April 13, 2010

Here we are, already halfway through the month of April. It's really incredible how quickly the last couple of months in the school year seem to fly by! Last week, the JV Girl's Basketball team that I work with finished their season undefeated and won first place in the championship game! It was all VERY exciting and we ended the week by having a sleepover at my house...as you can see by the photos below we had a GREAT time...although, I admit I thought several times throughout the night that I'm getting too old for sleepovers with junior high girls!!! :) A couple of the girls also made a cake for the head coach, Laura Kienzle, and myself...as her birthday was April 4 and mine is April 18. So we celebrated our birthdays just a bit too. Praise the Lord for such an EXCELLENT season...not just in the game of basketball, but also in the opportunity we had to build relationships with these girls!

Also, Chelsea and I had the joy of being adopted parents last week. Dan and Jenny Strebig (fellow SAM missionaries) were in La Paz working with a team and so that their girls wouldn't miss any school they asked others to take care of them. However, they weren't sure where to leave their middle daughter so Chelsea and I volunteered! We had a great time with Katherine and enjoyed having her stay with us...she is super sweet!!!

I'm sure many of you read in the prayer letter that I sent out about the Princess Conference coming up on April 24. There are still a lot of things to do in getting ready for that and I find that my mind often is running through that list of things...even when I'm trying to rest. Please pray that God would begin preparing the hearts of the girls who will attend! Also pray that God will help us get the word out to the churches in the area! I have come to realize that the month of May will be on the heels of the Princess Conference and I also have a couple of things to prepare for that time. I will be going out to a small town (about a night's bus ride out of the city) to teach a Sunday School teacher's workshop for a weekend. Then, for a week at SAM's night Bible institute, CIET, I will be working with my coworkers on the Children's Ministry Team to teach a week long intensive course (meaning each evening for 2 and a half hours) for Sunday School teachers and workers. All of this as we're in our last month of school! What a crazy time it will be!!! I covet your prayers for these things!

One final prayer request that I have is in regards to my living situation. The house where I'm currently living is owned by World Gospel Mission. When I signed the contract for the house, it was said that I could only sign a one year contract, with the understanding that if they didn't need it for any of their missionaries, I could choose to sign a contract for an additional year. However, I was told this week that it's looking more like the mission will need the house for some of their missionaries, they are to confirm this with me at the end of this month. So, it looks as if I will be on the hunt for a house again. On top of that, as you may remember, Chelsea's term is finishing up and she will be returning to the states in June. Therefore, I will also need roommates...or at least it would help! Please pray for God's wisdom and provision in this situation!

Well...I imagine this is enough to keep you prayer warriors busy for now!!! Thank you so much for lifting these things up before the throne on my behalf!

March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

I decided to wait a couple of days this week before updating my blog as I wanted to attach a few pictures of my JV girl's basketball team from school. They won their 5th game yesterday...5 and 0...with only one more game to go before the play-offs! Yesterday's game...the score was 32-6...which was our largest point spread!!! They played so hard...and with such GREAT teamwork! It's been exciting to watch them working together!! Although I will appreciate the extra free-time in my schedule when the season is over, I have enjoyed being their assistant coach...they are a fun group of girls!




Today at school, the government sent fumigators to come and spray all of the grounds and rooms of the school. Apparently after the outbreak of the dengue fever last year, they decided this year that any location which had two or more reported cases of dengue fever (the disease spread by mosquitoes) would be required to report it to the authorities so that a fumigation treatment could take place. Our school found out this week that we have two such reported cases...however, before we could get a chance to notify the government, they had already sent a team that was fumigating nearby. As necessary as it is, the downside was that we didn't get a chance to evacuate the school or make arrangements for the students. The high school students were away for the day doing a service project, but the elementary and junior high students were shuffled around from one end of the school to the other and given extra outside recess time as they were not allowed to enter the classrooms until the chemicals cleared out a bit (and even then, the smell was so strong that they couldn't enter). It definitely made for an interesting day!!!

