People before program

This is a common goal. The people come first, the program second. But now, after being much more involved in the creation of a program for an ongoing camp, I see how important the program can be. After all, the campers shouldn't be bored, and all of the activities ought to have more purpose to them. Or at least the majority should.

What I also find interesting is the constant cultural battles I personally face during an English Camp. Just examining my personal feelings, the week in which I worked with two people from the States felt much more "smooth sailing" than all the other weeks with non-States folk. Is it because we all have similar experiences in youth ministry?

Is it that I am not as flexible with the schedule as I should be?

Is it that I am forgetting the people come first?

Is it that I am not doing a proper comparison, because I must also take into account that there have been teen camps as well as kids camps in the mix?

Not to mention, that every week, the level of English changes, and from there we have to make the proper adjustments.

Some things I am learning. One, it's not always worth it to fight because in the end, the camp will go on. What's more important is that the students had fun (because then they'll want to come back and that means the business can keep going). Two, sometimes the higher level of English amongst the students isn't always the best, because then they don't feel the need to take advantage of the camp experience.

Third, sometimes you just have to let the students go. You can't please everyone. Instead of focusing on the troublemakers, correcting their mistakes, after awhile.. just focus on the good.

Or maybe, it's because those troublemakers are lacking love. And you know what love they need? Discipline. They actually love and respect you in the end for getting on their case. It reminded me of my dad, and how many people in our past church camps always left on him the burden of being the so-called "bad guy".

I believe, in the end, those troublemakers all loved him for it.

All of this is a crazy and complicated balance on how we treat the kids. I am trying to figure out how to love them best, and perhaps the worst realization of them all is realizing that I need to be more free with my love. Be patient with me, little ones, God will help me!!!

this was random. i don't know if you'll understand it all, but i needed to write it down.
love and chau!!

Drawing with the girls

I have found an activity that, surprisingly, is one of the most successful with my girls at the institute. As many readers know, I have been making bracelets for over a year now, almost every Monday. What helps is that several girls come and go, and so there is almost always someone willing to learn, while many of the others work on advancing their skills.

But sometimes, they just don't want to, and to be honest, I can understand that.

I have mixed things up a bit with my other visiting days. On Wednesday, I try to bring a different craft. On Friday, weather permitting, we go for a walk, or perhaps we remain indoors to play cards. I have tried new forms of bracelets. Some with a different material. The girls learn them quickly, but then can't seem to always sell what they make, which can be discouraging.

Then one day, I looked around my room and found some paper and looked for a simple drawing. To avoid printing, I free-handed. Then when we were all gathered in the institute, I showed it to them, asking if they would like to color. I bought two packs of colored pencils just in case two wanted to use the same color. I bought a ream of paper to have a fairly inexhaustible paper supply.

For a month now, I've found that these young teens love to color, and sometimes the most simple of objects. Take this bear that I prepared for them this Wednesday. As an extra, and perhaps Spirit inspired, I added part of Psalms 13:5 to the blank space. Once again the girls gasped in excitement. "How cute!" they said, and many made more than one copy.

One of the girls talked about how she has a Bible and plans on reading more of the verses from Psalms.

These are small ways conversation can open to deeper things. To be honest, it's a constant struggle, but I am constantly encouraged by the simple things that make them happy. I had, after all, tried a couple of basic art classes, but to no avail. Not everyone likes to draw, and the attention spans of many of the girls is lacking.

Perhaps it's because with coloring, you don't have to think as much. You just fill in the page with your favorite hues. And maybe that's the key. These girls have had it hard enough. They don't want to think anymore about the reasons why they are in the institute to begin with.

Just hypothesizing. love and chau!

Extending generosity

I understand the hoarding mentality. After all, you can't predict what will happen in the future, so good thing you held onto that extra tube of toothpaste or else your teeth would really be suffering right now.

And Sheldon got it right about buying certain things in bulk. It's cheaper and means less awkward trips to the store to buy tampons. (More awkward writing about it?)

Don't you find too, that every time you give something away, the next week brings a situation in which you really could have used whatever it was you gave away?

I like to think of myself as a fairly generous person. The tithe almost always comes out of the paycheck (missionary paycheck? ha.) first. I try to constantly be on the lookout for ways I can help someone out, especially when it comes to a ministry. But there are those moments when it's just not very convenient.

The challenge came a couple months ago when a pastor talked about money being a paintbrush. Something poetic was said about how it paints the life you live, or the person you will be. Perhaps the more memorable moment came when he talked about how he and his wife ALWAYS tithe, and more than the regular 10 percent. Sometimes, he said. Sometimes we are then financially blessed, but in other moments, we are spiritually blessed. Specifically, in how many people he (as the pastor) has been entrusted with. He is able to reach more people with the gospel then ever before in his life.

A truer blessing than any financial gain could bear.

