Friday, May 20, 2011
Little India
This is a plate of the food we were served. It was all good tasting if not a little different. Dessert was fragrant rice with milk and something else I don't remember what...
The person on the left was a driver center is Beckie who is a PT going to Pakistan and right is Lexi who will be a teacher at Black Forest Academy in Germany
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
More Training
We then did the infamous games... for one of them we were all so packed together that...well lets say sardines. You all know how much I love physical contact (yes this is sarcasm). It was actually good and we discussed communicating in groups and being willing to try new things and listen to suggestions that go against the norm...
We had Chicago Pizza for dinner. I now have to say that Boston/East Coast pizza is better than Chicago pizza.
A group of us then went to, the apartment of the couple who will be in Turkey, and we played Taboo. I have to say that I am so thrilled that they will be there for July. They will add so much to the sheep herding of this trip.
Your prayers are much appreciated! I will be heading Turkey on Saturday....
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It has Begun
I was picked up at the air port in a long white Limo...yeah it seemed odd to me to. I guess we most get a nice discount :-) It made me miss my college group. It is a lot funner riding with a bunch of friends as compared to by yourself.
I was dropped off at the apartment building on the TEAM campus at 6:30 AM and I was ready to sleep for four hours. But to my disappointment my room key was missing :-( So I used someone else key to get into the locked hallway and left my luggage to try and find someone with a phone or information at 6:30...I did not have any luck so pink elephant and I got comfy and started to fall asleep.
But a gentleman who knew who to talk to came along and saved the day :-)
I have two other room mates... One is going to teach in Germany and the other is going to Czech Republic.
For dinner they made us all wear these long cardboard things on our arms so we could not bend our arms... so we ended up all feeding each other. It was really funny!
Friday, May 13, 2011
I'm a graduamated ;-)
The family had been arriving in stages and we had Mom and Dad and the five youngers there from Japan. It was amazing to have all of them there for the big event.
Cousin Amy and Aunt Sherry put on a fundraising /goodbye party for me and it went really well and they raised a LOT if money. God is so good and He really has been providing in amazing ways.
The two brothers from TX arrived Sunday night and on Monday we took off for the OR coast for some needed family time.
We have been having a great time at the coast, playing in the surf and sand, finding seaglass and agates, walking, talking, frisbee (yes the wind actually allowed us to play frisbee one of the days), kickball, aquariurms, and many other family fun things!!
Arielle is a sister after my own heart and we both have managed to get rather wet...but yesterday we stayed dry! I know gasp of suprise all around :-)
Bre and I had partially packed our apartment before we left for the coast.
Bre and I have also found a third room mate for when I get back from Turkey in August! Marca I am so excited, it will be great!
We have been doing many other things I know this is only a overview but I have to run.
Oh three days till my Turkish adventure begins!!!!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Update
This last Saturday was Senior Banquet which was a lot of fun. Everyone got dressed up we had a nice catered meal. It actually was more of a (oh how did they word it) Roasting of the seniors than an honoring. But it was still pretty good. They had us seniors do video interviews before hand and then edited them with different questions. Such as they asked what we thought of the president of our college in the one that viewed and then showed the answers we gave to Justen Beaver. As well as having asked what we thought of one of the top professors and showing our answers to what we thought of someone we all viewed as doctrinally unsound. The fun just continued from there...
Earlier in the afternoon we had a ladies tea, at the c*. Grandma came and it was such a great time. Thank you to all the ladies that planned and put it together. We made bonnets out of whatever was in a paper sack that we were given. As well as discussing lady stuff and eating some great food and drinking great tea!
Other than that it was the same school, work and more school and work.
Oh I only have five more days as a janitor then I am DONE!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Real Life Exhibit
First off let me apologize for not being more responsive, at the exhibit. I emotionally shut down, because I was overwhelmed. Seeing all the children in need broke my heart. All I wanted to do was go and hold them all and love on them. To protect them and let them know they were not alone. But I can’t because there are too many and they are on the other side of the world. Second that exhibit was absolutely amazing and I am going to try and take the college group and youth group from my church to go see it. I think it would be a great eye opening experience for many of them. Are church supports a Romanian orphanage but I don’t think anyone really understands what that means. Everyone is so used to the can being out there to collect money that nobody really gives it much thought.
