He iS iN CoNTRoL

Well, I have been back now for a little over a week, and it's crazy how life here gets back to normal so quickly.  Last year, when I came back I remember the quick culture clash of reading facebook and learning about everyone else's life and being hit with feelings of jealousy and envy really quickly, feelings that I hadn't had since I left this place.  After being gone for over a month, upon my return, I now am overwhelmed with busy-ness, knowing that in a few weeks, that will only hit me more.  I already find myself having to really figure out when in my schedule I put reading and prayer, something that was really easy over the last few months.  Lord help me to have energy and to continue to desire to be in your Word every day -- especially in the mornings, as it really focuses my day.  Also, I am stretched with thinking about how I spend my money and how I can use those funds to benefit others instead of myself.  This is something that weighs on my heart a lot, but that I especially have been thinking about since I returned this year.  May God take that part of my life in His hands.

I am hoping to more consistently blog about what I am learning through my daily readings.  This past summer, I finished Acts, Romans and led a Bible Study on Philippians.  Then, I started reading Genesis.  Currently, I am in Exodus and am thus reading about Moses.  The overall story of Moses strikes me as very interesting and useful because over and over again, Moses' distrust, unfaithfulness, fear and doubt come out through his conversations with God.  But, God is faithful and has Moses, his life, and His people in his hand.  While reading Exodus, I am reminded over and over again that God is in control.

Right now, I am in chapter 14 where Moses and the other Israelites are in the desert after having fled Pharoah and the Egyptians who had them enslaved.  They flee.  God tells Moses to camp out near the sea because He is planning to harden Pharoah's heart and make him doubt why he has let them go.  God tells Moses not to worry, though, because all that happens will end up bringing glory to Him.  And in verse 31, it does.  Moses raises his staff and the sea parts.  The Israelites escape on dry land and the Egyptians are swallowed up by the sea.  Even the Egyptians realize that God is fighting for the Isrealites and have fear (v. 25). 

When reading this, some key points that I want to remember are:

First, God told Moses in verses 13 and 14, "Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today."  He also said, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  During difficult times, I need to remember that I need to trust in the Lord and let Him fight my battles.  It's not that I cannot do it on my own, but rather that I cannot do it at all.  I need to surrender all of my worries, all of my battles to Him. 

Secondly, we should trust in God's power and realize that everything that happens God has control over and ultimately, He will be glorified.  In this part of Exodus, the Egyptians feared (v. 25) and the Israelites both feared and put their trust in the Lord because of what they had seen (v. 31).  I pray that I continually fear Him and trust Him and realize the power that He has -- more than I can ever imagine.

Thanks be to God!

FoR i KNoW THe PLaNS i HaVe FoR YoU

This week has already brought about some more prayer requests.  Please pray for the following ministries.

On Saturdays I have been participating in Kids Club at a local church.  Basically, there are about 50 kids who come to church, have a snack, Bible Lesson and then play games.  I help out with the lesson and games as needed.  Next to that church is a Boys Orphanage called Josiah's House (named after a 19 year old boy who was killed in a car accident years ago.  He loved the Lord and thus a church named the boys’ home after him).  At Josiah's house, there is room for 32 boys.  Eventually, there will be 4 homes, but right now there are 2, one in which missionaries are living while raising 4 boys.  Previously, I have gotten to hang out with the boys both here at SCORE and during Kids Club, but this past Sunday I also got to attend church with them and meet the missionaries who are raising them.  They are incredible.  After being here for one year with the boys the boys now are able to read (upon coming to the home they were illiterate) and they seem very well nourished and overall happy.  Most importantly, they are learning the word of God.  My prayer for this ministry is that God would continue to provide the missionaries with endurance and soft hearts for these boys, that the boys would continue to learn how to read, and that God would continue to provide avenues for them to learn more and more about Him.  There is a possibility that I may stay at Josiah's house this weekend to learn more about the ministry.  Please pray for that time as well.

Today, I returned to my bi-weekly visit to Emanual House (yes, it is actually spelled with 1 “m” as it would be spelled in Spanish) where school is back in session since yesterday.  With about half of the kids back at school without chicken pox, I was able to get a glimpse of a normal day. My day took a turn though when we went on a few house visits to check on some families.  We went to one house and eventually found out that the mother of 4 had been abused by her husband just Sunday after he came home drunk late Sunday night.  He had cut her face (fortunately not too deep) with a machete and had threatened both her life and the lives of her children.  After praying for the family and for guidance, we went back to Emanual House, spoke with Mirqueya (she really is an angel) and we eventually left with the entire family before the husband got home from work.  The family, without even milk for the 7 month old baby nor a change of clothes, fled.  According to the mom, she has endured 10 years of physical abuse, but this time was just really afraid because he said he was going to kill her and the children.  After taking the family to a center for domestic violence in a nearby city, we have brought the family to the complex where I am staying where they will be safe for a few days.  The kids swam in a pool for the first time, were fed a full meal, and had plenty of water (all commodities that they are not privy to on a day to day basis).  My prayer is for a long-term solution for this family.  While they don't have much, they left it all.  I am not sure if or how they will be able to get the little belongings that they do have.  Second, please pray for the health of the little ones.  The kids are 7, 6, 3 and 7 months.  The smallest one, while 7 months old, appears to be about 3 or 4 months old due to his malnutrition.  He also has some health problems.  Please pray for their health.  Pray for the mother, who must stay strong for her children, but I know this must be very hard for her.  Pray for her to lean on the Lord for strength.  Also, please pray for safety.  No one really knows how far the father will go. Pray that the family will stay safe.  Lastly, pray for the people, including pastors and psychologists at the domestic violence center, who are working to help this family long term.  Pray for wisdom and discernment.

As for me, please pray for continued peace in my work here. Pray for humility, patience and compassion.  I cannot believe that this time is winding down, but I am hopeful that in these last two weeks, I will be able to be completely present.