chichigua
it makes me very sad to post this picture. this is chichigua. this is where i taught English and literacy for a whole year. i spent at least 3 hours every monday and wednesday in this place, able to look through the window of the church at one of the most amazing views of the beach in the DR.
and now, a wall goes up. why? because they're building a golf course. and of course rich, white golf players on vacation in the Caribbean don't want to see the poor haitian villagers behind them. but they don't even KNOW they don't want to see them, because they'll never even know that they're there.
so the next time you go on vacation, take some time to think about the people who LIVE in the country. i'm not saying you shouldn't take a vacation and enjoy yourself. but take some time to think. take some time to pray. take some time to consider giving to the country rather than taking from it.
for those who pray
I received this email from the Austin Stone Community Church. Please pray for this neighborhood. It is the poorest neighborhood in Austin. Over the years it has changed from being almost 100% African American, to 75% Hispanic, 25% African American (someone please correct me if those numbers are wrong).
Friend's of St. John's May 18th-24th
Hi Friends,
We have a lot to pray for this week as a family in the St. John's neighborhood has had a recent crisis:
Maria, a volunteer Promatora for Julie Weeks, has been displaced from her trailer home after it suffered extensive damage from a family emergency. Damages include broken windows, extensive roof damage, structural damage, interior damage, and pepper-spray damage after local law enforcements and the S.W.A.T team were called to the residence. Maria and her children are now at an alternative living facility since the home is unlivable. Additionally, Maria has lost her nanny job that's she's had for two years because of the events.
We are requesting help in the following areas:
- Help with construction/repair of the home. We are looking for people who have experience in this area and/or would be willing to donate supplies and labor. Repairs include structural, roof, and kitchen
- Work for Maria. She is looking for full or part time work as a nanny or childcare provider. Maria is a dynamic Christian woman with a generous heart, sincere faith and love for people, especially children.
*If you or anyone you know would be able to help or provide information in the above areas, please e-mail me, and i'll send it on.
Please pray for Maria and her family in the following ways:
- That Maria would continue to lay her burdens t the feet of Jesus at this time. Maria is a strong believer and has been grateful for Jesus even in the midst of all of this.
- That her children would not hold anger towards Maria or her husband. Pray that they would have father-like relationships placed in their path due to the current absence of their dad.
- That Maria would find work
- That their home would be able to be repaired and be a safe, livable environment again.
- That the body of Christ would continue to work together and seek wisdom of the Holy Spirit for the right steps to take. Maria is a member of Iglesia El Shaddai and we are working together with them to help her during this time.
Please share these requests with others or your small groups. Maria expressed to me that even in the midst of her current pain, she knows that God is with her and has been overwhelmed with gratitude at all the help she's received already.
seventeen days
i will be leaving for the dominican republic in 17 days. that's a little crazy. that means school is out in less than two weeks. it also means i've been back in the country almost a year. it means i need to start packing very, very soon.
it's really kind of hard to believe that i'm going back. i know it's only for a week, but to be able to see all of those precious faces again is beyond my imagination. and to see the finished schoolhouse with all of the kids in their uniforms - or just in clothes at all! - is going to be amazing.
we also have a pretty amazing group of people going on our trip. i think we are blessed to have a small group - 12 of us total - which means we'll be able to have more opportunities to hang out with the people and hear their stories, something that isn't possible with larger groups because you draw a crowd and then chaos breaks out.
on this trip we'll also be getting involved with the local church in Montellano, Templo Biblico, to work alongside their youth in ministering to those in need that are in their every day community.
i don't think i can put into words how excited i am to visit this amazing country.
if you would still like to give financially to our group, just email me and i can give you more info on how much is needed and where to send it. thanks!
life
sometimes i forget to live life. whether i'm too busy or not busy enough, i forget to enjoy each moment for what it's worth.
this weekend was a good weekend.
on friday night i sat on my couch and watched a good movie.
saturday morning i helped some friends move.
saturday afternoon i cleaned and organized and spent some time in the sunshine at the pool.
saturday evening i ate a wonderful cookie at austin java with a friend i don't see often.
sunday i slept in, had breakfast with my roommate and watched a movie.
i called my mom for mother's day.
i spent the day resting and reading.
sunday evening i went to church and got in bed by 9:00.
and i enjoyed every minute of it.
too often i get caught up in doing things, making plans in advance to ensure productivity, and working really hard to make sure i get to rest - so hard, in fact, that those plans don't actually end up very restful.
and now that i'm finished with the first draft of my thesis i'm finding myself with much more time to do things i want to do. i'm finding more time to watch movies. more time to go sit at a coffee shop and just talk. more time for things like baseball games and afternoons at the pool. i am very thankful for this time. and i'm excited to see what new things i get to do with it.
reality
reality is sometimes a hard thing to grasp. it seems like it should be easy cause, well, it's reality. but i think it's harder than we realize.
it's especially hard for those of us who know that reality
could be different. we have to live in the reality of this broken world, yet we hope in the reality that we serve a BIG GOD who can do GREAT things. and we so often forget that simple Truth, that God is bigger than us and the world we live in.
and so we don't pray big. we don't pray specifically. we don't pray persistently. we don't pray passionately. and then we don't see God do big things, because we haven't asked him to.
| 1Sa 1:15 | But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. |
| 1Sa 1:16 | “Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
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| Act 4:29 | “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants[fn5] to continue to speak your word with all boldness, |
| Act 4:30 | “while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” |
| Act 4:31 | And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. |
So let's pour out our hearts to a God who has the power to make a great reality.