So I've been experimenting with giving even more recently. I don't exactly want to tell you about it all, because I don't want to brag, but I do want to share as a form of encouragement.

1. Recently, a woman who has been a missionary for over a decade was passing through. Recognizing her integrity after hearing the stories of her work, I gave her money.

2. Someone was in need of money for food. Even though I don't know this person very well, we all need to eat. I have no guarantee that this person used the money on food.

3. For our children's day (a major national celebration), I paid for some of the candies that were given away as prizes.


Around the time all of this was happening, Cristian's brother donated money for our childrens' ministry, covering the cost of the candies, plus some. When Cristian wrote me a letter the other week, there was 100 pesos inside. I asked him why, and he said he didn't put it there and that he did not know where it came from. It is obvious to say that money NEVER makes it through the mail here.

I have been given the opportunity to work more camps this year, where I am able to make some side cash to sustain other wants or needs I might have.

But even putting finances aside, more camps equals the possibility to know more campers, teachers, and the places they live (ranging from any one of the 23 provinces in the country). In these camps we are stressing the need to be compassionate, sharing biblical principles in how to be so.

In short (and more because I'm off to my next camp tomorrow and I need to sleep!), be more generous. Give till it hurts, and just watch how God opens doors! Love and chau!

More refreshment

Did you know that missionaries have bad days?

My recent go to on such days is this drink:

6 pesos of deliciousness. 

I mean, it's not the only thing. I have great family, friends, and a super great boyfriend who are there to listen to me get it all out. It's refreshing.

The other thing that refreshes me is Scripture and really awesomer missionaries who make surprise visits and remind us to pull up our bootstraps and keep going.

Let me explain..

In the morning, the girls at the institute were just plain confusing. I brought all sorts of things for them to do, but none of them were all that interested. Granted, only three were there in the moment (out of 7), but they were simply not enthusiastic. One chose to do another personal project, so I lingered over that and had her teach me how to do it. Which worked for about 5 minutes.

Another girl, one who is often very sad, started a bracelet but then stopped 10 minutes in, murmured to herself, "I GIVE UP!!" and left. She came at the end to sit next to me, show me some of her drawings, and then left again. I texted her after to see what was up, but she didn't respond (very rare).

One, the most recent to move into the institute, had 5 minutes with me in which I was able to teach her the basics. Then she was gone..

Another decided to color. Great, I have those materials. So she started, left for about half an hour and then came back. She was the only one who finished, and then she even gave me her drawing as a gift. So you know, there's always something positive to find I suppose.

Instead of working on the bracelet I had started, I just held one of the babies that was crying. "I know how you feel," I told her, glancing at the child's mom who does not hold her often.

When you come home expecting food on the table, and then it's not ready.. well, now I understand the men and their frustrations better. I just wanted food to comfort me and get the weirdness of the morning over with. The whole walk back I was thinking about how fun last week was teaching in them a new bracelet style, only to find they didn't want to keep going this week!

And yes, despite the morning and food situation, I did have a lovely afternoon teaching English and coming home to a heartwarming conversation with Cristian. Some things just take time to shake off, you know?

So first, read here. Then read below...

For our weekly prayer meeting (something I had to push myself to go to), Andrea had invited a woman who had been in Peru for the last 12 years (as of 3 DAYS ago she arrived back in Argentina) who is now on her way to another country for who knows how long. Her story is incredible. And humbling. It's the kind of story that gives you all sorts of ideas that you know you are capable of doing too, to serve the Father who first loved us.

When she got into the part about where she is going next (can't say, sorry), I was moved to tears. I kept thinking about how thankful I was to NOT listen to that small voice trying to tell me to just lay down instead.

I was also moved to give her a financial gift. She didn't ask for one, and I don't have all that much to give. This verse kept coming up in my head:

A generous man will prosper;

he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25

In a way, the giving was selfish, because I just wanted refreshment for everything that had happened in the day (I spared a couple of details). In the giving, I felt loads better. Such a trite way of putting it, but it is true.

Equally trite, I must close this conversation for now and get all the final preparations for camp week ready. Have a refreshed one! love and chau!

Gospel tracts--the positive side

I'm not one to use them. I don't think they are very popular these days either. They can be seen as intrusive and impersonal. The trend leans toward friendship evangelism in which you start up conversations with someone in the middle of a social activity that may or may not necessarily Christian focused.

For once, I would like to look at the positive side to the gospel tract, because I have recently seen firsthand some of the benefits and would like to give them a chance.

First of all, picture yourself walking a downtown street, where someone hands you a coupon for a free hotdog. At first you think, "Hmm.. I'm not so into hot dogs myself, but hey! Free!"

Exactly.

Of course, then you double and triple- examine the coupon just to be sure that there aren't any strings attached, right? I mean, you don't want to go to the hotdog stand, and find out it's "free" because you have to buy like, 10 hotdogs and a medium coke just to get it.