When we first arrived and were waiting in the room with the blinking light, it was heart breaking. (The blinking light was to show how often a child died of a preventable disease) To be standing there waiting and yet having to watch that light and know that so many children were dyeing and there was no reason for them all to have to die. Then going through the exhibit and seeing how many children were helpless and in need, sometimes it was a natural disaster. But realizing how much of the time it was because of the people who should be protecting them, were instead taking advantage of them. Such as the children Soldiers, Romanian orphanages, refugee camps… I have studied children soldiers before so I was prepared for their stories and atrocities. It is still extremely evil and greatly upsets me, but it was something I was aware of. The same is true of the refugee camps, Dad has told me about them and I have also read about them. But the Romanian orphans I had never heard about. I was so shocked, how could someone be so evil that they would treat children in such a manner? My heart went out to the parents who were at the point that they thought one of these orphanages would be better for their child than being at home. That most have broken their hearts to leave them knowing they might not survive. Then the children themselves, being treated as property to be raised to fight, with no love or personal attention. It was so hard to see so much pain and need and yet know that I could not help.
Another area that really left an imprint in my mind and heart was the tsunami and Katrina. We lived in Texas when Katrina first hit, but for me it was more an issue of if it was going to affect my plans to move to Spokane. We had some extended family that lived there and I was vaguely worried about them, but it was more something to watch. I now look back and wonder how it was that I could not have been affected more at the time. I think the answer is I did not see a way to help so instead of engaging I ignored it or got caught up in the logistics of the situation.
When the Indonesian tsunami hit we lived in AK, and it was the middle of the holiday season. We received a phone call that Dad was going to be deployed to help. A mad scramble started where everyone was trying to get Dad ready, shots, equipment, clothing, Emergency response stuff… then they ended up not deploying the AK group. The general response from people including me I am afraid to admit was “well now we have wasted a couple of days of our holidays.” How, could I be so callous as to have been upset about losing a few hours with Dad when so many lost their dad, mother, brothers, sisters, friends…for the rest of their lives? As I was walking through that area reading the stories it brought my selfishness home to me.
As I look back on what I saw, thought, and felt while going through the exhibit. I realize that too often I do emotionally shut down or focus on trivial things, because I am overwhelmed by the need. I am a doer/fixer so to see such great need and not be able to do something or fix the need is really hard. I haven’t known how to respond so I trivialize the issue. But I know that, that is not helping anyone. Just because I can’t help everyone does not mean I can’t help one. So, first I have been challenged to engage in prayer for the issues, prayer should always be the first response and it can be more powerful than actually being able to go. Second, I want to start figuring out a way to raise a little extra money to send to people in need. Also I want to put together some help kits. What I don’t want to do is let myself not respond because I am overwhelmed by the need and my inability to fix it.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Spring Break
I did about nine weeks of course work for an online class that I am taking this semester. Packed up five larger boxes of stuff from my room and took them to where they will stay until I get back from Turkey. I cleaned my room multiple times (have you ever noticed how messy it gets when packing?) I also wrote and sent out about half of my support letters. Oh I also got some stuff done at the church that I had been working on.
I spoke Wednesday night at youth group. We have been doing a series on Reconciliation and so I spoke on being reconciled to God. It was really good. The kids are normally really rambunctious and I was not sure how it would go since I had a lot of scriptures and am not the most charismatic speaker... but I started by saying "hey everyone be quite and listen" and remarkably they did I was shocked!
Thursday night we had a family worship night. I was in the nursery and REALLY enjoyed the new carpet, that has padding, that some of the young men had put in during the week! I think the service went well other than a few technology glitches...if all else fails just sing Yes Lord :-)
Friday night we had a youth late nighter 7 PM - 2 AM, us youth workers did not want to do an all nighter :-) it was good the kids all really enjoyed it and we had a good opportunity to bond. I also had a great time hanging out with Nadia!
Saturday night was supposed to be college group but I kind of canceled it...It would have been the same people from all the other nights...and I wanted to just hang out with Bre...so we went to the mall with Talena. We ended the night with meeting Kent and Garret and watching Tron at the cheep theater. I would not recommend this movie there was a ton of modernistic worldview junk in it that was annoying. But then some would say I am to sensitive to such things...
