Merry Christmas from Bolivia!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas season lends itself to a lot of time for reflection and personal application the Christmas story. When Mary first heard the news of her miraculous conception of the King of kings, I’m sure she was terrified, confused and unsure of how she could do it.  But time and time again, she showed her faith through her response to God’s will.  Multiple times throughout the story of Jesus’ birth it says: “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Mary did ask the angel a question, “How could I…” she never questioned God’s power or ability to fulfill His will.

When I reflect on the time I have spent here in Bolivia over the past 4 months, God keeps on showing me that I need to treasure the time that I have here, and cast aside the fear that I find myself holding onto and just have faith to believe that His will is being accomplished—both in my life and the lives I have been privileged to be part of.  God is doing much more than I can imagine in me and through me, and for that I am blessed and celebrate his birth.

Below is a quick slideshow of highlights from the past semester that I have spent here in Bolivia.  I hope you enjoy seeing the faces of the students I have been privileged to get to know this year!

Merry Christmas to all of you and I pray that you have a blessed and joy-filled New Year!

Life Lessons from a Director of an Elementary Christmas Program

I'm risking the label of sacreligious, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway.

If I could relate even a small portion of God's job to something tangible and understandable by a flawed human.  I'd say that an almost acceptable picture of God is a director of a Elementary School Christmas Program.  Something that I have learned an awful lot about.

The Director of an Elementary School Christmas Program might be expected to do any if not all of the following:

Convince a multitude of laughing, joking, screaming, playing, sinning, and downright awnry kids to do exactly what he wants at exactly the time he wants them to do it.

Gather all of the details of the show: time, lights, sound, location, program, props, costumes, etc.

Elicit help from selfless people who are willing to give up their usual things to serve

Encourage the kids who are scared, nervous, unsure, and the ones with attitude, to keep going and try hard.

Sit back, breathe, and believe that in the end they will do their best.

Do you see any of the parallels here?  GOD directed (and continues to direct) the show for me.

He Convinces ME: a laughing, joking, screaming, playing, sinning and downright awnry believer to do exactly what He wants done at the time He wants it done.

He gathers all of the details of my life & flawlessly figures it out without me even having to know about it.

He provides people to volunteer their time and energy in order to love me, pray for me, encourage me, help me, serve alongside me.

He encourages me when I'm scared, nervous, unsure, discouraged or hurt.  

When I have an attitude--he tells me to keep going.

He sits back and waits until it is finally time to tell me, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

I could not have done this directing thing on my own, mind you, but I believe that God could.  Well, to be truthful, He really DID.  Thank you all who were praying for me this week.  I'm blessed beyond blessed to have you all in my life!  GOD BLESS!

And Feliz Navidad!

Rachel

PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISES

• PRAISE that the Christmas Program went well & that its over ;)
• Pray for FINALS WEEK this week, and that the kids and teachers finish well!
• Pray for all of the teachers and missionaries flying home for Christmas vacation, that they'll be safe and enjoy their time at home.
• Pray for myself and the other teachers and missionaries staying here in Bolivia during vacation.  That we will still find ways to celebrate without family and that we won't miss home too much.
• Pray for the 2013 SAM Mission Conference coming up the 2nd week of January.  That everything will run smoothly and that it will be an edifying and awesome experience for all of the missionaries.

THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT!

Melancholy Missions

There are three things I haven't done since my last post over 2 weeks ago:
1. Blogged
2. Smiled
3. Prayed

I fully intend to explain all of the things above, and I hope and pray that you will all forgive me for them all.
Before I came onto the field I was asked to read a book called Serving as Senders by Neal Pirolo  As senders & supporters, I'd definitely recommend reading it because it gives you a little glimpse into what it is like to be a missionary and how you can intentionally & specifically be praying for missionaries such as myself.  In the book they provide a pretty interesting chart which outlines and explains the ups and downs of a cross-cultural worker.  I pictured it below:

When I first looked at this chart aI was in stages B-C, and at that stage, you don't believe that the other parts are really as accurate as they say in the book.  Up until this point, I have been in stage D: The honeymoon period.  I have been enjoying the new culture, embracing new ministries, loving the newness of my students and even the unexpected adventure as a music teacher.

But as time has continued, I have begun to get annoyed with the fact that I have had to rely on others for rides or take crowded micros or feel uncomfortable when taxis honk at me as they pass.  Or shake out dust from the bottom of my sandals countless times during the day or address disrespectful students or navigate politics of a school or listen to another groaning missionary, and the list goes on.  Everything about Bolivia has started and continues to annoy me.

I want to be able to wear a coat and make snow angels.  I want to be able to drink hot chocolate without sweating; to drive my car to meet a friend for coffee.  I want to roll my eyes at people frantically shopping at the malls.  I want to be able to experience a new Christmas with Dave with my family & friends.  I want home.

I have officially entered into stage E: Cultural Stress.

Serving as Senders puts it this way:

The time that passes between these identified stages will vary according to circumstances. But as surely as night follows day, this next stage is inevitable. One morning your missionary rudely awakens to the reality that the single handle will never produce hot water! He realizes he has committed himself to circumstances that are no longer quaint; they are now weird even barbaric! The adventure of discovery has turned to the dread of "What's next?" The first bugs of dysentery keep him up all night. The fact that this is the most difficult language in the world to learn has him looking for a permanent interpreter. The first hints of persecution or the awareness that people are not going to change as easily or as rapidly as he had hoped have him asking God to "Let this cup pass from me...." The pinnacles of ecstasy have plummeted to the depths of despair. Culture stress has set in. 

