Easter Glory - Fruit (Letter from a Parent)

Easter Glory
I had the privilege of celebrating Easter at the English speaking church called the United Church of Bogota.  What a wonderful encouragement for my soul to worship in my native language!  Seeing little kids in Easter dresses and suits, singing "Crown Him w/ Many Crowns" and proclaiming...

He is Risen!!  He is Risen Indeed!!

was amazing.   I had a wonderful breakfast w/ other teachers while listening to praise music and remembering the sacrifice and conquering of death that our blessed Savior, Jesus, accomplished on our behalf.  He is worthy of all the praise!!

So thankful that WE have a SAVIOR who has Risen and death has lost it's sting.  So thankful that WE have a SAVIOR who lived the perfect live that we were called to live and then offered his sinless life up as an offering to God so that we might be called holy, righteous, and good.  Oh, what a wonderful SAVIOR that we have in Jesus Christ!!  So thankful WE have a SAVIOR who loved us in this way while we were still sinners, still rebellious against him, and desired nothing about him. THANK YOU Jesus, for turning my heart to you and giving abundant grace for your children when our feeble attempts to love you back fall so short of your amazing glory.

Letter from a Parent:
I received a letter from a parent which was really humbling.  A little glimpse into the work God is doing in the life of one of my students :-)


Dear Miss Bergmann (and other teachers)
We just could not let this go by ...  We are celebrating and giving God all the Glory!
You know how much we have been helping our son to understand self control.

It is such a victory to see his report card and find a big G in conduct ...

Thanks to God and to all of you that believed that He was able to do better and grow and be what God wants him to be.

Thank you so much!!
(ECA parent)


Thank you for praying with me for this student.  God is so good to work in our hearts and to mold us into the people he wants us to be.  Sometimes, it can seem like no fruit is ever going to be seen and that we will continue to struggle with the same sin over and over again.  Praise to God that in Christ we do have the victory!  And, Praise God that he allows glimpses of that victory to encourage us in our walk with him.

Poetry Celebration:
April was Poetry month here at ECA.  Each elementary class memorized two poems as part of a Poetry Celebration!  I was amazed at my students who had to tackle many hard English expressions (like saying "ne'er" for never) and did such a good job with their English pronunciation.  Here is one of our poems the 3rd Graders read, along with a video.  Enjoy the Duel between the dog and cat :-)

The Duel

by Eugene Field

The Gingham dog and the calico cat

Side by side on the table sat;

'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)

Nor one nor t' other could sleep a wink!

The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate

Appeared to know as sure as fate

There was going to be a terrible spat.

(I wasn't there; I simply state

What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "bow-wow-wow!"

And the calico cat replied "mee-ow!"

The air was littered, an hour or so,

With bits of gingham and calico,

While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place

Up with its hands before its face,

For it always dreaded a family row!

(Never mind: I'm only telling you

What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,

And wailed, "Oh, dear!  What shall we do!"

But the gingham dog and the calico cat

wallowed this way and tumbled that,

Employing every tooth and claw

In the awfullest way you ever saw -

And, oh! How the gingham and calico flew!

(Don't fancy I exaggerate -

I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat

They found no trace of dog or cat;

And some folks think unto this day

That burglars stole the pair away!

But the truth about the cat an pup

Is this: they ate each other up!

Now what do you really think of that!

(The old Dutch clock it told me so,

And that is how I came to know.)

La Mazorca - I have been dreaming about Arepas (a Colombian food - kind of like a greasy dough with cheese) from this one restaurant since I visited last school year.  My friend, Katie, and I finally ventured out and made our way back there.  Just a little fun in amongst the work of a missionary teacher :-)

Prayers/Praises:
For joy and contentment to be found in the Lord and Him alone :-)  That my quiet time would de fruitful and a time where I desire and delight to spend time w/ my Jesus. 

Open positions that we have currently for next year:

Elementary One elementary teacher

Middle School Math Computers

Secondary Science Math Computers

General Art Special Ed. School Psychologist/Counselor Administrators: HS Principal, Director of Academics

Jesus' love would grow and water the seeds of faith that have been planted in students' hearts this year.

SO BLESSED BY YOU AND YOUR FAITH,
Because they haven't heard,
Carrie

Lessons learned in JOYFUL dependence on Jesus :-)

I wanted to share with you a journal entry I wrote the day before I flew back for my second year of ministry at El Camino. Coming across this the other day, I came to realize that God had started to show me the lessons he would teach me this year right from the start.

