There's Power in the Blood!

My roomate, Merle, has been in Mexico City with her family for some time now... off and on since the summer. Her 15 year old brother, Alex, has cancer and has been undergoing various chemotheropy treatments. It has been very difficult for their family, but God has been doing amazing things in their lives as He draws each of them closer to Himself.

Merle and Alex
Please remember them in your prayers.

Merle is a shinning light in the midst of a dominating catholic world. Her faith and readiness to share the gospel in the hospital with those around her simply shows Christ within her and her life is an example of what it means to live for the Lord.
Recently, her brother was hopitalized because he got an infection after an intense chemo treatment. The doctors declared that there was simply nothing that they could do for him. Everyone had to wait and pray.
Later the doctors said that the one thing that would help Alex is to give him blood. (Alight, this was explained to me in Spanish, so bear with me, but this would refresh his body and put white blood cells and all of the healthy good stuff your blood has in it to fight off disease.) So, a group of us from Word of Life in Mexico went to the hospital and donated our blood!
I love how the body of Christ came together to help Alex. After two weeks or so, Alex came out of the "danger zone". He is still fighting cancer, but his family is waiting for him to improve enough to return home!
Alex needed blood to encouraged life in his body. What a reminder of the need I had for the blood of Christ to cleanse me of my sin. It wasn't something I earned, it was a gift of grace. There truly is power in the blood of Christ to give new life!

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7, KJV)

The whole truth and nothing but the truth!

     Have you ever shared your troubles with someone, maybe cried a little, and then waited for them to pity you and tell you, "wow, that's really tough!" ... but then... they DIDN'T!?! Instead (hopefully) they told you what you needed to hear: truth.

     The second week of October was one of those times in my life. :) It was the final week of two of my online classes and all of our school staff went to a Teachers' Convention in Mexico City for three days. This is one of those times in life where I've really felt spread thin. At one point, I felt extremely overwhelmed and sat down with someone who reminded me that God never gives us more than we're able to do because He always gives us the strength to do what He calls us to. In the end, physical things are just physical things. What really matters is how I handle the situations I am given...do I have joy?... do I have peace?... am I still in loving submission to God? I'm so thankful that God continues to show me grace by shaping and molding my life. It is also a blessing to be in a place where people will share truth with me and simply sit down and pray with me. :)

     The Teachers' Convention went great! There were some speakers from ACE in the United States that came down and shared God's Word with us ( in ENGLISH! yippy!) through a translator. There were also seminars we went to where we all learned things that will really help us to run the school better. The top three things I walked away with were:

1. Smiling is a choice.

2. My responsibility in helping my students set their school work goals for the day.

3. My character will either reinforce the godly character we teach the students to have, or it will deny its value.

Something fun- while in Mexico City, we met an Avatar! ;)

(Thank you, Erick Martínez for the photo!)

Go to the Ant....

Two days ago I came upon a community of hard workers. I noticed their diligence, their ability to follow their leader, and their persistance inspite adversity. They didn't even seem to be distracted by my presence though I towered over them with my observations and eventually sat down on the patio to admire them. I was reminded of Proverbs 6: 6-8, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." That was definitely what these ants were doing. :)

God used these little ants to encourage me. Free time isn't exactly in my vocabulary right now. Everyday is full and requires a lot of energy (more mental than physical). But God is faithful and just like He gives these ants their energy, determination, and ability, He gives me what I need to fulfill all He's called me to. This is a unique time in my life and I want to learn to trust the Lord in more ways than I've ever had the opportunity to before.

... the ants are still out on the patio....

CAMP!!!

We're in our first of five weeks of camp! This week is for children. I get to serve with Multi-Media by taking photos of the kids and camp activities for the camp video and other things. The kids are ADORABLE!
This week I also got to help with some of the skits and service presentations for the kids. :)

Exceeding Expectations

     Last year for Easter I was away from home, working up at Word of Life in NY. I went to a small town church and heard a message on the resurrection by Dr. Davis. J Afterwards, I ate a delicious American dinner with brothers and sisters in Christ as a guest of my discipler, and relaxed in the unusually warm sunshine on a porch swing overlooking Schroon Lake.

     This year I am also away from home. I’m still working with WOL, but in Mexico. Today I went to an incredibly early service in a small town church where I heard a message in Spanish… I’m not sure what it was about, but we sang a lot of familiar hymns about the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Afterwards, I ate a strawberry flavored corn cake, sweet bread, and had a hot, but sweet tortilla/ pineapple drink with brothers and sisters in Christ. Then, after a nap, I spent the rest of the day inside doing Liberty Online schoolwork.