Most missionaries don't want to talk about this stage of missionary life because the people back home won't think of them as "spiritual" enough if they admit to some of these trying times. It is at this time that your cross-cultural worker needs your support. Many—too many—crash here. Of course, some turn back before they leave the airport! 

I am not leaving for the airport, and I am not like most missionaries: I have vowed to be honest and forthcoming about my weaknesses and struggles, otherwise there is no reason to pray.

Simply put: I have become a melancholy missionary.  I haven't been praying or smiling for the past two weeks, and it has been absolutely miserable.  This is my time to apologize for the selfish person that I have been in the past few weeks.  I have physically been here, but my mind and my heart has not been here.

I have been reading My Utmost for His Highest since I have been here, and in the book Oswald Chambers wrote: 

We all have the trick of saying—If only I were not where I am!—If only I had not got the kind of people I have to live with! If our faith or our religion does not help us in the conditions we are in, we have either a further struggle to go through, or we had better abandon that faith and religion.

I have not been allowing my faith to get me through this season of my life that I have read about in Ecclesiastes 3.  I have not been allowing God to get me through; I have been relying on myself, and through relying on myself I have been so self-involved that I don't have room for God in my thoughts or alone-time.  I have been sleeping more and praying less; I have been faking smiles, and haven't found the time, will or energy to blog about things I have done.

1 Corinthians 7:24 says "So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God."  I have not remained or drawn near to God in this hardship that I have voluntarily been placed in, and there are so many things to be thankful for.

One of my college professors addressed all of the female college students one day when he spoke in chapel saying, "Have you ever thought that if God believed you were ready for a relationship, you would be in one?"  I feel like you could fill this statement of wisdom in with a number of things. For the season I am currently in I choose to fill in the statment saying "If God believed that I were ready to be home, I would be home."

God is not through with me yet, and I just need to draw near to Him and He will draw near to me (James 4:8).  Please pray that I will do so as I continue to search for my next steps in this ministry, and as I seek God's wisdom in order to fall in love with this ministry and Bolivia once again.

Thanks for Reading!

Rachel

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. The Christmas Program is on Friday, and we will be prepping this entire week.  Please pray for strength, patience & perseverance for both myself and the kids.
2. Monday after school we have a Middle school crew meeting.  Pray that both Rachel Rogers and I will seek the Lord's face as we continue to iron out the details of Middle School Crew.
3. Middle School youth group i son Friday, and they will be doing things one-man short.  Pray that the kids and leaders continue to build relationships.
4. Pray for my attitude towards other missionaries & that I will find a mentor as I continue to seek one out.
5. Also pray that I will continue to seek the Lord as I continue to navigate this season of my time here in Bolivia.

Hello, My Name is: Sid the Sloth

Sometimes I like speaking with a lisp like Sid the Sloth in Ice Age.  It makes me chuckle, and sometimes it makes others chuckle, but its mostly for self amusement.  I did realize, however that this week I was given the opportunity to become more like Sid the Sloth than his lisping speech.  I was actually adopting the actions of a sloth.

Unexpectedly, the combination of other Mission board meetings, the Bolivian census as well the Thanksgiving holiday gave myself and the rest of the SCCLC teachers and students the week off.  I had been itching to get out of Santa Cruz and surround myself with beautiful views, so I went with seven other teachers on an adventure in Samaipata from Friday to Monday, a little mountain town outside of the city.  We did a bunch of day hikes, swam under some waterfalls, and discovered Incan ruins.  It was a beautiful and restful time.

The ladies all swimming at Las Cuevas.  It took a lot of energy to take this photo.

Seeking shelter behind the waterfall at Las Cuevas in Samaipata, Bolivia.

The breathtaking view on the top of El Fuerte.

our BEST jumping picture of the group of us.

at El Fuerte, the Incan ruins outside of Samaipata

Swingset at the top of El Pueblito

Tuesday we returned, and we were required to be in our homes on the day of the Census (Wednesday) which was also my roommate, Dpo's, birthday so we celebrated with a Back to the Future marathon.  This is when the slothfulness started for me.  We ate cake, lasagna, tacos, and more cake whilst sitting, watching movies, and talking.

Dpo & her birthday cake :)

Then came Thursday.  the SAMily decided to postpone Thanksgiving dinner to Friday in case the Census wasn't finished, so we had another day at home.  I developed a bit of cabin fever so myself and another teacher went to a cute little store called Casa Ideas, and walked around a bit.  Then I came home and started watching my new show of obsession: Prison Break (only recommended if you have a lot of time on your hands).  Then all of a sudden it was 3am and Thursday had come and gone.

Then it was Friday: our Thanksgiving feast day: The ULTIMATE slothful holiday.  Where its ok to eat massive amounts of food and sit because we are giving thanks!  I managed to celebrate the right way.  Thank God. Eat. Thank others. Eat. Thank God more. Sleep. Wake up. Eat. Sleep.

Saturday was like any other Saturday: sleep until 2pm, read, and watch a movie (in this case it was Prison Break).  I did manage to talk to a few friends on Skype, though! :)

All this to say: I was Sid the Sloth this week.  I knew I needed some rest from school and from the everyday life that tends to empty me of energy, but this was a little too extreme.  I was like a high schooler on Christmas vacation.  It was unhealthy rest.

