My Spoon

It is Monday-start of a new week.  Yahoo!  It is going to be a good one, right?  I feel like if I start the week with that mindset I am more apt to look for the hidden blessings, than reasons to complain.  I want to be blessed instead of stressed!  Difficulties do not need to ruin me.  Proverbs 24 vs. 10 says, "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength?"  That is me. Over and over.  Why?  Because my strength IS small.  I am trying to do it all on my own -that is like using a teaspoon to dig the foundation of a house.  Do I really think that I have the same amount of might that a backhoe has?  No way.  Yet I continually try to handle everything that comes my way with my little teaspoon, loudly proclaiming, " I can do it.  I have my spoon.  I don't need help.  Lord, if I need you, I will let you know." How foolish, right?  God's great plan for us is not that we will try until our resources are diminished and then ask Him to swoop in and help us.  No.  Instead He wants to be walking each step with us, there with His mighty arm, telling us, 'I  know exactly what you need to get through this.  I am here for you.  I will not leave you alone.  MY Strength is sufficient for you.  Trust me."  What great comfort that is.

On a different note, we had a nice relaxing weekend with the dorm.  The kids have had a few crazy busy weeks so we decided to just hang out here and let everyone sleep in and recover.  Two more weeks of volleyball and then the tournament.  After that we start futsul, indoor soccer.  

There are a few needs that you could pray for:  we still don't have a vehicle that is big enough to hold the whole dorm.  The school has funds available to purchase a vehicle for us, but they are $6,000 short.  So all we need to do it raise $6,000.  I know God can do that!

Also, we have some kids that are still quite homesick.  Please pray for comfort for their hurting souls.

There is a measles epidemic on the outskirts of Sentani.  Pray for all of the Papuans that have not been vaccinated and are now exposed to this disease.  They do not have the immunity to fight this and it can be deadly.

Also, a ministry has been started here by one of our missionaries to have a local Papuan read Oswald Chambers online in Indonesian every day.  It has had a great response.  This is a perfect opportunity for Muslims who are interested to listen and hear the Word of God.  Please pray for this to continue.

Okay. Time to go. Kids will be home from school soon. There are some random pics on the bottom.

Love,

Rachel

Look at all the bright colors of our pasar!

A local warung on the side of the road.  We were getting mei goreng (fried noodles).

Teaching Cale the song, "If I were a butterfly..."

Snake!

Tuesday night I was walking back from the gym and noticed quite a large snake lying in my path.  I didn't scream (Yeah for me!) but I did quietly walk to the other Hostel to quickly get some boys to come out and kill it.  Here you say the word "snake" and everyone comes running toward it, not away.  Haha.  Anyways, I am sad to say that the snake got away before we decapitated it.  It was the largest wild snake I have seen here so far.  It could easily eat our new puppy as a snack.  Yikes!

The thing that struck me, was the girls' response.  There was a group of four or five of our dorm girls that wanted to go to the gym.  I was cautioning them about the snake and said that they should just go back inside.  But they were not scared.  They laughed and proceeded to run barefoot through the same grass in the dark to the gym.  No fear.  No worries.  It is just a snake.    It is not going to stand in their way.

Well, to tell you the truth, I would not have acted that way.  I have "snakes" in my life every day.  I wake up in the morning determined to be thankful for this new day that God has given me, ready to "Choose Joy".  But then something comes up-a snake in my path.  Something isn't working right, or a kid responds to me grumpy, or it is raining or we are out of eggs.  And that snake stops me.  It stops my joy.  I would rather stand there and stare at the snake then to run barefoot, laughing right by it. Ugh!  That is exactly how Satan wants me to respond.  And just like the snake, those difficulties, those "joy robbers" are still out there, waiting.  Instead of letting them stand in my way, I need to confidently run right by knowing that God has called me to more than this.  So I can say with all honesty, "No snake,no matter how big, will stand in my way!  I've got joy!" 

Rachel

Sadie!!

You have to meet Sadie.  She is the newest member of the Erickson clan and now a member of the Hostel group as well.  She is adorable and has the perfect personality for this house of "craziness".  We got her free from some friends.  Garth arranged the whole thing while I was on beach trip.  What a great surprise!  It has been such a treat watching her and getting to know her.  Her presence is helping some of our homesick kids process through what they are feeling.  They come home from school sad and sit and hold her and talk to her, and she helps to cheer them up.  It is sweet.

Here are some pictures:

Beach Trip Update.

What a weekend!!!!  I am thrilled that I was able to go with the high schoolers on their Beach Trip.  The Seniors left on Wednesday to go to outside beach and get everything set up.  They have to clear out jungle, cut down trees, and plants and level out areas for sleeping, dig holes for the bathroom, put up all the tarps etc.  Then the rest of us went on Thursday and stayed until Saturday.  There was around 60 total people.  We had team building games, songs around the campfire, underwater cave spelunking, lots of snorkeling, and messages everyday from Uncle Dan from Proverbs about wisdom.  The sunsets and sunrises were so beautiful and we even had a rainbow.  The last night we had a powerful storm and many got soaked, but it was so fun!
Here are some pictures from the beach:

Taking off from the docks.  It was about a 20 minute boat ride to our beach.

Nice sleeping area, huh?

Our meeting area.

Here's our kitchen.

Modern day shower. :)

The path to the shower.