A Morning in my Life

What's in this blog?

• A glimpse into my life two weeks ago today
• Prayer Requests
• Ways that you can help me before the end of the year or in the new year
• Pictures (they are rare, so don't miss them!)

Two weeks ago today... I met a "prophet"
I was told that I am not a Christian.  I was told to convert.  And after I asked about it, some quotes came from Amos and from Exodus as to why I wasn't a believer.  

Lately I have also come across a good bit of false doctrine, atheists, and others who do not believe in Jesus as God.  I have also been taking a class that is helping me be able to defend my faith and have a deeper understanding of truths from the Bible and where to find them through another missionary at the local church.  

Just thinking about the way in which he was "preaching" at me and others and the words that he was claiming as truth made me remember one of my consistent prayers to be gentle and that people would see Jesus in my words and actions.  I had walked up to a group of about 5 were sitting on a patio in the front side of Chichigua (3 believers and 2 non-believers) listening to the craziness that he was spewing.  He declared, “I am the only one on this island who knows Christ.  Convert… how does it feel to know that you don’t have Jesus?  He looked at me and asked, "Will you except Jesus today?"  This was not asking me if I had Jesus, just telling me that I was going to hell.  The people giggled because they know that I am a Christian and a missionary. I see them two to three times each week once for a Bible study and once for a reading lesson and sometimes just to spend time... 

I was reminded of a few things because of the encounter :
a) that I should not be a stumbling block for anyone in how I present myself, even though I was dressed very modestly and had on very modest earrings it is a stumbling block for many who do not understand 
b) to be careful not to assume or judge someone else about their salvation but to be quicker to listen than to speak
c) the importance of always being prepared to defend my faith. 

I was reminded of the people in college with their signs screaming and clumping every college student together as promiscuous and dead to sin.  This man had taken one look and while I was dressed very modestly and had on my most modest earrings, and had a Bible in my hand, he assumed that I wasn’t a believer, along with the 3 other believers that were standing there with me.

I, in all, was at a loss for words as I listened to him go on and on.  I tried to speak but was very quickly shut up. What do you say to someone who will not listen to truth… or even allow you to speak?

I remembered something that was told to me… not wasting time with people like that because it doesn’t matter at all what you say, they are just enjoying the “battle”.

And so while everyone else was laughing at him and spurring him on, and even though I was offered a seat to be a part of it, I decided that the conversation wasn’t going to go anywhere.  I didn't want to argue or make fun or join in on the laughing.  I felt sorry for him.  My heart had already started to beat fast… sensing the spiritual battle going on around me.  I didn’t want to be a part of it.  It would have been a great conversation had he wanted to talk and to listen, but he hadn't.  He just wanted to talk.

Reading Lessons
So, I keep walking toward’s S.’s house for her reading lesson.  I knock on the opened door, take off my shoes, and step into her small wooden house.  She’s ready.  She cleans off the round wooden table and grabs her notebook and kids Bible that I have gifted her.  She reminds me that I must have packed her pencil in the plastic box that I took with me.  And sure enough it’s there.  

Middle schooler Taisha and toddler Abigail are there, soon to be joined by their next door neighbor and toddler friend Christian and eventually enters 3 year old Freddy.  They work on the floor with blocks while I work with S at the table.  It’s so neat to see her progress… It has been slow but steady.  Once a week.  vowels, beginning sounds, letters.  She’s making progress.  She is using her brain.  Once it clicks, she is going to read.  She is starting to already but it’s just a very slow process.  She matches some simple words with their pictures, distinguishing between the sounds that M and N and L make, which seem to be a bit difficult since her first language is Spanish.  She finishes with some help and sees if she can do it again faster.  I assign some homework and encourage her to write her first and last name on the top of every worksheet… Up until this point, she only knows how to write her first name on her own.  

