Hello, from Michigan

I'm back!!

2007-03-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

Though I'm sure all of you have given up on me and probably won't even read this, I'm back on the blogging scene!

I've missed a lot of great post-worthy events, so allow me to backtrack as I slowly bring everything up to date.

Peter and I had a blast taking some engagement pictures down in Florida.

God has blessed me with a wonderful fiancé!

The Story

2006-12-30T00:37:00.000-08:00

“So how did it all happen??” you’re all wondering, on the edge of your seat with anticipation, no doubt ;-)
It all started when we went to the Florida Aquarium with Peter's sister and brother-in-law. (I’ve always wanted to go to one.) On the way back we decided to go to Olive Garden, just Peter and me, so we could have a nice evening alone. At the condo I waited in the car while Peter went in to “get directions from his mom.”

When he came out of the condo I thought I saw something in his pocket, but then figured it was just his cell phone. At dinner I again thought that something was up, because we only eat out for special occasions, since we have no money. But I discarded that notion when he pulled out a gift card from someone.

After dinner we went to see a park full of Christmas lights. It was so beautiful! We walked around and enjoyed all the light displays as it began to rain -- in a romantic sort of way. Then we got to the front of the park where there were a whole bunch of fountains (talk about a nice setting).

At the fountains, he said something about how he wanted to marry me (but he often said that)

So I said that I wanted to marry him too (with the implied “if you ever actually propose” in the back of my mind).

He asked me if I was sure...

to which I answered, “You always ask me that.”

But he said, “This time it’s kind of important.”

My thoughts at that point were something like “...wha..?” or "...huh?"

The next thing I knew, he was pulling the ring box out of his pocket and getting down on his knee. I was literally shaking and speechless.

I suppose you can guess the rest…he asked me to marry him and I said yes. Then it started to rain even more, so we found a gazebo and sat there talking for a long time. It was all very romantic :)

** Some of the above pictures were re-enactments

THIS JUST IN:

2006-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Quick update for all you avid readers:

LEANN DEWEESE IS ENGAGED TO PETER AMBLER!!

pictures and stories soon to come!

Who's better...

2006-10-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Stewart

or

Cary Grant

???

Blessings

2006-10-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I apologize for not posting in forever. I'm sure whoever used to keep up with my blog has long since given up hope. But I do have some over-due news: God gave me the opportunity to lead a little girl to the Lord!

A couple Wednesdays ago, I was working with the kids during game time, and Avery hit Autumn in the face with a bean bag. Therefore, I had to deal with the whole "who hit who?" and "why?" and trying to comfort Autumn, figure out exactly what happened, yada yada. Well, I looked back and Avery was crying, so I went over, thinking "why is she crying?" So I asked her, and she told me all about how she was a bad girl and that she couldn't go to Heaven. Talk about a divine appointment!

I took her aside into a different room and showed her in the Bible about sin and its punishment, but then how Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty, and how we can have the free gift of salvation if we repent and put our faith/trust in Him. She understood it all and we prayed together, and that night Avery accepted Christ as her personal Savior. It was such a blessing to see the Holy Spirit's convicting power in the heart of an 8-yr old, and to see her responding in such child-like faith.

Oh, and then on the way home, we hit a deer, but the van and everyone in it was fine...all that happened was a little bit of the headlight cover was broken, but the light still worked. So that was a blessing.

Praise God for His working, with everything from salvation of a child to protection on the road :)

Sooo.....

2006-09-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

It's turning out to be a good semester. Not too many classes, a fun job in Publications, a decent load -- as in, enough work to keep me busy, enough variety to keep me interested, and enough free time to keep me sane. Also, It's really nice to have Peter around. I thank the Lord for him...he's such an encouragement in so many ways

I think the summertime just makes me appreciate the "spiritual greenhouse" atmosphere here more. It's kinda like with exercise. They say (whoever "they" is) that the time when muscles are truly developing is not when they are being worked, but rather between work-out times. Ok, so maybe the analogy doesn't work quite like I thought it would, but anyways, sometimes the down times help to more fully appreciate the not-so-down (up?) times. It's like everything I learn at school actually gets put to the test of practical daily life and I realize how far I still have to go; thus I come back with a stronger desire to glean as much as I can. Does that even make any sense? My brain seems to be fogging up.

