One Way Ticket... To Japan?

Yes, you read that right. I am in this moment looking up ticket information for a one way ticket to Nagoya Japan.

I bet you're wondering why I, Brie Meegan, lover all things Africa is looking for flights to an island so far away. Well it's because I got a job.

Let me start in the beginning. I graduated in May from the University of North Texas (cacaaaw!). Since then, actually a bit before that, I began applying for jobs. In fact, that's how I spent just about all of my free time. I filled out application after application, I sent emails to go with a majority of the applications. And then I waited. I waited for the interview then job offer I kept hearing I would get. When that didn't come I sent out more applications and emails.

Soon I had applied for 120 jobs. Yes, I counted. And I had one, just one, interview in a very small town that I just could not see myself living in. I couldn't tell if job hunting was really this hard or if I was just that bad at it.

About a month ago I was sitting in home group when someone asked me how the job search was going. I replied with one word: stupid. They asked if I would consider teaching overseas. Well if you have had any type of conversation with me you probably know that I want nothing more than to teach overseas. But I have loans, and all the organizations I had looked into required that you had no debt. She began to tell me about NICS, Network of International Christian Schools. She knew people who had gone and paid their loans. I applied the next day all the while preparing myself for more rejection or just being ignored, after all I had learned that's what a job search is mostly.

I filled out the personality form, the first step. A few days later I got an email saying I could fill out the interview form. Honestly at this point I was just glad SOMEONE was validating my existence. So I filled out the interview form, still thinking at some point surely they will say no just like everyone else. I won't have enough of something they were looking for... In fact I hardly told  anyone I had applied overseas because I just assumed nothing would come of it.

Two weeks later my phone rang. It was someone with NICS wanting to talk with me. She seemed so calm, too calm. You know those overly calm tone that people use when giving bad news and their tone will somehow soften the blow. I walked upstairs waiting for the "I'm sorry but..." Instead I heard "I'm reviewing your interview form right now. It looks like you're a great fit for us!" My first thought was not something about getting a job, it was more along the lines of "SOMEONE THINKS I'M A GOOD FIT. THANK YOU JESUS FOR ENCOURAGEMENT."

The phone call continued and she asked what I thought about the possibility of Japan. Would I be interested? I instantly said "Yes." Now trying to use one of those super calm voices to hide the pure joy running through me.

Reference forms were sent then returned. Roughly two weeks later, Thursday morning, I received another phone call. It was the coordinator for the school in Japan. Again, I prepared myself for the "I'm sorry but..." Instead this time I was met with a job offer. A third or fifth grade teaching job in the city of Nagoya at the International Christian Academy of Nagoya. I had until Monday to decide so that the visa process could start for me, or for someone else. I ran into Sarah's room screaming, and I do mean screaming. I then called some family and friends. I met with my home group leader for lunch to discuss things. I cried randomly throughout the day. I laughed a lot. I prayed. I called the coordinator back with questions. I called my parents with answers.

Fun fact about several of these phone calls: During the first call with the job offer and the first calls to my parents I received emails from school districts telling me the position I had applied for had been filled. While talking with the coordinator I received two, and one during each call to my parents.

All this to say this, on Friday morning at about 10 am I called the coordinator back to accept the third grade position in Japan. It is a two year commitment.  I have to be there early August. So, in a month and a half I will be moving across the world for two years. I should be back next summer for a bit, the school schedule is the same as American schools so I'll have the same summer break!

I have to raise my initial plane ticket, roughly $1,000. I know that my God provides. He always does, and always will. My laptop is in the process of dying, the screen randomly goes too dark to see anything and in fact is in the process of breaking away form the bottom half. I'm just not sure it will survive a around the world trip, and if it does I know it will not last two more years. So if and when I have more than enough money to buy a plane ticket I will be buying a new laptop. Yes, I could buy one there...But I am not technologically savvy and I would prefer my dear sweet father help me set it up.

I would love and appreciate your prayers for me and my family during this time. I had a very small taste how hard this move will be by making phone calls yesterday. My family knew I was going to move across the world at some point, but they didn't think that would come so quickly. So pray that this time will be well spent and as peaceful as can be.