The kids are getting louder and louder.  Crying.  Arguing.  Playing cars with the blocks.  For the first time, I recognize the smallness of the house.  They cannot handle it anymore so we get them to clean up and go back to their houses.    Some crying and “NO”.  I’m reminded of the difficulty of fighting against the toddler’s stubborness and the importance of consistency.  Lord, please provide someone who would like to play with them while I read with S. in the future.

She works with beginning sounds.  Looking at the picture and reading the syllables, trying to figure out how the word would begin.  1,000 “mil" she reads mi, mu, mo… which does it start with?  We move onto making words with blocks.  She gets it.  amo mamá, ama, mapa, mil, mesa, esa, etc.  She’s getting it more than she did the last time.  She is starting to understand that each letter has its own sound.  She still confuses the “o” and the “u”… again I think because of Creole influence… but, she is progressing.  Then we read a Bible lesson. We are in the third chapter of her Kids bible.  The one that talks about the fall of man, the temptation and the consequences. Adam sent to work.  The first sacrifice of an animal for clothing. The couple thrown out of the garden.  We pray. Patience, love, growth in spiritual walk.  Salvation for family and prayer for her nephew who was at Makarios last year but moved back to live with his siblings.

Bread
I walk out of S's house and decide to visit N, her next door neighbor.  During my reading lesson, I had heard pounding music coming from her home.  "It’s her husband and some of his friends," I'm informed. I don’t get to sit and chat with her every time I visit.  It’s about 12:30, and I just need to be back home by 2:00.  I hadn’t had a good conversation with her in about a month or so when God led another missionary and me to sit under a tree where she was with a group of men.  We shared the gospel and prayed with her.  Even though it’s midday,  she hasn’t started eating lunch yet, so I invite myself in and take a seat on her traditional Dominican couch.  Typical — it’s has a pretty flower designed cushion on the seat and wood backing.  There is a soap opera playing in the background.  I notice steam coming out of a bowl on the counter and realize she has been cooking.  Yet, she starts telling me that she had been wanting to tell me that she was moving, separating from her boyfriend.  He is the father of her child and here she would call him her husband, although they are not legally married.  They live together and do all that married couples do without the commitment and with the ability to leave at any time. She’s decided to leave.  Fighting.  Arguing.  Bad environment.  She’s headed close to where I used to live and will leave on the 15th.  She has no plans on coming back.  Her dream is to get a job and use the little bit of English she knows to work as a waitress in a tourist spot and send her son to a private school.  

We’re interrupted by her neighbor, J. She’s another girl who’ve I’ve gotten to know in Chichigua. She has a little baby who's less than 1.  I watch her sitting in a big bucket (like bathtub or pool for babies) outside of her house outside the way.  She’s giggling, biting the edge of the tub and looking at her 8 year old aunt.  J. walks right into the house and greets me with a kiss on the cheek, a hug and a big smile.  “Tanto tiempo.”  I’ve missed seeing you.  She continues chatting with me like we are just old friends and it feels nice to just be there chatting without an agenda or being in a rush.  

Eventually J. leaves and N and I pick up our conversation where it left off…. She sits back down and I ask her what will happen if she doesn’t find a job… not to be negative just realistic. It’s a possibility.  She could move and not find a job.  I talk to her about prostitution and to make sure that whatever she does to make sure it is honest work.   I imagine it must be scary.  I tell her that it’s good that she is trying to get out of a bad situation… especially since it’s not necessarily how God would want it… having a child out of wedlock, not being married, her abusive relationship.  But we talk about even with the stress and hard circumstances, her getting away, finding a job and having money (while maybe good) is not sufficient.  I ask her if I can read to her and read from John 5 and 6 which I have been studying over the last week.  I talk to her about how Jesus is the bread of life.  How, without Him we are dead.  I tell her that in the midst of so many scary scary things, it’s so important to be able to have hope in Jesus and be sure about my eternal future.  I told her that when she leaves I will continue to pray for her and that in the meantime, I will be around and she is always free to talk to me and ask questions.  I pray that wherever she goes God covers her with people who can continue to plant seeds.  May he call her towards Himself.

