So some you may know, I will most likely be moving to Connecticut in June to start an internship with a christian organization called Hillside Missions. I will be there in Connecticut for 9 months and then have the option to serve my Lord overseas in one of their ministries for 3 months. Currently, they have operations in Mexico, China, Turkey, and Afghanistan. In Mexico, Hillside has two ministries. Their big one is a bible college in Matachi, Mexico. We are currently renovating an old hotel into a building where the students can live and study missions and the bible. The students have to make a commitment of 2 years at the school and for 2 years after completion, serve within the ministry overseas somewhere. How amazing! Hillside also works with a tribe in the mountains there in the Sierra Madre Mountains. (They do not speak Spanish) In China, we work with a couple who has been witnessing to a tribe in eastern China. In the past few years, the couple has learned their native tounge, created a written language for the group and has translated the Holy Bible this past Christmas. (It just gives me chills) Afghanistan is interesting. Women is the main focus in this ministry. They are taught how to read and write Arabic and I think English. The women are taught the gospel and also some type of trade skill so they can produce their own income. Turkey is our newest one, where we are in the process of doing church planting in a country full of Musilms.
I applied for the internship about a month and a half ago. Didn't hear from them for a couple weeks, forgot about them... God didn't. He has shard dreams and visions with me that have affirmed God's calling for ministry overseas and to work with Hillside. A couple of days after several dreams, Hillside contacted me and we set up a phone interview.
Next God thing, I made plans to go to Boston last October to visit my friend Lindsay. The organization is located in Bristol, CT about 2 1/2 hours away from Boston. So on a whim, I boarded a Peter Pan bus line over there to visit Kris the director and meet other people involved in the group. It was a great trip! I got to talk to a few interns and others in the community. I was able to get a feel of the environment. God is working there, no doubt about it! I even got to help grocery shop for a father daughter dinner/dance with them. One of the interns is from Mexico and speaks little English. Man I can't wait to pick up my Spanish and work with people from other countries.
What will I be doing? Its kinda mixing bible college, with a job, and throw in a lot of mission work. I get to read the whole Quran and study up on Musilim culture. I will learn theology, church planting, and missionary stuff. At the end of the program I will be certified in teaching English as a second language. I will work on projects to aid the organization like marketing and implementing sunday school material for kids.
This summer I get to teach a missions class and chapel to junior high and high school kids at a week long camp in the "mountains" of Connecticut (I would like to think it more as hills... go Rocky Mountains). The first and second week of July my team will be traveling down to Chiquaqua. The first week we will doing lots of manual labor fixing the hotel for the school. The second week a couple junior high school kids will be joining us and we will be working with the tribe, teaching VBS to the kids of the community.
Prayer Requests:
*Please pray that will provide a way for me to get school credit for this amazing opportunity. I meet with a career councelsor to write up a plan. I really need to stay enrolled so I can take my purple pills!
*Finances is a big one. It costs $200 a month for books, rent and food ( I will be living with a host family) Plus I have to provide money for extra spending and raise support so I can serve in our sponsored countries.
*Pray that my car will survive the next year in CT. Pray that nothing will break or bust!
*Pray for support of my friends and family. Prayer is HUGE and its the way we communicate with God. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts.
*Pray that I won't get to homesick. I know that I will be missing so many people who have shaped my life and have made an impact on me.
*Oh, I need to find someone to take my room up here in Greeley. Know anyone?
*I got a letter from the Monfort College of Business at UNC and they gave me a $950 scholarship just for this semester! Wow, I didn't even apply for it! Praise God for already providing money for this next year!
*My health is so much better. No more gallbladder pains and I am adjusting to my new restrcitions for aicd reflux.
*Support from my papa. He has been very helpful and it gives me peace knowing that one of my padres is in this with me.
*Thanks to all of my friends for their support and prayers. (Big kudos go to Robin for allowing me to leave her in Boston alone for a day to see CT.)
