It might seem random, but God is SO good!

A goat moved in somewhere close by.  Thus, for the past 3 days instead of waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing, I've been awakened by a goat. And today was no different.  I don't think I like 4:30am.

I didn't make it inside church today.  It seems like my car has temper tantrums sometimes, and right when I park and am ready to head inside wherever I'm going, I turn the car off, open the door and…. boom… the windows go down.

My previous thought was that my car could sense rain and right when it was about to rain, that happened.  But, today proved my theory wrong.  Outside it was bright and sunny.  And yet, windows down.  Because of where I live, I couldn't leave my car open.  So, I journaled and every once and a while I tried again to open the door…  Fail.  Windows down.

And as I journaled inside my car during church today, all I could do is wonder what God was trying to teach me.  Maybe it is that in every new day, there are new experiences, new glimpses of things that can either make me frustrated, sad, excited or amazed. Maybe it's that God is teaching me patience.  Maybe it's a mixture of both.

Every day there is something new.

I continue to be amazed by what all the Lord still is teaching me here.  I am amazed by how He continues to teach me and show me little things about the culture that I didn't know before.  In some ways I think since I've been here for over a year now, I should get it.  And, there are many things that I do understand.  But truthfully, a year and a half has given me deeper relationships and through those relationships more trust and thus, I am learning things that I didn't know before and understanding culture and relationships in a way that maybe I didn't get before.  It also gives me insight to how to help in a way that maybe I couldn't see before.  And, I am reminded on a daily basis the need to be patient so that God will work out His will.  I constantly pray that the Lord gives me wisdom, gentleness, non-judgment, a positive attitude, and patience.  His will be done, not my own.

This past week, in addition to teaching, I had the opportunity to take 8 kids and a mom to the local clinic in order to be checked for fungi.  The truth is that every one of the kids had a fungus in their head and the mom had scabies.  Wow!  I saw scabies for the first time in my life.  The doctor commented that it's because of their living conditions.  And then, after helping divide the medicines while the kids waited, I got to explain the doses, etc.  The sad reality is that if it weren't for Emanuel House, two of the kids wouldn't be able to take their medicines regularly because it must be taken with food.  And, the mom who accompanied us had to wash her clothes the next day, but she was too ashamed to tell me that she didn't have any detergent.  The realities of the families gets to me sometimes.

But I've learned to just keep walking.  Keep helping.  Keep loving. One day at a time.

New Beginnings.

One of my deepest dreams is that the moms that I work with will one day be able to support their own children and themselves and some of those dreams are starting to come true.  Five of the moms from my Bible Study (yes 5!) are working towards learning skills or have found a job.  One mom (thanks to another local ministry) received a freezer and learned how to make beads.  She now is selling ice cream and necklaces.  I went on an interview with another mom who started working last week.  She is learning to make jewelry. And three other moms spent a week and a half learning to sew uniforms and make bags and jewelry.  God is moving.  My prayer is that they will capture what they have learned and not only learn for themselves, but eventually help their communities.

 

New Ideas.

I was able to go to a leadership conference with Mirqueya and some local pastors a few weeks ago.  What a joy to be poured into!  It is a conference given all over the world with speakers like Louie Giglio and the writer of QUIET (you know that book for introverts) to share how to be better leaders as Christians.  It was wonderful and I walked out of it with a clearer vision, strategy, and goals for this coming year.  While I pray and pray and pray for insight, God brings it to me at unexpected times and in unexpected ways.  I did not have that conference in my plans and truly had no clue what it was about.  But God is good.  His timing is perfect.

More Patience.

For those of you who pray, please continue to pray for the home life of the little girls that I love so dearly.  Pray for their safety and for God's light to shine in their home.  Please pray for their father's salvation.  Pray for God's will to be done and for us to be faithful in loving the girls, courageous in teaching them about Jesus and wise in helping them.

On a Different Note.

I will be headed home a week from today.  My itinerary is below. I look forward to uniting with my team, encouraging and being encouraged, and resting a bit!

While at home, I will be praying for the upcoming year.  Please join me in prayer.  If you aren't sure how to pray, please pray these specific verses over me:

Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to God for he cares about you.  1 Peter 5: 6-7

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.  Watch over it willingly not grudgingly-- not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.  1 Peter 5:2

Love each other deeply with all your heart.  1 Peter 1:22

Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially that sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Hebrews 12:1-2a

See you soon, God Willing!

My schedule while in the States:

December 7-15 in Florida

December 15-21 in Atlanta

December 21-26 in South Georgia 

December 26- January 2 in Atlanta

Leave for Santo Domingo on January 3

A nomad with hope

By faith, so many have lived their lives here on earth.  Hebrews talks specifically about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Moises, and others.  In Hebrews 11:13-16, the writer states, "All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

I have had the chance in the last two weeks to live in two worlds.  Traveling to the United States to be a part of my friends wedding and now being in the Dominican again, I am reminded over and over again that I don't belong here, in either place.  

