Well, better late than never! Sorry I didn't get around to up-dating my blog last week! I was helping to coordinate and teach a Vacation Bible School at the English speaking church so I stayed quite busy. Needless to say that, plus several other things that I had going on during the week, definitely kept me on my toes! We averaged about 70 children each day plus over 20 workers! We had GREAT material to use this year! The kids loved it (and so did the rest of us)...talking about God's power! There were hands-on Bible lessons for us to use and experiments for the kids to participate in! It was great! Several kids and parents talked about how much they enjoyed the VBS in general...but especially the Bible lessons! That's encouraging to hear!I have some pictures that I had hoped to get into my blog...but it will have to wait until next week!
This week I have accompanied World Gospel Mission at a resort just out of the city in order to teach their children while the parents are in meetings each morning and evening. The lack of pictures at this time is due to the poor Internet connection. It is SUPER slow...basically dial-up speed...this up-date is being sent to my mom in an email so that she can load it onto my blog page!
There are 10 kids...ages 3, 4, 5, 7,8, 9, and 12. The first night they were so hyper and excited that I was afraid it was going to be a REALLY long week! Fortunately, they settled down some this morning and things went really well, thanks to some VBS material that my parents' church in Suffolk gave us. We're studying the life of Joseph and different ways that God is with us such as when we're in trouble; in the gifts He gives us and how He uses those gifts, etc. Please be praying for this week...I'm tired after last week...and find it a bit of a challenge to get up the energy that I need to plan well and to be excited while we're together, particularly with such a diverse age group, pray for strength! Also, pray for the kids...that they will be attentive and open to the lessons God has in store for them! Thank you so much for your prayers!! Stay tuned next week for pictures and more details on these events!!!! Blessings to you all!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16, 2009
I sat down this morning to up-date my blog and realized that I'm not sure what to share with you this morning. I certainly feel like I've been staying busy...of course most of it has been through spending time with people. Occasionally people, mostly youth from church, come over for lunch. Yesterday, two of the girls from my Saturday Bible study came over for lunch. One of them was coming from her classes at the university so she brought a friend with her. What a great opportunity and joy it is to be able to use my home not only as a way to reach out, encourage, and disciple believers...but also as a means of sharing the gospel!
Thank you for praying for the short meditation that I was going to be giving to a group of ladies on Saturday afternoon...as it turned out, the leader called on Friday afternoon and asked to postpone it for this week...so please continue to pray for that!
There are also a couple of upcoming events that I'd like to share with you so that you can be praying for those things as well...
1. Next week, SAM's children's ministry team will be hosting a Vacation Bible School for the English speaking community at Trinity International Church (a church near my school). I will be teaching the 3rd-4th grade class and I am also in charge of organizing the Bible classroom (getting supplies together, answering questions for the Bible teachers, passing out materials, etc.). There is still much to be done before Monday, so we would appreciate your prayers...not only for us...but also for the students who will be attending, that God will speak to their hearts and make Himself real to them.
2. In two weeks, I will be accompanying World Gospel Mission to a local resort (Rio Selva) in order to teach their children while the parents are in meetings each morning and evening. It looks like I will have about 11 children...ages 4-10. I know many of the kids as they are students at my school so I'm looking forward to this time with them. Thanks to my parents' church, Westminster Reformed Presbyterian in Suffolk, VA for donating some materials that I could use for this event. We'll be doing a study on Joseph! I am excited about this conference...but I still have a great deal of planning to do!
3. Little by little, I'm starting to move my things to the apartment at the back of Virginia's house (the house where I'm living now). Virginia has told me that she doesn't mind if I stay there until I find another place to live...or the whole school year if I want! I am very appreciative of her hospitality! It is a pretty small apartment, with no stove...so I don't plan to be there all year, but we'll see. For the time being, I'm hoping to get it set up and get moved in there before she returns in the middle of July!
Well, that pretty much explains what I'm up to these days! Thank you so much for your continued prayers! I can definitely feel them right now! This is typically a difficult time for me with so many people coming and going, as I mentioned before, but I haven't felt the struggle like I typically do! So, thank you for praying!
