Prayer Calendar- DR 2010

Below you will find the prayer calendar for our team... thank you for your love and support...
Dominican Republic Trip 2010: Prayer Calendar
Thank you for committing to pray for our team over the week that we will be in the Dominican Republic partnering with Orphanage Outreach (March 27- April 3). You are truly a blessing! This trip would not be possible without you.

Day 1: March 27th (Saturday)
 Most of us will be leaving from Nashville at 6:15am. We will then meet Lucy and Brianna (who leave from Knoxville at 8:40am) in Miami and we will be flying into Santiago, Dominican Republic by 1:35pm. Please pray that plane schedules run on time, safety in the air and that all of our luggage reaches Santiago.
Day 2: March 28th (Sunday)
 Today we will be going to church with the children as well as planning for the week’s upcoming VBS. We will be blending our preparation with the efforts of the other volunteers that we will be working with this week. Please pray for patience, wisdom, flexibility and creativity in this process. Please pray also that we are able to adjust to the new routine of a new place. Please pray for the new friendships that will be forming with the other volunteers that we would all work towards a mutual goal of serving Christ this week.
 Please pray for Lucy Hayes. She asks that you bring the following prayer requests before our Lord.
o Safety traveling there and back and while we are there
o Ability to make a difference and serve to the best of my ability
o The energy and strength to keep up with all the kids!
Day 3: March 29th (Monday)
 Today we will begin our first day at the VBS site. Please pray for flexibility and patience as we figure out the routine of the VBS. Please pray that we would begin to form friendships with the children that we are going to be serving all week. Pray that they would understand the love of Christ through our lessons and through our example.
 Please pray for Brianna Lamke. She asks that you bring the following prayer requests before our Lord.
o Emotional preparation in being away from home
o Having strength to not get too attached to the children
o This is a bigger step for me as far as mission trips so I’m a little anxious, especially for travels there and not having my parents there to send me off.
Day 4: March 30th (Tuesday)
 Today will be the second day of VBS. Please pray for wisdom, clarity, patience and flexibility as we continue to get in the grove of VBS. Pray that we continue to develop friendships with the children, conveying the love of Christ.
 Please pray for Nikki Votaw. She asks that you bring the following prayer requests before our Lord.
o Language barrier
o Pray that I step out of my comfort zone and feel at ease in this new environment
o Acclimation to new routine; being able to sleep, stay healthy, have energy
Day 5: March 31st (Wednesday)
 Today we will be our third day at VBS. Pray for continued stamina as we continue to work hard to present an effective lesson, but also for patience and flexibility when working with the children. Wednesdays are often the days that the students are most “antsy”, so pray for patience with the students that we would convey the love of Christ through our response and actions. Also pray for the continued friendships forming with the children at the orphanage that we would be a source of encouragement and vessels to share God’s love with those around us. Also pray for continued health for our team as we are in the middle of the week.
 Please pray for Caleb Trimble. He asks that you would bring the following prayer concerns to the throne of our Lord.
o Our team would remain strong and yet flexible
o We would continually show Christ in our actions and in our speech
o It would be an uplifting week for the staff at the Orphanage
o We would remember that we are working a small part of a huge Kingdom and mission.
Day 6: April 1st (Thursday)
 Today will be our last day working at VBS. Please pray that we will be able to clearly communicate the lessons, but also take time to send loud the message that these students are loved by the Savior of the world. Please pray also that we would be able to spend quality time with those children that we have formed friendships with, but in a way that would be most beneficial for the children. That the children would remember Christ’s love after we are gone.
 Please pray for Melissa Swartzentruber. She asks that you bring the following prayer concerns to the throne of our Lord.
o Communication with the kids in the English class with the language barrier
o That the Holy Spirit would guide us into conversations where we can share the love of Jesus with the kids there.
Day 7: April 2nd (Friday)
 Today we will spend the day touring Monte Cristi, a town in the Northwest corner of the Dominican Republic. Please pray that this day will afford ample opportunities for reflection and conversation that would help to digest the work that was accomplished and the relationships that were built this past week. Pray that God would instill in each team member the reason for their calling to this trip and what the “take homes” are from this trip.
 Please pray for Monica Swartzentruber. She asks that you bring the following prayer concerns to the throne of our Lord.
o Wisdom and guidance in leading the team down to the Dominican Republic. Wisdom in making decisions throughout the week and guidance to know what would be the wisest thing to do.
o That I would focus on relationships and spreading the love of Christ in service to His kids.
o Comfort as I see and reconnect with the children that I met this past summer. Pray that I would continue to convey the love of Christ to each one. Also pray that leaving on Saturday would be smooth and that I would remember the sweet memories that I have with those children.
Day 8: April 3rd (Saturday)
 Today we will be flying out of Santiago. Caleb will be on the 8am flight out of Santiago and the rest of us will be leaving out of Santiago at 3:00pm. Pray for safety traveling to the airport as well as safety as we all fly back to the United States. Brianna and Lucy will land in Knoxville by 11pm and the rest of us will be landing in Nashville by midnight. Pray that we would be safe traveling back to our final destinations and that we would be able to take time to reflect on the week that we have just been a part of.

