From Shanghai to Shenandoah: The Path of Repatriation during a P a n d e m i c

After these last ten years of living overseas, it's time to go home...

Although I had planned to remain in Shanghai for the 2021-22 school year, the Lord is redirecting my steps back to the US. It's a bittersweet turn of events: I'm elated about being reunited with my family, yet at the same time, I'm sad to leave a place that I have truly come to love. I'm also mourning the end of a tremendous chapter of international teaching. Starting a whole new life in the small rural town of Mt. Jackson, Virginia, should definitely be a whole new adventure! 🐄

For those interested in the backstory: 

When I returned to China in September 2020 after an unexpected seven months at home in the US, I was 99% certain that I this would be my last year teaching at Shanghai American School. The time I had spent with my family had knit us closer together than ever and we had bought a shiny, new (old) inn, after all. This was it.  

Then, as I became more acclimated to life back in China in September and October, I wrestled with conflicting feelings: go home or stay in Shanghai for one more year? I would walk along the beautiful tree-lined streets of the Former French Concession, my charming neighborhood, and think how much I truly loved it...the quirky cafes, the little shops, the fast-paced feeling of the city, and the excitement and stimulation it brought me, and the way I could literally learn something new everyday just by observing my surroundings or exploring a new area of the city. How could I leave all of this, a city of 27 million, to move to sleepy Mount Jackson, a town with a population of 2,000, a place I had never called home, a place that had suddenly become our new family home? What would I do there? Why leave an exceptional job, church, apartment, and a city I love? And, practically speaking, why not save just a little more money? 

The more I thought and prayed about it, the more compelled I felt to remain in Shanghai. It just made sense. Thankfully, my family supported whatever I felt that God was calling me to do. We spent countless hours discussing it and I felt reassured that I should make the decision to stay. 

One particular truth that brought me great comfort through it all was that God is sovereign and would/could change my plans if He wanted to. Over the years, I have learned, time and time again, to hold onto my own plans and agenda very loosely. Submitting my will to God isn't scary, but incredibly liberating because He is good, wise, and always does all things well, perfectly well. So, that was that. I was staying unless God intervened. 

So, in late November, I signed on the dotted line and gave HR my contract, which bound me to teach at SAS for the 2021-22 school year. I felt elated! I would get the gift of yet another year in this incredible city! 

Then, on a Sunday night in late January, I had a serious conversation with my family about of the growing concerns we were all feeling about the v. We had been learning more about how experimental it really is, possible negative effects, fever pitch censorship about it, and a more nefarious agenda that could be at play, and it was enough to cause me to stop and wonder what I would do if China required all of its foreign teachers to become v. Could that happen? Yes. Will that become a reality? No one knows, but I knew that I didn't want to be put in a stressful situation that would cause me to have to suddenly leave China, since I do not want to take it, or any other, for that matter. 

My mind was reeling. I had to get some answers. So, I inquired with the US Consulate here, who, sadly, had no information to share. I scoured Chinese news articles and read as much as I could, but to no avail. Then, I met with my head of school on February 3 to express my concerns. 

Finally, I knew that I had no choice but to resign. I couldn't risk it. It's impossible to predict what China may require down the line, what airlines might ask of their passengers, or what a "v. passport" could evolve to become. I was even concerned about what restrictions Biden might impose on those entering the US from overseas. There were just too many unknowns, as has been typical with this pandemic.  

So, after much thought and prayer, on Tuesday, March 16, I formally resigned. Thankfully, SAS opened a small 7-day window of opportunity for faculty or staff to resign for the 2021-22 school year without penalty, since the possibility to travel to the US (and beyond) this summer is so ambiguous at the moment. (It's extremely difficult to get back into China now if one leaves, as the Chinese consulates in the US aren't issuing "green health codes" at the moment, nor is is possible to travel to China via other countries. Of course, things might change by June or July, but it's all still so uncertain.)  

I'm so grateful that the school graciously provided an opportunity for us to make some hard decisions without the added stress of worrying about repercussions. And, though it has been difficult to accept that I'm really leaving Shanghai, I have a deep and abiding peace that this is the course the Lord has set before me, which allows me to end this special chapter of my life with gratitude, peace, and excitement about what He has planned for my future.  

So, the next steps are to wrap up things here and prepare to repatriate to the US in mid June 2021. The thought of being reunited with my precious family, with whom I talk every single day and often twice a day, fills me with great joy! 🙌 We have big plans for the inn, which include renovations, and some new construction elsewhere on the property. (My dad is already working on the plans!) 

I'm also excited to develop some ideas that I've been sitting on for the last several years. At this point, I don't foresee myself continuing my teaching career; however, at the the end of the day, I trust that the Lord will show me what He wants me to do. That's my daily prayer. He knows my needs, desires, talents, and the many ways I still need to be sanctified, so I gladly entrust all of it to Him in faith. 