Thank you for praying for the short meditation that I was going to be giving to a group of ladies on Saturday afternoon...as it turned out, the leader called on Friday afternoon and asked to postpone it for this week...so please continue to pray for that!
There are also a couple of upcoming events that I'd like to share with you so that you can be praying for those things as well...
1. Next week, SAM's children's ministry team will be hosting a Vacation Bible School for the English speaking community at Trinity International Church (a church near my school). I will be teaching the 3rd-4th grade class and I am also in charge of organizing the Bible classroom (getting supplies together, answering questions for the Bible teachers, passing out materials, etc.). There is still much to be done before Monday, so we would appreciate your prayers...not only for us...but also for the students who will be attending, that God will speak to their hearts and make Himself real to them.
2. In two weeks, I will be accompanying World Gospel Mission to a local resort (Rio Selva) in order to teach their children while the parents are in meetings each morning and evening. It looks like I will have about 11 children...ages 4-10. I know many of the kids as they are students at my school so I'm looking forward to this time with them. Thanks to my parents' church, Westminster Reformed Presbyterian in Suffolk, VA for donating some materials that I could use for this event. We'll be doing a study on Joseph! I am excited about this conference...but I still have a great deal of planning to do!
3. Little by little, I'm starting to move my things to the apartment at the back of Virginia's house (the house where I'm living now). Virginia has told me that she doesn't mind if I stay there until I find another place to live...or the whole school year if I want! I am very appreciative of her hospitality! It is a pretty small apartment, with no stove...so I don't plan to be there all year, but we'll see. For the time being, I'm hoping to get it set up and get moved in there before she returns in the middle of July!
Well, that pretty much explains what I'm up to these days! Thank you so much for your continued prayers! I can definitely feel them right now! This is typically a difficult time for me with so many people coming and going, as I mentioned before, but I haven't felt the struggle like I typically do! So, thank you for praying!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Hello there once again! Sorry I'm a bit late in updating my blog this week, the last couple of days have been busier than I expected! The picture above was taken on Sunday afternoon. The girl in the middle is my friend Esther, from church, a college student who works in an orphanage. She lives there at the home and takes care of this group of active boys!!! On her days off, she frequently comes to study at my house, spend the night, hang out, etc. On Sunday afternoon, I invited her to bring the boys over for a couple of hours, which I have done a couple of times before. I had popcorn and soda for them and they sat (most of the time) and watched a movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which my sister recently sent me for my birthday! Also in the picture on the far right, is my friend Raul from church...he just happened to be here because he needed help with something on the computer! Anyway, it was a lot of fun! I enjoy getting to know the boys better...and I love being able to support her in her work/ministry there at the home! On Saturday I'm going to go hang out over there for a bit to make cookies with them!!!!
One thing I failed to mention in my up-date last week was our Mother's Day event at church to honor the mothers in our congregation! The youth and men were in charge of the activity...fortunately, the cold didn't deter us too much!!! The theme was "Typical Santa Cruz" so all of the refreshments and decorations had to do with that motif. One of the things that was MOST exciting for me...was that quite a few visitors came. On Monday nights, some of the people in our church host a small group...it is held in their home which is in a neighborhood across the main road from the church. They have a great attendance in this small group, most of whom do not attend a church regularly and some who are not Christians. Yet, several of them have begun to come to special events held in our church and we have seen a great deal of Spiritual growth there. I met one lady on Sunday night who said that she would like to continue to come more regularly to our church...that it was through that small group that she felt the need/desire to deepen her relationship with the Lord. Praise Him for the work that is happening there. Many if not all of the mothers from that group came to this Mother's Day celebration! It was exciting to see!!! The pictures below are of the celebration...the first picture of the table where the mother's sat, was taken early on in the evening...soon after, these chairs were all filled! I'm not sure I've seen us have such a good turn out before! God is really moving and blessing this church! What an answer to prayer, as I was asking you to pray only a few months ago since people had really seemed to be dwindling away! Thank you so much for your prayers! Here is the fruit of your labor!!! Please continue to pray, as there is still much "work" to be done!