I am a nomad.  

My experience in the States is one of dependence on other people -- no home, no car, just kind friends and family who are willing to take me here, pick me up from there, and house me some nights.  

It's uncomfortable sometimes.  

And, in the Dominican, while I can go "home," have a bed that is mine and have transportation, there are many things that make me uncomfortable.  I still don't speak my first language, my mind is still "American" and I often don't understand some customs. 

Like in the States, the Dominican is filled with brokenness….  

Bad music.  
Broken families. 
Abuse.  
Children raising themselves.  
Lost souls.  
Drunkenness.  
Hatred.
…and people who believe it's all okay.

The Bible says that as Christians we are not of this world.  We should not feel comfortable here, we should not … we should look to what's ahead, understanding that we are citizens of heaven.

John 15:19
The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

In Hebrews 12:1-2, the writer reminds us that as Christians people are watching and that it is through our faith that we receive good reputations.  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."

We keep going even though we see all of the brokenness, by keeping our eyes on Jesus.  He is the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  He is the savior that welcomes us into His Kingdom.  We strive to see His completed Kingdom one day.  It is by focusing on Him and keeping the faith that we have good reputations in this world.  

I thank God for time in the Word, for time in the States, and for time on the many planes to reflect on Him, ministry and life in general.

Once I returned to the Dominican, I taught my classes in the mornings.  I praise God because it seems that some kids are learning to read simple words.  We are working on our numbers 11-19 -- recognizing them and understanding the concept of those numbers in preparation for addition.  And, last week we studied the promise that God made to Abraham to give him more children than the stars in the sky.  

God has been good.  

I am finally feeling energized even after teaching.  Along with teaching, I had the opportunity this week to spend time with a group, share about Emanuel House and Child Sponsorship at a baseball conference, provide food for a missionary family, visit  some of my Bible study women, take a woman to the hospital, go cliff diving early on Saturday morning, host some of the GAP students at Emanuel House this weekend, and take the 5 little girls to church with me earlier today.

Please pray:

• that the Lord will continue to teach me patience, endurance, confidence in Him, discipline, and love that only He can provide.

• for the right words when comforting close friends who are dealing with abusive situations.

• for my students, their behavior, and home life.

• for the five little girls -- attendance each day, self discipline, and that we would love them well.

• for reminders that I am not of this world, and to be okay with it.

Hebrews 12:28

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe.  

Hebrews 13:15-16

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance in his name.  And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need.  These are the sacrifices that please God.

May we continue to know that on this Earth we are only nomads.  May we thank God for all things eternal that we see while here and be confident in the things we cannot see. May our faith grow more and more each day, never forgetting what lies ahead.

Fighting Lies, Remembering Truth, Depending on Him

Since my last post, my life has been filled with Bible Studies, Women's Missions Week, and a great visit from two pastors from my church.  I traveled to the zoo with kids, went to the northern part of the island for a trip to Lake Dudu, and have had some time of rest.  The little girls that I love are rising to the challenge to attend Emanuel House and school 7 days in a row to get a beach reward.  I am teaching and still praying hard every day over my patience and over each child, their behavior and growth. 

I have days when I am spiritually full…  

and I have days that I feel empty.

Many days it hits me how so many people around me are still jobless, unable to read, and unsaved.  The girls that I love return every day to a home that is unsuitable for anyone to live in without their mom, and often without the presence of their dad.  Emanuel House is still over-crowded and in need of classrooms.  The kids that I teach have broken families and need regular counseling and their parents need guidance from other parents.  I teach and work with kids who are underweight due to being malnourished…

And, then it hits.  

I get into my head.   

I go around and around thinking about how to "fix it." 

And then the lies come...

I'm not good enough.

"They" are not good enough.

God made a mistake.

I don't fit.

I have to be better.

I can do this...

I won't make it.

God can't.

I can't do this.

Work. Work. Work.

I can't mess up.

This should be easier.

I have to get this right.

Jesus said that the following people are blessed: those who realize their need for God, mourn, are humble, are hungry for justice, are merciful, have pure hearts, work for peace, and are persecuted (Matthew 5:3-10). 

FIGHT LIES.

READ HIS WORD.  

REMEMBER TRUTH.

So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

You can enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

In John 10:9, Jesus says, 

I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.

Jesus teaches that His followers give to the needy (and we do so in secret) and that we should go away and pray (in private). He teaches that his followers don't yield to temptation, nor love money, nor worry about tomorrow. He expresses that His followers seek His kingdom, don't judge others, recognize our own faults, and treat others as we would like to be treated (Matthew 6 and 7).

The Lord directs the steps of the godly, 

He delights in every detail of their lives. 

Though they stumble, they will never fall, 

for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

Jesus said, 

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.

John 10:27-28

...you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy;

now you have received God’s mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, 

so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:9-10

He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.

