Motorcycle Dairies

One of my favorite things to do in this country is to go on a motorcycle ride.  Whether it is just a short ride around town or a day trip to a neighboring city, there is nothing like the adventure that comes from open air, and the thrill of what feels like flying through the mountain side.  Through these many rides, I have learned so much about life and the adventure I am on with the Jesus.

I have learned that no matter how well planned out a trip could be, there's a really good chane it will not turn out as planned.  Whether that is because of a flat tire, broken chain, road being closed, getting stuck in a river, or whatever other weird thing that may happen.  There are always unexpected twists and turns, but it is always an adventure worth the ride.  Life is also made to be an adventure.  We can make perfect plans on how we think our life should go, but there are always the unexpected twists and turns that Jesus brings us on.

Lord, that you would guide me through this adventure. That you would take me on your path, even if it is different than what I think it should be.

I have learned the importance of knowing the driver I go with and have complete trust in him.  Every moto trip we go on, it is always with Dominican drivers, experienced in the streets, the road conditions, and the driving patterns.  Usually any fears I may have are put at ease, knowing they will take care of me and be wise in their driving choices.  This last trip I went on, I went with a man I had never met before, didn't know anything about, and I will admit, I was nervous and a little scared putting my life in the hands of a stranger.  If I would have spent more time with him before hand, I would have had more trust in him.   Each day, I put my life in the hands of the Lord, trusting that He will take care of me.  Do I intentionally spend time with the one who 'drives' my life?

  Lord, that I would know you, the one whose hands I put my life in each day.  May I daily spend time with you to know your love, mercy and character so that I may fully trust you through each of life's adventures. 

There are times on these trips that I feel safe and secure, free to look around at the beautiful countryside of the land I live.  The mountains, flowers, houses, faces of this country.  The driver almost disappears as I trust him completely become more focused on my surroundings.

Lord, that I would enjoy the ride you are taking me on and put full trust on you, but may I never forget who is driving my life.  

There are many times on these trips that I am tempted to be full of fear.  Zooming through the mountainside, I am tempted to look at every dog, every corner, every other truck or moto and imagine the worse that could happen.  I squeeze my driver, the one I have have once trusted my life with.  My independence and need for control rages inside me as I desire to take back control of my life.  But then I realize, I have trusted him for a reason.  He knows the streets.  He knows the limits of the bike we are on.  He knows the wisest way to drive.  And if I were the one driving, I would have NO idea what I was doing and I would crash so fast. And really, these thoughts won't change the outcome, or secure me anymore.  All I can do is cling to the one I have put my trust in.

Lord, that I may cling to you as you take me through the scary times in life.  That I would not be tempted to look around and imagine all the ways I can get hurt but that I will just depend on you with everything I am.  

My first trip to Constanza

Trip #2 to Constanza

One of my many trusted drivers, Eddy

On the calles buenas

Sometimes we run into unexpected obstacles, but that's what makes it an adventure.

Flat tire... Hanging out on the side of the road

Thank you Lord, for being the best driver ever.  Thank you that I can put my complete trust in You and that I can cling to You in every situation you may take me through.

Lives Changed

The Bible is full of stories of lives changed when people met the living Jesus.  The lame man was lowered in through the roof of a house and then walked out healed, forgiven... changed.  The sinful woman, caught in adultery, brought to Jesus for condemnation, he brought healing, forgiveness.  The woman who had a bleeding condition, got close enough to just barely touch Jesus' cloak, her life was healed, and she was forgiven.  The stories continue as we see Jesus' heart, He wanted to heal and forgive the ones who sought him.  That same Jesus is alive today and his heart has not changed.  I saw lives changed this weekend, just as they were back in Bible times.

During Cabin Time, students began to open up about their own 'bleeding diseases' and 'lameness' that they wanted to be healed and forgiven from.  Abuse from family, family fighting, images that haunt them when they go to sleep, memories from things they regret, the list continues.  It was evident that the only way healing was going to take place was an encounter from the one Living Jesus.  Here is the story of two lives changed when they experienced Jesus.

