Christian groups, Christian Friends, Christian trips...are we bringing light to the darkness?

I think I began to underestimate how powerful light is among the darkness. I preach about it, and I realize the emphasis it plays in the word but until this trip I haven’t seen it in action (by me) among my peers. On my trip to Botswana I was placed with 13 other people 3 professors, 6 teachers, and 4 students. I quickly realized how the devil uses so many things to advance the darkness in groups of people living together 24/7 for 5 weeks. It is easier to complain, tear others down, talk behind their backs, and look after yourself. It’s easier to invoke people to hate then to invoke then to love. But I also noticed how Gods light clearly disrupts the darkness, and how going against the “normal” way of dealing with things and at times just not saying anything is sometimes more powerful.

I think a lot of the time we want to stick with a “Christian” group of friends, a Christian organization to serve overseas or volunteer with, a Christian hang out place…when in reality God is calling us to shine His light in the darkness not to shine our light where the light is already shining bright. It’s NOT easy at all, but when did God EVER say it would be easy? I’m pretty he said “are you ready for this? Because, if you’re going to live for me, suffering is sure to come” The more Paul stepped out to make the gospel known the more he was persecuted. When are we going to step out of our box? When is Jesus going to be enough to sustain us and empower us? When is it not going to be about “saving” others but about shining Gods light and letting Him do the work at His time?

Going to Church in Botswana

As my professor put it, “ I have never been so entertained in church before.” We were blessed to see a youth service where the youth of the church ran the entire service. Two students even gave sermons! It was amazing to be apart of a community praising the Lord and teaching the truth of the gospel in a non-threatening way. The choir sang with the power of the Holy Spirit, there were dancers praising God with the gift God had given them, there was a testimony given as the “dj” broke out with a beat as we rose to our feet to welcome the person going up to the stage. The church was packed and Gods glory was shinning through

1st Botswana Church

            Then we went to see where David Livingston, who was a missionary in Botswana who introduced Christianity to the people. So we journeyed to see where he use to meet with people under the a huge tree and share the word with them, teach them to read and write, and would help them with their health (since he was also a doctor.) Then we went to where he planted his first church and where the first chief was baptized!

            This chief came to know Christ and was baptized but, people saw this as a betrayal to their culture. He was also the rainmaker and so when the rains didn’t come they became even hostile towards him becoming a Christian. He ended up coming back to his traditional ways because of the pressure he felt. When people who are native to Botswana talked about David Livingston they were not frustrated that he brought Christianity but they seemed irritated that he came with Christianity and tried to change the culture. Dr. Jotia (the professor taking us around.) He said that he feels closest to God when he can worship Him (God)  in his own language and in his own way. 

Botswana Day #3 Cave Paintings and three little children!

Today was another amazing adventure in Botswana. We woke up and went to see cave paintings that were drawn over 2000 years ago. They were drawn by the magic men who would give thanks to the gods for the animals that they had received to eat for the day. In the middle of our tour we were joined by some of the natives and by the end of the trip we were all taking pictures together and enjoying each other’s company.
After this we stopped by a huge tree with historical significance (see below) and I saw three kids standing outside their home. What did I do? I ran after them! I was so excited to chase them as they run screaming. Then I said dumela (hello) to the mother and the baby on her lap started crying. Finally, I felt like I was back in Sierra Leone!

Botswana Day #2: Seeing Botswana and the African Safari

We arrived in Botswana after 24 hours of traveling! By the time we got in it was already dark but by the looks of it, it seems similar to America, we will see tomorrow. We are living at the University of Botswana in a family style dorm with 6 bedrooms and a common living room. The next day we woke up and went on an a two hour African Safari. We went to the same place the our past presidents have been on and we ran into someone in the secret security (graduate of UCF) who was planning a trip for Michelle Obama who will be traveling to Botswana in the next 10 days. During the safari we saw wildebeests, giraffes, pumas, impalas and more… it was awesome!

I noticed that I don’t find a difference between America and here. I see certain parts of the culture that are similar to Sierra Leone, like statues, time, some clothing, some common phrases. But almost everything else is Americanized. How can the same continent be so different. Botswana is still considered a developing country but things seem to be going very well. After the Safari we went to the mall (which looked better then most of the malls near us), we walk into stores with air conditioning, there are cars high class cars everywhere, and I could shop for any and everything I could ever need in America but more cheap.