I also throughout the course of the week went shopping with Marca. She took me to the mall and helped me find some really cute jeans. Got contacts, oh Mom Dad i have contacts now :-). Got a haircut and replenished my makeup supply and worked.
And yet this week has been so relaxing and now that school has started up again I think I have developed a case of seniorites...
Friday, March 25, 2011
Turkey
Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you to all the people who have been supporting me throughout my life with prayer and wise mentoring. I am GRADUATING! Yes, the time has finally come when I will be able to walk down the aisle and get a piece of paper! No, not a ring. These past two years at New Hope C** College have been a whirlwind of opportunities to learn, grow, and strengthen others. I will be graduating with a BA in intercultural studies.
The Lord has been laying on my heart the desire to spread His love and truth to unreached people groups. A great opportunity has opened up for me to go to Turkey with The Evangelical Alliance M**(TEAM). The country of Turkey is in great need of the message as less than 1% know our Savior. I, and another short termer I have yet to meet, will help resident workers plan and execute the Olive Grove camps. We will also be counselors at the camps and participate in outreach ministry to the poorer Turkish youth.
Olive Grove, a camp designed to help children and youth grow and develop as individuals, as friends of God and others, and as followers of our Savior, is two full weeks with well over 100 campers and 30+ staff members, representing nearly 20 nationalities! Olive Grove is located alongside the Mediterranean Sea, in the peaceful village of Çıralı, at the base of Mt. Olympos. Ex-patriot children living in Turkey attend along with a growing percentage of Turkish campers.
During the month of July we will be doing outreach clubs to poorer youth in Turkey. These will involve teaching English, playing sports, and doing crafts with the kids. We will also be teaching Sunday School and doing some activities with their youth group.
I can’t do this alone! Above all I need your prayers, for changed lives, opportunities to share, receptive hearts, and yes, safety. I also need financial help. This commissioned, minded trip will be from May 20th – August 8th (I might possibly be spending two of those weeks in Japan). I must have $6010 raised my May 7th to pay for the Turkey expenses. All donations are tax-deductable and should be sent to TEAM at “TEAM, P.O. Box 969 Wheaton. IL 60187-0969.” Checks should be made out to TEAM, with a note specifying it is for Kristina Goecker. I would love to hear from you and know if you are able to be praying for me.
Cell Phone: (541) 337-7320 (will not be working after May 17th)
Email: kokobean1@gmail.com
Blog: http://awalkinthewild.blogspot.com
Facebook: facebook.com/krista.goecker
Sincerely,
Krista Goecker
P.S. Do not use the word “m*ssi*n” or any other religious type wording when corresponding through electronic means.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Update
So the last couple of months have been a whirlwind!
But the Lord has really been blessing me. My classes are all going well and continue to challenge me to grow and lean more on Him. For one of my classes we have been studying a theology topic of our choice using all the different methods of theology. I chose the topic of redemption and it has been so eye opening to look at it in the Bible, history, and what others have said.
Bre and I were both in the school drama again and that was enjoyable.
I have also been helping a lot at my church, Lively Stone Fellowship, and the ministry is really starting to take off. We had our youth retreat and the Lord really showed up and provided in many amazing ways. I can really see the Lord moving in and through the church and it has been encouraging.
Friday, January 07, 2011
The Bible
Some of the stories in both these books about how desperate people wanted and needed Bibles is astounding. Also the fact that many people risked their lives in smuggling Bibles into these countries. Which made me think about my Bibles. I have multiple Bibles like most Christians I know. The average American household will usually have a Bible even if they never open it. We have so many Bibles that I have come to take the Bible for granted. It is so readily available that I don't think of its immense worth! My Bible, which I do appreciate and read on a regular basis, is something that people consider worth risking their life for.
Which prompted the question am I willing to risk my life for the Bible?
The answer is yes! Because inside of the Bible is found everything that we need to live. It is the WORD of GOD which makes it more valuable than anything else in existence including my life.
It is time that I start to treat the Bible like this...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday Night
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Plans for this summer...I talked to Nancy with Brother's and she sounded hopeful that I should be able to pick up about another 20 hours a week for the summer, that plus my housekeeping job will put me at about 44 hours a week. Nancy also said that Brother's did not have an official policy about Red Cross disaster response people, but that she would look very favorably upon it and to go ahead and do the training. Ms. K helped me to find a summer class to take this summer at the U of O it is Arabic 101 it is about 4 weeks long and will be 5 credit hours when finished. I have also been looking at doing Camp Agape in Hi but I have not decided about that yet. Camp Agape is a camp for the children of people that are prison.