Moving on...
Here's a couple pictures from the end of the summer. Peter came for a few days before school started up again. It was so much fun! We parused some bookstores, went bike-riding, visited Rockford (where I used to live), went to Mars Hill (an emergent church), went water-skiing and airchairing (yay!), played lots of Settlers of Catan, went flying with my dad, and much more...but I'll spare you the sappy details ;-)

2006-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hey, just wanted to let you guys know I'm back at school...I'll write more when I have something better to say than "hey, I'm back."

2006-08-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

2006-08-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

I guess it's time for some real updates.

Last Saturday (Aug. 5), I had the privilege of being the maid of honor in Jenny's wedding. For all who don't know, Jenny and I have been friends since our freshman year of high school...we were inseparable and pretty much did everything together. Now she's very happily married to a great guy (Josh) and her new name is Jennifer Marie Vajda. Congratulations, Josh and Jenny!!! I love you both <3

Summer Vacation: Athens

2006-07-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

What a summer! After visiting Rome, Peter and I ran over to Athens real quick to visit the only Greek-Spanish church in the world. As he preached a full sermon in fluent Greek (it was amazing), I translated it into Spanish. Afterwards, they treated us to a gourmet dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Acropolis...the view was incredible! Too bad we could only stay in Europe for a couple hours :(
Maybe we can go again if we have an open Saturday or something ;)

Quote for the day

2006-06-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

~ Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

Great is His faithfulness

2006-06-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Once again, the Lord has shown me that His plans are above my own. For example...

My plan for the summer: Get home from school on Monday and find three amazing jobs by Tuesday. Work 50+ hours a week and have enough money to not only pay off my school bills, but also buy myself a car and have some money left over for fun-spending.

God's plan for the summer: Get home from school on Monday and learn to depend on Him, not myself, for providing a job. Learn patience as I wait a whole week to have any sign at all of a possible job. Get a little 15-hour/week part-time job and still wait 2 more weeks to find anything else. BUT have more time to spend with Him.

This second plan came with a lot of benefits, too. God has given me a very nice working environment with employers who have been giving me extra hours. They liked a menu that I made up for them so much that they talked about paying me to do more work like that on the side. God has also decided to provide me with a vehicle (albeit not my own, but still a vehicle). That was certainly an unexpected blessing!
Furthermore, He has provided some babysitting jobs, so I get to spend some time with "my kids" that I love dearly. And in all this free time I've had, I've been learning a TON about my relationship with Him. So even though this wasn't how I expected everything to turn out, I know that my God is good, my God is faithful, and my God will provide.

old photographs

2006-06-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

For about the past 3 or 4 years, I've been "working on" a seemingly never-ending project of trying to create some semblance of order in our collection of family photographs. I don't care to go as far as to scrapbook everything, but it is nice to have things organized in some way.

So tonight, my mom and I are finally sitting down together to finish the task once and for all! It's been kind of fun, as we recall various memories and explain the who, what, where, and when behind each photo. Some of the pictures just make me cringe as I'm forced to remember my miserably dorky junior high and early high school years. Needless to say, some of those pictures will never have to be seen again :-)

Digging Beyond Complacency

2006-05-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Sure, He lived; yeah, He healed;
of course He was the Son of God.
Indeed He died; doubtless He rose;
He did it all to save the world."

But do we ever stop to think
of all that truth imparts?
Are we reciting from our heads
or treasuring in our hearts?

What would happen if we took
the time to look more thoroughly,
digging deeper into it all,
beyond complacency?

Perhaps we'd find a mark of humanity
etched across His face.
Perhaps we'd see the glory of God
shown through perfect grace.

This is the One who saved our lives
with an act of truest mercy --
in the story of purest love
written by God in highest majesty.

How could we ever close our eyes
to such an awesome fact?
We've got to dig beyond complacency...
dig till there's no going back.

~ LjD

Me and my boyfriend Peter

2006-05-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

...

2006-04-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm in a class in which I have to come up with a piano arrangement of a hymn. I went into the class with great enthusiasm, but it has in fact become a great source of chagrin in my life. I find myself getting stuck in a rut where I can come up with little better than a disorganized mess, mostly consisting of a simple motive accompanied by a boring I-IV-V harmonic pattern (for those who know music).

So I brought my frustrations before my professor, who took my array of scattered ideas and transformed it into music (though contrary to my original ideas) much more beautiful that I could have ever thought up on my own...ever. Why? Because his resources are greater than mine -- he thinks at a much higher level in music than I do.