Rain
I walk out and greet various ladies from my Bible Study to see if they want to meet on Tuesday.  It’s a shy but true “no”.  The rain.  We just don’t know.  I was trying to make up for the one that we missed two Thursdays ago when the roads were flooding.  But, it doesn’t seem like we will have a formal Bible Study again until 2017.  My kid helpers are going to the States and I have a feeling that the next few weeks will be inconsistent.  I look forward, though, to being able to establish a plan for next semester that will hopefully include some of the non-christian families as well.  Please pray for how God wants me to continue to study His word in 2017.

On the way out
I walk to the front of the small village and hear “Aniana”. Robin, a 2-year old who was named after a former missionary here who spent a lot of time in Chichigua and who succeeded in learning Creole — She peeks out of one of the tiny tin row houses that were built for the sugar cane workers and stares up at me.  She has on a t-shirt.  Her mom comes over and puts some more clothes on her.  And there she is with me, pulling on my lips, touching my eyes and repeating “Aniana” over and over again.  She babbles some other things that I don’t understand as I appreciate the many hugs and opportunity to steal kisses from her.  It’s nearing 1:30.  Now, I do have to go.  I tend to skype my friend on Mondays at 2:00.  I have some work to do for the rest of the day.  She won’t let me go.  She holds her feet up as I try to put her down, reminding me of a koala bear hanging on a tree.  Awww.. a few more hugs.  Her dad telling her in Creole to let me go… I am finally able to put her down, crying… I walk away.  

I head to the car where a beat up little car is parked behind my roommates car with a whole bunch of used clothes on it.  They tell me, “Pulga” in creole “pepe”. It means that they are basically having a “flea market” sale right there on this guys car.  "Mwen pa gen good." (I don’t have any money).  I get in the car along with Na.  (a niece of one of my Bible Study ladies) and head to Montellano.  A blur of memories, conversations with N. Wanting to get her a Bible in English and Spanish.  Wanting to write down some verses for her about salvation and also her identity as a woman and creation of God. Na and I chat some.  She’s picking up her deceased mom’s papers, hoping to get to become legalized in the country. She’s just 17 and orphaned.  She’s smart but has no hope without papers.  Another non-believer that God has put in my path. 

I pray for those who are dead to realize … and be alive in Him.  May they come to know the truth that I know. Thankful for good time in the Word today.  Thankful for glimpses of God's Kingdom here on Earth.  Grateful for opportunities to share about Jesus and for growing conversations.

Continued Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for me as I look to move at some point in early 2017.  Living where I am has been great, but I believe that I will better minister living closer to the people whom I serve.  Please pray for wisdom and guidance to live where God leads.
• Please pray for Makarios and for all of us to be lead by the Spirit in all that we do. Pray that we would be unashamed of the Gospel and of His direction in ministry.
• Please pray for me to be content right where God has me.  
• I've stayed here in the Dominican this Christmas.  Along with taking a class that is still happening over the break, I will have my first opportunity to spend time here and see what Dominican Christmas is like.  I am actually excited to have time "off" and still be here to deepen relationships with people who the Lord has placed in my path.  I am also hoping for many restful days and some travel days to both the capital and Quisqueya.  Please pray that I may rest, that I may deepen relationships, and that God will protect me in my travels.  (I hope to visit the states sometime during the Spring.)
• I have about 8 more weeks in my university class about Dominican education.  Please pray for opportunities to speak God's truth to my current professor and for the U.S. paperwork that I need to get authorized by the time we finish.  
• Please also pray for my Creole.  I have not been able to study it like I want, but when class is finished would like to dedicate more time to it again.  Please pray for God to open my brain to keep on learning.
• Lastly, please pray for my students with whom I work.  The fall semester had lots of breaks and irregularities in it due to rain and other things.  There are still lots of kids behind in reading. Please pray that this break would be one where I get to re-focus in how to lead them well.

