I'm thankful to actually be awake earlier this morning to write some things down. The past few days have been quite different than my routine before, and time has been going faster and slower at the same time. I have a lot of things on my plate today that I'm trying not to let overwhelm me, but for now, I feel moved to write.
Tamara and her family left the house this Monday to go to the States for a month. Thankfully, everything worked out for Milagros to go with them. Since then, Patzy, Tamara's beloved housekeeper, and her son and little sister have been staying here at the house with me. We all sleep in the same room; so I've been having to go to bed around 9 or 9:30 at night :-) It's been fun to feel like I'm apart of a little Nicaraguan family.
My projects and activities are changing day by day, but that's just the beauty of God leading me in this life. This past Tuesday and Thursday, I have been teaching Spanish to a fellow missionary friend that works with the Methodist mission organization, El Ayudante. It's been a good and rewarding experience to help someone else communicate in a language that opens up more opportunities to minister in this country. Unfortunately, she is leaving Monday for a couple of weeks, but we plan on keeping in contact and meeting together when she gets back.
Wednesday, I was invited to attend a retreat for pastors' wives and missionaries that was hosted by another mission organization called Reposo Divino (Divine Resting Place). The purpose of the organization is to support women in ministry and provide for them a place to rest in the Lord. The retreat was so wonderful and refreshing. A few ladies from a church in Pennsylvania encouraged us with the Word and prayed over us. After a wonderful lunch, we were pampered with hand, feet, shoulder, and back massages and received a beautiful "anointing" and personal prayer by the women. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and being able to sit down and talk to the sweet Nicaraguan pastors' wives or church leaders, who are so beautiful and humble and full of the love of the Lord. It was like a little piece of heaven.
I've been having some more quality time with my close friends here. My friend Raquel and I have hung out a couple of days this week, which hasn't been that frequent since August. Yesterday, another friend Adriana, Raquel, and I had a Bible study over Luke/Matthew; we read and talked about the birth of Christ. Then, we went to see Lissette, the girl that lives on the street.
I have talked about Lissette in other posts, and I believe that God has placed her in my path for a purpose. It's so hard, though, to know and discern how to interact with her and where boundaries should be drawn. I know she doesn't always tell the truth, she huffs glue, and I worry about what she might be doing to herself to get money. At least a lady in a park close by has given her a job by helping sell toys for Christmas, but it doesn't pay a lot. She always asks me for money, but I don't give it to her because I fear that she will use it to buy glue. According to her, she's had offers from some people to live in their houses and get off the street, but she never takes up their offer. It's like she doesn't want things to change, and I don't know what to do to help her see that there's a better way to live. I know Jesus does, though, and I just have to ask and trust Him to give me discernment. Please pray for her though, and for those of us working with her so that we represent Christ in the best way to her.
Today, I need to plan for my 4 English class that a teach at the University and make a midterm exam for next week. This evening, Adriana, Lissette, Luis and I are going to a special church service that they are having in the theater here in Leon. Praying that God will work in many ways there.
Well, I always have more to write, but I should go eat breakfast now. Thank you for reading and praying. May God bless you and watch over you.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Restless Thoughts
It's past my bedtime right now, but my mind is too awake with so many things that have been going on. Therefore, I have decided to blog about it, not only for my therapy but to share with everyone what has been going on so that you may be praying.
Right now, Tamara and David are at the other missionary Cheryl's house. As I might have mentioned before, Cheryl has about 10 Nicaragua kids that live there, most who have some kind of special need. One of them is Juancito who is 10 years old and paralyzed. He choked after someone scared him while he was eating when he was five years old. He has since then been unable to walk, talk, sit up, or hardly eat. This past month, he has been really sick with pneumonia, a throat infection, and occasionally convulsing. Since Cheryl is in the States and won't be back until Monday, the Nicaraguan women that work in the house take care of him but call Tamara when things get worse. Tonight, Juancito is convulsing again; Tamara says he does not look good at all. The women have already taken him to the hospital, but social healthcare doesn't accomplish anything here in Nicaragua and they just sent them home. Tamara and David have taken him to a private clinic, where they are right now. Please say a prayer for Juancito that God will touch his body. Please pray over peace for Tamara and the women taking care of him. Also, say a prayer for Cheryl, too, because I know this is heart wrenching for her to be so far away and to feel so helpless in the situation. She would do anything for Juancito.