I love you guys! If you want to spend time with me (I would love to spend time with you!) let me know and we will plan it! But please let's not always get lunch, dinner, coffee or other things that will cost me. Remember, I need to save money because I'm moving to Japan soon. :]

How's the Job Search?

How's the job search?

I get asked this question on a very regular basis. And to be honest, it's hard. I spend a good deal of my time emailing principals and applying online. While I am not enjoying this waiting game, I am learning some things.

I am being constantly reminded that God holds me in His mighty hands. He knows exactly where I will be in August. He knows where I'll be living. He knows what grade I'll be teaching. He knows it all. Yes, I would love nothing more than to know this information. I want to know if I'll have my own class, what grade they will be, and what school they will be in. When I start to get nervous I remind myself that the Creator of the Universe has "plans to prosper (me) and not to harm (me) plans to give (me) a hope and a future." With Him, through Him I have a hope and a future. I take rest in that. How could I not?

I am learning that I my will alone is not enough. I can not will anything to happen. If I could, you better believe my life would be very different. While I can't will things to happen, my God can. He can speak things into existence. How cool is that? Let's be honest, it's for the best I can't will things to happen. It is the best that He can.

My value does not come from how smart I am, what my resume says, my abilities, or what someone thinks about me. Not even in my dream job. My value is found in my God. My Savior. I know that I can do nothing. But through Him I could do anything. I could move mountains with His strength.

During this time of my life where it feels like everything is changing and slightly uncertain, I am unbelievably thankful that God does not change. He doesn't change depending on what is happening in my life. How awful would that be? He doesn't falter from perfect goodness and righteousness. When everything else is changing, when I feel like I can't depend on anything my Lord is there perfect, righteous, good, full of grace smiling with arms open to wrap me up in an embrace.

Man. My God is good. And I'm so glad.Well this season of life is not my favorite. I know that God is here with me.

Today is hard.

Every day I miss my Nigerian home. But there are days I miss it more than others. Today is one of those days.

I miss the warm sun.
The humidity that cannot be escaped.
I miss the bluest sky I've ever seen.

The red dirt that stains clothes, shoes, and skins.
I miss the lush green grass, trees, and small farms.
I miss random bursts of electricity.
I miss the smell of dirt, heat, and sweat.
I miss the sweeping and yelling that wakes me every morning.
I miss never having true privacy.
Having a room that 30 children feel free to invade at all times.

I miss small hands tugging on my clothes and hands at all times.
The hands that some would say are "too big" to act that way.
The big brown eyes looking up at me.
The sweet smiles.
The tears that tear my heart.
I miss the squeaky 'I love you.'s
And the powerful prayers those same voices speak.



I miss my family. 
I miss my home. 

Grace. Chibeuze. Nsukka.

Well the baby has a name! Her name is Grace, she is just precious. She is one week old today. She helps in mine and my mom's room at night. She is a very quiet baby.

Chibeuze went back into the hospital on Friday night. He was very dehydrated. I spent the day in the hospital yesterday with Odi Naka, a 14 year old girl. We had fun talking. Chibeuze slept most of the time so we walked around some. The hospitals here are nuts. NUTS. I hope I never have to go there. He may get discharged sometime today. Pray that he can come home. Also be praying that he will continue to get better. This little one has a long way to go until he's considered healthy. 

A group came last week from the Starlings church. They brought a soccer ball for every kid. I wish you could have seen their faces. It was truly great. Tomorrow we start VBS at our Opi church, (the church in our town). Pray that many children kids come and hear the truth about God instead of the health and wealth gospel.

On Saturday they started digging the foundation for the boys house at the land! I just think it's so exciting! I mean the building process has started! BE EXCITED. IT'S A BIG DEAL. There needs to be a lot more money raised in order to finish the building. Please pray that the building process goes smoothly and the funds come easy. I would love if you, yes you, considered giving something to help this. Or even if you would give to help cover some of the recent unexpected medical expenses. Things are tight around here, as they always are. But for the past two weeks there has always been a child in the hospital. Guys they need some help here. Bev is currently seeing some sick people or I would ask her what website to go to in order to donate. I'll post is as soon as I can.. 