Day#2 and Im Already in Trouble

It’s amazing when you see the faith of a younger generation professing their faith and shining the light of Jesus to others! I was honored to witness this first hand with a group of girls (ages 12-17.) I sat outside as they passed me and said, “we’re going to go evangelize, want to come?” I jumped at the opportunity and followed as we walked 30 minutes to a small village through the forest. The girls decided that they would surprise a family there by making dinner for them so as soon as they reached the village they worked together to cook a meal for the family. Then they walked around the village to talk with people and invite them to join us in bible study. Everyone piled on benches in the middle of the village. I had to hide because there was a baby who would cry every time he saw my face (think about how scared you would be seeing a person who was a different color then you had ever seen.) Then the girls led worship, and gave a sermon, had a memory verse, and in the end prayed over all of the people. Praise God for these women of faith and their devotion to the Lord. They do this every Wednesday. They go into villages, make relationships, and share the gospel BOLDLY! …we went “flow flow” (fast) home because it was getting dark…and I arrived home like a child who knew she had done something that probably disappointed her parents. Uncle Magnus (who was in charge of our team) was waiting for me. Lets just say I was on strict orders for the rest of the trip to tell him if I went anywhere! J

Living in a Village

We journey to Sinhuan Sunday morning so that we could make it to church before settling into where we would be staying for the next two nights. We enjoyed worship in English and Mende (their native language) and a sermon by Father Abraham who planted the church and is also a teacher at the school. Father Abraham praised God because he has 9 children and his oldest in currently in University. For a man living in a village to have a child in university is a testimony to how God can provide miracles! After church we walked with Father Abraham to where we would be staying. They put us up in the chiefs house and so unlike many other huts with dirt floors we had a cement ground! Then showed us the bathrooms in the back of many of the huts. One was covered with palm trees and rocks at the bottom to do your business (this is also where you bath) and the other (for #2) was also covered with palm trees and a cylinder block you could sit on! After getting settled in we walked with the children to see the women making palm oil..and after helping them for 10 minutes I was exhausted and yet these women were at least 50 years of age who had been doing this for hours already! Then it began to pour and we ran to father Abrahams porch where we sat together eating mangos until the rain cleared!

            Once the women returned Courtney and I helped prepare dinner. We did not know the language very well so she would show us how to do certain things and we would mimic her. As we cooked they played music and the children, moms, and dads began dancing (MTV style) and would laugh and Courtney and I when we would try to dance with them.

            As night fell it was pitch black. We began to get out head lamps out as the children crowded around our home. Then Uncle Ben (another teacher from the school) brought out a lamp, as other brought instruments, and chairs, and then the worship party began. We danced until 11pm at night! To watch them dance is truly remarkable because, you can see the joy in their eyes as they dance, it was amazing.

            No matter how late I go to bed I always wake up early and this was no different. People begin waking up at 6am fetching water and preparing for work for the day. Children must do their chores before they leave for school so I watched as children swept and walked up and down the hill fetching water. The morning were my favorite times because I felt apart of their culture! I said BAE (how did you sleep) as people walked past and they would respond Cyangoma (praise God) and we would shake hands to greet one another. Once everyone was ready we walked through the swamp, across the forest, and in a village together to get to school!

            The next night was another night of dancing, singing, and praise to the Lord! This village holds a special place in my heart because of people like Father Abraham and Uncle Ben who have been faithful to the Lord and have brought hope into their village by shining the light of Jesus! 

Short Term Mission Trips

I don’t think I could do another short-term mission unless it was in Sierra Leone again (since I want to continue the relationships I have built here.) The reason being that I always think of the future. So being in a short term mission you can be involved in peoples lives but you only allow a certain amount of your self to be fully immersed because you know you will be back to your “real world” in a short matter. So if you face trials “well I only have this much time left and then ill be home,” I am not saying short-term missions are a bad thing because I think they are wonderful. They have opened my eyes to realities I was blind to before going but personally I could NOT do another new short-term mission trip. If I go on another mission trip I’m going there with the mindset of being there for life. Without a pre-purchased plane ticket home. 

