oh what a night!

Yes, tonight I did go out to eat and then to the mall dressed RIDICULOUSly with some of my girlfriends to celebrate Macayla’s fleeting single status. I was a little bit ashamed, but at the same time a little bit thrilled to be back to doing the silly things I cherished in college. Here’s a picture to give you an idea of our little escapade. Notice the silver confetti in our festive plastic glasses and the absolute randomness of the whole ordeal. It reminds me of college sophomore year in Gilmore (during sorority rush) where we created our own “frarority” called Galpha Franarara. The whole point of it was to dress silly and go out in public. Completely clean fun and fantastic photo opportunities (just the way I like it!).
Here’s also some promo materials for an activity coming up for hands and feet, the high school service organization.

These are posters for the upcoming SLEEP-OUT event, where we will raise support (kind of relay-for-life style) for the kids to sleep outside on the soccer field on cardboard boxes. We will invite the Micah Project to come and be guests and we’ll have other activities as well… Please pray that this event happens and brings glory to God in the process!

Posted on September 21, 2009October 6, 2010 by Caroline 0

Proyecto Miceas!

joy is a funny thing. sometimes it bubbles right up out of the smallest crack of earth to surprise me when I’m distractedly searching for my next suffering step. joy surprised me in just such a way this weekend and I am beyond thrilled.

God doesn’t have to surprise us. Yet, somehow I imagine He sits, enthroned in glory with angels bursting beautiful harmonies, positively giddy (in a majestic sort of way) at the idea of surprising His children with joy. We may be down here, trudging through hardships and trials… but amidst and underneath all of the regular rubble, a steadfast stream just gurgles up with inexpressible joy. Mmmm.

How perfectly thoughtful of our Lord to meet that subtle need (that escapes explanation and then makes me crazy searching for what I’m “missing“) in the form of joy.

C.S. Lewis wrote a book about his life, “Surprised by Joy.” Given my unwavering appreciation for that man, I know this inexpressible joy has touched others as deeply (and who are able to articulate it more aptly than I).

So, all this abstract talk has surely been a surprise to you, since I’ve been straining to get any information at all up here lately. Well, don’t go expecting any similar bursts of inspiration … today may not be habit forming (unfortunately, I generally can not control surprises). I would, however, like to share how God blessed me with joy in the form of Micah Project.

(A little background) We’ve been trying to get a service group going at the school called “Hands and Feet.” Throughout this year, we’ve held bake sales, donation drives, awareness campaigns, and ventured out on a few field trips. After a series of random events strung together perfectly, yesterday we invited the Micah Project to give an after-school assembly.

(Here are a few posters I made to publicize)

Not being at all confident in our students’ interest in anything not including personal gain, I presented the idea to our teachers that they might offer extra credit for students who attended and completed an assignment.

I’m not sure if it was the extra credit or the praise and worship that followed, but the room was packed out! We arranged for a taqueadas (tacos/gringas combos) vendor to sell after school to raise money for the Micah Project and then everyone crammed in to listen to the story of this young organization, whose purpose is to rescue boys off the streets of Tegucigalpa and then provide discipleship training and education. The director, Michael Miller came, along with Becca (operations director), and three of the boys from the program (Kristopher, Wilmer, and Michael).

Praise God, for he did indeed move. After the event and before we moved into the auditorium for the last praise and worship night of the year, I had a little moment of “Lord, yes!”

Though I still struggle with mission-envy (a new term I’ve given to being jealous of those involved in other missions), I can see that God has a very sure role for me here. Before I came, I saw an opportunity to connect the students who can make a difference with those who need the difference made here in Honduras. I just felt the biggest, blessed confirmation that the Lord will be faithful to complete that work in this school.

Many, many things are changing next year – more than I can explain pushing these keys. I do know, however, that God is the same. He is just as faithful, just as perfect, and just as concerned with the lives of His children today as He was yesterday.

Praise God for joyful surprises!

PRAYER:
I will write more soon, but I have found a car to purchse for next year. If you have not read in previous posts or my newsletters, I have been looking for a car to expand my outreach next year. Though I feel perfectly comfortable and safe traveling around on my own with public transportation, it limits my ability to meet up with students (public transportation is too dangerous for them). A car would allow me to set up times to meet girls for discipleship and pick up students for different events when they do not have a ride. I am also looking forward to increasing my involvement in outside ministries (and getting the students involved as well!).