I would love your prayers as I finish my time here. There are many practical things to complete (selling things, shipping details, a long list from human resources, plus my "must-do-before-leaving list," etc.) Emotionally, it will be tough to leave, but I know the Lord will give me the grace I need on a moment by moment basis to do all the hard things and to say good-bye to all the people and places I love so dearly. He is always so very faithful. 

 

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I will hope in him.'" Lamentations 3:22-24

Lastly, I have to laugh about what my dad said four years ago when I was at the airport and getting ready to board the plane in my move to China. He remarked, "Well, Laura. You started your career in the US, then traveled east to teach in Europe (Brussels). Then you continued east to the Middle East (Abu Dhabi and Dubai). Now, you are going to the Far East in Shanghai. If you just keep traveling east, then your next stop will be back home." You were right, Dad. I'm on my way. 💖

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6

Distance Learning Update 🇺🇸🖥️🇨🇳

An update from my small corner of the world...

Amazingly, today wraps up six weeks of being back home in the US, as well as six weeks of distance learning. Though it took some time to adjust to the demands of teaching online, things are better now and I’ve been able to find a more sensible work-life balance. Well, kind of. And, of course, being here with my family is an enormous blessing. 

For those who haven’t experienced this before, teaching children who are spread across the globe is challenging because it means that they are submitting work at different times, which means that my devices seem to have unceasing notifications. This feels stressful because, at the end of the day, it feels good to know that your work is done. But, with work beginning and ending at different times, it’s just impossible to have zero things in your inbox. So, I’ve had to let the notifications go and create some clear boundaries, which has been very helpful. 

Taking short breaks, enjoying quality family time, playing board games, walking around the neighborhood, paying close attention to all of God’s glorious creation, cooking/baking, playing the piano again (after a three decade break!), taking pictures, and reading good books are a few things I’ve done to bring much needed balance and perspective. Sometimes, I still get sucked into that ominous black hole of seemingly endless work (emails, notifications, lesson prep, team conference calls, tech issues, etc.), but my family is always so good to gently pull me back out. 

I have to take a moment now to say how grateful I am to be a teacher at Shanghai American School. Their response to this crisis has been extraordinary. In fact, we haven't missed one day of school since our distance learning began on February 3. And, it's continued to evolve and improve as we've learned more along the way. Our leaders have gently pushed us to continue to grow professionally through online professional development and have offered tremendous support. This has been evident through frequent communication, emotional support, extra resources, financial reimbursement as a help to help offset unexpected additional expenses, the right dosage of humor, personal messages to see how we are coping, and so much more. After reading many sad accounts from teachers around the world who feel displaced, unsupported, and often unpaid, I am even more thankful to be a part of school that takes such good care of its teachers. 

To add to that, just this morning, our Chief Academic Officer, Emmanuel Bonin, shared that the International Baccalaureate Organization has just published a guide to it's 5,300 schools on how to prepare for online learning. In that publication, they chose to highlight and share our school's Distance Learning Plan and cited it as the one exemplar to follow. Wow. Being recognized for the quality work our school is doing and knowing that it will help others is very rewarding. 

In addition to asynchronous learning via Seesaw, we’ve recently started synchronous (or “real time”) learning through the use of Zoom, so that’s been a fantastic way to reconnect with my students and see their darling smiles and missing teeth. The parent feedback about what it has meant to their child has been tremendous, especially since many of my students have been holed up in Shanghai, unable to interact with any other friends for the last 6 weeks now. My heart just breaks for them. You can imagine their elation to be able to see their friends again, even if it’s just virtually. (And, the “mute” power I have as the Zoom meeting host has been especially good for those overzealous students who momentarily forget our meeting agreements. haha.) 

So, the million dollar questions are: When will all of this end? When will our campus reopen? When will I return to China? When will “normal” life return? Well, while I have no answers to any of these questions and that can feel very unsettling, it’s been a good opportunity for me to really lean into the Lord and trust His wise and perfect plan in all of this. Allowing anxiety to creep in and take hold is both sinful (because it’s the opposite of faith) and unhelpful because it doesn’t accomplish anything. So, instead, I choose to preach truth to myself, find comfort and refuge in scripture, rest in his sovereignty, and pray often! 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

On that note, it’s been such a joy and encouragement to be able to go to my home church while I’ve been here, as it has been so fantastic to be back with the GIBC body and get built up in the Word, but sadly, that will have to end, at least temporarily. The reason for this is because of the rapid spread of COVID-19, which is now an official pandemic and one which seems to have its clutches in 116 countries (to date) and nearly every one of our 50 states in some capacity.  

