Medical Outreach!

This week begins our Spring Medical Outreach. We have a group coming from the states and we also have some local doctors joining us to go into a small town here in Guatemala and give medical care and the love of Jesus!

We are going into a town that is involved in a lot of witchcraft and things of the sort. We know that God is stronger than any other power and are so looking forward to seeing how He can change the lives of the people there!

We are expected to see at least 2,500 patients, and each person who receives medical care will also be presented with the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior! We have also teamed up with a local church in the area, so that when people accept Jesus as their Lord, they will be able to get connected in church, which will help them grow in their relationship with God and in discipleship!

Please be praying for us, as it will be a very busy week (but completely worth it)! I look forward to sharing some of the great things that happen!

Have a wonderful day!

Hola!

Well, it is hard to believe that I have been in Guatemala for almost 2 months now!!!! WOW!!! It is becoming more and more like home everyday! The people are great and I really am enjoying all of the things that I get to do!

Working in the school is fun, usually. The children are great and make me smile! They have a great way of making you feel special. Last week I was sick and so I was not able to go to the school for two days (I had a really bad cold or something, but I was told that since the viruses here are different that it can hit me pretty hard until my body gets used to it), anyways, when I got back to the school there were Get Well pictures all over the desk. So sweet!

Teaching children to read can be complicated, especially when you are teaching them to read in a second language. We are working on phonics and sounds, I have even downloaded some of the books my mom used with my siblings and me when were little. I've been working on a workbook with all different practice sheets for the children to do at home, and I also want to take some of the books that we have and read them onto a CD, like a book on tape. One of the difficult things about teaching the children to read in English is that the majority of their parents don't speak English, so they cannot read to them, and also when the children are practicing, their parents do not know if they are pronouncing the words correctly. That is why I think the CDs will help, because then they will be able to hear the proper pronunciation.

I have also been able to teach some of the chapels with the children. I really enjoy doing that! I love it when the children start to understand Biblical concepts and begin to apply them to their lives. Take the love of God for instance, I mean, people "know" that God loves them, but their comes a point when it really clicks, and someone understands that they are loved and it changes their entire life! This is what I love to see and it is why I am here! It's great!

God is so good! I really am glad to be here and I am looking forward to what else He has in store!

Guatemala - My New Home

So.... I have now been in Guatemala for 3 weeks now! YAY!! I am still working on getting my internet to work properly, so therefore I haven't written... sorry... but very soon, I am quite certain that it will work fabulously :-)

I am getting settled into my new home. I have a small, but cute apartment. My mom came with me for my first week here, and she was a wonderful help. I must admit that as much as I love to travel, I dislike packing and unpacking! So, my mom helped me unpack and arrange things and get them organized. She also was able to meet a lot of the people that I will be working with too. Plus, she taught me how to cook that week. Now, my mom has been trying to teach me how to cook ever since I was little, but I had no interest in learning how... but, now that I am going to get married, and since I know that Jonathan doesn't want to eat tomato soup and grilled cheese everyday (I don't know why not though), I figured that it was a wonderful time to learn. We had a grand time, it was very nice to have some mother-daughter time. She's the best mom in the world!!!

I have started working in the school and am really enjoying it. In the mornings I work with the first graders. I just love little kiddos and they are so fun! The school teaches in English, so the younger students are learning the language and how to communicate. It's a lot of fun! The first graders are only in school until noon, so in the afternoon I work with the upper school. All of the different grade levels are in a classroom together, and there are three teachers. The curriculum that they use is one where they can work on their own a lot, so it works out pretty well. I have been teaching a lot of math lately. I really enjoyed math, so it has been fun and I love it when the students catch on. Of course, I have been doing the same assignments as the students before I teach them, so that I can make sure that I remember everything correctly... haha.

I love the fact that I get to work with all of the students in the school. I am praying that not only will they grow strong in their academics, but they will also learn and understand how much Jesus loves them, and also that I will be an instrument of God's love to them.

