As I mentioned before, my new assignment here at Emmanuel is the clinic. The week after I left Emmanuel there was an outbreak of chicken pox. That outbreak is still going on. Every day since I've been back I've been working many hours in the clinic. When I got here there were only 2 other people who were able to work in the clinic and one of those was Owen who also teaches in the school. When there are children in the clinic it is the volunteers' responsibility to be in the clinic 24 hours a day to care for them. With only 3 volunteers and over 10 kids in the clinic, my schedule included being in the clinic 15-18 hours a day. When I wasn't scheduled for the clinic I tried to catch up on sleep. At first the kids in the clinic had bad cases of chicken pox but they were doing okay. Gradually over a week or two, the number of kids dwindled down to just one little boy, Kevin. The afternoon that Kevin was released we got a new little girl in with chicken pox. The next day 5 more came. The number was back up to 10 in just 3 days. However this group of kids was much different than the first. Many toddlers were in the second group of kids and for quite a few days all the children had over a 101.0 fever and were really sick. It was really stressful for quite some time and I was worried about how we were going to make it.
I have been extremely busy being a mom to these kids. There's just something in us as children that when we are sick we want our mommas. The same is true for these kids, except that don't have a momma here – or maybe anywhere for many of them. It didn't take long for me to realize this. Night after night and day after day I spent with these kids who were so sick and some of them would just cry for hours, "Mama, mama, por favor, yo quiero mi mama." Break your heart. There were many times when all I could do was just cry with them and rock them. A couple of them asked me if I would be there momma. And this is why I am here. Anyone who knows me knows that I long to be a wife and mother some day. I love children and always have. I knew that preparing to come here meant that I would fill various roles and would be responsible for children, however I had no idea I would have this level of responsibility so soon. If there is a role that comes with much responsibility...it is that of a mom. For this reason, I am thankful that I am a woman and that God has instilled in every woman the abilities and characteristics needed to be a mother. He created me to nurture and care for, to comfort and encourage, to serve, help and love others. There have been many moments recently in the clinic that I didn't know what to do, but the Lord has formed my heart from the beginning of time to be prepared to be a mother – even if the children aren't "mine". Yet these children are mine for right now. They are my sweet little ones and they're sick. So my days are spent caring for them.
Wade told me the other day, "With many blessings comes much responsibility". These children are a blessing to me and it is a blessing to have the opportunity to care for them, but with that blessing there is a whole lot of responsibility attached. I am finding this out to be true. I have struggled with patience the longer that I've been in the clinic. The longer that I'm there the more difficult it is to be gentle and patient and kind with the children – especially with the frustrations of the language barrier. I've been begging to have one day off from the clinic to do another "job" – to have something accomplished during the last 4 weeks other than staying in the clinic. And although I've been trying to work on other things during my off hours, the reality is that the clinic is my job. Many times I find myself complaining about always having to be in the clinic. I wrote Philippians 2:14 on my mirror as a reminder, but still failed to live by it. Yet while I was reading the other night I came across this quote by Elisabeth Elliot and it was such an encouragement in changing my perspective on the whole clinic issue.
"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness."
Therefore the clinic is the job that the Lord has given me to do. It is a gift. Caring for His children in the clinic is a privilege. It is an offering that I may make to Him. If I am here to serve Him I should serve Him gladly, willing to do whatever job He gives. It is my time in the clinic, my job of being a nurse and mother, in which God is looking for faithfulness. Many hours in the clinic the Lord has brought Matthew 25 to my mind. "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' I encourage you to go read the whole chapter as a humbling reminder.
Thanks to all of you who have prayed for the health and safety of these precious children in the past few weeks. I know Mom sent out an email asking you to pray for not only the kids but for those of us who are taking care of them. The Lord is faithful and has heard our prayers. Praise be to Him that slowly but surely the kids are getting better. There were also quite a few staff and staff children that had dengue and they are doing well. Please continue to pray for the health of those here – children, staff and volunteers. Also, please continue to pray that the Lord would work in the hearts of people to come here and serve as well.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN (August 6)
I was so excited to finally be back home again. After being away from the kids for 3 weeks I was ready to see them and play with them and just hang out. I wasn't sure about what job I would have when I returned because Owen (a volunteer here) took over my English classes when I went back to the States. It took all of about five minutes to find out my new placement – the clinic. I'll explain later.