This Saturday was the 103rd Roddy Fest in Florence, so i invited a bunch of people to go and check out the festivities. Well two people responded that they were going to the coast so they would be unable to go to Florence :) the rest did not respond. So I invited Makayla and Piper a couple of kids of two EBC student's. They were really excited to go and then Kent said he wanted to go as well. So the four of us headed to Florence...we had a great time! There was a carnival that the girls really enjoyed (it was fun watching them). We then tried to find a bunch of the other stuff but a lot of it was missing...We did eventual find the car show and flower show though. It was humorous to me that us girls were all commenting on the color of the cars. As we left the response was I liked the blue car with purple flames, or I liked the pink car (lol). The flowers were humorous because we were expecting something spectacular after all they had had a festival for them for 103 years. So it was funny when we realized they were the same flowers that are everywhere...but through much trial i discovered that the pink flowers smelled good but the red ones did not smell at all...We then went to the coast since it had stopped raining and was then a beautiful day. Us girls had all packed lots of extra clothes counting on getting wet (there was a 70% chance of rain and a ocean the odds were good we would be wet). We all had a great time playing in the ocean and then in the sand (i am still finding sand in my ears). We decided to head back to the car to change into dry clothes and drop Kent off at a birthday party (some guys from church were all heading to Florence that evening to celebrate). When I realized I did not have my keys...I went back and by the grace of God found the keys! They were under about two feet of water and 75% covered in sand...apparently one of the times that we moved all of our stuff they were left behind. Us girls headed back to Eugene and made some necklaces at my place (using the beads G-ma gave me for Christmas - Thanks) we then went to a ten o'clock movie (there mom said I could have them out as late as I wanted). After the movie I took them home and then came home and collapsed myself.
I have also been involved with other social activities with my church and people from campus...
I am still trying to figure out fiances for next year... it is between 12000 and 13000 for the year. I have received $2250 of scholarships and about another $1000 of discounts. I am eligible for about $12000 of loans. I am hoping to raise a bunch of the money this summer and have been contemplating getting a third job but I think it might be to much with also taking that class and I would like to get more involved at my church.
Anyways this is what I have been doing and thinking lately.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Scholarship Info
Sunday, April 25, 2010
I don't know what to title it.
Sunday I enjoyed church and then a bunch of us went and hung out after church it was a beautiful day! Later Bre and I went and got some TCBY (they have a Sunday special). After that Bre and I played catch then she went to work and then later I went to work it was a good day.
Monday...hmm I don't remember anything important happening on Monday.
Tuesday I had class and then went and worked at JoAnne's house (the lady I clean for). I then came home and took a quick nap. I got up from the nap and put my jacket on because I was cold, then put my shoes on, grabbed my work keys and name badge and went to work. So then when I arrived at work I signed in and went to take my jacket off and low and behold I had never but my uniform shirt on! I was already clocked in though so I put the jacket back on and zipped it all the way up and went to work hoping nobody would notice...It was very hot and there was people that worked late so I was never able to take the jacket off sigh.
Wednesday at chapel we did cardboard testimonies (Bre and I and about 16 other people) that went really well. for my mission class Kent was not there because he had hurt his ankle so it was just going to be the teacher and me which could have been fun. But Dr. B decided to evaluate her class that day...Now on Monday Dr. Burke had evaluated and he had at least participated a little bit. But Ms. Goss asked Dr. B to open us in prayer because it was Kent's turn and he was not there. Dr. B refused and told her that she could not even acknowledge his presence...So I received a very formal lecture just for me! It was hilarious! Dr. B left about ten minutes early at which point Ms. Goss checked to make sure he was gone and pulled up and chair and we talked. So next year they are wanting to do different student exchange stuff. When I told Ms. Goss that I enjoyed administrative stuff and that I was going to be a senior she said that she would use me to help plan some of the trips and we might be able to work out an internship of some sort...Bre and I then went and had dinner with G-ma, G-pa, and Michal.
