Life Is Hard, But God Is Good

Tonight I sit here with a heavy, but joyful heart. The kids are all in bed, goodbyes have been said and a few hours of packing and a few hours of sleep are ahead of me. Bright and early, I leave CVE, everything that has become my home for the past year and a half, but I can rejoice, because I am going home, to the place where God has now called me. For such a time is this, God blessed me with the opportunity to serve here in Magdalena. I don't know why. I know He could have raised up a stone and the stone would have been more obedient! ;) However; in all His Goodness, I have been blessed to work alongside a staff that follows hard after God, to mentor beautiful children and watch as they come to know God, to love ten little girls with everything in me and to meet an amazing community and church family in Magdalena. Now, in all His Goodness, God has called me on to partner with Jon, an incredible man of Him.

I am blessed beyond what I can put into words and far beyond what I deserve. I thank each one of you who have supported me through my time here. I have been stretched to new lengths and know the only reason I didn't snap through those hard times were because of God's Grace given to me in abundance as a result of your many prayers and words of encouragement.

I will end where I started...

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

A Sunday of Goodbyes

7-8 year old Sunday School Class
Another crazy made up game played after services
One last farewell to the kids on the bus

Saturday in the Park and More Family Pictures

The girls and I loaded up this afternoon for one last afternoon at the plaza. We proceeded to eat at the many places that we normally avoid because the food is so amazingly good, but so ridiculously bad for you. We enjoyed it all with "extra butter." ;)

We browsed around the plaza while stuffing our faces. What a great time.

House Pictures: Today was the day the members of our house united to take house Christmas pictures. There are currently eleven living in the casa and all were around, besides Hilda. My housemates Jenna and Steph are amazing friends and have kept me sane through times of near insanity. ;)

Before we began the photo session, Jenna instructed us, "no matter what, don't worry about the kids' expressions, just look at the camera and smile." We did a really good job about not worrying about the kids' expressions. ;)

Any picture not requiring us looking at the camera was a huge benefit.

Pollo had enough, even after the blatant bribery of cookies...Oops, I mean, positive reinforcement...