“I want to share with you one of the ministries I have liked very much, one of the ministries that makes me reflect a lot on the love of God. This ministry consists of spending an afternoon and night with several of the families living in and around the city garbage dump. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to get to know these beautiful families very well and to spend time with the children.
Spending time with each of these families has been an incredible experience— eating, playing, watching movies, and talking. I’m so grateful to each of them for the trust they have given me and for the opportunity to share with them not only of their time, but share the love and joy of God. One of my favorite parts is when we talk about how our day was. Sometimes it makes me sad, however, to see the example the children receive from their parents and other people that live close to them— such as parents that get drunk, families that fight, vocabulary that is inappropriate for children to hear. There are times when some of the children share with me the problems their parents have and some tell me, “Christian, can you pray for my parents, it’s that they aren’t talking to each other and are fighting.” As a result of all of this, some of the children do not have the mind of a child— They have already lost their childhood innocence. Their form of talking, their attitude, and their mind are not of a child anymore, but instead of an adult. Sometimes children come that are not a part of the family. I remember one night where eight children came to the house where I was visiting. The family I was visiting opened up the door to their home and welcomed the children in. They shared with them the food that we had given them. Later we all watched a movie on my laptop, played games, and finally talked. After this happened, I reflected on my time with them, and I realized that everything we shared with this family, they shared with others. The experience that I had every night and made it hard to sleep were the incredible amount of mosquitos that were in each of their homes! I asked myself, How in the world can they sleep so well and not feel the mosquitos bite them?! Maybe they are accustomed to it!” And I couldn’t wear insect repellant because I am allergic to it, but I thank God for protecting me from any illnesses that can be passed by mosquitos. It is incredible to spend an afternoon and night with one of these families and to get to know them better. It's amazing that through this ministry, I can share the love and joy of God. I really want to thank everyone who has supported me in your prayers and also economically. Thanks to God and to you all for making this possible. Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to share the love and joy of God.” -Christian, PJM Missionary
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We are very excited to share with you the new project God has given us the opportunity to start! This January, we started Project VALOR, a sponsorship program that gives the children living in the community surrounding the city garbage dump an opportunity to go to middle school. There is not a middle school in walking distance, so in order to go to middle school, families have to pay for bus fees and additional school expenses. Most families in the area we work cannot afford these expenses. As a result, the students stop going to school after they graduate elementary school and get very low paying jobs.
We saw the need, and prayed for God to show us how to help fill it. We began to explore the idea of sponsors for the children. We knew, however, that we didn't just want to cover the educational expenses of the student, but that we wanted to walk with the students, helping them along the way. We wanted them to receive education in school and provide academic support, but we also wanted them to experience the love of Christ and learn about Him. And this is when Project VALOR was born: a sponsorship program to cover the expenses of middle school and a tutoring program twice a week where the students would receive academic help, receive lunch, and learn about Jesus. The only thing left was to find a way to pay for the program. And this is where God's faithfulness and love for His children shines through and blows us away!! God used a complete stranger that our director Kathy met on a chance encounter on an airplane to do something amazing. The man shared the idea with his business partner and small group, and together, they were able to cover all the expenses for the project this year!! God is so good and faithful!! He loves His children so much!! PROJECT VALOR: Valor is the Spanish word for value. We want these middle schoolers to see their value in Christ. We want them to see themselves as Christ sees them: beloved, strong, worthy. The V in VALOR is for Victory in Christ. We hope and pray these students receive and proclaim victory in their lives through Christ. The A stands for Academics. Education is a crucial part of stopping the cycle of poverty. Through their sponsors, these children are able to continue their academic education. The tutoring program also gives them the academic support they need to do well. The L is for Love. We want more than anything for these children and teens to feel loved-- loved by God and loved by us. We want them to understand and experience the selfless and unconditional love that God has for them. The O stands for Opportunity. We want the students to have opportunities that they wouldn't have had otherwise. The opportunity to go to school, the opportunity to get academic support, the opportunity to learn about Jesus, and the opportunity to bring Christ's love to others. The R is for Readiness. We hope and pray that this program will equip these students with what they need to be ready for their future. We pray they are prepared academically, but more importantly, we pray they understand and live out Ephesians 6:10-17: ""Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Please keep Project VALOR in your prayers. This year, five students are participating in the program. Next year, we are expecting to have a larger group as their are many students graduating from the elementary school at the end of the year. If you are interested in how you can help sponsor future children, please contact us! info@purejoymissions.org I met Rosaura at the senior center earlier this year. Most people would describe Rosaura