Ok, so I just wrote a beautiful, long, detailed post.... But guess what???? It's gone, disappeared into cyberspace.............. So, I'm going to try to rewrite it. Only problem is, I'm not sure if I remember everything I wrote. Then again you guys really won't know if I leave anything out will you?!?!?! Hahhaha, OK, here we go.
It's hot here, really hot. I'm really sick of being sticky and wet. I mean liked soaked through with sweat wet, like all the way to your undies......
Ana and Marilu made it safely home from Juarez, THANK YOU JESUS. We were praying, praying, praying. We are so thankful that the Lord got them home safe and sound and so quickly. God truly gave them favor in all of the diferent places that they had to go. They made record time throughout the whole trip. We are so happy to have them back even though they were gone for such a short time. Marilu is now working on all the final preps for the wedding. She will become Mrs. BJ Schubert this next Monday evening.
Tomorrow I am going water heater hunting with Ana. A very generous person has donated some money to Rogelio and Carla. I was blessed with the opportunity of figuring out how to spoil them with it! So, that will be fun. They are going to need the hot water with little Naomi on the way. Carla and Rogelio are such a blessing for this ministry. Rogelio teaches several biblestudies and also works all week doing whatever needs to be done. He has such a servant's heart. Carla, who is 6 months pregnant, teaches the ladies biblestudy in Osobompo as well. As I said, they are such a blessing.
I have a praise report. Some of you know who Carolina (15) is, others do not. Carolina was a part of the children's home until it was shut down last year. She's a beautiful young lady that we all love very dearly. After the girls were taken away she went to live with an aunt in Navojoa.Her aunt does care for her but it is a very worldly enviroment and she has alot of freedom. Last year Ana's sister, Edy, and Edy's husband, Paco, wanted to take Carolina back to Mexicalli with them after their visit here. It ended up not working out. However this year, they were successful!!!!! Carolina is now in Mexicalli with Edy and Paco. For now the plan is for her to stay for atleast two months. However it will be up to Carolina to decide whether she wants to stay permanently. This is an answer to prayer for so many of us and a Godsend for Carolina. Edy and Paco will make her part of the family. They will teach her to follow the Lord as well. So, please continue to pray that the transition will go well and that Carolina will feel at home in Mexicalli.
I also found out this morning that we need to be praying for Carolina's cousin, Anahi. Anahi also lived here for quite a while. She is 18 and is now living in Mocuzari and is pregnant. Actually her due date was several days ago. We found out yesterday that she was taken to the hospital in Obregon. Apparently her water broke but she didn't tell anyone until 48 hours later. We are not aware of her current condition. Ana has been calling the hospital all morning but is not able to get through. She will be heading to Obregon later today with Dan and will go to the hospital. We are praying for the safety and health of both the baby and Anahi.
I bought a plane ticket to NY several days ago. I will be arriving on the 21st of October. I can't wait to see all of my friends and family and to stand by my dear Cati Gerwitz's side at the altar. Obviously before and after my time in NY I will be in MO with my family. I can't not explain or describe how much I'm looking forward to that. I have missed my family so much since I left them in March.
Last night I had 6 girls in my sunday school class, not a single boy. I had a hard time getting a word in edgewise, hahahahahaha. We read about Adam and Eve and the beginning of sin in the garden. Some of the girls, the new ones, had never heard this story before. Think about that, children 8 years old who don't know who Adam and Eve are. Suprisingly that would include a large majority of the population of this planet. It's hard for those of us who were raised in the church to comprehend. Anyway, after I finished the story one of the little girls had a question for me. "Teacher Chelsea, were Adam and Eve friends or were they married?"
I know that it is quite a logical question but I found it extremely amusing. It kept a smile on my face for quite a while afterwards...........