God has shown me a little of my heart this week: if given the chance to be lazy I will be lazy.  If given the chance to slack off, I will slack off.  I went to church today with the expectation to be fed, and I was disappointed.  In my mind I started blaming the church itself and getting frustrated that I feel like I am never fed at church here in Bolivia because of the language barrier.  But God showed me that it was ME that was the problem, not the church.  My mind wasn't in the right place to receive the Word of the Lord; it wasn't even close.  I hadn't spent time with God in so long that it was as if I was listening for a stranger's voice to tell me what I wanted to hear.

Proverbs 12:11 says "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger."

I was in a deep sleep, and I was definitely suffering hunger.  I was not taking care of myself spiritually.
This entire week I slacked off and became idle.  I forgot to spend all that extra time I was given with the One who gave it to me.  I know that it is not a sin to rest in Him, but I need to learn what that looks like.  How to wisely spend my time with God so that I can continue to be fed by His Word and words.  Pray that I will learn how to rest in HIM in a healthy and Godly way, rather than in an unhealthy self-gaining way.  Pray that I will run away from the attractive temptation to become Sid the Sloth.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Rachel

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PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THIS WEEK:

• CHRISTMAS PROGRAM (Dec. 14th)
• PLEASE pray that all of the kids will be excited but FOCUSED as the program is rapidly approaching
• Pray that those with LINES will study hard so that they will have their lines memorized
• Pray for the behind the scene details will come together
• Pray for MY focus and sanity as I direct everyone, that I will rely on God's strength not my own
• YOUTH GROUP
• Pray that those that are part of the Crew meetings will continue to seek God in the decisions we make for the rules and expectations of Crew.
• Pray that God will give te Junior Highers opportunities to share and receive the Gospel.
• Pray that MORE Junior Highers will desire to come to youth group and be part of the crowd.
• SCCLC
• Pray that the students and teachers will work diligently to catch up and get re-focused after such a long break
• Pray for those students finishing up their homework tonight; that they will stay focused and work well
• Pray for the rest of this quarter as Christmas is coming up that we will be able to live each day to the fullest rather than just survive until the end.
• PERSONAL
• Pray that I can learn how to REST in Him, rather than in my own selfish gain
• Pray that I will find myself a mentor here in Bolivia so that I can continue to be lifted up and to grow.
• Pray that I can continue to develop my relationships with the other teachers outside of school.
• Pray for opportunities to build relationships with my students.

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For Better or Worse

God is teaching me a lot about the importance of being DEVOTED to him.  Through some of my very own students, he is showing me that He needs to be my number one.  I have to be "hopelessly devoted" to Him, for better or worse.

Ryan has been teaching a series to the students at the SCCLC about "tying the knot." He started with the symbol of Tying the Knot with God.  Allow Jesus to be the knot that ties you to God and connects you to Him.  He continued it with a challenge and question for the kids if they have even tied the knot.  Then his last sermon was about TIGHTENING the knot.  Continuing in the sanctification process and allowing God to be your groom.  PUBLICALLY sharing your devotion to Christ.  He showed the video below as a challenge to the kids:

After Ryan spoke last week, he gave all of the kids an index card and challenged them to write their "vows" to God and return them to him this week.

This week, he gave the kids the opportunity to share their vows in front of the school.  The tears started flowing as student after student came up and shared their personal committments to follow and submit to Christ.  I couldn't help but be convicted as I sat there and listened to these kids share from their hearts.

I might get married someday soon, but I know that I don't want that to happen until I've already devoted my heart and my life to my Savior.  So I have decided to follow my students who I'm supposed to lead and write my own vows to Jesus, my bridegroom.

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VOWS TO MY BELOVED

You are my past, my present and my endless future and 

I know that You will never change.

You are faithful when I am falling, 

You give me grace when I return to You, and 

You love me when I don't remember to love You.  

You put me first when I put you last.  

What else can I do but commit to loving You eternally?  

What else can I do but vow to serve You until I see you in heaven?  

What else can I do but publically promise to follow You? 

Wherever it may lead.  

For better or worse, I promise to stand by You 

because I know that even in the worse parts of my temporary time here I can find comfort in You 

because You are my Healer, Sustainer, and Provider.  

I know that there will be countless betters because I can confidently say that 

our relationship will last longer than time can measure. 

So with this convenant I stand firm on the truth that You will never fail me, 

and though I cannot promise that I won't fail you, 

I can promise that I will remain faithfully and forever Yours, 

my bridegroom & my first Love.

Eternally devoted, 

Your Rachel Gentry

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Have you written Vows to your Savior?  I challenge you to also take the step to publically share and declare your love for your Beloved.  Listen to the song (below) that was being explained above, and meditate on the words.  God isn't finished with you, me or anyone, and He desires for us all to share and declare our endless love for Him.

Thanks for listening,

Rachel.

Warm Fuzzies

Have you ever had them?  You know what I'm talking about.  The beaming smile, not sure how to respond, warm feeling you get when someone genuinely encourages you.  Encouragement is probably one of the most powerful things to receive aside from discouragement.  Let me explain.

Since I was a child, I thrived on discouragement...negative reinforcement.  I remember a time in 6th grade when I, out of peer pressure, was blatantly disobeying one of my youth group leaders and in anger he retorted, "You're really never going to learn how to listen will you?"  From that point on I made it my goal to prove him wrong.  I was embarassed and ashamed of my behavior, but it was his stinging words that motivated me to change.  Throughout my life, I have tended to break down walls, change minds, prove people wrong.  When I was discouraged from moving forwad, I would even if it was unwise.  When I was told I couldn't do something, I'd do it in order to change the minds of those who don't know me--or judge me.