Everything he does is just and fair.

He is a faithful God who does no wrong;

how just and upright he is!

Deuteronomy 32:4

And he who sits on the throne

will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty;

they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne

will be their Shepherd.

He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.

And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 7:15-17

This is the Word of God!

Pastors Kris and Brad and Kris' daughter Mady visited for 4 days last week.  They were such an encouragement to me and the ministry that God is using me to do here.  So thankful for my church home!

7 Emanuel House kids went to the zoo as a treat from their sponsors for their birthdays.

I ended up jumping off of 2 cliffs in Lago Dudu.  It was scary but worth it!

The Lord continues to remind me that He is good, He is in control, and that He is worth it.  Even as I write this I am convicted that this life is not about me, but about Him and that I must trust Him.

Please continue to pray for community, discernment, rest, and self-discipline.  Please pray for the struggles mentioned above and that God would be glorified in all that I do.  Please pray for a quick trip that I have in a few days to the States for a wedding.

To God be the Glory!

The Lord is working on me.

I imagine the more and more that we become in relationship with the Lord, the more we realize our true need for Him and just how broken & weak we truly are.  And this for me is a time when I feel that.  Broken.  Weak.  Needing Him.  Being worked on.  Being taught...

…patience.

…dependence.

…humility.

…gentleness.

…self control.

…peace.

…forgiveness.

…and of course more patience.

Like always there is a lot going on here in the Dominican.  Yesterday, I said goodbye to my parents who came to visit for the week.  They were able to meet some of the people who have become such an important part of my life in Quisqueya, they spent time with my Dominican family in the capital, and they got to experience the crazy driving, hot weather, my energetic 1st graders, and much much more.  I also got to spend my birthday with them and celebrate with some GAP students who are here through May.  God is good.  And, even though I am away from my first home, He has provided me with community and friends, and He brought my family here to show me love on my birthday.  He is good beyond belief!

Mom & Dad with my Dominican family on Thursday night after dinner.  

Emanuel House was featured in an article recently… I have always had a lot of respect for Mirqueya, but as she told her story during the process of collecting information for the article, I was reminded and continue to be reminded of so many things.  I am reminded of how God has worked in her life and through this ministry, of her desire to do nothing else but please Him and spread His Word to the neediest in this town, and just watching her day in and day out serving Him… I'm both inspired and challenged to be bold for Him.  I pray that the Lord would be edified through Her life and this ministry.  I pray that people's hearts would be touched by this article, and that more people would be moved to help.  Mostly, I pray that people's eyes would be opened to Christ and how freeing and beautiful life can be when we not only say that Jesus is our Savior, but live for Him as our Lord.  Read the article about Mirqueya, "The Princess of the Dominican Republic," here.

I had the opportunity to rest a bit a few weeks ago and spend some time at a resort with the teachers and staff at Emanuel House.  It was a true blessing as God allowed me lots of time in the Word, fellowship with  teachers, deep talks with Mirqueya, and relaxation on the beautiful beach.  Marveling in His creation is one of my favorite things to do.  God is so creative, isn't He?

There's always a photo shoot!  

I have 30 kids who are learning… little by little.  I have at least 3 who regularly continue to give me, the other teacher, and the sub from last week a really hard time, which makes it hard.  Please join me in praying for them.  There backgrounds are not easy.  Discipline at home is not as it should be.  Families are broken.  Hitting, bad words, disobedience.  May these kids feel the Lord's love through me.  May He touch them and be present with us each and every day!  May I believe in His power which surpasses all understanding!  May I believe that He is bigger!  May He break through any barriers so that they will learn!

I love 5 beautiful little girls who come here to bathe, participate in Emanuel House activities, and spend time with us.  I love 5 beautiful girls who need love and more love and more love.  They have recently returned to Emanuel House after a couple of weeks away due to lice.  (And for those who follow normally, Rosalia is back after having been gone for 2 months.)  They are in so much need of prayer.  Please join in prayer for their mental health.  They have had a hard life, a hard past year, and a crummy past 2 months.  Please help me pray for patience with them.  Please join me in praying for their obedience and for routine and for a love for school and education.  Please join me in praying for intentional time teaching them about Jesus and loving them well like Jesus would have if he were here with them.

I am gearing up for the 2014 Women's Mission Week.  This event was my favorite last year.  [It's when a group of American women serve alongside missionaries in the communities that we have grown to love here.  Working with the local churches, we will be focusing on the value of women.  At the same time a speaker comes and pours into the American women and missionaries as well.]  Praying that Dominican women hear the message and that it is glued to their hearts.  Praying that God's light shines through us.  Praying that our focus is only on Him.  Praying that we grow stronger in our relationship with Him and that we all are strengthened in recognizing what it means that we are made in His image.

I praise Him for breaking me.

I praise Him for making me depend on Him.

I praise Him for teaching me.

May He have all of the glory!

