Hard to describe...

that's how this post is going to start out.  I haven't blogged in awhile, Carrie has been keeping the world updated with our boring details of everyday life.  OK, so maybe a new niece isn't exactly boring, but once you've seen one.....

This past week was Retreat at our school.  We had survived 2 of them already, and we knew that we were in for another week of pure exhaustion.  It's hard work entertaining teenagers! 

This week turned out to be no different and by Saturday night we were wasted.  Throughout the week our guest speaker kept telling us about the great conversations he was having with some of the students, and we were definitely encouraged by this.  Carrie and I have been praying hard for our favorite "Atheist", and Sunday morning we found out what God had been up to. 

Sunday morning is a chance for students and staff to get up and give a comment or two about what they learned or enjoyed about the week.  A few staff got up, shared about being re-energized, a student got up and talked about how she had been encouraged to forgive her parents and grandparents, Carrie got up and shared how impressed she was with the growth of some of the kids, and then...our favorite "Atheist" got up. In his quiet understated he told the student body that he now believed there definitely was a God, and he was on a path to find out more....and the world turned upside down.  And this is the part that is hard to describe...

Let's just say that when it was all over there wasn't a single staff member with dry eyes, and over a third of our students had shared.  Our "Second in command Atheist" stood up and also stated that God was real, and how giving up fighting God was the best feeling ever.  A third student stood up announced he had challenged God that if God was real He would make those two guys Christians!  Now that they were professing to believe in God he had to keep his end of the bargain and find out more about this "Christian thing"  and from there it just spiraled.

Our speaker just stood there as the students came...no hype no "Hallelujahs" just the occasional "anyone else"...and they kept coming. 3 more students stood up and outright apologized to fellow classmates and staff, and asked for forgiveness as the tears flew!  One of the group leaders stood up and through a river of tears told his guys what this meant to him to see them taking these huge steps, and how hard this past year had been dealing with their negativity toward God, and how it felt like they would never get it.  As he sat down  the student behind him tapped his shoulder and whispered in his ear "I want to become a Christian"  The poor groupleader who hadn't actually wiped off the first set of tears stands back up and without saying anything hands the mic to the student.  no-one has words ...and finally the student simply says "I want You in my life.  Take me."

If anyone wasn't crying yet, this pretty much did it for the rest of them.  By the end we had guys who were fighting, hugging each other, and everyone looking pretty much shell-shocked.  God's carnage continued outside of the chapel  and we didn't actually leave for home until 1:30 because "Atheist #1" was in the bathroom talking with another student who just realized that his world had been turned upside down!  Upon asking him what had happened in the washroom, our "24 hr newly created Christian"  said in the most dazed and confused voice " I don't know ..... I think he just converted". 

Youth work can be a pretty unrewarding career choice at times, and then God comes along and stirs the pot.  Never again will we ask for such small miracles.  We had been praying for just one student to turn, and God took that and expanded upon it in a big way with over a third of our students making steps toward God in one way or another.  We could not have imagined the big picture, but God did, and this week we got to see just how creative and big He is.

A Quick Catch-Up

The speed of life doesn't seem to be slowing down, so briefly, here's life in a nutshell:

1. Rachel has a bumpier road to recovery than we had hoped for, I try to steal minutes to go and visit her while she is on bedrest, hug her kids and send up prayers as often as possible. She's a trouper, but needs prayer as she is struggling with MORE bedrest!
2. We had new staff come in this week and Bob and I are their Big Brother and Big Sister. It's an incredible experience to watch someone else go through the same culture shock that we walked through one short year ago. How fun it is to reflect on how 'normal' things look to us now! As I look at their 'deer-in-the-headlights" expression, I realize that maybe some of things that we now take for granted isn't as normal as we think they are. Apparently a stream of traffic coming towards you on the one way can be overwhelming....I forgot!
3. Lot of rain, and little power. For some reason, we are getting a lot of rain, which means that there isn't a lot of power. This too is a difficult transition for our new staff members. We moved them into their apartment with no water and no power....Welcome Here!?!?
4. School is crazy busy, and I seem to running on a treadmill right now. Bob is always calm regardless of the pace, and I look like I'm on a hamster wheel. Good Times!
5. A good friend back home told me that she's expecting. Twinges of homesickness are louder than normal right now. I can't imagine leaving here, but I hate the fact that life is continuing without us. Hmph! I have some emotions to work through before we leave this island.
6. Spiritual retreat is taking place next week. Our students have the opportunity to hear the gospel from a speaker who we fly in from the states. Please pray that their hearts will be softened and they will be ready to accept Christ. We, as staff, try to model Christ as often as we can, but 'fresh blood' on campus often has a great effect on the students. We shut school down- and then we play and worship. This has potential to be an amazing week!