as the “Debbie Downer” or “Negative Nancy” of the bunch. She was almost always by herself, said negative comments every chance she had, and was physically distraught every time someone around her was joyful. She was depressed, alone, and felt forgotten by her family. I always pray that God would burden my heart for what breaks his, and at the senior center, this was Rosaura. The first conversation I had with Rosaura wasn’t very pleasant. I tried to learn about her life, but she was easily irritated and whenever I asked her to repeat herself, she yelled. This would normally cause me to get upset, but God had poured so much love and grace in my cup to share with Rosaura. In the following weeks, I continued to build a relationship with Rosaura, learned more about her life, and began to understand the decades of hurt that were built up inside of her. Rosaura was broken and God longed to heal her and bring her his joy. As the weeks past, Rosaura and I became closer— crying tears of joy and pain together. As she opened up, God began to restore some of her brokenness with joy. The life of Rosaura was such a reminder to me that God never stops pursuing his lost sheep. There is a lot of restoration that still needs to happen in the heart of Rosaura, but if God sent a 23 year-old girl from Pennsylvania to show her some of his love, I have no doubt He will continue to move mountains to show her his love for her. As I said goodbye to her during my last visit in September, she said several times, remember to pray for me. Pray with me that Rosaura continues to feel God’s presence and love in her life.
Dear Sweet Yajaira, Today, I held you for the first time. You greeted me in the most cordial way a baby could- by peeing on me! :) It’s ok though, Mommy and I laughed about it. Although today was the first time I held you, I feel like I have known you for much longer. For months, your mommy and I have prayed for you. And it wasn’t just us praying. A lot of people were praying for you—most of whom you will never know. Your life was covered in prayer before you even entered into this world. I first want to talk about your mommy. She is a strong woman. Don’t let her or anyone else tell you otherwise. When you were still in your mommy’s belly, she worked every day in the hot sun at the garbage dump in order to buy food to feed both you and herself. Life has dealt her a difficult hand, but God will get her through it, just like He will get you through it. When you get old enough, I pray that you can encourage your mom to be the best she can be. I pray that she realizes her worth in Christ, and I pray that you both realize you are loved and adored by the King of Kings. Now onto you, sweet Yajaira. You, at less than a month old, have already gone through your fair share of trials. Now, you don’t have your mother as a covering of protection anymore. You are experiencing things you never experienced before; bug bites, nagging flies, contaminated air, filth, and hunger. My heart hurts to know your first days have had so many trials. I wish I could just pick you up and take you home with me. But I have hope, Yajaira. Today as I was praying for you, I prayed that God would put a protective shield around you. I prayed that as people come encounter with you, they would know you are different, they would know you are blessed. I prayed that in the midst of disease and hatred, you would be safe and loved. As I was praying, I saw angels protecting you from attack. I saw God’s shield covering you. I saw the love that Christ has for you. You are loved, Yajaira, and God will protect you. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12 It won’t always be easy. We live in a fallen world. You will face hardship, and you will face trials. I pray that you always go to our Father for healing, comfort, and restoration. “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.” Psalm 71:20-21 “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change-- he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God.” Psalm 55:16-19 I pray that you see God as your father, as your best friend, and as your lover. He adores you, Yajaira, and He wants to walk with you through this life, every day, every trial, every experience. He loves you. “And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18 I pray for opportunities for you. I pray that you are able to go to school. Education will help you make a better life for youself and for your family. Yajaira, you have so much potential. You can be a doctor, a teacher, a business woman, a missionary, a nurse, a social worker, a public official… anything, my dear!! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If they do, don’t listen to them! Remember who made you, for He can do anything. Keep your focus on Him and on completing your dreams. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 If anyone ever takes advantage of you or hurts you, don’t be afraid to share that with someone who can help. If I am not around, tell your mommy. If you can’t tell her, tell your teacher or someone you trust. Don’t be afraid of what will happen after, because remember, we serve a God who is all-powerful. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:14 There is evil in this world, Yajaira. I wish there wasn’t, but there is. Stay away from people and things that distract you from God or that confuse you. The Devil will try to make his way into your life. “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27 We don't have to worry though, because the Devil has no power over us. He cannot defeat God or overpower us. Darkness can never overcome the light. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5 Yajaira, you are a light. You are a light to me and a light to your family. I don't know where I will be or where you will be as you grow up, but I do know that you will always be in my heart and my prayers. Remember you are never alone. You are loved, you are cherished, and you are beautiful. I love you, Kathy “Girls, why is there water leaking out of the bathroom door, AGAIN?” I say out loud for what seems like the hundredth time in the last fifteen hours the girls have been here. The girls, yet again, didn’t close the shower curtain, or they rung out their hair outside of the shower. I become frustrated. I have no more dry towels. How in the world am I going to clean this mess up? They should know better. And then I stop myself. Should know better?
