Hola friends and family! I want to thank you all SO much for the constant encouragement I've received!! Thank you for your prayers, your emails, all of it! By the way, I have tried to reply to several of your emails through this website, but I don't think they've gone through, so I will need to just email through my Yahoo email. Don't think I've forgotten you! You are overwhelmingly in my prayers! Wow, it's crazy to think I have been here two weeks. It's crazy that it's really only the beginning. Jesus has been teaching me some amazing stuff. I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study right now and it is on the Old Testament Tabernacle. Last week when I first was trying to get used to my life here, I was having some trouble. I am not really allowed to leave my apartment, for safety reasons, by myself, except maybe to go to the store. And last week as well as this week, I have only been working on school, whereas in coming weeks I will have other ministries to be a part of. So, I have been kind of "stuck" here on the school grounds, or in my apartment for most of the time. There are great Christian people here, but as many of you have probably experienced, it can be a lonely transition in that time when a bunch of new people are your acquaintances and not really friends, as wonderful as they might be. Though I've needed a lot of time for lesson planning and such, the remainder of the time has been just sitting at the feet of the Lord. I hate to admit that sometimes it is a last resort--why is that, when it is the most wonderful thing in the world? It seems He sometimes need to take away any other options before I will sit still in His presence for a while. And I have been sitting in His presence a LOT! Last week my Bible study talked about the Israelites in the wilderness. Honestly, not something that has been the most spiritually uplifting topic of my life. I mean, all I can really picture is Charleton Heston and 60's special effects when I think of the exodus from Egypt. But God caused me to learn two amazingly important things, and doubtless He will cause me to learn much more. First, one day when I was reading about the moment when the Israelites were standing at the Red Sea, seeing the Egyptians coming for them, they started freaking out! I often used to think, "Sheesh, Israelites. Remember all the plagues? Don't ya think God can get you out of this one?" The thing is, they had no CONCEPT that He would do something as grand as open an entire SEA for them to walk through on dry land! It was just beyond them. Then, the realization hit me: I had been doing the same thing. I had been whining in my heart, really. "When will I start to work in orphanages? How can I develop relationships with these people when I don't speak their language? If all I'm doing is teaching, then why didn't I stay in Colorado?" Yes, all that and more came. But then the Lord helped me see my grumblings were not so different from theirs. And in the same way, I have NO IDEA what He is planning for me, for you, for the people of Juarez. Just as the Israelites couldn't fathom He would open the sea for them, so my mind can't comprehend how He will make a way for me. But He will; and it will be as miraculous. The words He spoke to the Israelites at that moment through Moses hit me hard: "The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still." Then, the other cool God message. (He is so awesome!) Another day, I was reading about the Lord's provision of manna in the wilderness. Again, a familiar Sunday school story, but not one that had ever really touched the deep places in my heart or anything. Until, I was reading and noticed the Lord's command not to keep any of his bread from heaven overnight. Why? I asked me. Because, the Spirit told me, God wanted the Israelites to awaken EACH morning totally trusting that He would provide everything they needed that day. He didn't want them to keep some from the previous day "just in case" God forgot about them. He wanted to teach them dependence, and He wanted to show His amazing faithfulness. It hit me hard! You know that's the Spirit! Because I realized that I had been looking ahead days, weeks, months, wondering and trying to plan on what would happen, but knowing I had no control. It was as if Jesus was whispering to me, "Just wake up each morning, and know I will give you just what you need for that day." And wow, what a difference it has made. I still wake up wondering what this journey will bring. I still wake up missing my family and friends. But every day I just remember, for today, God will abundantly provide what I need. And today is all I need! It's amazing. Even this morning when I had to battle a terrible foe He was there. I've had to kill some nasty bugs since I've been here (got this great Mexican bug killer spray). You know, mammoth spiders, crawly cockroaches, jumpy crickets. But nothing, NOTHING compared to the monster CENTIPEDE that awaited me in my bathroom this morning. If you know me very well, you know my bravery in the face of insects doesn't last very long. Yet, even this, God got me through. It was like we were go into battle together. Funny, I know, but even then he gave me what I needed. And tomorrow will be the same. I love my kids here, and I am getting to know people more. Next week some new ministries will start, including weekly visits to a girls' drug rehab center, and adult evening English class, and weekly visits to an orphanage. I can't wait to see what God has on the other side of the sea.