Sick In Africa

So I am sitting in the house with Mark. We are both in for the day because of the sickness that has overcome him, Matt, and I the past couple of days. Being sick in Africa without running water and living with 8 other people has defiantly been an adventure in itself.  It is not fun being sick in Africa.  Although it has been eye opening for realizing what it is like for the people living here. I became sick the morning we were still staying in the village and had to leave the village earlier to get home. The walk from Sinuhun to where I stay in COTN goes through a swamp and takes about 30 minutes to walk. COTN is also the only place with a nurse and so whenever people are sick they have to walk to COTN to get treatment. As I walked I praised God I didn’t feel worse and that I was able to walk straight to my house, but I thought about all the people who are sick past to point where they should be walking and yet they have to walk in the heat of Africa at least a mile (usually more) to get help. In America we get sick and we have a nice big bed to lay in, tv to reoccupy our mind from the pain were feeling, light in the night when we cant sleep, air conditioning, a car to drive in if we need help, and ambulance to pick us up if we REALLY need help, and yet here they have none of this. 

Car Accident in Africa

Obstacle #3 car accident in Africa. Courtney, Matt, and I were exhausted. It was 1pm and after picking up some needed supplies to hold us over until we got our bags we started to head to Banta (where the Orphanage is.) This is about a 7 hour ride. Needless to say we all started to pass out in the back of the range rover. I woke up without knowing what was going on, but with immediate fright. I began to be tossed around the car and all I remember is looking out the window and thinking “im going to fall out of the car, im going to fall out of the car…Im going to die”…by the power of God (and I still don’t know how I stayed inside) I was pulled back inside of the car. Then everything stopped. We all got out of the car and I see Courtney lay immediately on the ground with a bloody nose. I look at the side windows and they are both smashed out, I check on everyone else as other people stop their cars and run up to the scene to make sure we are all ok. I didn't know what to do. I hear Mama Angie tell me to get water and so I go to the back of the truck to get water and things are everywhere! There is a mix of water, eggs, food, and glass. I grab a bottle of water and go back out. It was then that I noticed that I was also bleeding and the natives around that ran when they saw the accident tried to care for my wound. Then we all piled back into the car without knowing what happened. As we sit there Courtney begins to cry, the shock of the accident begins to set in on all of us and we are paralyzed by what we just experienced. We head to the nearest “hospital” just so everyone can be checked out. We get out of the car and see the front completely smashed. We asked Uncle Magnus and Mama Angie who were sitting in front what happened and they couldn’t tell us. They said there was a force from the car pushing us to the side. We ran off the side of the rode through a ditch and back on. We still don’t know what hit the front of the car or why the two side windows were smashed out. Again I praise God that His glory shines through this situation. He continues to put situations in my life where I can ONLY rely on Him and ONLY trust in Him more and more. Father knows best! As the drive went on (we still had 6 hours a head of us) more bruises and aches began to arise. We finally arrived to the orphanage around 9pm where we received the most powerful healing, beng surrounded by the children. Before I even got out of the car I heard “auntie Jesi!.” The kids knew someone would be arriving but they had no idea who it was. I got out of the truck to the children overwhelming me with hugs and praise that I “kept my promise and returned.”Then, I walked into house 2 (the house I looked after last time) and saw pictures I had left with the kids all around the room. Pictures of my mom, dad, brothers, sister, grandma, friends…it was breathtaking to see that I have a special place in the lives of these children just as they have a special place in my life as well (if you cam to my house before leaving and saw an abundant amount of my Sierra Leone children you would understand.) Its now day 5 and I am feeling almost 100% better. Courtney and Matt still have pains in their back and shoulders and Mama Angie went to a doctor today for the pain she began to feel. But we are all here to continue to walk down the path God has laid out for us to shine His glory. 

God is Powerful!

This path God has been leading me on…has been…refining. I don’t like to fail, I like to succeed and succeed well at everything I do. And so the realization that I was not going to be able to go to India and that there was nothing that I could do about it, forced me to realize that need and fall on God and listening for His voice instead of forcing my own ways. Of course that whole process of getting both the Sierra Leone and India visa was chaos. I spent numerous hours, a lot of money, lost one passport, and lost nights of sleep worrying over the situation. God showed me that he can make things happen but he also has the power to take it away (something we rarely recognize.)