I signed up for a Bolivian bank account this week...I'm sure it's not quite as exciting as a Swiss bank account would be...nor is it as mysterious...but it's a great way for SAM to reimburse me for some of my ministry expenses, without giving me a check and asking me to spend most of the morning in the bank waiting to cash it!

On three or four different occasions this week, I was talking with other missionaries about support levels. All of them were sharing how their support levels are low or under-budget. Not only have they been struggling to get their allotted monthly support need, but they also don't have any money available beyond that to use for ministry expenses. I hear stories such as these and yet again feel totally blessed that God would choose to remove all struggles of this nature from me. Thank you to each one of you for your faithful support not only in giving but also through prayer. God is answering that prayer and is providing for my basic needs as well as my ministry needs. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I'm back in Santa Cruz!

In case you haven't heard yet, I made it safely back to Santa Cruz. The trip home was shorter, there weren't as many police controlled checkpoints and we made good time. I almost missed my connection in Metan, Argentina...but fortunately they decided to wait for me! I'm not sure why, but I was thankful! I arrived in Santa Cruz at about midnight on Monday night. My friend Beth and a couple of others from church were waiting for me at the bus station. By the time they got me home and to bed, it was about 1:30 AM. I slept in a little bit on Tuesday, then went into school for the afternoon. All in all, the trip to Argentina was well worth it for me! I learned so many things which will be useful here and I met some wonderful people! I was actually a little sad to be returning! However, I am glad to be home...sleeping in my own bed again...and my roommate is extremely glad to have me back...I imagine the house was pretty empty without me!

I continue to help coach the JV Girl's basketball team...which is currently 3 and 0!!! We have a lot of fun together...and although I really don't know anything about basketball, I enjoy spending time with them! Also this week, a team of students from a university in Florida arrived. I was busy on the weekend acting as a taxi service, translator, and cook! They're gone to a couple of Ayore communities outside of the city...but I decided it would be best for me to not miss anymore school! I think I'm still trying to get caught up from the time that I missed!

Attached below is a link with some pictures of the English Village in Cordoba, Argentina! Hope you enjoy them! Thank you so much for your prayers during that adventure...it was a huge blessing to me in so many ways! Enjoy the pictures!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDNm5btmRh

February 23, 2010

Greetings once again from Cordoba, Argentina! I don't have much time today...as I have a meeting shortly and a few more things to do before then. However, I didn't want the week to get by without sharing a couple of highlights with you about the things that God is doing!

First of all, I got word yesterday that the Register of Deeds in Rockingham County, NC, has agreed to accept one of the copies of the Power of Attorney that I got notarized when I flew to Cochabamba, Bolivia just before coming to Argentina. That means that the process can move forward as my sister, Emily, or her husband can sign the paperwork in order to sell my condominium!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!! That is a huge blessing for me and a definite release of a weight on my shoulders!

As for things happening here in Argentina...
I'm having a wonderful time!!! I am really enjoying the things that I'm learning and experiencing while here! I have met a lot of great people who have been such an encouragement to me...it will be sad to leave them at the end of the week! To give you a few more details on what I'm doing here in Cordoba...let me explain the workshop. The workshop is held at a mission's training institute (training Latins to be missionaries in other parts of the world) and is actually an intensive course, called the English Village. This course teaches students valuable methods to be used in learning a new language. In order to allow these students to put these methods into practice...English is used, as it's a foreign language for all of the students...and it will be useful to them in many places where God may send them to serve as missionaries. The idea of the program is that the students take these techniques with them and plan their course of study in learning a new language...by using a tutor who is a native speaker for the language they wish to learn...hence my role here. I started out co-tutoring a group of 3 guys. My co-tutor is a German missionary serving here in Cordoba, studying part-time at the institute. Then we had another tutor join us this week who is also working with our group...which allows us to do more individualized one on one tutoring! It's been amazing to see how quickly the students are grasping the English language using these techniques...students who couldn't speak to me at all a week ago, are now telling me (in broken English) about their weekend. They have made such great progress in only one week's time! It's great!




