Rise & shine

Gods passion for the world. He loves all people and is good. But it is hard for people to believe that God is good because there is so much pain. How are these people supposed to find it believable?  That He is good for those that are hurting with so much pain in the world. The answer I am discovering from the Bible is a little surprising because it turns out that we’re the plan! God doesn’t have another plan. Jesus says to His followers, us as His disciples( Matt 5: 14, 16 ) YOU ARE the light of the world... Let your light shine among men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven! Jesus doesn’t say “you might be the light of the world” or “you could be the light of the world” or “I sure hope you turn out to be the light of the world”. Jesus says to us “you are it”.  In 2 Cor 5:20 Paul says God is making his appeal through us. For 2,000 years Christians have been trying to make it believable that God is so good through us, especially to those who are hurting and in pain by going to them and showing them the love of God. When we help these people, give, serve them, love on them and they see us- the body of Christ actually shows up. It becomes believable to them that God is so good.

             There are people suffering, not suffering because they haven’t heard the Gospel or because they don’t have food or because they don’t have doctors or don’t have housing. These are the people that are suffering in our world because of intentional oppression and abuse of other people... victims of injustice in our world. We know that God hates this kind of abuse and wants it to stop- Psalms 10: 17&18, Psalms 35:10. This is good news from Scripture. What is His plan for making it stop? The answer from the Bible again is that we are the plan, no other plan- Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 61. No doubt God has given us the job of justice in the world. When we feel powerless or full of despair or “who are we to do this” we can remember that the disciples felt the same during the feeding of 5,000. Jesus asked them “well, what do you have?” He told the disciples to give what they had to him. In that moment Jesus precedes to take responsibility.  “Will you give me what you have, so that I can do the miracle?”

The light of the Gospel goes to the darkest places. Let’s offer back to Jesus what He’s given us so others can know Gods goodness and freedom. We have influence.

Seeking first the Kingdom

So I am not teaching my kiddos this month... Jason, who will be teaching the Kindergarteners next year, took over. Jason is getting a taste of what next year could be like. Those kids are a big handful... oh ya! 

On Tuesday we have the end of the year trip, to Rosarito again this year. Eddie is bringing most of the kids with some of the staff for 3 fun days away from school. Then we will have 2 last weeks of school, our last day is May 31st! Wahhoooo!!! Seriously STOKED! Here we have our normal routine and more because it is the end of the year. Cleaning cleaning cleaning, packing, organizing and saying goodbyes. Graduation is the 8th of June and then the kids are off with their parents for the summer.

Pray for the future here at Rancho Sordo Mudo, for God to bring more servants... the harvest is ready but we need harvesters. I am praying that we trust God enough to provide each and every tool needed to do His work for His glory. Know that He is in control of every single detail of our lives. Looking at our position for next year, we seem to be lacking what we need to be more affective as teachers. I am praying for those staying here at Rancho Sordo Mudo to not miss what God wants to do. What GOD WANTS to do, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven... is our will actually aligned with His?  Lets not look back, not look to what has already been done but instead look to what He wants to do now. Perhaps our God wants to do bigger and better things, miracles in Jesus's Name, even do the impossible. 

Jesus let us see from Your eyes and have Your perspective on things, not staying content looking from our own perspective, but first seeking You and all of Your ways. You are beautiful in all of Your ways.

Spelling contest!

Our annual spelling contest was on Thursday the 25th or April! My class consisted of three levels: level 1-Milagros and Antonio looked at a picture and signed what it was, Level 2- Yahir Alexis and Juan Jose did word recognition, and Juan Jose, Level 3 Leticia, Isabel, and Ruben - I would sign a word to them and the had to finger spell the word to me. Winners were Antonio, Juan Jose, and Isabel. They all did great... I am proud of them all for their great attitudes whether or not they won. The rest of the school also did awesome! The other classes were at a higher level of spelling difficulty and also did awesome! I am amazed at these kids! They came here with little or no language and now are able to communicate, memorize words, even to read and write! God is so stinkin big and can work in any and all lives. I cant wait to see how God will use the kids that want to live for Him. There are no limits...