No Kathy, they shouldn’t, I think to myself. Unlike you and me, taking a shower in a bathroom with an actual shower is something these girls have rarely if ever done. This is a huge treat for them. Water in abundance. Water they didn’t have to go get. Water that is clear and clean. This is something that they don’t experience. And in my frustration of trying to keep the water from filling my room, I lose that joy. I lose the simple pure joy that they are feeling. How often do we do that? How often are we so focused looking down at the water on the floor that we forget to look up and see the joy that God has so freely given us and the people around us. Water in abundance. Joy in abundance. Let’s not forget to look up and see the joy our Father wants to give us! “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
1 Timothy 4:12 The last week in March we had the joy of hosting a team of 9 people~ five girls ranging from 11 to 18 years old, three moms, and a young man named Ryan. The team was great. They were patient, flexible, joyful, and full of love. Just like Kamryn, the 13 year old that came on the trip last August, these young girls blew me away! The love of Jesus was so evident inside of them. Their pure hearts were beautiful. One of my favorite experiences with the team was listening to the younger girls pray. Their soft voices and simple requests reminded me so much of how much our Father loves it when we come to him with our burdens and requests. On Saturday, we went to the city garbage dump and prayed with the families there. Alayna, the youngest in the group, prayed for Stefany, a 10 year old who works at the dump. The care Alayna showed for Stefany was a perfect example of how God wants us to be: full of love and compassion for his children. This team did a great job loving on the people we love so much here! The energy and joy they brought to the ministries renewed both our spirits and the spirits of the people we minister to. At the special needs school, we had a little party with snacks and piñatas. At the nursing home, we had a time of games, prayer, and worship. At the orphanage, they held babies and played with all the kiddos! At the senior center, they prepared breakfast and played Bingo. At the dump, they prayed with the families and had several activities with the children. They worked hard and touched the hearts of many! The group also constructed a playground at the special needs school, and these girls did amazing! In five hours, a pile of wood was transformed into a beautiful swing set. None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the generosity of the Deppen Family and carpentry skills of a local missionary, Tommy. Not only is the special needs school home to a new playground, but the girls now know how to use all sorts of power tools! We are excited to see the students playing on this for years to come! Finally, this team helped us start something that has been on our hearts for months: A night ministry on the streets where we build relationships with the homeless. With the help of the missionaries, our church, and members of another church, we went out on the streets giving out sandwiches and juice, talking, and praying with the homeless and those waiting outside the Children’s Hospital. Pastor Roni shared the Gospel and many were moved by the love God has for them. Please pray for these people and for this new ministry. The month of February was a month where God truly worked in my heart and mind. I went into the month of February overwhelmed, stressed, fearful of the future, anxious, and insure. But over the course of the short month of February, God took away all of those things with one simple question, “Do you trust me?”
