Saturday, May 26, 2012
What a month
Sorry it's been over a month since I last blogged but things have been a bit crazy here. Things include a short trip back to the States, moving houses, a mission team and new things at the Center. This past month and a half has been super crazy but in an through it all it's been so wonderful and such a blessing to me. God has refreshed, encouraged and challenged me in so many ways and I just give Him all the glory for what he is doing in my life and the lives of the people here in El Salvador.
I ended up making a very quick trip back to the States from April 30th to May5th, to get my documents that I need to apply for residency. My time at home was short but oh so wonderful! It was for sure one of those things that I really needed because I had been really homesick and really missed my family and to get to spend all that little bit a time with them was priceless and so refreshing. It's always amazing how God always knows exactly what we need to be refreshed.
The day that I left for the States, Victor and Silvia told me that they had finally found a house that we could rent after months and months of searching and trusting God to provide. So the day that I got back, we went from the airport to the new house. They had moved some small things over but we weren't gong to move completely until the next week. I've moved lots of times and this time was no different but it was still exhausting. As of today we are finally completely settled in here and I love our new place. Our new house is in Santa Elena, which is a really nice area, it is a little bit bigger than the old house and the part that I love most is that there is a huge park and it has security 24/7, so I can go running outside everyday!!! I just praise God for his faithfulness in helping us find a house so that we can use this house to bless others!
The week after we moved into our new house, we had a mission team from New Life Church in Michigan come to help serve mainly in the university but they also served in Guayabo and in La Libertad. It was such a blessing to meet new people and to serve alongside this team. They were such a blessing to have here in El Salvador and the Lord did some awesome thing and we just give glory to God for that!
Finally, things at the Center are going really well. The rainy season has started so that will bring quite a few problems for the families in Guayabo because many of their homes are not very well built and leak water, so please be praying for these families. In addition to this the new Center is continuing to be built and we are still hoping that it will be finished by the end of the year! Please be praying for the three teams that we will be having in June that will be working in Guayabo and especially on the construction of the new Center.
Well that is all for now, if you want any more details on what has been going on just let me know!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Circulo 3
GCLA Easter Conference: I just got back from San Pedro Sula, Honduras on Saturday, April 7th. I was in San Pedro for the GCLA Easter Conference. This is like the Faithwalkers of Latin America, there were people there from all over Latin America. There were people there from 35 churches and nine countries. What an amazing time of fellowship and time of learning with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! The theme of the conference was Circulo 3 (which is circle 3). The main theme was that there are three circles in how we live our lives as Christians and the center (circle 3) is living in the glory of God. The big theme was that we are to live our lives completely for the glory of God. The theme verse for the conference was 1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
This conference was encouraging and challenging, especially when Sergio Handal challenged us to look at our lives and ask ourselves, everyday that I get up do I want to live my life for glory of God? If not then we are not giving all that we are and every aspect of our lives to God to use for use glory, wow was a challenging question to ask. This challenged me a ton, but I am going to live my life for the glory of God!! I praise God for this time of edification, encouragement and fellowship with over 3,000 other believers! One of the songs said this, in all that I say, do and am be for your glory God!! This is the cry of my heart!
I'm so thankful that I was able to go to this conference and enjoy a great time of fellowship and learning. I am also so thankful for all the hospitality that the brothers and sisters in San Pedro showed us. Dona Soyapa and her family for letting us stay in their home (which was huge and like a mansion, I don't think I've ever stayed in a house that nice which is kind of ironic because I have lived in the US) and also for Ricky's family for letting me chill at their house during the days of the conference when we had free time and to his mom who was so sweet! I also had an amazing conversation with her about our families and the stuggles that and we had a great conversation also about prayer and giving things to the Lord and giving Him complete control of everything!! What a blessing this was for me! My time in Honduras was such a blessing and I praise God for my time there.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Te Daré Lo Mejor
As I sit here working on stuff for the Sponsors of children at the Center, I was just reflecting on many things but most of all about what it's like to give God all that we are. Today and for the rest of the most of April we are going through a series at church which is call Disciples and what it means to be an disciple of Christ. This series is something that already after just one message has encouraged me and convicted me and challenged me to make sure I am daily responding to the call that Jesus gives us to follow Him and be his disciple. I think that sometimes when we have those high moments and are on fire for God is easier to be his disciple but Jesus doesn't ask us to follow Him when we feel like it, but every moment of our days and lives we need to respond to His call to follow him and give him our best. One thing that Pastor Victor asked was for us to take some time and talk with God and really ask ourselves have we responded to the call Jesus made to us? Are we really serving as disciples of Christ? What a time of great self reflection. We also sang a few songs that really just struck me ( If you don't know already Music has a huge effect on me) one is called De Tal Manera and Te Daré Lo Mejor and wow I can't explain how edifying,encouraging and challenging these songs are!! I love how one of the songs says that I will give the Lord my best, this is the cry of my heart!!! I will continue to pick up my cross daily and follow you Lord!!!