It's a Small, Small, World!

I can definitely say that my world has gotten much, much smaller in just the last week.  Along with still working on Child Sponsorship for SCORE, relationally, my focus went away from 117 families to 31 kids and their families, my Bible Study moms (4 of whom have kids in my class - AWESOME), and the 5 little girls whom I have grown to love over the last 9 months.  May God continue to bless my life, humble me, and teach me through this life that He has given me.

First... 

I can officially say...

that teaching first graders... 

in my second language... 

in another country... 

is possibly the hardest thing that I have ever done.  

And, truthfully, it is only by God's grace that I am surviving it.  

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

FACTS

• My class has 31 kids in it, although all have not yet attended on the same day.
• The kids in my class range from 5 years old to 7 years old.
• I teach and the kids learn in a really tight space where there is not much room to move around, no room to sit on the floor, and kids bump into each other often.
• At least 3 of my kids are a true challenge, lacking respect for me and most other authority.
• About 5 more of my kids can't sit still, have deeply rooted emotional problems, and in general are just difficult.
• Most kids, like the rest at Emanuel House, come from a 1 parent home, live with a grandparent, or are taken care of by someone else because their true parents abandoned them or have died.
• Most of the kids have parents who do not have a job.  Those who do then are pulled away from being with their kids to supervise them at home -- thus causing discipline issues at school.
• All but one of my kids cannot read and are slow in learning the alphabet.
• Over half of my students cannot spell their names and struggle even when helped.
• Most of the kids (if they did not attend Emanuel House) would not eat more than 1 meal a day and some would not eat every day.
• Many of the kids come from violent families or families where drugs are an issue.
• Most kids have parents who believe in God, but do not follow Jesus nor consider Him to be their personal Savior.
• I have to ask God each and every day for patience and then more patience. And yet, some days that patience is really, really tested by those hard kids.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

Most of my class - in front of our classroom.  Emanuel House kids are provided with uniforms and recently received new shoes as well.  

We all have lots of personality and fun making silly faces.

PRAISES

• Most of the kids come each day eager to learn and excited about incentives for good discipline.  I have even heard some stories from parents that their child begged to come to school after being sick the night before.
• Even though my teaching methods are a bit different, kids seem to be learning some.
• I had a day alone without help this past week, and I survived it!
• I have help from some kindergarten teachers from the states - and thank them for ideas like "the quietest mouse" when waiting for the bathroom, lots of movement, and the curriculum worksheets.
• I have seen some kids who are learning their sounds and letters and numbers.
• Most kids love to listen to books and some even can answer comprehension questions about them.
• The kids (all of them -- even the difficult ones) love to help!
• I had a successful parent meeting on Tuesday with most of the parents present and an after meeting meeting for the parents of some of the most difficult kids.
• I am getting more organized with planning and learning how to do activities without making so many copies, as that is a limitation.

This is me talking to parents and showing them discipline charts, math games, and reading strategies that I am using to teach the basics.  I also explained to them that I moved here because of my great love for the Lord.  I hope to spread to to the kids a love for learning that will one day help them to read the Bible and be disciplined in following Christ!

SOME UPDATES FOR MY REGULAR READERS
The 5 little girls whose mom passed away a little over a month ago, have now come to be a part of Emanuel House.  Although they are not living here permanently, four of them started coming here each day at 7am, showering, participating at Emanuel House, learning about the Lord, attending school in the afternoons, and then heading back to a neighbor's house in the early evening.  This change all started this past Monday.  The girls seem happy, and are well fed, clean and excited to be back in school.  (Last year, only one semi-consistently went to school.)  May the Lord continue to be with all of us during this transition.  And, I praise the Lord for changing their father's heart to be able to come here as they are now.  Please pray for the next to youngest girl, Rosalía, who has been in a nearby city since the day after her mom passed.  Please pray that she will come back this weekend and join her sisters at Emanuel House next week.

 

Thanks to a donation, we are able to help all of the girls with regular needs including food, clothing and school supplies.  Ranyelis and Ruth Esther started attending the school this past Monday at the school across the street.  They will go each day from 2:00-5:15pm.  

We still have not officially purchased the land for future EH projects, but are ready to do so.  The land is still being saved for us, thanks be to God.  There have been some snags along the way.  Please continue to pray for this process and that everything will go through okay.  It is probably one of Mirqueya's biggest concerns right now.

We are still praying for funds for the building that will add 4 larger classrooms (YAY!) to Emanuel House.  To my knowledge, people have given / pledged about $33,000 in gifts towards the classrooms.  Building will begin after we have raised the $52,000 needed to build the classrooms.  Thanks to all who have given!  If anyone else is interested in helping out, please send a tax-deductible gift for the Emanuel House Building Project to SCORE International at www.scoresponsor.org or to POBOX 9994, Chattanooga, TN 37412. Or feel free to call 423.894.7111. I am happy to answer any questions via email at acorinnechristian@gmail.com.

