October's Official Newsletter

[An update regarding the last few weeks is soon to be posted-this post is not that update.]

Teaching English is very hard, which is why I had determined to never try to do so again. How our Father must laugh at our plans. He tells us in Proverbs 16 that many men plan out their life but that the Father works every step out. I have been encouraged by many people this month to not be afraid to begin to do something that I do not feel equipped to do. I have been extorted to remember the promises that He has made to you for He has not forgotten them. I was also told to not be afraid to ask for what I need. So, because of these words of inspiration I am pushing forward with our Shine School Follow Up English Corner program. 

In the midst of all this planning I have moments of minor freak outs. When I look at the task ahead and the skills needed to accomplish the task; I feel so small, inadequate, insufficient, and lost. I keep telling people that I need a partner, someone who is skilled in teaching English, someone who is organized and full of good ideas and plans to implement these activities.  Do you know someone like that? Are you someone like that? Wanna come and be a part of something great?  

I am only kidding a little bit, because I would love someone to help me in this journey. But I am also so very thankful for the people and resources He has already given me during this journey. I also realize that IF He doesn’t provide anyone to help me during this process of developing and implementing this program that I MUST lean on Him in every step. I believe that He has given this program to us and that He has great plans for it. So, because I know that I am weak and unable to accomplish it all on my own I will trust, lean, walk, and petition Him through every moment of planning, every web page I search for information and every time I step in front of the classroom.  In this way I will only have Him to glorify when the program is effective. 

I have a few needs.  One of them I think many of you would be able to meet: I am need of photographs of various beautiful things. Any kind of beauty will do. If you are willing to let us use them in our teaching or in our decorating for the Full Shine program please email me the photo files: denisej@worksmail.net.  My second need is that during my budgeting this past month I discovered that I am about 500 usd short every month. I know that many of you are unable to give financially but even 5 dollars a month would be helpful.

Psalm 16

Denise's personal version:

Protect me, O God, for I have come to you for rest. 

I hold firmly to the fact that you are my LORD and Master. 

Everything good I have comes from your hand

My sisters and brothers are my true example, whom I will look to. 

Those who follow other god's will have trouble and I will not join them in any kind of activity.

Father, you are what I hope to inherit: a true cup of blessing. 

For you keep all mine safe.

This place you have led me to is beautiful and No one could be happier than I to be here. 

I praise and give the Lord glory for He has guided me to this place and even in the dark He gives me insight. 

I know He is always beside me and so I will not waver to and fro but instead boldly go forward. 

It is no surprise that my heart is always joyful, my body is always safely resting and my mouth is always praising the Lord. 

You have preserved my soul and have sealed it onto the path of eternal life. 

Granting me the joy of Your presence and living with You from now till all eternity

City Slideshow

The telephone wires have a bit of a communication problem.

This is my electric bike

Many people make their living driving others around and so when they are not working they nap on their bikes. This is my imitation of them. 

My city has a giant transformer statute. 

This is how our water is delivered. 

Rainstorms

We have had a lot of rain lately and I have been having a hard time of it. I am tired of rain. Ready for heat. I was riding in the rain the other day and arrived at my destination completely soaked to the skin. My rain coat had had no chance at keeping me protected. 

I feel a little overwhelmed-not only due to the rain but also due to the amount of drama that has fallen on my life. I am sure that many of you have also felt this way. Overwhelmed by life's trouble.  

I am glad that we are not alone in all this. I find comfort in the fact that My Good Shepherd is with me. I know that He withholds no good thing from His children. This momentary trouble pales in comparison to the abounding grace I receive from His sacrifice. 

Praise Him for this fact!!

Rainstorm

Please don’t try to shelter me from the rain.

You never understand that part of my life includes the rain.

Washing my face, my hands, my body with cold, clean wet holiness.

And I am alive again.

With Spirit and with love and with righteousness

I dance amidst the rain.

Splashing and laughing the water shimmers and the starlight gleams

And the air is transformed into a sparkling fairy world

Where I may meet Oberon and he will join my Rain Dance.

Pittering against my window

Trying to get in

Its hard round self chased me in and now I’m cold.

The harshness and gloom have surrendered me into my

Chair and blankets, causeing introspection with its chorus on the panes of glass.

The sins unconfessed spring to mind

As well as the other times this glower appeared in the sky.

My own blue tide sweeps across my mind and the flood gates open slowly.

Trickle by tear my prayers roll out of me.

My fears, my sins, my hopes, my fruitless dreams.

With each sob the load is lightened.

I have found a friend who is able to stand up beside me and join my Rain Song

What a life I have

See how I need this Rainstorm.

