And God continues to teach me about patience (which He always seems to be teaching me), along with how to love Him and others around me well. I've been spending the last month in one of John McArthur's devotionals called Remember and Return. It's daily readings reflect on God and what it meant for Him to send His son to earth as a human, suffer, and ultimately die, bearing the sins of everyone who would one day come to believe in Him. I've been reading and listening to sermons about Philippians 3 and pondering what it looks like in my life to know Christ more and more and become an "athlete" for Him. Having a plan, being self-disciplined, and denying those things that are not eternal-focused. I've been asking God to continue to humble me and that I may be more and more Christ-like in service, in prayer for others, and in humility. I've also been slowly reading through Hebrews, a very challenging read, as many here use it to defend loss of salvation and a works-based faith. And again, through His inspired word, God reminds me of exactly what He did through Jesus on the cross. He made the final sacrifice. He is enough! Through our study of Fundamentals of the Faith with our monthly woman's Bible study, I've been reminded of Jesus being 100% man and at the same time 100% God and I have been studying the meaning of His death as substitutionary atonement for our sins. It's hard to fathom exactly what it means that His death fully satisfied the payment for sin. Mostly, over the last two months, I have been reminded to fix my eyes on Him. (I feel like it is the lesson that God is constantly teaching me -- the one that I will forever come back to, and the way that I can encourage others when they are distracted, stressed or down.)
And in the midst of Him teaching me, God has closed some chapters over the last weeks. I've traveled to and from the States, experienced culture shock in coming back here, recovered, rested, finished up the last few weeks of school, pre-planned a little for next year, cleaned out my office, given a workshop on organization to my friends in Family Ministry, participated in an end-of-the-year awards ceremony for kids, parents and teachers, made decorations for VBS and coordinated the first VBS team of the Summer. I've also had the opportunity to eat lots of frozen yogurt (my favorite), go to the beach, spend some quality time outside of school with some of my favorite little ones, play games go on long walks, help out with some surprise birthdays and cook more! Here, I went to the beach maybe for the first time since the fall or maybe even last summer with my roommates!
The Art Fair at Wesleyan was a huge success, and I doubled the amount of money that I put into it making it possible to buy double the amount of books for kids both here in the communities we serve through Makarios and in the Emanuel House Library. I sold items made by the ladies above and a friend in a community where I live now. I also got to spend time with friends, former co-workers, alumni, and church friends. God is good! He knew what I needed and how they could support and love me well.
I traveled to Florida and spoke at Providence Chuch to the larger congregation and then to the kids who are learning about the Bible through Awana. I found at that many kids had learned about missionaries and that they pray for me and also, I got to share with them about kids here who need their prayers. May God bless these little ones who are learning about Jesus so young! My friend and co-worker, Nicole, traveled with me and got to experience life both in Florida and in Georgia. What a treat!
(ABOVE) While in Atlanta, I got to visit my old school, Wesleyan, and be a shadow in a few classes in the Lower school. I walked away with lots of ideas to help encourage teachers in reading, spoof up the school with art and use small groups. What an opportunity!
Not long after returning to the D.R., Family Ministry celebrated both Mothers' Day and Fathers day with the dad's by making a collective work of art as the opening activity for our May / June meetings. We shared with parents about how to handle anger and the director and doctor of Makarios shared with the dads as well.
Also with Family Ministry we welcomed the parents of the new kids who will be entering Makarios during the 2017-2018 school year. About 20 new 3 year olds will be bouncing down the yellow halls. This year, in an effort to empower parents and support the Dominican economy, parents will pay a small fee to go to the school and then will be given tickets to go and buy their children's uniforms in Puerto Plata. I finished the school year with a great meeting with the founder of Makarios, Sharla Megilligan and her friend Diana, who spent an afternoon with the Family Ministry team, getting to know us, us getting to know them, and receiving advice from a social worker for working with some of our families. We learned about trauma and how to work with kids and families who have had it. Praying that God would continue to use others' talents to help us educate, love and empower well.
I received a certificate of participation in my local church after attending a Systematic Theology class since last August. Still hoping to one day be able to finish all of the "homework" involved as I continue to learn about God and His Word.
These are the ladies at the Fundamental of the Faith Bible Study. We have covered God's Word, His Character, How to study His Word, Who Jesus is and are taking a break until August. We took the advice of the study and ate dinner together this night and are looking forward to another day together just to spend time over the summer. Please pray for these ladies to be confident in what they are learning about the Bible, confident as leaders of their various churches, and that they would continue to memorize verses and the books of the Bible.
I finished my last reading lesson until the start of the year with Silvana. I snapped a picture of her here reading one of her first books. It is simple, but shows progress -- especially since I only work with her once a week. Praying that God will send others who are passionate about reading to continue to help her and others like her to learn to read and write!
Here are some pictures from week 1 of VBS which was lead by my roommate's church from outside of Dallas, Texas -- Countryside Bible Church. While God does not promise for us to see fruit, I thank Him because it is obvious that He is working in the community of Pancho Mateo! May we boast in His working hand there!
Please come alongside me as I pray for the rest of the summer:
I'm writing this tonight, exhausted, after having received group number two of the summer today and spending a day with them planning, practicing, decorating and inviting kids to come to VBS. This week I will be serving alongside a youth group from Austin Stone Church in Austin, TX. We are excited to be teaching kids this week in Tamarindo and in Chichigua about Creation and sharing the gospel with youth from the community.
May we not grow weary. May we stay hydrated and excited. And may His spirit move so that His word is heard!
May God continue to be glorified in all that we do and say and think. Please pray that His word would go out to the kids, and youth and adults in the three communities that we serve, and that it would fall on good soil. Please pray that they would hear the true Gospel. Pray, too that in the midst of spending time in the communities God would fill me -- as my heart definitely resides in outreach. May God grow me and help me to be more like Him.
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