Thanks for your prayers for:

• my continued spiritual growth, time with the Lord, and understanding of His Word.
• patience and creativity with my first-graders who struggle with discipline / authority.
• me to depend daily on Him and glorify Him in all that I do.
• discernment & patience regarding the little girls' living situation.
• regular rest and renewal and continued good health.

And then we rested...and laughed a lot!

I praise God for rest!  I praise Him for time away.  I praise Him for laughter!  I see His glory in the kids, the beautiful fish, this island, growing relationships, my growing faith, and the love that surrounds me every day.

If you missed the video, some of my Bible study ladies decided to join in on the ALS Challenge that's going on on the internet.  I donated in their honor and we challenged some of the people who they came to love over the summer.  The challenge raises money and awareness for people with the disease and they wanted to be a part as well.  Starting my day getting ice poured on my head with these ladies truly made my week.  If nothing else, you will get a good laugh when you watch the video. Check it out here.

I am writing this blog from Punta Cana, well actually Bávaro, which is a city right outside of Punta Cana in the eastern most part of Dominican Republic.  It's beautiful here, and I thank the Lord for a few days away.  I am thankful for Mirqueya's family and close friends who have opened up their homes to us and who have "connections" for us to enjoy some of the tourist attractions like mudding on the dune buggy, boating and snorkeling.

I thought I was getting away to be able to do some work in peace and quiet, but God always has other plans and has blessed me in a different way.  In addition to getting to be adventurous, the family that we are staying with (a mom from Quisqueya, a dad from Spain, and 3 kids 11, 9 and 2), have become fond of me somehow.  Yes worriers, I have actually rested and spent some time alone.  But I am also very grateful for the little ones' smiles and hugs and questions about what I do in Quisqueya.  While we've been here, it has rained every day.  While on one hand rain is good because it cools the weather down and has given us a great reason to sleep more, I also think about the families in Quisqueya who have tin roofs with lots of holes.   They often suffer when there is so much rain because the insides of their homes get wet.  Please pray for them as we have officially entered into the rainy season, I believe.

The last couple of weeks have been pretty good and calm.  I am grateful for a more "scheduled" life starting in just a few days.  I had my last week of teacher meetings, worked a good bit on Bible curriculum, went to the capital to receive some new books for the library, enjoyed time with friends, worked with some teachers from Washington, DC., and finally came here.  Even though it doesn't sound like it,  it's been mostly low-key, and I'm thankful to the Lord for that.

Thank you to all who responded to the fundraising efforts for Emanuel House.  Please continue to pray for those needs, and if God is touching your heart to give, please email me or visit www.scoresponsor.org.  I would love to give you more information and answer your questions.  Praise be to God for the donations for the land which did come in time.  We still haven't officially bought it yet.  Please pray for the process.  I know that God is good.  The land is reserved for us.  Please pray for no hiccups and for everything to work out.

The building on the current Emanuel House land is what we are working to get now.  As the first day of school begins on Monday, we will have 92 kids in the morning to fit in 4 small classrooms.  Three classes have almost 30 kids and one of those classes will overflow into the meeting area upstairs.  (We have not added any kids at Emanuel House, but some of the kindergarteners that used to attend in the afternoon will now be in 1st grade in the morning, causing some space issues.)  Please pray for these first days.  Pray for my patience during a time of re-organization.  And please pray for provision for the remaining $30,000 for the building.

Thank you for everyone who prayed for me and the position that was offered to me as the Director of Education.  God truly has a sense of humor and He is abundant.  I marvel at the trust that can be earned in such a short period of time.  Thank you for all of the emails of encouragement!  After lots of prayer and uneasiness, I decided to just teach this year and help in the background without the official "title" and responsibilities of being in charge.  So far, I have helped with scheduling, curriculum and done a lot of praying for this place.  Your prayers are so appreciated as well!  Being an American Director of an official school in the Dominican is a lot of responsibility... and came on a little quick.  I learned not long after I wrote my blog about the meetings, "politics," and busyness that being a director would involve.  I just don't think I'm ready nor do I believe it's what God is calling me to right now.  And, I wouldn't have been able to teach.  I do believe that God has placed me here to speak into the lives of teachers, but even more so to the kids, moms and and other family members connected to the foundation.  I want to have time to share Jesus with them when I'm not teaching, by visiting them and just spending time in the Word, and doing life with them when I'm not working.  So, I will be teaching about 25 1st graders, trying to get them to read, so that they can read the Word for themselves, continue to go to school, one day support their own families, and be positive contributers to their community.  I am beyond excited about what God has in store for these little ones.   Teaching is only 1/2 day, which will allow me to complete my child sponsorship responsibilities, rest, plan, come alongside teachers, and spend time with some of my favorite dominicans who are still very new in their faith or others who haven't come to know the Lord yet.