So, having said that, I am planning to pay for a portion of the car and raise money for the rest. I know the current owner (she’s a good friend) and my plan would be to bless a missionary with the car whenever I decide to leave Honduras. I am still praying about everything, but if you are feeling led right now to support this next step in ministry, please let me know.

Posted on May 31, 2009October 6, 2010 by Caroline 0

Prayer Causes Things

http://www.youtube.com/v/3KzZJChhtvY&hl=en&fs=1

Every time I try to wrap my mind around prayer, I get dizzy. The Lord is so curious… that He would want to invite us to be a part of His plan. Despite his curious reasons (and my inability to understand them), what I do know is that God hears.

He hears every prayer and delights in answering the prayers of His children. We know when we approach the throne of grace with confidence, our humble prayers are as a fragrant offering. By praying to God, our Provider, we are also giving Him praise… because we know He is the One and Only who could possibly respond in such a way that things would actually change.

I believe in the past week that God has heard every single petition offered up on behalf of my brother and sister-in-law and delighted to comfort, strengthen, and offer peace to their hurting hearts. I really believe that the prayers of the saints held up my parents on the long drive out to Michigan and I believe that prayers caused the smiles and relieved sighs that we thought would never come. And I certainly believe that prayers led my beautiful sister to share her thoughts in this note:

In the midst of heartache and sadness, I know that we belong to a God who does indeed see trouble and grief, and considers it with great tenderness and compassion. I praise God that I belong to him and so does our son.

I also cannot express how thankful I am for family and friends. I have a wonderful husband who has tirelessly given of himself to me. Frineds and family, I feel your prayers. I really slept last night, praise God. It has never been so sweet to belong to the body of Christ. Thank you.

Please pray for us today.

Praise the Lord. All credit is due Him for the protection and provision He’s given this past week.

Please continue praying!

Posted on February 3, 2009 by Caroline 1

words cannot express

Some of you may now know the specifics of my fervent prayer request yesterday. Bethany and Samuel went in for an ultrasound yesterday and there was no heartbeat. The doctors still don’t really know what happened, but they’ll know more after the autopsy. For now, Samuel and Bethany will be in the hospital until labor can be induced. My parents were able to drive through the night and arrive this morning to support them in whatever way.

Those of you who prayed today… please know that God is blessing Samuel and Bethany and my family through your prayers. I woke up praying throughout the night and often my prayers ended with “I don’t know, God, you finish the rest.” And every last petition reached His ears.

Yesterday I posted a passage from Romans 8 and I just want to point out these few verses:

Romans 8: 26-27, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

I truly, firmly believe that the Spirit is interceding with groans words cannot express. I believe that God knows more intimately the pain and brokenness in this situation than I will ever be able to comprehend. I also know that, just as God aches for our pain, He is the same today as He was yesterday, “our Rock and our Shelter” as my brother wrote today.

In the midst of all of this, held up by the prayers of the saints, Samuel and Bethany are trusting “God will be glorified” in some way through Isaac Brenton’s short life.

Continue to pray that the joy of the Lord would be their strength, for Bethany’s health, for the doctors and nurses, for the next decisions that need to be made, and (per Sam’s request) “most of all that God would be glorified.”

Again, I believe your prayers – the prayers of the community of believers offered up humbly to our Provider, Maker, Redeemer, and Savior – are received by our God who feels the hurt more than we can imagine.

Keep on keeping on.

Posted on January 30, 2009October 6, 2010 by Caroline 0

Please pray!

Friends, family, and strangers, please lift up my brother and sister-in-law in your prayers tonight and tomorrow morning. Pray that they will be comforted, encouraged, lifted up, and blessed. After some very tragic news today, my prayer is that they would cry out, “Abba, Father” and know that they can rest in a peace that passes understanding.

A friend shared these passages from Romans 8 with me tonight and if you could just pray through them with me for my brother and sister-in-law.

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation–but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co‑heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

I pray that they will claim this in Jesus’ name in the midst of every hurt and pain and brokenness.

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Caroline 2

What can YOU do to help here?

As many of you know, I am in Tegucigalpa, Honduras working at a Christian school. My heart is constantly growing for the kaleidescope of faces and needs. Before my trip to Iowa in December, I was consumed with how God wanted to use me for this time and place. I realized after giving a presentation in church, having coffee with friends, and just hearing from the hearts of some of my most faithful prayer supporters, that I need to think outside what I can do.

I need to ask God what HIS purposes are for this place. I need to ask God how I might connect servant hearts countries away with the very tangible needs I see every day.

So, here are some ways, folks!