Looking to give before the end of the year? Interested in helping out this Christmas or in the New Year? Here are three ways that you can help me:

ONE. I have a running list of books that I am hoping to get in order to strengthen reading and discipleship ministry in the communities.  If you come across books that you know would be good for discipleship or if you are interested in purchasing some books from Amazon, please go to: http://a.co/8Hyl3l9.  

TWO. I have a couple of Bible Study ladies who cannot read for themselves and have met some relatives of kids I work with who also cannot read but who have interest in learning God's Word. I have found Audio Bibles in Haitian Creole and in Spanish that would be great for them.  If you are interested in supporting them that way, go to: www.audiobible.com and search for the Creole Bible Audio Player or the one in Spanish.

Have books and Audio Bibles sent to:

Adrienne Christian

BM Cargo 112046

8400 NW 25th Street

Suite 100

Doral, FL 33198

THREE. I am planning to move early next year.  I expect to incur some moving costs and will have to buy a lot of new things.  I have estimated that those new household items will cost around $4000 as most big items that I use here were here when I moved in.  If you would like to make a year-end tax deductible donation to Makarios on my behalf, it would be a great blessing to me!  If not, please pray that the Lord would provide for my needs. A list of the items that I think I'll need are below.  Donate online at www.makariosinternational.org or here.

Bedroom Furniture and Mattress 
Kitchen Table and Chairs 
Sofa Set 
Refrigerator 
Stove 
Pots and Pans 
Kitchen Plates, Cups and Utensils 

Thank you so much for your continued prayer and financial support.  

I could not do what I do without you!  

The kids I get to pull from class and help with reading

One of my reading students using Zoo Phonics

The entrance to Chichigua where I spend much of my time

Went on a field trip with these kids a few weeks ago to Chichigua to learn about farm animals

Makarios and soon to be Makarios kids.  I work with the two on the right.

S during a reading lesson

Children playing during the reading lesson in S's house. 

Some ladies and their children.  Two are in my Bible study.

This is N.  She moved just last week.  I was able to get her a Bible and will continue to pray for her salvation.

S and her little friend, Abigail. 

A typical washing day in Chichigua when there is water for a family with a washing machine.

The original houses in Chichigua for those who came to work the sugar cane fields

This is a dear friend. She loves learning about Jesus.  She is a new believer and is one whom I disciple.  Her son is one of the latest additions to Chichigua.

Ronald and my little friend Robin

One of my friends whose real name is Adriana like me with her new addition to the community.

When will the sun come out?

Right outside of the school where Makarios is located a little over a week ago when the river rose the first time.

About a week ago…

It’s November 19, and I believe it started raining about 3 weeks ago or so.  Yes, it is rainy season here.  But from a girl who has spent the majority of the past 3 years in a different part of the island, away from mountains and big rivers, this is a new experience.  And according to the neighbors, it is not normal. Four years ago, the river rose and flooded the poorest who cannot afford to live further away, it flooded the school and ruined many of the supplies and books, and it put within some a deep fear of future flooding.

Now, it’s raining like that again.  The river is rising.

Today, I cannot imagine living in London or Seattle where the rainy season seems endless. The sun has not peeked out for more than a few days in the last 3-4 weeks.  

In the moment I thanked God for those few moments of sun.  I miss sun.  I think I take the sun for granted sometimes.

The roads are getting worse, smaller amounts of rain cause flooding because of the sopping wet ground and the poor drainage systems.  The river is high and sometimes rises when it isn’t even raining here because maybe up in the mountains where the river starts it is raining.  Routine is broken. The bridge is threatening to break.  The roads are eroding.  Water is leaking through tin roofs. There are whispers of an earthquake a few days ago. Some people have had to clean out their houses sopping wet houses multiple times.

When will the storm cease?