Enraged from abuse 

To give you a picture of this young lady's home life, this weekend at camp, she did not want to wear shorts because the week before, her cousin beat her with a belt, the wounds still apparent.  The wounds are not only on her legs but in her heart from what I can imagine, a life of pain.  She struggles with anger, gossip, holding on to words and doing all she can to hurt those who have hurt her.  The first night at camp, words were spoken against her by another camper that hurt her.  We talked about it and prayed, but as I watched her walk in circles, I knew she was the one who needed to seek God for healing and help in letting this go.  The next day, the camp speaker did an anger seminar on dealing with hurt and choosing to forgive others.  Later that day, my friend, who had been so wounded by so many people, walked up to me with peace on her face.  She said, "Miss Rachel, you know that thing that happened yesterday, I think I forgot about it."  Smiling, I asked her to tell me about it. "I asked Jesus to take it away, and he did." And the peace on that girl's face was evidence to that statement.  I believe this is the beginning of the deeper healing that God is wants to do in her life.  A life healed, changed, only through Jesus. 

Haunted 

On our last day at camp, one of the young ladies opened up about the images that fill her head every time she tries to pray and when she tries to fall asleep.  Tears filled her eyes as she explained that she has tried everything to get them out of her mind but they come back, haunting her every night.  She struggled with if God was even real because of this.  Another girl agreed and I got the sense that they were not alone.  I asked the girls to raise a pinky if they saw images that filled them with fear.  All 13 girls raised their hand.  Some of them said they saw things from their past.  Some said they saw evil, dark images that they weren't sure where they came from.  We talked about how Jesus wants us to walk in peace and not in fear.  That those images are not from Him and He has the power to take them away.  We prayed for Jesus to come into their hearts and minds and fill them with peace.  Two days later, back at school,  the young lady who originally brought this up came running up to me full of joy.  "Rachel! I don't see anything anymore!  I have experience God and I know He is real!"  A life healed, changed, only through Jesus.

I am reminded that Jesus is the same person today as he was back when he walked this Earth.  His heart is for us to walk in healing and forgiveness.  When we encounter Him, we can't help but walk away changed.  Thank you Jesus for changing our lives.

Doulos friends... on our way to camp.

Dunk Tank at carnival night

Fearless leaders after flour toss and dunk tank

So the kids had some fun with the flour too!  :)

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry.  Please continue to pray that God would continue to change the lives of these students.  He is doing big things, it is my privilege to walk along side my friends and watch Him work mightily. 

This is Doulos

Three and a half months exactly since I moved here. Even though I have been through a roller coaster ride of emotions, from the feelings of inadequacy and failure to the pure joy and disbelief of how incredible my life is.  Through it all, one thing holds so true, the place where I am serving is exactly where God has hand picked for me to be at this moment in my life.

Jonathan Ramm, our technology guy, just made two incredible videos that I would like to share with you that tells the story of the life I live everyday.  The first tells what we are about at Doulos. 

Doulos Discovery

I honestly tear up every time I watch that video, knowing that it is not just words being said but it is truth that I see happening every day at work. Words can not express how thankful I am to be apart of a place that is so focused and effective at changing the lives of the next generation.

The second video is an invitation to come to learn and serve with us.  We host service learning trips that take visitors on an adventure to learn more about the world around them in a real and authentic way.  I invite you to come and learn along side of us. 

Come, serve and learn 

There is a coral reef trip at the end of January and a clean water trip in March.  Please let me know if you are interested in coming to join.  :) 

But most of all, I just love sharing what is going on here at Doulos. I love that we can all be apart of what God is doing around the world.  Thank you for serving in the location that God has placed you.  He has a purpose and plan for each of us and is doing great things in all parts of the world. 

 Love.

Faith like a Mustard Seed

One day, God told a man, “Go push that mountain.” Because this man wanted to please the Lord and obey what He had said, everyday this man went and pushed the side of the mountain. Everyday the result was the same, the rock would be unmoved but the man continued as the Lord had commanded. One day, Satan came along, “Why are you pushing this mountain?  You are but a measly man, how can you make a difference in pushing this mountain?”  The man, discouraged, went to the Lord and lamented that he felt like all of his work pushing this mountain was in vain.  In a gentle voice the Lord responded, “Your work has not been in vain, look at how strong you are.  I did not ask you to move the mountain, I just asked to you to push.  In faith you did what I asked each day.  I have grown you and now come rest in my arms and watch as I move the mountain for you.”

           

Each morning, my class has devotions.  The story we have been studying this week is the story of the mustard seed growing into the largest tree in the garden from Matthew. I made an activity sheet for my students that said “Con fe como un semilla de mostaza, tu puedes hacer grandes cosas con DIOS!”  With faith like a mustard seed, you can do great things with GOD!  As I glued mustard seeds to each worksheet (thank you Anna :) ), I asked the students “With faith this size, what can you do?”  Move mountains!  “Who do you need to do that?” DIOS!  What a great lesson I was teaching my students, but was I really living it?  