Once I get acclamated to the routine in the school and I know more of how my schedule will work, I will begin working in other areas, such as the the children's ministry at the church, with the Bible Institute and of course with the medical and evangelistic campaigns. I am so excited about all of the opportunities that God has given me to serve. He is so faithful and living for Him is the best life in the world!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support! It is an honor to be able to serve the people of Guatemala, I am so thankful that God has placed me here!

I'm Engaged!!!!!

I am soooooooo excited to be engaged to Jonathan Asbun!!!!!! He is a wonderful gift from God and I am so thankful for God's goodness and faithfulness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jonathan is also a missionary with Living Water Teaching and he has committed to serving in Guatemala for the next four years! Isn't that awesome?!!!

Continue reading for my totally girly perspective of how we met and fell in love...

Background & How We Met

I met Jonathan for the first time while leading mission trip to Guatemala in July of 2008. He was assigned to be the translator for one of my team members and myself. That in itself is really cool, because I usually don't ask for a translator, but I was feeling a little rusty on my Spanish and wanted to make sure that I was using the proper words when sharing the Gospel with people so I requested a translator, and that's how we met. I obviously had to spend a good amount of time with him and so I was able to see how he treated people, how much he loved Jesus, and I saw how passionate he was about sharing the love of Jesus with others. Plus, I felt completely comfortable around him. I must admit, I was intrigued, which is a big deal, because I don't think I have ever really been intrigued by a guy before ;-)

I will admit, I did get a little annoyed that I was intrigued by a guy that I would likely never see again. I mean, he was from Bolivia, studying in Guatemala, and would probably be going back to Bolivia in a year or so... Out of all the guys in the world to intrigue me, it had to be someone far away and practically impossible. So, I decided to be thankful that God had sent me a great guy friend to remind me of the type of guy that I was waiting to meet (I seriously wrote about that in my journal that week, how by meeting Jonathan I was encouraged that there was someone still out there for me with the character traits I wanted in a guy, but as much as I thought Jonathan was great, I thought it was impossible, so I tried not to think about him).

During that trip, I spent a lot of time praying and seeking God. I felt as though God was calling me to a new level of surrender. I think that every time we walk through the process of surrender, that we feel as though there is nothing else to lay at the feet of Jesus, but with time we are once again finding the beauty of surrender. And when that happens as hard as it seems to lay down our man-made hopes and dreams, we can look back at the faithfulness of our wonderful Father and know that it doesn't matter how great our plans are, that a life given in full surrender to him, is indeed the best life of all!

It was during the prayer and the Bible reading and the seeking that I sensed great changed coming in my life. I felt as though God was preparing my heart for full-time missions. I started feeling as though God wanted me to move to Guatemala to be a missionary. I didn't mention it to anyone, I wanted to go home and pray some more, I wanted to make sure that I knew it was God and that I wasn't making a decision based on my surroundings.

So, I came back to Charlotte and continued praying, I still felt that it was what I was supposed to do, so I talked about it with some close mentors of mine, and was encouraged to begin the process of applying. By December, my applications had been approved and I was set to go for a month of training in February.

I was so excited, I knew that I was walking on the path that God had for me. Some people would ask me about when I wanted to get married, and I admit the thought was there in my mind, but I knew that God had called me to Guatemala for at least the next four years, so I was prepared to return to the states in my thirties and still single. Seriously, the desire to be married was there, but one of the things you find in surrendering to God's plan, is that your desire to walk in His will is stronger that that, so if it meant that I was going to be single forever, I was going to fulfill his plan!