Then somewhere during Romans class and Chapel today, I thought of how that kind of illustrates my relationship with God. As He is faithfully shaping this unsightly piece of clay, I start to guess at what the end result will be. Then, as the Potter continues His work, I find my heart crying out "No, not that! That wasn't in the plan!" And yet, I find that His plan is far greater and more marvelous than I ever could have come up with on my own. The truth is, God already has the end result all figured out in His mind.

"My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them."
(Ps. 139:15-16)

2006-04-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

He is Risen!!!

2006-03-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

"Give me one pure and holy passion.
Give me one magnificent obsession.
Jesus, give me one glorious ambition for my life:
To know and follow hard after You.

To know and follow hard after You,
To live as Your disciple in the truth.
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing You, my Lord,
Lead me on and I will run after You...

Lead me on and I will run after You."

R.I.P.

2006-03-29T07:18:00.000-08:00

Thus marks the death of one of my blogs. I realized that it's rather excessive to have 4 blogs (it's bad enough that I have a Xanga...); therefore, "Salchicha Says" will henceforth be no more. I'm sure this will distress my many avid readers, but with time I know we can overcome the grief of this loss.

(if you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry about it)

Stranger on a Plane

2006-03-19T20:09:00.000-08:00

This semester has been quite busy, so spring break is a welcome change of pace. And what better way to spend it than in visiting family I haven't seen in 10 years?? It's been great to catch up after so long.

I had some fun company on the flight out here. Just as my flight to Minneapolis began to board, they paged me, along with Alan somebody, and my first thought was "oh no, they're gonna tell me the flight is overbooked and I don't have a spot...or maybe that I'm not gonna make my connection because of the delay...or maybe..." You know, classic pessimism.
But actually, there was a problem with my assigned seat, so they had to move me and Alan up a few rows. That in itself gave us a good conversation starter and it just took off from there.
After talking about everything from flying to geography to college, we ended up on the topic of faith and religion. Turns out he grew up in a Pentecostal home and now goes to a Calvary Chapel. I have to admit, I had no clue what that was, but he described it to me (sounds a lot like an emergent church) and it didn't seem to offer any concrete gospel message. Anyways, I said I would look more into it. Then I gave him a couple tracts from my college in exchange and and told him about what I believe. I don't know if he's saved or not, but I believe the Lord ordained this meeting.
Please pray that Alan will seriously consider what we talked about and what the tracts have to say -- that it can be used to convict or challenge or encourage him...or something.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

2006-02-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

I am not ashamed of the gospel . . . Romans 1:16

The Heart of the Issue

2006-01-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

Today's chapel message was a really good reminder of getting to the heart of issues. It went along with a conversation I had with a friend not too long ago about the importance of looking at the internal before the external. So many times it's easy to address someone's outward appearance/actions and forget that you've gotta look at the heart first...Because if the honest-to-goodness love for God isn't there behind everything, none of it even matters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge... (Prov. 1:7)

"If the apologist treats the starting point of knowledge as something other than reverence for God, then unconditional submission to the unsurpassed greatness of God's wisdom at the end of his argumentation does not really make sense."

~Van Til's Apologetic by Greg L. Bahnsen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our destinations (conclusions) and the paths of belief we take to get there (presuppositions, if you will) really have to match, or else we're living a contradiction.

I may be an extreme idealist, but even I have my limits.

2006-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

I finally finished Utopia (by Thomas More). I had to read it in tenth grade, and somehow I managed to come out with an A on the final test without actually ever having completed the book. However, I hate leaving things unfinished, so I've been meaning ever since then (5 years) to read it all the way through.

Now for my reflective thoughts:
Sure, if people were ROBOTS! As it is, More fails to take into account man's sinful and depraved nature. He created a country assuming that all its inhabitants will cooperate because they're all so reasonable and well-trained and...perfect.

...uh huh...

Heaven is/will be the only perfect place, and it will be far better than Utopia. Good try, More.

I never knew till recently that Thomas More was such a persecutor of Luther and the church. According to the timeline in my edition, he wrote several books against Lutheranism and highly valued papal supremacy.