“Do I fully trust him?” I thought. As much as I wanted to answer, “Yes, of course!” I knew I couldn’t. But I think this is a lot more common than we want to admit. My heart trusted him, but my words and actions said otherwise in my life. We trust God with our eternity. And we “trust” him with our finances. We “trust” him with our future. We “trust” him with our loved ones. But if you are anything like me, you also worry about your finances. You worry about your future. You worry about your loved ones. And again, if you are like me, you know that the Bible clearly says not to worry. Yet, we continue to do so. We stress ourselves out. We become anxious. This worry, this stress, and this anxiety robs us of our joy, our God-given joy. It makes us into people we weren’t meant to be. It makes us so focused on unlikely future events that we cannot fully live the life right in front of us. We admit that we worry and stress. We admit that God has already said not to do this. But we continue to do it. Why? Because in a weird way it gives us some sort of false sense of security and control. We continue to stress and worry because we don’t want to give up the “control” stress and worry make us feel we have. Once I gave up that “control” stress and worry made me feel I had something completely change in me. I began to feel more of the woman God made me to be. The insecurities and fears of the future drifted away. I began to truly trust that God would be there for me, for I am his daughter! I began to feel his comfort and his peace. The month of February didn’t fix me for life. I know that in a matter of weeks, days, or even hours, my mind will wonder and I will be faced with worries and stress. But when I begin to feel those feelings, I will remember that God truly loves me, He will protect me, and He will provide for me. I will trust my Heavenly Father with it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” (Psalm 91:15 to 16) He didn’t make us to fix everything or do everything on our own. He made us to passionately follow him and to trust him with it all. So let’s do that! Let’s tell fear, stress, worry, and anxiety that they are no longer welcome. And let’s welcome God back into our minds and hearts, always knowing that trusting him is the best thing we can do. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:24 to 34) We are really excited for what 2015 is going to bring!
Last week we filed the incorporation papers for Pure Joy Missions. If the corporation is approved, we will then apply to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Pray for wisdom and discernment as we start forming a board, visioning for years to come, and filling out lots of paperwork! We have a team coming for a week in March and for 10 days in August. In addition, we will have random visitors nearly every month, many of which have already been here and want to come back! We are excited to provide these people with an opportunity to come back and remind the people here they haven’t forgotten about them. We plan on continuing with the ministries we did last year and incorporating a couple additional ministries into our schedule. Each week, we will continue to visit the nursing home, senior center, orphanage, special needs school, city dump, tutoring program for the children by the dump, and on weeks when we can, the children’s hospital. In addition, we are planning on starting a night ministry with those living on the streets. Our hope is that we will be able to join forces with the youth of a couple different churches and go out into the streets at night, bringing a little snack and drink for the homeless. In time, we hope to build relationships with these people, share with them the hope of Christ, and do what we can to get them off the streets. In addition, Christian and I have the opportunity to teach a little Bible lesson every Wednesday at the tutoring program for the kids near the dump. We are so excited for this opportunity!! A lot of these kids know who God is because of missionaries coming or from their parents but many have never learned the stories of the Bible. We are excited to be able to share these stories with them! This year, I hope to form a curriculum for a mother’s education program for the mothers working at the dump. These mothers have the power to change the way their children grow up. They have the power to empower their children to go to school and make a better future for themselves. Someone just needs to empower them! My goal for this program is that through education and opportunities, the mothers will learn what they can do to help their children live better lives. This has been a dream of mine since day one, but I need a lot of help from the locals to make it possible. Please pray that if this is God’s will, he will put those people in my life. I am hoping to start this program at some point this year, but I want to form a solid curriculum and strong relationships with the mothers before I do so. God is doing some incredible things here, and I know it is just the beginning! I am looking forward to what 2015 will bring. I am sure it will bring quite a bit of trials, but I trust that it will also bring a great deal of joy, pure joy! Thank you so much for partnering with us. We love you!! With joy, Kathy This is a little late due to the craziness of being home and returning, but I wanted to share what we were able to do in the month of December!