The final stretch

Again I am sorry for not updated as frequently as I should... I really do appreciate all of your prayers and support throughout this whole process of preparation and I ask that you would continue to keep us in your prayers. Our team met yesterday to talk about some final details and it is continually setting in that I will be returning before I know it. What a blessing! God definitely used this past summer to teach me, mold me and bless me and I am excited to share that with the other people on my team. I am also very excited, as anyone would be, to see the children that I met this past summer.
I wanted to share with you our verse for this trip:
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11).
We will be working through this passage while we are in the Dominican Republic in order that we would be able to maintain the proper focus and direction in-country.
In the next post I have included our prayer calendar. Please keep our team in your prayers as we make the last minute preparations and then as we leave in 11 days :).

Thank you for your love and support.
Monica

Friday Nights

So it has been a long last couple of weeks, and finally I was able to take a breath last night. I really enjoy relaxing with people, but when I really need to "recharge my batteries" I need to spend some time alone. Last night was one of those times. I was able to watch some TV, go for a run and just spend some time with our Father, which is always re-energizing. I don't know why I forget that in order to pour into other people I need to be filled up by the Living Water. So last night I was listening to the radio and the Desert Song by Hillsong. The lyrics are below..

The Desert Song
This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will

I also spent some time in a passage in 1 John 2:15-17. What a convicting passage about being in the world, but not of the world.

So the update on the trip...
We had the Valentine's Dinner last weekend to raise money for the trip. Eight wonderful people came to the dinner, and it was an opportunity to bond as a team as well as spend some time with the guests that did come to the dinner. God used the opportunity for His glory and for that I am thankful. Next weekend we will be doing a service project as a team. Melissa will be coming over to Knoxville for the weekend to go with us, so that will be a blessing. I am getting excited about going down there, as the time gets closer. Please continue to be in prayer for our team as we make the final preparations.
Blessed by you,
Monica

Swinging into a new semester

I find myself, even though it is only Tuesday, looking forward to Friday. It was a very long day and I am beginning to feel the weight of the semester. I do know that God will get me through this one, just as He has the past seven. This past week has been one of growth, a direct blessing of your prayers. I have been blessed by the quality "Rocking Chair Time" that I have had with God this past week. The passage that I read each night, focused in Psalms, has always been exactly what I have been dealing with that day. Praise God that He knows me better than I know myself. So we had our meeting yesterday and we have decided to have a Valentine's Dinner on February 13th now, because Gap Creek is free that night and we decided that would reach a greater audience than the babysitting night. So we began planning that yesterday and it is shaping up to be a good event. We will start selling tickets next Monday, so hopefully we will get a good response. We are going to have the spaghetti dinner at both 5:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets will sell for $10 each, but we will also be accepting donations.
Please bring these requests to our Father this week:
- Stamina for me this week, and others on the team as the semester gets in "full swing"
- Provision for the funds
- Wisdom in planning out the details of the Valentine's Dinner

You are a blessing.
Until next time,
Monica

Do you have time to call me before class?