The realities of the last week especially sit pretty heavy on my heart.  I am in a new place where relationships are still just scratching the surface.  What do I do?  Most of the people whom I know well, the kids with whom I work, they are fine… mostly.  But others, there are many others.  They need help. How do I help?

I pray.

I sit.

I wait. 

I hear knocks.

God answers.

Drive people to the hospital who are sick.  Spend the night taking care of others. Welcome people into your home.  Feed kids who have lost everything.  Pray for the moms who left their kids to go out and sell their bodies. Wade through water to look for a boy and a girl whose mom is in the streets. Try to process. Pray for a woman in Chichigua who has holes in her roof and a dirt floor.   Help move classroom items up up up so that the river won’t flood and ruin things like it did 4 years ago.  Prepare for Bible Study still.  Cancel it because the water is coming too fast.  Read to kids as they wait in the church.  Serve food.  Sleep on the couch as she is recovering from a virus.  Pray.  Try to process all that is going on.  Pray with a 19 year old non-believer, hoping that maybe God is working in her and that He will give me words to share with her the urgency of her knowing her Creator. 

I question:

What about when this is all over?

How do we fix this?  

How do we help build better roofs, better walls and better levies so that the bridges don’t overflow?  

What in the world is God trying to tell us?

Is this rain every going to stop.

I remember:

I am an outsider.

I must be careful in how I help.

I feel: 

...a tension between helping immediately and helping wisely, waiting and not doing enough, helping as an outsider and helping as a Christian the way Jesus would help and love and serve.  

...helpless and wanting wise advice. 

...caught in the middle.  

I pray: 

Lord, guide us.

I wait.

People are now finding refuge in the churches, being fed by military, the government and the local church. School is cancelled again. 

More questions...

What will the rain look like tomorrow?  

Will people need to sleep in the church tonight too?  

What about the kids whose moms are not taking care of them?  

What about those who don’t have dads or who couldn’t get their house dry enough before the next rain storm came in?  

What about when it all stops?  

What then?  

Will people forget?  

Will they go on with life without fixing the roads, the relationships, the communication?  

What does God want me to learn from this?  

What does He want us to learn through this?  

He’s talking, screaming, yelling at us every day for the past 3 weeks, and the question is, Will we be still enough to listen?

I hear His voice.  

Matthew 14:22-23

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.  And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.  But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I learn.

We’re imperfect.  We make mistakes.  Even when we are trying to help.  

We are strangers here.  We need wise advice and inside perspective.

We need Him.  We are so weak.  He is the One who is strong.  He can overcome this.

Pray more.  Pray with.  Pray now!

Share truth.  

Life is not supposed to be comfortable.

Don’t give up… even when we feel like it.

Sometimes it’s okay to sit. 

It’s okay to wait.

We have to pray.

We never know when God will give us the opportunity to share truth.  Be ready.

The same God who we pray to to end the rain, sent it.  Look to Him for wisdom.

We lack Spiritual Wisdom and leadership.  Ask God for it.

We lack wise decisions and patience.  Pray for it. 

I am… we are … SO broken.

We can’t fix anything.  Only God can.

If we are willing He will use us.

Stay humble.

Don’t judge.

We are distracted.

There are LOTS of people who are lost and don’t know Him.  

Share with them even if it is uncomfortable.

Do not conform.

Building relationships is important… especially when it’s not raining.

Do what we know how to do and do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do.

Be thankful for simple things like sun, a dry bed, a cement roof, people who share, the local church.

The local church that God has put in our path is great!  Help them help others.

I have to believe that while in moments I question if the sun will come out, that it will.  In the midst of the literal and the figurative storm, I have to believe that Jesus is just standing out in the sea with His hand outstretched encouraging me and others not to be afraid, to focus, to walk.  I find myself slipping looking ahead at the waves and scared.  I doubt. What is going on?  I don’t know how to do this.  I need direction.  I want to turn back, quit, re-do it?  I want wise guidance. Where is the sun?  When will it come out again?