Please continue praying for me in the following areas:

• regular rest...
• continued good health...
• time in the Word...
• wisdom in teaching 1st graders...
• Bible memorization...
• my girls who I haven't spent time with in a couple of weeks...
• their dad...
• Emanuel House details...
• the moms who have spiritual battles, familial struggles, and economic hardships.  May the Lord be with them.  May they come to know Him and depend on Him, and may He give us discernment and wisdom on how to help them long-term.

Muddy Mirqueya and Adrienne after a few hours doing the "Adventure Buggy."  

Change is a comin'

It's almost overwhelming to think of all that has happened since my last post, but as I read the Word this morning, I know that God has a plan... bigger than any that I can see or understand.

Remembering today to Trust in the Lord with all of my heart and to not lean on my own understanding.... (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remembering that His grace is sufficient and made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Remembering that just like Jesus, my nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing His work. (John 4:34)

Remembering today that the only work God wants from me is to Believe in the One He has sent. (John 6:29)

Last Sunday, the mom who was battling cancer went home to be with Jesus.  Mirqueya and I were fortunate enough to have spent about an hour or so with her before she died.  Our last moments with her were sweet, as we spent time after church service singing hymns, reading to her and praying.  The last prayers were ones imploring the Lord to take her home.  Elpidia suffered a good bit in her last months of life, but on her last day here on Earth, she seemed at peace and out of pain.  Ten minutes after praying for her one last time, she went to be with the Lord.  Please continue to pray for a softened heart for the father, who has now decided that he does not want the girls to come with us at Emanuel House. Please pray for a decision to be made soon regarding the girls, as right now they are staying with a neighbor who cannot keep them long-term.  Please pray for their safety in the meantime, for patience for us, and for God's will to be done.

As you can imagine, my mind has been full this week with thoughts of the girls, worries, and background work to try to help them.  At the same time, I have been in teacher training for the last week.  I think back to this time last year and know that while I went one day to teacher training, I went as an observer.  This year, I began the training expecting to be a 1st grade teacher, in charge of helping the Emanuel House kids learn to read.  Teacher training in a different country is... different.  So far, it's been very theoretical and not so practical, but I continually ask the Lord for patience and ideas to incorporate what I know and understand to the cultural norms. God has blessed the ministry with an American kindergarten teacher who came to stay for the last few weeks and is preparing materials in math and reading to help the teachers teach and kids learn the required content and even more. I praise the Lord for resources to help these kids who seem to have many odds against them.  Please pray that the materials will be received well from the teachers.

On Tuesday, I was asked or better told by Mirqueya that instead of teaching, she wanted me to have a different position this year at Emanuel House.  (Just so you know the official "start" to the year is in 2 weeks.) Instead of teaching, she wants me to be the Director of Education at Emanuel House, instructing the teachers, helping them with planning, and completely overseeing the education component.  I would have some informal help from some close co-workers in education, but in essence, I would be responsible for making sure that all things education are done correctly.  In 2 weeks, Emanuel House will be an official school for the kids in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade and will continue to be a supplemental program for kids in 3rd and above.  In early spring, people from the Ministry of Education will come and visit to observe the classrooms and the teachers.

As you can imagine, this "idea" brought with it many emotions, thoughts and questions.  Some being:

"I just want to teach."

"How can I be in charge of education for a system that I don't completely understand?"

"How can I have enough time to do all that it would demand?"

"How did Mirqueya gain so much confidence in my abilities in such a short period of time when before she didn't even see me as a teacher?"

"What if we end up with 5 little girls to take care of in addition to having this new responsibility?"

"Would I really be allowed to make changes to the current way of doing things here?"

"What are we going to do about the space problem?"

... among many other questions and thoughts...

and immediately and at the same time , my brain also went to solutions...

small changes to the schedule...

how to plan integrating to the strategies given by the Ministry of Education, strategies that I've used in the past, and the resources that we have found and printed...

My brain just can't stop thinking about it...

And, finally, yesterday afternoon, I really stopped to pray to the Lord to see if this is really what God wants me to do.  In part, this seems like an impossible task.  I don't see how I can do it.  At the same time I'm excited to try. And yet, I feel totally unqualified and unable in some respects.  

But, I love these kids.  I love the Emanuel House ministry and I want more than anything for their lives to be affected by the people who work there.  I want more than anything for them to see what people who love the Lord can do together to affect change.

Who knows?  Maybe the end result will mirror the Wesleyan way, where all administrators teach.  Maybe the Lord will work that out where I can help in both ways.  Who knows.  Please pray that the Lord would give me direction, clarity and wisdom during the next few weeks and upcoming school year.  Please pray for more clarity in terms of what the Ministry of Education wants from their schools and teachers.  Please pray for their flexibility in the methods that they allow.  (The amount of kids who are just being passed through the school system without the basic skills and values needed to positively influence their community is huge!)

