Updates Galore
On April 17, 2021 by Keturah HaferkampSpring
Spring has arrived with all its fluctuations. The weather changes make it difficult to know what to wear each day. Layering lightly is the best approach.
Gardening
The community garden brings a lot of joy. Two donations from our church family in Illinois made it possible for us to purchase a small tool shed. The old shed was dilapidated and needed updating. We were thrilled and grateful to contribute something to such a well-appointed garden space. This community has cared for our family so much. It is sweet to grow together.
Some difficulties with the garden include getting water. The long of it is that the local school controls the water supply but the system needs repairing before the water can be turned back on. This for us has meant hauling water up to the garden space. So far, spring rains have kept us from having to haul too much.
TEAM
TEAM is a mentoring program that gives students the opportunity to grow in leadership skills.
Because it is designed as a cohort, TEAM also gives students the chance to make new friends immediately after becoming part of the HGU family. I’ve never seen such a beautiful concept function so well on a university campus. TEAM is probably my favorite thing about HGU.
The Quoting Wall is a project for my TEAM.
I have the Quoting Wall filling up these days. Students who come meet with me in my office put a quote on the wall. Lots of good conversations. 🥰
Food and eating
Food and eating are among mine and my husband’s favorite pastimes. 🙂
COVID restrictions has limited our access to eating out which is sad. It has given us new opportunities to explore ordering food BaeDal which is “delivery”.
Ordering online
We order online mostly because we have to, but now that we’ve been doing it for so long, the convenience is actually really quite nice. The girls enjoy receiving packages or as the students say “getting couriers”. The money management and online banking setup here is so difficult. I believe the appropriate word in this case is a Mandarin word: 麻烦. The kind of trouble we and most foreigners experience in setting up money systems is the stuff of nightmares. On the other hand, it’s insurance against a theft I suppose. In the name of safety folks are willing to jump through some serious hoops.
TaekBae is the ordering of packages.
BaeDal is the ordering of food (like take out etc.)
Flowers
I love plants. Maybe you know this. I enjoy gardening but I’ve never been much for house plants or indoor plants. Someone gifted me about 17 indoor plants and trees last semester and I’ve been enjoying tending them. I never knew that plants would be such a part of my life–. My father is an avid gardener and now I suppose I am too!
Friendship
This is one great treasure of living in the community here. We live and work and garden and go to church with the same people so it is that much easier to know and be known by others. We have all made friends since we have come here. The girls have come to know and love the large group of homeschooled girls here. Brian has become friends with some of the guys here. I have been grateful to have enriching, life-giving conversations almost every time I engage with my colleagues (sometimes conversations are just college business …not exactly enriching!)
Sorrows
In any community of any size there will be sorrow. I’ve listed several delights and happinesses. Now for sadness. Several folks have lost friends and family this year. Some of us have faced grave disappointments. Others of us have had to live with unrequited desire for much longer than we anticipated. Transitions of moving abroad or away make for sad goodbyes. To this we add the reality that this place is full of spiritual warfare. Oh God. Sorrows compound in communities like this.
School
Work is work. Teaching is teaching. …but this school is unique. It’s mission and vision is unique. The people that work here and the graduates that it produces are unique. I’m grateful for this opportunity.