What I have discovered in my own self-evaluations, I still have the same mentality.  I hold on to discouragments much longer than encouragements, why?  Because they are more motivating.  I was pretty severely discouraged when I first arrived to Bolivia.  I was hurt by a few individuals, and my perception was that I wanted to prove those individuals wrong.  I wanted to prove that I was different than what they said I was, that I was better than they said I was.  The work I did was in vain, though.  Through my time here at the SCCLC, I worked and worked and didn't receive what I wanted: a tale-between-the-legs apology, to be told "you proved me wrong," to be given a reason to have pride.  My aim to please was directed toward the wrong people when it should have been directed to the One who sent me.

It wasn't until I attended youth group with my Junior Highers on Friday that I was shown WHY it is that I am here.  Ryan has been teaching the Junior Highers a series on bullying, and the importance of building eachother up, and encouraging one another.  He had all of the kids sit in a hot-seat and have people say encouraging things about them.  After the students were done, he had them do the same to the leaders.  I was first.  I sat with tears in my eyes as the epitamy of warm fuzzies came over me.  Student after student raised their hands and told me all of these things I have been doing right.  They told me the exact opposite of the things that on which I was discouraged.

I am not here to prove those who discourage me wrong.  I am here SERVE those whom I love, and in God's grace, though my motives were impure, that is what I have been doing.  God is the ultimate encourager.  He sees the PURE me through the weaknesses I possess.  Jesus is the mirror to the Truth of the gospel.  He sees me as perfect--and his judgement is the exact opposite of cloudy.

I read Ephesians 3 today, and saw so many things I wanted to take out of it.  What I am learning is that I need to allow my identity be rooted in Christ's love, rather than rooted in earthly motivations--whether that be discouragement or encouragement.  I need to be serving with a mentality to love and please God, no one else. The BEAUTIFUL thing that happens when I am aiming to please God is that I will naturally please and love everyone.
So the discouragements of my life have taught me two major things:
1. Discouragment may be strong enough to change a person's outlook or actions, but its not strong enough to change hearts.
2. I am not identified as Rachel Gentry, missionary middle school & music teacher.  I am identified as Rachel Gentry, daughter of the King.  So no matter what failures there may be, or discouragements that may come, the one encouragement that I will forever hold onto is that I am loved by the One whom I don't deserve to know.

THAT gives me warm fuzzies. I truly believe that God used the words of my middle schoolers to show that encouragement is indeed stronger than discouragement, and I long for the day when I do hear "well done, good and faithful servant."  I'm willing to bet that the warm fuzzies from that statement will last for eternity.

My 7th Graders :)

Thanks for reading, praying & supporting!

Rachel

Prayer Requests for the Week:
Sunday: Pray for continued development in my relationships with my Bolivian church friends.  PRAISE that I was able to have two great conversations last week.
Monday: I will begin babysitting Pam & Ryan's children while they are at HS youth group.  Pray that I look at this as a ministry opportunity to the Parsons family and their two boys.
Tuesday: Pray for the Middle School Crew meeting we are having, that the convsersation will be God-honoring and that they kids will be changed & challenged.
Wednesday: Pray for chapel to continue to make a difference in the lives of the students and teachers at the SCCLC.
Thursday: Pray for the SAM missionaries and ministries (both home and away) that are in need of funding.
Friday: Pray for Middle School youth group--that we will reach more of the students that have not yet attended.

An Unforgettable Day

I had two unforgettable converstations today.  One was life-changing, and one was just the beginning of a life change.  Ryan shared a very awesome Gospel message about "tying the knot" with God during chapel today, and he gave an invitation for students to stay after and pray if they felt the Spirit leading them toward starting a relationship with God.  He invited teachers and core student leaders to pray with the students who stayed.  There were several students who stayed to pray, and I'm so thankful and excited to see God working in such a strong and intense way on the SCCLC campus.

One of the students that stayed after was one of my 7th graders. I felt God telling me that I needed to pray with him, so I sat and prayed with him and then we just started talking.  He was shaken up and strongly affect by what Ryan said about God acting as the Bridegroom.  He has already said "I do" and he's just waiting for your answer.  He saw pretty clearly that he hasn't answered back.  He, like most of the students at SCCLC, has learned about God, the Bible, and religion, but he didn't KNOW God.  After a long conversation about the things that have been keeping him from that relationship with God, he surrendered His life to Christ.

This student has two brothers, one older & one younger.  When I asked him about what it is that has been separating him from God, and what it is that he has been holding onto, he said his relationship with his brother.  He prayed for God to forgive him for his fights with his brothers, and the selfishness and anger that he has had specifically towards his younger brother.  I told him that with the help of the Holy Spirit he has the opporunity to lead his brothers by example, and to share the gospel with them.

Which brings me to the second conversation of the day.  The only explanation is a divine one because his younger brother was in my music class today, and to be frank, he had a pretty bad day. Because he wasn't making the best choices I disciplined him by witholding his reward at the end of class.  This devasted him to the point of an intense fury at himself.  He was so angry that he couldn't even function. I attempted to talk with him, but he was unable to control his anger and started beating himself up for making the mistakes he made.  Eventually I was able to convince him to return to class and look forward to a brand new day.