I know that He is made strong in my weaknesses... I am able to do all things through Him who gives me strength...He can make the impossible possible... I am not alone...The Body of Christ is big!  

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There are currently two needs at Emanuel House that are very big.  It is just now that I am realizing just how urgent these needs are.

First, there is a plot of land that Mirqueya would like to buy.  That plot of land costs $6000 (US).  I am not good with measuring and acreage, but I know the land would basically be a gift at that price.  It's a lot of land.  In less than 6 days (on August 16), it is possible that the government officials change positions and the land is no longer available at that price. I believe the price would be at least 5 times as much for the same amount of land if the government officials change and they don't want to "gift the land".  The idea long term would be to have a school with 24 classrooms, an orphanage for girls, a chapel, a vocational school, among other things that would serve these poorest families of Quisqueya be able to get educated,  learn vocational skills, and be empowered to help their community and support themselves financially.  While this is a long-term plan, the purchase of the land is an immediate necessity.

Secondly, there is a plan to build 4 new classrooms.  In two weeks, we will begin the school year with two 1st grade classes, one special needs class, and one kindergarten class meeting in the current Emanuel House classrooms.  The remainder of the kids (3rd grade - 9th grade) will be meeting upstairs in the big meeting room that is also used for teams and meetings.  We need help to create the best learning environment possible for these kids.  The building project will cost about $60,000 including the building of the classrooms and the furniture that has to go inside.  We currently have pledges for $25,000.

Please prayerfully consider helping with either of these needs.  Feel free to email me at acorinnechristian@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to see the building plans.  You can also donate at www.scoresponsor.org / Ministries / Emanuel House or call the SCORE Office at  423-894-7111.  All donations are tax-deductible.  Make sure that any donation is specified as being for the Emanuel House Classroom Building Fund or Emanuel House Land.  If you donate or would like to pledge a donation, please let me know using the email above.

Please pray for this project and the continual growth of Emanuel House, the teachers and the students.  May we continue to give Him the glory and serve Him with all of who we are!

Some of the current kids who attend in the morning with their new uniforms received about 2 months ago.

One Year & Counting...

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus -- the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.  Acts 20:24

Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your 

heavenly Father.  Matthew 5:16

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.  John 3:30

It's crazy to think that it's been almost a month since I've last written.  I struggle to think of where to even start...   

The truth is that I have seen God move in various ways over the last few weeks.  I recognize over and over again just how big He is, just how powerful He is, and just how much He loves us and wants nothing more than for us to give Him attention, love Him back, and depend on Him fully.  My hope for those reading this would be that you are encouraged to live for Him, loving the One true God with all of who you are, always recognizing the infinite power of prayer.

Below are some pictures, stories and anecdotes of the last few weeks.  God is good!

A NEW BODY. Yumercy, the special needs girl from Emanuel House with leukemia passed away shortly after I wrote my last blog.  She died days after saying her last words, "God, I love you."  The day of her death, we went to her house where in Dominican tradition we sat, talked to, and comforted the family.  Then, early the next morning, family, friends, and many of the Emanuel House kids and teachers, including the special needs kids, got together and walked about 2 miles from Yumercy's house to the grave sight.  Please continue to pray for her mother, grandmother and 3 brothers during this time of mourning.  Pray for peace as we know that Yumercy understood about and loved Jesus.  Pray that her family will continue to find confort in knowing that Yumercy is in a new body, laughing and singing to the Lord.

 

 READING.  The reading competition continues and kids are still enjoying the library.  We have discovered a few avid readers.  The older girls are actually starting to read more difficult books -- including the chapter books that are on the shelves.  Who knew what access to resources, coupled with a challenge and encouragement could do?  Please pray for continued interest, especially among the boys.

  TEACHING. I have been teaching Tuesdays and Wednesdays with the first graders in the mornings and the pre-schoolers in the afternoons.  I am seeing small changes in their behavior,  in their desire to please the teacher and have a good day learning, and in their enthusiasm as they are learning to read simple words that begin with S, M, B and vowels.  I praise the Lord for their increased knowledge of the sounds that all letters make in the alphabet.  I am also grateful for help from teachers who have given me ideas for helping the kids develop writing, reading and math skills.  I praise Him also for an extra boost of energy that the teacher with whom I am working has had over the past few weeks.  Praise Him!

ATL TO DOM.  Kaitlin, a former student and mock trialer from Wesleyan visited for one week.  Her presence and energy were a blessing to me, to Mirqueya, and to the Emanuel family as a whole.  

SATURDAYS.  Kids Club is still going, although we will be taking a break for the next month.  Last week, we had a fun "movie morning" with popcorn, cookies and Kool-Aid to start the day off right.  We learned about serving others while watching how Jesus did the same when He was on earth.  Some kids even remembered when we did that lesson months ago. 

