January 27, 2010

Well, needless to say, I'm a couple of days behind this week! I usually try to update my blog on Monday mornings, as I don't have to be at school until about 11:30. However, about once a month I go to the SCCLC school board meeting on Monday morning and then sometimes struggle to get my blog updated at another time. I have a great deal to tell you about this week, but I'll try to stick to the most important aspects...

1. This week, starting today, we are having a Vacation Bible School at my church. The theme is "Como ser util en la familia" (How to be useful in the family). It is not unusual for us to end the week with close to 100 children! We will be having VBS Wednesday through Saturday of this week from 4-5:30, with our closing program on Sunday morning. Please pray for the children who will be attending as well as those of us who are teaching/leading. Also, please pray that the rain will hold off until next week (it's rainy season here...when it rains, it floods/gets really muddy, and the kids end up staying home).

2. Next week, February 3-5, is the Jr High Camp for the students here at the school where I teach. I have the pleasure of going along as a counselor. I'm looking forward to spending this time with them. The following week, February 8-12, is the High School Camp. There will be a special guest coming down from the states to speak in both of these events. Please pray for the speaker, the counselors, and students during this time.

3. Arriving on February 4, is an intern who will be working with SAM, particularly in the area of children's ministry, for 4 months. I've been asked to coordinate her time here and am looking forward to ministering alongside her in several of the things that we have planned.

4. Also coming up, from February 14-28, is something called the English Village in Cordoba, Argentina. It is for those in South America who are interested in missions and who may feel called to ministry in an area where English is predominantly spoken or used. These missionaries can attend this workshop, placing themselves in an all English environment for 2 weeks of training, instruction, and fun. SAM has asked me to attend as one of the instructors so that we can get an idea of what this type of workshop is like, with the hope that possibly one day we could do a similar event here in Bolivia. I'm still working on getting all of the details worked out (including substitutes at school for those two weeks), but I'm SUPER excited about this opportunity!!!

5. Changing the subject now and looking a bit farther into the future...next school year, the elementary principal and her family will be returning to the states for furlough. The director of the Learning Center has asked me to take her place for the year, serving in that role, and I have accepted the responsibilty. It will mean that I will be returning to school full time...although the director did give me permission to take one morning off a week (which I will appreciate as my weekends are usually full of church and children's ministry). I will also need to be diligent in managing my time, possibly even cutting back in some of my other ministries outside of school, in order to make time for this new role. It is an honor to be asked and I'm excited about how God will use me next year. The director still needs to talk to the board before it becomes official, but it isn't likely that there would be any problems there.

6. Finally...after giving you quite a few things to be praying for...I have a HUGE answer to prayer!!!! Praise the Lord, after a couple of years of it being on the market, someone finally made an offer on my condominium in Eden, North Carolina. We have settled on an amount that will allow me to pay of the current loan and pay the realtor, therefore basically breaking even...for which I'm extremely grateful! Assuming that the buyer gets the loan that she needs, we just need to figure out the best way to get the paperwork completed!

Well...I guess I've filled you with quite an eye-full for now. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the work that God has called me to here in Santa Cruz!

Well, as promised, this up-date has a few pictures of the annual conference for SAM's Bolivia field. We were able to get out of the city for a few days to go to a nearby resort (only about 20 or so minutes out of the city). You may remember seeing photos of this place in past entries, as I have been there a couple of times for conferences/retreats. It's a beautiful place and I was delighted to be going there again! We had a wonderful time together! I thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship with other SAM missionaries (and some friends that went along with us). It was particularly special for me that my friends Jeff and Beth HAuse (with their children) returned to the field around Christmas time and so were at the annual conference. We had a great time catching up on old times...I had not seen most of their family for about a year! It's great to have them back!!!



This year, we had a speaker who came down from the home office to share with us. Typically we also have guests or teams that come to lead worship and work with our children. However, this year, we decided to do all of these things "in house" so to speak. We formed a worship team out of those of us on the field...as you can see in the picture below, I was one of the singers! A fellow SAM missionary, Jenna Weigner, led the worship times and kept us all organized. I thoroughly enjoyed these times...and the songs that she picked! It was great! There were still programs for the kids as well while the adults were meeting...but this time there were a couple of "SAM kids" (children of missionaries on the field) who are in college now, but were here visiting their parents for Christmas break. They were willing to teach the kids and did an excellent job!!!


All in all, we had a great time! It was very refreshing to have that conference to come back to...and that added to reviving my spirit for the ministries waiting for me here. Last week, I spent the better part of the week studying for the final exam for my online course. I also had to finish up the paper that I had been working on. I'm very excited to say that I have now finished the class!!! I think the exam went well and I'm glad to be moving on! It's a good feeling to have accomplished yet another of these courses. For the last month or two...while not in the states and at conference...I sort of put some of my ministry on hold so that I could wrap up this class. I'm thankful to now be able to dive back into those things.

Well...I guess that's it for this week! Thank you so much for your continued prayers!

January 4, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well, I must admit it seems a bit strange to have written January 4, 2010 as the title of this blog entry! The new year has definitely begun...and for me, is off to a running start!

I apologize for not writing an update before now...too much of the good life at home with my family! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and in general, just enjoyed being home. As usual, saying good-bye was difficult. I returned to Bolivia on Saturday (January 2nd). In the Miami airport (where I met up with a few other SAM missionaries for the flight to Bolivia)...one of my friends commented that a missionary's life is one of good-byes...and sadly that is the case. It seems like there are always good-byes to be said, some of them harder than others...either I'm saying good-bye to those I love here in order to go to the states, or I'm saying good-bye to those I love in the states to come to Bolivia, or often there are even friends on the field to whom I'm saying good-bye as they return to the states. So, it does tend to feel like a life of good-byes. For many missionaries, that prompts them to become more closed when meeting new people...with those missionaries, it's hard to break into their inner shell and figure out what it is that really makes them tick. I also see this with a lot of students at my school...their way of coping with the constant good-byes is by placing walls and distance in their lives. I've never been very good at this. Occasionally I try...but don't usually succeed. However, I'm not sure that I really want to either. I'm not convinced that's always the answer to recovering from the hurt of being apart. It was hard for me to return...because I miss my family. Yet, I know that God still has many plans for me here in Santa Cruz...He's not finished with the work to which He has called me...not at this point! So...I'm back...and...happy to be back...there was a lot to come back to! My friends the HAuses are back on the field!!! I'm so excited to be serving with them again! Chelsea is back from the states as well! There is a new family too, that has been here for about 3 months...they are a GREAT family...a wonderful addition to our field...and the mother of the family (whose name is Amy) and I have already decided we're going to be best friends!!! Like I said...a LOT to return for! This week...SAM has a conference for all those currently on the Bolivia field. We had a kick-off meeting tonight...and tomorrow morning will be meeting at a local resort (about 30 minutes outside of the city) in order to get away until Friday! I get to sing on the worship team which we formed especially for this event...and am really enjoying the practices and the chance to worship with these friends. Please pray for our time together...that God would speak to each of our hearts.

So, although it was hard to leave my family behind...I'm glad to be back in Bolivia. I feel a new sense of refreshment and am ready to take off running once again. For that I am extremely thankful! I appreciate so much all of your prayers and well wishes! Thank you too for the gifts and Christmas greetings which many of you sent! I enjoy hearing about all that is happening in the lives of your families. Blessings in the new year!