Life here at Emmanuel is really different for me this time compared to when I was here before. The biggest difference is probably volunteers. Throughout the summer we had many volunteers here (at one time we had around 30) but when I returned there were 6 here. Shortly after, 2 of those 6 left to go back to the States. Two more are leaving this weekend. There are so many things that need to be done here and so it is a blessing to have many volunteers to help out where needed. But when there aren't many volunteers here, there is still just as much that needs to be done and things can get a little crazy. It has taken some time to get adjusted to things being so different (especially living in a quiet house) but I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. Daily my responsibilities here increase, even more so as the number of volunteers decreases.
Life here at Emmanuel is really different for me this time compared to when I was here before. The biggest difference is probably volunteers. Throughout the summer we had many volunteers here (at one time we had around 30) but when I returned there were 6 here. Shortly after, 2 of those 6 left to go back to the States. Two more are leaving this weekend. There are so many things that need to be done here and so it is a blessing to have many volunteers to help out where needed. But when there aren't many volunteers here, there is still just as much that needs to be done and things can get a little crazy. It has taken some time to get adjusted to things being so different (especially living in a quiet house) but I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. Daily my responsibilities here increase, even more so as the number of volunteers decreases.
BACK IN THE STATES (July 14-August 5)
For quite some time while at Emmanuel I had been struggling with sickness. Things were gradually getting worse so I decided that it was best if I went back to the States to see what was wrong. The timing worked out really well. A good friend of mine that was a volunteer here was leaving on the same day and my Pop's surgery was the day after my return so I was able to be there for that as well. After a week in the States I found out that I had dengue fever and salmonella. Dengue fever is a mosquito spread disease that is common here in Central America. In fact, the day that I returned to the States I received an email from the U.S. Embassy declaring a dengue epidemic in Honduras. There is no cure or prevention for the disease, other than just precautions taken to avoid mosquitoes. It took a couple of weeks for me to regain my strength and completely recover but I was ready to head back to my kids as soon as I could. It was good to be able to see a few friends and family, but I really missed not being at Emmanuel. It was during my time in the States that I realized how much I truly feel at home at the orphanage. I missed them dearly. However my time in the States did allow me the opportunity to get well, see family, and better prepare for my return - with lots of bug spray, better clothing, and a mosquito net.
POR FIN
Thankfully I've done a good job of journaling because obviously this whole blog thing hasn't quite worked out for the last month and a half. Many unexpected things have happened during that time and I have a little bit of free time right now so I hope to catch you up. It will definitely be the abbreviated version, but hopefully once I get caught up I'll blog more about things going on here. I've actually been dreading having to update over a month's worth of information, but I'll just hit the high points. Once again I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement!
For those of you who are curious about POR FIN – it means FINALLY!
For those of you who are curious about POR FIN – it means FINALLY!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Pure Joy
James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
I don't have time to go into much detail, but things have been really difficult this week. If I had to choose a word to describe how I've felt all week it would be...overwhelmed. So far my time here has been hard work with many trials but I feel like this is home. When I have to leave to go into Tegucigalpa or somewhere else, I'm always ready to be back home with the kids. I've enjoyed every single moment of being here. But this week Satan has attacked me in every way possible: mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and it has taken its toll. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and I knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but I don't feel prepared for what is to come. The Lord has been reminding me that I HAVE been prepared in advance to be here but that the devil has also been preparing to stop what I've been prepared to do.
However, with that being said, the Lord also provides us with an answer about why we have to endure trials. When our faith is tested (as mine is being tested) it develops perseverance. Perseverance: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Keep going despite anything else that's going on. Paul said in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I'm having a hard time with not only enduring these trials but being content in them. But James goes on to say that in order for me to be mature and complete, perseverance MUST finish its work. I know that I'll never be totally mature or complete while I still live on this earth - which must mean that there will be trials to develop perseverance until the day I die. So as I continue to prepare for what is ahead please pray that I would rely on the Mighty One for my strength and that I would bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Consider it pure joy, my friends, when you face trials of many kinds. Pure joy.