SAYING GOOD-BYE.  Jessinia, who has been my helper for the last two months, is about to go.  As much as I don't want to think about it, she's leaving.  God answered so many prayers in bringing her down here.  There is so much that I wouldn't have gotten done this summer alone.  I praise Him for her administrative skills, desire to help out wherever needed, and just for her love for the Lord.  I am praying against culture shock and for God's continued hand in her life as she heads to school in Seattle.  Click Here to see a video about Emanuel House that she just finished.  Interested in supporting Emanuel House's efforts or sponsoring a child?  Go to www.scoresponsor.org.

JESUS LOVES MOMS.  My Bible study of the book of John continues to go well with the women, although this past week, I wasn't able to participate.  But on Wednesday instead of teaching, I traveled with the moms to the Highlands, a multi-million dollar facility used to host dominicans in camps, sports activities and short retreats.  The moms heard testimonies from a woman's group from McLean Bible Church, participated in a craft, watched a short Jesus movie, and had fun "bathing" in the pool.  (Since most don't know how to swim, they use the verb 'bañarse" or to bathe.) They also learned about managing money and relating the Bible practically to their lives, and they enjoyed a nutritious lunch.  I translated for the moms and just enjoyed spending time with them. Please pray for those moms who still do not know the Lord nor follow His path.  I am convinced that their lives and the lives of their children can be radically changed with the Lord as its center.

 

BATTLING CANCER. I continue to visit Elpidia and her 5 girls as much as I can.  For those who pray for her regularly, her health is worsening.  She is said to have under a month left to live unless God decides to perform a miracle.  Last night she started her first dose of medicine with codene, and she is said to now have pneumonia along with worsening bed sores.  Her daughters are doing well considering their situation.  They will most likely be coming to live with Mirqueya and me in the foundation soon.  Please pray for their health, safety and that they would know the love that their mom has for them.  Please pray for their softened hearts and growing relationship with the Lord.  

MINISTRY CHANGES. I visited Pasitos de Jesús Girls Home for the last time in my "regular Thursday visits" this past Thursday, as I will be concentrating mainly on ministering here in Quisqueya.  While I will return to spend time with the girls, it will not be weekly.  I have grown to really love them.  They are in camp this summer and are learning about self-esteem, how to do various crafts, and they are enjoying being organized and active.  Please pray for their continued growth in the Lord.  Pray that people who love the Lord would continue to be a part of Pasitos and that they would pour into the girls' spiritual lives.  I praise God for His clarity in ministry and for those who prayed alongside me for discernment.

PLANTED SEEDS & STRENGHTHENED FAITH. I have become closer and closer to one of the moms who lives close by and is a part of the Bible Study.  Her name is Cyntia.  She is a single mom of 8 children and she is more or less my age.  I have had the opportunity to be with her at the mom's retreat, while driving her to Juan Dolio, in her home, and at the grocery store.  Cyntia and I have had many conversations about the Lord, about what it means to follow Christ, and about accepting Him as our saviour.  We have talked about so much.  Each time that I am around her, I see her love for her children grow, I see her desire grow to please the Lord, and I see her dependence on Him to provide grow as well.  

I praise God for Cyntia because she encouraged me so much through her words just last week. She told me that me being here and my words of encouragement to her, along with my faith in the Lord have encouraged her in her relationship with the Lord.  She told me that just last week, she hadn't eaten anything but plain rice for 3 days.  And after that third day, I showed up with a father that wanted to sponsor one of her children.  We prayed for her family while tears rolled down her face.  When I asked her why she was crying, she told me that God is just so good.  Then, the father asked if she had food.  Being that she didn't, we later collected money that would provide for her family for about a week.  That's when she told me that she hadn't eaten.  She had been praying to the Lord to please provide and if it wasn't His will to provide, that He would let her be able to stand it.  Wow! 

You see, before, she was getting food dishonestly.  More recently, Cyntia was making sure that her kids were fed in some way, but she wasn't eating.  But, she's been reaching for God.  Her faith is growing.  She told me that if God could provide just a little bit of food in the time that she needs, He can provide her with the skills to read.  (She currently reads at less than a 3rd grade level which makes it embarrasing to read in front of people, difficult to read her Bible, impossible to get a job, and hard to even help her kids with school.)  But, the Lord is good.  Cyntia is determined to teach her kids the importance of education.  And, she has been given the opportunity to start reading classes.  Likewise, she is beginning to understand what it is like to follow Christ and to depend on Him.  Continued prayers for Cyntia's spiritual growth and for Him to give me the right words when I talk with her would be greatly appreciated.

TIME FLIES.  I have been here for one year as of July 8.  I praise the Lord for every work that He has done in me over the last year.  He has humbled me.  He has worked in me.  He has taught me.  He has loved me.  I praise Him for the relationships that I have built and for the ministry that He is doing through me here.  I am praising Him today for a great start and praying for perseverance, strength, and increased relationships.  May I continue to learn from others and from His Word, believing ultimately that... 

He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6