There is a church plant in Nsukka, a nearby city. A Catholic church there told people if they go to the White people church they will never receive holy communion at the Catholic church again. For those who don't know, this is a big deal. Others have been telling people who go to that church that they only go so the white people will give them something. Even though these things are happening this past Sunday 58 people came to church, more than any other week. God is moving here. Pray that people don't try to get in the way.

Okay that's all I have time for right now. Hopefully I can fill you in soon.

Update turned into new baby? and prayer!

I have a little black shadow, his name is Jonathan. If I go the field he wants to go. If I am sitting on the couch he is either in my lap or next to me. He wants to hold my hand when walking somewhere. He tells me that he will follow me to America and wants to stay there. I wish I could take him with me when I leave. The thought of leaving already tears my heart out and we just got here a week ago. I'm making plans about when I can come back.

Today we started tutoring groups with the kids for math and reading. I choose the youngest group, that don't even know their letters. I have Ugo, Noso, Kwasi, Ababy, Terry, Jonathan, and Emeka. This group has A LOT of energy. Their ages range from 5 to 15. The oldest has developmental delays. We tried just writing the alphabet so I could see what I was working with. But I quickly found out that wasn't going to fly. So I had them write their names and tell me the letters in their names. Well that didn't work either. So they would tell me the alphabet and I would write the letters down. So they would say “A” I would write “A”, and then they would say “A, B” and I wrote “B” and so on. We went through both upper case and lower case alphabet. Then we started making the letters with their bodies and taking pictures. This they really liked. Whoever wasn't in the letter would see if they had done it correctly and would move them into the right position.

Of course we went to the field today. The kids would love to always go to the field. Guys I can't stress enough how good these kids are. It's so much fun to play with them, I love just watching them. Destiny always dances and sings whenever the ball isn't near us. And he yells in his language, he is from another part of Nigeria, so not all of the kids understand him, and he just laughs and laughs. It's great to see.

We have also been bracelet making fools here. I pretty much am always making one for a kid, and most kids now know how to do it.

Well I was informed that we may be getting a new baby, like right now. The family is down stairs. I think the mother died in child birth. I'm hiding in my room with Sati, a boy who has a big ulcer thing on his leg in my room because I'm wearing the same clothes I went to the field in. He's coloring and I'm praying and frantically blogging. And we are both eating gummy bears. His dinner was just brought in, but no spoon to eat with, so his yam and beans are hanging out on the shelf. Now we are singing and dancing (quietly). I love this kid. I wish you could have just seen his face when I popped my neck. Priceless. 

PLEASE pray for this baby! I don't know the name, I don't know much at all other than it may soon be part of the A Place of Hope family. While you are praying for babies, please please pray for Chibeuze. He is about a year and a half old and is very very sick. We are worried he wont make it. We are pretty sure he has HIV, and he is so small. I thought he was just a few months old. He is so weak as well. He can barely hold his head up when you are holding him. He recently stopped throwing up his medicine, pray that continues and that God's healing hands would hold this precious baby boy.

Also pray for Sati's leg to heal, and Odi to fully recover from her surgery (she had her appendix removed.) 

Thanks for reading all this, you guys are great. 

It's Good to be Home.

 I wrote this blog on the tenth, and saved it to my computer and that didn't help much when the internet hasn't been working on my computer. I would have more blogs written, but the kids are always watching movies or playing games.

Well we got here! We should have landed 3:30 om on Sunday. Instead we landed 3 am on Monday. Our flight out of Atlanta was delayed...and delayed...and delayed. We were supposed to fly out at 10:45 Sunday (24 hours after our original flight), we fly out about 8 Monday morning. So we spent the night, not sleeping, in the airport. While we were in the airport we met some really great people. We helped one mom take care of her three children so she could get some sleep. We watched people's bags so they could go eat, or sleep. It was a LONG time to wait, but it was okay because we spent most of the time helping people.

Our flight from Lagos to Enugu was delayed 30 minutes, and it couldn't land the first try. But we landed! We went to a grocery store, guys this is a big deal. It was almost like a Wal Mart, be impressed. Then we were on our way!

