Full Days. A Full Heart.

When I sit back and think of the last few months, I feel like I've been running a marathon.  My schedule has been full. And yet, it has been fruitful and good.  God has been teaching me about patience (as always), the importance of consistency in His Word, and how important community is for me.  God has deepened many of my relationships over the last few months.  And I am so grateful for that.  My heart is full as I think about all that God is doing!

Literacy Cycle III.  In February, we began the third cycle of Literacy.  We have 9 women currently in the program, with one new woman.  Each woman has the opportunity to learn on her own pace and is learning to read and write.  This cycle we are concentrating on helping the ladies learn to write sentences and we have added the last part of the program which involves Growth Mindset.  The key word is "todavía" or "yet."  There are many things we don't know how to do or cannot do... yet.  Having a mindset that we may not know now but can learn in the future is a mindset we want to help our moms have and is something they can teach their children as well.

Fan Fan and Jolanda.  Lord willing, Jolanda and Fan Fan will graduate from the literacy program next month.  Their eyes are open and they are reading, writing, thinking critically and learning.  They also are bringing reading home and have both told me that one way they practice is in bed at night with their kids by reading their Bibles and other books and having their kids help if they get stumped.  We are hopeful that after finishing the program they will be able to participate in schooling offered by the state if they desire.

Jewelry Making Workshop.  Makarios hired Alida, a new member to the Family Empowerment team in mid February. I have been working closely with Alida with literacy and helping her to develop other aspects of the Adult Education Program.  During the month of March, she led her first class, helping women learn how to make earrings.  A local ministry partner and friend, Elizabeth, taught the class.  We hope to have another class in May with some of the women from Quisqueya coming to teach moms how to make products from recycled goods.  The class served as a wonderful way to share about God and teach a practical skill.  Pictured below is one of our mothers creating some earrings after just a few weeks of learning to crochet. 

Trinity Visit & Makarios Winter Retreat.  In February, my church visited from Atlanta and had the opportunity to visit Makarios and the communities and then the Makarios staff all traveled to Jarabacoa for the second year in a row for a mountain retreat.  This year was special because in addition to having my church home lead the retreat, we also had a visitor from Missions Training Institute, Deb.  She had one on one visits with each of the missionaries.  The retreat as a whole was very filling!

Adorned.  Since March, Jenna and I have been leading a group of woman through the book Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth which is based on the concepts in Titus 2.  The book study has been challenging, educational and fun.  My favorite part has been the diversity of our group.  It is made up of women -- the youngest being about 20 and the oldest being about 70 -- and all Christian women from our Makarios and church communities.

Bible Study.  I continue to lead Bible study with two fellow Makarios teachers.  We lead a group of 6 girls each Friday and are going through a study of practical issues that they face as teenagers like peer pressure, suicide, gossip, and temptations and help them understand what the Bible says about each of those issues.  They have lots of questions and interest in God and the Bible and also it is obvious that they have a lot of struggles and tension between what their flesh wants and what God wants for them.  Can you come alongside us and pray for them?  The picture below is of the girls, along with Missionary kid, Myah and her friend Katie who were visiting during Spring break.

Writing Workshops.  I had the opportunity to give two writing workshops to Makarios School teachers on creative writing during the month of March.

Wesleyan School.  Wesleyan visited the Dominican during their spring break and I had the privilege of working with them some, showing them my favorite community and introducing them to many of my friends and co-workers.  Additionally, two girls decided to sponsor a child, and I got to introduce them to her at her home in Pancho Mateo.

I now find myself in Atlanta.  I'll been in the States until the end of April.  I have two events.  One is a speaking commitment at Providence Church in Ormond Beach, Florida.  I will be talking about missions and our call as Christians to go into the world and make disciples.  And, on April 25, I will be selling Dominican artwork at the Wesleyan Artist Market to raise funds for Family Empowerment.