Happy 2018 from Adrienne

It's a new year!  I honestly cannot believe that 2018 is here so fast. So much happened in 2017.  And fortunately, I have had a chance to be still more than usual and process while here in the States.  The last two weeks, I've spent sleeping a good bit, spending time with family in Florida and South Georgia and recently returned to Atlanta to visit more family and friends.

I will be having a get together on Friday, January 5 for all of those in the Atlanta area who are interested in hearing about my last year in ministry.  I hope that God will be able to encourage those who have been praying and supporting me over the last four years.  God is good and I continue to marvel at all that He has done!

Wanna attend the get together? The information you need to know is below.

WHEN: 

Friday, January 5 @ 7pm

(There will be a presentation at about 7:45pm)

WHERE:

Philip and Lyanette Talley's home

5693 Creekside Drive

Peachtree Corners, GA

WHO: 

Anyone interested in hearing more or just seeing me

RSVP: 

text or call me by Thursday if you plan to come so we can plan for snacks

call me at 386.341.0333 

 or email me at acorinnechristian@gmail.com

Here is a brief update and some pictures from the last couple of months in the Dominican.  May God continue to be blessed through our efforts!

I've moved!  In early October, I was able to move into a safe one-bedroom apartment still near the school and in the same general community, but that will hopefully allow me to have the space I need to fill up after being out in the community and to show hospitality to those who come and visit.  I live above a family that goes to my church and am renting the small space next to mine for visitors and ministry opportunities for the locals.  So far, I've had some guests, Bible studies, a pre-quinceañera party, and a training for local leaders there.  I pray that God would continue to bless that space and that through it people would be drawn closer to Him.

Two of our moms and two grandmas accepted Christ over the last couple of months.  The family ministry team has gifted each of them with either an audio or written Bible, connected them to a church, and has a plan to help them through a brief discipleship program for them to understand basic Biblical truths. 
                 

We took about 20 Makarios-sponsored pre-teens and teens and their moms to an event on purity at a local church in Puerto Plata.  

We took a beach trip with some GAP students who are living in the D.R. for a year some of the teenage girls who are sponsored by Makarios.  The girls got to listen to testimonies, play games and enjoy the beach.

 

My friend, Nicole and I have decided to be more intentional with the high school girls who Makarios supports.  I got to know one of them through VBS this summer and now the group of us will be doing fun activities together and having a weekly Bible study using a book commonly used in the States with youth groups. We hope that they will feel loved by us, feel comfortable to ask questions about practical struggles, and will ultimately come to know the Lord.

 

We've had parent meetings explaining creation, the fact that God created us with a purpose, and the fall of man and the result -- our sinful nature.  These meetings are led by both Makarios staff and local pastors.

We've had some great opportunities for training both for our parents and for our staff.

The family ministry team attended a workshop in the capital, Santo Domingo, 

about conversational Evangelism.

Parents participated in two local workshops on positive child-rearing.

 

Benjamín (Family Ministry Director), one of the Makarios dads, and I attended an international conference on leadership.  And, I got to see my Emanuel House family who also attended the conference.

 

We then shared the information and some of the sessions with the rest of the Family Ministry team, some local pastors and another dad from the community.

I found a cafe!  I am so excited.  One of my friends told me about a cafe (Vagamundo) about 45 minutes away in Cabarete (a nearby beach community). And just in the last few months have I had the opportunity to try it out.  Coffee, waffles and smoothies.  It's the perfect environment to get away for a bit. So for those who wonder what I do to wind down, here's one of the way I get to do that.

José Angel is one of my students who has had some learning struggles.  He's in third grade and the lightbulb for reading has come on.  After two years of working with him, he is learning to read!  He's mastered Spanish phonics and is learning how to think in order to resolve problems.  He comes from a family where his mother doesn't read so this is a great feat!  

Here is a picture of Family Ministry at the Makarios Staff Christmas party.  Our Makarios family has over 50 Americans, Dominicans, and Haitians all working for God's glory either at the school, with groups or with the local families.  We had a night to gather, exchange gifts, and eat the traditional roasted pig.

I'll be headed back to the Dominican Republic on Sunday, January 7.  Please pray for traveling mercies as I jump right in on the 8th!

Please also help me pray for:

 my last days here, that they would be filling

 the provision of audio Bibles for those who cannot read.  Wanna help?

 our Adult Literacy Program that will begin in Feb 2018 

 continued perseverance and spiritual growth for the Makarios staff