            Then by the power of God alone, Courtney surprised Matt and I in the airport and hour before boarding the plane. Recently we had come to the conclusion that Courtney would not be able to come because her second passport was lost in the mail and she was not able to obtain a visa. Amazingly, she received a emergency visa within hours and was given the go ahead to get on the plane and the visa would be handled upon getting to Sierra Leone. Another way God showed his power. We arrived in Freetown and went right through security because of the connections the COTN has with the natives.

            Obstacle #2 all 6 of our bags get lost. We were told that our carry on’s needed to be checked in because of space and so the only things we had were the cloths we were wearing, a couple books, and our medications. We arrived in Freetown at 3:00am and did not leave until 7:00am waiting to make sure we would be notified when our bags returned. But again God showed His glory. None of us were upset. We were so glad to be there that the bags did not even seem to matter. God will provide our every need. 

Financial Update

Because of everything that has been going on with my passport and visa it looks like I won’t be going to India. God has a different for me. So I may be coming home a month early. There are some opportunities for me to go to Nepal but if that works out, it will be all God.

Financial Update:

            So the deadline for me to raise money for COTN is coming up on March 29^th.  As most of you know things have gone less then smoothly with obtaining visas for Sierra Leone and India. Because of this I have literary spent all of the money I have on making this a priority (God really wants me to live with nothing when I get back…I guess he knows I like a challenge) But because of this I am completely relying on God to put it on the hearts of others to be apart of this journey and help to raise the rest of the money for both my trip to Sierra Leone and India. I still need to raise $220 for Sierra Leone. If your reading this you have either already donated or I know that you are praying for my trip! I would love your help in spreading the word about the mission God has called me to. Please share my blog, my email, my skype, and I just uploaded the mission video of Courtney, Matt, and I on skype for please share that as well!

            I would also hope you would be open to praying about supporting my trip! If you are not feeling like God is leading you to give financially but prayerfully that is amazing! But if you do feel him calling you to give I pray that you would follow and help the Gods plan be fulfilled! I love how God only makes mission trips possible (most of the time) by the help of brothers and sisters coming together for the common purpose of bringing Gods glory to the nations! 

Reflection on my Time in Spain

My experience in Spain has opened my eyes in so many ways:

Relationships

            It really is all about building relationships! It has been amazing to see the opportunities God has given me to show his glory and be involved in other peoples lives here in Spain through work. I am not working as a “missionary” or in a church. I am a school teacher, and an English tutor and that has led to some amazing relationships being formed. Yesterday, I was sitting in the park reading and 7 of my 5^th grade girls came up to me and we talked in spanglish for almost an hour and enjoyed each others company! When I go to church on Sunday at least 10 students from my school go to the same church and I get to see them. When I tutor I get to be inside homes and get to know the family, I was even invited over for dinner one night to one of my families homes! And also the opportunity I have had to get to know people in high school (I swear I know enough to start Young Life Miranda De Ebro.) Anyone can choose to be a missionary anywhere and anytime by living a life for God in an area where hearts are far from Jesus.  Because darkness is not only in villages far away in developing countries but it is in places where the truth and the AWESOME reality of Jesus and what he did for us, continues to do for us, and wants for our lives has been lost.“by 2025 in terms of numbers of adherents, Africa will have replaced Europe and the United States as the center of Christianity. BY 2050, Uganda alone is expected to have more Christians then the largest four or five Europeans countries combined.” (When Helping Hurts) After living in a Europeans country and talking with people about God that does NOT surprise me.

            What’s worse? For there to be no opportunity to hear the gospel or for the church, the word, the workers, to be surrounding the community and yet the community continues to live in darkness. Its as God explains in the Old Testament “these people come near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is made up only of rules taught by man.” Isaiah 29:13, and Jesus in the new testament “these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” Matthew 15:8, I learned that more and more people are going on short term mission trips and less and less are deciding to stay long term. Long term would mean leaving your comforts, starting over with new people, learning the culture and taking the time to adjust and learn the language, and most difficult of all leaving family and friends.