Therefore Retreat

2006-01-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I just got back from a really fun and refreshing retreat with the "Therefore" (college and career) class at West Cannon Church. It was so nice to get to see everyone and spend time with them after being away for so long...they're an awesome group of people with a common goal to know and serve God in their daily lives. The focus was on community, and we had some competitive games, fun and fellowship time, studies in God's Word, great food, and everything else that goes along with retreats :)

(you can get really good scores on DDR when you work together...theoretically)

Season's Greetings

2006-01-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

I've been told I need to update my blog. Some people are just so demanding ;)

This has been a nice holiday season. I came home to the delightful task of decorating the house. :) And I got to take it all down a couple days ago...
We had a small but enjoyable Christmas here at home. My grandparents came in from out of town, and my brother was here for a while.
Then for New Year's Eve my parents and I stayed with some family friends down by Kalamazoo. I got to meet some distant (3rd) cousins that I hadn't seen in about 7 or 8 years -- that was fun -- and we played games and ate lots of food and stuff like that.

Hope your holiday season was wonderful and full of blessings!

The Home Stretch

2005-12-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right folks! Three more days (depending on how you count) and I'm on my way home for five weeks! :)
By this time on Friday the 16th, I should be sitting at home, relaxing inside with a cup of hot cocoa as the snow falls gently outside.

I just have to make it through 2 more exams...

Junior Piano Recital

2005-12-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

I survived my first recital! :)

Though I was really nervous leading up to it, it wasn't such a bad experience after all. One more to go!

2005-11-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

Yes that's right...these trees have blankets wrapped around them. It's a good thing, too, because we just received our first snowfall Tuesday night. However, this wasn't your typical first snowfall, where the little 1-inch layer disappears by afternoon. No, it was so bad that campus was locked down last night (as in nobody could leave).
Icy conditions, unplowed roads, wind blowing snow in every direction...

Ah, the joys of winter weather.

I work for Campus Services

2005-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

In other words, I clean at night in the Founder's Center. It's actually pretty fun – we even made up a song about it a couple years ago: "joyful, joyful we clean bathrooms..."

Well, you get the idea.

Extension

2005-11-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm very sorry it's taken me so long to update on my blog, but for all those who have been begging for a new post, here it is. :)
This is a picture of (part of) my wonderful extension team (we also have five great guys on our team, but I'm sorry to say I have no pictures of them). Twice a week we all go to Central Baptist Church, where we have a chance to be off campus and minister in a local church.
I can honestly say this is one of the biggest highlights of my week. Every Sunday is so refreshing; the church has truly become like a family to me, and I've learned so much about ministry in the time I've spent there. So if anyone from Central happens to see this, I love you guys!

Psalm 84

2005-10-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD ;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young-
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.

Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.

Selah

Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Swoop Bangs and Highlights

2005-10-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

I was so tired of my hair being the same-old-same-old...So I got swoop bangs...but it wasn't enough, so I got highlights too. * gasp * Yes, that's right, I finally conceded and let Hannah highlight my hair. So for your curiosity, there's a picture.

Bowling

2005-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hannah and I went bowling a couple weeks ago and it's finally making it onto the blog. We've decided that next time we'll try harder to break 100...haha...I think if you combined our two scores, you'd possibly get one decent one.
Either way, it was a fun and spontaneous night on the town (good old Iron Mountain).

Roomies

2005-10-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, to all you who have been so patiently waiting for updates. Here is a picture of me and my three wonderful roommates...we've got a great room :)

Yadda Yadda

2005-09-08T06:13:00.000-07:00

Well, school is in full swing -- so much so that I hardly have time to update my blog! But I'm much overdue, so it's about time I say something.
Except for the sickness I think I'm developing (or maybe I'm just allergic to the North), this past week has been amazing. The Lord has really been working in my life and it's a blessing to hear everyone's testimonies from the summer and even just the past couple weeks of how God has provided for them financially.
He is so good to His children, it just blows me away.
Also, I have some great roommates, and that's always a huge encouragement. All in all I'm anticipating a good year.

Home sweet home

2005-08-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord, I arrived safely after a long day of traveling. I already miss the Prelgovisks and Puerto Rico a lot, but I'm also very glad to be home with my family for a while. Thank you to all who were praying.

Muchisimas Gracias

2005-08-24T23:40:00.000-07:00

I'd like to express my ENORMOUS gratitude to the Prelgovisks for welcoming me into their family for three months. I know that calling a complete stranger and asking to stay in their home for 3 months is a pretty big order, but they were completely gracious and hospitable about it. I instantly felt right at home, and I know I will miss them incredibly. Thank the Lord for such faithful servants! I learned a lot from them and can't even begin to express how grateful I am to the Lord for giving me this opportunity and to the Prelgovisks for their godly example. I'll miss them!!