This greatly complicates things because I am currently living at home with my parents, both of whom are in their 70’s. To further complicate matters, after a battle with lung cancer 10 years ago, my father was left with only one lung. He coughs quite a bit daily, which is apparently a common side-effect of lung cancer survivors. Though ten years have passed, our family still feels anxious when my dad has one of his coughing episodes. Once he stops, he always reassures us that he is fine and the coughing is normal. Still, it always unnerves us.

Last week, we were concerned about his health, so he went to see his doctor and they did blood work. By God’s grace, everything came back perfectly normal and he is in good health, especially for being 75 years old. (Imagine, he doesn’t even take any medication!)

Needless to say, the last thing I want to do is expose myself to any potential germs by being out in crowded public spaces during this time, then bring them home to my parents. So, for the sake of my parents, both Julie (my sister) and I have agreed to practice “social distancing” until further notice. We feel this is the most loving thing to do. My parents have also agreed to stay home and let us do the essential errands, such as grocery shopping or library runs. We will all become real homebodies and remind ourselves that it won’t last forever. This, too, shall pass.

Though some may feel our decision is a bit extreme, our family has had many conversations about this over the last six days and have prayed about it together and we feel it’s the right decision for us. Quite frankly, having come from China and experienced all that I have, I think now is the time for people to act and do whatever they can to be prepared and then stay at home, if possible. Choosing to remain at home doesn’t mean that you are living in fear (although it definitely could), but it means that you are doing all that you can to prevent this virus from spreading further. If everyone took a more conservative approach, it could curb the effects of this in dramatic ways, since we know that people can be asymptomatic and still be very contagious.

I should wrap this up. These are difficult days. Staying home is tough. Getting sucked into the news is all too easy. Allowing fear to creep in is a very real temptation. But, now more than ever, we must remind ourselves that while we live in a sinful broken world, God is still truly sovereign over all things and at all times. We need not fear. He is good. Always. And, for believers, we know that we have a great hope, as we look forward to our true home in Heaven with our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ, who made it all possible.  

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5

May God give us wisdom to make difficult decisions, faith to trust Him well through this difficult season, and love for our neighbor, as we prefer their good above our own.

All for His glory,

Laura 💕

PS. Every week I make a video update to share with my students and parents. My goal is to connect with them on a social-emotional level, so they can feel close to me, despite the many miles between us. And, it’s been so sweet to see how some of the families have sent me video updates from their corner of the world, as well. Technology is truly amazing.

If you’re interested, I’ll be very vulnerable and share a few with the hope that it will bring someone out there encouragement. There are pictures at the end of each video, so please feel free to scroll past my talking.  :)  

Here you go: 

• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6

🌱 Replanting East 🈴

As Christians, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves us and cares for us. We know that He chose us before time to be His elect. 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ." Ephesians 1:3-9 

We are stunned by the fact that, out of His great love and mercy, He'd provide a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to God through Christ. 

We marvel that He would count us as righteous (in Him) when we fall so utterly short on our own. We also know that He formed us, knows us inside and out, and has every day planned according to His wise will. 

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:14-16 

These truths provide us with such a wonderful sense of joy and peace and cause us to worship Him all the more. We can rest in His perfect plan, wherever it may take us, knowing that He is in control, He is good, and He will complete the work He started in us (Philippians 1:6). He's already provided for our greatest need--a perfect Savior--so, of course, He'll provide for all of our other lesser needs. 

These truths are just some of the things that have been on my mind lately as I've considered leaving the UAE. After six years, I found myself wondering what it might be like to make a change, wondering if it's time, and wondering where God would have me go next? 

Why, Norway, of course!! It just has to be Norway! 

Yep. After Julie, my mom, and I spent a week there in September, I absolutely fell in love with it--the fresh, clean mountain air, the gorgeous (tall!) people, the unique food (especially those amazing local berries), the Nordic culture (I'm part Norwegian, after all), their view on education and child-rearing, not to mention the incredible landscapes. I knew it was a place that I could see myself living...even in those dark and cold winter months. (Hey, that's what fireplaces, Uggs, and sweaters are for, right?)

So, in early November, I stepped out in faith and applied to three schools: Stavenger International School, Oslo International School, and a public school called Manglerud Skole, which is piloting a program for international classes. 

I waited in faith for God to open a door, ever so hopeful that he would. But, at the same time, I knew I had to really submit to whatever He had for me, so my prayer was, "Thy will be done." 

Then, I heard back from the principal of OIS, Susan, who said that there were no openings, but to check back in May. (sigh) Then, I heard back from Nina from the public school, who said that there would likely only be one position available and it would be posted in February or March, so I should check back. (another big sigh) And, I never heard anything back from the school in Stavenger. (Apparently, North Sea Oil is laying off employees, so this will have an effect on the international school there.) 

