God remains...

God is remaining faithful.  With less than 3 weeks left the students are out TRANSLATING with the largest team that comes through SCORE DR all year: Johnson Ferry with 347 people!  It definitely is all hands on deck when it comes to this week and the GAP students are called upon to be translators and group leaders.  Although translating and leading short-term mission teams is not the overall goal of the program, it is using EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF KNOWLEDGE they've learned over the past 7 months.  They are able to speak Spanish and communicate.  They are able to educate about the culture and help guide the teams to help more and hurt less. They are able to step up as leaders and use some of the oh-so-necessary critical thinking skills.  And MOST IMPORTANTLY rely on the Lord for His guidance, His protection, His provision, His wisdom, His strength, & His patience.  I am SO proud of them for stepping up to the plate!

Let's keep sharing about God's faithfulness going through the lives of some more of the students:

Micah has a heart for the Dominican people and is amazingly relational.  She had a great gasp of the language when she arrived and it has only helped build early and long lasting relationships with friends from our local church as well as those she meets for the first time in various villages.  Most of the time we're asking "Where's Micah?" only to find her in various and random places...she definitely keeps us laughing.  She is our free spirit but in that teaches us that relationships sometime need to come before the schedule.  Micah doesn't just use her voice to speak Spanish...she also gets up early every Sunday morning to sing worship at church!

 Shawn is the man!  A tough-football-playin'-guys guy with a new heart for Jesus.  He came to Christ not too long before entering the program and has been faithful in obedience to the Lord and has been both blessed and a blessing while here!  The kids LOVE him! Kids flock to him, throw themselves at him and are giggling the whole time.  He's seen a completely different way of life...not only surrounded by people who love the Lord and live it out daily, but also learning how to live with 10 sisters!  (I'm sure he'll be processing this year for a very, VERY long time!)

Corina has maybe been out of her comfort zone just as much as Shawn has.  Although she came from a big family, she was the only girl for awhile...and now she's living amongst some of the girliest girls she has ever met! (welcome to my world Corina!)  The Lord prepared His path and ministry for her here.  She has a heart for sponsoring children...she is sponsoring 5 kids from other countries and because of that she jumped at the opportunity to help with child sponsorship through SCORE.  She spends every Monday morning at the kitchen table of Emanuel house going through lists and spreadsheets, pictures and stories, helping everything stay as organized as possible! (seriously..she was on all 4 electronics at once!) Corina also has a servants heart and a relational heart as well which is a HUGE blessing to the short term teams and leadership staff!

Rebecca is one of the most dedicated and disciplined people I know.  Originally she was supposed to be going to the GAP program in Costa Rica, but God had other plans and I am so thankful He did!  Rebecca is a quiet leader and example to everyone.  We, too, sometimes ask "Where's Becca?"...but unlike Micah, we almost always know the answer...doing homework!  There is an excellence bar that she has set for herself and she's going to whatever it takes to reach it...and I really commend her for that.  She always gives 100% into everything and is always responsible and dependable.  Because her love is huge, her dedication is huge...there is no doubt in my mind that the Lord is preparing her for something HUGE!

And to close this weeks blog...I'll leave you with some truth and wisdom Rebecca shard on her Facebook wall this past Sunday night (probably upon reflection of Easter and in preparation for Johnson Ferry week...but applicable no matter where you are or what you're going through).

"I have been feeling very anxious this whole week, especially today, so I decided to write out my thoughts and I thought I would share....Satan wants me to fear. He wants me to be anxious and afraid because....He wanted the glory. He wanted to be GOD and so he was cast out of Heaven. He hates God because of this. He also hates us-God's creation. He hates the lost and he wants to keep them bound. He wants the lost to be trapped. He smiles when they are in bondage. He smiles when they think they are "Having fun" according to the ways of the world because he knows they are falling deeper and deeper into his trap. He also hates the saved. He hates us because we have been set free. We are no longer trapped and bound. Because of the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST we have been set free! We have the hope of eternal life! Jesus came to mend the broken, heal the wounded, and pardon the guilty to save a sinner like me! Satan hates us because of this. He is going to do everything he can to try and stop us from sharing this hope with others. If you have been discouraged this week, I can relate to you. I want to encourage you with these words, do not believe the lies satan is trying to feed you. HE NO LONGER HAS CONTROL OVER YOU. Glory in the Cross! Do not forget that CHRIST HAS RISEN! He loves us with a love that no one can give or take away. I challenge you this week to be more intentional with sharing the hope we have with others! Thank you so much God for our risen Savior! 

2 Timothy 1:7 'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.'"

amen and AMEN!