God’s been teaching me a lot about faith lately. I have been trying to have faith and to trust, but as you may know all too well it’s easier said than done. I have been trying to have faith that God will provide a job for me. That I have skills and knowledge to offer the development world (after a ton of interviews followed by rejection emails one starts doubting this). That coming to Bolivia was a good decision even though it has been filled with a lot of unanticipated challenges. I have been trying to have faith that God has a plan for Daniel and me. That even though some days we feel discouraged, something will work out. In true God fashion God really pushed me to my waiting and trusting limits recently. In the last week or so I found myself struggling to hold onto faith, hope and trust. During these difficult days I found myself clinging to Psalm 46 and taking comfort in it. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble… There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God… God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. –Psalm 46:1, 4, 5. I also found comfort in knowing that lots of people were lifting Dan and I up in prayer and from encouraging emails from friends. Thank you for that.
So, after weeks of searching, applying for jobs, completing interviews, and most of all, waiting, we have some exciting news to share. I have accepted a job with Mayan Families, an NGO working in Panajachel, Guatemala. As you may recall, in 2008-2009 I lived in Guatemala and worked as a volunteer with Mennonite Central Committee. I lived in Santiago Atitlan which is located on majestic Lake Atitlan. Panajachel is very close to Santiago, situated on the opposite side of the lake. It takes about 20 minutes to cross the lake via lancha (small motor boat). Needless to say, I am thrilled about returning to the Lake Atitlan region. Not only is it one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, the people and culture hold a special place in my heart. Since Dan came to visit me twice which I was living in Guatemala, he is familiar with the area too and very excited to be returning. I will be working as the Education Coordinator overseeing Mayan Families’ child school sponsorship program. They have almost 2,000 children sponsored so I am sure there will a ton for me to do. I will be working alongside another woman who I think is American. We spoke via Skype and she seems really nice. Most of the other employees at Mayan Families are indigenous, Guatemalan people- mainly women. I have committed to a one year contract with them. Dan hopes to attend language school (if it is financially feasible) and to find work either part-time or full-time. There is certainly a lot that still needs to fall into place (finding an affordable place to live, Dan finding work, etc.), but we are hopeful that things will come together after we arrive. We feel sure that living in Guatemala will be a better fit for us and believe it will be a better situation for us financially and emotionally. We feel peaceful about the change and it feels great to be returning to a country we know and love.
The hard part of this exciting news is that we will be moving directly to Guatemala. Although we planned on coming back to the States for a short visit, it didn’t work out the way we had hoped. While I was so excited to see familiar faces and indulge in all the things I have been missing (sushi, Greek yogurt, and a washing machine to name a few), we have to accept that it just didn’t work out. We were initially filled with a ton of sadness regarding this, but as the days have gone on we have started to feel better about it. Thankfully, our friends and family have been really understanding. And hey, this is just one more reason to have visitors, right? :) We hope to make a trip back to the U.S. at the end of May/beginning of June for some important family and friend events. We will try to make the rounds and see everyone then. For now, we’d appreciate your prayers as we begin to pack up and prepare for our new adventure in Guatemala.
Thank you and much love to you all.
-Rachel & Daniel
 |
| A shot of beautiful Lake Atitlan |
No comments:
Post a Comment