Well, we made it in to Nicaragua a day late and it was crazy traveling. I had the most awesome surprise!!!!! When I got to my gate at the airport (I was talking to Melodi on the phone) I saw KAREN.
YES, Karen from Nicaragua. Loren and Karen had been planing the surprise for months. Karen was in the US visiting her parents and they worked it out where she would fly back with me. Then we had trouble with our flight and ended up staying in a hotel on Christmas Eve and flying out Christmas morning. I think it was God's favor on me though...I didn't really know Karen all that well and we got a chance to just hang out and talk. We made a not so fun situation really fun.
Then when we got into Nicaragua Loren had made a big Christmas meal for us...Jader and Julie were there. We had presents, a tree, lights,....it was great!
Today our team got here and one member wasn't able to get on the plane due to weather so we are heading out a day late to wait for him. This was okay in my book though because it gave Loren a chance to teach me some of the things I need to prepare for each new team that will come in.
I am tired so I will write more later....
God is so good!
Rachel
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Fast and Furious!
Hi Friends,
I just finished packing for Nicaragua. Right now it is all in one pack (which is super heavy). I have yet to pack the gifts Loren ask I bring for Karen or the gifts that other people from the church have given me for Julie and Jader. So, we shall hope all that goes in my carry on backpack... Plus my bible and a couple of books.
I am steadily working on my mega list of things I need to get done before I leave. It is starting to go down some. That is good because I only have tomorrow and 1/2 day on Christmas Eve. We are having our family Christmas on Christmas Eve morning so that really leaves me tomorrow to get it all completed. God is good, I don't feel stressed...I feel excited...along with the stream of tears that come from time to time.
My brother and sister-in-law and their 5 kids got here today so that has been fun to get to hang out with them. Mark Henry was awesome enough to let Melodi and I hang out for pretty much 3 days straight before I left. It was good! My mom is holding it all together until the 24th. It is going to be a hard drive to the airport. I am so blessed that my parents are such strong believers and that they have such a strong marriage. I know they will miss me and I will miss them but I know I go with their blessing and their constant prayers. Please pray for her(and my dad) when you think of it...God is teaching them alot in this also. They are amazing.
I am scared and unsure about what the next 8 months will look like. I think that is a good place to be in....I have to rely on God and His strength not mine. I don't speak the language and I am not exactly sure of what I will be doing...but He knows the language and He has called me to go...so here I go!
At the same time I am also super excited. I know that this is where God has called me to for now and I am humbled that he would want to use me to further His kingdom.
I think I will be processing the last week for a couple of weeks. Graduation, leaving, going....it is alot. I am glad to be in this place. A lot of prayers have gone into all of this and it is now happening. It is so neat to look back and see how God prepared my way. He is teaching me so much!
Okay, I am off to get some sleep. Good Night.
Rachel
I just finished packing for Nicaragua. Right now it is all in one pack (which is super heavy). I have yet to pack the gifts Loren ask I bring for Karen or the gifts that other people from the church have given me for Julie and Jader. So, we shall hope all that goes in my carry on backpack... Plus my bible and a couple of books.
I am steadily working on my mega list of things I need to get done before I leave. It is starting to go down some. That is good because I only have tomorrow and 1/2 day on Christmas Eve. We are having our family Christmas on Christmas Eve morning so that really leaves me tomorrow to get it all completed. God is good, I don't feel stressed...I feel excited...along with the stream of tears that come from time to time.
My brother and sister-in-law and their 5 kids got here today so that has been fun to get to hang out with them. Mark Henry was awesome enough to let Melodi and I hang out for pretty much 3 days straight before I left. It was good! My mom is holding it all together until the 24th. It is going to be a hard drive to the airport. I am so blessed that my parents are such strong believers and that they have such a strong marriage. I know they will miss me and I will miss them but I know I go with their blessing and their constant prayers. Please pray for her(and my dad) when you think of it...God is teaching them alot in this also. They are amazing.
I am scared and unsure about what the next 8 months will look like. I think that is a good place to be in....I have to rely on God and His strength not mine. I don't speak the language and I am not exactly sure of what I will be doing...but He knows the language and He has called me to go...so here I go!
At the same time I am also super excited. I know that this is where God has called me to for now and I am humbled that he would want to use me to further His kingdom.
I think I will be processing the last week for a couple of weeks. Graduation, leaving, going....it is alot. I am glad to be in this place. A lot of prayers have gone into all of this and it is now happening. It is so neat to look back and see how God prepared my way. He is teaching me so much!