Ok, well I'm going to go attack some weeds. The greenery is about 4 feet high everywhere you look right now. Take care and God bless!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Summertime
Summertime is officially here. That includes the rain and the heat. The temp everyday is around 105 I believe, I try to avoid looking at the thermometer though so i'm not sure if that's exactly accurate. The rain has also arrived. Making the grass grow 3 ft. tall everywhere. The cows are loving it! We're not exactly enjoying all of the creepy crawly things that come along with the new foliage though
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Rancho Maranatha update 8.11.10
"Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days " (John 11:6)
This miraculous story begins with the following declaration: "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus (v. 5). It is as if He were teaching us that at the very heart and foundation of all His dealing with us, no matter how dark or mysterious they may be, we must dare to believe in and affirm His infinite, unmerited, and unchanging love. Yet love permits pain to occur.
Mary and Martha never doubted that Jesus would quickly avert every obstacle to keep their brother from death, "yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days."
What a startling word: "Yet"! Jesus refrained from going not because He did not love them but because He did love them. It was His love alone that kept Him from hurrying at once to their beloved yet grief-stricken home. Anything less than infinite love would have rushed instantly to the relief of those beloved and troubled hearts, in an effort to end their grief, to have the blessing of wiping and stopping the flow of tears, and to cause their sorrow and pain to flee. Only the power of divine love could have held back the spontaneity of the Saviour's tenderheartedness until the angel of pain had finished his work.
Who can estimate the great debt we owe to suffering and pain? If not for them, we would have little capacity for many of the great virtues of the Christian life. Where would our faith be if not for the trails that test it; or patience, without anything to endure or experience and without tribulations to develop it?
It is good to be back home at the ranch, although the first day we were back from Hawaii we so wanted to go back to the ocean water. The Lord is good and we continue to be amazed at all He does. We knew everything would be green when we got back home and it is so great to see the beautiful mountains and hills covered in green and gleaming with life. To Him be ALL glory and honor FOREVER!
Grandpa's teleprompter
Josie is back home with us!!! Thank you so much all of you that had been praying for this to come to pass. She will start 11th grade in COBACH Alamos (High School) on Monday. Please continue to pray for Carolina, she is visiting right now and so wants to come back to the ranch too, but her aunt she lives with will not allow it. Pray for the Lord to touch the aunt's heart. The environment at the aunt's house is really bad. Anahí spent the night here last Sunday. Monday, August 9th was her 19th birthday. Her due date is August 25th. Do pray for her too. It is hard to see the consequences of the life she has chosen. At this time we have two other girls from Navojoa visiting for the week, besides Carolina. Pray for us to be able to share the Lord with them and make a lasting impression in their lives to have a heart for Christ.
Dulce & Josie
Jesús & Dan
Dulce will be a senior in High School this year. Her brother Jesús, 13 years old from 'Las Minitas' will start 8th grade in Alamos this year and will live with us on the ranch too. I ask for prayers in that rewards too.
Elyott, Marilú's brother, is back at the ranch. CASA PROVIDENCIA, the place were he had been given an opportunity to live, go to school and learn to be responsible, brought him back to the ranch even before we got back from the US. He did not follow their rules or behave in the required manner so he was not allowed to stay. He was warned again and again of what was required of him without change. DIF Hermosillo gave Marilú 'custody' per se of her brother, ...Elyott has a history of not listening or really paying attention to things required of him. He does not make a conscious effort to follow instructions. Please pray for wisdom for us, and also for Elyott to start being responsible of his actions. We want him to work out!
Marilú's wedding is scheduled for Monday, August 30th. Hopefully, if it is God's will, it will be held here at the ranch. Things have been a bit stressful with all the paper work and changing of dates due to matters related to BJ's work & government requirements. Please do continue to pray with us for God's hand to be over all the details yet to fall into place. May the Lord open the door wide, or close it shut at He sees fit, according to His perfect plan and will. Marilú & myself are planning to leave for Cd. Juárez, (yes, you read correctly), if the Lord allows it, next Saturday. We don't know how long it will take to acquire the required documentation there, hopefully not too much longer than a week.
