my head itches. the special shampoo did not work well.
Hello, Friends!!
Well, things are pretty difficult and discouraging here lately. it seems to me that with all the good changes that have been happening in the children´s ministry here, and all the good changes happening within the music ministry, satan is feeling pretty threatened.
firstly, a lot of the youth here have been having relationship troubles. this is something that really affects the spirit of the group in general. people are breaking up left and right and everybody seems to be really deeply hurting these days. i know, this is not something new...it happens everywhere. but i´ve never seen so many relationships suffering all at once.
also, a lot of people are having family troubles too. one of the guys in the band is in the middle of a home that is breaking apart and on top of that, he has lost the opportunity he had to study because of the financial toll his parents´ separation is taking on the family. he is really hurting.
there is still a big problem with gossip that has affected everyone (even i have been the subject of some hurtful gossip).
last week someone that everybody from the church knows stole two of the guitars that belong to the church, sold them for some quick cash and skipped town. and on saturday, when i was running around like crazy trying to get errands run and tasks accomplished before the kids bible school class began, and there were a ton of people in and out of my house all day preparing food for the event we had at the church in the evening, someone took sixty dollars from the little box on my dresser where i keep my money. though i won´t deny that the loss of the money itself does hurt (because it was all the money i had for the month and the month isn´t nearly over yet), what hurt even more was the fact that the only people who were in and out of the house all day were people from the church who we trust. this cuts me deeply. how can i get past that? i don´t know...it´s hard. when trust is broken it is difficult to move forward. especially in a situation like this where the trust is broken with everyone because i have no idea who took the money. sandra and marcelo say that this has happened before and it hurts a lot...and what can we do?
and if all that weren´t discouraging enough.....i got The Lice.
my group of friends here is a little bit....uh....oh dear, i am forgetting english words already. the only word i can think of to describe them is "pesado" which means literally "heavy"....in the sense that they like to joke around and make fun. whenever somebody seems confused/physically in pain/lost...or something like...they look at you and say, "are you lost? do you want your mommy?" and then they shout, "i´m looking for the mommy of this little girl...has anyone seen her mommy? she is crying and she needs the mommy!" it´s usually pretty funny in the moment, even for the people who are being picked on. anyway, the point is...i definitely need the mommy. and so do a lot of people here.
the general spirit is one of discouragement and hurting...and everybody seems tired. there are some people ready to throw in the towel and just go back to a life of nothingness. there are some who already have made the decision to do that.
i really feel it is an attack from the enemy who does not want us to be successful in what we do for our Lord. and i ask that you would please pray hard for all of these things...for everyone who is feeling weary and burdened and who just needs rest...that we would find rest in the Lord and that we would press on, not letting the enemy discourage us like this. please pray for restoration for the hearts that have been broken, and for restoration of the trust that has been broken. please pray for the gossippers and the subjects of their gossip. please pray that God will be victorious in all this, and that He will renew us and fill this church with joy and the desire to persevere in the face of trials. pray for me to be able to help in any way i can. your prayers are very important. please help!
thank you, thank you! i expect things will begin to change soon, because your prayers are powerful.
i hope to share some better news in my next post.
Well, things are pretty difficult and discouraging here lately. it seems to me that with all the good changes that have been happening in the children´s ministry here, and all the good changes happening within the music ministry, satan is feeling pretty threatened.
firstly, a lot of the youth here have been having relationship troubles. this is something that really affects the spirit of the group in general. people are breaking up left and right and everybody seems to be really deeply hurting these days. i know, this is not something new...it happens everywhere. but i´ve never seen so many relationships suffering all at once.
also, a lot of people are having family troubles too. one of the guys in the band is in the middle of a home that is breaking apart and on top of that, he has lost the opportunity he had to study because of the financial toll his parents´ separation is taking on the family. he is really hurting.
there is still a big problem with gossip that has affected everyone (even i have been the subject of some hurtful gossip).
last week someone that everybody from the church knows stole two of the guitars that belong to the church, sold them for some quick cash and skipped town. and on saturday, when i was running around like crazy trying to get errands run and tasks accomplished before the kids bible school class began, and there were a ton of people in and out of my house all day preparing food for the event we had at the church in the evening, someone took sixty dollars from the little box on my dresser where i keep my money. though i won´t deny that the loss of the money itself does hurt (because it was all the money i had for the month and the month isn´t nearly over yet), what hurt even more was the fact that the only people who were in and out of the house all day were people from the church who we trust. this cuts me deeply. how can i get past that? i don´t know...it´s hard. when trust is broken it is difficult to move forward. especially in a situation like this where the trust is broken with everyone because i have no idea who took the money. sandra and marcelo say that this has happened before and it hurts a lot...and what can we do?
and if all that weren´t discouraging enough.....i got The Lice.
my group of friends here is a little bit....uh....oh dear, i am forgetting english words already. the only word i can think of to describe them is "pesado" which means literally "heavy"....in the sense that they like to joke around and make fun. whenever somebody seems confused/physically in pain/lost...or something like...they look at you and say, "are you lost? do you want your mommy?" and then they shout, "i´m looking for the mommy of this little girl...has anyone seen her mommy? she is crying and she needs the mommy!" it´s usually pretty funny in the moment, even for the people who are being picked on. anyway, the point is...i definitely need the mommy. and so do a lot of people here.
the general spirit is one of discouragement and hurting...and everybody seems tired. there are some people ready to throw in the towel and just go back to a life of nothingness. there are some who already have made the decision to do that.
i really feel it is an attack from the enemy who does not want us to be successful in what we do for our Lord. and i ask that you would please pray hard for all of these things...for everyone who is feeling weary and burdened and who just needs rest...that we would find rest in the Lord and that we would press on, not letting the enemy discourage us like this. please pray for restoration for the hearts that have been broken, and for restoration of the trust that has been broken. please pray for the gossippers and the subjects of their gossip. please pray that God will be victorious in all this, and that He will renew us and fill this church with joy and the desire to persevere in the face of trials. pray for me to be able to help in any way i can. your prayers are very important. please help!
thank you, thank you! i expect things will begin to change soon, because your prayers are powerful.
i hope to share some better news in my next post.
posted by Amy at 11:58 AM
5 Comments:
I'm not sure how a plea for help can be inspiring, but it is.
You are inspiring.
Throwing some prayers down your way!
You've been on my mind a lot the last two weeks, and I've been thinking about God's call on your life and praying that he would provide all that you need to be faithful. Not half, or most of what you need, but all of what you need, and that he provide it abundantly. I guess you could say I've been a bit demanding, but God is up to it. In the spirit of Luke 6:27 and following (verses which never do anything but stick in my craw, whatever a craw is), I'll be praying for your hurts and the ones doing the hurting.
Amy,
It pains me to read what is happening to you. I know you're frustrated and seek answers. I can give you answers, but I think I'd blow up the reply thing with my long answers. I can email you some things that I'm pretty sure will help you. your email is the one in the contact right? I do have a short quote which I actually have taped on my bible, it's from the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland and it says, "Real rewards await those who choose wisely." You, Amy, have chosen wisely by choosing the Lord.
estoy orando por ti, amiga.
Amy, What you are doing down there is something am-a-zing! Even though things may suck right now, you have the lord on your side.
Remember what I said, "If things are not going the way you want it to go, just say, look out world here I am".
I don't remember if that was what I actually said, but you did write it down and just look at that.
Sucks about the lice thing. Just don't bring that back to America with you.
I hope that you do not get to discouraged. I miss you and God's speed
-Luntangclan
Post a Comment
<< Home