Today, throughout the day, I felt very discouraged.  I felt as though all of this that I was pouring into my students was not good enough and that it was not impacting their life at all.  I felt like I was trying to do the impossible (the things as simple as teaching my students to walk in a straight line, let alone the complex and profound).  I came home feeling defeated, wanting to just make a quick dinner and go to sleep early.  Instead, Frai and I started talking.  I shared briefly how I was I feeling and the above story was her response.  She did not know what I was teaching in devotions, she had just read this story today and wanted to share it as an encouragement. 

What a Big God we serve that He would orchestrate all of this to teach such a powerful lesson.  Even though I feel as though I am pushing and pushing with no result, God is working.  I just need to do in faith what he has asked me to do (love and teach my students).  He is the one growing and shaping me as I struggle each day, and in the end He is the one who will move the mountains.  Even the ones that are WAY too big for me to even imagine moving. 

I just want to encourage you, where ever you are at, what ever God has asked you to do.  Even though there are days that you feel like you are pushing and pushing and getting no where, God sees your faithfulness.  He is making you stronger through the process and ultimately, He is the only one who can and will move that mountain.  All we have to do is be faithful, rest in his arms, and watch as he does the impossible.

Bamboo

So...  I may not have a Target to run to every other day to buy something I need, but I do have a plethora of natural supplies.  Living here I have been challenged to use the resources that are available to be creative and to make beautiful things.  A wonderful thing about living in a tropical country is the ability to use the environment and natural beauty. 

So I wanted to use some bamboo for a project I was making.  I told Frai and her brother Luis.  Luis's response... "Oh I know where we can get some. Let's go!" 

Here's our adventure.  :)

We walked down the road…

We crossed a river…

We found bamboo shoots…

How Beautiful is my new home?  Serious.

We cut bamboo…

I also cut some bamboo with that same machete

We encountered a bee hive…

We smiled for the camera because the trip was a success….

Notice the awesome Machete

We crossed back over the river…

Yes, I followed in after him with the smaller pieces.

 

And Then I began the creation of bamboo project #1…

Beautiful Bamboo!

 My earrings finally have a home.  

Final Product!

  Best part...I made this for completely free!  With more ideas and projects to come! So excited.

Sites I see...

Some pics of my everyday life...

Doulos!!


At Doulos, Upstairs Cafe Taino... This is like the teacher's lounge... not quite the typical teacher's lounge.


The Garden that was designed and planted by previous students. And yes that's a open water pond... with piranhas :) A highlight for my students has been watch a turtle eat a dead fish. Que Chulo!


Motos everywhere. Soon I will have my own :)



I'm on the back with Frai and Brian... We're driving down the street I walk down everyday to get to school. Love it!


Darian is Frai's 3 year old nephew who comes over almost everyday. We play a lot. I LOVE his laugh and he brings me so much joy. When I'm working on school stuff on my computer at home, he usually crawls into my lap and asks to take pictures and videos of himself. haha


This is my beautiful and wonderful assistant Natali. She is with me in the mornings but we are working on approving her to stay the whole day with me. I love her. (and my kids are hard at work doing math stations in the background!)



And here I am teaching... Gosh I love my job!

There are some sites I see... Hope you enjoyed! :)

My students!

So I thought that you may want to see the faces of the bundles of joy I get to spend my days with. In these pictures they are working in their groups at centers. It's probably their favorite time of the day.



Here the all are... table by table...




Thank you Mary Lurhs for donating the wonderful teaching supplies like number bingo (above) and pattern blocks (below). Your many gifts are a blessing each day as it helps my kids grow and learn!



Aren't they awesome? Wish you could meet their little (and some VERY big) :) personalities. haha.

One cute story.... I was joking with the kids that I lived here at school (you know the thought in every kids mind that the teacher lives at school) well after I said this, Joseph, whose mind is usually in the clouds... looks at me and says in spanish,"Ms. Rachel, I have a place for you to sleep at my house. You don't have to live here!" haha It was so cute! I then assured them that I do have a house that I live in. haha...

First graders seriously keep my life interesting as they are learning and growing.

oh yes... and here I am with my kids!


More to come! :) Hope all is well!