Manos Extendidas
Many of you have seen the pictures of the feeding centers or read the stories. This past Saturday, little 7-year-old Kenya would not let me go. She pressed her nose firmly up under my chin, pleading my affection. Kenya always wears a hat. Sometimes its a matted periwinkle and other times she wears a beat up striped number, but hot or cold Kenya wears a hat to cover her chopped, lice-infested hair. Though she is very defensive and ashamed of her hair, she would not stop touching mine. She even offered to look through my hair for lice!

Kenya and the other children in the areas near the feeding centers live in extreme poverty. The feeding center provides very basic education and 2 meals to children sponsored through a special program. In addition, every Saturday the centers invite all the kids in the neighborhood to have a free meal (usually of warm milk and formula mixture), hear a Bible story, sing songs, and play a few games.

How can you support this ministry? Buy coffee! That’s right, click HERE to go to the Manos website where you can buy whole bean or ground coffee that directly supports the ministry!

Stewardship of Christian Ministries (Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomia)
I am working very closely with this organization in the next few months (and hopefully next year). Last November, I attended a conference on social justice and this was one of the sponsoring organizations who work tirelessly to bring the message of the Gospel to the lost and broken while answering Jesus’ call to care for orphans, widows, and the distressed. I am going to be working with my friend Sarah (former Pinares teacher and now works for this organization) to coordinate service for my students at this site.

You can support them on their website in many ways, so check it out!

Hogar de Madres Solteras (Refuge for Single Mothers)
This ministry is very dear to my heart. Every Monday, I travel down the road with a group of 11th grade girls to this refuge for single mothers. This past Monday, we were sharing highlights from our Christmas break and one of the mothers (who stands about 6 inches shorter than my 5’1 frame) shared that her daughter Kensi learned how to use the potty! Everything at once seems beautiful and tragic around these young ladies, who need SO much love and guidance as they sort out their lives and care for young ones.

Although I’m not sure if they have a website, these women make jewelry to help support the cost of school, the refuge, and basic supplies. In a recent fundraiser, our school raised money to buy jewelry supplies. If you are interested in buying jewelry, please leave a comment and I will somehow find a way to get their jewelry back to you (it may be as late as July when I go back to the States). They have also made calendars with pictures of the girls and their children. They are around 7 or 8 dollars and the proceeds go to support the refuge.

Okay, so there you have it. There are three ways that you can support some of the things that are pulling on my heart down here.

I know there are more ways, don’t worry – this isn’t an exhaustive list. I’m still brainstorming about how people can support people directly and how I can make that happen.

Keep on keeping on!

Posted on January 22, 2009October 6, 2010 by Caroline 1

Hogar de Madres Solteras

So, this past week we had a Christmas party for the Hogar de Madres Solteras (Home for Single Mothers), which is a refuge just down the road from our school. We have a unique opportunity to get to know these ladies and their precious little ones and I believe God is opening doors for that to happen right now.

I wish I had time to write more, for now here are some pictures:

The girls made and decorated cookies

This is my wonderful friend Alfredo!! His mom Santos came to our school for the Christmas concert because we invited the ladies to sell some of their jewelry. I never had so much fun chasing someone down!

This is Jensi, her daughter Marjorie, Santos, and Alfred at the jewelry stand. It was so great to see the students, families, and teachers see these women and their work.

It’s so crazy to think that these little girls have little ones of their own!

The 11th grade girls are heading up the outreach – and I’m pretty sure they are never disappointed with how the Lord shows up (especially if its in the form of a sleeping little one!)

There were games and a candy cane message.

And lots of entertaining! Alfred LOVES to jump!

Like I said, I could write forever, but this is all for tonight. If you’re interested in finding out more about this special place, please let me know!

Posted on December 18, 2008October 6, 2010 by Caroline 1

Tonight by the NUM3ERS

Tonight by the numbers.
1 Me.
450 Junior Highers.
15 Churches.
1 Major Band Concert here at the church.
4 Venues opened up around town, for our traveling lock-in.
1 speaker sharing the gospel with 450 kids.
12 hours of up-all-night fun.
5 cups of coffee I’ll try to find around town.
4 times my boss woke up last night thinking of things that needed to be done.
1 ipod shuffle donated for a prize (wow- parents are amazing!)
10 phone calls I need to make today, to find more volunteers
100 pizzas delivered throughout the night

1 girl who’s really excited to see what God’s going to do in these 12 big hours.

Posted on November 7, 2008October 6, 2010 by Caroline 1

MUSINGS IN THE MIDST

a study in good work, neighbor love, and kingdom come