Emanuel House Library

Imagine not growing up with books in your home. Imagine having parents who are illiterate. Imagine not being able to read. 

Well... the library shelves at Emanuel House have officially been paid for. The goal is that every kid at Emanuel House can read on grade level by the end of the year. Reading in Spanish is phonetic. The kids at Emanuel House are smart. They just haven't had access to books.

I need your help! A library is not a library without books. I had some wonderful people donate books last month and would love to receive some more for the kids before I come home for Christmas. (I know that I will be bringing some back then, but I am trying to lighten my load.)

If you are interested in donating Spanish Kids books to the Emanuel House Library, (I believe it will be the only library in Quisqueya), please send books to my friend, Rachel Todd, by Saturday, November 30, 2013.

Please include a note with your first and last name so that I know who donated the book(s).

Rachel Todd:
7068 Stinger Pl.
St. Louis, MO. 63129

Don't want to shop for books? Make a one-time, tax-deductible donation to SCORE and make sure to include that it is for BOOKS. Then, I'll buy the books for you on AMAZON. (Note that SCORE takes out an admin fee.)

A busy little bee filled with hope!

Well, it has been a little over two weeks since I have updated my blog.  And, I must say that a lot has happened in those two weeks.  I imagine that the best way to update you all is through prayer requests and pictures.  Please know that while these two weeks were extremely busy, they were a blessing.  (And, for those who worry about me... I've gotten a lot of sleep over the past 2 days to catch up.  THANKS BE TO GOD!)

A couple of weeks ago...

This is my new room.  I am finally settling in. I was able to do some decorating right before my birthday.  After three months here, I finally have a dresser and a night stand.  So grateful to the men who painted my room for me.  I am reminded that such little things to us in the states... many don't have here.  I am grateful and humbled!

This is my friend and neighbor Daniela.  Many of you have prayed for her.  She is doing SO well!  Thank you for your prayers!

The pictures above were taken by my friend Justin who came to visit me from Atlanta.  Well, he came for a wedding but got to spend 2 days with me before the wedding.  (I told him that he will always be the first person to come and visit.) Along with bringing me some care packages -- THANK YOU-- and books in Spanish -- DOUBLE THANK YOU -- He also captured some beautiful pictures and video of the people in the town and of me chatting with some kids inviting them to the Saturday Bible Study that I do.  He also helped me take pictures of kids who currently don't have a sponsor.  After taking pictures, we distributed milk to those families.   Please continue to pray for the 60 kids who have no sponsor.  Also, the library is being built in the coming weeks to help the kids be able to read.  If you support me, you helped purchase the shelves.  Thank you! Please continue to pray that I will continue to receive books for the library.

There are 12 young adults who recently graduated high school or who are currently in college who have come to stay in the D.R. until May.  They are a part of SCORE's GAP program.  They take Bible and Spanish classes, are involved in weekly ministry, and get to do home visits. Five of them decided to spend their weekend with me and Mirqueya, helping us with ministry.  On Saturday, we took two little girls, Flor María and Rosalía to shop for uniforms and underclothes.    

Afterwards, we went to their home to drop them off. Their house is in the furthest part of Quisqueya.  Honestly, it was one of the worse off houses that I have seen here.  Like many houses in this area, there is no bathroom or indoor plumbing.  Their floor is a dirt floor. They also live close to the dump where they burn trash.  So, they often inhale the fumes from the fires.  I praise the Lord that their parents and Flor María have come to know Christ as their Savior.  They have an eternal hope that surpasses anything that they could have here.  I pray for provision for their family and that God would continue to keep Flor María as a part of my life.  

This is Flor Maria's little brother.  He cracked me up with his beautiful smile and playfulness.  

 

Another missionary, Jaime, and I, along with Karleigh, a long-term SCORE intern, decided to go out on the beach early Monday morning to watch the sunrise.  DR has beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but this day it rained.  Even in the rain, God's glory shown through!

Women's Week 2013

To start of Women's Week, a group from Tennessee treated us to a devotion, encouragement through prayer, committment to pray for the missionaries even when they went home, and a surprise gift.

I had the fortunate opportunity to spend the rest of my week with these women!  What a blessing they were to me.

Ginger Millerman was our speaker for the week.  She both spoke and sang.  Ginger had an incredible testimony of continued faith during her life after having almost lost one of her twins boys, having adopted a little girl from India, and living with many of her friends who are suffering with terminal illnesses.  She spoke on having and truly understanding the faith, hope and love that only comes from God.

I led my Women's week group with Kelly, a dominican missionary.  Here, I am translating for her about the Dominican people.  She's explaining that Dominican roots are indigenous, Spanish and African.  