We received a donation to bless the families at the city garbage dump and the children at the orphanage for Christmas. With this donation and donations from other sponsors, we were able to give buckets of food to 35 families that work at the dump. At the orphanage, we were able to give each child a Christmas present that they requested along with school supplies for the upcoming school year. To see all their smiling faces, check out this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvsNC7rXnDI While I was home over the holidays, I had an event to raise awareness and funds for the ministries in Guatemala. It was a great night with over 160 people in attendance! I was blown away as loved ones after loved ones entered the church. One of my favorite parts about the night was the Prayer Warriors table. Everyone who came was able to pick out a picture of a person here in Guatemala and commit to praying for them everyday. What a blessing it has been to see people so interested in hearing how their child or adult is doing and how they can be praying for them. Thank you prayer warriors! If you weren’t able to attend the event and would like a picture of a person to pray for, please email me! I would be happy to send you one to you. purejoymissions.guatemala@gmail.com. Although really busy, my time at home was a huge blessing! It was an absolute joy to spend lots of time with my family, church family, and friends. I was also extremely blessed with donations while I was home. Check out all of these vitamins, school supplies, medicine, dental supplies, and other needed items. God continues to blow all of us away by his provision, his goodness, and his faithfulness. My last Sunday at church, a little came up to me with an envelope of money and said that God told her that morning in the shower that she needed to give the money that she had set aside that she used to use to buy cigarettes to Kathy Jacobs. I thought that was so awesome! But as I was thinking more and more about it, it became even more special. Yes, it was neat that the lady was using the money for good, but what touched me even more was that God that morning was thinking about me. He was looking out for his little girl. As I look back on last year, I see how many people God has touched and encouraged to support me and the ministry here. And because of that, I am able to touch and encourage the people here in Guatemala. God doesn’t just look out for me, but for each one of his children. Always remember that! He is for you, He is on your side, and He will never leave you! Here’s to an exciting 2015! :) -Kathy It has been over two months since Christian and I left the ministry we were working with to embark on a new ministry God put on both of our hearts. In the past two months, God has blessed our decision to leave in countless ways and although it hasn’t been easy, He has been using us to love His people and bring honor to His Kingdom.
But when your work brings “honor to His Kingdom,” you are bound to face trials. The devil doesn’t want you to succeed, and although he is nowhere near as powerful as God, he knows hows how to make you feel insecure and how to drag you down. Many many times since I have been here, I have believed the lies he has fed me. But, in the past week as I began searching harder for the truth in my life (… and when I made an effort to REST in Him…), God has been showing and teaching me two very important lessons. Lesson #1: The importance of LOVE. Sounds simple, right? We all know the verse, “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) BUT what does that really mean in our life?? I have heard this verse so many times, but I never really got it until last week. In the past couple months I have met many people who do their work with LOVE, and it is infectious. They emit joy and you feel better just being around them. Their lives point to Christ even without them saying anything. On the other hand, I have also met a handful of people who have forgotten love and are just going through the motions. They get frustrated with the little things and forget why they are doing what they are doing. So what does this all mean? It means that I could feed all the people at the dump every day, but if I do not do it with love, I am doing nothing. However, if I go to the nursing home and sit and talk to the elderly and they feel loved, this is EVERYTHING. It means that it doesn’t necessarily matter what I am doing, but HOW I am doing it. It means that you show Christ the best when you decide to actively love the people around you. With this attitude, I don’t feel the pressure of, “Am I doing enough? Am I making a difference?” But instead, I trust that God will use the love I am giving to touch the people I meet and lead them to Him. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou This lesson applies to everyone, not just people on the mission field. We as followers of Christ need to shine the love God has given us, so that people will come to understand who Christ is by our love. Lesson #2: God WILL use you. My daily prayer is that God will use me to reach His people and further His Kingdom. And yet, I cannot tell you how many times since May I have questioned if I am doing anything that holds significance, if I am doing anything that will further God’s Kingdom. I have spent my days questioning and looking down on myself, while saying this prayer daily. Last week it hit me how silly I am being. I trust God with my life and with my future, but my thoughts and feelings show I am not believing He is answering my daily prayer. And as a result, I find myself becoming negative and being really hard on myself, which affects how I do ministry and how I treat the people around me. But an amazing thing happened when I started to believe that God was answering my prayer. I began to walk in confidence, I began to go to each ministry with a heart full of Christ’s love to give, and I began to be a lot less hard on myself, trusting that God was indeed using me. Friends, if you are open to God using you, HE WILL. Don’t believe the lies that you aren’t doing anything. Just remember to, first, take time to spend with Him so that you can be filled up with His love. Then, go out with his love, walking in confidence, and trusting that He is going to work through you. Let’s go be His hands and feet! “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 Father, teach us to love as You have loved us. If you know me, you know that I like to work. You know I like to fill up my schedule to maximize time and get the most work done I can. Whether that is going to school and working or working two jobs and planning mission trips in the summers, I’d rather be doing something than nothing. Free time has been nearly nonexistent in my life for years, and I was just fine with that reality.