Our Three-Hour Tour

2005-08-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well, Tuesday we woke up to the sound of jobillos (a kind of fruit) falling with a loud *bang* on the tin roof and chickens running around above our heads. Who wants to listen to that all day? So we took off for Guilligan Island to enjoy a day of sun, white sand, crystal-clear water, and great snorkeling -- we were delighted to find all those things and more. I could probably go on and on, but I'll spare you and settle with the words, "it was really cool."

What a blessing to spend some time simply enjoying God's beautiful creation.

Crabs

2005-08-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Our final expedition landed us at some tide pools where we saw quite a few crabs running around. Those things were so hard to get pictures of!

Los Congres

2005-08-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

The next beach we discovered was what you might call a "conch graveyard." We found piles and piles of old conch shells that had been washed up on shore. Several of them were all broken up, but we did find a few treasures.

Playa Jaboncillo

2005-08-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

Well, talk about a fun couple of days! To "officially" fulfill my fourth grade dream of snorkeling in the Caribbean, we took two days off to gallivant around the southern coast of Puerto Rico.

On Monday as Steve prepared to teach a class, Tina, the twins, and myself took off on a beach-hopping adventure. The first one we stumbled across had an awful road leading to it, but the beach was well worth it. We enjoyed snorkeling and exploring the rocks, where we collected a few hermit crabs that now reside in a renovated pop bottle downstairs.

Then we decided to pack up and see what other fun adventures lay ahead of us.

Special Music

2005-08-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

We sang "Rey Exaltado" (He is Exalted) as a special. From left to right are Dajhana, Irving, Tina, Tulio, y yo.

Last Sunday

2005-08-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

We had a good weekend with the extension team from the college (Irving, Tulio, and Dajhana) -- got to go talk to people on the streets of Comerío, practice some music, spend some quality time, and all that good stuff. The service on Sunday was nice, but kind of emotional as it was my last one here in Puerto Rico. I had to say goodbye to many friends, but hope to return to see them again someday, Lord willing.

I love you guys!

Puerto Rico Baptist College

2005-08-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I'd say I'm a bit overdue for a post. Steve, Tina, and I attended the commencement service for Puerto Rico Baptist College the Friday before last. It was nice to see all the students there for a change. Every other time I've been there this summer, it's been relatively deserted.

The next week (last Wednesday) I stayed on campus for a couple days, where I was able to sit in on some classes and get to know the students. God has really brought a neat group of young people together with a desire to serve Him. I look forward to seeing what He has in store for many of them.

A little Puerto Rican history

2005-08-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

"Liana, eat some more!" Such were the words of Hermano Nieves (even after 3 helpings) when we were at his house the other day.

We enjoyed a nice afternoon of food and fellowship at the home of Miguel and Anna Nieves, a couple from the church who live on a little farm about 45 minutes from Comerío. After lunch Miguel showed us around their property, machete in hand. About every 5 feet or so he'd chop down a different kind of fruit for us to try. We got to eat starfruit, fresh coconut, some little cherry things that contain the most vitamin-C of any fruit in the world, and some other stuff that I don't know the name of. But it was all great. We then proceeded to the chicken coop and were introduced to about 60 of his feathered friends.

Later as we sat and talked over cups of coffee, they told us about "life in the old days" here in Puerto Rico. When they were young (in the 1940's or so) they didn't have any plumbing or electricity, and lived simple country lives. In fact, Miguel got his first pair of shoes when he was in 3rd grade. He said he had to drop out of school in 10th grade to help on the family's farm.

The women remember washing clothes on rocks before they had those "convenient ridged washboards." All the water they used had to be hauled up from the river (and the roads here are steep). They didn't own much, but they were very generous with each other -- whenever a pig or chicken was killed, the family would share with all the neighbors.

It's hard to believe that people lived like that only about 50 or 60 years ago, when you consider how technically advanced they are now. The island has undergone some tremendously rapid change.