I can see many ways in which God might be able to use this experience to either duplicate the course in Bolivia...or even to share the methods with friends of mine in Santa Cruz who are still working to learn Spanish! There are many great possibilities! Praise the Lord for such a wonderful experience and continue to pray for us to finish well this week! I'll be heading home next Sunday...most likely, I won't actually arrive in Santa Cruz until Tuesday morning...it's a pretty long bus ride! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the ministry God is doing in South America!

Greetings from Cordoba, Argentina!

Well, as you can tell from the title...I made it safely to Cordoba, Argentina...after traveling for about 36 hours by bus! Before I go into a bit of detail about the bus ride....let me fill you in some on the week before!

As you know, I have an interested buyer for my condominium in NC. The problem that we have run into is in getting the paperwork signed. Due to the unreliability in mail to and from Bolivia, it has been recommended that we pay to have Power of Attorney given over to my sister, Emily, and her husband, Christopher. Anyway, to make a long story short...that means that I still have to get paperwork signed/notarized and sent to the lawyer in North Carolina. Getting the paperwork done at a price that I could afford was one hurdle to cross...then I had the struggle of getting it notarized. I was basically told here that my only option was to use a US Consular Agent, but last week...as I was in the busyness of getting ready for my trip to Argentina...I tried to figure out how I could get this Consular Agent to notarize my signature of the document. It was then that I found out that he would not be in Santa Cruz until the end of the month...when I was going to be here in Argentina...and the paperwork needed to be in the US before then. There wasn't anything left to be done, but to fly to where he was in order to get the papers notarized. Therefore, on Wednesday night, I flew to the city of Cochabamba...spent the night with some missionary friends...then went to the Consular Office on Thursday morning. There was a lot of in and out of the office trying to get the right documentation with the correct location of the seals, and then I flew back to Santa Cruz on Thursday afternoon. Needless to say, it added to my CRAZY week! However, God provided someone going back to the states on Friday...who was returning to Chesapeake, VA, near where my parents live. My mom and dad were able to pick up the papers and are mailing them to the lawyer now. Please pray that the county officials will accept the documentation and seals as they are done...so that the extra trip to Cochabamba was not in vain.

I don't have much time now before going to a meeting...but I wanted to share a few blessings that God provided during my trip down on the bus. I was quite afraid to be traveling such a great distance on my own...but He was faithful walked beside me all the way...
1. On the first bus, the man sitting next to me was very kind and patient answering all of my questions without ever giving me the impression that he was annoyed with me.
2. At the border, the people from the busline collected all of our passports and did much of the legwork for us...so that we didn't have to spend as much time off the bus standing in the sun!
3. The woman in customs was very nice, asking me all about my trip, and seeming quite interested!
4. At one of the police checkpoints...the police officer barely looked at my bag...other than my Bible...asking me if I was a Christian...and telling me that he is one too!
5. I was able to make my connecting bus without any problem...and didn't get left at any bus stops!
6. Heather Lewis found me at the Cordoba terminal when I arrived here Sunday morning...no problems!
7. There's a Wal-Mart in Cordoba!!!!

All in all, it has been a great experience so far! We are getting ready to have a meeting right now, so I better go! I'll try to write again with more details about the conference itself...as I now have more information to share about that! I'd appreciate your continued prayers for the students and those of us serving as tutors as well! Thank you so much for you love and prayers for me!

February 8, 2010

I survived camp, fortunately! I did get the feeling that I'm getting old...as I saw these young teenagers with a LOT more energy than I have! However, I had a great time with them! It was exciting for me to see God working in their lives...but also there were a few junior and seniors who went along as well. I remember when most of those kids were in jr. high themselves and it was VERY refreshing to see how God continues to mold and shape them. They're really turning out to be wonderful young men and women who desire to serve the Lord! Once again, I enjoy being part of a ministry such as this...camp and the school in general. Please continue to pray for our high schoolers as they are at camp this week. You can also pray for the teachers who went to this camp in order to serve as counselors...I returned exhausted after only three days, they'll be with those guys until Friday!

