“When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down” Exodus 17:12

One thing I will admit about myself, I’m pretty stubborn. I can remember seeing a photo on social media one day that said something along the lines of “any plan God has for you, he has already taken into account your foolishness.” That’s a relief! 

I knew the moment my friend mentioned “helping in the DR” I would love to do it, but it was probably impossible. God knew I would need some confirmation. You see I’m the type of person that when I have a thought in my head, I usually explain it away as not being from God. God knew when he called me into his family, that I would need people to walk alongside me, encourage me, and pray for me. I can’t explain it, but I just know that God is faithful to put people in front of me to encourage me in what I’m supposed to be doing. You see when I started considering coming to the Dominican, I told maybe three people in the first week. God had three other people reach out to me, encouraging me that this was where he was calling me. 

These friends (and others) are my Aaron and Hur. They text, call, and FaceTime at just the right times. They know when I’ve been a little silent it’s probably been a busy time here, and I could use a friendly face from home, some prayer, and encouragement. I am truly thankful to know that I have friends near and far that will help hold my hands up to God if and when I need them. 

But I don’t think that’s the lesson God is trying to teach me through this story. You see, this story of Moses first came up about a month ago following a staff meeting, Jeff and Kamanda had shared a sermon from City Church in Fort Wayne. A video at the end of the sermon had a couple sharing their testimony, referencing this story. Then again a few weeks ago, sitting in my room, God put this story on my heart. I read the story again and even did some deeper digging. A week later, standing in church, God put this story on my heart again. I reached out to a close friend and asked her to pray for my understanding of what God is trying to teach me. Then by chance, I went to youth group with Katelyn, two weeks ago and this is the exact story they were sharing with the youth.

Ok, God, I see you! 

So, I continue to look for how God is asking me to put this verse into action in my life. Where can I be an encouragement to anyone I interact with or hold their hands up when they need it? 

Since my last update, all the American staff had the opportunity to spend a few days in La Romana with the Zimmerman family to rest. We stayed at a very nice resort and spent a lot of time swimming in the pool. 

I still enjoy taking time to visit El Cacheo and El Hoyo. Last week on the way back, we got stuck in the river, it is always an adventure. 

We have had a few gatherings for the Buchers as they prepare to move home, bittersweet is the only way to describe the feelings. At the same time, I’m also very excited to have Hector taking the new role, and leading our team! 

Katelyn headed home last week, for a short amount of time (I’m sure she will share more in her blog this month), but that means I am in charge of the guesthouse. This week brings the start of VBS, I have never done a VBS week with Solid Rock so this will be a new learning experience for me. 

I continue to take Spanish lessons online, and I’m getting more comfortable driving stick-shift, both still require practice. 

Prayer Request: 

• Spanish Lessons and Comprehension
• Navigating Changes
• Smooth and Successful Summer with VBS teams