Then I moved to Guatemala. The work, work, work mentality that I had continued, and I worked, worked, worked. I was normally one of the first (if not the first) to get up and the last to go to sleep. During the team’s free days, I would spend the day cleaning and cooking for the team. I pushed myself to do the most I could. Because in my mind I thought, “People are paying me to be here. I can’t let them down,” and “If people see me resting, they will think I am lazy.” So for about two months, I didn’t have a day off. And as you can guess, I was emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. My busy schedule often didn’t even leave room for alone time with God, and when it did I felt guilty that I wasn’t working. When I moved into my own apartment and started working with Pastor Rony, I was in charge of making my own schedule. He and many others stressed the importance of a complete day off weekly to me, and I agreed that I needed that. But my work, work, work mentality was still there, and to this day, I still feel a sense of guilt when I have time off. But why, I asked myself. Where is this guilt coming from? Part of it comes from the fact that I see people here daily that work 12 hour days, 7 days a week to provide for their families. I see supporters back home who are sacrificing in order for me to be here. I think about the overwhelming amount of needs in this community, both spiritual and physical. I think about all the work that needs to get done. And lastly, I don’t want to let God down. And then I think about the story of Mary and Martha. And I realize that I am 100% Martha. “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.'” (Luke 10:38 to 42) This story always used to bother me as a kid. I used to think, you mean to tell me that Martha is working so hard and Mary is just sitting there and Jesus praises Mary???? What?! Martha is just trying to get everything ready. She is working hard, and Mary, Mary isn’t doing anything! What am I missing? I am missing what is important. If I work, work, work, but am not being filled up with the love of Christ, what will be my fruit? If I focus on the details, will Christ be seen in me? If I don’t give my body time to relax and time for my soul to be restored, what will people see in me? Will they see joy? Will they see Christ? Or will they see a weak, tired, and unhappy person? Mary realized the reality of her situation. She realized that Jesus, her savior, was right in front of her. She realized how precious the moment was. I, like Martha, need to realize how much Christ wants us to rest in his presence, to absorb his love and his teaching. I need to remember that if I want to show the love of Christ to others, I first need the time to be filled with his presence. I need time to listen to his voice. I need time to read his word. I need time to worship in his presence. Those things are more important to God than “all these details.” I pray and hope that I can become more like Mary, to realize the God of the universe is waiting for us to spend time in his presence. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28 to 30) By Debbie Jacobs
A poem describing her time in Guatemala Como escribir, como escribir The things that I have seen Wendy’s sitting in the dump but her smile is serene José Manuel is holding fast to my little sister’s arms She wants nothing more than to keep him safe from harm And Joseph wants me to look at his notebook, he’s so proud to show this gringa stranger what he can do when he’s allowed The boy with the long name that starts with “A” sits cross-legged on the hospital bed He can’t walk and has no chair Mom carries him instead Oliver works harder than all of us with the wheelbarrow that’s mostly broke His smile is the sweetest I’ve ever seen I wish I could take him home Como escribir, como escribir The things that I have heard “En serio?” “Lo siento!” And the preaching of God’s Word “Christo es me superhero” “Cuchara, tenedor” “The Kingdom of God is like a seed” “This is a spiritual war” Como escribir, como escribir The food that I did taste Beans, tortillas, rice, and spaghetti Leave none of it to waste Choco bananas and piñas Sarita’s, Sorbys, and Chiky’s too Como escribir, como escribir All the things I smelled Team body odor in the panel van Sometimes it’s best to breathe through your mouth The dump, of course, is something that I simply can’t describe Take your stinky garbage can Multiply by a thousand and five Como escribir, como escribir, About the sense of touch Because, out of all of them, this one matters so much. The laying on of hands as we pray Korean-style The sweet goodness in your arms As you hold a tiny child Abrazos y besos and grubby high-fives from friends, family, and strangers too Are more a blessing to me than they could possiby be to you You held my hands, you touched my heart Siempre, when I’m there The Lord our God reminds me That every tear is a prayer. |
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