Good- Bye Sonshine and San Felipe

 My last week in San Felipe and at Sonshine was one of the most difficult good-byes I have had in my life. I now truely know that the good-byes are the hardest part of missions work. At the beginning of the last week I started to feel excited and sad, anxious and content all at the same time. I was so sad to leave my San Felipe friends, church family, and to leave Sonshine. Both have become a part of me and will always have such a special place in my heart. Even though it was not the last I will see of San Felipe it was hard to leave all of these people that have become part of my every day life. During this experience I met some of the most amazing people and have learn so much about a beautiful culture.

Being able to lay the foundation of the orphanage with the staff of Sonshine was amazing. I was so blessed to have worked with great people who will one day soon be teaching children about God's love and grace. To know that God choose me to be a part of that has me in awe of God's grace. I am so excited for Sonshine and how God has and will be glorified there. I have no regrets about Sonshine and cannot wait to visit when the children get there.

I felt so blessed to have been embraced by everyone in San Felipe. My church family took me in as part of their family simply because I was part of their spiritual family and showed me love and a different way of life. I can say that the time I spent with them has forever changed me. Even though this experience didn't last as long as I thought, I appreciate all that I have learned and I finished this experience knowing that I am very much called by God to nations. I went to San Felipe to work with children and while I didn't get to see the children at Sonshine, I believe God sparked new inside of me. During my time with the friends in San Felipe I began to desire really to be with people and have better relationships with friends.  I still want to work with children in the mission field primarily but experiencing the culture through relationships is priceless part of missions work.

I am now trusting God in this next chapter of my life and believe that the fire and passion God has given me for people and culture He will continue to stir. I believe that the work that God has started in me He is faithful to complete as I continue to let God lead the way.

Pastors

From the English Class a friend and I started at Church

From my Going Away Lucheon with Sonshine Staff

Going Away Dessert after Event at the Church

And Yet I Will Praise Him!

So we have this wall that we have to build that will cost $10,000 and we need to build it before we get Social Services approval. We also need Dorm Parents to come and help with the children when they come. This is a problem because the dorm parents has to be female, 25, Mexican, Christian, and not married and will to live at Sonshine Hacienda.  This is going to be a challenge as well. So we are up against challenges and slowly moving toward the goal. It is very hard on the staff right now and their are frustrations but I know that God will bring children to Sonshine in His own time. The funny thing about God is He is very interested in the process and He has been teaching me new things and showing me parts of myself that I never knew was there. Things are not happening the way I anticipated but yet I will praise the name of the Lord. God has been so good to me and to Sonshine. I think that when times are hard it is best to be thankful for what the Lord has done and to praise Him for who He is. Psalm 69:30  says I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. I want to make sure I am thanking Him for what He has done and magnifying His goodness above my frustrations. While I don't understand everything that is going on or what God is doing I know that Gods ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts so I have to trust Him.

This the new playset that was put together last month

Add caption

                           

A view of the rock climbing area

The bedrooms made up with quilts that were donated

Have Faith In God

• The past few weeks God has given me this verse: And Jesus answering saith unto the them, “Have faith in God I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24. This verse has been such an encouragement to me in the past few weeks. In December I went home for the holidays, but right before I left we had a visit from our social services representative and they gave us a list of some of the corrections that need to be made to Sonshine's building there were a good amount of things that we needed to do and one included  $10,000 fence/wall. This was overwhelming to me. I went home feeling discouraged and frustrated. I want kids to be here already and so does the rest of the staff and now there is more stuff that we have to take care of before we see them here.  I left doubting. While at home the Lord ask me to see this situation not as a set back but as an opportunity to stretch my faith and believe. Believe that all of the things that I have prayed for and declared over Sonshine Hacienda, I'm going to see. I need to make the decision to have faith in God. God has provided for me and Sonshine until now why should I start doubting Him now. I have faith in God and believe that this mountain will be moved.