Time is flying by again! I hope people are following my facebook page and the Living
Grace Ministry facebook page for updates.
I try to keep that current, even when I don’t get on this blog
often. I need to be more
disciplined about time for documentation and correspondence! Sometimes, I’m just too busy living
life to be able to write about it.
Lol
I was blessed to have a young lady from my home church in
Rogers AR come to work with me as an intern for two weeks. Celina Undernehr has been to Nica twice
and interned last year for voh.
This year, she got to stay with me at Living Grace House and experience
the highs and lows, excitement and normalcy of living as a missionary in a third-world
country.
Celina helped me with organizing supplies for the arts
classes, shared in the English Bible Study class, prepared and facilitated
crafts for two children’s lessons for a friend’s ministry, accompanied another
missionary friend to Managua to observe two other ministries that work with
abandoned kids and survivors of the sex trade, met other missionaries in León,
attended my church and the youth services there, hung out with some MKs living
on my street, befriended Sofia (the teen girl living with me) and expanded
their Spanish/English skills, helped with chores and special projects around
the mission house, ran errands for the ministry and other miscellaneous
things. It was great to have her
here and let her just live the life of a missionary. She’s working on a project to provide school supplies and
uniforms for kids in a very poor community to be able to go to school next
year. She started promoting that
project before she even left for the states. She’s planning on coming back in December to distribute the
supplies for the school year, which starts in February. She’s quite a gal!
The sewing classes have been going great. We officially started in June and the
ladies are learning a lot and making a lot of things. Since Celina was heading to the states at the end of July, we
spent a few weeks concentrating on making as many aprons and tote bags as we
could. We made 30 women’s aprons,
31 girl’s aprons, 27 doll aprons and 7 tote bags. Celina took them to a friend of mine in Rogers AR, who will
handle the sale of them in her cupcake shop. We are very excited to have an opportunity for the ladies to
make some money to invest in sewing machines of their own, materials and
supplies of their own to start their own little business and to make money to
provide for their families! I’m so
proud of these ladies. And they
have grown much in their self-confidence and worth as a person. We listen to Spanish Christian music as
we sew and we talk about our God.
It doesn’t feel like work at all.
The items made by the ladies in the sewing classes can be
seen on the Living Grace Ministry facebook page and, in person at Kirby’s
Kupcakes in downtown Rogers AR.
They can be shipped to anywhere requested. We have so many other things we want to make. We will be finding an outlet here in León
to sell things appropriate for here.
God is promising great things for these hard working ladies. I’m so excited to be a part of it!
English classes are ebbing and flowing, which is normal for
here. We have had a few students
need to drop out of class because they found jobs and that is wonderful for
them to have employment!!!
Sometimes our teachers are unavailable because they have temporary
work. We just go with the
flow. Even an hour spent with one
person is well worth the effort and we praise God for every opportunity to help
someone better their lives.
The English Bible Study Group is changing as people’s
schedules change. We are having
these classes on Friday mornings and Friday nights. A few of the students are very serious about teaching the
class when they are through with this round. I’m excited to see the discipleship classes
multiplying. God is good!
This week, we are in the process of changing part-time
housekeepers. It’s always
interesting to see who God brings through our doors. Please be in prayer as we try to discern the right person
for the job for this season. The
duties of the housekeeper are just to get the house cleaned once a day (Monday-Saturday)
for classes. All other household
chores are mine to do (cooking, cleaning kitchen, laundry/sheets/towels,
organizing, etc). I like taking
care of God’s house. I also like
having someone to help with the floors and windows. And I love being able to help someone out with an income for
their home. It’s a blessing for us
all!
Another Bible Study will be hosted here, starting in a few
weeks. It’s a class for women
Missionaries, led by my friend Tamara Price. We did a Beth Moore study last year. This time it will be Patricia Shirer’s
study on Gideon. I can’t
wait! It will be fun to have the
ladies in my home and will allow Tamara to get out herself and allow her family
to have free reign in her home during the class time. I’m thankful for all the ways that God uses Living Grace
House to bless others.
I went last week to get my Visa extended for another 3
months in country. I got the run
around between the immigration office here in León and the main office in
Managua. FINALLY, I got the
process going here in León and can stay until the end of October before having
to travel to the US. It’s cheaper
to extend 3 months than it is to fly every 3 months. But it is a hassle!
If you think that government bureaucracy is bad in the states, come to a
third-world country/dictatorship and try to follow the rules! But, I got it taken care of this time
and they told me to start the process for residency. I’m sure I will have to deal with that after the first of
the year. While I’m in the states
later this year, I’ll start getting my paperwork together (birth certificate,
police report, health report, etc).
We’ll see how crazy all of that gets!
My translator friend (and unofficial daughter), Jasmina,
stayed here a few weeks off and on during the ‘tourist’ season of mission
teams. She came for a couple of
overnight visits while seeing family and friends in León. It was always great to have her
near. Her fiancé, Melvin,
accompanied her on one trip, and I got to know him better. She has a room here and is always
welcome. I have extra beds for
other guests, too. It’s a blessing
to have people in the house.
My missionary friend, Jalissa, stayed here for 3
months. She is now back in the
states for 6 weeks. It was fun to
have her here, too.
Sofia is still living here with me and will stay until she
finishes this year of school in November.
Then she will travel to stay with her step-mother in Managua and have
her baby. She hopes to return to
León in the future. I don’t even
want to think about how empty the house will feel without her. I’m glad that we have had this time
together.
I’m doing pretty well on my health. When I behave myself and take care of
my liver, I feel great. But that
is not always the case. I just
can’t wrap my head around that fact that taking care of myself isn’t selfish,
that it’s important to be able to serve, too. Pray over that for me, too!
I’m thankful for all that God has allowed in my life. Living Grace Ministry is growing in
depth and purpose. We are touching
lives in personal and focused ways.
I’m thankful to be called to serve in this way.
Sometimes I grow very weary, both physically and
emotionally. Especially, since I’m
the main person running the ministry, fundraising, reporting, teaching most of
the classes, and just dealing with life in general. But I am weak and am only strong in Him and it glorifies Him
when I share and praise Him for all He has done and is doing.
Keep the ministry and me in your prayers. God is sovereign and faithful and I
know that He directs our paths.
Pray that I don’t trip over my own feet when trying to follow Him. Pray for provisions that He has
planned. I live on faith and
nothing secure except my trust in Him.
He is all I need or want.
And I can’t wait to be with Him in Heaven!