Here are the two songs:
On another note, please be praying for the church members and I here in San Salvador as on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be driving to San Pedro Sula, Honduras for the Easter conference (think Faithwalkers of Latin America). I am super excited to be going for the first time. Please be praying for a safe trip, that the time at the conference would be used to glorify God and we would be open to what God wants to teach us!!!Thanks for praying!
Here are the two songs:
On another note, please be praying for the church members and I here in San Salvador as on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be driving to San Pedro Sula, Honduras for the Easter conference (think Faithwalkers of Latin America). I am super excited to be going for the first time. Please be praying for a safe trip, that the time at the conference would be used to glorify God and we would be open to what God wants to teach us!!!Thanks for praying!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
More Pics
Here are a few more pics from when the mission team was here.Check out Facebook to see more. Hope you enjoy!!
Ruth and Wendy helping out at the school when the mission team was here.
Sheila, Judy and Ricky helping out at the school.
Ana Carolina and her friend playing during recess.
Praying for Dr. Inri as he is leading the Bible studies up on the volcano.
Carmen she lives next door to the site where the new Center will be. She is a sweet little old lady.
Judy and Roxana playing at the Center.
Annette and I at the Center.
Annette and Karla playing with the children at the school.
Ruperto at the school.
Ana Carolina at the school.
Margarita playing in the bounce house at the party for the children. A ministry that throws block parties with bounce houses came and threw a party for the children,
Here is the bounce house. The group also brought cotton candy and ballons. The kids loved it.
Elias working up at the construction site.
Working on building the new Center.
Working on building the new Center.
Ruth and Wendy helping out at the school when the mission team was here.
Sheila, Judy and Ricky helping out at the school.
Ana Carolina and her friend playing during recess.
Praying for Dr. Inri as he is leading the Bible studies up on the volcano.
Carmen she lives next door to the site where the new Center will be. She is a sweet little old lady.
Judy and Roxana playing at the Center.
Annette and I at the Center.
Annette and Karla playing with the children at the school.
Ruperto at the school.
Ana Carolina at the school.
Margarita playing in the bounce house at the party for the children. A ministry that throws block parties with bounce houses came and threw a party for the children,
Here is the bounce house. The group also brought cotton candy and ballons. The kids loved it.
Elias working up at the construction site.
Working on building the new Center.
Working on building the new Center.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Stonebrook Mission Team
Hey all!
Sorry it's been so long since I blogged last, it's been a bit crazy around here but God is doing some amazing things. The biggest thing that had happened is that the mission team from Stonebrook (my home church) came down for a week to serve in Guayabo! Words can not describe what a blessing it was to have them here. We were also blessed with having five translators from the Great Commission Church in Honduras to help us with translation. It was an amazing week and God was so glorified through it all.
The mission team from Stonebrook Community Church was our first mission team of the year and they were such a blessing to have here in San Salvador. They were such a blessing to the local church and the Guayabo Development Center. God was glorified so much during the week that the team was here. Here are some of the highlights from the week.
Construction of the New Center: One of the biggest things that the team did was that they were the team to start the construction of the New Center. The team began by clearing the land by cutting and digging out trees, stumps and other plants. It was lots of hard work but the team loved it. The team also laid the foundation for the new Center. It was such a blessing to have all these hard workers serving the people in Guayabo.
Helping out in the Center: Another thing that Stonebrook did while they were here was that they helped out in the Center. They were such a blessing to have in the Center and the children loved them! They lead our Bible story times every day and one day one of the translators gave an amazing visual Gospel presentation to the children at the Center.
Helping out at the school in Guayabo: The team was also able to help out at the school. Three mornings that the team was here in San Salvador they had the opportunity to go to the school that is near the Center. It was an amazing way to just be able to serve the teachers at the school. It was really cool to see how the teachers in both classes just handed over their classes to the missionaries. They missionaries taught numbers, letters and shapes in English and with the little kids using Mr. Potato head they taught them body parts in English.
Leadership Seminars: One huge blessing to the local church was the leadership seminar that was help Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. We had about 40 people attend the leadership Seminars. All three nights were great and filled with so much truth and it was a very encouraging time. Brad (the pastor from Ames) shared two nights on leadership and it was such a great and then Duane taught on Nehemiah, which was also so great and a great example of what the Bible says about leadership. The local church was tremendously blessed by these seminars and many of the locals have came up and said that these seminars helped change how they view leadership, what an amazing blessing.