Assured of the transaction that will take place.. that is, you give 'em the piece of paper, they give you FOOD.. you make your way to the hotdog stand.

Recently, I was challenged by a story of a man named Mr. Jenner, a survivor of one of the great World Wars. Having felt like he'd been through hell, and through the preaching of some of his fellow soldiers, he converted, and committed himself to sharing the gospel to as many as possible. He wanted to make sure that nobody would have to experience the true hell. The story goes that he shared gospel tracts with at least 10 people a day for the rest of his life.

You can research the man on George St in Ausralia, and you find that Mr. Jenner had also invited a lot of people to his house, especially soldiers, so they could have a good meal, and converse a bit more about Jesus. He made sure his wife sent a postcard to the soldier's parents, since back then it wasn't that easy to know where your kid was serving.

Some say that over 100,000 people converted through the faithful day-to-day gospel-tract-sharing of that "old man on George Street."

Fascinating. And it gives me pause, because another essential part of the story is that Mr. Jenner had never experienced the moment itself, the one in which someone said, "Yes, I now believe in this!" But whenever someone shared their testimony, they would give him credit as being there for the start of the softening of their hearts.

I decided to start carrying a few tracts with me just in case. I still would prefer talking about it. But what if I don't have time? What if this is all I can give in the moment? In the city center, I became even more aware of how many people are passing out advertisements for the local Tarot Card readers, or the classes on Metaphysics, where you can find "true happiness". So the enemy can pass them out, but we cower at the thought?

To be honest, so far, I have only given them to my girls in the institute, and it has opened up several conversations recently. We've gotten a lot deeper these weeks, and I am all the more encouraged to give them out to someone else. Some stranger.

Certainly I can't expect the reaction to always be positive. Even Mr. Jenner talked about the bouts of rejection he encountered. Like the coupon, not everyone likes hotdogs.

But they do like free. So maybe we should give the tracts another shot. See what happens.

love and chau!

Rest part 2

Technically, it's "Salud part 2" but I didn't have more to say about being sick. I do, on the other hand, have more to say about rest, something I had mentioned in the previous post.

And that is, yesterday, for my off day, I made a list of about half a dozen things I have to do.

On the other side, I wrote down things I actually did.

Like, other than going to the movies two weeks ago with two of my gal friends, it was the first time, in house, that I was able to watch a full 1 hour and 40 minute movie in one day! At least, I haven't watched a full one in months because of craziness (or internet problems, but that's a minor detail. ha.).

I got to talk with my dad while I slowly made some pita bread, just because I could!

yum!!!

I walked. Listened to a sermon. Did all my laundry before the sun went down (which is saying a lot when your dryer is the sun! Thanks God for the nicer weather today!!). Read from the latest, recommended by Bill R. from Metrocrest, Almost Heaven. I.. gasp..

went to bed at 10:00!!!!!!!

Of course, the meat guy came at 10:30 and I had to wake up to take care of that, since we're now two in the house and I'm the only one that speaks enough Spanish for transactions such as these. Whew.. long sentence.

Any way, all this to say. Then I woke up at 7am and was able to do about half of the things on my list of work stuff without batting an eye. I was even able to go lay down a bit before our 11am Bible Study today! I can't explain it, but I like it. Rest is more necessary than we believe. So take it. Trust it.

And obviously, know that loving God and people come first, so if you are called for an emergency on your day off, it's okay. There's a reason for that too!

love and chau!

Salud

About my tagline of not getting sick..

I got sick. The last couple days of my vacation until about two days go I have been dealing with a Sinus Infection and Bronchitis. Ironically, I noticed that one of my aunt's was dealing with the same combination. Bummer. The good news was at least that I could have my pills for free because of our team doctor. The bad news is that these sorts of sicknesses take their time to heal.

In order to truly recover, I also find the need to rest.

Which led me to a new discovery of how I'm not all that good at resting. Sleeping all day makes me restless, even if I feel better in the end. I want to be able, by the end of the day, to say that I have done something, anything, productive. And it made me feel better, that is, not so alone, when I heard a pastor talk about the same thing. He said that on his rest days, he usually ends up doing more than his non-rest days.

But God calls us to rest. What's more, He set the precedence for rest by doing so in the very beginning of our known history.

I took a personal challenge last week to really, truly, not do any of the work that I have to do on my rest day. I read the emails (I can't help that!), but I didn't respond to them. I thought about the work, but I took no responsibility over it. Turned out to be a beautiful day; I played the guitar; I spent time organizing the room so that it's not so cluttered. Simple things. Non-strenuous things.

Then I thought maybe I should write about it so that I could remember this peace, as well as encourage any fellow readers out there to not be afraid of rest. Because I can also say that the following day, I was more productive, and less tired, than I had ever been.

So like.. in that valley girl sorta way.. I'm like trying to say.. God totally knew what He was doing when he set apart a day of rest.

love and chau!