms or women in ministry, but that she wanted to be honest about the fact that she had to go back to work to pay the bills.

If we’d help everyone understand that their roles to which they have been called are truly significant, that their sphere of influence at work (be it on a farm, in a factory, in a classroom, or at home) is like their very own church, where they are responsible for each person—not to preach at them, but to serve and love them in ways God desires for us to serve and love one another. If we as Christians would operate in such a way, the church would look quite a bit differently, don’t you think?

Why this?
As I set out to work on the paper for my last class, I was invited to join a classmate of mine (who works in the slums of Nairobi) to teach Theology of Work. My paper itself was on leadership and power, and I equated power to being fire. (In rural Africa, neighbors often borrow fire from one another.) I concluded that if we were to lead in appropriate ways, it would be like giving others fire, or the ability to step out and take leadership in their own circumstances.

I believe that the ideas presented in the Theology of Work program are as such that it allows each and every believer who is mature enough to embrace these responsibilities to “have the fire” to lead (serve) in their places of work. That is true empowerment! And that’s why I want to focus more on teaching this field of ministry.

I’m in the process of visiting with the ELI board regarding what such a change in ministry focus would look like, and I’ll keep you posted.

I landed in Johannesburg earlier this week, and spent a couple of days at my sister Liesl’s place, packing up my things I had stored at their house. Liesl and her family have been offered a job in Davis, California, and they’ll be moving next month.

On Thursday, I flew to Port Elizabeth and came to my parents’ place in Jeffreys Bay for a couple of days. I was able to do a presentation to a group of people from their church on the work ELI is doing in Kenya, as well as my role at ELI.

It’s an unexpected blessing to have been able to spend a few days with my family. (Nowhere else do I get breakfast in bed!)

Today, I’m heading to Cape Town. I’ll get to spend the night at my sister Sanet’s place, and from there, go to class for the week. I believe this week’s class will be very significant regarding the next chapters in ministry.

I look forward to sharing more with you this week and as the journey continues.

Adele's Update | December 2007

Dear friends,

I am heading to South Africa tomorrow morning for a 2-week break with my family. It's a break I'm looking forward to after an intense few months of ministry. After Christmas morning service and a cold lunch (because it's very hot at home right now), I'll be spending Christmas day on the beach with my family. :) I'll be thinking of those of you who'll be bundled up and braving the cold weather up North!

As we head into the weekend and a week full of celebrating the birth of Jesus, may you have amazing times with family and friends.

• If you would, please pray for Kenya during this coming week. There's a presidential election on December 27, and things are pretty volatile right now. You can follow news online at The Standard.
  
• Due to the upcoming elections (and probably many other factors that I don't understand), the Kenya schilling has dropped drastically in the past 2 months. (It traded at KES67.02 to $1 early October and KES62.54 today, and dropping daily.) You can imagine how such a drop affects money that's being wired from the US for our ministry as a whole as well as salaries. (You can read more here.) Please pray for the Kenyan economy to stabilize rapidly following the elections!
• This week, a group of almost 20 men and women graduated from our AA program in Kipkaren. With Christmas and New Years possibly being the hardest time of the year in terms of temptation to drink once again, please join me in praying for these alcoholics to be able to remain strong in their commitment not to drink.
• Tomorrow, people from around Kipkaren are coming to our children's home for our first "Loving Day," a day during which the community will have a chance to get to know our children better. Please pray that the children will feel loved, and that those who are coming to visit and who are giving sacrificially to make this day special for the orphans, would equally experience God's love through the children.

This year has been one of the most challenging ones so far, and one of the most amazing at the same time. It has been a humbling year, and a year in which I learned to cling to God with all my life. Read the attached letter for more on this year's events, as well as a glance at what's lying ahead in 2008. (Click on the miniature to download a large version of my Christmas letter.)

Thank you so much for being part of God's work in East Africa through your support.

Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2008!

Adele


Christmas Letter 2007, originally uploaded by Boyznberry.