Women’s Conference: On the day after the team got here the local church put on a conference for the women of the church. It was the first women’s ministry meeting this year for the church and it was such an encouraging time. We had 36 women attend the conference. Annette Barrett, Diana Whipple and Judy Anderson shared on topics ranging from the importance of spending time with Jesus to having hope to what it looks like to be a woman of God. The women from the church were so blessed by the time and many left the conference very encouraged.
House Visits: Each member of the mission team had the opportunity to go to a home of a child that attends the Center. It was an opportunity for the team to see how these children really live and to really see how needy these families are. It was also an opportunity to talk with these families about God and share the Gospel with them. Both the families and the missionaries were very blessed by these visits.
Parent’s Meeting: On Thursday, when the team was here Brad and Annette Barrett shared with the parents of the children that attend the Center during a parents meeting. There were about 14 moms that came to the meeting and at the end of the meeting the Gospel was shared and four of the women raised their hands and said that they wanted to accept Christ. Praise God!
Party for the Children at the Center: The last day that the team was up in Guayabo the team threw a party for the children at the Center in the afternoon. They partnered with a ministry that is called Hope 4 El Salvador and they go all around El Salvador throwing block parties for churches and using bounce houses as part of their ministry. The children absolutely loved it! Many of them have never seen a bounce house in their life or have eaten cotton candy, to say the least the children really enjoyed their time as well as the missionaries.
Overall, the trip was amazing and we here in San Salvador cannot thank the team from Stonebrook enough for your servant hearts! God did some amazing things this week and the friendships that we have formed will continue for eternity! For me it was such a refreshing and encouraging time and I am going to miss everyone. I will be writing about a couple of events more specifically later but God did some awesome things this past week through the mission group from Stonebrook and it was such a blessin gto have them here with us.
Here are a couple pics but check out my Facebook page for more because I took a ton!
Playing Simon Says with the kids at the Center.
Leo( who was one of the translators from Honduras) and I at the Leaders seminar.
The mission team from Stonebrook with Sarah and Victor.
Working on constructing the new Center.
The translators from Honduras, members of the local church and I at Don Leo's coffee shop.
Sorry it's been so long since I blogged last, it's been a bit crazy around here but God is doing some amazing things. The biggest thing that had happened is that the mission team from Stonebrook (my home church) came down for a week to serve in Guayabo! Words can not describe what a blessing it was to have them here. We were also blessed with having five translators from the Great Commission Church in Honduras to help us with translation. It was an amazing week and God was so glorified through it all.
The mission team from Stonebrook Community Church was our first mission team of the year and they were such a blessing to have here in San Salvador. They were such a blessing to the local church and the Guayabo Development Center. God was glorified so much during the week that the team was here. Here are some of the highlights from the week.
Construction of the New Center: One of the biggest things that the team did was that they were the team to start the construction of the New Center. The team began by clearing the land by cutting and digging out trees, stumps and other plants. It was lots of hard work but the team loved it. The team also laid the foundation for the new Center. It was such a blessing to have all these hard workers serving the people in Guayabo.
Helping out in the Center: Another thing that Stonebrook did while they were here was that they helped out in the Center. They were such a blessing to have in the Center and the children loved them! They lead our Bible story times every day and one day one of the translators gave an amazing visual Gospel presentation to the children at the Center.
Helping out at the school in Guayabo: The team was also able to help out at the school. Three mornings that the team was here in San Salvador they had the opportunity to go to the school that is near the Center. It was an amazing way to just be able to serve the teachers at the school. It was really cool to see how the teachers in both classes just handed over their classes to the missionaries. They missionaries taught numbers, letters and shapes in English and with the little kids using Mr. Potato head they taught them body parts in English.
Leadership Seminars: One huge blessing to the local church was the leadership seminar that was help Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. We had about 40 people attend the leadership Seminars. All three nights were great and filled with so much truth and it was a very encouraging time. Brad (the pastor from Ames) shared two nights on leadership and it was such a great and then Duane taught on Nehemiah, which was also so great and a great example of what the Bible says about leadership. The local church was tremendously blessed by these seminars and many of the locals have came up and said that these seminars helped change how they view leadership, what an amazing blessing.
Women’s Conference: On the day after the team got here the local church put on a conference for the women of the church. It was the first women’s ministry meeting this year for the church and it was such an encouraging time. We had 36 women attend the conference. Annette Barrett, Diana Whipple and Judy Anderson shared on topics ranging from the importance of spending time with Jesus to having hope to what it looks like to be a woman of God. The women from the church were so blessed by the time and many left the conference very encouraged.
House Visits: Each member of the mission team had the opportunity to go to a home of a child that attends the Center. It was an opportunity for the team to see how these children really live and to really see how needy these families are. It was also an opportunity to talk with these families about God and share the Gospel with them. Both the families and the missionaries were very blessed by these visits.