Cd. Juárez, border town of 1.6 million people. Reliable global crime statistics are hard to pin down, but a Mexican study says that the murder rate is about 250 people per month, this places Cd. Juárez well ahead of other notorious world crime capitals such as South Africa's Cape Town, Moscow, Baghdad, and Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby, Caracas, Venezuela, Medellín Colombia and the U.S. City of New Orleans. Cd. Juárez (a manufacturing city across from El Paso, Tx), already has a stained history with the unsolved murders of hundreds of young women in the late 1990s. 800 hundred women and students from working-class neighborhoods have been kidnapped, tortured, raped and killed since 1993.Nearly 23,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since a US-backed military crackdown on cartels began more than three years ago. The year 2009 was the deadliest in the drug war, with over 9.600 people killed. The death toll is on track to be even higher in 2010. There are 130 murders for every 100,000 residents for year on average.
Okay, why do we want to go to Cd. Juárez then?...We don't, but are compelled to. Cd. Juárez has the American Embassy where Marilú HAS TO GO to get her visa. So, please, keep us in your prayers. I know you are and that you will continue, MAHALO! (thank you!).
Josh & Vicky have set their wedding date for Wed., December 29, 2010. Vicky just finished her bachelor's degree in 'Industrial engineering' this Summer. Josh will still have two more semesters to finish his school after he gets married in December, plus his internship. Please do keep them in your prayers. Josh left on Monday and already started his 7th semester. Pray for God to guide his life as well as Vicky's. Our prayer is that they glorify God with their lives and that the Lord will be the center of their lives.
Daniel's perspective: Last night in Tesia we were in Romans 12. I usually do a chapter a week but I was only able to get through 3 verses! Here they are: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Romans 12:1-3).
What a blessing and encouragement last night to be able to speak about being a living sacrifice and to be able to look out at all the people there that are doing just that. I see the body of Christ here maturing and really paying attention and it blesses me to no end. It's so easy to be conformed to this world and to think that we are supposed to be like the Brittany Spears, Madonnas and singers, actors etc., of our day and age. I absolutely love that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. We don't have to keep up with what is in and what is out. (When was the last time you looked at the shorts us guys were wearing in the 70's?:)We just need to be renewing our minds and changing our way of thinking to conform to how Jesus thinks. He is our example and we never have to worry that He is going to show up and be different and us be out of step. He is our example, He is our goal, He is our role model!
So, don't be conformed to this world thinking that it's okay to do things like even other Christians might be doing them. Be instead, transformed be the renewing of your mind. Ask Jesus to let you see things the way He sees them, and if you pray for us, pray that we would always do that as well.
God bless you all,
Daniel & Ana
Kapuna Kane & Kapuna Wahine *Grandma & Grandpa!
P.S. Please continue to pray for our friend Michael. He had his surgery a week ago tomorrow and will be having radiation treatment later. Also our friend Linda Dew as she battles with side effects from her radiation and Chemotherapy. 'Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 9, 2010
www.facebook.com/php?aid=2073093&id=118o136761&1=c0e3fl0384
Hello everyone! Supposedly this link will allow you to view my facebook album. I have been trying for days to upload an update for ya'll. Unfortunatley the website won't let me put any pictures up. So, hopefully this will work.
I'm doing great. I thank you all for your constant prayers, I really do feel them.
Yesterday was communion sunday at the ranch. It was a huge blessing. Dan shared on Colossians 3. I love communion sundays for many reasons. I love that it's on the ranch, all I have to do is walk out of the house and across the yard, lol. I also love getting all of the people together. Communion sunday is the only time that we get ALL of the villages together. Vans come from Las Minitas, Mocuzari, Osobompo, Tesia, Navojoa, and Jusibompo. Then there's the people that come in cars, bikes, and buses. It's like a big family reunion once a month :) After the study we eat! Last night we had Posole. Posole is a soup or I guess a stew, really yummy. You eat it with tostadas and then add, onion, cilantro, and lime. It's a wonderful thing! We might be crazy thought for eating something served hot when it was around 100 degrees out.
