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”