Wow, I can't believe I can say this, but the time has finally come for me to go to Guatemala! God has truly opened the door as the opportunity literally dropped in my lap, when I least expected it.
After moving up to Minnesota, to spend time with family and God doing a work in my heart, where I really had to let the idea of going to Guatemala "go", God has clearly opened the door.
I will be teaching first grade at an international school called "Colegio Decroly Americano"! I have received an incredible package with this school. Everything that I had been praying for and looking for, suddenly dropped in my lap.
They are paying for my plane ticket there, providing a furnished apartment with monthly rent, electicity, water, and cable, local health insurance, and a stipend that will allow me to send money home to continue paying for my bills. God has done an unbelievable thing and I stand in awe of what He has planned. I am very excited and nervous as I have never been to this particular part of Guatemala before. The school is just outside of Guatemala city, in a city called "Mixco".
However, I will be 30 minutes from Kevin and Ginny Holmes' "Groundworks Guatemala" ministry and 45 minutes or so away from my missionary friend, Mary. I am sooo excited to see what kind of ministry opportunities God opens up as I never thought I would be going back to Guatemala in this fashion.
The educational system in Guatemala is very poor. They lack in resources and the children learn by rote. Please pray that God would use me to help bring about positive change in this school and in the lives of the children that I will teach. Please pray that He will give me amazing leadership skills, a creative spirit, the ability to create lesson plans where the children actively and eagerly learn and excellent communication and teamwork among the rest of the teachers at the school. I know that God can do this as He would not be calling me there if He didn't have something great planned.
I thank you all for going on this journey with me. I thank you for your prayers as God does hear and answer each one. I can do nothing without His help! Please stay tuned for future updates!
The Mother Hen
About Me
- Jen, the Mother Hen
- Guatemala
How It All Began!
The journey began when I went on a mission trip to Guatemala back in 2005. The calling from God was very present then. I had such an incredible passion for the people and the culture that I wasn't sure how I would be able to come back to the states. This is where my heart belonged and this was where I wanted to be, but at the time I knew that I wasn't supposed to stay because God said, "Not yet".
So, I tried again in 2007, but with wise counsel from others and with God prodding my heart, I knew that I was still not ready yet because I had a considerable amount of debt to get rid of.
So, Dec. 2007 I came home to FL, plugged myself in to whatever jobs I could, to get rid of the debt. I put teaching on hold as a higher paying job was offered to me at St. Paul Lutheran Church, working on their facilities and grounds department. Praise the Lord that I became credit card debt-free!
In July 2009, I made the move to stay with my parents in MN because I knew at some point that God was going to open that door for Guatemala and I wanted to spend more time with them and the rest of the family before I were to leave. I was also eager to find a teaching job.
After a lot of searching, I did find a job in MN, working as an Assistant teacher in a Headstart program. I let the idea of going to Guatemala, go, as I felt that if God really wanted me there, He would clearly open the door. I would not have to try so hard. Well, the minute I find out that I had this job, I receive a call and an email from a lady in Guatemala, wondering if I was still interested in a teaching position in her school.
I sent an email back in April to all of the international schools in Guatemala, wondering if any of them had any openings. I didn't hear from any of them except for one, and that one you had to raise your own support. This lady, Ana, told me that they would have openings for the next year and wanted to know if I was still interested.
After believing that I really wasn't going to be going any time soon, I did not think much of this opportunity because I figured it would be just like any other, and would not work. Oh, what little faith I had.
After talking to her and the principal, they offer me an incredible package as a first grade teacher. Everything that I was looking for and had been praying for, now appeared in my lap and I didn't have to do a thing. I could not believe it. So, in January 2009, I will be teaching first grade at "Colegio Decroly Americano"! Please keep me in prayer as I never thought I would be going to Guatemala so soon and in this way.
However, God is gracious and merciful as He is allowing me to live in that country and share His gospel message in unique ways, while at the same time enabling me to pay my bills that I have stateside. I praise God for this opportunity and for all that He will do. To think that God is going to use me in such a powerful way, in the Guatemalan education system is a very humbling thought.
I honestly can't thank God enough for how He truly answers prayers and for how He reveals His plans and His will for our lives. He does it in His own special way and in His own special time and it happens to be just perfect! I am so grateful, so thankful, and so humbled by God that He can use me, a broken vessel, to accomplish the work He wants to do with the people of Guatemala. Muchas Gracias a Dios!!:)
So, I tried again in 2007, but with wise counsel from others and with God prodding my heart, I knew that I was still not ready yet because I had a considerable amount of debt to get rid of.
So, Dec. 2007 I came home to FL, plugged myself in to whatever jobs I could, to get rid of the debt. I put teaching on hold as a higher paying job was offered to me at St. Paul Lutheran Church, working on their facilities and grounds department. Praise the Lord that I became credit card debt-free!
In July 2009, I made the move to stay with my parents in MN because I knew at some point that God was going to open that door for Guatemala and I wanted to spend more time with them and the rest of the family before I were to leave. I was also eager to find a teaching job.
After a lot of searching, I did find a job in MN, working as an Assistant teacher in a Headstart program. I let the idea of going to Guatemala, go, as I felt that if God really wanted me there, He would clearly open the door. I would not have to try so hard. Well, the minute I find out that I had this job, I receive a call and an email from a lady in Guatemala, wondering if I was still interested in a teaching position in her school.
I sent an email back in April to all of the international schools in Guatemala, wondering if any of them had any openings. I didn't hear from any of them except for one, and that one you had to raise your own support. This lady, Ana, told me that they would have openings for the next year and wanted to know if I was still interested.
After believing that I really wasn't going to be going any time soon, I did not think much of this opportunity because I figured it would be just like any other, and would not work. Oh, what little faith I had.
After talking to her and the principal, they offer me an incredible package as a first grade teacher. Everything that I was looking for and had been praying for, now appeared in my lap and I didn't have to do a thing. I could not believe it. So, in January 2009, I will be teaching first grade at "Colegio Decroly Americano"! Please keep me in prayer as I never thought I would be going to Guatemala so soon and in this way.
However, God is gracious and merciful as He is allowing me to live in that country and share His gospel message in unique ways, while at the same time enabling me to pay my bills that I have stateside. I praise God for this opportunity and for all that He will do. To think that God is going to use me in such a powerful way, in the Guatemalan education system is a very humbling thought.
I honestly can't thank God enough for how He truly answers prayers and for how He reveals His plans and His will for our lives. He does it in His own special way and in His own special time and it happens to be just perfect! I am so grateful, so thankful, and so humbled by God that He can use me, a broken vessel, to accomplish the work He wants to do with the people of Guatemala. Muchas Gracias a Dios!!:)
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1 comment:
Jen,
Want a beautiful child of God you are and I am so excited for the journey God has layed out for you. He truly does answer prayers in his timing and Ed and I had the privelage of getting to know only a small part of you and who you are but one thing always stood out was that you loved and wanted to serve your Jesus and that he had a true plan for your life. We look forward to seeing all God is going to do in the children you will teach and in you. Love, Ed and Debbie Lata
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