We pulled up to A Place of Hope about 3pm. On the road to the orphanage we saw a few of the kids. And let me just say my heart jumped at the sight of Swardat! And then when I saw Mesoma sitting with some people. Oh goodness I was even more excited to get there. Pulling up a group of kids was outside the gate waving and such. When the door opened inside I saw Simdat's beautiful smile and he said “Good afternoon Brie.” Then I heard lots of yelling, and there were so many hugs. I almost cried every time a new child turned the corner to say hello. I met the new children, who are also just the sweetest things ever. We hugged, exchanged greetings. I went upstairs to take my things and when I started down the stairs I heard some of the older girls running up screaming “BRIE!” We stood on the stairs hugging. Then some of the women staff came up. It was the best welcome I could have asked for.

I spent a good deal of time asking everyone how they are, catching up on things I missed. We played 'Mother May I?', Little Sally Walker. Then I took a two hour nap. I was woken up by Ugo and Mom coming in my room. I talked some more, played some more. It's been a great day.

I can't put into words how great it is to be home.

My day. This one is for the record books.

This morning I woke up at 8:30 am. Got ready to go, and such. went to lunch at Taco Cabana, went to the airport. And then the fun started...


So found out my bag was slightly over weight. While shifting things around I found the security tag still on my rain jacket I bought sometime in June. We go through security, Mom got her hands checks for chemicals. Got to our gate with plenty of time. 


Then they tell us our flight was delayed due to weather. Then it gets delayed again. And again. And just one more time. So now our 5:15 flight is leaving at 7:24. That means we are landing in Atlanta at about 10:20 to catch our 10:45 flight to Nigeria.


While on the plane a flight attendant said they normally hold international flights if it's the last one for the night and a connecting flight was delayed. Well this was not the case.

We arrive at 10:20 pm. Get off the plane at about 10:30. RAN through the Atlanta airport to the shuttle, RAN from shuttle to our gate. I turn the corner to see the door to our gate closing. The flight attendants all look at me like I was a poor lost puppy and say "Awwwwww. You just missed it."

Yep. We missed our flight.

So we go to the desk. They tell us they can't help us because our flight was delayed for weather. So my mom books a hotel. Then we are told they will get us a free hotel. We can't cancel our reservation. The next flight to Lagos Nigeria is at 10:45 pm the next day. A full 24 hours later. So then we take our time getting to the shuttle because we did a lot of running around. We get to the place where all the shuttles for hotels are, and they tell us  our shuttle just left. And guess what? He didn't come back.

So another driver comes goes twice. So he offers to take us on his next round. We go with him. Well this guys gas light was on, so we were just waiting for the van to break down. That didn't happen. But he did run three, yes three, red lights. The first two while others cars were driving around. The third Mom, Allison and I were the only ones in the van. He asked "Do you see any cops? These lights keep getting longer and longer..." Then proceeds to run the light.

We get to our hotel and the shuttle driver is in the lobby and asked why we didn't ride with him. We explain. We get checked in, I realize I my toothbrush is in my checked bags. Get a toothbrush from the desk guy. Wee get to our room, and our key doesn't work. Why? Because the hotel key maker doesn't work of course.

FINALLY make it in our room about 12. I call my dear friend Jesse who is in Atlanta with Go Tell to see if he is free tomorrow to spend time with us, to find out he left Atlanta this morning and is now in Texas. My mom realizes she left her phone charger in her suit case. Allison realized she left her camera. My mom gets ready for bed and wants to take an advil for her knee and found that all of her pills had spilled in her purse.

It's just one of those days.

Tomorrow we are going to find somewhere to take the security sensor off my jacket. And we may do some exploring of Atlanta. But you better believe we will be at the airport early in case anything else happens.

I'm currently waiting for our hotel to catch fire, or for the zombie apocalypse or something along those lines.

Throughout most of this long crazy day the song I've had stick in my head is "Love You Sworn" by John Mark McMilan. The part I keep singing is "Harbor me in the eye of the storm. I'm holding on to the love You sworn." I love it. God is so nice. He reminded me all day long that I am in the eye of the storm, and He has sworn to love me. How great? He knew this was going to be a long day and I would need to be reminded. Don't try to tell me my God isn't a personal God.




Just to add, I went to check my grades from summer school. The website is down for maintenance.