Ok, Lord. Does this just mean to wait?? 

After a few more weeks of thinking and praying about it, I decided to just stay put in the UAE. And, why not? My job teaching Grade 3 is a joy. I love my colleagues and school. My little church, Grace Family Fellowship, is a rich blessing to my soul. And, my Jumeirah beachside apartment is a cozy haven that brings me happiness every single day. So, it was settled. 

Well, it was settled until my parents came to visit in late November...

While their visit was enjoyable, the timing of our school holidays didn't exactly line up as planned, since Islamic holidays aren't announced until just days before. In the past, I've had several consecutive days off for National Day and Martyr's Day, but this year, we only got one Thursday off, in addition to Thanksgiving, which was also a Thursday. 

This meant that over the course of their visit, I had to work the whole two weeks (with the exception of those two days off), while they waited at home in my apartment. (It broke my heart to have to leave them each day.) Then, for some reason, my dad had difficulty sleeping. This could've been because he never fully recovered from jet-lag because he was napping during the day, or because he had several things on his mind. In any case, God used these factors to cause them to tell me that the didn't know how much longer they could keep making these long trips over, which was the impetus to shift my thinking back to leaving the UAE. 

But where should I go if Norway was a closed door (for now)?? 

It was actually on my parents last night that we had a family chat with Peter (Julie was scuba diving). I can't remember who actually suggested it, but one of them said that I may want to consider moving back to Europe. "Hmm, now, that is interesting..." I thought. Why not? It is definitely moving in the direction of Norway, so there is that...

In order to get a job in Europe, however, I knew I had to join Search Associates, which is a recruitment organization for international education. So, I did. I paid the fee, asked my current and former administrators to complete confidential references, filled out pages of information, and finally completed my profile. It was definitely a process. 

From there, I was able to see what jobs were available in Europe. Of course, I immediately searched for job opportunities in Norway, but nothing whatsoever was posted. (Boo!) Then, I widened my search to Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. 

Then, in mid December, I was invited by my Search Associates representative to attend a job fair in London in early January, but after thinking about it over my 2-week Christmas holiday, I felt like it would be a waste of time and money, since I only really wanted a couple of specific schools. (These schools prioritized candidates with experience with the IB program, particularly the Primary Years Programme, and my experience in PYP is fairly limited, which would've reduced my likelihood of being hired.) 

So, back to square one. I wasn't going to go to the job fair. I wasn't going to be actively pursuing a job in Europe, and I wasn't going back to the US. So, that meant, staying put unless God decided to bring something my way. "Lord, please let it be Norway!!" 

I should mention that throughout this whole process, I felt it was important to keep my Head of School, Jim, involved, since leaving Dubai American Academy would impact their recruitment. I also chatted openly with my principal, Roberta, and assistant principal, Kit. And thankfully, because this is my fourth year at DAA, I feft at ease speaking openly with each of them because I knew that they truly care about me and want what is best for me. 

So, where were we in this story? Yes, I was in the middle of praying that the Lord would somehow do a miracle and cause Norway to come knocking. 

Well, someone did come knocking, but he wasn't Norwegian. He was the American principal of a renowned international school in Shanghai, CHINA, of all places! 

Imagine my surprise when I had just slipped under my cool sheets to go to sleep last Sunday (January 15) and I received an email from Shanghai American School. I literally bolted upright in bed and rubbed my eyes to make sure I was reading it correctly. "CHINA?! Oh, Lord, seriously? China?!" 

After I caught my breath, I read the email from Michael, the principal, who gave me some information about the school and also asked if I would be interested in talking to him via Skype (i.e. an interview). Oh, boy. 

So, I immediately messaged my family on our Whatsapp group and my mom's reply was pretty amazing. She said, "Ironically, Laura, we're meeting friends tonight whose daughter teaches in China, so that's really interesting. It sounds exciting, Laura. You never know! I'll be praying for you, honey." 

What are the chances of those two events happening on the same day?? (It definitely got my attention.) 

The next day at school, I chatted with a couple of trusted colleagues, one of whom (named Jamie) had actually taught in Shanghai for four years. Hearing their impressions of the school, the city, and the country as a whole really helped me to have a more open mind about the idea. The other colleague, Jennifer, even graciously connected me to two of her friends who taught there. (How nice to have some of my initial questions answered almost immediately. By the end of the day, my curiosity and interest had certainly piqued. Could this be how God was answering my prayers? 