Language klutz

2005-08-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been asking me how the Spanish is "coming along," so this post is dedicated to them. Spanish is like ice skating. It robs me of all dexterity, skill, and finesse, so that I'm left to stumble my way through every conversation. It's not impossible...just awkward; and returning to English is like stepping back onto good ol' terra firma.
Of course, I'm not complaining, I love ice skating :)

Third Update Letter

2005-08-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

My time here in Puerto Rico has been such a wonderful experience for which I thank the Lord. As the summer quickly comes to a close, I can gladly say I’ve learned a lot that I can remember and apply in the future: things to avoid, things to pursue, the overall joys and trials of ministry in general. Thank you once again to all who are praying; God is answering.

Vacation Bible School went well: average attendance was around 15 children, and we praise the Lord for two salvations during the week! The remainder of the summer will be occupied with follow-up visitations and preparations for the Bible College to start soon. Please pray for us to be faithful and diligent in doing these.

Rome wasn't built in a day

2005-08-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Coming to Puerto Rico, I've learned a lot about relationship-building in ministry. Before you can really get into people's personal lives to share burdens and help them grow spiritually, you've got to spend time getting to know them first...building friendships and trust. This isn't necessarily something that will happen automatically, it requires time and patience.

Well, I like to see immediate results, so it wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be at first, especially with the language difference; but I thank the Lord for the friendships I've made here in Comerío -- I know I'll miss them all when I return to the States.

A Rise in Comprehension

2005-08-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

Whereas I only understood about 10% of what was spoken last time I went somewhere with "los jovenes" from the church, tonite I understood about 70-80% of it. Slowly but surely...
We had a really fun night.

What's Happening in Puerto Rico:

2005-08-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went down to the college again to work some more on the library project -- I got to take lots of pictures of library books for ebay purposes. Then I met some of the students who are there early. Two very nice girls from Peru let me practice my spanish on them (it's slowly improving). I also got to meet some of the faculty and was reminded of the invitation to come down after I graduate. I'm very tempted to do so, but we'll see what happens. If the Lord wants me here in the long run, I'll be happy to return :)

The youth group just called and announced that they'll be picking me up at 6:00 tonite to go to Pizza Hut. So tonite I'll get even more spanish practice in. I just hope I won't be as lost and confused this time as I was when they took me to San Juan. But they're a fun group of people, so I'm not too worried about it.

One more exciting piece of news. The Prelgovisks just bought a piano and will be picking it up tomorrow. So Sunday morning I'll get to play on their new Baldwin. Thank the Lord for providing a nice and affordable piano.

(By the way, for any who may be concerned, the trucker strike was short-lived and we have all the gasoline we need now. Yay.)

2005-08-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

O LORD , our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
above the heavens.

From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise

because of your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

O LORD , our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Some of our kids

2005-08-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

We finished a good week of Vacation Bible School ("thank you" to all who were praying); on the last day, all the children received a little New Testament to take home and read. We were very happy to see Jorge join us last night for Wednesday night prayer meeting -- he came all ready to use his new Bible. What a blessing! Please pray for more of the children to come back to the church for Sundays and Wednesdays, and for the spiritual growth of Jeffrey and Jose.

A Fruitful Day

2005-07-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today when the invitation for salvation was given, four kids looked up, indicating that they wanted to hear more about how to accept Christ as their Savior. Jeffrey (in the red shorts) wasted no time and was the first to make a decision. He's been pretty attentive all week.
Jose (on the far left) also made a decision, but was a little self-concious about it at first. However, Pastor Prelgovisk later heard him explaining the gospel to some of his friends. Hopefully he continues to encourage them to get saved too!

Praise the Lord for these two new additions to the family of God!

"No tuerzas el hilo, o los lagartos tendran chichones"

2005-07-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

It has been one hot week!
VBS went well today...we had about 17 kids. They were very attentive for all the lessons and stories, but none have come forward yet. However, many are doing well with memorizing verses. Today they worked on Romans 6:23.

I also had a fun spanish lesson while I was teaching some boys how to make bead lizards. They were very patient and smiled sympathetically as I stumbled through the instructions, and they helped me with phrases I didn't know. It was really cute; we had a good time.

Puppets

2005-07-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

Vacation Bible School started on Monday

2005-07-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went out visiting some people and handing out flyers for our Vacation Bible School. When we were in the government housing complex, we got to talk to lots of kids, most coming from very poor families on welfare due to drugs and other harmful lifestyles. We even saw one guy sleeping in the hallway as we were knocking on doors. But praise the Lord, some of those kids came to our VBS today. One boy, Jeffrey, seemed really excited about it.

