I got another church service today. Yeah! And as a bonus it is local so there are no long drives, no worries about being out in February. So the last two weeks in February I have two services, it's pretty awesome to see that things are swinging again.
I also secured another job. I will be teaching American Sign Language at a daycare three mornings a week to three different classes. I'm really excited! I like working with kids, I like ASL and the pay is really good. AND it leaves afternoons open those three days for me to continue trying to raise support and be able to volunteer locally. I think if I'm going to give two years to Vienna I should give a few months to Northwest Indiana.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
All right!
So, I've hit the phone circuit hard this week and called 120 churches in the past five days. Ok, technically I only attempted to call 120 churches because several of the phone numbers I had were incorrect. But overall it didn't go horribly. I booked a service for the end of February. I had several pastors tell me to call back in a couple of weeks after they had figured out with their board whether they could do something or not. I'm really hopeful.
Earlier this week I posted a blog on Myspace that covers the first half of the week's calls. It's here for your enjoyment.
here's how the numbers breakdown:
33- Number of churches where I did not get to talk to a living person and had to just leave a message at the beep.
9- Number of pastors I actually got to talk to. This is where it's always the most interesting.
There were a couple of the general, "No, sorry, we're all maxed out."
One pastor was in the middle of something, promised to call me back, but hasn't yet...
But I had a couple of really awesome conversations. Both pastors said there was basically nothing they could do for me. One asked me my age, how long until I needed to be over there, rank, serial number... Ok, it wasn't that out there but it was pretty funny. He just kept chatting away. The other was really encouraging and actually knew who I was and had read the letter I sent him! He didn't think they could do anything but he seemed like he might try and he told me to call back if I still needed support in few months.
One pastor answered the phone and sounded like he was baking a cake. Seriously sounded like pots and pans were banging in the background.
I asked one gentleman if the pastor had received the letter and he says, "Oh, yes, he has." Then tells me he's the pastor. A little unusual.
One phone call ended up with me a little red in the face because the pastor that is now there was not the one I sent the letter to. The other had resigned and the new senior pastor was the one who took my call. He was very nice though and said he thought they probably did have the letter and he would ask his secretary about it.
Another pastor said he had to meet with the board and it didn't look good for me because they preferred to meet new missionaries and they were booked through October.
Number 420 for the day told me the chances of their being able to support me were, and I quote here, "Slim-to-none."
6- Number of secretaries I talked to. One, promised to check and call me back, I'm still sitting by the phone...
4- Number of phones that rang with no answer. Invest the money, buy a $10 machine.
3- Number of phones that went to fax machine. Although I'm not sure one was the fax because instead of the dulcet screes of the fax machine it was this funny three tone beeping.
3- Number of phone numbers that were wrong. 2 were just disconnected, "we're sorry but the number you are dialing no longer exists," kind of calls. One though was awesome... curmudgeonly... old... man. Yeah! It was pretty great!
1- Number of pastor's wives I talked to who handle missions giving who sounded hopeful and then had to call me back today and tell me there was nothing the church could do right now.
1- Number of times I got called Becky!
Earlier this week I posted a blog on Myspace that covers the first half of the week's calls. It's here for your enjoyment.
here's how the numbers breakdown:
33- Number of churches where I did not get to talk to a living person and had to just leave a message at the beep.
9- Number of pastors I actually got to talk to. This is where it's always the most interesting.
There were a couple of the general, "No, sorry, we're all maxed out."
One pastor was in the middle of something, promised to call me back, but hasn't yet...
But I had a couple of really awesome conversations. Both pastors said there was basically nothing they could do for me. One asked me my age, how long until I needed to be over there, rank, serial number... Ok, it wasn't that out there but it was pretty funny. He just kept chatting away. The other was really encouraging and actually knew who I was and had read the letter I sent him! He didn't think they could do anything but he seemed like he might try and he told me to call back if I still needed support in few months.
One pastor answered the phone and sounded like he was baking a cake. Seriously sounded like pots and pans were banging in the background.
I asked one gentleman if the pastor had received the letter and he says, "Oh, yes, he has." Then tells me he's the pastor. A little unusual.
One phone call ended up with me a little red in the face because the pastor that is now there was not the one I sent the letter to. The other had resigned and the new senior pastor was the one who took my call. He was very nice though and said he thought they probably did have the letter and he would ask his secretary about it.
Another pastor said he had to meet with the board and it didn't look good for me because they preferred to meet new missionaries and they were booked through October.