As soon as I got home, I jumped on Skype to have a quick family chat about it and, to my surprise, the whole family was on board. (Remember that part about my parents thinking the Middle East was becoming too far of a journey? Yeah, well, that went out the window real fast. Lol.) They said they'd be praying about it with me and trusting that God would lead the way. And, they were really excited!! 

So, the next step was replying to Michael's email and having my first interview, just a few days later (Friday at 7:30 am). That interview with Michael and the Assistant Principal, Teri Lynn, went very well and before I knew it, I was having another interview with four teachers/team reps (at 5:30 am on Monday), followed by yet one more with the Deputy Head of School, George, on Wednesday evening. Whew!! 

Thankfully, all of them went very well and before I knew it, I was offered a position teaching either Grade 2 or 4! 

So, it would seem that I'm moving to Shanghai, China! No, it's not Norway, but that's OK. I trust God and know that His plan is always best. I'm content with whatever He has for me, even if it's something that was never on my radar! 

Actually, this whole series of events is just a bit surreal to me because I see God's fingerprints on every step, even the last minute trip Julie, my mom, and I took to Norway in late September. If I hadn't gone to Norway, I would never have wanted to move there. If I hadn't wanted to move there, I would never have thought about making a big change in my life. If I hadn't wanted to make a big change in my life, I would never have created a Search Associates profile, and if I hadn't done that, Michael in Shanghai would never have known I even existed. 

It's so incredible to see how God put it all together and actually caused this remarkable opportunity to fall right into my lap! In these of moments of reflection, which are frequent these days, I'm just in awe of the way He really is moving in our lives in a very personal way. I'm humbled by the fact that He'd bless me with such a wonderful, exciting new adventure, knowing just how I'm built and just what I need, far more than I ever could. 

It brings me back to the verse I mentioned earlier, Psalm 139:16b, "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." 

God had this planned for me all along and I'm just walking in the path that He has laid before me. (Funnily enough, this is a lot like what happened in 2011 and I was determined to move to France. God plopped Abu Dhabi, of all places, right into my lap!) 

Though I have many questions and wonder what life in China will be like, I know I can rest in faith, trusting that He goes before me and that He does all things well. I don't need to fret or worry because He is good and does good. I'll just take one day at a time, entrusting myself to Him each and every step of the way. 

It's a beautiful testimony of one of my favorite life verses, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 

Amen and amen! Let the next adventure begin! (Ok, well on July 29.) :) 

If you're interested in the school, these videos give a great picture of what it's like: 

• Introduction to Shanghai American School
• One day at SAS 
• Funny story: When I told my class all about the big move on Thursday afternoon, I also showed them this video and they absolutely loved it. So much so that one of my cuties said, "Can we see what happened on Friday?"

Thank you for your interest and for taking the time to read about this remarkable testimony of God's goodness. (I know I'm verbose. Sorry!) I would ask for your prayers as I transition from the Middle East to a whole new kind of foreign. I'm also praying to find a solid, Bible church, so please let me know if you know of one. (I have asked a few people, but I haven't heard back from them yet.)  I know the Lord will provide, since he's brought me this far and He's faithful. 

The UAE has been a very special place to me and I'll greatly miss it. I've made some wonderful friends here, whom I'll sorely miss, and I've experienced things I could never have imagined.  God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams, even though I'm completely undeserving, and I praise Him for His goodness to me, His protection, and for helping me to seek Him first in a city that can swallow people whole. It's only by His grace that my time here has been so wonderful. 

You know, it's funny. When I look around now, everything looks different. It looks so temporary and somehow even more precious to me because the clock is ticking and my days are numbered. I am determined to treasure every day of the last five months I have left. 

Finally (since I really should end this at some point), just as the UAE has been a unique place to minister God's love and grace to people, I hope and pray that God would use me for His glory in China. The challenges will likely be very similar, so it seems the Lord has already prepared me to some extent. Apart from Him, I know can do nothing, so I'm completely dependent on Him to equip me to boldly share Christ, to give me strength, wisdom, and sufficient grace, as well as to help me remain faithful to Him. I'd covet your prayers to that end and know that they are powerful and effective (James 5:16). 

I'll be home in the US this summer for a brief time (June 23-July 28 with a cruise in between) and hope to see many of you then!  

谢谢你的祈祷
(Thank you for your prayers!)

Uprooting

As summer inches closer each day, a bittersweet move presses in on me much like the blazing, engine-like desert air that hits every time one walks outside at this time of the year. It’s inescapable.

What bittersweet move? Here's my news...

The good news is that I will be moving to Dubai in August, so I will be much closer to church. The bad news is that I’m leaving Abu Dhabi and the precious friends, colleagues, and Emirati children and families whom I love so deeply.

