Camping camping camping...Wilderness here we come!!!

Hello there! I'm sorry I haven't been on here in a while. Two weeks of school have already passed and I am tired! The first full week was this week. The week before was like a preview and an open invitation to others to apply.
So for this week we started with amazing worship where we get to linger in His presence. AWESOME! And then usually a devotion or testimony and then we head straight to class. This week we learned the entire bible...summarized in the 12 Era's and had to memorize the 66 books of the bible. I was sooooo grateful for Awana's when I was a kid because that childhood song has stuck with me forever with the books of the bible. After that class we split into the three terms. Aaron and I are term 1 and then there are students in the second and third(final) term that we worship with and then separate for different learning. We have done a bunch of preparation for tomorrow...WILDERNESS WEEK! We are backpacking on Catalina Island for Sun-Friday! We will hike/walk 27 miles with our packs/tents/all food on our backs! It will be amazing. We are going to be studying the book of 1 John and I am so excited to know my class better and to really come to a greater understanding of God's love and His commands on restoring that and real true reconciliation! The reason we had a bunch of prep for this upcoming week is lots of people here have never backpacked, let alone camped OUTSIDE! It was great. I think my class will grow so close to each other and Lord willing become more of a family as we serve each other.

I can tell you a bit about who's in my class. We have three younger ladies from age 18-21 and I love them! Then another girl probably close to my age and right now she is driving back and forth to L.A. to come to school so pray for her to find a place here so she can rest more. Then there are six guys in my class. One is from Lithuania, one is from the Congo and the older gentleman is from Syria!!! WHAT?? So cool. And another great guy who seems close to our age and one amazing man in a wheelchair who just blesses us all every day. He is also able to go on our hike...but will be driven to our camp sites to grow with us and fellowship. His mom, who is AMAZING...is in the term three class and has prayed for him to be able to go and I don't know anyone who isn't excited for him.  There is one more guy in my class and I have to connect him to the 21 year old girl...they are engaged! They were to be married in November  out in Arizona where they are from and God just rocked their worlds and called them to call the wedding off until they go through Impact together!! Aaron and I have been so blessed to have them over for lunch and both really are seeing that we have a love for these two and want to encourage them in starting their marriage off in the most amazing way by coming to know how to follow Christ whole heartedly and making disciples as a couple!

One thing we both are seeing is a real neat connection we have with the staff and interns at the school. Most of that comes from Cisco's fervent prayers for us and telling everyone about us. It just encourages us so much to know that by us being here during the first week a woman, who's a mom...felt she had no excuse anymore to not come to Impact and finally applied and is in Aaron's class!! How awesome to see God move...and man is He moving.

A couple things you would see if you came to our school...

-People praying...everywhere! When you'd pull in to the parking lot people's heads are bowed and praying right and left. As you walk down the hall people are praying...all the time.  Whenever we talk to anyone...and anything of great praise or just simple needs comes up they bow and talk to our Savior. What this really does is avoids the trails of gossip and small talk and puts us in constant communication with our Creator...and man does He deserve it. It is such a blessing.

-Smiles and laughter...Our school is full of so many different people from so many different walks of life and cultures...shy and outspoken and they are full of the love of God. It radiates!

-A community you have probably never ever ever seen...and if you did some of you might be uncomfortable. What I mean is this is the body of Christ...and some of us have never really experienced people who seek Him in a way that they are learning to give WHENEVER there is a need, hug, pray for all things, sacrifice things that are hard to let go of and to see you as He sees you without judgement.

 

As far as Aaron and I we are good. A bit tired because this week in between his class and mine we had to run to Goodwill,REI,Target and Walmart...and another sporting store to get stuff for our wilderness trip..we sold a bunch at our yardsales in CO and sadly had to replenish...but God was so faithful! I found REI & Patagonia clothing at the goodwill!!! WHAT? We also were given our packs, sleeping bags, ground pads, tarps, plates and water bottles from multiple people at school who are in different terms or on staff that aren't going...EVERYONE offered EVERYTHING. It is unbelievable. We will leave tomorrow at 7:00am and Cisco's wife, Naomi and her two girls Serena & Ariel will be here all week watching the kids. And two or three other women are coming every day to help her take care of our kids!  They are so excited!! Malachi just can't wait for us to leave.

As far as the kids school...we enrolled them in a charter school here that provides a home study...so I am home schooling. What happens is we meet with a facilitator every 20 days to check work for the kids. She met with us and we ordered the curriculum we wanted...and how awesome is this...the Story of the World(A Christian History curriculum) is in there system and we got all of the books and photo copies and an art kit full of supplies FREE! And by them doing this each kid is allotted $850 towards extra curricular activities..i.e. soccer, piano...dance...baseball!!! WHAT? How great is our God that things we had not planned on doing just so we could watch our budget and we knew we didn't NEED them either...HE PROVIDES with such great joy. We start their curriculum the week we get back from wilderness. The kids are doing great. Rachel had a blessed birthday at the beach. Malachi can't wait for his birthday. Rachel officially bikes with no training wheels and is trying to get her front teeth out...they are loose. Isaiah is a bit tough lately with anger issues and being three with high highs and low lows. He is still a snuggle bug and so cute. Isaiah is a doll! Also has a bit of a temper but really our most laid back munchkin. He's not talking yet...may be a bit stubborn like Isaiah in that area.

 

Please stay with us. Pray for us!! God is moving and we are desiring to draw near to Him and that means a battle is waging for our attention to be drawn away from Him.  I am learning to worship louder and more constant. Prayer has been such a weapon and His Word is our greatest weapon!! We love you all. We are also in prayer for where we are called to go on the 2 week missions trips between terms. So pray for us.

 

Here's my sweet sister, Analisa who is an intern for Impact and she is leaving for Oaxaca, Mexico in April for two years to bring the gospel to the least reached people group in the western hemisphere.(based on population) ...did you know there are 6000 people groups that are NOT reached.

Here is Cisco's amazing family...baby Ariel who turned 4 months old!!!, their oldest daughter Serena who is 15 and beautiful Naomi(who is also on staff at Impact). They are staying at our house to watch the kids next week!

 

 

More pictures to come...