I don't have time to go into much detail, but things have been really difficult this week. If I had to choose a word to describe how I've felt all week it would be...overwhelmed. So far my time here has been hard work with many trials but I feel like this is home. When I have to leave to go into Tegucigalpa or somewhere else, I'm always ready to be back home with the kids. I've enjoyed every single moment of being here. But this week Satan has attacked me in every way possible: mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and it has taken its toll. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and I knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but I don't feel prepared for what is to come. The Lord has been reminding me that I HAVE been prepared in advance to be here but that the devil has also been preparing to stop what I've been prepared to do.
However, with that being said, the Lord also provides us with an answer about why we have to endure trials. When our faith is tested (as mine is being tested) it develops perseverance. Perseverance: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Keep going despite anything else that's going on. Paul said in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I'm having a hard time with not only enduring these trials but being content in them. But James goes on to say that in order for me to be mature and complete, perseverance MUST finish its work. I know that I'll never be totally mature or complete while I still live on this earth - which must mean that there will be trials to develop perseverance until the day I die. So as I continue to prepare for what is ahead please pray that I would rely on the Mighty One for my strength and that I would bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Consider it pure joy, my friends, when you face trials of many kinds. Pure joy.
Monday, June 28, 2010
We Need Your Help!
So I haven’t been able to update that often but I just want to say thanks for the emails I’ve received. I usually don’t have much time to respond, but they are greatly appreciated and I look forward to hearing from people in the States. I’ve received several emails from people who want to help but up until this point I haven’t been exactly sure what things were needed. After being here for almost 4 weeks, I’ve finally talked to staff and other volunteers to see where needs are and what opportunities I’ll have to meet some of those needs. More than anything, prayers are needed – for the kids, staff, and volunteers here. But if you feel called to meet some of the physical needs that we have, it would be an absolute blessing. The Lord has been faithful to provide thus far and I am confident that He will continue to do so. Thanks for wanting to be a part of what He’s doing at Orphanage Emmanuel. Please don’t feel like you have to send anything or one of everything. I’m learning more and more every single day here that the Lord works in the hearts of His people to provide for various needs. If there is a specific need listed that you feel called to meet, it will be a blessing to many. Your gifts and donations help the staff and volunteers better serve the children here.
If you decide to send some of the needed things – regardless of who they are for – please send everything to the address listed below. If you don’t put my name on it, it goes in the storehouse here and could easily get lost. When I receive boxes, I can personally deliver things where they need to be. So please make sure to put my name on the box. Thanks so much for being willing to serve
Volunteer Leigh Cooper
c/o Orphanage Emmanuel
Dr. Don Reynolds
4611 Hixson Pike
Hixson TN 37343
NEEDS FOR THE KIDS
In a place with over 400 children there are certain items that are always needed. Please send any of the following at any time:
Diapers, baby wipes, socks and underwear for small boys and girls, sturdy shoes for small boys (boots/tennis shoes) and sandals for small girls, also hairbrushes, and deodorant.
As a volunteer, it is up to us to plan and schedule activities with the children during free time – which is after school some days but mostly weekends. We usually try to take them to the cancha (field/court) to play, the casita (craft house), playing in the yards, or taking groups of siblings to the fields to be together. I’d love to do more structured activities with the kids but I don’t have the resources right now.
The kids also have the opportunity to sell their jewelry in art shows each week a group comes. They get a portion of the money and are allowed to save or spend it at the store or somewhere and they’re taught to tithe 10%. Therefore it would be an awesome opportunity to work with them in jewelry making. Here are some items that are really popular with the kids: hemp string, other string, colorful yarn, colorful beads, colorful bandanas for bracelets/necklaces – any jewelry making items are good.
