Thanksgiving time

Our family just got back from my Grandma's memorial service. It was a good family experience, we shared Thanksgiving dinner together and remembered my Grandma together. I am sure most people think along these lines on occasions like these, but my sister and I both have been thinking about what a wonderful person grandma was, and it makes us wonder how are we investing our lives. It is a good, thought provoking question.

While we were in western Oklahoma, we also visited the old farm, and.... cut down our Christmas tree! We used to have the tradition of cutting our own tree when we lived in Wyoming, but it's been years since we've done that. But this year, we ransacked Walmart for a saw. Then we cut this fragrant cedar tree and tied it on the jeep. It's always more fun to have a tree that has some history like this one.

Now it really feels like we're in the Christmas season! I love it!

Rachellium

My Christmas present from my sister last year was this amazing game called Rachellium. She invented it, made all of the pieces out of bottle caps and paper clips, and wrote all of the cards: humming, acting, drawing, and imitating the sound. But I've rarely gotten to play this marvelous game because I am rarely home.

However, for the holidays and my Grandma's memorial service, we have my aunts and cousin in town. So tonight we played. It was great fun, lots of laughs, and louder yelling than is ever allowed in the house. I don't think I realized how important it is to have a place where you can "let your hair down" so to speak. The place to let it all out, the place to be silly without it being embarrassing. But it is important to laugh, to feel free, to run around the living room acting like a skunk, to try and make the sound duct tape makes. I'm just so glad to be laughing again. Now it feels like I'm really home.

At Home

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me these last days and weeks. And now I am happily at home enjoying warm showers and home cooking.

It was such a difficult decision to leave Colombia, but I believe the right one. Our ministry, and my life, got to a point where it wasn't sustainable. The lifestyle just consumes; and I left depleted emotionally, physically, financially. When I could see that nothing was going to be made better by staying longer, for me or the ministry, I decided it was time to go.

I am home indefinitely, to get redirection, to hear from God, and to just live life. A major thing lacking in my Colombian life was not having relationships with people outside of our YWAM base. So, for now I hope to continue studying and learning, but at the same time develop relationship and friendships. It's a new phase in life. Changes such as these always come with a bit of pain, but also some excitement to see what things this adventure will bring.

In Need of Prayer

I have some huge decisions to make and am feeling the pressure. Please pray for guidance. With much love,

Rachel

Homecoming

I've got about 46 days and 08 hours until I arrive in the states once again. I have this widget on my computer that is counting down. Every year I start listening to Christmas music earlier in anticipation of being at home. Those old Amy Grant songs hold memories of so many tree decoratings and fudge tastings. The melody takes me straight to those times.

But I'm at a loss to tell you where my home really is. Driving into Medellin always feels like coming home. But being with my family, that feels like home too. I value home so much that it's a crisis to not have a straight answer when people ask "Where do you call home?"

But then another song, not about Christmas, comes to mind. Steven says "Keep on looking ahead. Let your heart not forget: we are not home yet." The crisis isn't that I don't have a home, it's that I'm looking for a place to call home in the wrong place. We have a home that's coming, and let's not get too comfy until then.

Note to self: In the mean time what do I do? Answer: love God and cut out anything that's getting in the way of that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Us girls are having a blast living together. Really, I think this is the best roommate situation I've ever been in. We enjoy each other and talk about everything. We laugh and cry together, and thankful we laugh more than we cry. And we are making plans as well.

Mayer is looking for a place for her and the two girls to live. The babies' grandma will take care of the girls and Mayer through the last month of pregnancy and the first months afterwards. It's exciting to see here planning for her future, but also please pray that all of this works out. And that she continues with minimal complications.

That was quick

... yes, it was. I am now single... again. After spending more time together Hector and I realized we were not there for each other the way we had imagined. Without some significant changes, this is not the kind of married relationship we would want. So we are leaving that phase of our life behind.

These are a lot of changes for me right now in almost every area of my life. I'm really learning that "in our weakness he is strong."

