Praise the Lord, Oh My Soul

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God... (Philippians 1:3)

As I come back to the Dominican after a short and unexpected trip to the States, I have to praise Him for giving me rest, renewal, and re-focus. He answered my prayers.  I am so glad that I was able to see people who I love and who love me, hug them, comfort them, and even hear words of encouragement as well.  Not only did the Lord truly bless the time with family in Florida, but somehow in my less than 24 hour time in Atlanta, I ran into many previous students, fellow teachers and even parents from my previous school.  The Lord knew exactly what I needed.  Thank you to everyone that I saw both intentionally and unintentionally.  Thank you for your encouraging words.  You truly lifted my spirits.

Probably one of the other best things that God gave me in my time away was perspective --a chance to step back and re-think some things.  I praise Him for reminding me to just focus on Him and everything will work out.  I thank Him for reminding me to create space for Him to work.  So, that leads to my schedule here as I go into summer.  Thank the good Lord, I have finally figured out a day in my schedule to plan and a day to rest.  Please pray for my Mondays especially.  I have struggled so much since moving here to have a good time away from "ministry" to have fun, read, and just enjoy this beautiful place where God has me.  Please pray for continued rest and renewal and just continued understanding that God needs me to take care of me.  I want my Mondays to be a sacred day where I don't work, but learn more about God and just enjoy.

This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one He has sent.

Since I've been back, God has truly been teaching me to concentrate on Him.  And in doing so, He has really blessed my time.  I've been pretty busy and enjoying it.

As soon as I returned, I was eager to visit some families that I didn't get to say goodbye to.  And, while I was greeted with lots of hugs and smiles, I was also hit with reality.  Many have been sick with the same virus that I had just weeks ago.  Please pray for the little ones who are sick along with their moms and dads and friends.  Pray for those who don't have the medicine needed to bring down fevers or help aches.  Please pray for the Dominican as a whole.  The rumor is that even the president has come down with it!

On a positive note, new to the Emanuel House are two interns, Ellie and Jessinia.  They are here for one month and two months, respectively.  I praise Him for them.  They have the opportunity to support me this summer by taking some tasks off of my plate and helping with Child Sponsorship, the library, the classrooms and anything else around Emanuel House while I have the opportunity to pour into them as we study Philippians and just do life together for a while.  I truly believe that God has a sense of humor, really, to bring me teenagers from the U.S. to encourage this summer.  He knows that American high school / college aged youth have a special place in my heart.

Child Sponsorship is also going well.  Thanks to my help, I feel a little more balanced.  Please continue to pray for supporters who will communicate and pray for kids, and continue to financially support the ministries of Josiah's House Boys' Home, Emanuel House, and Pasitos de Jesus Girls' Home.

Early this week, I had the opportunity to serve an Emanuel House family by taking them to the hospital in the capital for chemo therapy.  Pray for Yumercy and her family as she has just finished her second round of chemo for the recently diagnosed case of leukemia.  Pray for another Emanuel House child, Jeiris, who had brain surgery a year ago and is currently recovering from eye surgery as well.

Mid-week,  I led my first Woman's Bible study since I've been back.  Studying John with mostly new believers will be an exciting time.  I can already tell that God is going to bless it and we will all learn alongside each other.  Please pray for this group of at least 5 women who are so eager to learn His Word, understand it, and live by it.  Please pray for one woman who has not accepted Christ yet.  Pray that my words would always be His, that His relationship with those who believe would be nourished and that seeds would be planted for the woman whose eyes aren't opened yet.

Twice this week, I was able to read with the kids of Emanuel House.  I am assigned three children to read with.  They are behind, but truly want to learn. They come and practice reading and writing.  Virginia, 11, even received a reward from her teacher for her progress.  Please pray that the kids would continue to be interested in reading and for a competition that we are starting next week through the library.

I also had the opportunity to share with a team about Emanuel House and lead them to one of my favorite families: Johansel and his great grandmother.  Please pray for her.  She has not accepted the Lord, but truly loves her great grandson and cares for him even though her eyes are failing and he is entering in his teenage years.  Please pray that she would come to know the Lord and recognize the unconditional love that He has for her.

Lastly, please continue to pray for my family back home who is hurting for our lost loved one.  Please pray for strength in the Lord. Pray for comfort and for fond memories.

And for all who are reading this, I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.  For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ - for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

Thanks be to God!

Kids in their new Emanuel House uniforms use the library.

Yumercy and her grandmother share a room at the hospital
between chemo treatments.

The classroom of mostly 1st - 3rd graders is beginning to learn basic computer science
using the One Laptop Per Child tablets that were donated about a year ago.

Johansel is standing outside of his house.  His new sponsor sent him
some new shoes and clothes.