After the first week of me teaching classes, I don't have a voice!!! I finally got my schedule for classes late tuesday morning, and I have 5 classes to teach on tuesday and 5 classes to teach on thrusdays... Thursday went well, just about all of my classes cooperated with me, listened and were good students, however, I was left without a voice!!!! My schedule now constists of teachign 10 hours, and working translating 5 hours on wednesdays, plus, working in 3 church plants, being in charge of 3 children's ministries!! I'm sure keeping busy, and God is giving me the strength and understanding each day that I need to do His work!!
Let's see, work in the church plants is taking some shape and form. . . Seeing restults as we devote more time to prayer and fasting for the children and for the churches, communitites. This coming week, Wednesday we are going to have a special service in Punta de Mata for the children where we are going to annoint the children with oil, because the environment there has been very rough. Keep these children in your prayers. They come from poor, broken homes with tough living and family conditions!!
Other news, a last minute decision from my part, this Sunday, tomorrow, I am going to be baptized here in the A Dios Sea La Gloria, church. I talked with Pastor Casto about some doubts I had about baptism and if I needed to be baptized. . I felt an un-easiness so to speak because I hadn't been baptized with my personal decision and conscience. Pastor Casto encouraged me to take advantage of this opportunity!
God is taking me to a new level, higher level spiritually, and it's been a tough process to learn but It's been good, to be able to grow and learn, change. Still learning, stilll growing, still changing. . Learning to spend quality time, real quality time with God daily, to listen clearly to His voice, and follow his calling. Go deeper, into who God really is and fall in love with God. Go deeper in prayer, learn how to pray, how to interecede, be a woman of prayer. (Things may seem very simple, or normal thats what the Christian life is all about, but making each of these REAL in everyday life, wow, what a difference.)
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
What am I up to now??
Well, and now. . . . Tuesday the 16th, I start classes again, teaching in the school. Unfortunetly I don't know what classes I will be teaching - well what grades. I know I have 1 class of Christian education 2nd grade. . . English classes but I don't know what grades.. Planning is tricky - I feel un-prepared to start classes again. God knows what he is doing. That is the most important. I am finally updating, as well as cleaning the house and all the other maintence that needs done and I just haven't had time to do it. I'm learning and enjoying the importance and intimate time with God, reading his word and praying. How things get done, and how things, people change, is through prayer and fasting. I am learning, slowly but surely to implement these important spiritual disciplines in my daily life. . . How refreshing it is just to be in God's presence, and enjoy His presence.
. . . Caracas . . .
I forgot to mention that our team consisted of Jose, Jhonmar (Jose's brother), and Luis Guillermo. 3 guys and myself, the only girl. We arrived at the church and were greeted by youth and families from the church. They already had our night planned because it was the birthday of one of the girls from the youth group!! We ate an arepa and headed off to the house. I was kinda tired from the bus ride. For the most part felt okay. We had a time of worship and sharing the word in this house and the only thing I could do was cry. Through out the entire week, everytime I was in the presence of God, the only thing I could do was cry. God changing my heart, working in my character, and my love for Him. The week was filled with prayer, fasting, evangelism, house visits, evangelism, arepas, pasta, arepas, pasta, arepas and more pasta. It was a time were God called me farther out of my comfort zone,to pray with people, to bring a word of encouragement to people. The leaders in Caracas asked me to pray, to give a word. God glorified himself. Most of all changed my heart toward Caracas, and Venezuela. . . gave me more of a passion, more desire to pray, and to be in communion with God. To end the trip we had a little connection to attend a Jesus Adrian Romero Concert - an amazing worship leader!!
WEEK FOUR: Arriving back from Caracas monday morning, resting a little, wednesday work with childrens ministries, thrusday I'm asked to help with a children's camp, helping with planning and preparations for childrens camp. Friday same, and seminar to attend about finances and leadership and childrens ministry to lead. . . Began problems with electricity here in the entire country, where the electricity will go out randomly for minutes, to hours. .
WEEK FIVE: Monday first day of children's camp - my job to be incharge of the 5 year olds. Lead the class, the crafts, and stay with the 5 year olds. No one shows up for the welcome, songs, to start - kids are running in the sanctuary, being kids. I lead games and songs as intro, divided into the classes, gave the class, in the afternoon they asked me to lead games and recreation, . . . . following day. . . . all over again I became 'in charge' of everything. . . . At the end of 2 full days working with kids I was exhausted!!! Wednesday work with childrens ministry, thrusday arrived a Pastor and his son from the United states, and Friday began Missions conference. Thrusday - Monday, spent just about all day every day translating!!!!!!!!!!!! Through all of this God is showing me how he wants to use me, He wants me to step up and allow Himself to work through me. The gentle reminder that I am just a tool that God wants to use, I am just clay in the potters hands. If I allow God to use me, if I forget about myself, my gifts and talents, my fears, and weaknesses and just let God use me how He wants to, He receives the Glory and the Honor. . . That's how our lives should be.