What an awesome picture God painted for me about redemption and triumph over sin.  I see, now, that God patterned these conversations today.  He chose to allow me to have the conversations with these brothers and breathe truth into their lives.  God told me that I needed to speak to both of these boys, and because of these experiences today, I can see that God is doing a great work in that family.  What a blessing it is to be His Chosen instrument for His name to be proclaimed.  PRAISE GOD for our new BROTHER IN CHRIST.  Pray for me as I continue to talk with the older brother tomorrow about showing his younger brother Christ's love.

This is why I came to Bolivia.  This is why I chose to obey God's call.  What more can I do but PRAISE HIM?

Watch the video below to listen to a new song by my recently favorite band The Rend Collective Experiment that I have been listening to on repeat...and caused me to dance around my classroom during my free period today! Maybe it will cause you to dance in the name of Jesus :)

Thanks for faithfully reading, praying, and supporting me!

Rachel

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Pray for the NEW BELIEVERS that are popping up all over campus.  Pray that their decisions will cause CHANGE and for them to be faithful followers EVEN if they're discrouraged by others.
• Friday is All Saints Day, lots of Spiritual Warfare in Bolivia...pray for those who are on the fence of truth that they will be steered the right way
• We have a Middle School Crew meeting on Friday night at OUR HOUSE.  Pray that myself and Rachel Rogers are able to guide these students to be good spiritual leaders to their classes.  Following our meeting, we are having a movie night and I'm super PUMPED that the kids are going to hang out and fellowship at my home.
• I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed with the workload, and I could use prayer for strength and perseverance through the storm
• I have been meeting with Middle School girls for lunch dates.  My goal is to meet with all of the middle schoolers for lunch in order to get to know them by the end of the quarter.  Pray that God allows for this to happen, and I have MEANINGFUL conversations with them all!

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**EXCITING ENGLISH TEACHER GEEK-OUT MOMENT THAT HAS NOTHING IMPORTANT OR EDIFYING TO DO WITH THIS BLOG BUT I LOVE IT SO I'M GOING TO SHARE IT WITH ALL OF YOU**

We have been learning about figurative language in 7th grade English and this boy was so excited to tell me how cool it is that Ryan used a simile during his message: "white as snow" and then he was excited to see that "tying the knot" is symbolic of our relationship with Christ.  It warmed my heart that the teaching in my classroom would cause a student to take something vital and necessary out of a Gospel message, and that my student is actually LEARNING something!!  What purpose this brings to my job as a TEACHER and a MISSIONARY.

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When the Holy Spirit Takes Over

Grace & Saddie
God has gifted me with the opportunity to develop relationships with these girls

I got the chance to share a little bit about bullying to my 7th and 8th grade students last night.  There has been some bullying going on this year, and Ryan thought it would be a good idea to talk about it with the junior high youth group last night, and lets just say it was a tough night for me.

Have you ever began sharing a story with a thought in mind of HOW you want to share, and then the Holy Spirit takes over and teaches you something in the process?  I was sharing about how I was the bully when I was in elementary school and middle school.  I didn't realize it about myself until I began speaking.

At a high school girl's progressive dinner, we were able to worship and be vulnerable
and share about how God has been working in our lives.

I remember punching a girl in 4th grade for making fun of my Mom.  I remember getting an applause from all of the kids in the school because no one liked her.  I remember that she ended up switching schools because of this incident, and that she went to a Christian school and eventually became a Christian. Now she is married and happy, and I had nothing to do with it.  How different would her life have been had I simply responded in love?  I professed to be a Christian when I punched her.  I made her life miserable all because I cared more about what other people thought of me rather than showing

I was able to witness a dear friend from my church, Taty (center) get baptized

her the love of Christ.  In fact, it was in spite of my failings and my lack of ability to show her Christ's love that God worked in her life.  I didn't help Him at all--in fact I worked AGAINST him.  The Holy Spirit showed me this truth about myself WHILE I was speaking to these Middle Schoolers.  Of course I started crying and being vulnerable, but there is something that I realized--the truth of the Gospel.

God doesn't NEED us for his work to be fulfilled.  He gives us the privilege to help Him.  We just have to choose to let Him do a great work in us and to step aside when its time to step aside.  I'm not an evangelist, and I don't claim to have any answers worth listening to, but I know that God doesn't need me.  What a gift it is to be used by the Holy Spirit; I have no other desire but to be willing to be on His side.  The beauty of grace is that in the end, God's will is going to be carried out regardless of the choices I make.  I know that He will continue to work in my life and the lives of those I interact with.

Friday was "twin day" at school, and I dressed up with Emily
my cooperating teacher from Student Teaching
It has been a joy getting to know her as a colleague.

I do believe that its important to make good choices, ones that are within His will.  Ones that God is going to be pleased with.  Ones that I will be proud of.  The choice to come to Bolivia is one of those choices.  I am so proud of the decision I made to come here, and I know that my path isn't going to be a hard one because I am within God's will.  He has shown me through my time here that I am doing the right thing.  This quarter has been a testament of that.  The photos in this post and below are definite testaments of my witnessing the will of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
God continues to bless me here in Bolivia, and has allowed me to really find a home here.  God shows me more and more that He is on my side and will continue to protect and love me no matter what, because I am a daughter of the King.  Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support as I continue this journey.

