What has life been up to for the past 2 months? It’s been absolutely wonderful. Quite busy with a crazy school working schedule - lots of working on weekends and fun events that make a teachers life crazy... but have had some amazing blessings this year so far. I'm filled with joy about what is going on here, and my part in it! :)
School has been a most incredible blessing this year. I couldn’t have ASKED for a more delightful class. I pinch myself most days that I’m not in a dream, and I really love my job as much as I do. My class is well-behaved, at a fairly high academic level, with of course the exceptions, and are such a fun and jolly group. I can basically get them to do anything, and they can stay in control and it makes teaching very spontaneous! Most lessons we’re dying laughing at how funning such and such is. I don’t know if it’s the students, my confidence, or being my 5th year, but the result is absolutely remarkable. I have a wonderful team that I love working with, and has great attitudes! My relationship with my TA Grace is wonderful as well!
For October Holiday I went to Papau Indonesia with my friend Janai... Here is a journal on my way there..
I’m currently sitting next to Janai, friend and fellow accomplice on our 4th airplane flight in 24 hours, and we still have one more to go. I’m looking out over the waters of the Pacific surrounding Indonesia - amazed at the beauty and perfection of it all. We may be crazy, but we’re going to be taking 10 total plane trips in 7 days in order to spend 3 full days in Papau with Isaac and Amber... but boy am I stoked! :) The water is so blue - you can’t tell where sky stops and waters begin. Clouds help create some perspective of where up and down is in this world of blue, and occasional islands assure me that we are in fact not just floating in blue jello. God laid on my heart to come to Papau to visit Isaac and Amber Rogers beginning of September, but I knew that I had a youth retreat for the first 3 days of our 10 day break. I decided to pursue it regardless, and had peace that he’d make a way if it was his will. And thus I dragged a friend on this trip and here we are - ready to enter the world of cochroaches and large bugs... I already couldn’t fall asleep last night because little bugs kept popping up next to me... I just settled with reading for a bit before i was too tired to keep my eyes open, and forgot about any crawly thing that may be lurking. I prayed for protection by God’s angels - and I figured that was pretty good security against cockroaches as well... :)
Beauty of Papau - this is looking over Sentani - the last city you can buy a normal flight into. From here you have to take little planes. :)
Afterwards:
I’m currently (now) sitting on a Lion Air flight, with no leg or arm room in a seat that doesn’t go back, but of course my neighbors is back - flying across Papau to Jakarta with Janai. We just finished our amazing trip with the Rogers, and are sad to be leaving. Just 5 hours ago we were snorkeling in the ocean looking at blue star fish and clown fish, and floating in the warm water with the sun amazed at the beauty of a nearly deserted beach in the middle of many Papauan mountains. Our trip was absolutely incredible - got to see the country from the missionaries point of view, and even got to hang with some locals and a great Indonesian friend of there’s, Linda. I feel like i am returning to China witha greater view of God’s work here, and a greater encouragement to continue the work he’s called me to in Asia.
I could go on and on, but i”ll tell you the encouraging parts. Training schools are being started to train up teachers not only in the gospel but also in teaching strategies. Currently the Papauan education system is not producing very qualified teachers, and thus subpar students - they teach rote memorization, and thus teacher don’t have a knowledge of how to learn because they were never taught how to learn, and can’t teach others how to learn. There also is little motivation or self-confidence within the people - they’re told from the beginning of their lives that they are worth nothing, and won’t be able to accomplish anything. So most of them grow up believing that and reaching that low standard. The neatest thing is that by reaching teachers and influencing the education system, they’ll be able to influence the next generation of learners, and thus help to change the society into something that believes in itself, and has Christ as it’s center - wtih Christ and a quality education, these amazing people can go so far.
Janai and I both got to go on two flights with Isaac to villages - she got to do a medivac where they took a pregnant lady who’d been trying to deliver for two weeks to the hospital in Wamena. I got to see some amazingly steep “runways” of gravel in between mountains and on the sides of cliffs, and take pictures with some beautiful children. It was fun to spend time with Isaac hearing about the country - he gave us such interesting information about whatever we asked about - and seeing the most amazing cliffs, hills, rivers, and waterfalls that I’d ever experienced. It’s literally at the end of the world - only accessible by plane- and once we were in a village surrounded by huts and Papuans and pigs, we were in the absolute middle of no where with only a plane as our exit plan.
We had a blast with the family, and the boys are so sweet. It was wonderful to see them in their environment, and be able to see first hand what goes on in a day - where Amber shops, where the boys go to school, meeting the other missionaries, meeting the Papuan friends they know, hiking along a river just 10 min from their house and seeing a goarded Dani man wearing nothing but a goard over his ... well... yeah... It was quite an adventurous experience, and such an amazing way to spend our last 7 days of break - it felt long and relaxing being so far away. I got a good night of sleep every other night... but on the whole it was restful, and we still have many plane flights to sleep on on the way back. Luckily I sleep like a baby in the air... or on anything moving... :)
They thought it was Christmas - they love candy - especially Tyus! :)
Another recent blessing was spending 30 hours with my papa. We Gelsingers to like to cram as much into small time periods as we can... guess i come by it honestly. He was in between business trips and had a day and a half to spend in shanghai, and I was going to be at a youth retreat - so i roped him into joining us, and also leading a workshop for the youth on writing personal mission statements. We even got some quality time in between group games, volleyball tournaments, speaking sessions, and workshops! :) The main blessing of the retreat was to see the girls in my group - I had all 8th graders - to be pursuing God with a new passion - refining their goals from last year, and making new ones going forward.
Esther is another amazingness in my life this year. I can’t believe I lived 2 years without a roommate when they are this much fun! We run/pray together every other day, cook together once a week, and the best part is worshiping together on piano and guitar and leading our neighbors to the throne room... :) We have such a good rapport and are able to spend time with the Lord and alone when needed, but it’s great to have someone to talk to at night, or debrief with, or bounce ideas off of. Even just talking about her makes me excited to get home and tell her all the amazing things that went on this past week, and hear about her time at a training center in Guilin.
Here's a kick for you - signs on how to stand on the right on the escalator - and walk on the left. They have these all over Shanghai -- I had to go back down for a picture - the girls just smiled at me...
Hanging with Friends at Tian mu shan - got out of Shanghai for a few days to hike and relax. :)
Having friends over for dinner :)
Jane - a baby from the Shanghai Healing Home that my 8th grade small group is going to sponsor! You can sponsor one too for 50 dollars a month - just go to the website... http://jamieweidner.squarespace.com/healing-home/ . These babies have cleft lip and or palates, and are abandoned. This home takes them in and gives them care and surgeries until they can be adopted. We got two new babies on Tuesday - so the total is at 17 little ones! :)
Seriously this year I think that God has simply decided to bless my socks off - I simply am just in amazement at his goodness. I feel good, have a good class, great roomate, wonderful team, worship at a wonderful church, and hang out with my pick of my favorite middle schoolers... I have to pinch myself most days that I’m not dreaming. Other exciting news - I have had 6 nights in a row of great sleep! :) It's been awesome!!! The longest good stretch I've had in 10 months. Praise him!!! :)
He is so GOOD! May you be blessed and encouraged as you serve your mighty savior today. This is your world traveler signing off...
Hopefully my next post won't be such a long wait for all you faithful followers... if any of you have stuck around ! :)
and she met the love of my life, danny... :) 
such a darling chicken head...
Next visitor which brought a SUITCASE AND BOX full of goodies, can we say christmas! :) 