On weekends the volunteers try to take different sibling groups so they get to spend time with each other. We try to take them to play together and spend time away from all the other kids. We try to have a few crackers or cookies to give them so those items would be good. Also it would be cool if we could have some Kool-aid powder to make a little for them. It gets expensive trying to take them all to the store for a drink and chips.
The kids are constantly playing in the yards and could use the following things: soccer balls, Frisbees, kickballs, big jump ropes (for multiple people), marbles/jacks, spinning tops, and a hand-held air pump to inflate the balls.
The following items are also useful for activities with both boys and girls: bottles of tempera paint for face-painting, small paint brushes, simple craft kits (maybe VBS leftovers or something along those lines), fingernail polish and remover, hair accessories, and Spanish and bilingual children’s books.
NEEDS FOR THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE
Right now there are 21 girls living in the girl volunteer house and 7 boys living in the boy volunteer house. I will be living here for the next year and so I have noticed many things that would be really helpful around here. Some of these items are impossible to buy here and others are only available in Tegucigalpa and therefore are difficult to carry by hand on the bus back to the orphanage. These are some common items that are always needed and appreciated:
Small rubber gloves, trash bags (all sizes big and small), bathroom and kitchen cleaners, dish detergent, Ziploc bags (all sizes), aluminum foil, saran wrap, sharp kitchen knives, Tupperware containers, plastic plates and bowls (not disposable but just cheap plastic), flashlights.
Bathroom items: soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, hair spray, etc.
Medicines: Pepto, ibuprofen, calamine lotion, bug spray, sunscreen, antibiotic cream, cotton balls
Peanut butter is a treasured item around here. Any microwavable food is also nice to have – easy mac, individual packets of oatmeal or grits, etc.
I cannot thank you enough for your help and support. If you have questions about anything, feel free to email me at leighcooper.emmanuel@gmail.com or ask my parents. You're a blessing! Love you all.
If you decide to send some of the needed things – regardless of who they are for – please send everything to the address listed below. If you don’t put my name on it, it goes in the storehouse here and could easily get lost. When I receive boxes, I can personally deliver things where they need to be. So please make sure to put my name on the box. Thanks so much for being willing to serve
Volunteer Leigh Cooper
c/o Orphanage Emmanuel
Dr. Don Reynolds
4611 Hixson Pike
Hixson TN 37343
NEEDS FOR THE KIDS
In a place with over 400 children there are certain items that are always needed. Please send any of the following at any time:
Diapers, baby wipes, socks and underwear for small boys and girls, sturdy shoes for small boys (boots/tennis shoes) and sandals for small girls, also hairbrushes, and deodorant.
As a volunteer, it is up to us to plan and schedule activities with the children during free time – which is after school some days but mostly weekends. We usually try to take them to the cancha (field/court) to play, the casita (craft house), playing in the yards, or taking groups of siblings to the fields to be together. I’d love to do more structured activities with the kids but I don’t have the resources right now.
The kids also have the opportunity to sell their jewelry in art shows each week a group comes. They get a portion of the money and are allowed to save or spend it at the store or somewhere and they’re taught to tithe 10%. Therefore it would be an awesome opportunity to work with them in jewelry making. Here are some items that are really popular with the kids: hemp string, other string, colorful yarn, colorful beads, colorful bandanas for bracelets/necklaces – any jewelry making items are good.
On weekends the volunteers try to take different sibling groups so they get to spend time with each other. We try to take them to play together and spend time away from all the other kids. We try to have a few crackers or cookies to give them so those items would be good. Also it would be cool if we could have some Kool-aid powder to make a little for them. It gets expensive trying to take them all to the store for a drink and chips.
The kids are constantly playing in the yards and could use the following things: soccer balls, Frisbees, kickballs, big jump ropes (for multiple people), marbles/jacks, spinning tops, and a hand-held air pump to inflate the balls.
The following items are also useful for activities with both boys and girls: bottles of tempera paint for face-painting, small paint brushes, simple craft kits (maybe VBS leftovers or something along those lines), fingernail polish and remover, hair accessories, and Spanish and bilingual children’s books.