We would appreciate your prayers this week, that we can present the gospel clearly and that the kids will have open and responsive hearts. Also pray that we can have higher attendances. Monday's attendance was 6, and today we had 11...if this pattern keeps up, we could have quite a few on Friday :)

Water came on, gas went out

2005-07-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, the water came back on shortly after the last post, thank the Lord. But this past week, the truckers have been on strike and now the island is running low on gasoline. Hopefully the strike resolves quickly!

How Ironic

2005-07-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Due to all the flooding that Comerio is experiencing right now, the water is out. Oh well, it makes life more interesting :)

The flooding also managed to keep one of the church members from being able to join us on visitation this afternoon. Today we will be visiting a woman who has suffered a lot emotionally. Please pray that we will have the right words to say and that Sonia will have an open heart to receive Christ into her ife.

Games

2005-07-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

lots of campers + lots of water balloons = lots of fun

Music

2005-07-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

God provided a really neat variety of musicians to help with the programs. I learned so much that week about improvising and doing last-minute changes. Flexibility is definitely a must :)

Changed Lives

2005-07-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome week at camp. The kids enjoyed all the games and chapels, and several went forward at the invitations. This is a picture of one boy telling about his decision to accept Christ as his personal Savior. Praise the Lord!

Another Update Letter

2005-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The last month has been keeping us all fairly busy here in Puerto Rico. I praise the Lord for all He has been doing in the lives of the people here. In June I worked with Paula Van Natta, a fellow missionary on the island, to help with a VBS program in Aibonito. Although a lot of the kids were rowdy and unchurched, some of them showed a huge improvement and it was great to see them taking more interest in the Bible. Please pray for our own VBS that we have planned for the end of July. We still have a lot of planning and preparing to do. Also, the church doesn't have a lot of children, so pray for us as we canvas the area. I believe that the Lord can and will do amazing things.

We spent this past week at summer camp in Ceiba, Steve got to use some of his scientific demonstrations to illustrate his messages for the kids, and I was able to help with the music. Overall it was an awesome week -- many kids went forward for the invitations, and I know of at least 3 or 4 salvation decisions.

Between all the VBS's and camps, we're keeping busy with work here at the church and college. The twins are doing well with piano, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be teaching again.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, I can't tell you how much I appreciate them!

All in a Day's Work

2005-07-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we put in a good few days at the church this week. If you've ever drilled holes in a cement wall with a normal drill, you'll appreciate the amount of work spent in installing wall fans at the church! We also spent some hours scraping paint off windows, cleaning out rotting windowsills, and preparing the replacement peices.

This weekend we'll be doing some more work at the church and last-minute preparations for Camp. Please pray for the hearts of the campers as they hear the messages that Pastor Prelgovisk has spent so much time on.

Tienen Que Saber

2005-06-28T12:27:00.001-07:00

One thing I've noticed about Puerto Rico is that it's like one big inner-city. Even in the "rural" mountain areas you'll encounter traffic, street dogs, drug problems, beggers, homelessness, and so on. All this reminds me of the hopelessness of a life without Christ, and the urgent need of the world to hear the gospel.

This is a picture of the store right across the street from the church. During my first week here, Mr. Prelgovisk took me there with him and we saw a dead pig laying out on the counter with flies buzzing all over it. Definitely not something you see every day in West Michigan.

Building Improvements

2005-06-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went to clean and fix-up the church. Our project that day was painting the front steps. As you can see, the gray paint is coming off. But we worked for a few hours and now they're a beautiful, clean, solid gray. This week we'll be putting in some more work days down there: installing fans, replacing windowsill pieces, painting, and touch-ups. Hopefully the temperature doesn't get too hot!

Preparations

2005-06-28T11:45:00.001-07:00

Though Puerto Rico is indeed a beautiful island and full of interesting things to do and see, there's also a lot of work to be done. This week we're preparing for Camp and VBS. We have to get some music together, write out the songsheets, get activities together, canvas the area, etc. The church doesn't have many kids right now, so please pray that many will come and hear/understand the gospel.

Old San Juan

2005-06-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

It was so neat getting to walk around and learn more about the history of Puerto Rico.

Old San Juan

2005-06-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

We went on a trip to Old San Juan this past Friday, where we got to see all sorts of historical sites. While walking down the Paseo de la Princesa, we came across this...remarkable statue. Very intriguing, I must say.