The other thing I love about this culture is that they are continually saying hi to eachother. When the arrive they greet you. After the study they greet you. Then they say goodbye before they leave. There are hugs, kisses, and handshakes galore. There is nothing quite as sweet as a kiss on the cheek from a sister or brother in Christ.
This week we also had Pastor Fidel back with us. Thankyou to everyone who has been praying for him. His health is slowly improving. He still is unable to work though and still struggles eating. I have been told by his family that the Lord is using him just as much staying at home as He does when Fidel is out and about. It was good to have him back standing with us during worship.
Carla and Rogelio are having a little girl, due in November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rumor is her name will be Naomi. We're all so excited to meet her.
Josie is also back on the ranch. For those of you who don't know Josie used to be part of the girls' home when the children's home was up and running. Josie is one of the family, we're so happy to have her. She'll be starting school in Alamos this next Monday.
Ana and Marilu will be leaving for Juarez this saturday to go to the consulate. Please pray for them. I'm sure you all know what a dangerous and dark place Juarez is. Please pray for their protection and favor at the consulate. If this all goes as planned Marilu will return with her visa to be married on August 30th. From there she and BJ will head to Big Sky Country to be welcomed by all of his friends and family waiting to meet her :)
I start with a new English student tomorrow. Please pray for that.
I thank the Lord that I seem to be acclimating a bit to the heat. The past several week si haven't been feeling so well because of it. I'm drinking lots of water!!!!
I just finished putting the rest of the food packages together for this month. We give 10 packages out eat month to very needy recipients. The packages contain; rice, beans,oil, lard, flour, cornmeal, salt, macaroni, tomato pure, sugar, coffee, soy, TP, and detergent . Basically all the basics. To sponsor a recipient it takes about $30 a month. Most of our recipients are very elderly ill people. There are also some families wiith children. This program is literally a godsend for it's recipients. This morning I went to drop off two of the packages with Ana. The people are so humble and grateful. One of the packages that we dropped off went to a very elderly couple in Alamos. They live at the end of a road, up a hill. So, we lugged the bags up and said, "Good Morning". The old man sat in the doorway with a baby parrot that he is nursing. Funny since to me it seems that he's the one who needs the nursing. After setting down the bags he proceeded to ask about many people by name. Ana told me later that he has an incredible memory. He remembers everything, names, dates, times, numbers as if he wrote them down and saved them. So, with a , "Dios te bendiga", off we went. It's bothering me that I can't remember his name....... If I remember to ask Ana for it I'll let you know later on.
Ok, peace out everyone!
Dios les bendiga!
Chelsea Rae
Hello everyone! Supposedly this link will allow you to view my facebook album. I have been trying for days to upload an update for ya'll. Unfortunatley the website won't let me put any pictures up. So, hopefully this will work.
I'm doing great. I thank you all for your constant prayers, I really do feel them.
Yesterday was communion sunday at the ranch. It was a huge blessing. Dan shared on Colossians 3. I love communion sundays for many reasons. I love that it's on the ranch, all I have to do is walk out of the house and across the yard, lol. I also love getting all of the people together. Communion sunday is the only time that we get ALL of the villages together. Vans come from Las Minitas, Mocuzari, Osobompo, Tesia, Navojoa, and Jusibompo. Then there's the people that come in cars, bikes, and buses. It's like a big family reunion once a month :) After the study we eat! Last night we had Posole. Posole is a soup or I guess a stew, really yummy. You eat it with tostadas and then add, onion, cilantro, and lime. It's a wonderful thing! We might be crazy thought for eating something served hot when it was around 100 degrees out.
