Thus Far the Lord Has Helped Us
This last month could be described with many different words, but I find the most fitting word would be fast. It's hard to believe that this past Thursday marks four complete weeks here and that tomorrow it will have been a complete month since we boarded an airplane in Charlotte, NC and made the "big move". In my devotional time here, I have been reading in Samuel. I had read this verse prior to coming to South American, but now see just how much this verse summarizes our lives right now.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us (1 Samuel 7:12)
God has truly helped us thus far. Stepping out in faith and doing what we felt we have been called to do is one of the hardest things we have ever done. I'm learning it's one thing to TALK about faith, but it's completely different to WALK in faith. I can honestly say that looking back over the past 8 months, the Lord has truly rewarded our obedience and has made a way for us.
In trying to organize this "update, it only made sense to talk about us each individually and collectively, So here's a brief update on each of us:
Sergio has already taken over several ministries of the church. He is now preaching two Sundays and two Wednesdays of each month. He is in the office during the week and has held several meetings with the leaders of the church to implement some immediate change. Just today, he met with some contractors in the area to receive some quotes for finishing the closing of the church. The church has been under a process of construction for some time now. They are at a standstill with the construction, waiting to be able to raise enough money to install air conditioning units in the sanctuary. It is miserably hot and used by both the school and the church. However, the church cannot be completely closed without air, and the construction to the sanctuary cannot finish until it is closed. It's waiting game!
I (Kristi) have been working in the school 3-4 days a week. I am working on restructuring some procedures within the school and staff in preparation for the International Accreditation Process that the school is beginning this year. Currently, I am doing a lot of observing and learning about the procedures of the school and looking to see in what areas the school needs to rework and refigure. To date, I have now led several leadership meetings and I am responsible for conducting weekly faculty meetings within the school. I am working hard to continue learning Spanish, but please PRAY that I will learn it quickly (or supernaturally!).
Isabella has been a student of Paso a Paso for about three weeks now. This is a wonderful school that is run by Sergio's aunt Belinda Rincon Jimenez. It has been a blessing for Isabella to be able to attend this school. It has also given me (Kristi) much peace in knowing that she's with family and only there a few hours a day. She is enjoying sensory activities, dance class, music class, art, and learning words in English and Spanish. While it was a difficult transition for her at first, she is now eating and sleeping normally again and continues to grow too quickly for her parent's liking! She is beginning to speak in Spanish and is becoming a professional at face-timing her "Granna" and "Pawpaw". She gives kisses to just about everyone and is becoming more comfortable with her family here in Colombia!
Our family is still looking for an apartment. We have narrowed down our choices to three apartments and are trying to make a decision by next week. We have medical insurance here and I (Kristi) got my cedula (identification card/number) here. It's been a slow process, but little by little, we are checking things off our to-do list. Still on the hunt for cellphones and our next mission is to hopefully finding a vehicle! They are MUCH more expensive here. We're hoping that with the money we made selling both our cars in the States, we can buy a car here and not have to pay for multiple taxis in a day!
Well, enough yapping! You guys have more to do than read about our lives! We cannot express enough how thankful we are for your continued prayers and support!
If you'd like more information on how you can get involved in supporting us or our ministry here, please email us at thecastros.colombia@gmail.com
Love,
Sergio, Kristi, & Isabella
And now for the good stuff, pictures!!
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us (1 Samuel 7:12)
God has truly helped us thus far. Stepping out in faith and doing what we felt we have been called to do is one of the hardest things we have ever done. I'm learning it's one thing to TALK about faith, but it's completely different to WALK in faith. I can honestly say that looking back over the past 8 months, the Lord has truly rewarded our obedience and has made a way for us.
In trying to organize this "update, it only made sense to talk about us each individually and collectively, So here's a brief update on each of us:
Sergio has already taken over several ministries of the church. He is now preaching two Sundays and two Wednesdays of each month. He is in the office during the week and has held several meetings with the leaders of the church to implement some immediate change. Just today, he met with some contractors in the area to receive some quotes for finishing the closing of the church. The church has been under a process of construction for some time now. They are at a standstill with the construction, waiting to be able to raise enough money to install air conditioning units in the sanctuary. It is miserably hot and used by both the school and the church. However, the church cannot be completely closed without air, and the construction to the sanctuary cannot finish until it is closed. It's waiting game!
I (Kristi) have been working in the school 3-4 days a week. I am working on restructuring some procedures within the school and staff in preparation for the International Accreditation Process that the school is beginning this year. Currently, I am doing a lot of observing and learning about the procedures of the school and looking to see in what areas the school needs to rework and refigure. To date, I have now led several leadership meetings and I am responsible for conducting weekly faculty meetings within the school. I am working hard to continue learning Spanish, but please PRAY that I will learn it quickly (or supernaturally!).
Isabella has been a student of Paso a Paso for about three weeks now. This is a wonderful school that is run by Sergio's aunt Belinda Rincon Jimenez. It has been a blessing for Isabella to be able to attend this school. It has also given me (Kristi) much peace in knowing that she's with family and only there a few hours a day. She is enjoying sensory activities, dance class, music class, art, and learning words in English and Spanish. While it was a difficult transition for her at first, she is now eating and sleeping normally again and continues to grow too quickly for her parent's liking! She is beginning to speak in Spanish and is becoming a professional at face-timing her "Granna" and "Pawpaw". She gives kisses to just about everyone and is becoming more comfortable with her family here in Colombia!
Our family is still looking for an apartment. We have narrowed down our choices to three apartments and are trying to make a decision by next week. We have medical insurance here and I (Kristi) got my cedula (identification card/number) here. It's been a slow process, but little by little, we are checking things off our to-do list. Still on the hunt for cellphones and our next mission is to hopefully finding a vehicle! They are MUCH more expensive here. We're hoping that with the money we made selling both our cars in the States, we can buy a car here and not have to pay for multiple taxis in a day!
Well, enough yapping! You guys have more to do than read about our lives! We cannot express enough how thankful we are for your continued prayers and support!
If you'd like more information on how you can get involved in supporting us or our ministry here, please email us at thecastros.colombia@gmail.com
Love,
Sergio, Kristi, & Isabella
And now for the good stuff, pictures!!
First trip to the local beach in Colombia!
Beach Baby!!
"Welcome Lunch" <--meeting all the leaders of the church.
First Sunday--prayer and welcoming from the church.
Sergio preaching to the students of the school.
Kristi, thanks for sharing about your lives. We all love you guys very much and want to be able to keep up with what you are doing and how the Lord is moving in you and through you. Thank you for your honesty about learning the differences between talking faith and walking faith. As you are learning, it is a huge leap from the one to the other; but oh so much more rewarding. Take care and know you are much loved. Roni Burton
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristi for a great update. I am so proud of you guys. I dropped the boys by Franklin Springs Church for the first Elevate of the fall just a few minutes ago. Made me think of you guys and then I received this great update. Thanks for how you guys blessed us in your work here and thank you for faithfulness in your work there. "Serve the Lord with gladness, Come before His presence with singing..."
DeleteThank you Ms. Burton. We are so excited to have your prayers, love, and support!!
DeleteThank Mr. Jones! We greatly appreciate your support and prayers!
Delete