And the Two Shall Become One...

Edwin and I got married January 9, 2016 here in Colombia. It was a beautiful time celebrating with family and friends as God united our lives to become one flesh. 

We spent our honeymoon in El Salvador at a small little resort on the beach in the middle of nowhere and it was truly a blessing from the Lord being able to spend our first week of marriage together in such a beautiful, relaxing place. We returned to Bogotá and had a few days to start adapting to life as a married couple and getting settled down in our apartment before the busyness of work and his studies kicked in again.

Since being married people in Colombia always ask why I changed my last night (technically it's not legally changed yet but at least it's Facebook official heh). I respond by telling them I have always dreamed of changing my last name since that's the tradition in the states.  The old Colombian tradition is you put a de (of) behind the wife's last name as "property" of the man. Nowadays they just don't change anything. I personally like the changing name tradition because that's exactly what happens.  The two become one flesh and there's no going back. 

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.

Mark 10:9

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ECA

Hiking at middle school retreat

Middle School Retreat
A couple weeks ago the 7th and 8th graders had a retreat.  Since I'm a small group leaders for a group of six 7th grade girls I had the privilege of going on the retreat with them.  It's always fun hanging out with the students in a different environment.  We talked about Intimacy with God -- why it's important having a personal relationship with Him. Sometimes it's hard talking with them just because they go to a Christian school and "know it all" but having taken it to heart.  However, I trust that seeds are being planted. Also the 8th grade this year were my 5th graders so it's fun working with them and seeing how they have grown.

Activity with high school small group

High School Retreat
Something this semester at ECA that has been different is that they have asked me to co-lead a high school small group.  At the school I usually help with elementary through middle school so it's exciting having a change of adding high schoolers to the mix. We had the high school retreat at a small town outside of Bogotá at a retreat center.  The theme was on Trusting the Lord and was definitely a theme that I needed to be reminded of and encouraged in.  It was refreshing spending time with high schoolers. I always get excited working with high schoolers because that's the age that the Lord caught my heart and I really "got it" and made my faith my own.  

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Foundation FormaVida
This semester I continue to go the foundation on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when I'm not at school.  I've had the opportunity to the give the devotion to the older high school students group.  Also, Edwin's been up to come up with me and help with a construction project and also give a devotion to the high school group. It was really cool leading the group together and felt so natural for us to do ministering to youth.

There's also a teenage boy (picture on right) that needs to take an English exam halfway through March. He has lupus and usually studies from home.  On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings I've had the opportunity to help him with English preparing him for the exam.

One thing to be praying about is that some of the public schools that some of our kids attend on the mountain have started an after-school program providing sports, music, art classes, etc.  Which is good. However, since they are half days the programs are the other part of the day.  They are not fed lunch, nor instructed Bible teachings. We're trying to get permission from the schools to approve and recognize us as well so our students can come to the foundation (where we were already doing that stuff) So that they also may get Bible teaching and Christian values as well and a healthy lunch. 

The last Saturday of each month the 10th grade ECA class goes to do service at FormaVida and I always love seeing the students we're teaching and equipping to serve outside of school take ownership to serve and teach the love of Christ to others.

ECA student with some of the kiddos

ECA giving a Bible Lessons to the kids

I love these kiddos so much!

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Vida Para Colombia

(Campus Crusade)
While Edwin finishes his studies in Mechanical Engineering, he is still in the process of raising support to be able to work full time and dive into college campus ministry.  It's been hard since Colombians aren't used to giving to missionaries, especially ones that stay in Bogota and aren't working with indigenous or out of the country. But we feel that this call is from God and will keep on obeying.  Edwin is only a couple hundred Colombian pesos ($100 USD) short a month to reaching his monthly goal ($500/mo USD). Please pray that God would raise up Colombians to help support financially so Edwin can start ministering on the campuses. 


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Prayer Requests: 

• God raising up Colombians to financially support Edwin so he can fully dive into working for God's Kingdom through Campus Crusade Colombia 

• That our marriage and lives would glorify the Lord.

• That God would use us as a couple encouraging one another in the ministries that God has placed us

• That the government approves the kids at school to come to our after-school program at FormaVida