The newest news: YoungLife.
For those who haven't heard of this ministry before, YoungLife's purpose is to reach out to kids of all ages with the gospel, but YL here in Jarabcoa is focusing primarily on the 6-8 grade range (called WyldLife) and the 9-12 graders (calle YoungLife). I learned today that YL also has the same youth-group type ministry for disabled children, called Capernaum, and for pregnant teen moms, called YoungLives, as well as for kids on college campuses (which is a bit newer). YL leaders strive to provide its kids with an exceptional experience every time they gather for "club" (think youth group meeting) or an "event" (think photo scavenger hunt or movie night).
Needless to say, the goal of YL is simple: to reach kids with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
How?
By befriending them.
By meeting them on their turf, where they're at.
By being Christ's love to them....
.....without exception or strings attached.
YL asks for a two year commitment from its leaders, and requires that all of their leaders have growing personal relationships with Christ. It asks leaders to focus on the "we" of the gospel, and not the "you". It's not "you" need Jesus because "you" are a sinner. On the contrary, "we" all need Jesus, and I'm so excited to tell you what He's done for "us"...
As I was reminded today, having to give and pour out for and into others when you are empty is...impossible. So whether I am filled with the joy of the Lord and in a lush, tropical place spiritually speaking, or in a desert where there is no water, I need to rely on the Lord to fill me with His love for these kids. I need humility to remember that it's not about how funny I am or how ridiculous I can be when pretending I'm a ghetto fabulous rapstar.
It's about doing these things to ULTIMATELY exemplify God's love to these kids, and sharing His truth with them each time we gather. It's about glorifying our Father and joining Him in His work to change hearts and transform lives.
That said, please pray for me as I finish leadership training next weekend and decide whether to do Young or WyldLife. I'll be sure to update which it is once I've made a decision. I really want it to be lead by God, not by my own comfort (which is why I want to choose WyldLife, but at the same time feel like the challenge of YoungLife might be where I should go....ahhh, decisions, decisions).
So please pray!
Lesson of the week:
This is the dogma we find so dull—this terrifying drama of which God is the victim and the hero. If this is dull, then what, in Heaven's name, is worthy to be called exciting? The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused him of being a bore—on the contrary, they thought him too dynamic to be safe.
-Dorothy Sayers
http://www.younglife.org/
sábado, 17 de septiembre de 2011
lunes, 12 de septiembre de 2011
September 12
It´s been one week since you looked at me...and almost three since my last blog udpate.
We´re starting our third full week of school (hence the lack of frequent updates) and it´s still hot here all the time. Instead of rambling on for multiple paragraphs, I´m going to list some of the newest/most exciting things that have happened over the last 21 days, which will hopefully give you a brief yet accurate update.
From most recently to least recently:
-This weekend I swam in a waterfall for the second time in my life, and climbed up one for the first time! It was impossible to see on the climb upñ I had to reach for the rocks and just hope that I wouldn´t slip off. It was fun, exciting, and I´d definitely do it again. Note: the waterfall water was much colder than the ¨cold¨ water I´ve been showering in since August 1st.
-My students have taken their first tests of the semester. We´ve had two spelling tests, one Bible test, and one Math test. So far, a lot of the Math is review. The Bible stories are ones they have heard before, but the kids have memorized Romans 3:23, 24 and John 13: 34, 35 and are starting 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 for this week. They love creating actions to help them remember the verses. We also started singing worship songs for Bible, we´ll hopefully do this every Friday morning after they take their Bible test. The Spelling tests have also gone well so far, these kids are intelligent, quick to pick up patterns and new words, and they will work hard and thoroughly when you challenge them to do their best.
-We had our first staff Bible study with the American teachers. Spanglish Bananagrams, laughter, coffeecake, tea and coffee, prayer and scripture...what more could you want?!
-I survived my first (hopefully last?) round of ¨tummy troubles¨which is a euphemism for diarrhea. Enough said. I am so thankful to be better!
I can´t think of much else that would interest you to know. There was a little gecko in the coffee pot last Monday morning. I went to grab the coffee pot and screamed when I saw the flash of his tail and his dark body--what I thought was a shadow inside the coffee pot started moving!--and then ended up laughing at the whole thing.
Please keep praying for me and for the students and staff at JCS. Pray for the staff to seek to be God´s love to one another and to the kids, to strive for excellence and not give ¨just enough¨ to get by. Pray for me to be excited and looking forward to time with Jesus every morning, for me to be patient and perseverant (is that a real word?) in my prayer life. And pray for these kids. They are far from perfect, sometimes frustrating, easily annoying, yet so valuable in God´s eyes and.....by His grace....in mine as well. I mean, I´m far from perfect, easily frustrating, and sometimes annoying too. And He still loves me!
p.s. If you´re looking for a great place to ¨meet¨ Jesus, to feel connected to the God of creation, GO OUTSIDE! For me, there´s no better place to feel completely surrounded by a God who is so majestic yet so intimately interested in us and knowing us than to be face to face with His beauty...
We´re starting our third full week of school (hence the lack of frequent updates) and it´s still hot here all the time. Instead of rambling on for multiple paragraphs, I´m going to list some of the newest/most exciting things that have happened over the last 21 days, which will hopefully give you a brief yet accurate update.
From most recently to least recently:
-This weekend I swam in a waterfall for the second time in my life, and climbed up one for the first time! It was impossible to see on the climb upñ I had to reach for the rocks and just hope that I wouldn´t slip off. It was fun, exciting, and I´d definitely do it again. Note: the waterfall water was much colder than the ¨cold¨ water I´ve been showering in since August 1st.
-My students have taken their first tests of the semester. We´ve had two spelling tests, one Bible test, and one Math test. So far, a lot of the Math is review. The Bible stories are ones they have heard before, but the kids have memorized Romans 3:23, 24 and John 13: 34, 35 and are starting 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 for this week. They love creating actions to help them remember the verses. We also started singing worship songs for Bible, we´ll hopefully do this every Friday morning after they take their Bible test. The Spelling tests have also gone well so far, these kids are intelligent, quick to pick up patterns and new words, and they will work hard and thoroughly when you challenge them to do their best.
-We had our first staff Bible study with the American teachers. Spanglish Bananagrams, laughter, coffeecake, tea and coffee, prayer and scripture...what more could you want?!
-I survived my first (hopefully last?) round of ¨tummy troubles¨which is a euphemism for diarrhea. Enough said. I am so thankful to be better!
I can´t think of much else that would interest you to know. There was a little gecko in the coffee pot last Monday morning. I went to grab the coffee pot and screamed when I saw the flash of his tail and his dark body--what I thought was a shadow inside the coffee pot started moving!--and then ended up laughing at the whole thing.
Please keep praying for me and for the students and staff at JCS. Pray for the staff to seek to be God´s love to one another and to the kids, to strive for excellence and not give ¨just enough¨ to get by. Pray for me to be excited and looking forward to time with Jesus every morning, for me to be patient and perseverant (is that a real word?) in my prayer life. And pray for these kids. They are far from perfect, sometimes frustrating, easily annoying, yet so valuable in God´s eyes and.....by His grace....in mine as well. I mean, I´m far from perfect, easily frustrating, and sometimes annoying too. And He still loves me!
p.s. If you´re looking for a great place to ¨meet¨ Jesus, to feel connected to the God of creation, GO OUTSIDE! For me, there´s no better place to feel completely surrounded by a God who is so majestic yet so intimately interested in us and knowing us than to be face to face with His beauty...
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