So many different things have happened this week that I don't know if I should categorize it as some kind of spiritual attack or just trials for us to go through. Tamara and David have been busy trying to get things together to go home to the states on Tuesday, and that includes getting Milagros exit visa together. Normally, the process is simple and done in a day. However, due to problems with human trafficking in the world, Nicaragua has changed its policies on exit visas which require more paperwork. On top of that, when Tamara thought everything was ready to go, we find out that the lady working at immigration in Leon who was supposed to take care of Mila's paperwork was corrupt and charging more money to push things through. She has been investigated and removed from her position. Then, we find out that they have to have all the other paperwork which requires identification or verification from Mila's birth mother. Thankfully, Tamara and David still occasionally keep in contact with her, but she lives in the middle of no where and doesn't have a cell phone. So, yesterday, Luis and David took a 5 hour trek in the truck to find her mom and get her identification to take to immigration in Managua today. Tamara and David went to Managua this morning only to find out that they lacked another document that had to be signed by Mila's mother. So, they made the other 2 hours back, and later David and a lawyer got together the paperwork and went to find Mila's mom again. David and Tamara are supposed to go to Managua again in the morning. If they do, it will be on a few hours of sleep. Please pray for them. If Mila doesn't get her exit visa, she can't go to the US with her family and would have to stay here for a month, which has never happened before. However, if she had to stay, I doubt that Tamara and David would both leave here so would of them would probably stay with her. We know that God has control of the situation... it's just all very stressful for them.
I personally have felt attacks in different ways, although not as severe. My acne has really been wearing on my self esteem, but thankfully, it's starting to clear up some. I also have had problems with feeling depressed or angry or judgemental towards myself and others. I know those things aren't from God, but the good thing is that He's helping me to bring those things out of me. I am thankful that He has surrounded me with godly people, like Tamara and Luis, to lift me back up and speak truth. He has been speaking to me in His word as well, like in the Beth Moore study James that I participated in with some other missionaries last night. He also has been speaking through other devotionals and people, and it was been a blessing to see and hear.
This morning, since Tamara was in Managua, I led her 4 teenage boys in morning devotions. Each morning, we read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and At His Feet by Chris Tiegreen. Jesus Calling talked about going through difficult times and trusting in God's faithfulness by remembering how He has led us in the past. At His Feet talked about the hard topic of "forgiveness" and how Matthew 6:14-15 says, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." It's interesting how the two may coincide because I think often times the hard things we go through and deal with are when people do bad things to us. So the boys and I talked about "What does it mean to forgive?" Does it mean that you pretend like it never happened and forget what that person has done? Do you have to take some action to forgive? Do you have to restore the relationship with that person? Why is it so hard to forgive? Will God really not forgive us if we don't forgive others?
After analyzing it and talking it out, I have decided that forgiveness is more of an attitude and a process. I don't think it means to forget what that person has done or to even trust them again in some cases. I think sometimes telling that person you forgive them is healing, but it's mostly something that is done in the heart. In some cases, relationships should be restored; in others, it might be for the protection of one or both parties if they are not. Forgiveness is hard because it requires us to be humble, which is contrary to our human nature, and it must put aside emotions.
As far as answering my last question, I think about what it cost for God to forgive us: Jesus dying on the cross. And while others were beating Him, hurling insults at Him, gambling for his clothes, and piercing His hands and feet, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Jesus, while He was being abused, forgave. But not only is that significant, His words speak it all. The people didn't know or understand what they were doing. After all, that is what sin is all about, right? Sin is like a disease that lives within us that cannot be contained, and we find ourselves acting out the symptoms without giving a second thought to it. When we first come to know Christ, the first step is acknowleding our own sinfulness and our need for a Savior. So part of forgiving others is realizing that the person who has done you wrong is bound and taken captive by sin so that they don't even realize what they are doing. It is evil working in them, and that is a scary concept. Only Christ can clean and change someone from that and give them the power to turn from their wrong. And if they don't turn to Him, they will have to pay the Father for what they have done.
