Mission Colombia!

Mission Colombia! - God laid on my heart (late on Saturday night) to spend some time praying and reading his Word.  My heart has been divided lately between wanting to be home and my work here at ECA.  While one can expect to miss family when a new baby enters the world, I started to feel like the reason I was feeling sad was because I felt like being home was more valuable and important than my life here.  The moments that I was missing out on back home would make me sad if I thought about it too much.  However, God's Word is alive and challenged me and also comforted me.  I was reminded of these verses in Phillipians 3:7-9.   

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of knowing Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."  

As I thought about these verse, the challenge extended before me was - which was more important to me?  It wasn't that these things that I was missing were not good or profitable (which family definitely is!), but I was considering them to be more important than seeking Christ!  God convicted me of where my heart was and where it should be.  Later on in the week, I spent some time reflecting on my time here in Colombia these past four months.  Here is a video I made of my time at ECA so far.  I hope you enjoy it! 

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100347380888022&notif_t=video_processed

 

Current Demographics of ECA students - ECA still remains a supporter of poor Colombian Pastors and Missionary Kids.  Out of our 188 families, 13% are Foreign Missionary Families, 16 % are Pastors, 24% are Christian Workers (* over 1/2 have at least one parent in full time ministry), 2% diplomatic, and 45% Business (but still active in church).  Here at ECA, we serve over 26 Missionary Missions including Wi-Wam, a deaf ministry, and the Jungle.  For the 2012-2013 school year, we are educating 301 students from Pre-K through 12th grade - 70% are Colombian, 14% are Latin and North American, 4% are Latin American, 3% are United States, 1% Korean, and 1% other. 


Training for Life - Teaching here in Colombia is very different than back in the States.  Working at an International Christian School, I can take the time to pray with my students, to eat lunch and play with them, to visit with their families on the weekends, and to love on them not only with academics but with life and heart issues as well.  I love El Camino's life verse - 

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
(Deuteronomy 6:5-7) 


I have had the privilege of spending time with three families outside of school.  Being able to see my kids with their families has given me a wonderful and deeper relationship with them.  God had laid on my heart to connect more with one student, and he provided an opportunity to spend the weekend with her family.  I was able to go with them to their ministry for kids that they lead on Saturday mornings called Club Junior.  To see my student interacting and telling other little kids the gospel was absolutely amazing.  While I was with this family, my nephew was born.  Being able to share this special family event with my student allowed us to connect even more!  Praise the Lord for the seeds he is planting in my heart and in the hearts of my students!  Below are a few picture of the times I have spent with my students and their families :-)

Connections with supporters - Mission work could not be done without the love, support, and prayers of my Prayer supporters back home.  I have been truly blessed these past few weeks by e-mails and phone calls from supporters.  Thank you for your encouraging words to me and for your continued support of my ministry and the work God is doing here in Colombia!  I enjoy hearing from you!  

Here is a letter I received from the Orchard - Barrington Awana Sparkies!  What an encouragement this sweet letter was to me :-)  Thank you Megan for thinking of me and for praying for my students here in Colombia!


Prayers/Praises -
Possibility of mentoring someone (or at least encouraging an 11th grade girl who has just moved back to Colombia from a year in the States.)

Pray for my role in special education at ECA - I met a family a few months ago who wanted their daughter with Down Syndrome to go to our school.  Knowing how wonderful it would be to have these kids at ECA, I am praying about how I could help start up programs to allow these kids to come (they are looking for a consistant teacher who would be here a while to invest in these kids, among other things...)

Love and hugs!
Carrie