WEEK FOUR: Arriving back from Caracas monday morning, resting a little, wednesday work with childrens ministries, thrusday I'm asked to help with a children's camp, helping with planning and preparations for childrens camp. Friday same, and seminar to attend about finances and leadership and childrens ministry to lead. . . Began problems with electricity here in the entire country, where the electricity will go out randomly for minutes, to hours. .
WEEK FIVE: Monday first day of children's camp - my job to be incharge of the 5 year olds. Lead the class, the crafts, and stay with the 5 year olds. No one shows up for the welcome, songs, to start - kids are running in the sanctuary, being kids. I lead games and songs as intro, divided into the classes, gave the class, in the afternoon they asked me to lead games and recreation, . . . . following day. . . . all over again I became 'in charge' of everything. . . . At the end of 2 full days working with kids I was exhausted!!! Wednesday work with childrens ministry, thrusday arrived a Pastor and his son from the United states, and Friday began Missions conference. Thrusday - Monday, spent just about all day every day translating!!!!!!!!!!!! Through all of this God is showing me how he wants to use me, He wants me to step up and allow Himself to work through me. The gentle reminder that I am just a tool that God wants to use, I am just clay in the potters hands. If I allow God to use me, if I forget about myself, my gifts and talents, my fears, and weaknesses and just let God use me how He wants to, He receives the Glory and the Honor. . . That's how our lives should be.
5 or 6 weeks later. . . .
I have had a pretty eventful past couple months actually.. 6 weeks. The WEEK ONE: I was on "vacation" to the mountains, called La Colonia Tovar. It is a German settlement, and now a toursit town, where all the buildings have a german look, white with black lines.. It was a good time I enjoyed the 'cool' temperature, and the refreshing coolness of the mountains. The landscape was amazing, breathtaking. However, it was a time where I was wreslting, as I wanted to go on vacation to relax, and refresh my spirit, to spend time with God kinda as a retreat, and to me God was silent. . . Through His silence He was preparing me for the weeks to come and the events that were to come!!
We return home from the Colonia, about 8 hour car adventure, through mountains, curves, tunnels, and Caracas (the capital city). Back to work, in one of the church plants with the childrens ministry. And for me more work preparing a seminar for youth to teach, train youth about missions. . . Deciding what was the most important to share, and how to deliver the message, took time preparing.
WEEK TWO: Missions training - I go to the church to help out with missions training and to my surprise they don't have ANY help, so during my week of vacation - God was talking to me about this missions training and even though I am ''on vacation" for this time - I felt him telling me, "Heidi, you are here to help and to serve, be willing to help in any and all areas that you can." SO I told the young man who was in charge, Jose Noguera, that hey, I'm willing to help in whatever, the house, the car, cooking, leading games, leading a team - if you need leaders etc. So he put me in the kitchen to help cook, then run errands, then put me in charge of team building games and activities, plus the missions class that I was in charge of, and to be a co- leader of a team. I was okay there were a lot of leaders need and a lot of different cities that they were going to so I was okay with that b/c there was one city that I didn't want to go to. . . CARACAS was the only city/ trip I didn't want to go on. Tuesday I give my first class and the youth are great very responsive very eager to learn and to serve. And Tuesday night as we were closing the day, the guy with the list to team leaders and places was sitting next to me, and I saw part of the list so I was like, Hey let me see that list. . . In my heart, I knew, one of those feelings, my name is going to be next to the city of Caracas. Sure enough, there it was Caracas - Jose Noguera, Heidi Hoover. I knew, that it was God sending me to Caracas, I didn't understand why. But I understood that it was GOD. The rest of the week was great with training, getting to know more youth of the church, sharing with them, talking to them. Also time to prepare and pack for Caracas, help send off the other missions teams.
WEEK THREE: Caracas - We leave at 8:00 in the morning for a long 8 hour bus ride to Caracas. The whole bus Jose was talking with me, asking me questions, and sharing a lot of things. We were sitting right where the name of the bus was so we couldn't see any of the scenery.. We arrive in Caracas and I'm expecting tons, and tons of people and crowds that are horrible. We arrive and 2 leaders from the church are waiting for us at the bus terminal to guide us through Caracas, to the metro - subway, and to the church. . The subway, not bad either - it actually reminded me of Santiago, Chile.
