I never imagined I would be writing an entry like this. My mind is filled with so many details of each moment over the last week and a half. I will keep each day brief as there is still an ongoing investigation and we are being scrutinized by many.
Last night I went to bed, just listening to the thunder storm for a long time. Woke up to an overcast sky. Lisa and I had planned to meet for lunch, so I walked to her house around 11am and picked up some bread on the way. We were just talking about all the spiritual battles from the last two weeks when she got a call from Mary. I don't know if I will ever forget those agonizing minutes as I watched Lisa's face trying to the comprehend what Mary was saying. When she got off the phone in tears, she explained to me that one of the teachers at another CSM school had been shot by a student...
We spent the remainder of the day as a team gathered at Andy and Lisa's house. We wept, prayed, and encouraged one another with Scripture. The posts on Facebook kept streaming in. We watched from a distance as the unimaginable took shape as reality.
March 2nd:
Went to International Fellowship and was encouraged by the hymns and prayers lifted up to the Almighty One. Came home and spent the day reading and praying. Emotionally overwhelmed. By the evening, I was in need of fellowship, so very thankful when John and Mary got home and invited me over for games. Dan and Julie were there as well and we were able to talk to our team director via Skype. She gave us more information regarding the situation and informed us that Jeremiah's family was coming to embrace the student's family and bury their son in Kurdistan, the place he loved so much. As I listened, I realized that despite the awful reality of the situation, God was using this occasion for His glory. We were sitting on the pinnacle of a turning point in Kurdish history. What a privilege to bear witness to such a powerful event!
March 3rd:
Others on the team had also felt the lack of one another's presence and we decided to meet up and go to the market. It was good to get out of the house and be together. That evening we went out to dinner at Starbox Pizza. The girls went back to Lisa's and had ice cream while the guys stayed at Starbox to hang out. It was strengthening to be with others going through the same heartache. The waves of emotion came and went, but we could see a great light shining in the midst of our storm.
March 4th:
Snowing outside with a biting cold wind. Stacy and I went to the market and the wind was so cold it hurt our eyes. By the time I got home I was sopping wet and we had no electricity. Thankfully John and Mary's generator power was working (it turned out that our breaker needed to be reset) so I was able to dry my hair and warm up at their house. Skyped with my family in the evening and was encouraged after talking with them.
March 5th:
We left to go to Suly at 9am. Six of us (and baby Henry) crowded into a Suburban while the Bishop's were packed into another sedan. It was a long drive, especially as we anticipated what lay at the end of our trip. I prayed continually that God will allow me to overcome my heartache to minister to those grieving in Suly - fellow team members, students, and parents. We also prayed for the strengthening of the family as they traveled, prepared for the memorial, and comforted the community. When we arrived around 3pm, we listened to the first-hand accounts from the Suly team members. Dinner was graciously provided by the international fellowship in Suly.
March 6th:
We left for the memorial one hour early. Students, government officials, parents, and community members were already streaming in. The memorial was an awesome display of God's work in and through Jeremiah's life. Students shared how much he loved them and gave them his all. They talked about how they desired to follow his example of leadership, living with a purpose, and taking care of their community. To a culture that feels deep shame over this "tragedy," Jeremiah's family lovingly extended forgiveness. As a team, we were privileged to sing a number of hymns - "From the Depths of Woe," "How Firm a Foundation," and "It is Well With My Soul."
March 7th:
Jeremiah's family and some of our team went to the school to meet with and comfort the students. I had some good conversations. It was helpful to meet older, high school students and hear about their plans after graduation (our school only goes to 8th grade this year, but will grow as each class progresses). We were able to visit with the Small family a little more in the afternoon and the environment was much more relaxed as all the major events had been accomplished.
March 8th:
We left Suly at 9am in the morning on a Coaster. Here we are, all packed in:
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It was a fun ride to Erbil with some amazing scenery. When we arrived, we went to a restaurant where they had pizza, fries, and yummy pasta. From there, we split up among the Erbil teams' houses and rested for quite awhile (everyone looked like they were going through varying degrees of comatose and I certainly felt like it). Hannah S made some delicious salted caramel hot chocolate (just had to mention that as it was a significant highlight). In the evening we hopped into four taxis and went to American Burger. The owner is from Texas and the restaurant was decked out in red, white, and blue. The burgers were amazing!
March 9th:
Woke up leisurely and spent time together. Decided to go to Family Mall to look for groceries that aren't always available in Duhok. The mall was very westernized and a little overwhelming. It really felt like I was on vacation in another country. We ate some American food at the Food Court, then headed back to catch our ride to Duhok. Our team was able to travel together in a large van. We took the scenic route back and arrived around 5:30pm.
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