Old Testament Appreciation

            “Because of the lords great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “the lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3: 22-24 You expect a verse like this to be from the new testaments, I think the reason I love it so much is that it is from the old testament. We always look at the old testament as a whole as a book of judgment and condemnation and when we focus on that we miss out on seeing the love of compassion of God shining through the scriptures…which, I think is what the Pharisees focused on. I have grown to have a new appreciation for the old testament! As I read the parts that are difficult to grasp I thank God for sending his son Jesus to die for me so that I am free from living under the law “Chris redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” Galatians 3:13, and free to live and to die for Him, and when I read the many parts about compassion, justice, grace, and hope and praise God for who he is and I continue to learn more about his character and fall more and more in love with him as our relationship continues to grow.  

Married to God

            I have also come to a new revelation concerning the life I want to live for and devote to God. This is easily summed up by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 where he says “it is good for a man (women) not to marry” And my thoughts are perfectly explained in verses 33-34 “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried women is concerned about the Lords affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But the married women is concerned about the affairs of this world- how she can please her husband (and look after her kids.) I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 

Live for Today

            I have also been wrestling with living for today for “do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself, today has enough worries of its own,” when it has come to passports/visas, school assignments, thinking about being in India and Sierra Leone, and thinking about returning home with absolutely NO MONEY left in my account. That’s why it is so reassuring to know that God will satisfy my needs. He will provide my with my visa and passport, he will lead me when I get to Sierra Leone and Africa, and when I return he will take the money I start to make when I get home (and begin working) and he can double it or triple it to lead me down the path he has planned for me.

            The most consuming part of this whole trip has obviously been the stress of obtaining visas and having a passport to leave (which Court and I are still in the middle of achieving.) Through that these verses have helped me a lot:

“God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed and I can not change it.” Numbers 23: 19-20 …again..how reassuring to KNOW that I CANT CHANGE IT!!

But Jesus overheard them and said to Jarius, ‘Don’t be afraid just have faith.” Mark 5:36 Imagine complaining about something that is stressing you out more then anything. It has caused you to lose sleep, been consuming your mind, and making you want to BREAK, and Jesus just turns to you calmly and says “ look man, no worries, just have faith” WOW!!

My Verse From Espana:

…that I have learned to accept, and love!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Isaiah 55:8 …AMEN! 

Three Weeks Left…TIME FLIES!

  

            

It’s hard to believe that I have been here for over two months and that I will be leaving in less then three weeks! Today a teacher I work with asked me when I was leaving and when I told her she said “oh no, I am going to cry when you leave.” I have made relationships with the people here. I have lived and eaten dinner in peoples homes, I have taught students 5 days a week, I have learned how to order food, get a bus ticket, and send out packages in the mail WITHOUT a translator! Though I cant always do what is culturally normal (like when I went to bed (super early as my house mom would say) last night at 8pm, or as I sit by myself in a bar on my computer, I have begun to love the culture that surrounds me!

Today I was interviewed for the paper that will come out tomorrow in the newspaper. I sat there with the person interviewing me and one of the teachers (Sarah) who translated and it was so rewarding to look back on my time here, and to think about the progress my students have made! Whenever I walk into town I hear “hello” “hello”, when I walk through the school I hear “hello.” I have seen students who hated English learn to love it and try to talk to me with it often! I have also had the privilege of going to church with many of students!!

            Also, as many of you know, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong with Courtney and I trying to receive our visas. But after all the chaos it looks like Courtney and I should have both visas by the LAST day we are in Spain…yay..only God would make us trust in Him THAT MUCH!!

            Now, I enjoy the last three weeks (I say 2 weeks because the last week doesn’t count.) I get to see my sister tomorrow and my headmaster has given me the day of Thursday to spend more time with her, I am going to Burgos this weekend and spending a couple days with Matt, and Courtney, and some of the teachers from Courtney’s school, Alba (mi hermana) is playing in the “Oliver Twist Play next weekend! God is so great!!! I cant wait to continue these awesome relationships I have made in the future!!

            

Trapped and only my Father can lift me up!

