A Shift in the Plan . . .

I wanted to share with our friends and family that don’t already know that our family will be moving back west, to Las Vegas on Wednesday. Rob and I have been provided an amazing opportunity to continue working with the developing world, but now in a different way. Our goal still remains the same: to impact people in the developing world in a way that first gives them basic needs, then education and useful skills and hopefully (eventually) more life purpose. So, after a series of crazy miraculous intertwined events, an unbelievable opportunity was presented to us, as far as our path towards beginning to accomplish this goal. Several months ago Rob became a partner in a mobile water treatment manufacturing company - it's currently called Storm Sharks - as the technology was originally developed to treat contaminated storm water run-off - http://www.stormsharks.com/. It will soon become watersharks.com, which will adapt the technology for safe drinking water, grey water and industrial water. The state of Nevada is offering financial incentives that the company just couldn't pass up, and thus it is moving its operations to Las Vegas. Rob (with his partners) will be setting-up these new operations and will then begin marketing the product in a wider area of industries (including the developing world) internationally. I’ll also be helping the company on the financial side, maybe some HR/recruiting and proposal/grant writing (or whatever other “hat” I need to wear to help), etc.

We are all very excited (the boys too!) about this leap of faith and to be headed back west and closer to our family and friends in California and Arizona, but are sad to be moving further away from our east coast family and friends. I want to apologize upfront, as it may get a little bit too spiritual for some of you, but I truly can’t think of another way to describe the turn of events that had to happen for us to be headed towards this goal, while at the same time having a wonderful opportunity to partner with two families that we love and have the utmost respect for. As much as we thought the Foreign Service was our path towards achieving our goal to serve and impact others, the Lord made it obvious to us that this is the path we need to be taking (not sure why it needed to be such a winding road, but who am I to question?). It’s a long story, but in short, there was a multitude of things that happened at the right times and places for this all to come together so perfectly, that ONLY the grand choreographer of life could have been the one in charge of it all! And though, yes we have some worries and fears about it all, it still seems unreal and we still keep pressing forward because we know ALL things are possible with God! So we can’t wait to get started and take this to the next level (ok yes, prayers are much needed and accepted at all times – ha!)!

The bottom line is we’ll be living in North Las Vegas (yes this is a separate incorporated city, which I had no idea), but we’ll be only 20-25 minutes from the Vegas strip, so PLEASE don’t hesitate to look us up when you’re visiting Vegas . . we’re super hopeful we’ll not only be able to visit more with our family and friends that live in Cali and Arizona, but that we’ll be able to visit with our East Coast family that doesn’t mind an occasional visit out west to Vegas (like who doesn’t?!?)! And there’s ALWAYS a free room available at Casa de Robinson! We can’t wait to see everyone in Vegas! Wish us luck (and I’m not talking about at the casinos – lol!)!!!

Troubles Really Are Disguised as Blessings

After three weeks of French classes at FSI, with the help of my 6 year old this morning, I finally realized that going to these classes and learning this very difficult language, truly is a blessing in disguise. My lil guy asked me "do you get paid a pay check to take French" with which I answered "Yes." And then he asked "How much do you have to pay to learn the French?" With that, for some reason it hit me . . . As much as I wanted to take an easier language (Spanish), I am BEYOND blessed to not only be getting paid my normal salary, but to pay nothing out of pocket to learn another language. Most people would kill for such an amazing opportunity and for the most part all I've done is mope around about how hard French is and how I may never get it. Thank you to my lil guy for pointing out the obvious. The glass really is half full in this endeavor! As much as I've complained about the work I have to do to even stay a float in my French class, this opportunity is an amazing one and from today on (thanks to my 6 year old), I will no longer bash and complain about the French I am learning, but rather be thankful that I get another day to learn more! What an opportunity! Thank you Lord for yet another hidden blessing!

Bonjour! Comment allez-vous? Je parle francais, vous ne?

