Hello again!

I can't believe October is only a week from being over! The more time i spend here, the faster the time goes by. Everything is still going well and ever since last Wednesday when i was able to share with my two students about the Christmas story, i have had so many more open doors with them. First of all, i was able to give them a Book in their language. It's not a full Book, actually, it's a Children's Book, filled with stories and beautiful pictures. If they had known what it was, they probably would not have accepted it, but since it is in the form that it's in they were very interested in it and liked it a lot. They've also asked a lot more questions that i've been able to answer and explain. We got to talking about funeral customs for believers and i told them that we often sang at funerals. They thought that was very strange and asked about it. When i thought about it, i had to admit it was kind of strange too, but not when you think about the hope that we have! I explained this to them the best i could. If you could Ask just one thing for these girls, please Ask that they would continue to have questions and that i would have wisdom in answering them. I have another student too, but it's really difficult with her because she speaks absolutely no English and i know only a little bit in her language. She knows what i believe and how i act, but it's difficult because i want to communicate it verbally with her so bad! Please ask for opportunities with her too. Our goal with our students, besides of course getting to share with them, is to leave as many materials in their language as we can before we leave. We can say a lot while we're here, but His word is much more powerful than what we can say, and It can speak long after we're gone. It's such an encouragement to know that "[His] word that comes from [His] mouth will not return to [Him] empty, but will prosper in what [He] sent it to do and will accomplish what [He] pleases." It's so wonderful to know that whatever else happens while we're here, God has already promised that His purpose will be accomplished!

Besides all that, everything is going pretty well! Our d-ship group is still great, the weather is still slowly, but surely, cooling off, and we have our last public class tomorrow (that might not sound like a good thing, but it is....for so many reasons). Please continue to pray for me and my teammate. Often when the work is going awesome and is at a crucial point, the enemy does his best to discourage and to

Doors are opening...

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to update everyone on an amazing opportunity i had last night with two of my students! They are the two sisters that i have been tutoring in the family that we have gotten close to. I had told them both a few weeks ago that i loved Christmas and that it was my favorite holiday, so on Monday, they asked if i could teach them about Christmas the next class. i agreed, not even realizing what a great opportunity this would be. As i was preparing, however, it dawned on me what an open door this was. i realized what they had inadvertantly asked to hear about! So last night i had an opportunity to share about Christmas with them. We made paper snowflakes, listened to Christmas music and talked about traditions, but we centered the lesson around the real Christmas story. We read it aloud and talked about what it meant. I explained to them that this story was the reason i love Christmas so much. i explained to them that it was real, unlike all the other Christmas stories like Santa and elves and everything, and that it was important to me. They understood the Christmas story pretty well, but the oldest girl wanted me to explain it a little more. I did, but also told her that i could probably find it in her language if she wanted me to and she said that she did. What an open door! She asked me to bring the Word into her house and she didn't even know it.

Last night i wanted to cry as i heard them reading the Christmas story out loud. Just to think that the truth has probably never even entered their home before, and there they were last night, reading it in the middle of their living room! Just read Luke 2:10-14 and imagine hearing it read by someone who has never heard it before! Some amazing things are going on over here! I just wanted to update you and thank you for lifting me up! Please continue to do so! Some pretty huge doors are opening over here!

Erin

About halfway through....

Things are still trucking on over here. I think the longer I'm over here, the less and less updates I'll have to give and the more and more prayer requests I'll have. We are still privately tutoring, still having the public class, and still having the girls' d-ship group. All are going pretty well, but all need prayer.

We've developed really good relationships with these women that we're teaching. On Thursday night, we hung out outside of class with the family that we have been getting to know and we had so much fun. We also met about 15 crazy college students the other day randomly and hung out with them for the whole night. Those girls were awesome. We also really love the ladies that are in our Monday classes and have gotten to be really good friends with all of them, one in particular. It has occurred to me, though, the more i build relationships with these women that the main goal of my being here is not simply to build relationships. If that were the case, then i have done what i came here to do. I love these women and have become good friends with them. But i have been thinking a lot lately about their future and their destiny when this life comes to an end and it breaks my heart. Unless something changes or divine intervention happens, their future is grim to say the least. With this in mind, i have been even more diligent in lifting them up and looking for opportunities with them. I wish i could say more, but the language i would have to use in doing so prevents me. Darn it. Haha. Please join me in asking for something to change and something miraculous to happen in the lives of these women.

I would also ask you to pray for our girls' d-ship group. I mentioned in my last blog about the sleepover we were going to have and what a great opportnity it would be. It certainly was a God-given opportunity but it didn't exactly go as planned. That night our eyes were opened to some of the things that they are doing and dealing with at 13 years old that i never would have dreamed of. I was honestly a little disappointed but mainly just grieved at how they are voluntarily putting themselves in bondage at so young an age. Decisions they are making now have the capacity to ruin their lives. We have addressed these issues with them and explained to them how they have a higher calling than the world. They are followers and they are called to act on it. Please keep us and these girls in your prayers. We need wisdom on how to handle these situations and they need changes in their lives. These girls are still so great. They are continuing to learn and to apply it. The problem is what this represents for the rest of the youth in this country that are believers. These girls are the cream of the crop and they are dealing with these things; this does not bode well for the rest of the youth here. I love these girls so much and am, as Paul said "jealous for them with godly jealousy."

Those are the main things you can be praying for us. We are about at the halfway mark with our time here and i can't help but feel that what we're called to do will take longer than the time we have here. I'm not worried though. I'm taking one day at a time and doing what i know i am called to do each day. I'm really enjoying my time here, this is an awesome opportunity on so many levels. God is so good. Lately i have been overwhelmed with that fact.

Love you all!