--
Rachel

Prayer Requests for the Week:

• Sunday: Pray for me to have opportunities to develop friendships with the teens at La Restauración church, the Bolivian church I am attending.
• Monday: There is a baptismal service for students who have recently come to know Christ; pray for those who are being baptized to be bold in their declaration of faith, and pray for those who will attend (parents, friends, siblings, etc) to be receptive to the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit's working in the lives of their loved ones.
• Tuesday: I have my three hardest music classes today, and I need to be prayed through the classes as they are difficult and draining.
• Wednesday: Pray for the kids in chapel.  Ryan just started a new sermon series; pray that the students that need to be are receptive to the Gospel, and those that know Christ will commit to following Christ.
• Thursday: Pray for the sports teams that are in the Finals for this year.  Pray that they will be safe, and that they'll play hard, but more importantly that they will be a good witness to the other schools.
• Friday: We have a government mandated holiday because of "Dia de los Muertos" which is All Saints Day; so there will be a lot of spiritual warfare going on today as people use this time to drink their pain away for their family members and loved ones who have died.

I Felt Like a Teacher Today

Someone once told me that in the world of Education there are really good planners, and then there are really good teachers.  Today I felt like a really good teacher.  I'm terrible at planning.  Scope and Sequences, all of the SWBAT's or the Learning Objectives, and the deciding where students should be, setting goals, etc.  I am terrible at it, but as I continue to develop my teaching over time, I am learning that its important to plan, yes (mostly because students can see right through you if you are unprepared), but also it is important to TEACH and that its ok to abandon the plan if it doesn't pan out.  

Communication Corner of the Classroom :)

SOO needless to say, today was the first time that I actually felt like a teacher.  Up until this point I had felt like I was filling in a role that I wasn't suited for, or that it was just temporary.  I had this underlying feeling that I am not really doing what I should be doing with my life.  I just felt unsettled, unfocused, and simply disorganized and frazzled.  I felt like I was renting space in the room that I am sharing with the other English teachers, because I had been sharing a computer and I just didn't feel like I had a settled down place to call my own.

The week started out with one of my kindergarteners giving me an apple. I don't know where the concept of "teachers love apples" started, but I was overjoyed with this little kindergarten boy giving me an apple.  I'm convinced it was just part of his snack and he didn't want to eat so he thought he'd give it away, but I was so touched and it made me start to feel like a real teacher.

The Reading Corner, and my kids' Projects! :) I'm so proud of them!

I also got my bulletin board up yesterday.  The maintenance guy hung it for me, and I decorated it right away.  My 7th and 8th graders are doing the "reading race" to see which grade can read the most pages in their individual reading at home.  So far the 7th graders are smoking the 8th graders.  But I got to spend time just making a reading corner on the side of the room that I have been sharing.

THEN I got my own computer which forced me to organize my desk and my papers, so I'm all organized and ready for the new quarter.

MY NEW COMPUTER on my newly organized desk!!!

Though all of these things seem trivial, they all play a part in making me feel like a real teacher, a feeling I haven't actually had yet.  But I felt the MOST like a teacher when I experienced something in my 2nd grade music class. 

As we started to work on the song that the 2nd graders are singing (Heavenly Hallelujahs...a medley of all of the "angel carols"). I started realizing that there are SO MANY words in the song that they have never seen/heard/understood before.  They would mumble over them when they sang along with the track, and I was thinking to myself "well this is just not working...time for a new strategy."  I gave them all pencils and asked them to underline big scary words, and they did an amazing job finding the things they weren't sure about.  I had never thought to take MUSIC from a literacy standpoint before, and I was so excited that I can use my experience as an English teacher in the music world.  It was the greatest teachable moment I have experienced to this date.

I'm so thankful that God has sent me here, and that He is beginning to show me that I do belong where he leads me.  I'm thankful that he can give me glimpses of his plan to prepare me for great things.  I'm so blessed to be here in Bolivia, and I am learning to praise Him in the good, and continue to rely on Him during this feasting time.  God is allowing me to really embrace being a teacher and LOVE my job, and see that it IS my job...and my calling.

THANK YOU LORD FOR CALLING ME TO DO SOMETHING THAT I LOVE, ENJOY, AND YOU HAVE GIFTED ME IN.THANKS, GOD FOR GOOD DAYS! :)

My Crazy Rambunctious and AWESOME 7th graders :)

THANK YOU, supporters, for your continual prayers!

Rachel

Prayer Requests This Week:

• Saturday: HS Girls Progressive Dinner (Dpo and I are hosting the main meal) pray for strength and PRESENCE because I have a lot of other things to do (i.e grading) and I want to BE THERE and HOST well.
• Sunday: PRAISE for 5 new believers after Retreat this weekend in the HS! I'm soo proud of these kids and I want to pray that they continue on this Spiritual Plateau instead of plummeting after a "retreat high"
• Monday: BAPTISMAL SERVICE on Monday, November 3 for new believers in the HS and other believers that desire to be baptized...parents are invited: BIG DEAL, BIG STEPS!
• Tuesday: 2nd quarter is starting, and I have lots of planning to do for 7th and 8th grade reading classes; pray for students to desire to SUCCEED this quarter.
• Wednesday: Christmas Program is RAPIDLY approaching, pray for wisdom and attention in the elementary school, so that they memorize their songs, lines, and practice well, pray for parent and teacher involvement
• Thursday: Dpo and myself as we continue to get to know eachother as roommates
• Friday: Middle School youth group and spiritual development: They NEED Jesus to show himself to them; pray that we can continue to develop our discipleship program with the Middle School.

