|
|
|
|
'TIS THE SEASON
Merry Christmas! It has been busy around here, despite the fact that we've had no teams since August. In September, we enjoyed a wonderful, though non-stop, time in California with friends and family! Among other things, we were able to visit all three of our supporting churches in Visalia, head up to Fresno Pacific University, participate in SI-related meetings at Hume Lake, and attend the SI banquet. We were blessed to be able to stay with our very good friends, the Alipaz', at whose home our kids had an amazing time of swimming and playing. Olivia, Sawyer and Lynnea even got to go to Disneyland and visit with Grandpa and Grandma "Doot-doot" and Grandma Dixon, who made the effort to come out from MN and CO! Our time in CA was both wonderful and exhausting. Thank you for your prayers regarding our travels; I can say with confidence that God has faithfully graced us (and our children!) in a special way on these big trips!
In other news, ministry sites continue to run, we've re-opened the Wood Shop, we've had several visitors this fall, and we just finished up end-of-year activities for our kids as well as our sites. For English class in December I decided to focus on the Christmas Story and vocabulary. For Girls Group at the Tutoring Center on Fridays, we made and decorated sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. It's a fun blessing to be able to share traditions from the States with our friends here.
|
|
|
|
Our 3 "fall" interns: Emily, Karis (Tracey's cousin!), and Karissa. These ladies have been a blessing, serving in our ministry sites wherever they can.
|
|
|
|
The Wood Shop re-opened in August with some guys who had come before and many new faces. Jeff has gotten to know a few them this fall including two brothers, Rolando and Sean. Little by little they have begun to share their struggles, hopes, and dreams with Jehudi and Jeff. Both dropped out of school in the fourth grade and are in need of guidance and direction. Here is Rolando with his finished first project, a medicine cabinet.
|
|
|
Being Dependent on God
If I had to sum our year up with one word it would be DEPENDENCY. Dependency on the Lord, that is. For those of us who struggle with self-sufficiency, dependency on God is a good thing to learn and experience. Unfortunately, it's not a particularly easy or fun thing. We've faced many staff changes, ministry site adjustments, daily challenges, and the kind of being-thinly-stretched that can only go on for a season before it can't go on any more. There have been moments where we've prayed, "God, if you don't come through on this, we are in big trouble. We do not see how this is going to work out." God has been gentle and faithful, has sustained us and the ministry of SI-CR, and we are so grateful. While there is a point at which stretching becomes unhealthy, it has also been good for us to remember that very little of what happens in this corner of the world depends on us. God is so much bigger, wiser and ABLE than we are. I was encouraged in a Bible Study this fall to know that Paul, writing about one of his most difficult-but-effective times in ministry, said these words: "We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure. . . . But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. . . We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us." (1 Corinthians 1:8-10) I'm encouraged to know that Paul was human, just like us, and that struggling does not equal failure. In fact, Paul's faith and character were placed in a refining fire, and God used him more than he knew at the time. Our desire is to be quick to allow God's work in us, and quick to turn to God and trust him in difficulties. And, may we depend on God for all things, even having the confidence that he will bring a new season when the time is right, and that he will continue to hold us in the mean time.
|
|
|
|
*Olivia: Finished 2nd grade with flying colors, loves her friends and siblings, is super creative and helpful, did great in ballet and Bible Drill this year, growing up way too fast!
*Sawyer: Graduated Kindergarten! How can this be? He was super cute as the Angel Gabriel as part of his graduation presentation. Continues to delight us with his imagination and humor, keeps us on our toes with his energy, is Lynnea's hero, loves soccer and taekwondo.
*Lynnea: This girl is 100% a 2-year-old! Is the cutest thing we've ever seen and also throws a monster fit, speaks Spanglish with the best of them, loves "Meeky Moss" (Mickey Mouse), her big "Seesty" and "Sojo", as well as going to " 'cool' (school).
|
|
Merry Christmas!
May you experience the peace of Jesus this season!
Love,
Tracey, Jeff, Olivia, Sawyer, and Lynnea Dixon
|
|
If you would like to donate a useful item to one of our ministry sites please click here to see the various options in the:
Students International Costa Rica Gift Catalog
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