The other thing I love about this culture is that they are continually saying hi to eachother. When the arrive they greet you. After the study they greet you. Then they say goodbye before they leave. There are hugs, kisses, and handshakes galore. There is nothing quite as sweet as a kiss on the cheek from a sister or brother in Christ.
This week we also had Pastor Fidel back with us. Thankyou to everyone who has been praying for him. His health is slowly improving. He still is unable to work though and still struggles eating. I have been told by his family that the Lord is using him just as much staying at home as He does when Fidel is out and about. It was good to have him back standing with us during worship.
Carla and Rogelio are having a little girl, due in November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rumor is her name will be Naomi. We're all so excited to meet her.
Josie is also back on the ranch. For those of you who don't know Josie used to be part of the girls' home when the children's home was up and running. Josie is one of the family, we're so happy to have her. She'll be starting school in Alamos this next Monday.
Ana and Marilu will be leaving for Juarez this saturday to go to the consulate. Please pray for them. I'm sure you all know what a dangerous and dark place Juarez is. Please pray for their protection and favor at the consulate. If this all goes as planned Marilu will return with her visa to be married on August 30th. From there she and BJ will head to Big Sky Country to be welcomed by all of his friends and family waiting to meet her :)
I start with a new English student tomorrow. Please pray for that.
I thank the Lord that I seem to be acclimating a bit to the heat. The past several week si haven't been feeling so well because of it. I'm drinking lots of water!!!!
I just finished putting the rest of the food packages together for this month. We give 10 packages out eat month to very needy recipients. The packages contain; rice, beans,oil, lard, flour, cornmeal, salt, macaroni, tomato pure, sugar, coffee, soy, TP, and detergent . Basically all the basics. To sponsor a recipient it takes about $30 a month. Most of our recipients are very elderly ill people. There are also some families wiith children. This program is literally a godsend for it's recipients. This morning I went to drop off two of the packages with Ana. The people are so humble and grateful. One of the packages that we dropped off went to a very elderly couple in Alamos. They live at the end of a road, up a hill. So, we lugged the bags up and said, "Good Morning". The old man sat in the doorway with a baby parrot that he is nursing. Funny since to me it seems that he's the one who needs the nursing. After setting down the bags he proceeded to ask about many people by name. Ana told me later that he has an incredible memory. He remembers everything, names, dates, times, numbers as if he wrote them down and saved them. So, with a , "Dios te bendiga", off we went. It's bothering me that I can't remember his name....... If I remember to ask Ana for it I'll let you know later on.
Ok, peace out everyone!
Dios les bendiga!
Chelsea Rae
Sunday, August 1, 2010
no internet
Well the world of modern technology is wonderful, simply splendid. You can communicate with people on every continent, at any hour, within second. Modern technology, more specifially the internet, leaves unlimited info at your finger tips. With a strike of the keys you can find out anything about anybody or anything. Modern technology does nothing but better one's life, except........... EXCEPT WHEN IT BREAKS.............. Yes people, there is no internet on the ranch right now. We have been stranded for a week now. But help is on the way :) Dan and Ana should be home on Wednesday. Dan will save the day.
So everybody, that is why I have not been online or been able to update the blog. I'm very sorry.
I have to admit that good came right along with the bad. Not having internet this week was a way for the Lord to get through to me. I had to deal with some things on my own that I usually would have gone to my mom with or to my best friends with. Instead of getting a shoulder to cry on I had to fight through and wait on the Lord. Several days ago I would have said that this week was a serious set back, a waste of time. I would have told you that I failed in so many ways. I would have shared my many mistakes, my hard-headedness, and my spiritual blindness. I would have admitted to being a complete failure and would have said that I hated myself. I'm still not so sure about the last part, I'm still hitting myself. But anyway........ I went through a horrible week. I was done, ready to throw in the towel. Til it hit me.............. I am nothing. NOTHING. I am a pile of trash, dust. I am incapable of being holy, righteous, and just. I am full of faults. I am a sinful creature. That is the point. That is the point that I need to come to. I am nothing without my savior. I am nothing without His mercies that renew every morning. I need them to renew every morning. I cannot go through a day without needing those mercies. I cannot do anything good, or great, period. It has to be Him. It has to be His love, His joy, His strength, His wisdom. Nothing else is enough, nothing else is worth it. And I cannot experience the fullness of Him or understand the greatness of it until I understand the patheticness of my own situation.