Some might think, "Well, that's what I want. I want that person to pay for what they have done to me." That's when we don't understand and appreciate our redemption from "the wages of death." (Romans 6:23) When we say people should pay, we are saying that we deserve our salvation, but that's not the gospel of grace. We, too, don't realize that Christ not only paid for our sins but for the sins of the world, and we would be devaluing the price of His precious blood.
Forgiveness is hard... so hard that it took God becoming man and breaking His body to forgive us. That's what it takes from us, too... brokenness...a breaking of self and of pride.... a breaking away from emotions and feelings of vengeance. It is a process that lead us to our own cross. However, thankfully, that is something we don't have to do on our own. Jesus is there to help us carry the cross.
I have a million other things I feel like I could write about or share, but I'll save some for another day. I thank God that He is always faithful and at work, even when things look gloomy or hopeless. I am learning to trust that He is in control and knows what He is doing. He always has a way of making beauty out of messes.
Right now, Tamara and David are at the other missionary Cheryl's house. As I might have mentioned before, Cheryl has about 10 Nicaragua kids that live there, most who have some kind of special need. One of them is Juancito who is 10 years old and paralyzed. He choked after someone scared him while he was eating when he was five years old. He has since then been unable to walk, talk, sit up, or hardly eat. This past month, he has been really sick with pneumonia, a throat infection, and occasionally convulsing. Since Cheryl is in the States and won't be back until Monday, the Nicaraguan women that work in the house take care of him but call Tamara when things get worse. Tonight, Juancito is convulsing again; Tamara says he does not look good at all. The women have already taken him to the hospital, but social healthcare doesn't accomplish anything here in Nicaragua and they just sent them home. Tamara and David have taken him to a private clinic, where they are right now. Please say a prayer for Juancito that God will touch his body. Please pray over peace for Tamara and the women taking care of him. Also, say a prayer for Cheryl, too, because I know this is heart wrenching for her to be so far away and to feel so helpless in the situation. She would do anything for Juancito.
So many different things have happened this week that I don't know if I should categorize it as some kind of spiritual attack or just trials for us to go through. Tamara and David have been busy trying to get things together to go home to the states on Tuesday, and that includes getting Milagros exit visa together. Normally, the process is simple and done in a day. However, due to problems with human trafficking in the world, Nicaragua has changed its policies on exit visas which require more paperwork. On top of that, when Tamara thought everything was ready to go, we find out that the lady working at immigration in Leon who was supposed to take care of Mila's paperwork was corrupt and charging more money to push things through. She has been investigated and removed from her position. Then, we find out that they have to have all the other paperwork which requires identification or verification from Mila's birth mother. Thankfully, Tamara and David still occasionally keep in contact with her, but she lives in the middle of no where and doesn't have a cell phone. So, yesterday, Luis and David took a 5 hour trek in the truck to find her mom and get her identification to take to immigration in Managua today. Tamara and David went to Managua this morning only to find out that they lacked another document that had to be signed by Mila's mother. So, they made the other 2 hours back, and later David and a lawyer got together the paperwork and went to find Mila's mom again. David and Tamara are supposed to go to Managua again in the morning. If they do, it will be on a few hours of sleep. Please pray for them. If Mila doesn't get her exit visa, she can't go to the US with her family and would have to stay here for a month, which has never happened before. However, if she had to stay, I doubt that Tamara and David would both leave here so would of them would probably stay with her. We know that God has control of the situation... it's just all very stressful for them.
I personally have felt attacks in different ways, although not as severe. My acne has really been wearing on my self esteem, but thankfully, it's starting to clear up some. I also have had problems with feeling depressed or angry or judgemental towards myself and others. I know those things aren't from God, but the good thing is that He's helping me to bring those things out of me. I am thankful that He has surrounded me with godly people, like Tamara and Luis, to lift me back up and speak truth. He has been speaking to me in His word as well, like in the Beth Moore study James that I participated in with some other missionaries last night. He also has been speaking through other devotionals and people, and it was been a blessing to see and hear.