In the planning for Women's Week, we were challenged to be intentional with our time on the bus, by sharing our testimonies.  Here I am sharing.  Please pray for continued boldness in sharing the Gospel.

First stop during Women's Week? San José village, the village that we visited and stayed in last year with Wesleyan.  I am hoping to visit regularly to help the teacher there get organized and give her ideas for teaching.  She has a heart for her village, but no background in education.  In March, I will hopefully return to San José to stay with the Wesleyan team of girls that is returning.  I just read the list of the team.  I know most of the girls because they either traveled with me last year, are part of my freshman girls from last year or I just knew them from the hallway.  So excited!

This is Craig, the pastor of San José village, his wife (all the way to the left), and some of his disciples.  Also, to the right is the new teacher of the pre-school, who I will be helping.  By the way, Craig is known as the man who caught tarantulas last year.  He's at it again.  I caught him on a tarantula hunt just a few days ago at SCORE.  

This is the church in San José.  It is still beautifully painted.  The Wesleyan team last year painted it!

This is the new school in San José.

Evelyn is the teacher in San José.  She is the only person in her village to have a bachelor's degree. After becoming a Christian, God changed her heart and made her want to help her people.  Even though she has a degree in accounting, Evelyn decided to help by teaching the kids -- not only about reading and math, but about God's love.  Here, Connie, a teacher and experienced teacher-trainer, is explaining centers to Evelyn.  I hope that I can help Evelyn with her ministry.

We sang songs with them!

This is Neomi and her daughter Smiley from San José village.  Neomi cooked for us all last year when we stayed in the village.  Her husband, Omar, is Craig's disciple and is hoping to be a pastor one day.

Some girls from San José.

This woman is beautiful isn't she?  On Wednesday afternoon of Woman's week, we went to Lily House and the women heard a devotion about God being King above all Kings.  And, if we believe in Him, that makes us his son's and daughters... daughters of the king are princesses.  The ladies were so excited to understand that message.  Who doesn't want to be a princess?

Before we heard our devotion, the women had a runway contest.  They made wedding dresses out of toilet paper.  Truthfully, I was astounded.  The dress I tried to make was a disaster, but some truly have a talent and made some pretty dresses that included a clutch and a hair piece.  Wow!

Both our group and others taught the ladies at Lily House, a home for women who used to be prostitutes, how to make scarves and jewelry that they can sell.  Some groups have begun to do jewelry parties in the states to help raise money for Lily House.  Please pray for their continued support.  Prostitution is a huge problem here and many women feel like they have no other choice.

On Thursday, we traveled to a church in Quisqueya that I attend on Sunday nights and did a Women's day.  They enjoyed devotions on letting God use us in spite of what we have or don't have.  We also had crafts to make necklaces, earrings, and baskets.  My favorite, though was the exercise session.  God does command us to take care of our bodies. Here, I am doing a wall squat.  30 seconds!

And we did lunges.

This is the church that we worked in. 

These women were honored at the Lily House graduation for having completed 1 or 2 years away from  the streets.  On Thursday night, I had the opportunity to go out on my first street ministry.  We walked down the streets of Boca Chica, where there are lots of prostitutes and men hanging out with prostitutes.  The thing that struck me most was how open prostitution is here and how the street we walked down looked nothing like that street in the famous movie Pretty Woman but rather like a typical street with bars and clubs in the United States.  I am grateful for a ministry that helps rescue these women.  I pray for God to work in the lives of the men who travel to this country buy these women.  I pray for the Lord to do BIG things through the Lily House ministry.

This is a picture of me and little Ashanti, a girl from Pasitos de Jesus.  She is absolutely precious.  This picture is special to me for a few reasons.  First, it took about 3 months for her to let me hold her.  But even more, last Sunday night, we received the horrible news that two of our missionaries, Giovanny and Carolina lost their daughter to a heart attack.  It was a complete surprise to everyone.  Ashanti is her exact age.  Little Giovanna was born on March 8, 2012 and passed away this past Sunday morning.  Life is so precious.  Please pray for Giovanny and Carolina.  I cannot imagine how hard it is on them to lose their daughter.  

In the last two weeks, I have felt more and more at home than ever before.  I am making friends, feeling in community, and serving each and everyday.  I feel my understanding of His word to be growing and feel a connection more and more to the people here.  And in the midst of so many good things, I am becoming more and more aware of the reality of the deep cultural problem of rape and abuse in this country.  I am shaken by the reality of prostitution and the similarities of prostitution here and the club/party scene in the states.  I am reminded of the need to trust and hold on to God for assurance and not man.  And, I am reminded of the fragility of life.  While praise God that I have hope in Him, I even more than ever want to share that hope with others.