The Spiritual retreat with the SAM women was great as well! It was very refreshing and relaxing! Something that God has begun to work in my life, through this retreat and before as well...although it wouldn't be a newsflash to my roommate and others...is that, in short, I'm doing too much. I think I'm running myself a bit ragged and need to find some time to rest and relax. I'm not sure yet when or how those changes are going to take place (many things won't change until after my trip to Argentina...and others won't change for a few months)...but change is in the air. I believe that God is showing me some ministries that I can cut back on a little bit, in order to make room for others to which He is calling me to do...I don't have time in my schedule for both, something's got to give a little bit. Please pray for me as I work to make those changes...some of them won't be easy, as I enjoy all of the things that I'm doing...I just can't do it ALL!

Tara, the intern who is here for 4 months, made it safely in last week, praise the Lord. So far, she seems happy to be here and appears to be adjusting quite well, for which I'm extremely grateful! I'll be seeing her today and tomorrow for various types of orientation things...then I'll be handing over a lot of her care to other missionaries while I'm gone to Argentina.

This Friday, I will be leaving for Argentina. I have decided to travel by bus...buscama they call it as the seats recline in such a way that you actually feel like you're lying down. They're the best buses for long travel! Once I leave on Friday night, I should arrive to the border sometime Saturday morning. Then I will have to get off the bus in order to walk through customs and things at the border. I have been told that most of this is standing out in the heat, long lines, could be a couple of hours, could be much longer than that...we'll see. After that, I should be able to board the bus again...and then I'll be on my way to Cordoba. My arrival time depends on how certain things pan out a bit...but I should be to Cordoba sometime early Sunday morning...if not before. I'm a little nervous about traveling such a long way on my own, but I've had several people give me advice so I know more or less what to expect and the bus line that I plan to use is a very trustworthy one...so that helps. After the busy week that I have going on now...I might really enjoy such a long time to sit, relax, read, cross-stitch, etc. without being able to do much else!

February 1, 2010

Greetings once again from Bolivia...for now anyway!!! I'm excited to report that I've gotten some confirmation on my trip to Argentina. I still need to make my travel plans (as my departure date depends on whether I fly or go by bus), but I did hear from the director of the English Village today with more information and a schedule so that I can begin making some plans. I'm very curious about it all and SUPER excited about this opportunity! It does mean that I will miss the camp that my church participates in each year during Carnaval...yet, I'm looking forward to trying out something new!

To be honest...right now the main three things on my mind are...the Argentina trip, Tara Dakin (the intern coming to do children's ministry), and Jr High Camp (which starts this Wednesday and goes through Friday). Those are certainly plenty of things to keep my mind occupied as they entail quite a bit of planning (and the need for many substitutes)! Chelsea and I laugh that I'll be able to relax more in March...I pray that I don't have to wait that long!!!

Although I'm making this a short up-date this week (due to the fact that it's 11:30 at night and I need to get to bed), I really appreciate your continued prayers for these things (particularly those mentioned above as well as diligence in getting tasks done one step at a time). I'm enjoying so many different aspects of ministry currently, but I also don't want to get run down. I'm not always good at making sure I get the rest that I need. This weekend, several of the SAM women are going to stay at a local hotel for the night in order to have a Spiritual retreat and time of prayer together. Even though a part of me feels like I don't have time for such things...the bigger part of me recognizes the importance of it. It should be a good time of rest, relaxation, reflection...and most importantly a chance to bask in God's presence!

Before I forget...thank you for praying for VBS at my church! We had WONDERFUL weather the whole week and many children came! On Sunday morning...at the closing program, we had 108 people in our tiny sanctuary...more than half were children! It's was amazing!! I'll be sure to upload some pictures soon (I need to get them from a friend of mine as I forgot to take my camera). Thank you once again for all of your prayers on behalf of those of us here!