NEEDS FOR THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE
Right now there are 21 girls living in the girl volunteer house and 7 boys living in the boy volunteer house. I will be living here for the next year and so I have noticed many things that would be really helpful around here. Some of these items are impossible to buy here and others are only available in Tegucigalpa and therefore are difficult to carry by hand on the bus back to the orphanage. These are some common items that are always needed and appreciated:
Small rubber gloves, trash bags (all sizes big and small), bathroom and kitchen cleaners, dish detergent, Ziploc bags (all sizes), aluminum foil, saran wrap, sharp kitchen knives, Tupperware containers, plastic plates and bowls (not disposable but just cheap plastic), flashlights.
Bathroom items: soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, hair spray, etc.
Medicines: Pepto, ibuprofen, calamine lotion, bug spray, sunscreen, antibiotic cream, cotton balls
Peanut butter is a treasured item around here. Any microwavable food is also nice to have – easy mac, individual packets of oatmeal or grits, etc.
I cannot thank you enough for your help and support. If you have questions about anything, feel free to email me at leighcooper.emmanuel@gmail.com or ask my parents. You're a blessing! Love you all.
Quick Update
Lots of things have happened since I have been at Orphanage Emmanuel. I haven’t been able to blog about anything, but I’ve been doing a pretty good job of journaling each day that I’m here. So many things happen so fast that I’ll forget them if I don’t write things down. I wish that I could share many stories with you but I can’t now for lack of time. I have limited access to the internet here because of time restraints. There are so many things to be done here and not enough hands to do them so I’m lucky if I get 20 minutes a week. Here lately my 20 minute time slot has come on days without power haha. With that being said, I’ll try and update you briefly on a few things going on here. Also if you read the blog entry with a list of needs, you will see some of the other activities that I’m involved in.
This is a really quick summary of the past 3-4 weeks I’ve been here. I’ve really struggled staying well since I’ve been here because of stomach issues and also bug bites. I’ve been attacked by lots of bugs and my legs look terrible. I’ve been able to get some medicines from the clinic so I’m feeling much better. The joke among staff is that you quickly get promoted here and I am finding that statement to be true. I started out working at the toddler house for a couple of days. Then I met with the principal at the school and found out that I will be teaching 4th-6th grade English and so I started writing lesson plans. But many times here you receive a job assignment and it gets changed before you even start. I spent the next week working in the little boys’ kitchen all day every day cooking and cleaning for 3 meals for lots and lots of hungry little boys. It was a challenging week but I learned lots of things. Then the next week I worked in the medical clinic for 1 day while some American doctors were here. That night I found out that I would leave early the next morning to take 20 teenage girls to a Christian camp – Campamento Esperanza (Camp Hope) - outside of Tegucigalpa. So we loaded the girls up on a bus and another volunteer and I took them to camp for this past week. It was an incredibly life changing experience for me – I heard many of the girls’ stories and saw some horrible things in the city that I will never forget. The Lord keeps reminding me of where these kids have come from and what they’ve had to endure before they got to this safe home of Emmanuel, which causes me to love them even more. Every face has a story. In my free time I’ve been playing soccer with the little and medium boys and hanging out with them in their yards getting to know them better. If you know me, I’m sure you’re not surprised that it’s easier for me to form relationships with the little boys through playing soccer than it is to bond with the little girls talking and fixing hair. This has turned out to be a blessing though. There aren’t many boy volunteers and they spend most of their time working; most of the girl volunteers here are drawn to bonding with the little girls. So it just works out perfectly that another girl volunteer and I are drawn to building relationships with the younger boys. Also, I have seen a great need in the little ones to have a mother-figure, someone of compassion – and there is nobody in that role. They have many male role models in their lives to teach and lead and guide them, but they don’t come into contact with any women who can provide that mother role model that is so crucial for boys at this age. The female staff stays so busy even trying to manage the girls, much less minister to the boys. As a volunteer I have that opportunity because of my flexibility of jobs. Many weekends I have spent in the boys’ yard playing all kinds of games and just hanging out.
