A new year

Once again its has been way to long since I wrote….

The year ended with some sad news, that one of the families that I work with in Cazuca, their father was shot and killed.  He leaves behind a 4,8 and 11yr old.  Their family owns the bar across the dirt road from Mary and whenever I go to her house I would pass their house.  I would often ask the oldest Bryan, if he was going to come play today, which often his answer was that he couldn’t because he had to stay home and work at the bar.  I remember once, when he saw me coming, he comes running out telling me how he can come and play today, “teacher, teacher”, he says to me, “today I am allowed to come, I don’t have to work.”  I often think of this little boy and how already at 11 years old, he wasn’t really allowed to be a child and how much more that’s going to be now with his father gone, as he has to be the “man” of the house.  Please keep this family in your prayers.  Unfortunately this is a common story among many of the families that we work with.

On another note I had a wonderful visit home, I felt so blessed seeing all my friends and family and my church family.  It actually wasn’t until I was home that I realized how ready I was for a break.  Those who have been following my blog, hopefully remember that last year was a pretty rough year.  But in that rough year I experienced God’s goodness like I never would of, if it hadn’t been for last year and for that I am thankful.  I am also so thankful for all the prayers and support I had during that time, and truly felt blessed by my “family” here in Colombia. 

As I was getting ready to come back to Colombia, I was asking myself if I was really ready to come back, not that I didn’t want to, but I just didn’t know if I was going to be ready.  It didn’t help when I was saying goodbye to my niece and nephew and my nephew gave me a “glue kiss” and he said “there aunty Ingie, now its stuck there forever and ever” and then my mom started to cry, and then of course I started to cry.  It wasn’t until I landed in Colombia and saw my friend Jess that I was like, I’m ready.

Things haven’t really started up yet this year, we have just been in meetings and orientation and figuring things out.  This year I am letting go of some responsibility and more just focusing on the continuing ed. kids that I work with.  I am hoping to have a close relationship with the school they go to and work along side of them.  This year I have a team working with me, which is such a relief.  It wasn’t until I knew that I had more people working with me that I realized that I really felt burdened by this group last year.  While I loved working with them and God made a place in my heart, especially for these young girls, that it was just to much to do on my own.  Often times last year I felt overwhelmed by my work with them, and because they don’t trust people it took a long time to break down some of those walls they have put up and to tell you the truth its something I am still working on.  But more often then not, there was not a lot of fruit to be shown for the tears and prayers that I poured out, but again God in His infinite goodness, just used all of this to teach me more about myself and more about Him.  I also realized that Philippians 1:6- For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  Is not only true for the kids that I work with but it is true for me to.

So thanks once again for all your prayers and support, I can’t even express how much they are appreciated and needed they are.  Often times when I felt the most discouraged, I would get an email from one of you telling me that you were praying for me and it gave me the encouragement I needed.  So again thank you for coming along with me for this journey.