We return home from the Colonia, about 8 hour car adventure, through mountains, curves, tunnels, and Caracas (the capital city). Back to work, in one of the church plants with the childrens ministry. And for me more work preparing a seminar for youth to teach, train youth about missions. . . Deciding what was the most important to share, and how to deliver the message, took time preparing.
WEEK TWO: Missions training - I go to the church to help out with missions training and to my surprise they don't have ANY help, so during my week of vacation - God was talking to me about this missions training and even though I am ''on vacation" for this time - I felt him telling me, "Heidi, you are here to help and to serve, be willing to help in any and all areas that you can." SO I told the young man who was in charge, Jose Noguera, that hey, I'm willing to help in whatever, the house, the car, cooking, leading games, leading a team - if you need leaders etc. So he put me in the kitchen to help cook, then run errands, then put me in charge of team building games and activities, plus the missions class that I was in charge of, and to be a co- leader of a team. I was okay there were a lot of leaders need and a lot of different cities that they were going to so I was okay with that b/c there was one city that I didn't want to go to. . . CARACAS was the only city/ trip I didn't want to go on. Tuesday I give my first class and the youth are great very responsive very eager to learn and to serve. And Tuesday night as we were closing the day, the guy with the list to team leaders and places was sitting next to me, and I saw part of the list so I was like, Hey let me see that list. . . In my heart, I knew, one of those feelings, my name is going to be next to the city of Caracas. Sure enough, there it was Caracas - Jose Noguera, Heidi Hoover. I knew, that it was God sending me to Caracas, I didn't understand why. But I understood that it was GOD. The rest of the week was great with training, getting to know more youth of the church, sharing with them, talking to them. Also time to prepare and pack for Caracas, help send off the other missions teams.
WEEK THREE: Caracas - We leave at 8:00 in the morning for a long 8 hour bus ride to Caracas. The whole bus Jose was talking with me, asking me questions, and sharing a lot of things. We were sitting right where the name of the bus was so we couldn't see any of the scenery.. We arrive in Caracas and I'm expecting tons, and tons of people and crowds that are horrible. We arrive and 2 leaders from the church are waiting for us at the bus terminal to guide us through Caracas, to the metro - subway, and to the church. . The subway, not bad either - it actually reminded me of Santiago, Chile.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Vacation?
Things are going well here.. Settling down. The students are on vacation here, the 'teachers' still are finishing up the school year until the 29th of July. I am still working at the school, helping with International Child Care, to get my schedule for the next year, my plan is to begin preparing now. Now, that I know how the school works, how the students are, and ideas of how classes run as well. I am also taking this time of 'vacation' to reflect, evaluate - to be changing things for the new school year. Wanting to work better with the children's ministries as well. One thing, that you all can help with is pray for the children and the churches to help the ministries grow, but grow not in numbers necesarily but grow in depth and knowledge of Christ, that the children's hearts, minds will be opened and transformed by God's love! I want to be able to minister work with these children - in the way God wants to work. My prayer right now is, God give me direction and clarity in how YOU want to work in these children's ministries and what does that mean for me? What do I need to do? What do I need to change? Each group has about 20-30 children consistently.
God likes to show us sometimes, how much we take for granted. For example: running water? Right? We went for a time about 3 - 4 weeks without running water in the house. Why? Well, many reasons but the one I want to focus on is that God wanted us to be able to appreciate and be grateful for running water! We take for granted the luxury of being able to turn on the spicket and water come running out of it, or to take a shower turn the knob and we can bathe. Many people have to carry by the bucket water in to the house, bathe from a bucket, have to put water in the comode to flush the toilet, and then find water to wash your hands. I'm grateful to say that we do have running water in the house once again!! It's a blessing to have water!!!
God likes to work in mysterious ways, it's hard many time to understand how He works or Why He does things the way he does but there's always a plan and a purpose and when we finally understand that we can look back and enjoy the blessing that come from each circumstance.
Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to an Alex Campos concert, Alex Campos, is kinda like a Jeremy Camp, famous Christian musician in Latin America. My first concert here in Venezuela. Definetly a cultural experience, the concert was held in a baseball stadium, where people were lined up all the way around the stadium to get in. The group I went with, basically cut infront of the line setting up a system to send 1 or 2 people from the group in at a time with the rest of the line, until everyone met inside the stadium to sit. Interesting. The concert itself 'normal' concert, something very surprising and humble took place as well. In the middle of the concert the head of management of the company that put on the concert took the stage to ask forgiveness and to apologize publically because Daniel Calvetti a Chris Tomin type singer more worship, was supposed to come as well, but because of problems with the plane tickets he couldn't make it. It was impressive to see the sincerity of the apology and they way Alex Campos performed like 2 concerts instead of just 'His' part to cover for and make up for Daniel Calvetti not being able to come! It was really good concert!!