Most of all, I know that God is working.  He has a plan.   Each and every day that I wake up and decide to devote my actions, my words and my life to the Lord, I also know that the devil wants to shake me away from Him by entering into my thoughts, giving me bad news, or making me "too" busy.

But thanks be to God that there is hope!

I am so grateful for His good news!

Even when it is hard, when we receive bad news, or when we are faced with hard realities...

In God, there is Hope!

He is stronger!  

He has already won!  

Alive and Loving It!

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.  Think about things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory.  Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful!

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-15

 
 

  

 

 

Clearly I am not the best at putting pictures on my blog, but I had the opportunity to spend 3 days this week at Pasitos de Jesus Orphanage for girls in Boca Chica and wanted to share some of the moments that I caught on camera.  I usually only visit once a week, but what a blessing these girls are to me!  Most of them come from pretty bad backgrounds.  They have been abused, neglected or their parents have passed away or can't take care of them.  And yet, Dalma, the founder has instilled in them the love of God.  And so, while they are normal little girls who have their moments, in all, they are joyful, playful and full of hugs.  Every time after visiting, I marvel at what a wonderful blessing the ministry is to the girls, to me, and to those who have the opportunity to visit.  There are some who just "pass through" as Pasitos is a safe place for girls who need a place to stay for a few weeks or some months.  For others, this is the only family they really know as they have lived with Dalma for much of their lives.  And for some, they still battle their pasts.  I pray that the Lord will continue to bless them by putting Godly people in their lives.  I pray that He will put the resources in front of them for them to be well-educated.  Mostly, I pray that He would allow them to overcome their pasts and truly fall into relationship with Jesus so that they can live focused on the eternal.

Today at church service, the sermon was about Colossians 3.  The message was one that focused on our need to concentrate on our eternal life and not be so preoccupied with the problems, challenges or luxuries of our life on earth.  After all, if we are dead to life in this world, there are so many things that truly don't matter, right?  And yet, we worry, we are anxious, we wonder what if, we ask why, we are greedy, we worship the things of this world, and we are hateful.

But, clinging to God, having an eternal perspective, and focusing on His promises are truly the answer to being alive and loving it!

I think about the kids that I meet and hug, the girls at the orphanage that I get to love on, the kids that I get to drive around, the people that I work with on a daily basis, and the missionaries who try to glorify God each day in their ministries.  I think about the people back in the States who are truly using their resources, their hands, and their gifts to glorify God because they understand truly what He did for them by sending His son not only to die, but to live again.  While I know that none of us can fully understand what it means to be raised to new life with Christ, I praise Him for those people in my life of who have devoted their daily walk to Him. It is our daily walk that affects the non-believer and grows the faith of those whose faith is small.

I pray that my understanding of His love for me will not stop at my salvation, but that it would make me want to live more and more for Him, increasingly leaving behind my worldly ways.   I also pray that for all who are reading this.  May you become more and more alive in Christ.  May you live for Him -- not just in word, but in deed, not because that is how He saves, but because He saved and you are grateful!
 

I thank God for those whom He has put in my path to serve.  May I love them well.  May I serve them often.  May His light shine and not mine.  

Updates and Prayer Requests:

I am finding out that there are some out there who read my blog posts, but was wondering how many have browsed the general blog in a while.  Please check out the tabs across the top of my blog for information about Child Sponsorship and How You Can Help my Ministry here.  They are all newly updated!  

• I am almost done with testing at Emanuel House.  Thanks be to God!  Please pray to finish well.
• The family we shopped for uniforms for went to school on Monday.  Pray for that transition.
• I will be preparing for my first Woman's Conference with other SCORE missionaries next week.  I have lots to do before then.  Please pray for my organization and endurance.
• We made a design for the Emanuel House Library and are still collecting Spanish books!
• I finally have an address to send care packages to me.  Please check out the How You Can Help tab.
• I am feeling more and more at home and in community.  Thank you for your prayers!
• For those who read about my friend who attempted to kill herself, she accepted Christ and is a whole new person.  I am so grateful to have the opportunity to pray with her and visit.
• I have found a church in both Juan Dolio and Quisqueya that I can attend regularly.  Thanks for the prayers.
• Bible memorization is still a challenge.  Please continue to pray for me!
• Emanuel House kids will come back to school on Wednesday after almost a month out of school for testing.  Please pray for excitement and for the teachers to incorporate all that they've learned into the classroom.