Showing me new things...

God is so good! Can i just say that first?

Okay great! So this weekend was a good one and a kinda busy one.

Saturday Katy and I led an excursion to the lower falls, and just sat by the water and read for a few hours which was SO relaxing and much needed even if it was way too hot, and we stayed there for wayyyy too long. oh well! That night we took teams around to shop in the city, and then to dinner as well. My group was pretty easy and simple, so they didn't stress me or Mackalah out at all!

Sunday some of the interns led the prayer walk in the morning while the others went to church and then vice versa in the afternoon. This prayer walk was cool because I for once felt the leader side in me come out, which is something I don't normally experience. Sure, I've been captain on a few teams I've been on in the past, but never really a spiritual leader. I've always looked up to certain role models in my life for that, and haven't really been looked up to or led in that way really before. The prayer walk opened my eyes to that. I had four girls, and we have a sheet where we pray for different things in the community of Jarabacoa that we are serving in. And yes, I've already led too, but this one they were so dependent on me and hung on my every word, it was so cool.

That same afternoon we went to Amor a Quisqueaya (I have NO idea how to spell it), which is the church I am prone to going to b/c Jess goes there and all my volleyball girls and baseball boys. Jess brought my favorite little five year old (Weeme) and she fell asleep on my lap. That night at bible study, we had a really good discussion over the book we are reading, "Crazy Love", and then split into our prayer groups (boys and girls). My prayer this week was a praise for feeling like such a leader with this team, and my request was for all the goodbyes I have to make soon. We all prayed and when it was my turn to be prayed for I bawled like a baby. I have grown so close to this group of interns, and we are just starting to have more and more fun. My heart is here and I'm not ready to leave.

Monday came and went, with lots of volleyball being played and fellowship with my students. We have been sharing our testimonies sparingly throughout this outreach, and on Monday we heard several. It was cool for us girls to just sit around and learn about each others lives for a few hours. Monday night was a free night for us interns, we went and had dinner in town (chicken fingers.. SO good) and then ice cream, and then to watch some of my guy friends play softball. That night when I got back I had a note waiting for me, from a girl from this outreach.

Let me back up, I had a couple awesome notes in my lunch earlier that day.. from two of the interns that were so encouraging and just all around awesome! Then that night when I saw I had a note and read it I realized how much God's hand is in all of this. The note was from a girl named Morgan whom i really BARELY know.. it was so sweet. It said that she has been thinking about me, and God had really laid me on her heart to pray for. So the letter was a prayer, and then she asked for some prayer for herself as well. I teared up and thanked God for all the weird and crazy things he does.

Today.. the men's sports intern Josh and I are pretty close, and we decided to take our day off together and visit the developmental therapy site where Mackalah works with her fun site leader Amy :)

I LOVED it.. I have a whole new appreciation for people who deal with special education kids like that that are so severe. Mackalah and Amy have such strong patience levels and high energy to deal with so many kids all day! Mack took lots of pictures of me with the kids since my camera isn't working, I'll put them on facebook soon! Meanwhile, Andrea (an intern) came to the site, and delivered me two more notes. One from my boss and her husband ( we call them mom and dad), and one from Angie an intern whom I'm so close with! I teared up, then realized that notes from people on staff here whom i've connected with is a reoccurring theme, what a wonderful friend in Mackalah I have. It was partly her idea and some other intern(s) as well. They are so great! They know how hard it is for me to leave, and are making me feel so good about it.

Also, this morning during worship one of the leaders of one of the groups here, whom I've gotten to talk to quite a bit about life and other things handed me a piece of paper with two verses on it, he said that he was praying last night and those came up for him to give to me. Isn't that so crazy? Ahh it's such a reassuring feeling seeing how God thinks about you and cares for you.

Tomorrow we have a game in La Vega again, and I'm excited!

Prayer:

Goodbye's suck.. help me to be at peace with leaving.

My shoulder has been bothering me a LOT lately with all the volleyball and activeness, but I love being able to play!

God to continue to show me great things this last week..