...in Lebanon

So, it's taken me awhile to post this, but I thought I should FINALLY get around to it. As I mentioned in my last post, I traveled to Lebanon (the country, not the city :p) in May. I went with Purdue Global Engineering Program, working with rainwater harvesting and urban upgrade.



There was a team of us (Bassel, Tiago, Alaina, Ji, and me), and we spent all semester working on this proposal and project. It was a lot of learning, researching, writing, and presenting, but it was definitely worth it! The trip was amazing, and I'll try to give it justice in this post (although I know I won't be able to).

Because much of our work had been done ahead of time because of the nature of our project, we had a few days of presentations and discussions once we arrived in Lebanon, but much of the time we got to really experience life and culture there. One of the neatest things about the country was all of the eras that were still able to be seen. We got to see sites that date back to the Bible, the days of the Roman and Ottoman empires, and then we got to see modern day monuments and buildings that remind us of more recent events.







There were also a lot of beautiful things in nature that we got to see. The cedars of Lebanon were definitely a sight to behold, and we also got to see much along the coast of the Mediterranean. We even got to visit a cave that is on the list to become a new world wonder! It was awesome!







Bassel was the leader of our team, and he is originally from Lebanon so it was awesome having him showing us around and explaining things to us. We also got to meet many of his friends from the American University of Beirut (AUB). Everyone was very friendly and welcoming; it made the experience very fun! We also got to meet his family; we had lunch at their house one day, and it was sooooo delicious! I could not thank everyone there enough for all their hospitality.





All of that awesomeness being said, Lebanon was one of the most challenging and eye-opening places I had ever been. I don't think it was so much the location as it was the perspective I was in. In many of my trips, I had been there from the perspective of "missions", but this trip was more "real" in the sense that I got to see and experience the life of those who live there without attaching anything. Now, I've seen some real life things in other countries, sure, but I had never been somewhere where I felt so alone in my beliefs, and that was hard. But at the same time it was very eye-opening to see and experience Lebanon that way.




Anyway, I could go on and on about Lebanon and the things I saw, learned, and experienced, but this is all I'm going to post on here. :) BUT if you want to check out more about our engineering project, just check out the following links:

http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/Pages/purdue-sabra.aspx
https://engineering.purdue.edu/GEP/News/Spotlights/gdt-update-from-lebanon

Recent/Upcoming Life Events

Wow, so, God has been providing in crazy ways!

As I'm typing, I'm leaving in less than a week for Lebanon (the country, not the city in Indiana :p). I've been on a Global Design Team through Purdue this semester, and we've been designing a Rainwater Harvesting System for a community there, so we're traveling to propose what we've been working on. Please pray for favor and safety as we travel and while we're in the Middle East. :)

Later this summer I move to Houston to work. God provided an engineering internship for me this summer! I'm still looking for housing, but I know that He's got me covered. I'm nervous, but excited to go where He's directing me. :)

All in all, it's been a pretty rough semester academically, and in other ways too, but I know that God was there for me through it all, and He's definitely the one who gets ALL the glory for me making it through! It's been a challenge trusting Him at times, but I know that when things are in His hands, that's the best way that things can be. :)

So, that's the quick update of the semester, and I hope to post more about the amazing adventures God has provided soon :)

It's been awhile

Wow! It's been awhile since I've written anything on here. I think I'll start again. God has been doing a lot, though, and hopefully I'll get to share some of that soon :) YAY, blog!

Worth It

Sometimes we plan things
And they fall through
Sometimes our dreams
Never become reality
Sometimes our hope
Brings disappointment
And looking back
It doesn't make sense
But we have to trust
We have to know
We must believe
That God is sovereign
His plans are greater
His dreams are bigger
His hope does not disappoint
And His promises are true
In the end we will see
It was all worth it

Every Time

It happens like this every time

But more frequently now

When did it get this bad?

How did you get this way?

But in a way I understand

I used to be that way too

But it was different

Because I kept it all inside

But you don't, do you?

You scream it for the world

While you're running the streets

Does it help?

It's only getting worse

I never wanted this for you

I don't want it for you now

I wish I could just bring a solution

It's hard sitting here

Just watching

A part of me dies for you

Every single time

But you don't care

You don't see

No matter how hard I try

No matter what I do

I pray that you find

The freedom I have found

Freedom from hate

Freedom to forgive

But for now

Every time I will be here

Watching and praying

That it all will end

The King's Garden

Are the flowers not lovely?
Is the produce not of best quality?

Does the master not care for each?

He plants

He waters

He weeds

They grow

The master delights in them

Is each not special?

Does the master not find each beautiful?

Are they not?

Some are big

Some are small

Some are fragile

Some are strong

But he cares for them all

But not all care for the King's Garden

Some steal his precious beings

And distort them

Lie to them

Mistreat them

This saddens the King

He longs for their return

To repair and make new again

For his love is so great

So wide and so deep

Unconditional

Incomprehensible

But it doesn't matter

That it cannot be understood

Because the love is real and perfect

And his love makes the garden grow

maybe I'm frustrated

You need to be more careful
Look at how you act
I'm so worried about you
But maybe you're just not afraid
Maybe I just was

I can't figure you out
You don't talk like the rest
It's like I'm always tiptoeing
I want normal
But maybe I don't

You make me mad sometimes
You say all this stuff
And it isn't even true
You believe it though
Maybe I'm guilty too

I want to be your friend
And I think we're getting better
But then I'm not sure
You probably don't care
But maybe I do