Before I wrap up this entry...I wanted to ask you to pray as well for me on Saturday afternoon as I have been asked to share a short devotional/meditation in a women's Bible study. One of the women in my church (again, more fruit...) has begun to hold a small group in her home for friends of hers from the place where she used to work as well as other neighbors. Many of the women who have begun to come are nonChristians or nonchurch-going members. I'm excited by her desire to share the gospel and by the opportunity to share in the work that God is doing among them! Last week there were 11 ladies total!!! Not bad for the first meeting! We would appreciate your prayers on this!! Well...I guess that's it for now! May God be praised for all that He continues to do here in Santa Cruz!!!
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1, 2008
Well....I'm sitting here, in my fuzzy slippers, flannel pajama bottoms, two long-sleeve shirts, still feeling cold, and thinking of warmer days in Santa Cruz! For almost a week now we've had temperatures down around 50 and rain! In this city, it makes for a bad combination! The streets are nasty, the buses and taxis are full, and everyone just feels COLD...damp and cold is the worst! I know, you may be thinking, "it's only 50...and it is winter for you there"...but when there's no heat in the house (or in any building for that matter) and no insulation so that the cement walls just hold in the cold and moisture...it feels REALLY COLD! I'm still waiting for my body to thaw out a bit! Fortunately, I woke up this morning and looked outside at blue skies with the sun shining brightly, and knew it was going to be a good day!!! It's amazing what a little sunshine will do! The temperature is already a little more than 10 degrees warmer than it has been for several days...and it's not even 11:00!!!
I have been told that another "south wind" (which is what brings us the cold) will be blowing in again in a few more days...but hopefully it will give us a chance to thaw out and warm up my house a bit first!
I don't have a lot to report from last week...due to the weather and the fact that my truck hasn't been working...I spent the better part of the week either finishing up things in my classroom at school or working on stuff at the house. I have plenty to do at the house right now, since these are the things that tend to get put on the back burner until I make myself sit down and do them!!! One of the difficulties about being in "vacation mode" is that it makes it really hard to continue "working". Since, school is only part of my ministry here...I still have plenty of other responsibilities, not to mention, I should start working on packing up my things here in the house so that I'll be ready to move out when Virginia returns to Bolivia. Please pray that God will give me the strength and discipline that I need to get things accomplished!
Today, I'm having lunch with my friend Sandra and running a few errands, then I'll be back to take care of more paperwork this afternoon and to plan for my CIET English Class tonight! Praise the Lord that it's a sunny day, as it will make this running around a LOT easier!!! Hugs to all and thank you for your continued prayers! I'll be sending a paper version of a prayer letter out soon, so you can be watching the mail for that!
I have been told that another "south wind" (which is what brings us the cold) will be blowing in again in a few more days...but hopefully it will give us a chance to thaw out and warm up my house a bit first!
I don't have a lot to report from last week...due to the weather and the fact that my truck hasn't been working...I spent the better part of the week either finishing up things in my classroom at school or working on stuff at the house. I have plenty to do at the house right now, since these are the things that tend to get put on the back burner until I make myself sit down and do them!!! One of the difficulties about being in "vacation mode" is that it makes it really hard to continue "working". Since, school is only part of my ministry here...I still have plenty of other responsibilities, not to mention, I should start working on packing up my things here in the house so that I'll be ready to move out when Virginia returns to Bolivia. Please pray that God will give me the strength and discipline that I need to get things accomplished!
Today, I'm having lunch with my friend Sandra and running a few errands, then I'll be back to take care of more paperwork this afternoon and to plan for my CIET English Class tonight! Praise the Lord that it's a sunny day, as it will make this running around a LOT easier!!! Hugs to all and thank you for your continued prayers! I'll be sending a paper version of a prayer letter out soon, so you can be watching the mail for that!
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