My heart has been torn since I first began praying about this as far back as January 2012. (I will share the whole story when I have more time.) But, over time, God has made it very evident that Dubai is where I need to be, despite my desire to continue teaching at Sheikh Zayed PrivateAcademy, a school I have come to sincerely love, challenges and all.

The bottom line is that I need to be where my soul is best served and, ironically enough, that is in Dubai, closer to my “local” body, United Christian Church of Dubai, where I will have more frequent fellowship, opportunities to serve on a practical level and a greater degree of personal and spiritual accountability. (The drive between the two emirates takes me about an hour and 15 min. each way, which can be exhausting after a full work week and also very limiting in terms of what I’m able to do midweek or even on Saturdays at church or with my friends.)

During these last few days and weeks in Abu Dhabi, the imminent change has been and will continue to be emotionally taxing, but I know the Lord is sovereignly directing my every step and I need not worry about the future. While I will greatly miss the friendships He has knit together, I know that He will give me the grace, strength and perseverance to maintain those He wills for me to hold closely.

Please pray with me during this time of change, most especially that God would be glorified through it all. In and of myself, I will fail miserably in this, so I’m totally depending upon Him. I will leave Abu Dhabi on July 2 and will be home (in Florida) until August 14, when I will, Lord willing, board a plane destined for Dubai and a new life of sorts. I know it will be good because God is good.

Thank you in advance for your prayers, support, love and hugs. 

Here are some photos of my new school, Dubai American Academy, which I visited on March 30. It was truly a blessed day, full of meeting new colleagues, future students and friends, so I’m hopeful about the great things God has in store for me there and the ways I can showcase His amazing love, beauty and grace. 

My new home-away-from-home...(kind of) 

Front Entry...

 The school has two parts to the campus...the Elementary School and the High/Middle School. Total enrollment is about 2250.

See the Burj Al Arab (Sail Hotel) in the distance? That's how close the beach is. yay. 

Special Day...dorky picture. Ha! (Do all iphone pics make me look this tired?) 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8

The Sprout

This beautiful story continued to grow, watered by the grace of patience, trust and a sincere faith that God's will would ultimately be done.

After deciding that I was going to move forward in the application process, I began to research the International, American, and private schools in Abu Dhabi...and there are many!

Remarkably enough, I learned that expats account for 75% of the 4 million+ population of the United Arab Emirates, so it's certainly not your typical Middle Eastern country. The idea of being surrounded by so many extraordinary international people, many of whom have a Western mentality, was both exciting and comforting.

I sent letters of interest, along with my CV, a photo, and references, to several schools that were appealing. I was also happy when an agent named Bryan from Teach Anywhere contacted me. In fact, in an ironic twist, in his first email he said exactly this:

"Thanks so much for your interest in Teachanywhere. As per our website, we are not actively placing North Americans in Europe and Latin America at this time. There may be limited opportunities for those with European passports - or possibly, we may have some positions later in the year for Portugal that do not require a European passport. We will be happy to notify you as opportunities arise. In the meantime, if you would consider the Middle East or Far East, we would be more than happy to work with you and complete your application. We have some positions in the following countries: Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, S. Korea, and Thailand. Please let us know if you are interested in any of those."

I had to laugh when I read that because that is precisely the new desire that the Lord had placed in my heart! (For the record, think I will always be a Francophile, but I can clearly see that God has closed that door, for now anyway.)

So, over the next few days, Bryan and I exchanged a few emails in an effort to complete the entire application process and be fully prepared to accept a position should one become available. (Would you believe that I even had to do my own FBI criminal background check?) After having my references clear, he said he was pleased to offer me the choice of positions at either one of two schools. How exciting!

However, after reading further, I learned that while both schools offered a very lucrative package, they were located in a remote coastal region 2 hours away from Abu Dhabi. There was then no question in my mind about rejecting the offers as my highest criteria for even moving to this area of the world was the critical imperative to have access to a good local body of Christ-centered, Bible-believing people. If there was no solid church with sound, somewhat (at least) expository teaching, I was not going anywhere. I have that here at Grace Immanuel Bible Church and know that I would be hard-pressed to find it elsewhere. It's a precious grace in my life, one that would certainly be very difficult to leave behind.

At this stage in the process, I knew it was high time to seek out wise, biblical counsel since I was only becoming more and more serious about the idea of moving. I didn't know if anything would actually materialize, but I wanted to be ready if it did.

On Tuesday, July 26, I met with my precious mentor, Peggy Bruce, and we worked through both the practicalities, as well as the heart motivations. As with any life choice, especially such a big one as this, I know it's critical that I look deep within and ask the hard questions:

• What are my motivations for moving?
• Are any sinful motivations lurking beneath? (The heart is deceitful!)
• Does this desire show any hint of discontentment in my heart?
• Am I willing to lay this desire down, fully submit it to the Lord and even abandon it if counsel cautioned me against it?
• Could this be an idol of my heart, something I would sin to get or sin to keep?