Pictures from my class:

Please pray with me that God raises up leaders here,Christ following leaders for the Deaf. Praying that our God grows leaders to go boldly out with the love Christ has lavished on us. Go to their neighbors, families and to the entire world and share this unfailing, unending, everlasting love. Praying that they will be willing to go where the Lord leads.

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2 students playing on my classroom shelf

   This month is not like any other, it is completely new. I will not be treating this month like the last. I wont be treating this day like yesterday. This new day is full of new promises, opportunities, and struggles. We welcome it all with joy.
   Every day here at Rancho Sordo Mudo I wake up and can not predict how the day will happen, how things will turn out. I know God goes before me, has already planned the day, and wants to guide me through it. Sometimes I just do not let Him... He is there but I am not seeking. With the fights in class, the time outs every 5 minutes, emotional toddlers and teenagers all in one room learning to communicate instead of fight, I gotta say it is easy for me to get distracted. And sadly because of my flesh and my wants I get distracted.
    I know God wants me to welcome all of those things and let him help me. When crazy life is happening I can look to Him for guidance, look to Him for power. Allow Him to work in and through it all.
   It is time to be quiet. I am enjoying just staying quiet. Looking for Him and asking Him what I should do, how I should respond or maybe I shouldn't respond. Waiting on Him to speak. Looking to include Him in every situation. He is teaching me to enjoy solitude. And it is so good for me.


Life is unexpected. One thing remains the same day to day... that never changes. You Lord cover me. You have covered our sin since the beginning of time, back in Genesis with Adam and Eve. Even after they sinned You Yahweh had compassion... Genesis 3:21 "And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them"... all the way to the Passover with the disciples, sharing communion. (Mark 14: 12-25) I'm sure the disciples were confused not having the passover lamb on the table. It was not on the table because the Lamb was at the table. The same Lamb of God that John the Baptist was talking about as Jesus walked toward John to get baptized (John 1:29). Jesus covered us ultimately with His love on that tree. Wow.

We are covered.
Now we can walk boldly and radically in the promise.

Hevenly Father You always amaze me.

I haven't wanted to update my blog because I didn't know exactly what to say. Whenever I would start to write something to let you know "my plans" it would change the very next day.

I am seeing things better, from His perspective... which changes everything. 

Well for a while now I have known that I am not going this July to Queretaro. That is one thing I know is certain. As much as I'd love to go and be there supporting Marisela I know I am not prepared like I could be. I have no doubt God would assist me and grow me in big ways if I went but wow I would not be as affective if I was just thrown into it.

I cant communicate fully with the little Spanish that I know. I do NOT want to mess up something so important and crucial because of miscommunication. The Gospel... is big and God is holy. Wow, a privilege and I need to have patience and not rush into things.  Now I am praying for God to give me all the right people and the right tools that I need right now in this moment.

So two options came up...

1. Radius International in Tijuanna,Baja California

2. Roca Blanca in Oaxaca, Mexico  http://rocablancaspanish.com/

Radius was my first choice... it is what everyone has been talking about and I know many good things about it. I even have a friend at Radius this year. For a while I never considered going there as a student myself until recently.

The second option I kept putting off and thought of it as the "back up... if I have to" but God changed my thinking... my heart. I totally was blind to what God was showing me. He was trying to show me this place but I was so interested in my first option that I ignored a big blessing. 

I decided to apply to Radius and see what would happen. I was really looking into Radius & finding out more about the program. I wasn't feeling anything sure yet... very unsettled and uncertain if it was right for what I was doing.  I still did not want to let go because how awesome it sounded.

Then I finally gave Roca Blanca a chance. I looked into it and was totally humbled by God. I realized how big of a snob I was and realized that I was not seeing with His eyes. Very quickly after I applied for Roca Blanca they replied and God gave me an overwhelming peace. He was showing me that sometimes the best way is not the most "intense" or "extravagant". He knows what is best for me... and that was my prayer. I prayed, being so confused, that You Lord would show me the best way for me specifically and God You know what I need. You know me better than I know myself and maybe Radius seems perfect but really another way is better. Oaxaca seems to be what God has for me. 

