The Been Briefing

my thoughts

there's a weird noise coming from my washing machine. i think there's something wrong with it. and it still hasn't finished the washing cycle that began this morning. it always stops and this red light starts blinking. i'm not sure what's wrong with it, or why it's started to do that. i haven't changed anything! arrrrrgh!

• my jar of peanut butter is getting low. it might be time to go to cosco again.
•  i'm addicted to the barley bread at paris baguette. for w1600 i have the most heavenly-smelling bread for the week. 
• the tangerines in season right now here in korea are one of the best things they have going for them. easy-to-peel, no seeds. sweet and juicy. emily and i have been known to consume four or five apiece without blinking an eye.
•  i love nutella.

tonight i asked mrs. kim how many students are at ERC now, especially with the flood of traffic this past week. 130, she said. when i arrived at the beginning of september there were maybe 70 students, so it has almost doubled in four months. and the capacity level for our small facility is only 180! for having been in operation only six months, God has truly blessed ERC here in suji. may He continue to guide us, strengthen us, and give us wisdom and love to teach these children. oh, i forgot to mention. i have two new students in my last class. two girls named annie and jackie. they're precious. i hope they don't just fade out... i really like them.


so what have i been doing lately? i've been holed up in my apartment every available moment reading first a book that my friend alex sent me called peace like a river, by leif enger. excellent book. i highly recommend it. also reading a book my sister sent me on amy carmichael of dohnavur. wow. powerful stuff. i find myself so identifying with her and her struggles. but more on that later, perhaps. i just finished a trilogy set by ted dekker that my mom sent me for christmas. the books are called black, red, and white. :) ... i just finished reading the third book not five minutes ago, and now i'm feeling the familiar mix of satisfaction and sadness - satisfaction on having finished reading a great story, and sadness that it's over (until i read them again!). i think i finished the three books in a record 15 hours (broken up by sleep and working full days, of course). let me record a few of my thoughts from the previous nights.

"ruth, you really need to get to bed. it's almost 2am."

"i know, i know. but i just can't stop now! thomas is in the village and chelise just might consent to drown in the red pools! it's just getting good..."

"okay, okay. but only this one chapter. then you need to turn the light out and GO TO BED. you'll pay for it in the morning."

"i know! but what if this chapter is short? ... OKAY already! i know you're right. my eyes are burning."

ok. bedtime. :)