After much prayer, heart-probing, and a thorough searching of Scripture, I could honestly say (with a clear conscience) that my heart was pure before the Lord in all of these matters. I was encouraged by the evidence of God's grace in even giving me a submitted and surrendered heart as surely this does not come naturally. As sinful humans, we typically want what we want and will more often than not manipulate the situation in any way to get it! The fact that I could leave it all behind in a minute if the Lord closed the door was a clear indication and confirmation that God was at work. Sure, it would be a disappointment to have it all fall to pieces, but I would know that God had made His will known.

My greatest desire is to glorify God, obey Him in all things, and point others to the saving love of Christ. So, whether I moved or remained in FL, it was a win-win for me, especially because I am so happy here. I'm extremely close to my family. I have a wealth of wonderful friends. I absolutely love my church. I couldn't work at a better school than Palm Beach Public and I had just informally accepted a position teaching as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University. It just didn't make any sense (in the natural) to leave all of this behind...unless God was truly at work, orchestrating every last detail according to His wise plan.

It was very important to for me to meet with my pastor, Jerry Wragg, so I could hear his perspective, insights, and possible cautions, and sound biblical counsel. I was so pleased that he was able to graciously and sacrificially schedule me in on Sunday, July 31. (He was technically still on vacation.)

In the meantime, while carpooling to a Tuesday night bible study with my dear friends, Matt and Melissa Stanchek, I listened carefully to all that Matt offered, since I greatly respect his biblical perspective as well. He raised many thought-provoking questions and was kind enough to later share some great resources, one of which was an excellent, thorough document that Pastor Jerry had written. Thankfully, this guided my thought process even further and help me navigate more critically through the deeper heart issues.

It was also important for me to speak with my dear principal, Sharon Stevens, who has been so good to me over the last 8 years. I wanted to be up front and honest with her about my desire to teach overseas. {Thankfully, she had some indication earlier in the summer when I asked if I could put her down as a reference for the Paris job.}

We had a really great conversation and she made it very easy for me to share my heart. When I told her that I would gladly stay home and teach this school year if she needed me, she graciously responded by saying to the effect of this: "Oh, Laura...have you ever known me to keep someone from doing what they really want? I want you to go where God may be leading." {hand on heart} I just love her. She always puts others' needs before her own. Even when I hung up the phone, I just sat there on the couch and wondered if I could really leave such an amazing principal.

Surprisingly, after dismissing the two job offers earlier in the week, Bryan (from Teach Anywhere), was very quiet. I had received no email in days, which was strange based on the rate of our previous correspondence. I began to wonder if the door was perhaps closing and that I should look into the possibility of a job overseas in the more distant future and not now.

So, I thought I would start looking at when international job fairs might occur. It was there on the Council of International Schools website that I noticed (off to the side) a tab labeled "For Teachers," which I clicked and then I saw another tab labeled "Teacher Vacancies." I happily clicked and then did a search for schools in the UAE and saw a Kindergarten position listed at The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy.

For whatever reason, when I saw the photo of the Principal off to the right side, I immediately thought, "Wow, she looks so kind." Then, after reading her letter listed there, I became even more excited because I resonated so much with all that she had to say, in particular this specific comment: "We believe that great education begins with a leap of faith." I couldn't agree more, especially because I felt like I was in mid-air of my great leap of faith!

Although it was quite late, I read nearly their entire website, then I excitedly wrote a cover letter, attached all the appropriate items, and then determined to find a way to email Dr. Connie directly since the only email that was listed was to a more obscure email (vacancies@zayedacademy.ac.ae) in my estimation, anyway. (I just imagined my email sitting in some HR mailbox for weeks while everyone was off on their holidays.) So, it was relatively easy to determine the email pattern after clicking on the Teacher tab where the correct email pattern was listed for parents to get in touch with their child's teacher.

Finally, it was finished. {Big exhale} After hitting the send button, I knew that was it. I had exhausted every last ounce of energy and attempted every possible option I knew, once again. It was all up to God and way beyond me at this point. Part of me wondered if my application and direct email to the school (as opposed to going through Teach Anywhere) would go unanswered as all my other ones had, but I redirected my worry by saying once more, "Lord, thy will be done."

Again, as I climbed into the comfort of my cool sheets and closed my eyes that night, I had such difficulty sleeping. My body was physically and emotionally spent, but my mind actively wondered if this job would be "the one." I prayed earnestly that my email would: a) be read, b) gain her attention, and c) be graced and blanketed with the sovereign favor of the Lord. After a few minutes of prayer, my mind and heart had perfect peace and I drifted off into a sweet sleep.