Okay, I am off to get some sleep. Good Night.
Rachel
Thursday, December 17, 2009
I am amazed!
God is so good! I am packing up my place and getting ready to graduate tomorrow and I just had to sit and write about how Big my God is. I am overwhelmed.
Over the last two weeks I have had more than one college student drop by my office and hand me a 100 dollar bill for this mission (money I know that some of them struggle to earn). I have been given cards that when I open them there is a $300 or $ 400 dollar check inside. I have had a sweet young AWANA boy write me a letter with a 20 dollar bill inside that he had his mom take out of his savings account for this misson. I have had people walk up to me and buy one of my Nicaragua t-shirts...they have no idea where I am going but since the word Christ is on them they want a part. I have had person after person write me, email me, or tell me in person that they will be praying....and on and on!
Oh, what little faith I often have! My faith is much to small at times for this Big God I serve. God increase my faith! Just as I start to try and figure out how I am going to do this or pay for that God says.... be still and know that I am God and I am just waiting to use my people to provide. I am not all there but it is so awesome to go in faith trusting that God will provide for my daily needs and even more. I am blessed abundantly and my "need" is nothing in comparison to the majority of people in Nicaragua whom I will serve.
Well, I suppose I should continue to pack since I have only finished 1 box...aahhh! Thank you all for your encouragement. I am overwhelmed.
I graduate tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! YEA!!!! Praise God!
Dr. Aaron....he he!
Over the last two weeks I have had more than one college student drop by my office and hand me a 100 dollar bill for this mission (money I know that some of them struggle to earn). I have been given cards that when I open them there is a $300 or $ 400 dollar check inside. I have had a sweet young AWANA boy write me a letter with a 20 dollar bill inside that he had his mom take out of his savings account for this misson. I have had people walk up to me and buy one of my Nicaragua t-shirts...they have no idea where I am going but since the word Christ is on them they want a part. I have had person after person write me, email me, or tell me in person that they will be praying....and on and on!
Oh, what little faith I often have! My faith is much to small at times for this Big God I serve. God increase my faith! Just as I start to try and figure out how I am going to do this or pay for that God says.... be still and know that I am God and I am just waiting to use my people to provide. I am not all there but it is so awesome to go in faith trusting that God will provide for my daily needs and even more. I am blessed abundantly and my "need" is nothing in comparison to the majority of people in Nicaragua whom I will serve.
Well, I suppose I should continue to pack since I have only finished 1 box...aahhh! Thank you all for your encouragement. I am overwhelmed.
I graduate tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! YEA!!!! Praise God!
Dr. Aaron....he he!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Here I go!
Hi Friends!
Here is the blog! YEA! I hope you all continue to check in on what God is doing in and around me throughout this journey. I am excited and nervous all rolled into one. Thank you all for your support and prayers.
I plan to write updates on this blog whenever possible. I think it will be a fun way to document all that God is doing and all that I am learning. Plus, it will give me a link to all of you. Please feel free to leave comments and let me know what is going on in your lives. I would love to know those things.
I graduate this Friday at 7:00pm. Then on Saturday at 11:00am we are having a celebration and sending service at Living Hope in room 200. Please know you are all invited to come. We are going to have a time of fellowship, praise, and prayer for the journey ahead. I would love to see you there.
This Sunday will be my last Sunday at Living Hope before I leave. I am so blessed to have such an amazing home church. You all encourage me so much.
Well, I have one more journal article that I need to finish up before all is said and done with my school work. So, off I go to complete that.
God Bless
Rachel
Here is the blog! YEA! I hope you all continue to check in on what God is doing in and around me throughout this journey. I am excited and nervous all rolled into one. Thank you all for your support and prayers.
I plan to write updates on this blog whenever possible. I think it will be a fun way to document all that God is doing and all that I am learning. Plus, it will give me a link to all of you. Please feel free to leave comments and let me know what is going on in your lives. I would love to know those things.
I graduate this Friday at 7:00pm. Then on Saturday at 11:00am we are having a celebration and sending service at Living Hope in room 200. Please know you are all invited to come. We are going to have a time of fellowship, praise, and prayer for the journey ahead. I would love to see you there.
This Sunday will be my last Sunday at Living Hope before I leave. I am so blessed to have such an amazing home church. You all encourage me so much.
Well, I have one more journal article that I need to finish up before all is said and done with my school work. So, off I go to complete that.
God Bless
Rachel
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