And well Roca Blanca is more flexible. A bonus. I can start the Spanish School in September and in October come home. Why would I come home? Well... very recently (like Saturday) my sista, Brooke, got engaged! She is getting married in November. With Roca Blanca I have the opportunity to go back to the states to be in her wedding and love on her then start school again in January! How perfect it that!? God has blessed me far more than I could ever ask for! He knows every detail and is amazing. I mean He didn't have to make this so perfect and maybe I would just have to deal with missing her wedding, but He obviously is a caring God. A God of relationship! He knows how much I love her. I think that just adds to God's rad-ness! More to be thankful for. 

Ok so I hope that is a good update. 

Oh, and I will be going to Queretaro. When? I don't know. And I think that is ok. 

I am learning to be content not knowing answers.

I am learning to be content when my plans get thrown out the window. I am content because His ways are so much better... so much more glorious. I am content because of His Peace.

 Philippians 4:19

He holds everything together.  

Here is my unique class! Every one of my students has their own story... completely different souls and are growing in big ways!
Praise God for creation, praise Him for children.
God give me the love I need, Your love for these guys that You have placed in my life.

Girls showing their books/ Ruben stud

Leticia & Juan Jose showing his book

Juan Jose pretending to cry... signing "crying"

Antonio!

Benito Juarez & Eggs!

We had an egg hunt here at Rancho Sordo Mudo to celebrate the birthday of Benito Juarez! With different teams we each had a specific color and our mission was to find the eggs with only that color. Our team color? Pink. And inside the eggs we could get candy, money, & puzzle pieces. While together inside our chow hall we had to put together the puzzle pieces to make the face of Benito. We also got to have fun dipping eggs, making spring time paper flowers, and preparing our own egg salad sandwiches. The day was educational and so much fun. We all had a great time learning about Benito and his influence for the Deaf of Mexico.

Pictures!

To know your name

I have some exciting news to share! In July I will be moving to Queretaro, Mexico to serve the deaf of the area along side a fellow missionary, Marisela Cano (Marisela Cano/ Queretaro kiddos/Queretaro). I am awed when I consider how God has used my time at Rancho Sordo Mudo to prepare me to minister to the unreached deaf of Queretaro. 

Marisela and three deaf children from Queretaro have lived at Rancho Sordo Mudo this school year in preparation for starting a deaf ministry in their home town.  When Marisela approached me about ministering with her, I asked the Lord to make it clear to me what He would have me do. I have to smile as I think of all the ways that He confirmed that His desire was for me to step out in faith and go to this unreached people group. I am comforted knowing that I do not have to have all the answers because He knows the plans he has for me and for the deaf of Queretaro.  I only need to be faithful to His calling.  God holds the universe in place, surely He is able to guide me in this new ministry. I am truly humbled to think God wants to use messy me to be a messenger of His good news. 

So many of the deaf of Mexico have no knowledge of their own name, let alone the name of Jesus. Today, one of my students wrote her name for the first time.  When she first came to Rancho Sordo Mudo, she did not know what it meant to have a name or that hers was Milagros. Now she knows her name and more importantly she knows the name of Jesus. I am so excited to be able to share that same good news with the deaf of Queretaro. 

This is my life, my one mission and I  place it in His Mighty hands... to love His people, to serve His people, and to grow with His people.

All this time God has been, with His word and with other Christ followers in my life, speaking to me...confirming Himself and the plans He has for me.

Here is one way God spoke to me... I talked about it in my blog 

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and another time here:

His beautiful Word and World Mandate West

For the word of God is living and active!

God keeps putting these verses in my life and in peoples lives around me... He is speaking to us.                         

Think about this:

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
³ to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
⁴ They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations."

What does this look like in your life? 

   
The Queretaro gang
Alexis age 6, Isabel age 13, and Leticia age 17. Marisela in the last photo with the 3 siblings. 
I am thankful for each one of them and am ready to see what God is going to do in each of our lives!