Which ever way the wind blows it teaches me how to appreciate my life

Rain Dance or Rain Song I long for you.

Rain down on me now.

September Newsletter

This past (July) has been a very busy one.  I want to tell you a story to rejoice over and then a situation to petition for. 

My work with Eden is growing. In the past it was recommended that I NOT go on the outreach walks because too many foreigners draw too much attention to ourselves.  For a time I also felt that this recommendation was right, for I had much on my plate and was not sure I wanted to see some of the things they see. 

However, Since June I had been feeling like I needed to see what kind of a lifestyle these women and men have. So, I had been talking to Father about it. Asking Him to prepare me, asking Him that He would remind me of His care, love, and presence when the time came, that when that time came I would be obedient and follow His guidance. 

Last week, I was asked if I wanted to walk the streets with the outreach team. We handed out fliers to the girls, each flier introduced the idea that their work is very hard work, hard on their bodies and hard on their  hearts.  It introduces Eden’s work and the fact that if they desire a job that is not so hard on their bodies or hearts, they could have a job at Eden.  On the back, is one girl’s testimony as to why she choose to have a job at Eden. 

We stopped at a make-up store and chatted with the owner of the store, Zen Xing.  This woman’s job is to apply the make-up on the girls before they go to work. At some point in her relationship with Eden’s workers she chose to join Father’s Family. We spent time talking with her as well as petitioning for her husband to discover Father’s Love for him.  She told us about the women she has been able to talk to regarding Father’s love and sacrifice for them. Praise Father for the great work He is doing in this woman.  His love is being showered down onto women because of her faithfulness. Ask that her faith may be strengthened. 

My work with the Shine School Program (SSP) is also growing. We are almost done developing the Follow-up English Corner (FEC) curriculum. However, I am realizing that I need one or two additional team mates to join me. I do not have the time or energy alone to work on the teaching for the SSP, along with the bigger Shine Program, and the teaching for the FEC.  I need one person (preferably two) with a solid visa situation, English teaching experience, time to head up the FEC Program, and agrees with the values the vision of the SSP. 

I know that Father has great things in the future of this program and I am excited to see what those things are.  Ask Him to provide what is needed to change lives.  

Changes With the Wind

Warning: This one is very long. 

 

I don't know how to describe the feeling that has been growing in my soul. 

I returned from the USA in June. Since that day of return until now I have been in a whirlwind of preparation.  Some of the preparation has been easy and some of it has been very stretching. This has all been taking place inside me as well as in my work place, coffee shops, and living room. I have been preparing for change.  It is coming--I can feel it growing nearer. 

I know that sounds silly. But I don't just feel this change I was told by my boss that there would be change. My friends told me that there would be change. 

I don't usually like change. Do you?

But this time I sense that Father has a work to do through and in me that if you or I were told of this work we would not believe it. (Habakkuk 1:5) This is really exciting but also TERRIFYING, therefore, I am frantically trying to be prepared.

These changes include for currently are not limited to:

*My good friends: Faye, Amber, Sarah, Mindy, Bo, Song, Jess and Danielle have or will be leaving our area for a significant amount of time. Some of them have no plans to return. This is very hard. The constant flow of people in and out of my city can be very draining. 

*I have a temporary roommate named Katelyn. She is a blessing to have in my house because she exudes the joy of the Father so freely. However, it is also hard to adjust to a new person in my space. 

*Eden's boss, is moving to another country to plant a branch there. This has many reprocussions. One is that many of her responsibilities are delegated to other people. Another is that she will not be readily available for questions at the drop of my hat. This is an exciting move for her and her family. But it is also filled with many questions. Her biggest is: How will she manage or handle helping 9-13 year olds, who have been trafficked into this country, heal from the horrors that have been done to them. As soon as she asked the question out loud she answered it by saying: only with the strong arm of the Father sustaining and lifting her.  Her departure is a magnificent testimony to the women who work at Eden. They were impressed by her willingness to go into a dangerous place(their perception) because Father guided her there.  This also gives the women who have been working at Eden for many years the opportunity to take a significant leadership part in the business. As one woman said, " It is time for us to grow up into our own." 

*The Bridge/Eden team is preparing for a new school year. We have narrowed our target population to only village students-because we feel that the students struggling in village schools (with self, with family situations, with school work) are the most vulnerable to being trafficked. This new focus has changed some of our plans for the next school year. 

*We are also adding an aspect to our Shine School Program (SSP). It now as two parts. The initial school presentation (intended to reach hundreds of students at one time) and then a (FEC)follow-up English corner (which is intended to work more intimately with more at risk students over a long period of time). We added this second part because we are hoping to increase their perception of their self worth, improve their decision making skills, and show them that they do have purpose. 

