Emmanuel, God With Us

Agua Agua Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink

Buenos Dias!!!

I love and miss all of you. I am having a fantastic time here in the Dominican.

The Colorado Team left at 4 this morning for the airport. Pastor and his family drove them back in the bus. Saying goodbye was very sad, but I am so happy that I get to stay a little longer. They had a successful four day VBS! The theme was transformation and they used the analogy of the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly (la mariposa). I am sure pictures will begin to appear on facebook! Unfortunately I have not been doing very well taking pictures haha. This will have to change. So sorry again that I do not really have too many pictures. I will have to upload the pictures I do have later.

It is the coolest feeling being able to walk through the streets of Pimentel and to have children from all directions calling out your name. Some of the 500 children that came to VBS and that we played football, volleyball, soccer, hacky sack (yes I am becoming a pro -- I have a few videos of how amazing these kids are at hacky sack).

All of the girls here always want to shower you with gifts. One girl (about eight years old) wrote me a letter in Spanglish and gave me a ring and a wooden cross to put around my next. They are constantly trying to give me things off their ears and out of their hair. They freely love and freely give just to make you happy.

This upcoming week Lindsey, Cierra, and I will begin to work on the child sponsorship website and outline plans for a girls Volleyball camp. I will also begin to work on revamping the YFC Project Serve Handbook and Bible Study guide.

God is so good. His presence here always seems to be magnified. The relationships of people within the community are stronger. Since children do not have televisions or video games, they are playing outside with one another. I love children so much. They do not care that we speak another language. They just want to be invited to play. They just want to be accepted. That is how the Lord wants it to be: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." ~Matthew 18:1-4~

To love like a child. I keep thinking about the verse in 2 Samuel where it says, "I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." ~2 Samuel 6:22~ To freely serve the Lord with no inhibitions. That's what I want to be able to do. To love and serve and to be able to sing out that I'll become even more undignified than this.

The sun is intense. I got a little sun burned yesterday even after applying 50 SPF sunblock several times! Sorry Laura, but I am going to have weird tan lines for your wedding... :-)

I can never seem to organize my thoughts while I am writing on this blog page. Now that the team has left, I will have more downtime to consistently write updates. I have many thoughts that I am still trying to process.

I would like to ask for prayer in the areas of health, wisdom, and safety.

I would also like to ask you to pray that I have discernment in the area of a job. I can hardly believe that it is almost July!! I just read an email from Melissa (Thanks MELISSA I LOVE YOU!) and something that she encouraged me to do was to make every moment count. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Miss you!!
<3
Theresa

Hola from Pimentel, Dominican Republic!

Hi everyone!!

Today is my first day on the Internet! Thank you for your patience waiting for a post from me! I will try to give you a quick overview of everything since I have been here.

First off, thank you for your prayers. They are much needed! Please continue to pray for me and this journey that I am on.

Our flights went very well and we did not run into any problems with luggage or customs. We were picked up from the airport by Pastor and his wife. The three of us were already exhausted from a lack of sleep, anxious anticipation, and the traveling. When we arrived to Pimentel we dropped off our supplies to MIVA (the school/ church grounds) and then we went to Mary's house. (Mary is Pastor's oldest daughter. She lives a few blocks from the church with her husband and 18 month old son.)

Friday we spent our day resting and getting settled in. Saturday we went to San Francisco (about an hour away) with Pastor and his family to get groceries. The food here is very good! And yes... there are a lot of rice and beans  :-)  We even had a chance to go swimming on Saturday, which was quite refreshing in this heat. Sunday we had three church services; 10:00 am (1st children's service for the children in our town), 3:00 pm (2nd children's service for the children from the other towns -- we had to go pick them up on the school bus), 8:00 pm (adult service). Yesterday we spent our time preparing for a team from Colorado. We left from MIVA at 5:00 pm to pick them up and arrived at the airport at 7:30 pm. They have about 11 team members with them.


We just finished lunch and we are going to go around town later with the team. Right now I am sitting on the porch of Pastor's house listening to worship music come out of the church. God is good.

Please pray for protection over our group, for discernment, for wisdom, and for our health. I will be attempting to post pictures soon (you know after I actually take some).

Love you all!
Theresa

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." ~Hebrews 4:14-16~


I also just want to thank everyone who wrote me letters and sent me emails of encouragement!! I am blessed. 

Season for Everything

One week. 
It is hard to believe that the time is approaching so quickly.
I feel like there are so many things to still do and not enough time to do them.
One day at a time.

Transitions. 
Graduated college. Check
Moved out of apartment. Check

Since graduation the verses that I have been clinging to are:

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
 and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
 and he will make your paths straight."

and

Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

That He is with me wherever I go and if I am obedient and faithful, He will make my paths straight. There is nothing to worry about and nothing to be anxious about.



I ask that you continue to pray for wisdom, safety, and discernment for my two other teammates and me. The three of us are at completely different stages in our lives, and yet we have been brought together for the same purpose. Lindsey (blonde hair) recently graduated from Perry Hall High School and will be attending Towson University in the Fall, Cierra will be taking community college classes as she continues to work. I am still unsure about my next step in life. However, I know that my life is secure in the Lord's hands.

Let go and Let God.