I'll Never Forget

I'll Never Forget watching the Spirit move in ways I couldn't even imagine

I'll Never Forget the stories that were shared that affected so many people

I'll Never Forget the long hugs shared after forgiveness was reached

I'll Never Forget the circles of high schoolers praying for the girl who went home sick

I'll Never Forget laying my hands on and praying for a broken new believer

I'll Never Forget the contrast between the laughter shared in the pool with the happy tears shed when kids just started to "get it"

I'll Never Forget listening to the song written by the two High School Boys about change and transformation

I'll Never Forget watching and listening to the students furiously writing in their workbooks and listening to Axis tell them about worldviews throughout the world.

I'll Never Forget observing students praying for other hurting and broken students

I'll Never Forget leading worship and looking out at all of the kids in a line holfing one another: united in the Spirit.

I'll Never Forget the look on their faces when Ryan screamed "______is a believer in Jesus Christ"

I'll Never Forget High School Retreat

CLARIFYING STORY
When we got to the campsite for High School Retreat on Friday, we started setting up the electronics for the Axis team to present their first session.  Right away the projector was broken, and we couldn't get it to work. Axis needed a projector to do their session; so we needed a plan B.  Ryan decided to have us (the worship team) lead worship and open the floor for testimonies (by the students!!!)  I was skeptical from the beginning, thinking that we'd be sitting in awkward silence when he opened it up, but was I wrong!  Student after student came to share how they came to know Christ, and people were broken beyond compare by the end of the night.  I can't even describe how Christ was moving, and I was amazed at the power of some of the kids' vulnerability and love for one another.  All because the projector wouldn't work!  TWO kids became believers in Jesus Christ, and many believers re-dedicated their lives to FOLLOWING Christ.
Oh and I must mention....the projector was working the next morning...I think God WON!!! :D

THANK YOU for your prayers this weekend.  I wish you all could have been there to witness this MIRACULOUS MOVEMENT of the Holy Spirit, and I'm soo excited and thirsty for more!! :)

Until the Next AMAZING story...

Rachel

(ENGLISH TEACHER ADAGE: poem style in the beginning of this is based off of Elie Wiesel's poem "Never Shall I Forget" found in his book Night)

God Always Wins

"I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:8

Its unbelievably crazy to witness Satan's desperation first hand.  This week is Spiritual Emphasis Week at the SCCLC.  It is also a time when day after day we are seeing that God is doing a great work on the campus of our school.  Every day I see that the Enemy is trying to win in the lives of both the teachers and students here, and every day he fails.

This year has been a dynamic year in the spiritual development of our students.  A couple, Pam & Ryan Parsons & their 4 kids have come this year to serve the SCCLC through youth ministry and discipleship.  You can see God shining and radiating out of them as they serve here, and it is no mystery that their fire for God is viral.  I'm so happy that they are here to serve, and that I am able to learn and serve alongside them.

But with true and genuine servant leadership comes a price: the enemy gets ALL KINDS of angry.  Since they have been here, Ryan has had surgery, Pam has been sick, all of their kids have been sick in some capacity or another, and it has been a physical battle throughout their time here.  God is using them, and the Enemy doesn't like it.  Spiritual Warfare.

After a challenge from Ryan for Spiritual Leaders to step up, one of my junior high students was affected greatly and stood up to pray on Monday.  That night he was at a gas station and a group of drunk teenagers threw a rock at his head, he got a concussion, and couldn't come to school the next day.  Spiritual Warfare.

But God cannot be shaken.  One of the senior girls accepted Christ yesterday, and committed her life to following Him.  This girl is one that I have been praying for since I got here.  She's a Bolivian that has a HUGE affect on our campus that up until now has been against Christianity.  Because of her influence, she has the ability to TRANSFORM this school just with her testimony.  She stood up in Chapel today and told everyone that God changed her heart, and another person accepted Christ even today!  Spiritual Warfare.

As he has proven time and time again, GOD WINS. But that battle isn't over. We need prayer for the rest of this week, and I'm asking for you, as my supporters to commit to praying for the students and teachers of the SCCLC.  Romans 12:21 says "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  That is what we need to do, so I'm asking you as my supporters and supporters of the students at the Learning Center to start a MOVEMENT of prayer this weekend as we go on High School Retreat, and Monday as the Junior Highers experience their own retreat.

• We NEED to be praying for these kids to really grasp and hold onto the truth of the Gospel.  
• We need to pray that the ones who get it will step up and LEAD our school through service.  
• We need to pray that the Enemy will see that he is NOT invited to this party, and RUN.
• We need to pray for a REVIVAL of Christ's truth on this campus.
• We need to pray for the Parsons to be protected for Satan's attacks.
• We need to pray for the AXIS team coming from the States to share with our students.
• We need to pray for student LEADERS to emerge from the crowd, and start serving

Thanks for your committments to pray, PLEASE comment below and let us know that we are not alone, and that you will be committing to pray this weekend for one or all of the things listed above.

I love you all, and your committments to prayer! :)

Rachel

Parables of the Unexpected

Today was a day full of the unexpected.  One by one, things happened that were simply not what I planned for, both good, and bad, and all of them taught me something...it was a day of parables. So I guess I'll tell them like that :)

Unwholesome Talk?
I had time to attend Elementary chapel today.  Now that I'm teaching the elementary kids, I have been trying to invest in and spend more time with them.  My schedule hasn't permitted it because I have been teaching K-8 classes, but God gave me some extra time to spend with them in their chapel.  They were talking about Ephesians 4:29, and not letting unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.  This was a good reminder for me today, and God actually convicted me to remember to apply this to my classroom.  Sometimes sarcasm with my students can get the best of me, and I needed to be reminded that I should control my tongue.  You never expect to be convicted in an Elementary school chapel, but God was good to me by showing me that I needed to hear what I heard.

