October
Abba, remind me today that it doesn’t really matter what progress I make or what I accomplish or how I feel, only that I love as Jesus loved. Only that. -Eugene Peterson
Learning to love. In the midst of the difficulties. God is cultivating my heart: I feel the roots growing deep and deeper.
October usually commences the holiday season: cozy drinks, candles, soups, changing leaves, crisp air. This October has introduced 100+ degree days, intense humidity, wildfires and polluted air.
God is stripping my love of the material. What I long for in long walks, good coffee and fall colors, I am gaining a hundred fold in the joy that comes from living in God’s will. The deepest longings of my soul are fulfilled and overflowing with the presence of Christ.
A few thoughts are continuously rolling around in my head these days:
This is my life’s work.
Where I am weak, He is strong.
God uses everything.
I hold a child that is crying. I stay calm and steady while a little one is angry or frightened. I count and draw with a boy who was abandoned. Every day is full of these moments, and every day I feel the Lord telling me this is only the beginning. Orphans are near God’s heart. His love for the least of these is growing in me.
This is hard and tiring work. I find my patience running thin or see my lack of wisdom & experience. God is creating in me a dependence on His strength. I see my weaknesses, and I know Jesus is the Savior. I am not.
All (and I mean all) my past experiences and teachers have prepared me for right now. I have taught the teen girls about prayer: an area I have grown in thanks to the leadership of Pastor Darren. My high school friend who gifted me a calligraphy marker and notebook could little imagine that I would be teaching bolivian high schoolers with the same techniques she taught me eight years earlier. Making Christmas cards at my private school every year from K-12, prepared me to organize the children making Christmas cards for their sponsors this year.
I am so thankful for all those who have taught and prepared me for where I am. Many are not seeing the fruit of their labor in my life. This reality gives me hope though: I will likely not see the fruit of my labor this year. I can only plant seeds and pray, trusting God will do more than I can imagine through His grace and power in the lives of these young ones.
October passed in the blink of an eye.
I am teaching English classes throughout the week and loving every second of it. (Yes, everyone, y’all knew I was going to be a teacher, congratulations. Thanks for setting my fate in stone Mom & Dad.)
Tutoring is still my favorite: I love giving the individual love and attention to the kids.
Connecting through play and laughter is not only healing for the kids but helpful for me as well. Whether doing math, learning English, painting or doing laundry, I attempt to make it fun and full of love.
I baked almost nonstop this month. (Probably my form of attempting to bring normalcy and coziness to a completely different life) But, now all the tias and kids want me to teach them all my tricks, something I’m looking forward to in November.
I am officially official! After lots of paperwork, office visits and bureaucracy, I have my visa until next September. (It felt strange to realize I’m the foreigner & immigrant.)
Prayer Requests
Patience. Loving each child in the midst of their struggle is hard. Pray I can be a rock mirroring Jesus’ steadfast love.
Contentment. The days are emotionally up and down: some successes, some failures. Pray I will continually be fulfilled in Christ and have an eternal mindset rather than focusing on the things I do not have.
The Children’s Hearts. One of the girls here is deeply battling spiritual things while many others have hidden inward battles. Pray they know Jesus’ love.