So this morning I got a text message from my mom that wanted to know if I could talk to her before class. I was concerned at first, because normally mom doesn't text me that early in the morning, so I called her and she just had some questions for me. All that to say, that that made me think that might be something that God says to me on many days, especially recently... Do you have time to call me before class? I don't know why I struggle with that so much. He is the creator of the universe, and more importantly my Savior, I many days I don't make time out of my schedule to "call him before class". Hopefully there is change on the horizon.
So an update from this week...
God is good... I am constantly overwhelmed with the blessings of friendship. We met on Monday and things seem to be progressing. We chose the theme for the week on Monday and it is going to be "Worshiping God" with our head, heart, hands/feet, soul. Everyone chose their station: English (Dr. Votaw, Melissa), Lesson (Bria), Games (Becky, Caleb), Crafts (Lucy). I will be filling in wherever is needed along the way and the actual week of. I am very excited about the possibilities that this theme will bring. We also decided that we are going to have a babysitting night fundraiser on the night of February 12th, for those couples that want to go out for Valentine's Day. This coming Monday we will talk more about this. As we go into the next week, please bring the following things to our Father, on our behalf:
- Patience in planning the week
- A continued attitude of flexibility throughout the whole process
- Continued trust in the faithfulness of God to provide the funds for the trip.

I hope you are doing well.
In Him alone,
Monica

Called to return

And so the second part of the journey begins... As of about a month ago, I have been in preparations to return to the Dominican Republic. I always knew that I would be returning to this place that absolutely captured my heart, but I didn't know that it would be this soon. I plan to lead a team from my school during the "Week of E"... Week of Evangelism (aka Spring Break). I am very excited especially because Meliss is a part of the team. I am so excited to be called the same time that Melissa is and be able to experience God in the DR at the same time as she does for the first time. As the details continue to work out, I ask for your prayers. We would like to have 10 people to go on this trip, but right now we only have 7. I believe that God will work everything out for the best, but I still fight my human need to have things figured out. I guess it is just the "old me" coming back that I thought that I got rid of this past summer. Please also pray for our team as we begin at tomorrow's meeting making the outline for the VBS that we will be doing during that week. Pray for creativity, team work and patience. Also, I would appreciate your prayers as I continue to lead this team. It is still a new experience for me... I am learning a lot, but I know that there are still other things I have yet to learn. On another note, school started last Thursday, so throw that in with everything else that needs to be done. Praise God that He remains faithful and constant. I will continue to keep you updated throughout the preparations. May God richly bless you.
In Him,
Monica

Week 10

I'm HOME!!! It is crazy to think that this time last week, I was still in the DR. Even though adjusting has been a bit difficult at times, God is faithful and I am continually amazed at the things that God is teaching me. The last week in the DR I had the distinct opportunity to organize the "Almacen", which is the storage building for all of the materials that are used by Orphanage Outreach at the Monte Cristi Site. Things include everything from sports equipment to art supplies that are used at camps. I spent literally 3 and 1/2 days organizing this building. At the end of it, I had set aside a bunch of baseball equipment that can be used to be distributed at a nearby baseball organization and the cabinets where is such a way that future camp planners won't have to rummage through materials that they are looking for. For most people this project would have seemed overwhelming and I'll have to admit that there were times during the project that I would think, "What would happen if I just shut the door on this and ran away, fast?" For me though, for the most part, it was strangely comforting. Aside from the fact that I LOVE to organize things, it was a good start to debriefing for me. I spent the whole summer around lots of people, which, for me, is very draining. I was able to spend time thinking about this past summer all the while organizing the almacen. God is great how He has things to work out.

So I have been back for almost a week now and I will return to school on Sunday (hopefully to start training for the soccer team...given that we have enough girls to play). I am excited about returning to a schedule and routine, but kinda hesitant because I don't want my old way of doing things to swallow me whole. I will share one of the main lessons I learned in the DR.

In the DR there are porches on most of the houses. Nothing extravangant, but more times than not they have a couple of rocking chairs on the porch. Because in the DR they do not have large front yards, the porches are part of the town activity. The rocking chair to me represents relaxed time with someone else. Often times you don't have an agenda or a specific purpose, but just willing to spend time sharing hearts. That is view that I want to take in taking "Rocking Chair Time" (RCT) with God, friends and family.

And so I want to thank you once again for all of your thoughts, prayers, encouragment and support. I will be sending out a summer recap with some pictures very soon. I hope that one day we are able to sit down so I can share the stories, relationships and conversations that captured my heart this summer.

Blessings to you,
Monica