Parent’s Meeting: On Thursday, when the team was here Brad and Annette Barrett shared with the parents of the children that attend the Center during a parents meeting. There were about 14 moms that came to the meeting and at the end of the meeting the Gospel was shared and four of the women raised their hands and said that they wanted to accept Christ. Praise God!
Party for the Children at the Center: The last day that the team was up in Guayabo the team threw a party for the children at the Center in the afternoon. They partnered with a ministry that is called Hope 4 El Salvador and they go all around El Salvador throwing block parties for churches and using bounce houses as part of their ministry. The children absolutely loved it! Many of them have never seen a bounce house in their life or have eaten cotton candy, to say the least the children really enjoyed their time as well as the missionaries.
Overall, the trip was amazing and we here in San Salvador cannot thank the team from Stonebrook enough for your servant hearts! God did some amazing things this week and the friendships that we have formed will continue for eternity! For me it was such a refreshing and encouraging time and I am going to miss everyone. I will be writing about a couple of events more specifically later but God did some awesome things this past week through the mission group from Stonebrook and it was such a blessin gto have them here with us.
Here are a couple pics but check out my Facebook page for more because I took a ton!
Playing Simon Says with the kids at the Center.
Leo( who was one of the translators from Honduras) and I at the Leaders seminar.
The mission team from Stonebrook with Sarah and Victor.
Working on constructing the new Center.
The translators from Honduras, members of the local church and I at Don Leo's coffee shop.
Friday, February 17, 2012
So Thankful!
Over the past couple days I've been blown away and completely humbled by the way that God provides for us. I don't even have the words to express my thankfulness to the Lord, because thank you isn't a stong enough word, but so thankful for that even when I can not adequately express my gratitude, the Holy Spirt in essence translates it for me and above all the Lord knows my heart.
A little while ago I wrote about the "dulce espera" or the sweet wait in which I talked about how sometimes in life when we are praying about things God gives us an answer of yes, no or wait and how at times the answer of wait is the hardest, but how instead of saying how hard this wait is we should enjoy it and I've experienced this first hand this past week. There have been three/four huge prayers that I have been seeking the Lord on regarding decisions I have to and will have to make and wow I can say that I am so thankful that the Lord didn't give me the answers right away, because through this past month of just competely surrendering all these things to the Lord and daily seeking and praying to the Lord, I have been drawn closer to the Lord and our relationship has gone deeper. It's so amazing! I'm just so thankful for what the Lord is doing in my life!
So I encourage you when going through trials or seeking the Lord on certain things to continue to trust in the Lord and wait for his response and enjoy that dulce espera.
A little while ago I wrote about the "dulce espera" or the sweet wait in which I talked about how sometimes in life when we are praying about things God gives us an answer of yes, no or wait and how at times the answer of wait is the hardest, but how instead of saying how hard this wait is we should enjoy it and I've experienced this first hand this past week. There have been three/four huge prayers that I have been seeking the Lord on regarding decisions I have to and will have to make and wow I can say that I am so thankful that the Lord didn't give me the answers right away, because through this past month of just competely surrendering all these things to the Lord and daily seeking and praying to the Lord, I have been drawn closer to the Lord and our relationship has gone deeper. It's so amazing! I'm just so thankful for what the Lord is doing in my life!
So I encourage you when going through trials or seeking the Lord on certain things to continue to trust in the Lord and wait for his response and enjoy that dulce espera.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Visa stuff and Valentine's day in El Guayabo
Hey Everyone!!
I have great news!! They approved my visa extention to stay in El Salvador for 90 more days in order to continue my application for residency here!! Praise God!! Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying and SO thankful that I am able to stay here in ES!Please continue to be praying as I am still waiting on some paperwork from the States in order to apply for residency.
Yesterday as you know was Valentine's Day and La Red put on a party for the kids at the Center. In Spanish it's call Dia de la amistad y amor. It was a great time and the kids were so blessed by the time. We played games like Twister, had pinatas and the children also received cookies and a drink. Then to end the time we gave each child a Valentine's Day card made by people from La Red and the children loved them!!
Here are a few pics from the party:
I have great news!! They approved my visa extention to stay in El Salvador for 90 more days in order to continue my application for residency here!! Praise God!! Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying and SO thankful that I am able to stay here in ES!Please continue to be praying as I am still waiting on some paperwork from the States in order to apply for residency.
Yesterday as you know was Valentine's Day and La Red put on a party for the kids at the Center. In Spanish it's call Dia de la amistad y amor. It was a great time and the kids were so blessed by the time. We played games like Twister, had pinatas and the children also received cookies and a drink. Then to end the time we gave each child a Valentine's Day card made by people from La Red and the children loved them!!
Here are a few pics from the party:
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