Now that we’re back from camp I’ve been observing the school today and tomorrow and will begin teaching on Wednesday. I’ll be teaching 4 classes ranging from 11 – 32 students. Each class meets for 45 minutes twice a week. In a few weeks I will be teaching 1st-3rd grade English or a bilingual class in addition to my other classes. My other responsibilities will still continue after the school day is over, but much of my time will now be devoted to preparing for classes. I don’t have my own classroom but instead I travel from class to class to teach. Please pray for me in preparation for this. I am more nervous about this task than I’ve been about anything else so far.
There have been many volunteers here and 10 more arrive today. It makes for much craziness in a house full of 20+ girls but things are good. I am the only new long-term volunteer and so many of the other volunteers will be leaving soon, therefore placing me in the position to receive much responsibility. I’ve met some really cool people here and I will miss the other volunteers when they leave, but I’m sure the quiet will be nice sometimes too!
My time is up but I just want to say thank you again for your prayers and emails of encouragement over the past few weeks. This place has become my home and it feels like it here, but I enjoy hearing from you. Please continue to pray for me, the other volunteers, and especially the staff here. So much needs to be done but there aren’t enough hands and so the staff members have more responsibility than they can possibly bear. Pray for language learning – as teaching is extremely difficult with this barrier. Pray for healing and wellness. Please pray that I will be willing to step out of the comfortable and to dive in to the uncomfortable willingly and with a joyful heart.
This is a really quick summary of the past 3-4 weeks I’ve been here. I’ve really struggled staying well since I’ve been here because of stomach issues and also bug bites. I’ve been attacked by lots of bugs and my legs look terrible. I’ve been able to get some medicines from the clinic so I’m feeling much better. The joke among staff is that you quickly get promoted here and I am finding that statement to be true. I started out working at the toddler house for a couple of days. Then I met with the principal at the school and found out that I will be teaching 4th-6th grade English and so I started writing lesson plans. But many times here you receive a job assignment and it gets changed before you even start. I spent the next week working in the little boys’ kitchen all day every day cooking and cleaning for 3 meals for lots and lots of hungry little boys. It was a challenging week but I learned lots of things. Then the next week I worked in the medical clinic for 1 day while some American doctors were here. That night I found out that I would leave early the next morning to take 20 teenage girls to a Christian camp – Campamento Esperanza (Camp Hope) - outside of Tegucigalpa. So we loaded the girls up on a bus and another volunteer and I took them to camp for this past week. It was an incredibly life changing experience for me – I heard many of the girls’ stories and saw some horrible things in the city that I will never forget. The Lord keeps reminding me of where these kids have come from and what they’ve had to endure before they got to this safe home of Emmanuel, which causes me to love them even more. Every face has a story. In my free time I’ve been playing soccer with the little and medium boys and hanging out with them in their yards getting to know them better. If you know me, I’m sure you’re not surprised that it’s easier for me to form relationships with the little boys through playing soccer than it is to bond with the little girls talking and fixing hair. This has turned out to be a blessing though. There aren’t many boy volunteers and they spend most of their time working; most of the girl volunteers here are drawn to bonding with the little girls. So it just works out perfectly that another girl volunteer and I are drawn to building relationships with the younger boys. Also, I have seen a great need in the little ones to have a mother-figure, someone of compassion – and there is nobody in that role. They have many male role models in their lives to teach and lead and guide them, but they don’t come into contact with any women who can provide that mother role model that is so crucial for boys at this age. The female staff stays so busy even trying to manage the girls, much less minister to the boys. As a volunteer I have that opportunity because of my flexibility of jobs. Many weekends I have spent in the boys’ yard playing all kinds of games and just hanging out.
Now that we’re back from camp I’ve been observing the school today and tomorrow and will begin teaching on Wednesday. I’ll be teaching 4 classes ranging from 11 – 32 students. Each class meets for 45 minutes twice a week. In a few weeks I will be teaching 1st-3rd grade English or a bilingual class in addition to my other classes. My other responsibilities will still continue after the school day is over, but much of my time will now be devoted to preparing for classes. I don’t have my own classroom but instead I travel from class to class to teach. Please pray for me in preparation for this. I am more nervous about this task than I’ve been about anything else so far.
