Well here it is the 17th of January, I cannot believe how time is flying! It will be April before I know it and time for me to leave! So to catch you up from the time I arrived back here until now...
On Tuesday, I arrived in Cartagena at 4:30 and was greeted by my two best buds, Ivan and Jota! They so graciously carried the 120 lbs that were my two bags packed with goodies for them and others. They told me to take a shower, get some clothes on and that we were leaving to go to Jota's brother's civil wedding. I do as I am told and get ready in the taxi and while they are taking showers at their houses. We get to the wedding, they get married, and then I think we are leaving....WRONG! Next comes games, pictures, music, food, and dancing!
I will remind you that all day Monday we spent with Granny as she left us to go home with Her FATHER! We leave the house at 4:00am to go to the airport and I travel all day...needless to say that my spanish brain was not even working! Tired, 2 weeks of english, and emotionally exhaustion does not make for a great combination! But I stay until about 11:00pm and then had to go home to bed.
The next couple of days were spent playing catch up, meetings, reports, and getting things ready for this new year! I think I had something to do every day that week and finally it is time for the religious wedding of Jota's brother. It was a beautiful wedding and a great time to get to catch up with everyone I had not seen or not spoken to at the last wedding because of my exhaustion!
Sunday, our team had our Christmas party and surpirse goodbye part for Ivan, who left this week for seminary! I made him a book of pictures and letters from everyone...to help him remember us in Cartagena while he is away. It was a great day and a great time for us to say goodbye to the leader of our team and look forward to a new year of serving HIM!
On Monday, we had a meeting/club service in Arjona to talk about and plan the retreat we had this past weekend. This retreat is including all local m's and clubs who work with the displaced people in colombia. I find out in this meeting that my team is responsible for making a video of 2010 and are in charge of the Saturday morning activities.
So Tuesday and Wednesday were full of planning, meetings, and video making. And then came Wednesday night, a night of no sleep because of a high fever and who knows what else. I really cannot remember a night that was so LONG and hard! So Thursday I did not make it to the retreat, to Nelson Mandella with the group, or find time to finish the video. I spent lots of time with HIM reading and talking to HIM about this year...and trying to sleep!
Friday was our first organized retreat day. It was great to see so many faces of people we had gone to visit this past year! It was neat to hear what HE has been doing in their lives this past year.
I heard stories from Santa Marta (where I took my first trip to teach youth how to use sports to reach the lost.) HE is doing a work amongst them that you would not believe! They have over 50 youth each Saturday coming to play and hear HIS TRUTHS! And they want us to come back and teach another workshop in March!
I heard stories from Turbo (where Drlys and I went to teach the strategy to their youth). They recently had a 3 day tournament and had over 110 youth that came to play and hear His Truths. Not to mention this strategy has united them to work as a team! The youth leader was so excited to see how this strategy had transformed her group of youth that were very divided before and now unified before HIM!
I heard stories from the Guajira (where Jota and I went to teach many things and the strategy to them.) They have continued to use sports to reach their youth in their reservation. And two of them have a desire to go and take this strategy to reach another tribe that is lost but close to where they live!
It was a great time to fellowship, encourage, pry with, and pry for each local m who is trying to live out the great commission in their hometowns.
On Saturday I returned with 14 of my youth leaders. We started the day by 2 adults going swimming who I have been working with for over a year now...they are two results from our sports ministry. They have daughters who play with us each and every week. We would pass by and invite them to come to services and listen to the stories. HE opened up the time for me to work with the wife personally for the past 6 months and the change in her life has been incredible!!
After the swimming session, we showed our video and the youth presented on our strategy! It was amazing to see how much this team has grown and how they are ready to take this strategy over! We still need more leaders, and money to get this strategy completely independent before I leave!
During our break after our teaching, there were 3 other groups that came up to me and invited us to visit them and teach them this strategy! HE IS SO GOOD! HE is carrying HIS strategy and ministry all over this country! It is beautiful to watch and be a part of!
It hit me this weekend that my time is almost up and yet we have so much to do! It will be a busy 3 months of work but only busy by things HE desires for us! I am really seeking HIS direction for these last 3 months of service
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