Good afternoon to you all,
Things are really coming along here. We are almost finished moving into our new place, with only a few more things to bring over from the old house. This has been a breeze of a move compared to the last one! This will be our 5th night here now. We are still so amazed of how God allowed for such a tremendous house to be put into our possession! We want to thank you for all of the prayers and support, we are so grateful. And now we brainstorm for ideas of how to use this incredible blessing to bless others in the future.
School has been so good. This is now our third week. It has been very busy, but also rewarding. We have an amazing group of students, 11 in total. The students have come from all over the country, from big cities to small native communities. Already we are seeing change in the students lives. Katie is full-fledged in administrative duties and is doing good health wise. She is passed her nauseous stage, which is good. Her energy level of course is lower than usual, but again she is a trooper for all that she does. Noel is also being a trooper with so much change. She spends most of her day with her Grandma and Great Grandma, as they have so graciously agreed to watch Noel, as Katie and I tend to our responsibilities at the school. This has not been easy for us and do feel torn that we see her so little during the day, but we are trusting in God that in this short season, He will be kind and gracious to us. Lord willing, things will be different for next year.
As for me, I have taken on the task of supervising and organizing the students work detail. It has been a great way for me to get to know the students and practice my Spanish. On top of this I get the privilege to lead our leadership team in a devotional during our weekly meeting. This I’ve enjoyed very much.
Also, both Katie and I are each mentoring a student. Katie is mentoring a sweet girl from down south in Oaxaca and her name is Betsie. She’s very quiet and shy, but I know that Katie will be a good encouragement to her. I am mentoring a young man named Adrian, who is from the Sonoran capital, Hermosilo and likes coffee.... so this makes our relationship even more serious!
I’d be lying if I said it’s been easy understanding the students, including Adrian. There are many times I don't know what’s being said! But on Thursday Adrian and I had our second mentoring time and chatted for a whole hour. There were a few times where I had difficulty, but all in all I was able to grasp quite a bit and respond as well. God definitely was there at work with my ability to communicate. It will be a challenge, but as I saw on Thursday, not an impossibility, praise God! All in all, we have been encouraged. With many things on the ago and passions high, God is clothing us in His grace.
Last week I shared during our devotion time one of my favorite verses, which I have grown to love, through the well-spent usage from my dad over the years… Psalm 16:11.
I shared that this verse is for us, children of God, followers of Christ, and it also tells of the hope and joy of the gospel
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
This verse has been foundational for me … foundational in that I can experience joy, truth and delight when in the presence of my Savior. Because Jesus IS the joy and delight I experience… that we (the church) experience.
Currently the world seems like a circus, with pandemic and political turmoil. There has been death. There has been anguish. There has been confusion, and frustration. Many of us are tired. The truth is, there are many things that can rob us of joy, that demand our focus and attention. It is verses like this that remind us of the gospel, of the hope and joy we already have in Jesus. It is Christ, who directs our hearts and minds toward truth and light, because He is truth and light. He is the only one who can truly satisfy the soul. Jesus the only one who offers fullness of joy… real joy…. eternal joy. We have joy in Christ because of His work on the cross, His sacrifice, His atonement, so we can be made new. And one day, we will be with Jesus in glorification in His full presence, and there, we will experience the greatest magnittude of joy there is.
This is our true hope...
...To have MORE of Jesus.
So, we can go from here remembering the gospel and the joy that we have that is only and truly fulfilled in the Son of God.
This joy is exactly why we are here doing what we do… to serve, to teach, to equip, to mentor, so that these students at CEC would grasp the gospel more and more as well. And in doing so, demonstrate and proclaim that same hope and joy in their communities. This is our prayer.
May you also join us in this prayer, that the students, us as staff, and for you as well, would continue to rest in the gospel, that Christ would be our greatest treasure, our ultimate satisfaction.
We also invite you to continue to pray for us in the following areas…
- For Katie's health, pregnancy, and energy level.
- My comprehension of things that our said during my interaction with students and staff…. including my mentoring time with Adrian.
- That the amount of time spent away from Noel will not be negative for her and lead to unwanted behavioral issues.
- Continued wisdom in both the field of ministry at the school and parenting.
- That our stress levels would be at ease with the move and expenditures that have come our way.
- That our joy may be renewed daily in the saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you dear brothers and sisters in Christ, for continuing to race the race with us. We are so blessed to have you by our side.
¡Que Dios se bendiga!
Denver, Katie, Noel, and mystery child
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