This morning, since Tamara was in Managua, I led her 4 teenage boys in morning devotions. Each morning, we read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and At His Feet by Chris Tiegreen. Jesus Calling talked about going through difficult times and trusting in God's faithfulness by remembering how He has led us in the past. At His Feet talked about the hard topic of "forgiveness" and how Matthew 6:14-15 says, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." It's interesting how the two may coincide because I think often times the hard things we go through and deal with are when people do bad things to us. So the boys and I talked about "What does it mean to forgive?" Does it mean that you pretend like it never happened and forget what that person has done? Do you have to take some action to forgive? Do you have to restore the relationship with that person? Why is it so hard to forgive? Will God really not forgive us if we don't forgive others?
After analyzing it and talking it out, I have decided that forgiveness is more of an attitude and a process. I don't think it means to forget what that person has done or to even trust them again in some cases. I think sometimes telling that person you forgive them is healing, but it's mostly something that is done in the heart. In some cases, relationships should be restored; in others, it might be for the protection of one or both parties if they are not. Forgiveness is hard because it requires us to be humble, which is contrary to our human nature, and it must put aside emotions.
As far as answering my last question, I think about what it cost for God to forgive us: Jesus dying on the cross. And while others were beating Him, hurling insults at Him, gambling for his clothes, and piercing His hands and feet, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Jesus, while He was being abused, forgave. But not only is that significant, His words speak it all. The people didn't know or understand what they were doing. After all, that is what sin is all about, right? Sin is like a disease that lives within us that cannot be contained, and we find ourselves acting out the symptoms without giving a second thought to it. When we first come to know Christ, the first step is acknowleding our own sinfulness and our need for a Savior. So part of forgiving others is realizing that the person who has done you wrong is bound and taken captive by sin so that they don't even realize what they are doing. It is evil working in them, and that is a scary concept. Only Christ can clean and change someone from that and give them the power to turn from their wrong. And if they don't turn to Him, they will have to pay the Father for what they have done.
Some might think, "Well, that's what I want. I want that person to pay for what they have done to me." That's when we don't understand and appreciate our redemption from "the wages of death." (Romans 6:23) When we say people should pay, we are saying that we deserve our salvation, but that's not the gospel of grace. We, too, don't realize that Christ not only paid for our sins but for the sins of the world, and we would be devaluing the price of His precious blood.
Forgiveness is hard... so hard that it took God becoming man and breaking His body to forgive us. That's what it takes from us, too... brokenness...a breaking of self and of pride.... a breaking away from emotions and feelings of vengeance. It is a process that lead us to our own cross. However, thankfully, that is something we don't have to do on our own. Jesus is there to help us carry the cross.
I have a million other things I feel like I could write about or share, but I'll save some for another day. I thank God that He is always faithful and at work, even when things look gloomy or hopeless. I am learning to trust that He is in control and knows what He is doing. He always has a way of making beauty out of messes.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Brief update.. but not so brief
So, I have been putting off writing on my blog long enough! The past few months have been somewhat busy, so I hadn't really had much time to sit down and write. Fortunately, today is somewhat of a holiday here in Nicaragua because yesterday was the local government elections here and most people are off. Therefore, since some of my teaching plans have changed, I have time to sit down and write this!
Let me start out by telling you a little bit about what happened in September:
1) I experienced my first earthquake (it was in Costa Rica but the aftershock was felt here)
2) San Cristobol (the biggest volcano in Nicaragua) erupted. We didn't have any effects from that here in Leon but several communities around the volcano had to be evacuated because of the ash.
3) I finished teaching my first course at the university. Teaching 24 students ages 13-30s for 4 hours on Saturday morning is rough, but it was a good experience!
4) I stopped going on Thursdays to teach English with La Isla in Chichigalpa. Paying for transportation to get there and back was adding up, and I felt like it was something I needed to move on from.
5) Tamara and I started going out to El Paraiso during the week to visit the women and talk to them about future projects.
6) Tamara, a few other missionaries, and I met together to talk about working together to minister to the street kids and pray for them.
7) I translated a week for Ridgepoint Church. It was a small group of 6, but such great people! We did street evangelism, a pastor's conference, and a clown conference. I got to translate the clown conference; it was so much fun! Through the street evangelism, I met a 15 year old girl, Lissette, that lives on the street and started trying to get to know her and minister to her.