God, when our vision gets fuzzy and the path isn't clear, remind us of your love and care, and guide us back to the path. Amen

Reflection

Oswald Chambers writes:

The key to the missionary's work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost

That's comforting and puts me in my place at the same time. I like to meet needs. But whenever life seems to be getting more difficult, more complicated than before, it's probably because I have that wrong. It's probably because I'm responding to needs and not looking solely towards the authority of Jesus Christ. Because it's life: it's always complicated and there are always difficult situations. That doesn't change much. But God's authority is over us in whatever circumstance, and that never changes either.


P.S. I highly recommend that everyone read "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers

Home again

Mayer came home from the hospital today. She is doing much better, but now we have to be very careful with diet and exercise. We're trying to get into some kind of routine. While she was in the hospital we prayed every night before I left, but now we'll try to continue doing devotions every night before bed along with Lorena. The biggest thing for her is emotional support. Two doctors mentioned to me that many of the complications are brought on my emotional stress and instability.

We are so glad to have her back at home and doing well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I think I need to add myself to the prayer requests. It has been a heavy week, I think I've almost had my fill of stressful situations where something needs to be done, but I'm not sure what. Thank goodness we have a big and attentive God.

Blessings to everyone in the states. Enjoy the fall weather and football season extra for me!

Prayer Request

Please continue to keep Mayer in your prayers. Her pregnancy has had complications and she is still only 6 months along. Tonight she had to stay at the hospital because she has been having contractions and spotting and her belly is very small. I did get to hear the baby's heart beat, still good and strong. The baby appears to be alright, it is the mother that has been having health issues, and emotional stress as well. But we are trusting that despite the turmoil, God is taking care of his children and will help her through the pain.

Continuing

Good morning. We are now two weeks into outreach. The teams seem to be doing well, one is in the coast and the other team is in the capital: Bogota.

And as for us girls:

Lorena (on the left) is living with me so I'm not alone in the house. She is also studying dance in one of the major universities in Medellin. And Mayer (on the right) is our pregnant girl. We're getting along well, it's fun living and keeping house and cooking together. It almost feels like little girls playing house, expect it's for real.

It's exciting to have our first girl living with us, but without Cristina being here, we are very limited in what we can offer. We're both great, and well prepared, for counseling sessions. But even though Cristina and I are clear in the goals we want to accomplish when we help girls, but we don't have curriculum or the steps to go about doing it. Conversations and counseling sessions are one thing, but living 24/7 with someone is quite different. Starting something new means there is always more to get ready than I realized! Please keep us in your prayers: Mayer with her pregnancy complications and me with the providing the best support I can.

Big News

First of all, I now have a boyfriend! This week Hector and I announced it formally to the base, the university students, and King's Kids. It's been quite the week. We've been friends over a year, but pretty intentional in getting to know each other for a few months. It all started when my dad was here teaching and Hector was doing a lot of the translating...

So here's the scoop on the boy: he's 26. And, yes, he is Colombian, but his English is better than my Spanish. He's been working some at the base with the DTS and in King's Kids. He's also studying upper-level English so that he can do more translating. We are both pretty outgoing and serving oriented. He has been helping us a bit in Esperanzas de Vida, too. So we are pretty happy doing missions work together.


The other big news is that I will have a pregnant girl living with me during outreach. All of the students leave for outreach tonight along with Cristina. So our girl will be moving in with me on Wednesday. She is 22 and has 2-year-old daughter. She is 6 months along and has been having some complications; this week she was spotting quite a bit. Right now all we can really offer is food and a place to live and friendship. We will start having daily devotions together and that sort of thing, but I will really have to learn as I go.

It's so exciting! But as a ministry this will also require more resources. She is coming here without sheets or a towel or anything really. She will need baby clothes, money for doctor appointments. She is trying to work a little, but part time jobs are very difficult to find and she also has a two-year-old to care for. Cristina and I are looking for anyone who would be interested in sponsoring her through the end of this year. If anyone is interested or would like some more information, please email me: rachelanman@yahoo.com

It's so neat to see how God is working. We have this big house that we had to use for the counseling school; but as soon as there is empty space, along come girls who really need this ministry. God is so faithful.