*This FEC program's length causes us to reevaluate our priorities with the SSP. Do we wish to bring surface awareness to thousands or focus on significant change in hundreds. Of course we would like to do both. However, due to these aspects it has come to our attention that to reach the most numbers of students it would be prudent to increase the numbers of our team. We desire 2-3 men or women who are native English speakers, who have secure visa situations to catch the vision of the SSP and join us. 

*Eden has rented an apartment in the Red Light District and we have been preparing and consecrating it to be a place of love and peace to those who live and work around it. (Psalm 96:6, Rev 15:8) We are planning or hoping that in the near future we will be able to run a full Shine program from this apartment-inviting the women who currently are brothel owners or workers to participate in discovering their Value, Strength, and Potential. This is very exciting. 

*Speaking of the Red Light District, I have joined the team who go to that area once a week to build relationships. Last week, was my second week to go. We talk with prostitutes, eat dinner with brothel owners, pray with them all and listen to their life issues.

*Angela, Kalinda, and I are also getting ready to run the 1st Shine trainers session in our area. Starting in Sept we will run a 4 day intensive for several women who live here as well as several who will travel here from other areas. 

Has anyone been counting the numbers of change going on? I feel slightly overwhelmed.

In the midst of all this external change I have been challenged by a close friend to seriously seek Father's best for me through routine prayer and fasting.  Although, we have just begun this journey together  I have already begun to see Father's love grow more deeply in me.  I am seeking wisdom (James 1:5, Colossians 1:9-10, & Ephesians 1:17-18), asking that He would help me to be abundantly joyful (Romans 14:17-19;15:13, & John 10:10) and content (Philippians 4:11) in the place and circumstances He has placed me but that I would be willing to accept the new adventure that He brings into my life and to be obedient and willing to change when the time comes (Ephesians 3:20). I am also studying Daniel right now and am desiring to become more self controlled (2 Timothy 1:7 & 2 Peter 1:5-8). 

As always I am humbled and blessed that you all care for me and you want to know what Father is doing in my life as well as how I am being used by Him to further His Kingdom.  Philippians 4:14 says: "Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble." I feel this way towards you. Thank you for talking to Father on my behalf. All of these areas of change could use lifting up. If you happen to know of people who would fit into these areas of ministry I would love to talk with you more. Any answer to these needs is welcome. Ultimately we know this work is His work and He will work it out. We are only willing vessels. May we continue to be so. 

Love you all, Denise

 

June Newsletter

I have been very busy these past few months.  Productively busy. I have been told by two teachers and a principle that the work I am doing for them is very important. So I feel not only productive but appreciated. These feelings make my hectic-ness, my tiredness, my internal stress all worthwhile. I feel very alone despite all the busyness. 

But I am not alone. Sure, I am the one preparing for lessons, I am the one entering the data after each session, I am the one standing up there in front of students. But I have always had a team even before my “team” was put together.  My Team Leader is at work even when I cannot see it. 

We have been working on how to do followup with the students we teach. It is an on going question we discuss. I feel that through a series of guided events we are in the first stages of preparing a good followup system. This is an answer to my many petitions and many of your thoughts for me. I have been fretting about it because I finally have a contract and the contract says that the follow up program will be in place and ready to be implemented by August. I know that I am unexperienced and unskilled to do this. And I had expressed all these feelings to both sides of my team. Both the physical and spiritual teams. Everyone was on the same page. 

Enter the plans of my Team Leader. Last week, I was called in to substitute at an English Corner. I led an hour long English Corner with students who had already sat through my initial teaching. It was a blast and got me thinking. We as a team discussed the options and came up with a followup plan that we offer each school an English Corner program (6 sessions) that takes place after the initial teaching. Between now and the end of June we will be working on a curriculum for each English Corner session that corresponds to the  6 points of my teaching (1.value, 2. good decisions, 3.potential, 4. sex has physical consequences, 5. sex has emotional consequences, 6. the tricks traffickers use.) This idea would have never come to me on my own. Thank you, Team Leader. 

Today, I met with a woman who has been living here teaching English. She and I met to discuss her possible collaboration with the Shine School Program.  This all comes just a week after our first session of English Corner.  I am hoping that my Team Leader wants her to be a part of my team. I think her skills would be very helpful to our project. But whether or not she is going to be a part of my team or not I would like your thoughts and petitions for a team that works well together and that we can share the responsibilities of the job. 

I am so thankful for the team I have been given in You. For it truly is a team effort to follow the Team Leader. Thank you for your faithfulness both in financial ways as well as in lifting me up.