8) I got ENGAGED!!! Luis asked me to marry him on September 25. It was so sweet... he set up and cooked a romantic candlelight dinner in his office. He hid the ring in the dessert.. strawberries and chocolate!
At the end of September, I went home for about 2 and 1/2 weeks. It was so strange to be home after making Nicaragua my home for 3 months. It was great to get a break from the heat, not have to sweat all the time, and take hot showers. I had a wonderful time visiting with my family and my friends.... I feel like the trip was worth it just for that. I got to go to Huntsville, AL with my dad to visit my aunt Martha and uncle Rick and see my cousin Molly and meet my new beautiful baby cousin, Mackenzie! I was able to spend good quality time with my mom, my dad, my brother, and my grandparents; we celebrated my granddaddy Fox's, my brother's, and my mom's birthdays. I am so thankful for that time with them! I also was able to spend time with some of my best friends. I was fortunate enough that I could go to Carson-Newman College homecoming and see all my friends from college!
I also got to share a little bit about Nicaragua at the Senior Citizen Center in Coalfield and at my grandparents' Sunday school class at First Baptist Clinton. It's such a blessing to be able to share my experiences and what God is doing.
On the way back to Nicaragua, I made a brief visit to see my friend/ aunt Lily in Miami, and I had such a wonderful time with her and her husband, Howard, and daugher, Ivanna. They are such great people, and I am so thankful to have them in my life.
I got back to Nicaragua October 18, and I have been busy again working with Tamara and her family, teaching English, and working on wedding plans!!!! I am living with Tamara now, and Tamara and I have been going out to El Paraiso once a week to teach sewing classes. Our goal is to teach the women in the community how to make things to sell so they can provide for their families and communities. So far, they have learned how to make reversible headbands and the beginnings of using the electric sewing machine. It's going to take more time than we thought to teach them to make things, because although some know how to sew by hand or a manual machine, that electric machine just gets away from them!!!
I started another Saturday class at the University. This time I have level 14 students, the last level in the language school. I have about 10-11 students, and they are so smart and motivated! It amazes me that some of them just started studying English about 1 year and 1/2 ago, and now they are practically fluent!! I am enjoying working with them so much. So far I have only taught about 2 classes because we had a day off this Saturday (due to elections) and next Saturday (due to high school exams). I might have another opportunity to teach classes during the week Mon.-Thurs. for 2 hours each if they have enough students to open another class.
I also have been helping Tamara and her boys off and on with their Spanish, although not as much as I'd like or they need. They are leaving to go to the United States next week, November 13, so my time teaching them is limited. I am still teaching Tamara's house helper, Patzy, English when she is able to take a break, and I hope to continue to do that while the family is gone.
A lot of my plans will change when the family leave, but Luis and I still plan to go out to El Paraiso on Sundays and at least one other day a week. Luis has been preaching every Sunday, and it has been amazing to see how God has been working in his life. Just over the past few months, God has released him from so many things including worry about work and debt. Unfortunately, his business has not gone well and has decided to close it down for the moment, but maybe in the future, he will open it up apart from his business partner. He has been looking for jobs, but jobs are so hard to come by in Nicaragua, especially Leon. He had been so stressed about figuring out how to pay his bills and finding a job, but he kept trusting in God. Now, we can claim that the $9,000 that he owed for his debts is completely gone!!! He had owed on his motorcycle, which he sold, but the business shut down. He had owed for the business loan he had, but his partner told him not to worry about it. He is completely free from financial debt, and it was God's doing! He's still looking for a job. He had several opportunites in Managua (2 hours away), but those doors have been closed (I say thankfully). Now, he might have an opportunity to work as a supervisor at a popular restaurant chain here in Leon!!! We are hoping and praying this will work out!
Thankfully, Luis and I have had a lot of time to make wedding preparations. We have set a date: March 25, 2013. We already confirmed with the church and the reception site. Our reception will be at the popular El Convento hotel, and they take care of the set up and catering. We have met with the florist and picked out our flowers. We've talked to a suit shop about making Luis's suit and renting suits for the groomsmen. In the US, I ordered my dress and picked out my bridesmaid dresses! I am so excited that things are coming together so quickly and so easily!
