Well, we all got back to the States safely Tuesday night. It was a huge blessing to me to have our whole team down there with me this time! Thank you guys for going and serving--the Lord, Casa Aleluya, and me! Each member of our team was a huge blessing me personally, encouraging me in the Lord and speaking His words to me--very truly indeed, as He spoke to me through Bry as we prayed one night--and even just the simple thing of being familiar, loving faces to me, especially walking through a couple of tough moments.
We did a lot of manual labor--digging out the dirt to lay the concrete floor for a small house on the campus and wheelbarrowing the dirt over to the other side of the campus--no small feat! but everyone worked hard. We also got to spend a lot of time playing with the kids, and also getting to know the other 2 teams who were down at the same time we were. If you check the Casa website, you can find their pics under the "work teams" photo album.
Another blessing of our team was getting to spend the evenings together, sharing some of the stories God is working in our lives and praying together, especially for one another--that was a huge blessing. We also ended each evening with our newly traditional group hug :) It really was the perfect mix of folks that the Lord worked out for this trip...not surprising that He knows so well what He's doing.
I also saw the Lord answer my prayers by working out many details of arrangements of meetings and questions I needed answered. I was able to meet with Mike and Dottie, the founders and directors, and find out more of what will be expected of my role with the girls, what some of the structure I'll be providing them will be, when the dorm will be finished, and what my living space will be. Thankfully, the timing was just right so that I got to make the call to put my bedroom in the 9x12 space with the window instead of the 8x10 space next to the showers. I also was able to talk with Tim, who is in charge of the building on that dorm, and work out a plan to build me a private bath off the outside wall of my room--praise the Lord indeed! This things can seem small, but can also be a huge curse or blessing--I'm thankful they look to be more of a blessing! (and praying all the bathroom and rest of the building plans work out.) I will be paying for the bathroom, as they have already used the budget for the rest of the building, so please let me know if you'd like to help with that expense. I'll let you know when I have a figure.
The rest of the plan for the dorm is that the sleeping will be bunker-style quarters upstairs, with a large study area with privacy desks downstairs, a small community kitchen space, and 3 showers and 3 toilets--oh please pray for this--20-40 girls!!!
I was also able to meet with some other people on staff and hear where they're coming from and get some encouragement and words of wisdom from them as well. It was a blessing, and the Lord has encouraged me through this trip, as I continue in this direction, by faith, knowing that it won't be perfect, but that it is His will. It is also a blessing to be able to anticipate some possible challenges, so I can know how to pray and be better prepares, and also I know it will be a stronghold to have the confirmation that this is indeed His will for me, as I walk through some of those struggles and challenges...anticipating growth--undoubtedly! Praise God.
The dorm is planned to be finished mid-August. I'm planning to go September 1st. Please pray for all the details to be worked out so that this is possible. Also, please pray that the Lord would prepare my mom's heart especially, but also mine and my family's, as I will not be spending Christmas or Thanksgiving with them at all this year.
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