Thursdays are SOOOO busy for me. I wake up in the morning and try to get all homework for thursday and friday done. I then went to class. After class I had about a half hour in which I ate lunch. I then headed to Bible Release, from Bible Release I went to JoAnn's house and did yard work (which turned my arms green those my Marshwiggle comments). I then went from JoAnn's to Brothers. After I finished at Brothers I went to college group. Then I came home and went to bed after talking to Bre for a few minutes.
Fridays are glorious days I only have four classes and no work!
Saturday was good, I went to see G-ma G, I picked up doughnuts (from Mom?) and a couple little things of ice cream for us. But when I got there she was not there :( I then came home and worked on a few projects. I went to a girls night up at the dorms and we made journals.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Another Week Done
On Monday in my missionary church I became rather frustrated about the "missionary call" I felt that people (book authors) were putting a WHOLE lot of importance into the "call" but not defining what it was. Rather they would say something and then go through the stories of Paul, Jonah, Isaiah...and then say something else and go through the stories of Paul, Jonah, Isaiah...yeah it was annoying. In class the teacher kept asking us what we thought and that just frustrated me more because I did not have enough information to make an educated assumption and I don't like looking like an idiot. So I tried to express my frustration but I don't think it worked (sigh...why can't people just understand what I am saying). So after my movie class I came home and wrote a LONG email (after praying) explaining what I was thinking and why I was frustrated. I have not heard back yet, she probably thinks I am crazy (it was bound to get out eventually).
The movie class has been a little volatile this week. Which has been fun...
Work is going on as normal.
I'm doing well and enjoying all my other classes. I went to a college group on thursday night and that was a lot of fun.
The weather has been beautiful this past week. So yesterday I went on a walk and enjoyed it after classes. I then came home and went to a tie dying thing here at EBC (we all tie dyed shirts to wear tonight to Skate World (a ASB event)) it was fun I managed not to stay my hands and I had finished my shirt and put it away and then I took off my gloves and was talking to people. Well as I was talking to people I touched the table and got stain all over my hands grrr.
Later that night we had a cast party at Danell's. We watched the video of the performance (it is not finished yet) which was entertaining. Have I ever mentioned that I really dislike seeing myself on videos? Well I do! We also chatted and ate unhealthy snacks. It was enjoyable.
So I think that is about it for this week I am going skating tonight and doing homework and other errands for the rest of today.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
I can see the light!
The Play has been going GREAT...I love the group of people and I have really enjoyed being able to get on stage and make people laugh. Last night a bunch of the people were telling us that we were not going to have a big turn out, but we ended up having to put more chairs out! Everyone seems to really enjoy Bre and I (comic relief) last night Bre said something out of order which threw off what she was saying so she said "therefore...this is Bad" well we were face to face glaring at each other and it was so unexpected that I started to grin (so did Bre and others on stage started to fight laughter) but we recovered and kept going and then later at the climate of the scene (we are all suppose to say the same lines together) people started saying there lines out of order and we could not get together so Bre and I just started the closing line of the scene and it was recovered...But the really funny thing is first we ran this scene twice before going out and it was fine, second nobody in the audience caught the mistakes...
After the play last night a bunch of the cast came over and we talked and played games (Taboo). I was so tired that I was pretty much asleep so when they handed me the cards I stared blankly at them, the word was stock and my train of thought went something like this..."why is everyone staring at me...stock oh like Pippi Longstocking those were good books but I don't think people will get it...why are those two people in my bubble (they were leaning over to make sure I did not say something I was not suppose to)...at this point I said (first thing I had said in about twenty seconds as the timer ticked) you are in my bubble...then I started and it was all good. We had a lot of fun. Life is going to seem like it is missing something with out the play we have been working on the play since the beginning of the school year. Our last performance is tonight...
Monday, April 05, 2010
Busy, busy, busy
We FINALLY are about to have our school play!!!! We practiced almost every night last week and we will practice every night this week. We will be having our final dress rehearsal that is open to EBC people on Thursday night and then actually performances on Friday and Saturday.
I went to a communion service Saturday night which was really good.
Oh so I received my Busyness math grade back...so I crammed a semester worth of material into about three weeks and still received a A-!!! I was excited I had been worried about passing the class because well a semester of math is A LOT to cram. I would not recommend it to anyone. Also I have now finished paying for my junior year of college and still no debt!!!! We will see about next year it might be a bit rodeo!!



