Top Ten Ways to tell I’m not in Eugene

10) When people say Washington they mean DC not the state

9) People refer to “the loose and liberal west coast”

8) I don’t have a clue about any of the colleges they are mentioning

7) There are no recycling containers anywhere

6) The colors green and yellow are just colors

5) No pan handlers on the corners

4) Gas cost $4.52 a gallon

3) There aren’t hippies about

2) The city is clean

1) The boxes of Soda say “Go Cubs”

A random freebie nobody knows where Eugene is…

Chicago Art Museum and Millenial Park

Just because it struck my fancy

I don't get modern art

Yes they have a lawn called "Great Lawn" and you are not allowed to touch it...

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...

After Dinner mint :-) it tasted like black licorice and I thought was nasty

Team Turkey!

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

Naan bread with "food" on it :-) (really good)

Hmm I did not know Pizza was Afghani?

Some type of pastry

April going to the Czech

Naama bread cooking

Chai Tea

More of the group

Trying to find Pakistani appropriate clothes :-) (we eventually found two shirts)

More Training

So today was more training... we discussed the need for finding lost sheep (intriguing), servant hood, shared personal testimonies (amazing to hear what God has done), met a bunch of TEAM people, ate some great food. We also discussed some financial questions which was really good and provided some clarity. Then, of course, we had a team building section. For part of it they showed a video (I wonder if it was the one we never got to see at NHCC ;-)) which was really good and I enjoyed what they had to say.

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....

It has Begun

I left last night out of Portland for O'Hare, it was a overnight flight and is usually the case on such flight quite with lots of people trying there best to sleep.

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!

I'm a graduamated ;-)

So the day finally came and on May 5th my sister and I stole the show and graduated! We both graduated Summa Com Laite (which means where smart :-) ) and Bre was valedictorian. We both also received are creditials, along with one other gentleman. It was a lot of fun and really rewarding.

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!!!!!

Update

So this last week was full but good. I did not realize that we were so close to the end until people started saying that next week was dead week and I did not believe them at first :-)

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!

Real Life Exhibit

Last Sunday we took a group of people from my church up to the Real Life Exhibit. It was really good and I have heard great responses from people. This was my second trip the first time I went with a class from the college, it was the day the family left to go back to Japan and the civil war game Go Ducks! I am just going to share my response from the first trip...

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.

Spring Break

So this last week was spring break and it flew by!

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...

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 20^th – August 8^th (I might possibly be spending two of those weeks in Japan). I must have $6010 raised my May 7^th 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 17^th)

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.

Update

Hey everyone,

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.

The Bible

Over the course of this Christmas break I have read two different books that dealt with the need for Bibles in communist countries after WW2. The first was Tortured for his Faith which is the story of Mr. Pavlov (spelling is probably wrong) and how he spent 13 years in prison in Romania. Over the course of those 13 year for maybe 6 months he managed to get a hold of and hide a Bible. During those six months he memorized huge sections of the New Testament. He had a very effective ministry within the jails bringing revival wherever he went. After he was released, he discovered the rest of the country was also in need of Bible's. People were copying the Bible by hand trying to get more copies available. The other book I read was The Narrow Road it was about Brother Andrew. Who among other things smuggled Bibles into closed countries.

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...

Friday Night

So last night I went to a concert with Kent and Jackie. We were going to a town that is about 40 miles from Eugene. When are exit was in sight Kent's car broke down (I was also about to stump them in 20 questions hmmm maybe it was a stalling antic)...as he was talking to his dad and trying to figure out what else to try to fix the car (we had already tried all the basic stuff) Pastor drove up behind us (going to the same concert)...we ended up catching a ride with Pastor to the concert...then the three of us stole Pastors car and went and met the tow truck so Kent could sign paper work. Jackie(she took Arabic with me) and I REALLY had to use the bathroom and well we were not acting very normal because of it, people kept looking at us strange as we sat in Pastor car watching Kent's car get towed away...after we finished with the tow truck we stopped at Carles to use the bathroom and pick up dinner for Kent. They gave us numbers to hold while waiting for our food and Jackie and I walked around the place displaying are numbers...then we stood by the drive through and made crazy faces while displaying are numbers, then we (well you get the picture...) we made it back to the concert in time for the alter call and then the Skillet concert so we all joined the mosh pit and that was an adventure nothing like bad BO to end a perfect day : ) We then hitched a ride to Kent's house with some other people. Then stole another vehicle and he dropped us off at my house. I then used my car to take Jackie home...It was a GREAT evening....