Learning how to teach from a 12th Grader
I was BLESSED with an AWESOME (and unexpected) conversation with one of the 12th grade girls today, as well.  She was having a bad day and needed to talk, so I sat down with her and listened to her heart, struggles, and frustrations from the year.  I taught her last year when I was student teaching, and it was unbelievably encouraging to hear her talking to me about her walk with the Lord.  She showed me so much about her heart and helped me see things from a student's perspective rather than just from a teacher's perspective.

Fist Fights & Failures
I broke up my first fist fight today in one of my music classes today.  Though I was shaky and felt like crying, God gave me strength to take it and gain control over my students.  God taught me, also, that I need to start getting to know the ins and outs of upper elementary students.  I haven't figured out what to expect out of them, because I have been learning what to expect out of junior high and high school.  4th, 5th, and 6th graders are a whole different monster, and I just don't know what to do with them.  I'm praying and hoping that these students will be convicted and remorseful for their actions toward eachother, but the whole situation just made me sad.
God also taught me that I need to stop blaming myself for other people's bad choices.  Those boys chose to fight, but I was trying to figure out what it was that I did wrong in order for this to happen.  I felt like I failed as a teacher because it happened during class time.  I had a lengthy conversation with the Elementary school principal about the incident, and she spoke the truth: I cannot control the choices and decisions of others.  Fist fights are fist fights.  They'll happen whether I am there or not.  I'm thankful that God had this happen, because I think these boys will be on their way to mending their relationships, and I am now on my way towards classroom management that prevents the opportunities for these things to happen in my class.

The Perfect Prayer Partner
During prayer meeting God brought me to pray with the PERFECT person.  Ally (another single teacher) and I had both been struggling with similar issues over the past week, and I was able to pray with her about them in a real, open and safe environment.  I am so thankful for her and her heart here in Bolivia, and I can't wait to continue to develop our friendship over this next year.  God showed me through this that I am not alone--not only do I have Him, but I have friends that can come alongside me and pray me through my struggles, and bare my burdens too!

Dog Poo
I stepped on dog poop on my way to the car after prayer meeting.  I felt something on the bottom of my foot, so I put my hand down there to investigate, and got a huge chunk of poo on my hand.  I ran to the bathroom and puked after using a gallon of soap to wash my hand and shoe.  God taught me never to touch the bottom of my shoe. Ever.

Thanks for reading the parables of my day!  Also thanks for your prayers & support!

PLEASE be praying every day this week AND next week for SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS WEEK and HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT.  There is a HUGE amount of spiritual warfare going on on the SCCLC campus, and we NEED your prayers to knock down the enemy.

Thanks again!

--Rachel :)

The Cycle of Unforgiveness

This week I have been teaching my 7th graders about Point of View.  I used a cup that had liquid filled half way, and asked the students to decide whether they saw the glass as half full or half empty.  The class was pulled in different directions deciding on which was right or wrong.  But the truth is, both perspectives were right, just one might have been more optimistic than the other. Perspective is always a huge part of human interaction.  The same story can be told in so many different ways simply by point of view.  But at the end of the day, the Omniscient One is the only one that knows the complete truth, and we are simply called to seek that truth.

When I was in 5th grade, I got in an argument with one of my friends.  I don't even remember what the fight was about, but I know that it was most likely not worth the hours and hours (which seemed like days in a 5th grade mind) of time that we did not speak to eachother.  Eventually I broke my wall of pride down and apologized, but my friend did NOT want to hear it.  She refused my apology.  I was apalled.  HOW could someone not forgive my sincerest apology?  HOW could someone be so proud and mean!?  How could someone make me feel so small and worthless?

I have always accepted God grace for myself.  I know myself well enough to see that I do not deserve the supernatural grace that God has given me willingly.  Ever since I was a small girl I have learned the truth of His mercy.  Through so many avenues God has taught me about His ultimate sacrfice: the wordless book, diarammas in Sunday School, countless altar calls, bible songs accompanied by intense sign language..and many many more.  But I never really and truly grasped the grace and mercy of God until I saw that I needed it: when it wasn't given to me willingly by those who I desperately wanted it from.

As I look back on the dramatic argument of 5th grade, I'm starting to see it from my friend's perspective.  I see why it might have been that she refused to forgive me.  I see why it is that she didn't want to be involved in my life.  I betrayed her.  I hurt her.  I made her feel small and worthless.  God had already forgiven me for the things that I said and did to her, but all I cared about was the fact that she DIDN'T forgive me.

How often do I see myself on both sides of this scenario.  Wanting desperately for someone to forgive me, and then on the other side: too prideful to forgive.  Such is the neverending cycle of unforgiveness that so many of us fall into, and honestly I have fallen into it.

I hurt so I hurt someone else.
I'm not forgiven, so I don't forgive.

Why is it that my flesh wins time and time again?  Thank you, Lord, for showing me my heart.
God teach me how to see, know, and remember that your grace is enough

Please be praying for me this week as I learn how to forgive as well as how to be far from home.

Rachel