Number 420 for the day told me the chances of their being able to support me were, and I quote here, "Slim-to-none."
6- Number of secretaries I talked to. One, promised to check and call me back, I'm still sitting by the phone...
4- Number of phones that rang with no answer. Invest the money, buy a $10 machine.
3- Number of phones that went to fax machine. Although I'm not sure one was the fax because instead of the dulcet screes of the fax machine it was this funny three tone beeping.
3- Number of phone numbers that were wrong. 2 were just disconnected, "we're sorry but the number you are dialing no longer exists," kind of calls. One though was awesome... curmudgeonly... old... man. Yeah! It was pretty great!
1- Number of pastor's wives I talked to who handle missions giving who sounded hopeful and then had to call me back today and tell me there was nothing the church could do right now.
1- Number of times I got called Becky!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
CH-CH-CH- CHANGES!
I decided to dye my hair for the first time! Well, really my younger sister decided to dye my hair ;) It's very different and I'm still getting used to it but it's a good color. I just hope it holds up.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
That's a lot of stamps!
Well, Happy New Year! I know I'm a little late but I've been a little lazy about my blogs so far in 2007.
I am excited about the 120 letters I've sent out in the past two weeks. I'm praying I have some positive response from the churches that I'll be calling next week and the week after. It's a lot of my least favorite thing- talking on the phone, but it's entirely necessary and I'm resigned to the fact that I must do it if I ever want to get to Vienna.
I've been really excited about going to Vienna the past couple of weeks. Ever since I got the time frame for potential departure it's really boosted my desire to get my butt in gear and get out of the country. Plus, I really miss being involved in active ministry. Right now I'm helping with the youth group at my church but I sit around and make sure kids don't kill each other, break things or make babies. I miss teaching the children's classes that I had been involved with before I started itinerating and since the youth pastor couldn't depend on my being there every week I am not getting to teach a small group with the youth like I did in the past.
I'm also really excited about an opportunity I've been given to make money to put toward Vienna. The daycare director at my church found out I knew American Sign Language and offered me an opportunity to come in as a consultant for the daycare and teach their teachers how to sign so that they could use it on a daily basis in their lessons with the kids. This is an amazing opportunity and I'll get to do something I love to make money for Vienna.
I'm also looking at becoming a substitute teacher in a local high school because I really need the cash to try and finish paying off my credit cards. Plus I have way too much time on my hands and find myself being lazy and lackluster about most of what I do. Subbing would be convenient because I could decline the work if I already have something scheduled for that day. The downside is if you do that too many times they stop calling you and I'm fairly sure any class I was in charge of would find me less than intimidating.
Finally, I'm thinking about volunteering one day a week either with a local food bank or something. I'm not really sure but I do know I need to do something here since I'm willing to give the next two years of my life somewhere else.
I am excited about the 120 letters I've sent out in the past two weeks. I'm praying I have some positive response from the churches that I'll be calling next week and the week after. It's a lot of my least favorite thing- talking on the phone, but it's entirely necessary and I'm resigned to the fact that I must do it if I ever want to get to Vienna.
I've been really excited about going to Vienna the past couple of weeks. Ever since I got the time frame for potential departure it's really boosted my desire to get my butt in gear and get out of the country. Plus, I really miss being involved in active ministry. Right now I'm helping with the youth group at my church but I sit around and make sure kids don't kill each other, break things or make babies. I miss teaching the children's classes that I had been involved with before I started itinerating and since the youth pastor couldn't depend on my being there every week I am not getting to teach a small group with the youth like I did in the past.
I'm also really excited about an opportunity I've been given to make money to put toward Vienna. The daycare director at my church found out I knew American Sign Language and offered me an opportunity to come in as a consultant for the daycare and teach their teachers how to sign so that they could use it on a daily basis in their lessons with the kids. This is an amazing opportunity and I'll get to do something I love to make money for Vienna.
I'm also looking at becoming a substitute teacher in a local high school because I really need the cash to try and finish paying off my credit cards. Plus I have way too much time on my hands and find myself being lazy and lackluster about most of what I do. Subbing would be convenient because I could decline the work if I already have something scheduled for that day. The downside is if you do that too many times they stop calling you and I'm fairly sure any class I was in charge of would find me less than intimidating.
Finally, I'm thinking about volunteering one day a week either with a local food bank or something. I'm not really sure but I do know I need to do something here since I'm willing to give the next two years of my life somewhere else.
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