And it is so clear…

Adrienne, I need you to know...

I AM here, He whispers.  I AM here. I guide you.  I lead you.  You cannot see ahead. You may not understand why or when, but trust me.  I lead you hear.  My hand is outstretched.  I can see where you cannot.  I know why when you do not. Trust me. There will be sun, in my timing.

Coming into Focus

I find it a bit hard to focus lately  

on God

on school

on ministry.

And things just aren't perfect.  (When is it, right?). 

I finally have pictures to share... they won't upload.
So much has happened, and I cannot find the words.
I am learning so much...
doing so much...

I feel like God is teaching me to be patient (as always it seems) and content in where He has me right now.  He is reminding me to focus on Him and everything else will fall into place.  He's teaching me not to worry, not to doubt, to trust Him, and to let Him lead.

I’m in a stage of learning and planning and waiting. (Waiting is so much fun!). He’s teaching me to be thankful in all moments for who He is.  He’s teaching me to look to Him for His will and His way.  He’s teaching me every day my need for Him in all things and in every moment.  Sometimes I find myself distracted and then convicted and then again gazing on Him.  Please pray for my continued focus on Him, that I would not be concerned with circumstance but instead that I would recognize and believe in God’s truths and His power.  I pray often for humility, praying for me to become more and more my focus.

Lately, many of the things that I am planning are the same as things that I planned and helped with at Emanuel House.  Many deal with organizational things… both within ministry in the communities and ministry at the school. I’ve been working with another Dominican teacher on a lot of educational planning… things like diagnostics tests, workshops that the teachers need, showing a new reading curriculum to help the younger kids with reading… and then trying to be a support in the new outreach ministry for families by continuing to be involved in Chichigua giving reading lessons, a Bible Study, and a closer discipleship for two of the women there.  My days are full but good.  And in general, I feel like God is preparing me.  (Yet I cannot see clearly quite yet.) He is building trust and deeper relationships with the teachers and with the ladies in the community and at the church.  That’s where the patience comes in.  I take my class at the university on Fridays and my theological class at the church on Mondays.  I’m learning a lot about both the Dominican curriculum and about theology, and I really praise God for the opportunity to learn alongside some of the leaders of the local church.  I pray that both of these classes will help me to further God’s work here in Montellano and help out ministry at Makarios even better.

I also had the opportunity to give the teachers some workshops for a few days on things like, figuring out SCOPE and SEQUENCE, Annual Plans, Reading Programs and reminders about why reading is important.  Over and over again, I value the training that I received through experience teaching at Wesleyan.  God gifted me with some great guidance there which is helping me empower teachers here.  Also, I have been able to model Children's Church and teach a class.  It's fun to be getting involved in this new ministry at Templo Bíblico which is not burdensome.  It's a shared responsibility between many members and I will get to teach about once every 3 months. 

Teaching a class at church for the first time about Jesus being God's son.

I have traveled to Quisqueya twice in the past month -- to give a workshop on a reading program that we are also using in Montellano and helped them with their curriculum. Seeing my teacher friends in Quisqueya is always nice as it is one of my hopes to continue to support them and continue relationship with them even though I no longer live there. I have also visited the five little girls whose mom died two years ago.  Please pray for them as they started school a week ago for the first time this year.  They are all behind at least 2 years and were in grave danger of missing yet another year of school due to lack of attendance caused by no uniform nor supplies.  Please pray for God’s protection and His will for them.

My birthday also happened.  I cannot believe how many years God has given me.  And, I got to share it with my dear friend, study mate and fellow Makariana, Nicole, who has become one of my good friends here and who happens to have the same birthday as I do. My roommates celebrated me well!  A good week!