So, I went to Guatemala in February for my training and guess who I saw? Jonathan! And boy, was I still intrigued! But, I just knew he would be going back to Bolivia and so I determined that I couldn't think about him. So, I stayed focused on my training. One day while in the dining hall on the Mission's Campus, we talked for a little while and he told me that he was actually going through the same application/training process that I was to become a full time missionary to Guatemala and that his four year commitment would start about the same time as mine! What?!!!! What was that beautiful music in my ears? He, Jonathan, the only guy to ever intrigue me, the one that I kept shoving out of my head, was going to be a missionary to Guatemala, at the same place and the same time I was? Well, as excited as I was on the inside, I was very polite on the outside. "Well, that's very nice." is all that I said. Haha! There was no way that I was going to tell him that a choir of angels was singing "The Hallelujah Chorus" around my head. I mean, God was talking to both of us about becoming missionaries and neither of us knew about it.

From there, I still tried to forget about him. I knew I was in Guatemala on a mission. Distractions were not allowed! So, when I realized (with lots of thought and prayer) that maybe this wasn't a distraction, I discussed it with a trusted missionary friend and got the thumbs up. He did the same. So, with time we began a closer friendship and it slowly, but surely began to develop into so much more! And now... we are going to get married!!!!

The Proposal

So, Jonathan came to the states for some training and itineration. While here, he was to come to Charlotte to meet and spend the holidays with my family (I went to Bolivia to meet his family over Thanksgiving). Well, on December 23rd we drove up to Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate, which is one of my favorite places. It is the biggest privately owned home in the United States, built by the Vanderbilts. It's beautiful and so full of history. We were going to a fancy dinner at the Biltmore Inn and then we were going on a Candlelight Christmas Tour of the home. I was so excited! Well, in all honesty, I was hoping he would propose because I thought it would be the perfect place and we were so dressed up, but I didn't know if he would, or if he had a ring, or anything. On top of that he was so calm during dinner, and I had always heard that the guys could never eat before proposing, but he didn't seem to have that problem ;-) haha! Well, it was between the entree and dessert that I saw him reach into his pocket... and then suddenly, the server appeared with coffee... so, I tried to read his face, did the sudden coffee appearance throw him off? Was he going to propose? Was my life about to forever be changed? So... he reached into his pocket again, I was hoping... and then he started telling me how wonderful I am (which I could write about for awhile because there are so many wonderful things about me, just kidding) and then he gave me the absolute most beautiful ring, EVER!!! It was so wonderful!!! I was soooooooo happy, I still am, of course!!!! It was a perfect proposal!!!!

I am so thankful for God's amazing goodness and grace! He is so faithful and His plans for our lives are so much better than anything we could ever hope or dream of!!!!

We don't know what all God has in store, but we do know that He is so good and we are so glad that He brought us together to serve Him and to share His amazing love with the world!!!

My Vision

One of my favorite verses is found in Psalm 119:89, it says, "I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can't contain Your commands (MSG)." How true is that? Sometimes when I think about the dreams and visions that I have thoughts like, "who am I to do these things", or "how is that even possible", or "seriously, I know all the reasons why I should not be the one God chooses" come to mind. But, God in all of His faithfulness chooses to use us!!!!! His plans for us are so good, they are beyond anything we could ever imagine! The Word says that the horizons can't even contain His commands! WOW! So, as we trust in Him, and yield ourselves to Him, and believe what His Word says about us, He will open the doors and use us!

I have written out my visions along with a brief explanation. I am so looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!!