Well, I believe I have summed up the majority of what has been happening. There have been some great things going on, and at the same time, I know there has been a spiritual battle happening with me and those around me. I have been having some personal health issues and bad acne breakouts which have really worked on my energy and self esteem. Nevertheless, I am learning what it means "to be content whatever the circumstances." (Phillipians 4:11) Sometimes it's so easy to let our happiness depend on how we feel, what we are doing, what we have, or what we don't have. However, happiness depending on circumstances is not true joy; true joy only comes from Jesus. I am having to look to Him for joy, strength, and self-significance. And looking at Jesus, one can't help but be joyful in knowing that the God of the Universe loved me from the beginning of time, made me for who I am, saved me from the sin that tries to strangle who God is bringing me to be, chose to have a personal relationship with me, and is preparing me not only for blessings here on earth but for an eternal inheritance that includes a storehouse of blessings in His Holy dwelling place. So from now on, I am going to hold to those promises and search intently to look into Jesus's radiant face.. and all these other problems will dissolve.
Thank you for reading another novel, haha. Please pray for us here, including our health. Milagros had dengue fever, which is contracted from mosquitoes, last week, but thankfully, she is completely better. One of the kids in the other house, Juancito, can't walk or talk and lately he has been really sick with pneumonia and a throat infection. Also, Ingrid, Luis's sister, has had several complications; supposedly she had a "stroke" today, but I don't really know if that's what happened since she is only 18 and she is already home from the hospital. Anyways, please pray for her.
I will continue to remember you and everyone while I am here in Nicaragua. Love you all and God bless.
Let me start out by telling you a little bit about what happened in September:
1) I experienced my first earthquake (it was in Costa Rica but the aftershock was felt here)
2) San Cristobol (the biggest volcano in Nicaragua) erupted. We didn't have any effects from that here in Leon but several communities around the volcano had to be evacuated because of the ash.
3) I finished teaching my first course at the university. Teaching 24 students ages 13-30s for 4 hours on Saturday morning is rough, but it was a good experience!
4) I stopped going on Thursdays to teach English with La Isla in Chichigalpa. Paying for transportation to get there and back was adding up, and I felt like it was something I needed to move on from.
5) Tamara and I started going out to El Paraiso during the week to visit the women and talk to them about future projects.
6) Tamara, a few other missionaries, and I met together to talk about working together to minister to the street kids and pray for them.
7) I translated a week for Ridgepoint Church. It was a small group of 6, but such great people! We did street evangelism, a pastor's conference, and a clown conference. I got to translate the clown conference; it was so much fun! Through the street evangelism, I met a 15 year old girl, Lissette, that lives on the street and started trying to get to know her and minister to her.
8) I got ENGAGED!!! Luis asked me to marry him on September 25. It was so sweet... he set up and cooked a romantic candlelight dinner in his office. He hid the ring in the dessert.. strawberries and chocolate!
At the end of September, I went home for about 2 and 1/2 weeks. It was so strange to be home after making Nicaragua my home for 3 months. It was great to get a break from the heat, not have to sweat all the time, and take hot showers. I had a wonderful time visiting with my family and my friends.... I feel like the trip was worth it just for that. I got to go to Huntsville, AL with my dad to visit my aunt Martha and uncle Rick and see my cousin Molly and meet my new beautiful baby cousin, Mackenzie! I was able to spend good quality time with my mom, my dad, my brother, and my grandparents; we celebrated my granddaddy Fox's, my brother's, and my mom's birthdays. I am so thankful for that time with them! I also was able to spend time with some of my best friends. I was fortunate enough that I could go to Carson-Newman College homecoming and see all my friends from college!
I also got to share a little bit about Nicaragua at the Senior Citizen Center in Coalfield and at my grandparents' Sunday school class at First Baptist Clinton. It's such a blessing to be able to share my experiences and what God is doing.
On the way back to Nicaragua, I made a brief visit to see my friend/ aunt Lily in Miami, and I had such a wonderful time with her and her husband, Howard, and daugher, Ivanna. They are such great people, and I am so thankful to have them in my life.