     I am amazed at how much my life has changed over the past year and God has certainly exceeded my expectations. One thing that always remains the same is the faithfulness of my God! Last year had some tough times and this year is no different, but I know no matter where I am or what I'm doing, I can always face tomorrow because my Savior lives!

     Camp this past week seemed so short but it was still fun to have a part in it through working in the kitchen. Also, there was a girl at camp from GA the didn't speak very much Spanish.  Dawnell and I got to spend a little time with her and I got to share the gospel with her. She didn't trust in Christ then, but later that day she did after someone else spoke to her again! It was a certainly refreshing for me to be able to explain the gospel to someone.

     This week we have Monday off and will spend Tuesday-Friday planning and preparing next years schedule for the Christian Missionary School. Please pray for us as we seek how to best minister to the students and provide oppotunities for them to minister to others.

Random Tidbit:

Applying strawberry yogurt after a sunburn helps you not to peel... or so I'm told. :)

Are you enjoying life?

Today I received a letter from a friend and in it she asked me if I was enjoying life. Not just life in general, but every moment that the LORD provides for me. My immediate answer is “Of course I’m enjoying life… I have no reason not to be enjoying life!” But as I look back on the actual “moments” of my life, the ones God has sovereignly planned, do I enjoy each moment as it comes? My friend portrays a thankful heart for all God puts before her and I’ve been challenged to enjoy each moment God brings my way, especially moments like cleaning bathrooms, going without water in the house, teaching hyper kids, or studying something I wonder if I’ll ever use. As I trust God’s hand in my life and thank Him for it, I can enjoy the little things He uses to purify my heart!
To backtrack a little, the older students in the school went on a missionary trip performing a show and sharing the gospel in schools, parks, churches, etc. They were gone for a week and in addition to young people trusting in Christ, the student’s grew a lot being used by God!

 

  

Pictures by Dawnell Groff   

While the older students were away, I began teaching my first classes in English! The language barrier can be interesting, funny, and stressful all at the same time, but the kids are smart and we usually figure things out together. My class has five students, two girls and three boys. I love being with the kids and I’m thankful for the opportunity to help them!
Since the students in my class just finished their program in Spanish, this past Thursday we had a graduation for them! I got to help prepare the diplomas and a special picture of them with their Spanish teacher, Maria Luisa, for them to receive. It was a happy time with friends and family of the students and lots of yummy Mexican food at the end!

Today we started the first day of camp for the “semana santa” week of camp. Since classes let out a week here in Mexico for Easter, this year they decided to hold a week of camp! I love camp and seeing the things God works in people’s lives during this special time. I get to serve as a waitress this week. :)  Please pray for the campers and staff!

Random Tidbit:

Day light savings is on April 3rd… at 2:00am they turn their clocks forward to 3:00am!

Mi casa es tu casa!

My house is your house!

I can’t believe its two weeks since I arrived here in Mexico! Its been fun, but its also already been challenging. Either way,  I pray for the Lord’s will to be done in my life.

Over the next month, I’ll be learning a new program for the school called, “Speaking English with Ace and Christi”. Its new for the school as well as for me. I’ll be teaching it to about 5-9 year olds. The school is bilingual for children above this age, so this program is important to introduce them to English and make it an easier transition. Right now there will be five students in this class. I’ve found that the children in our school are either the children of the missionaries here, or from the town.

Learning Spanish is going to be quite the process! The people here are egger to teach, but it seems like it goes in one of my ears and out the other sometimes. I also have to sort out the Portuguese in my brain. Many of the words are very similar and with the Portuguese being more familiar, it dominates over the new Spanish word! ah! But its only been about 15 days, so hopefully it gets better. hahaha

If I thought that time was precious before, I’ve had a rude awakening! God is using life here  to teach me discipline with my mind and time, making the most of what He’s given me. :)

The people have been super kind and friendly. I’ve heard over and over, “Mi casa es tu casa.” I live in the single ladies house with about 12 other women from ages 45-21. It’s a blessing to have Dawnell here too to help me learn the ropes. We’re both excited to take in what God’s laid before us and learn.

This past Sunday morning we went to a church in Tequisquiapan. Its probably about 20-30 minutes from the property here. This is a church the Digilios (the first missionaries with Word of Life to Mexico) started in their home and currently they meet in a Taekwondo building.

This week is a special week for Palabra de Vida Mexico. The school has a convention with other schools in Mexico using the same program. Students 13 and up may participate and they’ve worked hard to be ready to compete with the other students here in their category. Everyone has come to the property here, so this place is be bustling with about 700 people! I’ve been able to help by cleaning bathrooms throughout the week.