• To serve as a missionary in Guatemala. To work with children in the school, church, and villages, teaching them the Word, so they in turn can change their nation! To work with the Bible Institute, so that more people will be trained and able to reach their communities. To serve on outreach trips to various towns, helping with youth and medical teams. I believe that my time serving with Living Water Teaching in Guatemala, is going to be an amazing time of helping and reaching people and also a great time of preparation. There are so many areas that I will be able to help with, but there is also so much for me to learn, and LWT has been in Guatemala for 30 years, so they have so much experience and knowledge that I can glean from. I know that God is going to use this time to get me ready for what else He has in store.
• To go wherever the Lord leads, no matter the country, culture, or conditions; to be willing and available to reach the hurting and helpless with the precious love of Jesus! I was recently asked which country was my favorite, out of all the ones I have been to. My answer was that all of them were. Each place that I have been from Nicaragua to Singapore to Afghanistan have all been so very different, difficult and wonderful all at the same time. I loved all of the experiences because I know that it was exactly where God wanted me to be. That is how I want it to be forever. Wherever the Lord leads, is where I want to be, I will learn languages, customs, and more "roughing it" skills, if God so leads, in an effort to reach the world for Christ!
• To establish a program where teens can spend a year after high school being trained in ministry, missions, and leadership development. I would like to have a program where students can take a year after high school and dedicate it to service. Through this program students will take Bible classes, study Spanish (or whatever language is spoken in the country where their program is), and do practical missions. This program will be one that I believe will have a lasting impact on the lives of those who participate. Also, this program will be one that focuses on preparing the student to have a focus on others as opposed to themselves, and to develop a life of service, no matter what career they decide to pursue.
• To help launch Bible Schools, where locals can be taught and trained, and in turn can begin to teach and train others, thereby having a multiplication effect on reaching each nation! I am a firm believer in the old saying, "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." There are many places where the Word has not been taught, or where missionaries go occasionally and evangelize, but where there is no discipleship. By starting Bible Schools in towns and villages, the Word is taught to the local people, discipling them in the Word, and preparing them to impact their community, so that in turn they train others. I believe that by opening Bible Schools, it also helps people take ownership and leadership instead of looking to the missionaries and pastors as their sole source of spiritual development. The multiplication effect that this has is infinite!
• To open a missions training facility that focuses on the Word, language and culture, equipping missionaries to go to the ends of the earth. Missions is so incredibly important, and my desire is to help prepare missionaries to take the Word of God throughout the world. There is so much that goes into moving to another country. Many times it involves a new language, different customs, clothing, food, and accomodations. There have been so many people who were excellent in their career, rather businessmen or ministers, that when they moved to another country to do the same thing they were doing in theirs, failed. Many times this was due to culture shock and not understanding the customs and language. I believe that by equipping those who desire to be missionaries with the Word first and foremost, but also with an understanding of the culture in which they will live, along with language training, and internships, that this will help further prepare them for successful ministry. I can so see having a campus where missionaries can go to get focused training for the country where they will go, it will be equipped with a language lab where they can receive classes in any language imagined, where they can learn the administrative policies of their focus area and all the other things that would help them reach the world more effectively.

I would love for you to join with me and share in this vision! The whole purpose of this is to reach people with God's love! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! Trust me, I'm passionate about this, so any chance to discuss it is always welcome!

I appreciate your prayers and financial support in making this vision possible!

Guatemala Newsletter - October 2009

I am so excited about all that God is doing!!! He is so incredibly faithful!!!!!

Here is my newsletter for October. It tells about my vision, what has been going on, how to support and more! Hope you like it!

Living Spiritually

I went through some old notebooks and things and a notecard fell out that I had written the following quote on:

"To grow spiritually means to live increasingly as Jesus would in our unique place-- to perceive what Jesus would perceive if He looked through our eyes, to think what He would think, to feel what He would feel, and therefore to do what He would do."

So many times people think spiritual growth comes from getting more knowledge, and don't get me wrong, we do need to learn and study (trust me, I am a nerd when it comes to school, learning and studying), but our true spiritual growth is reflected when we are putting into practice what we have learned.

I am Christ's representative, therefore, no matter where I am, what I am doing, who I am with, I should be Jesus to the people around me. When I see people, I should see them with Christ's eyes, which are always full of love and compassion; the thoughts and meditations of my heart should be pleasing to Him. The feelings I experience should be those that He would feel.

That is my desire! Oh, I am fully aware that I have a LONG way to go, but as we seek Him with all our heart, as we get to know Him and what He truly thinks about us, then we can look at this world that is in need of His love, and see, think and feel what He would and in turn our actions will reflect the love that goes beyond anything that we could ever deserve and exceeds even the greatest imagination!

So here's to reaching the world with the amazing, unconditional, extravagant, overwhelming love of our wonderful Savior! May we love them well!