My Bible study is small but consistent.  There are 4 consistent attenders and we have almost finished the book that we are going through about some fundamentals of the faith like salvation, church, the holy spirit, worship and testifying to others.  Please continue to pray for this community.  God is helping me to be more of an insider than outsider… And while relationships do take time, I am starting to consider some of those ladies to be my closest friends here.  It is a natural place to visit and chat, and God is deepening the relationships more and more each visit.  Please pray for the spiritual growth of believers there and also for Biblical truth within the church, that they would understand God’s grace and what it means to be saved not by works but by a sincere faith.  May they feel the freedom that God gives us when we give our lives to Him and may that freedom be reflected through them to those around Chichigua.  Please pray against the spiritual warfare in the community, against the witchcraft that dwells in the background.  Please also pray for the women that I am slowly getting to know who don’t know Jesus but who have an interest in knowing more.  May they come to know Biblical truth and may I continue to know truth to be able to teach them.  


(Please also pray for the connection that I am interested in making between my Bible Study ladies in Quisqueya and the ladies in Chichigua who lack work and whose families struggle to provide for their children.  Often making less than $125 a month, being able to learn skills and learn to read along with understanding who God is and what Jesus did for them, could make a huge difference in their eternal and life here on Earth.)  

My schedule for reading at school with kids has finally found a rhythm.  For the most part my kids are interested in learning, feel special to get taken out of class to spend intentional time improving their reading skills and overall behave well.  At the beginning of our sessions, I find out if they have any prayer requests and it seems that they have a lot going on at home.  Most are not from Christian homes and have a need for people to be praying for their families and for them.  Hopefully, I can get some pictures up soon for them.  

This week there was a medical team here. They come each year.  (I remember them from last year which means that I’ve now been here in Montellano for a year. Yes, it’s gone by fast.) The new Outreach Director is taking advantage of the time by having parents fill out a questionnaire when they come to the school to see the doctor. And I’ve gotten to help with that since many don’t read.  It’s been really interesting to understand more about the families, their relationship or lack of relationship with God, their physical needs, and also just to get to see them. The past two days I have been around my Chichigua friends at Makarios which has been fun.  They really are who I am comfortable around and who God has put on my heart to love.  And they always love me so well too!

As of Monday I no longer have responsibilities in the library which even though I still love and care about it, it will free up some time to do some other things that I can be helping with.  One of the other Mak teachers will be there full time now!

And today?

Space.

Time.

Quiet.

Breathe.
Pray.
Listen.

Today I get what is called a SOLO day.  I'm excited for it.  Basically, I get to spend 7:30 - 3:30 just focusing on God... reading, listening, praying, journaling.  I get to STOP and reflect on Him!  I get to be away from all of the noise, away from people.  Just me and God.

I'm ready.

2 minutes and it begins!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

I will continue to have a wish list on Amazon for items for the library, the reading program and community outreach for supporters to donate if interested.  Click Here to look at my Wish List. Any of these items can be sent to the office in Austin, Tx to be brought down with the next group.

Financially:

• There are still a few kids who do not have sponsors.  You can go to the Makarios website to sponsor a child.  
• Make a one-time donation to Makarios Annual Fund as a way to support the efforts that are being made to help the communities around us both spiritually, physically and emotionally. 
• Donate a book or books from my Amazon Wish List to help cultivate a love for reading both at school and in the community.  Click Here for books needed in the Makarios library and Click Here for books that can be used in Community Outreach.  Send books to:  Adrienne Christian. c/o Makarios International.  1801 E 51st Street, Ste 365-300, Austin, TX 78723.

Prayerfully:

• Pray alongside me for one or more of the prayer requests above.
• Choose a child with whom I work to pray for regularly during this school year.  Let me know which one and I will send you more information about him or her.
• Pray for my days of Sabbath that God would renew me on those days and that I would continue to feel well physically and emotionally.
• For the Makarios family and guidance and wisdom in making decisions, spiritual growth in the kids and for the families and staff who are here serving.

The Mak Family of teachers / staff at the school.  It is a blessing to be a part.