There are always lots of lessons to learn from many places!! May God continue blessing you all.
God likes to show us sometimes, how much we take for granted. For example: running water? Right? We went for a time about 3 - 4 weeks without running water in the house. Why? Well, many reasons but the one I want to focus on is that God wanted us to be able to appreciate and be grateful for running water! We take for granted the luxury of being able to turn on the spicket and water come running out of it, or to take a shower turn the knob and we can bathe. Many people have to carry by the bucket water in to the house, bathe from a bucket, have to put water in the comode to flush the toilet, and then find water to wash your hands. I'm grateful to say that we do have running water in the house once again!! It's a blessing to have water!!!
God likes to work in mysterious ways, it's hard many time to understand how He works or Why He does things the way he does but there's always a plan and a purpose and when we finally understand that we can look back and enjoy the blessing that come from each circumstance.
Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to an Alex Campos concert, Alex Campos, is kinda like a Jeremy Camp, famous Christian musician in Latin America. My first concert here in Venezuela. Definetly a cultural experience, the concert was held in a baseball stadium, where people were lined up all the way around the stadium to get in. The group I went with, basically cut infront of the line setting up a system to send 1 or 2 people from the group in at a time with the rest of the line, until everyone met inside the stadium to sit. Interesting. The concert itself 'normal' concert, something very surprising and humble took place as well. In the middle of the concert the head of management of the company that put on the concert took the stage to ask forgiveness and to apologize publically because Daniel Calvetti a Chris Tomin type singer more worship, was supposed to come as well, but because of problems with the plane tickets he couldn't make it. It was impressive to see the sincerity of the apology and they way Alex Campos performed like 2 concerts instead of just 'His' part to cover for and make up for Daniel Calvetti not being able to come! It was really good concert!!
There are always lots of lessons to learn from many places!! May God continue blessing you all.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Forgive me, for not updating.
As a now look at the date, I see it has been a good month since I have updated. Please don't think I have forgotten about all of you, or forgotten English, or anything. To tell you the truth, I have been busy, my life in many ways has been a roller coaster, not know where I was going to be from day to day. God testing me, trying me, probing me, breaking my heart, testing further my obedience, and my dedication to Him. In His mysterious ways, confirming that He has called me here, and no one can revoke the call he has placed on my life.
Recovering from the shock of we are moving you, no you are staying, I enter into a new level of shock and insecurity, as one night while we are sleeping robbers break into our garage, climb the fence, break into our car and steal our system from the car. Sure, it was a decent cd player, system, that's not the part that bothers me, what bothers / bothered me is the fact that they broke in so easily and the insecurity!!! Friday night, our next door neighbors are robbed as they are entering their house, they are held at gun point, demanded to give them all their money and any firearms that were in the house. More insecurity.
Strange as it sounds, this is part of the culture here, life here, it happens so often and police don't do anythign about it here. Part of my learning, missionary experience here is learning this part of life, learning that the only security comes from faith, and trusting every minute of your life to God. Trusting that every step of you take is in God's hands, lead and directed by Him. Tough lessons, strong lessons for me. Things for me to overcome, things to help me grow.
Recovering from the shock of we are moving you, no you are staying, I enter into a new level of shock and insecurity, as one night while we are sleeping robbers break into our garage, climb the fence, break into our car and steal our system from the car. Sure, it was a decent cd player, system, that's not the part that bothers me, what bothers / bothered me is the fact that they broke in so easily and the insecurity!!! Friday night, our next door neighbors are robbed as they are entering their house, they are held at gun point, demanded to give them all their money and any firearms that were in the house. More insecurity.
Strange as it sounds, this is part of the culture here, life here, it happens so often and police don't do anythign about it here. Part of my learning, missionary experience here is learning this part of life, learning that the only security comes from faith, and trusting every minute of your life to God. Trusting that every step of you take is in God's hands, lead and directed by Him. Tough lessons, strong lessons for me. Things for me to overcome, things to help me grow.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Changes, and More Changes.