We just finished making a new ministry movie! We will have the English version out sometime this week so that you can see two of our girls and hear their experiences first hand!

School

We are getting close to outreach, we've almost finished the theory part of the school. This week the counseling students are doing their presentations, and today the first two boys went. One is 31 years old and had more experience teaching. He did well, a little short, but well. The next one was our 17-year-old all dressed up in a suit (I tied his tie because he didn't know how to) and he taught us for an hour and a half. It was incredible, I had no idea he was a good teacher. But it was so cute and made me feel so proud to watch my little student up there so confidant and prepared. I wish I could see him on outreach.

I will not be going with the students on outreach. The 6 students will go with Cristina to Venezuela, but I will stay in Medellin. I need to start the process to make Esperanzas de Vida a legal non-profit organization, in Colombia and in the states. I also am printing our fliers and making contacts with churches and clinics. We have been wanting to do these things all year and didn't have time to devote to them. But please pray a lot that all of the legal stuff makes sense to me and I can do it well. Also that we have open doors with clinics, family services, churches that could support us, and people to donate more things to get the house livable for women (Livable for missionary teenagers is one thing, but we want a more organized, family-feeling home for young moms). This is our plan for this year. Next year, we dive in to working full time with women.


And for our last announcement: the twins arrived on Sunday! They are adorable! Abby and Gaby

Abby Alejandra is the oldest

And Gabriela the youngest.

Missions week photos are coming soon...

cookies

I just spent a wonderful and interesting afternoon with the girls from King's Kids. We wanted to have a girls day, so I taught them to make chocolate chip cookies. But it's not very normal to bake here, so none of them have any experience with measuring cups or with ovens.

The funniest moment was when I was telling them the ingredients. I explained it all, but one girl wasn't listening very well. So she really thought we were going to put "soda" (as in soda pop) in chocolate chip cookies. How cute, but thank goodness she wasn't in charge of adding ingredients.

They did turn out pretty yummy though. But within an hour they were all gone. That's what happens when you live with four guys that just got back from playing soccer.

Direction

This week has been my week of pure accounting. Finally I can see light at the end of the tunnel. But I feel like I am in the middle of a tug-of-war game. Because there are many needs at the base that I would love to help with. But there are many things we need to do this year for Esperanzas de Vida, and there just isn't time for both.

This year we need to make our non-profit legal, contact clinics, print fliers, and get our counseling material ready. All of those things take some time. Right now Cristina and I are in the process of encouraging our director to let me stay in Medellin during the outreach time so I can work (some of that will also require a trip to Bogota). He doesn't really see the need for me to stay...yet. So, a major prayer request for us would be that we can know with assurance how we should be using our time.

This is also bringing up a life "crisis" I have. I am often tempted to do good work that I enjoying doing, but it's not actually what I've been called to do. We've got to trust that God knows what he's up to and can provide for the needs in the base as well as our ministerial needs. But in trusting we have also, as YWAMers, got to take the time to really search out what God is desiring for us in this time. When we get to busy sometimes it is really a discipline to be quite and still and listen to God, and yet when we're busy is when we need that time the most. God, we do need your direction!

Wedding!

Yesterday I got to see my first Colombian wedding, and even more exciting was that it was our first pregnant girl getting married. It was a simple wedding in the Catholic church. We will continue counseling the couple in their relationship as spouses and their upcoming responsibility of being parents.

This week we have an American teacher visiting, Dean Harvey, who was actually the founder of the School of the Bible in YWAM. It's very exciting to have him, and because it's special to have him here, both the counseling school and the DTS are in class together. So things are a bit different this week, but very good. The class is about moral government, which is a weighty subject, and excellent for us all to hear and process together.

The King's Kids are about to start their last week in China. They have found a couple Christian contacts that have let them do cultural stuff, like teach Colombian dances in a coffee shop. It has opened up doors because people wonder what a bunch of Colombians are doing in China. What a great way to start a conversation. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on because they can't write about anything God related in the emails. I'm excited to hear all of the stories when they get back. Please help us pray that they have an amazing impact in their last week and can make good contacts for their next trip.