 Its amazing how sneaky the devil can be and how the world can overcome you so quickly. These past couple weeks I have felt trapped by the world and I have caught myself falling back into distractions that lead me away from solely keeping my eyes upon God.  My mind can not be still, I am either thinking about my lesson plans that I need to do for tomorrow, or the day after, or the week after, and I worry over them going well. Or I worry about my passport and visa and if they will make it on time. Or I worry about money and how I will afford anything when I return home. Or I worry about not having enough time to do go for a run, or read, or take a nap. I have found myself occupying the time I am given with facebook, or skype, or email, or movies. So I decided for the next week I am fasting from all of the above and just focusing on the Lord. I am going to be out of contact with everyone (yes even Courtney) for one week, starting on Monday (since we have a meeting with the government this weekend). Everything can be put on hold as long as it’s for the Lord. So if you do not hear from me I AM OK!! J But I need to be refreshed and spent sometime with my Father, otherwise I will not be able to continue off the strength my father gives me but I will be relying on my own strength and power (which never goes well.) Love you all, miss you, praying for you! If you have any prayers I can be praying for this week please let me know before Monday so that I can be praying throughout the week! 

The devil may try but God ALWAYS Prevails

 These past couple days have been testing. God has been testing me to see if I would continue to follow his plan for me even when its hard to do so.

            Courtney and I have been waiting for our passports to get to America so that we could get our visas for Sierra Leone and India. After some worrying and investigation we learned that our passports were being held in customs in Spain because the package looked “suspicious,” this process could take 2 months for us to get our passports back. So after a lot of researching, calling, and praying we decided to go to the US Embassy in Spain to apply for a lost passport (a process that is suppose to take 3 weeks for us to receive.) At this point going to Sierra Leone and India looked impossible…but who better to do the impossible then God! However, the devil tried to make it as difficult as possible.

            Courtney and I both received Thursday off of work. I booked my bus ticket for 2:35 (I have a 5 hour trip to Madrid) and Courtney booked hers for 5:00 (she has a 2 hour trip.) Well in the craziness I forgot about military time, so after waiting an hour for my bus I realized I had booked a ticket for 2:30 in the morning (why would there be a bus that early??) so I rushed home and booked another ticket (with my house family to make sure it was the right one) that would leave at 6:00pm. As I waited for my bus (that was 30min late) I realized I had booked the wrong ticket again. I booked a ticket for the 3^rd instead of the 2^nd. However, the bus was not full so I hoped the driver wouldn’t notice. He didn’t notice until we were an hour away. He stopped the bus and searched the rows for a “Miranda” rider, then talked loudly and told me I couldn’t be on the bus (all this was said in Spanish BTW) When I got to the next bus station in Burgos I went to try and change my ticket but the lady had no idea what I was talking about….then Jesus stepped in again and a guy from behind me said “ can I help you” and translated everything for me just in time to get a ticket. (By this time Courtney is in Madrid, by herself, at night, scared) Then my bus was off for the 4 more hours of trip I had left (and I get car sickness) so as I got off the bus all I wanted was a sprite…and the machine gave me a fanta… (the big climax) At this point I know God would have to do something miraculous to make the US Embassy go smoothly. Guess what? He did! Courtney and I spent the night in Madrid (for cheap), found the embassy, and applied for out new passports with the nicest women ever…one of the ladies who decided if we got it or not daughter is teaching English outside of the country so when we told her we were teaching English she was more then happy to help us! Plus the other lady who helped is getting us our passports in a week! This means just enough time to get both passports!!

 It is so sneaky how the devil uses this to disguise what he does as good. There were times throughout this process where I thought, “maybe Gods plan is just different what I expected” and I even begin to look for other options. But NO “numbers verse” 