Sincerely,
C

She's Here....part 2

I had the most amazing experience. I have this incredible friend that just allowed me to go into the delivery room with her and her husband for the birth of their fourth child. Rachel had a scheduled c-section on Wednesday morning and by 8:08 am, Annabelle Virginia was born. (Please try to read her name a thick heavy drawl- Jon and Rachel are from Texas). This experience was the most scary and exciting experience! Rachel was very brave, but after some research, I learned that a c-section in a developing country is very different from one in our medically sound country. Picture a 10 x 10 operating room, picture a hospital room with a pipe coming out of the wall for a shower, and one faucet- (cold) directly under that pipe. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, but I hope that I never have to see anyone in that much pain ever again. Rach has a slow road to recovery, but she is nauseatingly nice, and I know that she will smile her way though the process. Picture a beautiful, lovin' the Lord Southern Belle, with atleast one 'y'all' per conversation, and heart of gold. That's my friend Rach. I hope to post a picture of Annabelle in the near future.

Also-

Luna is doing great, she's tiny and beautiful. (Lots of sleeping) Jill is looking incredible, and Hazel continues to be stinkin' fun. She repeats everything we say. Today she came over to have naps at "Auntie Carrie's" house. After naps we worked on her "Rocker face". When Brodie starts drumming, she starts dancing. I'm afraid that her Daddy has been teaching her some moves, so....she needed some work. Now picture a one year old with her lips slightly extended- and her little blond curly head bobbing up and down. Rockin'!

"Look at the Pretty Moon"

We have a new niece and her name is Luna Mabel. Terry and Jill had her on Friday, September 6th. Hazel will make a great big sister. We are thrilled!

Hurricane Sunshine?

Many of you have been phoning us, sending us emails and instant messaging us to find out how we are managing the hurricanes that all seem to want to be on our island. Well, we had a staff meeting stating what we needed to do when the hurricane hit, they suggested that we fill up on propane, milk (our milk is bought on shelves, not refrigerated) and canned goods. We did all of the above. School was cancelled for the kids and we were all put on red alert.....and the sun shines brightly! Seriously, we haven't power and water this good in months. It's amazing. The weather is beautiful. We are not sure what to make of all this.

Here are the blessings that we are celebrating right now:

1. Brodie has started taking drum lessons from a fellow missionary (From Young Life). They are beating on the drums in Brodie's room right now.
2. All three boys are finding school a 'cynch'. Which really helps the morale around here.
3. Brodie and Drew's Spanish is improving rapidly. The director of the school suggested that we pull them out of tutoring and put them in the grade 8 Spanish class. The boys are confident that they will fail that class miserably. Sink or swim right??
4. All three boys have new 'American' friends in school. Caleb is over here, or the boys are over there playing video games all the time. Sounds a little too 'normal' for me. Nicole, our director's daughter, has moved over to Doulos and hangs out with Ethan often. She is only a year younger than Brodie and Drew, but she tolerates Ethan's..."Did you know..?" statements very well.
5. Hurricanes have been good to us.
6. Our concho mechanic has asked us to teach him English in exchange for teaching us Spanish. We met for three hours the other day, he has almost no English. Talk about exhausting!!
7. Bob and I are enjoying work. We said good-bye to another student yesterday. Another one is ready to fly on his own.
8. My friend Rachel is scheduled for a C-section for Wednesday, and I get to go!! I'm so excited! (she is having baby #4- a girl)

Prayer concerns:

1. Hurricane/Tropical Storm season, has been great on our environment, but not great for my jaw joints. I'm ready for stable humidity etc.
2. Should Hurricanes actually come to see us, keep Jill (our sister-in-law) and my friend Rachel in mind as they are ready to give birth any time now. They would appreciate water, power and a roof over their head. :)

It's great when the blessings way outweigh the prayer concerns. We always love company. If you are thinking about coming by the DR, keep us in mind.
Take Care,
C