Famous for a Day

Yesterday I got to spend all day with DNA, the music group from Puerto Rico. It was amazing to get to hang out with them. The concert went very well. They danced and sang great, and the two acoustic songs with the guitar and piano also went well. Afterwards a couple of kids even asked me to sign CDs for them. It was neat to be apart of something quality and I just love to play piano.

But I think the best part of being with them was seeing what they are like back stage. They always pray before they start a concert or presentation, and they reflect such hearts for helping young people understand what love really is and making wise decisions. Often before presentations or shows people are running around and stressed (at least in my experience). DNA however, even though we were running around, have a peace about them too. They know they can depend on everyone to do their part and there is calmness in their attitudes. What a privilege to work with people who know what they're doing and do it well, and also people that live what they preach. I will be sad to see them leave tomorrow.

But the entire experience also motivated me to find more opportunities to use my music. I do love playing, but I also love being around musicians, we just connect. If I wanted to build more relationships with non Christians (which is sometimes difficult when we have such full schedules in the base) I would want to hang out with musicians and tell them about Jesus. The best things in life are what we have to intentionally work for: relationships and music are worth it though.

music and meditation

Dear friends and family. I have very exciting news. DNA, a music group from King's Kids Puerto Rico is here visiting. They are amazing. They write their own song and sing and dance to them. It's been exciting to have them here. DNA stands for Discipling Nations through the Arts, so they sing songs about love and life that aren't necessary "Christian," but are communicating Christian principles. They are doing presentations at churches right now, but their big concert is on the 31st. And I will, possibly, get to play two songs with them on piano. I'm way excited. Here's their music video of one of their songs:


Thank you, New Hope, for the piano. It is so amazing to have a good piano to lead worship from, for my personal time with God. What an incredible blessing.

Besides all of this excitement, the missionary life continues. I have very full days, I'm realizing, and it's brought me to start considering where I want to be most involved in the future. It's always a good question to ask: is what I'm doing now leading me to where I want to go? These are just ponderings that are rolling around in my head. But a major prayer request for me and the ministries in Medellin is direction. We are going through a time of defining our visions and refocusing, and while there are so many good things one could be doing, we really want to be doing what God is specifically calling us to. I pray the same for you, that you find God's specific calling for you in this phase of life.

The Prostitute House

This semester we have an ongoing project for intercession. It is the prostitute house across the street. This house is a special place. For one, it's about the biggest house in the neighborhood. And it's perverted. Couples go there to mix things up, let's say. I can't imagine my boyfriend (we're imagining here) taking me to a place like that. But it keeps very busy. We never see anyone inside, we just see the guy who is in charge of the gate, and I prefer not to encounter him alone at night because he does make comments. No one in this upper-class, family-oriented neighborhood is thrilled about what goes on there, and we think it is illegal. However, when the police have been called it seems that there is some exchange of money and nothing ever changes.

So, our goal is to pray and do something about this house.

We formed teams. My team really wanted to focus on relationships. We want to get to know the guy who opens the gate, because every person that enters or leaves that place goes by him. Haven't accomplished that yet. But we also were praying for contact with people that go there. One day Jhonny (a leader who is in my group) was walking up to the door to the base and a guy was walking away from it. There was a taxi in our driveway with a girl in it. The guy asked Jhonny where this place was. Jhonny was kind of taken by surprise and just answered him. But since then we've been praying for other opportunities like that one. Then Tuesday our group just went out to walk around the neighborhood and pray. We saw two motorcycles multiple times, and finally they stopped and asked us where to find this house. We were surprised again, but this time Jhonny told them he could give directions, but wanted to make sure they realized what takes place there. The couples said yes. So Jhonny quickly told them that it is anything but loving and he would never think of taking his girlfriend or wife to such a place. He challenged them to think about what real love is and in the end we told them where to go. Another YWAMer was sitting out front when they pulled up at the gate and heard their conversation. They did go in, but they also told the guy at the door that they almost didn't come because they ran into a group of Christians.