I got back to Nicaragua October 18, and I have been busy again working with Tamara and her family, teaching English, and working on wedding plans!!!! I am living with Tamara now, and Tamara and I have been going out to El Paraiso once a week to teach sewing classes. Our goal is to teach the women in the community how to make things to sell so they can provide for their families and communities. So far, they have learned how to make reversible headbands and the beginnings of using the electric sewing machine. It's going to take more time than we thought to teach them to make things, because although some know how to sew by hand or a manual machine, that electric machine just gets away from them!!!
I started another Saturday class at the University. This time I have level 14 students, the last level in the language school. I have about 10-11 students, and they are so smart and motivated! It amazes me that some of them just started studying English about 1 year and 1/2 ago, and now they are practically fluent!! I am enjoying working with them so much. So far I have only taught about 2 classes because we had a day off this Saturday (due to elections) and next Saturday (due to high school exams). I might have another opportunity to teach classes during the week Mon.-Thurs. for 2 hours each if they have enough students to open another class.
I also have been helping Tamara and her boys off and on with their Spanish, although not as much as I'd like or they need. They are leaving to go to the United States next week, November 13, so my time teaching them is limited. I am still teaching Tamara's house helper, Patzy, English when she is able to take a break, and I hope to continue to do that while the family is gone.
A lot of my plans will change when the family leave, but Luis and I still plan to go out to El Paraiso on Sundays and at least one other day a week. Luis has been preaching every Sunday, and it has been amazing to see how God has been working in his life. Just over the past few months, God has released him from so many things including worry about work and debt. Unfortunately, his business has not gone well and has decided to close it down for the moment, but maybe in the future, he will open it up apart from his business partner. He has been looking for jobs, but jobs are so hard to come by in Nicaragua, especially Leon. He had been so stressed about figuring out how to pay his bills and finding a job, but he kept trusting in God. Now, we can claim that the $9,000 that he owed for his debts is completely gone!!! He had owed on his motorcycle, which he sold, but the business shut down. He had owed for the business loan he had, but his partner told him not to worry about it. He is completely free from financial debt, and it was God's doing! He's still looking for a job. He had several opportunites in Managua (2 hours away), but those doors have been closed (I say thankfully). Now, he might have an opportunity to work as a supervisor at a popular restaurant chain here in Leon!!! We are hoping and praying this will work out!
Thankfully, Luis and I have had a lot of time to make wedding preparations. We have set a date: March 25, 2013. We already confirmed with the church and the reception site. Our reception will be at the popular El Convento hotel, and they take care of the set up and catering. We have met with the florist and picked out our flowers. We've talked to a suit shop about making Luis's suit and renting suits for the groomsmen. In the US, I ordered my dress and picked out my bridesmaid dresses! I am so excited that things are coming together so quickly and so easily!
Well, I believe I have summed up the majority of what has been happening. There have been some great things going on, and at the same time, I know there has been a spiritual battle happening with me and those around me. I have been having some personal health issues and bad acne breakouts which have really worked on my energy and self esteem. Nevertheless, I am learning what it means "to be content whatever the circumstances." (Phillipians 4:11) Sometimes it's so easy to let our happiness depend on how we feel, what we are doing, what we have, or what we don't have. However, happiness depending on circumstances is not true joy; true joy only comes from Jesus. I am having to look to Him for joy, strength, and self-significance. And looking at Jesus, one can't help but be joyful in knowing that the God of the Universe loved me from the beginning of time, made me for who I am, saved me from the sin that tries to strangle who God is bringing me to be, chose to have a personal relationship with me, and is preparing me not only for blessings here on earth but for an eternal inheritance that includes a storehouse of blessings in His Holy dwelling place. So from now on, I am going to hold to those promises and search intently to look into Jesus's radiant face.. and all these other problems will dissolve.
Thank you for reading another novel, haha. Please pray for us here, including our health. Milagros had dengue fever, which is contracted from mosquitoes, last week, but thankfully, she is completely better. One of the kids in the other house, Juancito, can't walk or talk and lately he has been really sick with pneumonia and a throat infection. Also, Ingrid, Luis's sister, has had several complications; supposedly she had a "stroke" today, but I don't really know if that's what happened since she is only 18 and she is already home from the hospital. Anyways, please pray for her.
I will continue to remember you and everyone while I am here in Nicaragua. Love you all and God bless.
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