March 25, 2006

Hey, I know it’s been a couple of weeks but it’s really hard to find the time to write. Let’s see, what happened since the last time I wrote…well, Bill was here, wow that seems like a long time ago. It was a really busy week and we all had a lot of work to do but I think Bill had a good time. We went to the waterfall again. I went ahead of the group a little because I knew the way (and they were going kinda slow) and in this time, by myself, hiking up a mountain to get to this waterfall, in the Dominican jungle…I don’t know, would you call it a jungle? There were palm trees and stuff. It seemed pretty junglish to me. But anyway, I took this time to get in touch with my inner Amazon Women. Pretty tough looking, isn’t she? I wouldn’t want to mess with that. Anyway, it was another really good time. On Friday, we had a going away banquet for the West Pointers. That was pretty cool. We got a chance to dress up a little bit. It was outside and at the end of the banquet we were singing and it started to rain. It was a really cool time of singing to God and with each other.
So that was last week. Oh yeah, something pretty important that I should probably tell everyone: I’m not going to Guyana anymore. There were just too many things going wrong with it. I for one wasn’t feeling too good about it and I guess one of our leaders had pulled put because she didn’t feel too good about it either, two students had also pulled out. Also the lady that was our contact there said that she really wasn’t feeling peace about us coming, and also the lady that was supposed to receive us broke her leg. Finally, the one student who everyone though was really set on going had just called a meeting where he was going to tell us that he didn’t feel good about it either. Now, I’m not quiet sure, but I think God might be trying to tell me something here. I mean, it’s a little fuzzy but I’m thinking that maybe I’m not supposed to go to Guyana. But its actually pretty cool because I was really going back and forth between Guyana and Haiti but I just thought that I would just pick one and that if God didn’t want me to go there something, would happen. So, I’m going to Haiti and I’m SO excited. I really like the team I’m going with and so glad that I get to return to Haiti. Also, it’s quite a bit cheaper. It’s only going to be about $850 instead of over $2,000. And the best thing about it is that now I know that this is where I am supposed to go.
Now for this week, the main thing that stuck out this week was what we did Friday night. We had a concert in the street in Jarabacoa. We did some dramas (which were really cool by the way, I videoed them all and I’ll have to show them to you all when I get home, remind me) and then Logico did a rap concert (I also just want to mention that this was a rough neighborhood and they told us that before hand) Now I just want to tell you a little bit about Logico; he is an amazing young man with an amazing story. Now he is a professional rapper and he uses that as his ministry. His turn around is amazing. I’ve been getting the opportunity to get to know him better lately and it has been SO great. I mean, this guy has gone into neighborhoods that the police wouldn’t even go into so that he could share with them what God had done in his life and those people really relate to him and lives have been changed because of him. But seriously, his music is awesome. I love it. I have his CD, that’s right he has a CD! Bill has it, so if you want to listen to it, you should talk to Bill, or, better yet, if you want to buy it, you can let me know. It’s $10 and it’s seriously worth it. Also, it would help him raise his outreach money. (He’s going to Africa so it’s going to be over $2,500 for him) But truly, seriously, it’s a really good CD so just let me know if you want one. Can I just say something? God is really cool, you know. I mean seriously. It’s amazing when you look at someone like Logico (his real name is Carlos, Logico is like his “rapper name”) and just see what God has done. I feel like a lot of times this “God” that everyone is looking for gets lost in the United States. We go to church (some of us) and we think that that’s it, that that’s God. We are so wrong. There is so much more, SO much more. I mean, do you have any idea? The things I’ve seen, I’ve done. I can’t describe it, but it’s God. For those who really know me, you know the things that I’ve dealt with and you know were I was. Do you know how many things I tried to make those things better? But they all failed one after other until I tried God. Now I’m not talking about the “church God” the God on the stain glass windows of the Catholic Churches or the Baptists churches, or ANY churches for that matter. But the real God, God who sent his son to die for us, not so that we could go be board a church every Sunday but who wants nothing more that to just have a relationship with us, to make things better for us, to save us, to free us from anything and everything. Anything and everything, maybe not every one knows what it’s like to be a slave to something, but I do. But I’m free now. Now I understand that probably some of you are a little lost. Drop me an email. I’d be glad to talk to you. Some of you might also be thinking, “Wow, yep, I’m pretty sure they brain washed her, doesn’t she know that’s she’s kind of making a fool of herself?” Well, one) I don’t care, two) those of you who know me know how I get when I’m passionate about something, this one of those times and three) those of you reading this, chances are that I love you and care a lot about you and if I found something that worked for me, I mean really worked, I want to share it with you. I mean think about it for a second, why is it so hard to believe? So I just want to challenge you, think about what I am saying. Think about a God who is real and who really doesn’t care if you go to church because more importantly he just wants you first. Just try to think about it. Why am I saying all of this all of a sudden? Well, what kind of a person would I be if I devoted my life to being a missionary and helping people and I never stopped to help those who are most important to me? and because why? Because I was ashamed, embarrassed…uncomfortable? That would be horrible, you guys are worth more to me then that and I just want you to know it. Yes, you are more important to me then what you think about me. So just think about what I’ve said, take it to heart and I’m just sorry that I was too scared to share with you sooner. God Bless and I love you! (Dude, I have such a big smile, just, like, plastered on my face right now:)

Oh yeah, and I caught a lizzard -->