It's looking like we won't be assigned to a country this year for USAID and will most likely need to wait until the end of next year's bidding cycle (next May – July time period). However, my colleagues that already passed the test for fluency in a second language, will most likely be assigned soon (we hope - I will let you know when for sure and the exciting places they will be going – we can live vicariously through them!) and the agency has provided an exception for those of us that do not know a second language fluently, to go to language school starting in September, even without an assignment. Yippee! Yeah! This is a real win for us, because the agency policy has been that you can't go to the language school until you have an assignment and that would have put us three years in D.C. without ever going abroad (the whole reason we joined the foreign service). So, I am very thankful for this exception and the blessing of learning French over a 9-10 month period starting September 2nd (and I get to enjoy a nice summer with the family until then - yeah!). Although my background is in Spanish, AID would like me to learn French, since there are many African French speaking nations that are recipients of AID’s funding and programming. Although, I’d be lying to say I’m not scared to death about this endeavor, as the French level needed to pass the test is very high. I will need a level 3 out of 5 in speaking and a level 3 out of 5 in reading. The five level is the equivalent of a natural born native French speaker at a college level or above, so 3 is a pretty high level. And unlike many of my Foreign Service colleagues, I am not a naturally linguistic person at all. In fact, I remember struggling hard in my first year of college Spanish to keep a “B” in the class (and I very much preferred "A"s in the first place!). This is way beyond that level and French is more difficult than Spanish. It will be a full immersion language training, so I’m hopeful miracles can (and will) happen! I look forward to the experience and see it as a real opportunity. However, any and ALL prayers are welcome and VERY MUCH needed. I’m CERTAIN I will not be able to do this on my own! I know a few people that took 40 weeks of training (the maximum the agency will pay) and still did not receive the required score. Unfortunately, it will be up to them to somehow pass through their own study during the five years allowed before tenure, or they will have to leave the agency. I DO NOT want to be in this same bucket if at all possible, as it will always be hanging over my head through the five years (well the four that are left) and who knows the financial burden it would put on our family to pay for additional training. The biggest driver to me, is to not only learn the language, but get it behind me (reminds me of that horrible CPA exam)! I’ll be approaching it like the other (what seemed to be) impossible challenges I’ve had in my life (CPA exam, ½ marathon, Foreign Service appointment, marriage, raising kids (lol!)) . . . with a diligent, full force, pro-active plan and one day at a time! If I am somehow blessed by reaching this goal in the end, I will be forever thankful and a proponent that miracles really do happen!

USAID's Annual Bid Process

Although our first assignment abroad will be directed, I thought some of you may find it interesting to learn about the annual USAID bidding process. This is the process we will be going through after our first assignment abroad . . . quite a process . . .

How the bidding process works is a list will come out around August which contains all the open positions for the following year. The only people allowed to place bids on assignments during this first release of positions ("Priority Consideration Bidders List") is reserved for "Priority Consideration Bidders" whom are people finishing a tour in a "Critical Priority Country" (aka. CPC). These are countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, South Sudan where there is substantial danger or hardship. After people leaving CPCs get to bid on the first release of positions, they will receive their assignments and then the "Major Listing" will be released. This is the updated list with positions that went to CPC bidders removed. Now everyone else gets to place their bids on positions and be assigned. There is the exception for people who want to only go to a CPC, then they can bid on the "Priority Consideration Bidders List" on just the CPC countries and get their assignment earlier. After the Major Listing, there are sometimes people who place their bids and for one reason or another, do not receive an assignment. There will then be an updated list which will come out with remaining positions and potentially any newly available positions in which they can then place bids again. Bidding Process When bidding for assignments, the list of positions will contain the position name, the position backstop (functional area), the FS grade level, a paragraph description of the position's responsibilities, and a contact person for the position. Bidders must review the list for positions they are interested in and should then begin doing their research on that position and the Mission. Research should include things such as how the management is and who other colleagues will be at the Mission, who the Mission Director is, how morale is at the Mission, the type of work, etc. People with children must also consider things such as quality of schooling and things like that. Often the best insight can be through contacts one knows at the Mission or people who have worked there before. After researching, the next step is express interest to the contact person listed for that position. This includes sending information about yourself such as your resume and references (typically must be USAID references). This will let the Mission know that you are considering the post and get your name out there. Additionally, if you contacted others currently working at that Mission, they may be able to do some additional vouching for your capabilities and character. Following all this, the Mission will often contact your references and may schedule phone interviews with short-listed candidates. Whew, definitely like applying for a job again! Toward the time when you must input your bid selections into the USAID internal bidding system, candidates generally will have discussed with the Missions individuals they are most interested in and have an understanding of what rank the bidder will put the Mission and what rank the Mission will put the candidate. The selections will then all go to Washington where HR, the person's function backstop representative, and the Mission will review the selections and make all the assignments.

Merry CHRISTmas and Happy 2014!

Once again, this year, our family is continuing its tradition of using our CHRISTmas card resources to give to children and women that don't have clean water, a chance to be educated, an experience of real love and most importantly the opportunity to know Christ Jesus. We hope our friends and family will understand and maybe even take a moment to explore Amazima Ministries (www.amazima.org) and discover ways to help make a difference.

We are posting our greeting along with a prayer for you this Christmas and ALWAYS that you may experience the eternal blessings of Christ's birth and an ongoing personal relationship with Him, our Savior and King!

We appreciate and love each of you - Merry CHRISTmas from the Robinson Family! http://blog.amazima.org/

Grandma Rose and Papaw Mike Visit!

Grandma and Papaw visited us in D.C. for graduation and we went into D.C. for one afternoon and went to the Smithsonian Nature and Science Museum . . .lots of fun!

Two Cute Boys Turn Superheros

We had another fun, traditional Halloween with the boys going door to door for about a half hour or so and filling their pumpkin buckets almost to the top! It was a fun night for all!