Me Gusta España

I had my first ¨I am really going to miss Spain when I leave¨ moment yesterday. This whole week I have had moments where I pause and think about the situation I have been placed in and how I have adjusted. I walk to different bars and get coffee daily, I meet with people in the city, I walk everywhere and use the bus when I need to, I know my way around, and I am beginning to understand people more and more. Also, since my 2nd week here I have never had a time where I have walked into town without seeing someone I know, and stopping to stay hi.
Thursdays are my busy days with 3, 4,5, and 1st grade classes, a meeting after school, and two private lessons at night. And tonight was also the night that many of the teachers invited me to go out with them for tapas (and in Spain when people go out they never go home before 2am). This week I have been very tired, trying to finish all of the school for UCF I have so that I don’t have to worry about it anymore. And I had felt the need for some alone time (not working.) It just so happened that Thursdays meeting was cancelled and one of my private tutoring session was also cancelled because the girl has chicken pox. So I had 3 whole hours to lay down and relax!!! Ahhh…. :) After my 6 o clock lesson I went for a night run (I feel completely safe running since old ladies and children are all walking around at night) and then returned how to get ready for the night out with my teachers!
As I left home and went into the city to meet people I KNOW, I felt this feeling of comfort…and as I was walking I saw one of my students helping his grandmother walk across the street. He looked back and saw me and said ¨HELLLLOOO Jesi (yesi).¨ This isn’t even a student I have in class but just a student I see everyday..it really is amazing the difference a teacher has in the lives of children just by showing up!
Then I met with the teachers and we went to different bars and got tapas and I ended up spending the night with three other teachers at there apartment right across from school. This morning we all woke up, had breakfast together, and went to school!
Me gusta España!!

Being Challenged and Becoming Content

It has now been over a month since I left Florida to begin the journey that God called me to. Before I left I was nervous about going from Orlando where I had a strong Christian family surrounding me. People who I could be held accountable to and challenged by and I thought what not having that would do for my relationship with God when I came to Spain. I also wondered how I would show the love of God to others and serve my community. Now that I have been here I have realized so many things! I’ve realized that even though I don’t have a strong church family surrounding me physically I do have them with me spiritually by their prayers, and no matter where I go God’s presence is always JUST as strong as long as I am keeping my eyes on Him! I feel like I am held just as accountable and am being challenged just as much by myself by what God has been teaching me. God has really challenged me to believe that His ways really are better then my ways. If I could have it my way in the beginning I would have preferred to live alone and now I am realizing all of the relationships I am making with people because I was placed with a family. It has also given me an opportunity to show my faith through my actions and my words by talking with my family about my faith! He has shown me that it is not about finding “works of service” to do. But it is about acknowledging what he has put right in front of me and focus on building relationships with the people around me!
God has also shown me that I don’t need a cup of coffee in the morning to wake me up but instead all I need is a cup of His word and time with Him. It is not hard to wake up every morning at 7:15am. I wake up and read from my devotional “My Upmost for His Highest” what always challenges my mind before the day. Then I enjoy His word and finally walk to school. It usually takes about 25minutes to walk to school where I am able to spend silence with the Lord! I am not rushed…I don’t wake up grab something to eat, get in my car, drive to work….and go go go! Being here has taught me the importance of relaxing through out the day. There is no fast food here, you can’t get coffee to go, people sit and enjoy their coffee with conversation with others or a good book!

Psalm 32:8

Psalm 32: 8 “ I will instruct you and teach you in the way your should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Courtney and I went hiking this past weekend and went on top of a mountain and just sat and spent time with the Lord. As I sat I thought about this verse. It is so reassuring that God doesn’t just tell us where to go but that he “instructs” us and “teaches” us in the way we should go. He builds us up and using different circumstances to teach us to be the person he wants us to be when He calls us to what he has for our future. It is also reassuring that he councils us with a loving eye. Incase I start to disobey me teacher or walk  against His plan for me that will bring Him glory…he will be there to bring me back!! 

Better then the date of my dreams!!!

Friday I was walking into town to wait for the bus to that goes to where Courtney lives to visit her for the weekend.  As I walked I was able to take off my gloves and hat and by the end of my walk I could even take off my jacket (it has been freezing everyday since I got here). It was a beautiful day! The sun was out and everyone was walking around. As I walked I experienced one thing that gives me great joy, seeing students outside of school. I walked by one little girl who said “hello”, I said “hello how are you,” it took all she had in her to say “I am fine and you” which is the typical response (like how we say muy bien gracias.) I walked further and passed by five boys playing futbol (soccer) and I heard “HELLO” and saw them waving as I walked by. I waved them on and yelled “hello” back. Next, I was walking and heard the cutest voice of a small girl and I looked across the street to one of the 1^st grade girls waving with a big smile on her face saying “Hello Jesi.” I walked the rest of the way with a HUGE smile on my face like the smile of girl who was just taken out on the date of her dreams! It makes me so happy to see relationships being built with my students, even though it is EXTREMLY hard to communicate with them most of the time J, It shows how important ACTION really are. They know I care about them because of the interest I show in their lives…that important!!!

