crazy weeks!

Wow, what a week this has been so far! Very overwhelming at times, but I am learning a lot about leadership through this trial. The last week (Feb. 14-18) our topic appropriately was relationships taught by the director of the base, Marjolein. In this DTS, we have two students who were starting to flirt with one another since week 2 and we had warned them continuously about crossing the lines especially because they both have significant others at home. Unfortunately they physically crossed the line this last weekend and were caught by base staff. We had to confront the students and reevaluate why they are doing this school and what they truly want from this experience. Through this evaluation and recognizing their motivation, the leadership made a decision to send the guy student home and the girl student could stay (she is one of my one-on-one students). So I had to be a part of the all day meetings between base staff and school leadership in determining her future here at the school. It was so difficult and exhausting because we all love both of these students and I think even more difficult was seeing them hurting and making a bad decision that led to this kind of hurt. The male student left the base today and the students are now in the process of healing and letting go of one of their friends. One thing I know is that God is using this situation for His good though as Romans 8:28 says “And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

In addition to this issue, one of our students had stomach pain on Sunday night and so I had to take her to the emergency room to find out what was going on. The doctors did some tests and found out that she had an inflamed gall bladder and this could only mean surgery if not resolved. This brought another level of stress on the school because her mom said that if she indeed needed surgery then she not complete the school, but come home to the U.S. for this operation. God is our healer though, and I took her back to the hospital on Tuesday to run some more tests and the doctors were surprised and confused because there was no longer any swelling of the gall bladder! We have no answers as to the cause or anything, but we know that God has healed her as we all prayed for the last 2 days. J

I unfortunately was unable to really attend the classes during relationships week or Father heart of God as I have been now working towards preparing for our team’s outreach to Ecuador. I am very excited, but a little overwhelmed at the task as well. I will be leading a team (along with another guy Pablo) of 7 incredible students! I am being challenged in so many ways, first as the main leader of the outreach, but also God is challenging me in that along with Pablo we are the only people who speak any Spanish going to Ecuador! The Lord is opening so many doors for us already in Ecuador in Quito (the capital of the country), working in an orphanage in the Andes, and working with an Indigenous group in the Amazon region. Please pray with me that God would lead us to be a group led and directed by His Holy Spirit. We want Exodus 33:15-16 to be our heart beat for this trip: “If Your presence does not go wtih us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sign, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

Through all of these trials, God is teaching me much about leadership! I have realized that through these last couple of weeks I have tried to do things in my own strength and power. This week I was broken and realized that I cannot continue on in my own strength, but need to rely on Him for EVERYTHING! I have no answers, nothing to offer except what He gives me and what He does through me! In these last weeks, I have doubted my abilities as a leader and felt very discouraged, but God has been using so many people to encourage me in the gifts that He has given me for leadership and He Himself is showing me my gifts as well. I know God does not give me more than I can handle, and so in this place I am trusting Him with every issue and concern knowing He is in control, NOT me! I know more struggles are coming, but I am ready and learning how to leave my burdens on Him because His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matthew 11:28-30)! And thank God for His rest…this weekend the leadership is taking a couple of us to Manuel Antonio, a beach city, to get away and rest! This week’s teachings are at the perfect time as well. The theme this week is Destiny by Design, learning how God has created us with a perfect purpose and how to discover what those are in our lives. Please continue to keep me and the group in your prayers as we discover how God has uniquely created each one and our unique purpose!

I now have a phone in Costa Rica! My phone number is: (506) 8603-8948 (they have 8 digit phone numbers). I can also receive text messages!