Whispers from God

Sometimes, like now, it feels as though I'm in a movie. I'm sitting in the kitchen feeling the cool breeze coming through the always opened doors, out the window I see rolling hills, and I hear a strange language coming out of the darkened people. As we drive in the crowded van to and from various places, I see busy streets, lots of taco restaurants, and broken homes. And that's when I realize this not a movie, this is not a dream, this is reality. I am actually living in Mexico, the place I'm calling "home" (in quotation due to the fact that I only consider one place my home) during these weeks, is on a mountainside, closer to Brazil than to my home.  And I have the opportunity to touch the results of broken homes. God has given me 18 sets of dusted fingers to teach music to, and four little minds to teach English to. What is this family going to remember when my time here is over? I want to accomplish everything God has for me here at this time, without worrying about the future, or what happens when I return home.
Being here "on my own" for this time as got me thinking that I'm growing up. I know, I know, I'm sixteen, and I have plenty of time to "grow up." But there's certain things that I can not control when they decided to mature. Like my heart, mind, and soul, when God teaches them, I can't just ignore Him and say "Sorry, God, I'm to young to grow up!" . College, ministry, school, music, all take up my extra thoughts, and it is scary knowing that I'm going to have to face these decisions one by one when I return home.The days of my youth are passing, but I thank my Lord that I will ever be able to entertain the spirit of my youth I can't say it enough, God is good. Even 1,800 miles away, God still uses my Pastor's messages to speak on what I need to hear. My Church family is always ready to listen and help, my family is on the other end of the phone, and God is just a whisper away.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement, you'll never know how much it means to me.

Some pictures from this week:

Being a missionary is hard.

There are all these children looking up at me and observing my life every day, I'm trying to learn how to teach piano in Spanish, I'm trying to learn how to just speak Spanish, and keeping up on my own school studies. Missing my family and friends, and upholding friendships with everyone here. Cheese that tastes funny, clothes that always feel damp, and cold showers. And on top of all this, God is working quite diligently on my own heart and life.

But you know what?

If God hand picked me to serve here, then these are not complaints, but praises. If this is all that I have to "suffer" then so be it! God gives strength daily, so I don't have to be worried about being "able." Stephen was stoned, the Apostles (among many others) were executed, John Bunyan was sentenced to prison, John Elliot was speared, all this for something called the Gospel. And the whole time they were being persecuted, they were praising God that he thought them worthy to suffer such things.

"God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called" ~Unknown

"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11

I'm finding out, that even though at times it is hard to serve here, all the little "sufferings" are completely worth it. Every time that I say the wrong thing in Spanish all the kids laugh and laugh, they think it's so funny. That's okay though because it allows me to laugh with them. God is good, and he takes care of his people.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:16-18

At the Waterpark

Baptisms. God calls believers to be baptized once they have put their trust in our saving Lord Jesus Christ. It is a profession, not a saving device. It is a claim of faith, not a religious ritual. It is saying "My God, my faith, His life."

This past week I was blessed to be able to witness two Zaragoza boys' baptisms, Caleb and Alejandro. Alejandro has been with the Zaragozas for just ten months. Coming from awful conditions, he barely knew what love was. He had been passed from aunt, to grandma, to cousin; no body wanted him. Then, he reached the Zaragozas, not only did he become a part the Zaragoza family, he was adopted into the family of God. To see him standing in the water professing his faith in Jesus Christ was so powerful. Knowing how far he has come in just a short amount of time reminded me the saving power of our Lord.

After the baptisms, we spent the day swimming and enjoying the nice weather God had given us. There were two water slides at the pool, none of us could get down them as fast as we wished. So we began sliding down on plastic water rafts. Doing so, we obtained the wanted speed. A few pictures of the day below:

Music

First full week of piano lessons went exceptionally well! I love each of my new students and I look forward to teaching them and becoming closer friends with them. Each one is unique, and has a special talent that I want to uncover and bring out. Not all of them love piano lessons, actually it bores several of them, but, I have seen in each of them an attraction to music and it's language. Whether it be piano, guitar, vocal, or violin, there's something in each of them that longs to make music. They are all so worshipful as well, at church, or at home whenever worshiping, there is such heart behind each voice. Even the littlest, David, sings with a full voice, claps his hands, and sways with the music, he is such a joy to be around. Music is amazing, it has a language all in itself. And whether you speak the same language or not, you can be deeply connected through the language of Music. Anything can be communicated through music, happiness, love, anger, peace, and they that know music, they understand it.
Language and communication is so complex. I am so glad that I have this language to communicate through, lest I go completely crazy not being able to say all I want to say in Spanish. It is so enjoyable working with the children that are bilingual. I love their accents when they speak English, and just as they help me with Spanish, I help them with their pronunciation in English. Here is a funny story I think you all will enjoy:
I was playing a game of Risk with Josiah (who is bilingual), Fidel (who is not), Mikayla (who is almost), and myself (who is trying). Josiah kept going back and forth between languages, to make sure everyone playing was on the same page. Then the game got a bit competitive, and we started to throw "playful bashes" at each other. i.e. "You better get used to losing" and so on. Well Josiah meant to say "What do you think you are, girl?" but it came out "What girl think you is?" It was hilarious, I think we all laughed for five minutes straight. It's amazing how much the brain can handle, most of the little ones can understand English, even though they don't speak it. Working twice a week with the kindergartners is really showing me how much they already know of English, they just need the practice now to speak it.

A Heart Like Theirs

I was reading about Paul and Silas in Acts 16, about when they were beaten, thrown in prison, and held in shackles, but still praised their Lord that they were worthy of such treatment! The condition of their heart amazed me. Thinking back, I get annoyed, upset or angry at such little things, and now, seeing the example of these two followers, I see that what is in the heart, is that which will come out.

Paul and Silas set out from the beginning with the right kind of heart. Ready to worship and praise God in good times, and in bad. They knew that they would get rejected, hated, and tormented, but they still followed God with their whole hearts. God not only brought them through, but led them to minister to the jail keeper. He was saved along with his whole household! This brings me to another conclusion: God knows everything. He knows what he is doing, and how he's going to do it.

We all have learned this in Sunday School. But to really think about it, and then act on it. To put all of my trust and hope in God, all of it, not withholding anything, takes a lot of courage. And the funny thing to me, is that courage comes from God! So we need God, to need God.

All of this, and yet, so much more to learn. Oh to have a heart like theirs.

Here are a few pics of this week:

Joan and Tom organizing school ciriculum

 The growing palm tree under their porch

 Refuge Ranch!

 One of the many games of Risk this week

 A huge thunder storm came through last night. I loved every minute of it. Althoug, quite upset, I was standing out side taking this picture, and I missed a picture opportunity of a lighten bolt three times!

 Before...

 After!

 "Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul"

O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens.When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

~Psalm 8:1, 3-4, 9

They Without Names

I blink
And I can hear them
I close my eyes
And I can see them
I dream
And I can touch them

Though not at all
Because I blink
And they're gone
I open my eyes
And they're gone
I wake up
And they're gone

I love them
But I can't hold them
I love them
But I can't touch them
I love them
And I don't even know their names

Now
even so
I look around and see
Two blue eyes
staring up at me
And this I know
I've touched at least one

One at a time
I will learn their names
One at a time
I will know their voice
One at a time
I will hold them forever

One at a time