"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has closen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things that are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ........." 1 Cor 1
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being of ourselves, but our suffiency is of God". 2 Cor 3
So, the Lord can't truly work in me or through me until I understand that. Until I understand that I need Him for EVERYTHING.
I know that this seems like such a simple concept. It is one that every good christian understads. It is one that I have shared on in devotionals. These are words of wisdom that I've shared with many a sister of Christ. Only now am I truly understanding the depth and the pain of the those words. Only now am I understanding the process that one must go through. Only now am I realizing that I didn't truly recognize the ugliness of my flesh. Only now am I realizing that I truly know nothing. This has left me feeling like a prideful,arrogant, blind sinner. But it is also leaving me in awe of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My wretchedness is hidden by His abounding love and mercy.
Please pray that I will continue to keep my eyes on Him. When I take my eyes off Him and look at myself I come away discouraged and downtrodden.
Ok, everyone, sorry if this entry was a bit confusing...... I'm still working it all out myself. But I know that God is good, that's what matters.
Next update will have pics and more 'news'.
Blessings upon ya'll!
So everybody, that is why I have not been online or been able to update the blog. I'm very sorry.
I have to admit that good came right along with the bad. Not having internet this week was a way for the Lord to get through to me. I had to deal with some things on my own that I usually would have gone to my mom with or to my best friends with. Instead of getting a shoulder to cry on I had to fight through and wait on the Lord. Several days ago I would have said that this week was a serious set back, a waste of time. I would have told you that I failed in so many ways. I would have shared my many mistakes, my hard-headedness, and my spiritual blindness. I would have admitted to being a complete failure and would have said that I hated myself. I'm still not so sure about the last part, I'm still hitting myself. But anyway........ I went through a horrible week. I was done, ready to throw in the towel. Til it hit me.............. I am nothing. NOTHING. I am a pile of trash, dust. I am incapable of being holy, righteous, and just. I am full of faults. I am a sinful creature. That is the point. That is the point that I need to come to. I am nothing without my savior. I am nothing without His mercies that renew every morning. I need them to renew every morning. I cannot go through a day without needing those mercies. I cannot do anything good, or great, period. It has to be Him. It has to be His love, His joy, His strength, His wisdom. Nothing else is enough, nothing else is worth it. And I cannot experience the fullness of Him or understand the greatness of it until I understand the patheticness of my own situation.
"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has closen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things that are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ........." 1 Cor 1
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being of ourselves, but our suffiency is of God". 2 Cor 3
So, the Lord can't truly work in me or through me until I understand that. Until I understand that I need Him for EVERYTHING.
I know that this seems like such a simple concept. It is one that every good christian understads. It is one that I have shared on in devotionals. These are words of wisdom that I've shared with many a sister of Christ. Only now am I truly understanding the depth and the pain of the those words. Only now am I understanding the process that one must go through. Only now am I realizing that I didn't truly recognize the ugliness of my flesh. Only now am I realizing that I truly know nothing. This has left me feeling like a prideful,arrogant, blind sinner. But it is also leaving me in awe of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My wretchedness is hidden by His abounding love and mercy.
Please pray that I will continue to keep my eyes on Him. When I take my eyes off Him and look at myself I come away discouraged and downtrodden.
Ok, everyone, sorry if this entry was a bit confusing...... I'm still working it all out myself. But I know that God is good, that's what matters.
Next update will have pics and more 'news'.
Blessings upon ya'll!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)