There have been many volunteers here and 10 more arrive today. It makes for much craziness in a house full of 20+ girls but things are good. I am the only new long-term volunteer and so many of the other volunteers will be leaving soon, therefore placing me in the position to receive much responsibility. I’ve met some really cool people here and I will miss the other volunteers when they leave, but I’m sure the quiet will be nice sometimes too!
My time is up but I just want to say thank you again for your prayers and emails of encouragement over the past few weeks. This place has become my home and it feels like it here, but I enjoy hearing from you. Please continue to pray for me, the other volunteers, and especially the staff here. So much needs to be done but there aren’t enough hands and so the staff members have more responsibility than they can possibly bear. Pray for language learning – as teaching is extremely difficult with this barrier. Pray for healing and wellness. Please pray that I will be willing to step out of the comfortable and to dive in to the uncomfortable willingly and with a joyful heart.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Hola todos!
I´m finally here! This blog may not be long because I am just stopping by an internet cafe in Guaimaca. I just finished buying a few groceries for the first time. It´s going to take a little while to get adjusted to living here, especially without speaking much Spanish. The flight went well and I arrived safely two days ago. I spent the whole day yesterday working in the toddler house. There are 38 kid there now- a few babies and special needs children as well. We had our hands full, but it was a wonderful start to being here. Today I took 14 of the medium boys to la cancha (the court)to play soccer. This afternoon we are planning on doing an activity with the kids called Bread on a Stick - it´s something that the Danish girls here do back home. It´ll be interesting to see how that goes. Right now there are 8 other girls in the team house, but in just a few weeks we will have 22. Pray for us all haha. Last night we had a staff and volunteer dinner and hangout. It was a really great way for me to get to know a few of the volunteers and staff a little bit better.
I was really nervous and uncomfortable once I was unpacking my things my first evening. My thoughts were along the lines of ¨what have I gotten myself into¨...but once I got started working with the kids, I´m really excited and thankful to be here. This is where I´m supposed to be right now. It´s going to be hard (and hot) but I´m preparing daily for what is to come. We are blesed. Gotta run.
I was really nervous and uncomfortable once I was unpacking my things my first evening. My thoughts were along the lines of ¨what have I gotten myself into¨...but once I got started working with the kids, I´m really excited and thankful to be here. This is where I´m supposed to be right now. It´s going to be hard (and hot) but I´m preparing daily for what is to come. We are blesed. Gotta run.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Blown Away
I hate that I haven't taken the time to blog about what has happened just this past week alone. First, it has been such a tough week. Every single time I turn around it seems like Satan is attacking - school, health, relationships, and even my own home. But as I sang this on Sunday, I was so powerfully reminded that:
Our God is greater,
Our God is stronger,
God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer,
Awesome in power
Our God.
And if our God is for us,
then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us,
Then what could stand against?
Although I've felt Satan's attacks all week, I have been overwhelmed with God's power and timing. I'll have to give you the short version of all He's done...I'm blown away.
I've been in a small group of girls through FBC Opelika my entire time at Auburn. It has been such a blessing for me. Because of internship, I haven't been able to be there much this past semester, but I was able to go Tuesday (4/20). At the end of Bible study the girls prayed over me about my trip to Honduras and presented me a white envelope. The Lord had been laying it on their hearts that they were being called to be a part of me going to Honduras. Completely humbled, I stuck it in my Bible to pray about it before I opened it at home. Late that night when I opened my Bible to get it out, I wept as I slowly counted over one thousand dollars inside. But highlighted on that very page was Proverbs 3:5-10
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Blown Away. Completely a God thing. Then on Friday a lady stopped me in the doorway of Sam's. She was making me feel really single as she tried to persuade me to sign up for a photo session thing. "You got kids?" Nope. "You got a husband?" Negative. "A boyfran?" No ma'am. As I kept slowly walking I finally said, "No ma'am, I'm completely single because I'm in the process of leaving the country for a while." I never expected what followed that statement. She proceeded to ask me where I was going and for what. I said Honduras as a missionary for one year - and that's all I said. This stranger pulled me behind a large picture frame and started praying scripture over me like nobody's business. Unreal. She began praying for the children I would be working with (I hadn't told her I was working at an orphanage) and praying that I would have discernment. Then she prayed Psalm 91 over me. I don't remember what I went to Sam's for, but I left with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. Blown Away.