Beautiful day in Sopo with my friend Mayra and her family :-)

"Going back for year 2 - Why do I feel so connected to home still?  My heart is still at the Orchard and their ministries wishing I could be apart of them.  Sorrow fills my heart that I am not able to be a part of fellowship in the same way that I used to be.  Fear grips me that they will no longer be my Christian family, as we would encourage and love one another.  Hearing about all of the gospel being spread, especially through Women's Ministry and Children's Ministry, makes me long to still be a part of it all.

Dear Lord, I fear my attachment to home is very strong - almost as if my love for certain people is so strong that I love them more than Colombia or more than obeying you.  I'm excited to serve you here at El Camino, but its like Satan is tempting me with everything I am giving up by going to serve you another year.  Should I have expected something different?  I knew following you is not easy and that there would be sacrifices and suffering along the way.  Giving up time with my family, close friends, and loved ones.  Teach me. Lord, through this.  I know you understand what it means to feel alone and to make sacrifices.

Please help my heart to be in the right place.  Help me to love you above all else.  My fear is that my attachment to home is sinful in that is it a distraction/hindrance to your ministry at El Camino.  Jesus, I know you are trustworthy in everything.  So, I give to you my relationships back home.   I confess my jealousy of how much they get to be in community with one another.  Please remind me how much they care when I doubt our relationships.  Also, please help me not to idolize them to a place where only you should be in my heart. 

Jesus, I long for heaven, for your promise of no more broken relationships, where sin and sorrow are no more, and we all will be glorifying you for all eternity."

Fun in the High School Science Lab!

 

As I re-read these words the other day, it made me realize that:
1.  Jesus commands us to "take up our cross and follow him." If you're going to follow Jesus, don't expect a comfortable life. Expect to suffer. Expect that there will be times when other disciples let you down, and disappoint you terribly, like they did to Jesus, and God will call you to love them still as Christ did.

Expect that God will lead you into painful experiences, in which you may feel like crying our, "My God, why?" as Jesus did. And you will not be able to figure out the answer. Know that God will call you to trust in the darkness even when you cannot feel his presence, as Jesus did.

In my Christian life, I have never really had to give up much in order to follow Jesus. And not to say that I have given up or suffered this year in worse ways than any brother or sister has, I LOVE it here in Colombia, don't get me wrong. But, this year has really challenged me with asking questions, "Is God enough?"

2. There were times where I was faced with my fear about my connections to family and friends back home.  Times when I thought I was missing out on so much.   Times where I doubted friendships would last.  Times where I was faced with asking myself, "Would I follow Jesus if I was asked to give that up?"  While there were lonely times where I didn't think I could take any more relationship sacrifice with people back home, God always remained faithful and showed that I can survive these times with Him by my side.  With God, I was faced with my fear and realized that He was bigger than all of it.  Again, I was brought back to these verses in  2 Corinthains 12:9 that says...

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I am so thankful for these lessons, no matter how hard they were to go through. Who knows, these temptations and lesson may pop back up again, but they are always meant to bring me back into the loving arms of my faithful Savior :-)
 
Trip to Villa de Leyva - My roommates and I, along with another missionary family from ECA spent a few days in a small town outside of Bogota. It was so nice to relax, enjoy God's creation together, and to be refreshed by extra time in His Word. It was here that I re-read my journal entry and spent time reflecting on the lessons God is so graciously teaching me this year.

 

 

 

Prayers/Praises: 
A team from ECA just spent a week in the Amazon, ministering to the medical needs and spiritual needs of the Tikuna tribe. Please pray for the seeds that were planted as they shared the gospel through VBS and caring/healing medical outreach. Hopefully we can have an update on my blog from my friend Mindy who went as nurse on the medical team!!

Refreshment for teachers and students over spring break - so that we are ready to finish out the school year strong!

For the hearts of my students to be open to receiving the gospel message even deeper than they have before - that they would experience Jesus in a new and fresh way this Easter.

Construction on the 3rd floor of El Camino is still in progress - pray for all who are involved in the decision process and that God's will would be done for giving our students a safe and secure place to learn :-)

Blessings and Hugs to you all, 
Carrie