I awoke with a heart-pumping excitement, quickly jumped out of bed, scurried downstairs, and checked my email. There before my sleepy eyes was an email from Dr. Connie! (I remember having to rub my eyes to be sure I was seeing the screen correctly!!!) And, sure enough, she had written that she was happy to receive my email and after reviewing my CV, she wanted to schedule an interview for that morning! I was ecstatic and quickly called Julie and my parents to share the good news! Amazingly, they all had been earnestly praying about this job in particular, so they weren't even surprised!

So, at 10:30 AM (6:30 PM her time), she "called" me via Skype and interviewed me for 45 minutes. I have to say that it was a unique experience in that she was extremely easy to speak with...very warm and friendly, open and honest about her specific needs at the school there. God granted such a supernatural peace and I felt confident, yet at the same time, completely inadequate in and of myself. I knew that even with being experienced and well qualified on a human level, it was only God who could cause me to actually be hired.

Finally, at the end of the interview, she removed her glasses and looked at me through the screen. (I must interject that she couldn't even see me, but I could see her! So much for my record-breaking race to get ready that morning with actually doing my hair and all!) She smiled and said that though she normally had a panel for interviews, she felt comfortable offering me a job right there on the spot! Amazing.

The whole thing was a bit surreal in that it felt so abnormally normal, ironically enough. I felt like we had been sitting around in our living rooms (which I was) and just chatting about the joys and challenges of education. After our great conversation, it seemed perfectly natural that I would join her in their endeavor to educate these young minds there.

Before signing the contract, however, I knew it was urgent that I speak to Pastor Jerry, so I gave him a call on his cell phone and he graciously (once again) agreed to talk a little later that afternoon when he had a window of free time.

As expected, his counsel was excellent and helped me in a couple of unexpected ways, one of which was putting me in touch with dear South African friends of theirs who live in Dubai. I was thrilled to have such a precious contact as good, Christ-loving friends will be crucial for me. They are already excited to show me the lay of the land, introduce me to other believers at church, and connect me to the greater body of Christ there. What a huge blessing!

I am so thankful that the Lord provided such encouragement and support through Pastor Jerry's specific ministry to me in my time of need. I will certainly miss him and his loving wife, Louise. I will also greatly miss the whole body of believers at GIBC. Even now, I am saddened by the very thought of being so far away, especially when so many of my dear friends are now pregnant or just had little ones. I could cry. I am comforted, however, in knowing that I can (Lord willing) still hear sermons, see videos, and stay connected even across the miles through facebook, at least. (I hope everyone will stay in touch!)

Well, I'd better move on or I'll never get through this...

Ok, the last phone call I needed to make before things were final was to Palm Beach Atlantic. Though a formal contract had yet to be signed, I had verbally committed myself for the fall semester and wanted to honor Christ by exercising integrity in keeping my word.

Once more, the Lord showed me His grace as Dr. Gene Sale showed nothing but genuine excitement and enthusiasm as I asked him his thoughts about this unique opportunity. He couldn't have been kinder in releasing me and even expressed that the job offer still stands for the future. What a rich blessing that only highlights God's supreme love, kindness, and goodness!

Lastly, I faxed my parents the 2-year contract and terms of employment and after careful review, everything looked good...actually great! The employment package is an absolute dream (especially in light of the current financial and political situation for FL teachers) and while I know it will be challenging in many ways, I am confident that God will be with me each step of the way. My goal in all of this is to glorify Him in all things, above all else, through the unique gifts and talents that He has graciously given to me. I have absolutely no doubt that He will use me to be a Living Epistle and salt and light in a region so incredibly wealthy, yet spiritually bankrupt.

You know, it's funny. The school is owned by the Sheikh Zayed himself and is located directly across the street from his palace. I will literally be teaching the children of royalty, which would be just slightly intimidating if I wasn't the Daughter of the Most High, the Princess of the King. :)

If you made it this far, thank you so much for the time you spent reading all the itty-bitty details (that I love so much). I think God's fingerprints are all over this. :) I sincerely ask that you pray for me as I undertake this new assignment, new adventure, and new life of sorts. I have every hope that, by God's grace, the desert will indeed bloom with the visible, manifold blessings and saving grace of Jesus Christ flowing through me for the future good of those God has already called as His Own.

Humbled by His infinite goodness,

Laura

PS. Here are a few more tidbits that I forgot to mention:

• I'll be teaching second grade. :)
• I will likely leave around Aug. 28. The flight is 17 hours.
• School for new teachers begins Sept. 6.
• I'll be home for 3 weeks at Christmas (Lord willing)!
• I will have a 2-bedroom, fully furnished apartment, so you are welcome to visit! :)