A Turn of Events

2005-06-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I was talking to my parents and found out that, yes, it looks like I will be able to attend school in the fall (Lord willing, of course). This made me happy, to say the least. Of course, there are a few conditions, but they're not bad at all. Praise the Lord for His provision!

Si, se puede

2005-06-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

In times of frustration, as thoughts of "I can't" or "I give up" seem to creep to the forefront of my mind, I am reminded that God is bigger - bigger than me, bigger than this world, bigger than my struggles. It is because of this that I know I can keep going; He has not left me alone, nor does He ever intend to. As a friend of mine once pictured it, He's like a loving Father watching His child at play, delighting in and encouraging the child, waiting for the child to brave it down the slide into His waiting arms. This life isn't easy, but think of the rewards at the end. What could be better than hearing "Well done, my good and faithful servant."? So amidst all these frustrations, I praise the Lord for His promises that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

All in all, it was a great weekend!

2005-06-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

El Yunque

2005-06-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

We also went to El Yunque, Puerto Rico's rainforest, where we had a picnic and then hiked to some waterfalls. It was beautiful!

Snorkeling in Culebra

2005-06-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

We got a little carried away with the blue fish -- but they were so pretty!

Dreams really do come true!

2005-06-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

As part of my introduction to the area, the Prelgovisks took me to Culebra, an island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. While there, I got to fulfill my 4th grade dream of snorkeling in the Caribbean with an underwater camera. Thanks, guys!

"...all the things I could do, if I had a little money..."

2005-06-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice if money were never a factor? But, like the song says, "it's a rich man's world." I've seen so many examples of God's miraculous provision with school bills, but now the test of faith has really hit home, as certain circumstances may drastically change my fall plans of going back to school. I do believe that God can provide the money, but as to whether or not that's in His plan, I have no idea. All I can do is pray and trust that wherever I end up, it's where He wants me.

Update Letter

2005-06-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I arrived safely in San Juan, PR on May 25. Stepping out of the airport was like walking into a sauna, but it was most welcome after several months of "Northland" weather. The hour-long drive made me grateful I wasn't at the wheel -- not only are the drivers crazy (and I mean that in all love), the roads have all sorts of sharp turns and twists. However, we eventually arrived safely and I was introduced to the rest of the family.

The first couple days I spent getting settled in and used to everything. Little things, like seeing a lizard on the bathroom window and finding a cockroach in my bedroom, added to the whole experience. Every night I get to sleep to the sounds of coquis, little frogs that chirp (they sound like they're saying "coqui, coqui") and every morning I wake up to, oddly enough, a rooster crowing over and over (and over). The view from the house is absolutely breathtaking, looking beyond a valley to mountainous hills, with jungle plants everywhere. The town of Comerio is very small, set on the bank of a river. Tina and I walked around for a while as she explained various things to me.

Saturday we cleaned the church building and then got ready for a wedding that Steve was doing. It was a beautiful wedding, but very informal. As Tina had predicted, the bride was an hour late!
I was very happy to meet the church on Sunday and help out with the music. Then I got to know them all a little better at the barbeque we had on Memorial Day. They're very gracious and fun-loving people.

On Wednesday, Steve took me up to the Bible college, where I got to meet some of the faculty, install extra RAM into the computers, and do some work in the library. On the drive there, I was amazed at the beauty of God's creation. It was like all the pictures I'd ever seen of the lush rainforests were before me in real life as the van climbed the mountain roads. That night we had a blessing as the man who usually joins them for prayer meeting had invited and prepared a lesson for 2 new believers, Victor and Ferdinand. It was really neat to see them wanting to learn and grow.

This past Saturday I went with Steve and Tina to a meeting of Baptist pastors from all over the island. We had a wonderful time of food and fellowship. They all shared prayer requests and updates on their various churches, and I got to learn more about the great work that God is doing here in Puerto Rico.

The Prelgovisks have been keeping me fairly busy. I enjoy helping Tina with various projects, teaching piano to their twin daughters, accompanying the music in the church, and helping Steve with whatever odd jobs he needs to have done. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to become one of the family and experience the everyday life on the field.

Thank you all so much for your prayerful support. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Prayer requests:

1. Church growth -- especially that the teens will have a desire to serve and honor the Lord
2. Victor and Fernando as they are being discipled
3. The work at the college -- a lot of english books need to be replaced with Spanish ones
4. That the language will become less of a barrier for me
5. Plans for the camps and VBS's coming up