Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.Exodus 4:12
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24
The above two verses have become a precious promise and mean so much to me. As I have spent time talking with various people and teaching different classes in the last week, I have been challenged and my faith has increased as the Lord gave me the words and answers to many difficult questions that came my way as I explained fornication and adultery to a young lady or told the story of Jonah to a class full of energetic little “gems.” Gems in the kingdom of God, but sometimes little terrors in the classroom. So often you think you have studied every angle to the subject, only to be challenged and questioned from another angle. However we serve a powerful God and He is waiting to help us! When we feel as Moses, we need to step out in faith. He has promised to be with our mouth and will teach us!
A little way to make a day exciting is to invite two 8 year-old girls to your house for an afternoon. I kinda forgot how giggly little girls can get and that almost anything can start them into a giggling fit. Noilyn, a little girl from La Palmerita asked me if she could come out and spend some time at my house the other Sunday. After talking with Christine, we decided to tell her that she may come out and spend time with Megan. After lunch, they colored, drew pictures, played games, and did whatever they could find to do in my house. We sat in the hammocks and sang for a while as well. I think they both had so much fun. I enjoyed sitting back and watching them occupy themselves. It gave them each something different to do for the day.
My family had made plans a while back and had bought tickets to come visit. The day finally arrived and this time we weren’t going to pick up other staff’s family, but we were headed to the airport for my family. It had not been that long since I had seen my family, but I was so excited that the opportunity had finally arrived to be able to show my family around the place where I have spent almost 2 years. They brought with them a wheelchair for Franklin, a little boy who we think has cerebral palsy. Thank you to all the people who were involved in one way or another in making it possible for this little boy to receive this wheelchair. My entire family went with me to deliver it to Franklin and his mother Maria. The smile that came to his face as we sat him in the wheelchair for the first time was priceless. His mother couldn’t stop saying “thank you.” It was a blessing to her and hopefully will make it easier for her to bring him to church.
We went to visit neighbors and former neighbors while my family was here. Hector & Iris had moved out beyond church, so one morning we drove out to their place to drop off some things and visit them. My mother wanted a picture of my baby sister Miranda and Amy, but Miranda refused to do it unless I stood with her. My dad and brothers did some concrete work while they were here. When it would rain the water would channel around the tool shed and puddle in front of it. They poured a concrete pad to make it nicer when it rains. They helped put up a fence around the church yard to hopefully keep the animals out. The night before they headed back to PA, I finally had time to catch my horse and let them all have a ride. I think they all enjoyed it, because they didn’t want me to unsaddle her. When I talked to Miranda on the phone, she told me to bring my horse home
Pasture fences have more than one use in Nicaragua. It seemed like the wash lines were always full, but what do you expect with laundry for 16 people ( 2 families) and only 5 short wash lines??
Tall brothers are also good for more than just picking on their “little” big sister. Somehow through the course of the evening, all the house keys got locked in my bedroom. He jumped on the table and grabbed one of the beams and hoisted himself onto the wall and pulled up the ceiling tile and dropped down onto my bed and opened the door. I have so many good memories of the time spent with 10 people (my family) all in my house.
Girls’ class had a total of 7 girls today. That is a class record breaker since the class has started. It now consists of 4 girls from La Palmerita and 3 girls from El Tererro. Their names are Belki (brown shirt), Rosibel (white/green shirt), Noelia (standing-grey shirt), Magdalena (red shirt), Yaritza (white shirt – top picture), Katherine (peach shirt), and Deynaire (white shirt-bottom picture). Please pray for each of these girls that they would continue to open their hearts to the Lord and desire to become godly young women. Please pray for wisdom for me as I am used of God as their teacher on Saturday mornings. At the current time, we are studying the Pilgrim's Progress. For projects, some girls are embroidering and others are painting.
Thank you for your prayers and continue to lift the staff to the throne of grace. Each of your prayers are felt and give us the boost we need as we are working in the field of the Heavenly Father.
In His Service, Andrea