JEHOVAH-JIREH

 The Lord has been showing Himself to me once again as JEHOVAH-JIREH!

There have been different situations where He has gone above and beyond my the request of my heart. One passage He's brought to my mind a lot is Phil. 4, where Paul says he has learned how to live in plenty and how to live in need because Christ strengthens him to for it. Often when I find myself in need, I tend to pray specifically. Not that its wrong to pray specifically, but instead of just praying for God to meet a need, I pray for God to support my plan to meet the need, when really, He just might have His own way to do things. :) So, all that to say I'm learning contentment in a new way and its exciting because it means that God is continuing to sanctify me through and through!

    Recalculating my monthly support with Word of Life, I still lack about $110.00. I'm trusting the Lord with that as well because when my set-up funds are gone, I have to have it to continue to stay there. God has met every need that I have and I don't doubt that He will meet this one too in His timing and way!  

     Not too long ago I received my Rosetta Stone in the mail. I'll be using it while I'm in Mexico to learn Spanish. Yippy!

 I had my last day of work this past Saturday.

One of the girls I work with is Mexican and wanted

to make me her favorite meal before I left. She brought it into work and I had a lot of fun trying new food! It was sooo good!

This past weekend I had my last opportunities to minister in my church. Keithendra Spence and I did a midget-skit for our Valentine's Day banquet. It was a fund raiser for our teens to go to summer camp.

Also, on Sunday two of my sisters (Candice and Christa) and I sang one last time during the morning service.

      A huge blessing was came through the hands of my church family for my internship in Mexico. I was having computer trouble and they got together and purchased one for me that I could take as I head to the field Thursday. It was definitely one of those "Lord, this is way more than I asked for" answers to prayer! 



My life right now could be summed up with packing, Liberty Online, cold medicine, family, and goodbyes. It seems like so quickly I'm finishing this chapter in my life to start a new one, but I am neither worried nor afraid because I know the Author of my life is behind it and He's with me all the way! As Bilbo Baggins said, "I think I'm... quite ready for another adventure!"

- 02/15/11

the GET READY and the GET SET before the GO!

   Back in the fall I was expecting to be in Mexico by now, but God's timing is absolutely perfect. The reality of "going" had not actually hit me and I would not have been ready. God has been refreshing and preparing my heart in serveral ways this month.

        First I was reunited with the other 20 missionary interns January 5-12 during training and enjoyed the blessing of hearing what God has done these past few months in their lives. People getting saved, young people getting excited about living for God, and babies being rescued are just  a few of the testimonies I heard! It was a great reminder that our God is FAITHFUL- He is MOVING in people's lives, ANSWERING prayer, and PROVIDING for us physically and spiritually.

 Dawnell Groff (who is already in Mexico) and I with the Mexican flag.

 While there for training, we were fed from God's Word at Word of Life Bible Institute's Missions' Conference. The message that God used the most in my life came from Luke 8 via Harry Bollback. It's about the parable of the sower. Some of the seeds fell among thorns and eventually the thorns choked out the fruit of the seeds. Jesus shared with His disciples that sometimes the Word of God falls on those who hear, but the Word is choked out by three kinds of thorns- cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. Harry called this group "half-hearted" and defined cares as heart aches and disappointments in this life. God showed me that I had been letting the heart ache and disappointment I faced choke out His Word in my heart and I would not bear the fruit of a relationship with Him that way. He called me to repentance (to turn around; to go the opposite direction). It's hard to admitt that my heart wasn't right before God as I hung to cares in my life; it's not comfortable. But the love of God compels me to share because He offers the same healing grace that I received to everyone and it's all about His glory!



Also during the Missions' Confernce, Matt Melville sang "I Will Go" by Steve Green. God challenged my heart and excited me about the things He has called me to. I wanted to share it here:

 Another really encouraging thing was to witness others look for opportunities to minister to the Bible Institute students and encourage them in their walk with the Lord. It was a reminder that God's call is not dependant on where we are. I love seeing God use our availibility to His ability!

My departure date has been set for FEBRUARY 17th!

God has provided for my set-up funds in full!

I'm still short $140 each month in monthly support, so I am going in faith that God will call some of His people to supply it and provide for them to do so. Going a month later gives me a little "cushion" if the support doesn't come in right away, but the funds are still necessary for me to stay there.

Thank you so much when you bring me to the Lord in prayer! I'm excited because God is answering your prayers for me as He provides for me and grows me in His grace!