Then just last night the boys were playing soccer in the park, and someone else asked for directions. Me and another guy from my group tried the same tactic. This girl got frustrated with us and raised her voice a little. We told her where to find the house, but it is also obvious that people react with a lot of guilt. So hopefully moral awareness is awakening within them, warning them that this is not the best way to live their lives. And we hope for more opportunities.

Please pray with us. We do pray that they will have to leave this house. But we also hope that we have some contact and positive influence before they go. I should mention too that the house is for sale, even though the business hasn't seemed to slow down in the least. We'll see what all can happen and what kind of impact we will have in the next two months of this school.

The group of King's Kids that are going to China leave for the capital today and fly out next Tuesday. Please keep them, their travel, and their time in China in your prayers as well.

Intercession

Well, the first week of the new school is over. There is a lot of exciting news.

First of all, the pregnant girl we are in counseling with came to another session.... with her boyfriend. They are planning to get married. Now, his situation is touchy. He has 11 brothers and sister, but then his father has another 45 children outside of wedlock. So, they both recognize that neither one of their families is a good example of how they want their own family to be. We will continue meeting with them, as they are preparing for marriage next month and then the preparation to be parents. They said that they would invite us. It will be in the Catholic church, and it also will be my first Colombian wedding.

We have a wonderful school! The counseling school students are all staying at our house, the Esperanzas de Vida house. There are four boys and two girls, and they all get along wonderfully. They are between 17 and 30, but have a wonderful amount of openness as we are talking about very personal stuff in classes. I have been able to help some with the teaching, and it's amazing what God's been turning classes into personal healing.

I also had the opportunity to teach two classes in the DTS: Devotional Life and Intercession. We had the intercession class on Wednesday, and I was talking about what is intercession, how we go about it, but also emphasizing that prayer is the real work of Christians and really does impact the spiritual world. That morning we spent time praying for Colombia, the government, military, and the people that are kidnapped currently. That SAME AFTERNOON, the news came out that 15 kidnapped people had been freed! Our military actually pretended to be FARC leaders transferring the kidnapped prisoners from one place to another... and it worked! One of them was the most famous woman that had been in captivity 7 years. Her name is Ingrid, and we saw the video of her being reunited with her husband and children after years of torture and separation. What a moment of joy and celebration for our nation! So, as you can imagine, we spent time in the evening classes thanking God. It was so cool to see such a huge victory for Colombia and at the same time be aware that God is inviting us to be apart of the work he is doing in Colombia.

YWAM Medellin

Right now there is a lot of exciting ministry going on in Medellin, and a lot to keep in our prayers.

Today our mercy ministries staff along with the majority of the base staff are getting back from a 5 day health brigade in Cordoba. It was one of the largest and longest ones we've done yet. There were teams of people for counseling, for the medical checkups, and of course people passing out clothing, doing evangelism, and working with youth and children. I hope that we are able to participate in a brigade on the missions trip were planning for next July, they are amazing experiences because you can see some much being accomplished in a community.

Right now there is a camp of 40 King's Kids in our new house. They are learning dances and such, but the focus of this camp is to develop their devotional life and give classes about the character of God and a worshipful lifestyle. It's wonderful to have them here despite the noise. Many of the kids are not yet teenagers but seem to be loving it! For me the most exciting part is that some of my students from a year ago are the leaders for the new kids.

9 of the devoted King's Kids are also in Bogota right now to get their visas for China. On July 8th they will be heading off to China for a month. It has been the dream of YWAM Colombia to send groups to China for years. The group from Bucaramanga is already in China and now the Medellin group will be joining them. Please pray for their support, as the plane tickets are quite pricey, and for group unity as they travel into new cultures. Please pray that they are able to encourage the underground church and lead more to Christ.

So many plans and prayers are being realized this year! It's quite an exciting time to be apart of what God's doing around the world.

This weekend we will be starting a new semester of the Discipleship Training School and the Counseling School. Right now I am preparing to help teach the Divine Plumb Line in the counseling school. There is always a lot to do, but always so much promise that God is moving and leading us to accomplish more and more for his Kingdom. And for your ministries in your corner of the world, blessings.