Side note: I went to have a pastry at the bakery as I waited for by bus and a little boy kept running up to my table and talking spanish for a couple minutes and then going back to his parents, then he would run up to me again speak spanish and run back...I had NO IDEA what he was saying...so I just nodded with a smile! 

Financial Update:

So it turns out that both trips cost more then expected, which means that I still need to raise $3500 in less then 3 months living thousands of miles away…good thing God is on my side ;). It has been amazing to see how God has put it on the hearts of many of you to give and be apart of this journey with me. Because of that I have raised over $1000! Praise the Lord! I also know many of you are praying for me and the path God is leading me down! Now I hope that you would keep me in your prayers when it comes to gaining financial support. Pray if this is something God wants you to do, pray that God would put it on the hearts of others, tell people you think would want to help about what I am doing and give them my email jesi.shearhod@gmail.com so that I can be in contact with them, and I would love to get ideas on how to fundraise living miles away!

I know God is going to show up in remarkable ways! Thanks for everything you all are doing!!

Ways to give

(Ways for you to share with others who might be interested about my trip how they can get involved!)

By mail:

Send check or money to my addressee at:

Jesica Shearhod

612 Lakescape Ct.

Orlando Fl. 32828

For Sierra Leone: THIS IS TAX DEDUCTABLE!! J

If you are sending a check make it out to Children of the Nations and include the team code (SL_TJS411) on the memo line.

I send the money I receive to Children of the Nation every other week

By Computer:

Donate online at http://www.cotni.org/opportunities/7

In the subject line put my name (Jesica Shearhod) and my team number (SL_TJS411)

Children of the Nations will then notify me of funds received.

For India (Our trip to India is not through a 501C3 organization and so it is NOT tax-deductable):

Make checks out in my name or go to my blog http://lightinthedarkness-jesi.blogspot.com/ at there is a button that says “Donate Now” where you can give support online.

More information:

For more information on Children of the Nations go to cotni.org

Pease feel free to contact me about more information!!

You can email me at jesi.shearhod@gmail.com

In Awe of God

The more I stay the more my eyes are opened and I see more aspects of

the culture and God´s place within it. I no longer see it as people

who go to church on Sunday and do nothing with it. Now it is more that

people DO NOT go to church except very few. The church is diminishing

here and Courtney and I are seeing a GREAT need for missionaries in

Europe (though we hope it wont be us, we don’t know what would be

harder being a missionary in Europe or in America.) We have also had

the opportunity to sit in a Spanish church service (30min long,,,yes

all of it) and sit in one of the most breathtaking churches. This church gives a whole new meaning to how we walk into and sit in church. Courtney and I stood outside and just looked at it…in my head I was thinking “this is too intimidating for someone seeking God and his forgiveness to feel worthy to walk into” when I said this Courtney responded in a way that I would not have expected. She said “isn’t that good?” At first I didn’t understand but then we started to talk about it. We talked about how we “people in America” don’t have fear for the Lord, he is was and will always be their “best friend” so there is an aspect of the relationship missing. However, we also have to be careful not to scare people into reading their bible, and praying, and committing their life to God (without the relationship) because that is when you create a church and people without the love of Christ and the WANT to know him!!! …then we walked into the church…

 

Each of us separated and walked around…then we both just sat down…silent…in awe….mind racing with questions. We sat infront of a statue of Jesus being crucified (in most churches) and it is one thing to visualize it in your head but when He is before you it takes it to another level. We left the church with our minds hurting from all of the concepts we were wrestling with and thinking about…it was awesome!!!

 

 These are the thoughts that have been running through my head:

·      12 disciples started ¨the church¨ in like one or two languages. Now

millions of people are disciples worshiping in many different

languages, and in many different parts of the world…God used …ONLY 12

PEOPLE!!!!

·      If this started with 12 people then think about what millions of

disciples can accomplish NOW for Gods kingdom

·      Disciples spent time going into cultures, learning the language of

the culture so that they could tell them about Jesus. They built

relationships with people instead of having translators constantly

there to translate their words and the bible, they learned the

language and they translated the bible.