Be Flexible right? Ready for change. Willing to change? After beginning to adjust to the differeces of living with a person, working together with a person, working through differences and accepting differences. . I have to do it all over again. This has been a long week, a tough week. I'm here in venezuela God and I. My 'ministry partner' Lori, returned the the States this thursday to being work, and studies at Asbury Seminary. Now, I'm the only american working here with the churches... I have to learn to adjust again to living with a new person with new likes, dislikes, to learn about her and how to live with her, work together with her. To plan with her, get children's ministry working with her. I also have to adjust to not having my big brother here, Erick Gonzalez, left last night for Caracas, Sunday he will be flying to the States to get married and live in Indiana.. As it is a dream come true for him, it deepens my dependence on God. Now, I don't have someone to go to if something breaks in the house, or if something is wrong with the car, or someone close - (across the street) - to talk to or do something with.. Someone who looks out for me, watches the house and makes sure everything is okay...
It is a lot of changes and a lot more responsibility for me at once.. With continual stress and adjustments to culture, losing the only ones who understand my culture. Right now, having to learn, to transition, to orgainze, plan, prepare and call on, rely on, count on people from here to help me... Encourage them to help me, teach them how they can help me. That's hard for me - just hard for me to express a lot of times b/c for me things seem obvious - like that's automatically - common sense what I would do, but people can't read my mind - so I'm learning to express and communicate here with the culture and how things are. . . .
Life certainly hasn't been dull here - lots of things going on - there has been culture shock just adjustments for me - issues with my visa, a car crash, fixing the house, fixing the car, walking places. Looking back on the past month there are infinite ways that God has been taking care of me a looking out for me. About 3 weeks ago now, 12:30 at night I hear this crash but I think nothing of it b/c the neighbors are always making noise, exploding things, etc. . . I wake up in the morning, and Lori and Keila are sitting in the kitchen like scared, and Lori gets up, and opens the door to the room where I USED to sleep, and there's the car in the wall, with a big hole in the wall to the house. They hit the house with the car. Only through the grace of God - I remained calm and was like well we need to fix it, get to work and fix it.. Not getting mad, upset, leaving the house... My reaction was lets resolve the problem, (that's not normally how I react) but wow God is definitely working in me. Erick came over in the after noon to cement block to cover the hole in the wall.. and Sunday we took the car to the shop - to get it repaired. . . . the car was in the shop for a week. Challenges, trials, everywhere - but God is good. If I had not moved to the other room - the car would have crashed with my head.
I have a lot of work to do - my work load is that of 3 or 4 people really but only through the strength that God gives me is the work getting done - If I were to say it was by my own strength, I would be burnt out seriously. In charge of 6 English classes, 1 Christian education class, in charge of 3 children's ministries and 1 girls bible study.
Keep me in your prayers now, mostly struggling with feeling alone. Notes of encouragement would be amazing!! Thanks... Thank you for all your prayers.. Take Care. God Bless.. I Love You. .
It is a lot of changes and a lot more responsibility for me at once.. With continual stress and adjustments to culture, losing the only ones who understand my culture. Right now, having to learn, to transition, to orgainze, plan, prepare and call on, rely on, count on people from here to help me... Encourage them to help me, teach them how they can help me. That's hard for me - just hard for me to express a lot of times b/c for me things seem obvious - like that's automatically - common sense what I would do, but people can't read my mind - so I'm learning to express and communicate here with the culture and how things are. . . .
Life certainly hasn't been dull here - lots of things going on - there has been culture shock just adjustments for me - issues with my visa, a car crash, fixing the house, fixing the car, walking places. Looking back on the past month there are infinite ways that God has been taking care of me a looking out for me. About 3 weeks ago now, 12:30 at night I hear this crash but I think nothing of it b/c the neighbors are always making noise, exploding things, etc. . . I wake up in the morning, and Lori and Keila are sitting in the kitchen like scared, and Lori gets up, and opens the door to the room where I USED to sleep, and there's the car in the wall, with a big hole in the wall to the house. They hit the house with the car. Only through the grace of God - I remained calm and was like well we need to fix it, get to work and fix it.. Not getting mad, upset, leaving the house... My reaction was lets resolve the problem, (that's not normally how I react) but wow God is definitely working in me. Erick came over in the after noon to cement block to cover the hole in the wall.. and Sunday we took the car to the shop - to get it repaired. . . . the car was in the shop for a week. Challenges, trials, everywhere - but God is good. If I had not moved to the other room - the car would have crashed with my head.
I have a lot of work to do - my work load is that of 3 or 4 people really but only through the strength that God gives me is the work getting done - If I were to say it was by my own strength, I would be burnt out seriously. In charge of 6 English classes, 1 Christian education class, in charge of 3 children's ministries and 1 girls bible study.
Keep me in your prayers now, mostly struggling with feeling alone. Notes of encouragement would be amazing!! Thanks... Thank you for all your prayers.. Take Care. God Bless.. I Love You. .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