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2
Our God is greater,
Our God is stronger,
God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer,
Awesome in power
Our God.
And if our God is for us,
then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us,
Then what could stand against?
Although I've felt Satan's attacks all week, I have been overwhelmed with God's power and timing. I'll have to give you the short version of all He's done...I'm blown away.
I've been in a small group of girls through FBC Opelika my entire time at Auburn. It has been such a blessing for me. Because of internship, I haven't been able to be there much this past semester, but I was able to go Tuesday (4/20). At the end of Bible study the girls prayed over me about my trip to Honduras and presented me a white envelope. The Lord had been laying it on their hearts that they were being called to be a part of me going to Honduras. Completely humbled, I stuck it in my Bible to pray about it before I opened it at home. Late that night when I opened my Bible to get it out, I wept as I slowly counted over one thousand dollars inside. But highlighted on that very page was Proverbs 3:5-10
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Blown Away. Completely a God thing. Then on Friday a lady stopped me in the doorway of Sam's. She was making me feel really single as she tried to persuade me to sign up for a photo session thing. "You got kids?" Nope. "You got a husband?" Negative. "A boyfran?" No ma'am. As I kept slowly walking I finally said, "No ma'am, I'm completely single because I'm in the process of leaving the country for a while." I never expected what followed that statement. She proceeded to ask me where I was going and for what. I said Honduras as a missionary for one year - and that's all I said. This stranger pulled me behind a large picture frame and started praying scripture over me like nobody's business. Unreal. She began praying for the children I would be working with (I hadn't told her I was working at an orphanage) and praying that I would have discernment. Then she prayed Psalm 91 over me. I don't remember what I went to Sam's for, but I left with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. Blown Away.
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Forever Praised
Romans 1:25 "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."
Man. How often do we serve created things over the Creator? This was written to people who knew God, but didn't glorify Him or give thanks to Him. I feel like so often I'm guilty of not bringing Him glory or not remembering to thank Him. Are we so consumed with ourselves that we forget the One who is forever praised? My answer: yes.
This semester has been a frustrating one for me - I always seem to be busy doing things that don't really have any value or significance. Yet I find my mind going over and over these things and making one to-do list after the next...all for what? Well, this past weekend was my first weekend "off" this semester and it was glorious. Saturday I read and worked in the sun. I went rock-climbing with a few people from FBCO (well minus the rock-climbing part) Sunday after church. But I spent time with the Creator delighting in His creation for the first time in a while. The weather was absolutely perfect...but it wasn't the best part. Being still. Being in His presence. Being reminded of His glory. Seeing the works of His hands. Let me tell you what sums it up - PSALM 19. Stop reading this and check it out. Seriously, do it now :)
Man. How often do we serve created things over the Creator? This was written to people who knew God, but didn't glorify Him or give thanks to Him. I feel like so often I'm guilty of not bringing Him glory or not remembering to thank Him. Are we so consumed with ourselves that we forget the One who is forever praised? My answer: yes.
This semester has been a frustrating one for me - I always seem to be busy doing things that don't really have any value or significance. Yet I find my mind going over and over these things and making one to-do list after the next...all for what? Well, this past weekend was my first weekend "off" this semester and it was glorious. Saturday I read and worked in the sun. I went rock-climbing with a few people from FBCO (well minus the rock-climbing part) Sunday after church. But I spent time with the Creator delighting in His creation for the first time in a while. The weather was absolutely perfect...but it wasn't the best part. Being still. Being in His presence. Being reminded of His glory. Seeing the works of His hands. Let me tell you what sums it up - PSALM 19. Stop reading this and check it out. Seriously, do it now :)
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