This week Monday was probably one of my most frustrating days here so far. This past week was basically exam review, and we had turned our exams and reviews in to our director Friday to have her check to make sure they were okay, and then we were given them back on Monday to copy for the week. Well, we live in the DR, so of course things don’t often happen as we would like. As we are ALL trying to make copies, we discover this: our copy machine is out of ink, the school is almost out of paper AND the town of Jarabacoa is completely out of paper. WHAT? Then after freaking out about that, we find out that the internet is out, so we can’t even look up things to print off on the other printer to have the kids do until we could get their review sheet. What a Monday morning! I eventually figured out things for my class to do, but it definitely was not ideal! Needless to say, God for sure taught me a lot this week! My week went uphill from there, thankfully! Tuesday we had our last Wyld Life club until after Christmas, and it went really well! Friday we had our Christmas program at school. It was so stressful and crazy, but was very good. My class did a play, I was SO nervous for them, but they did well and everyone loved it!

This week has been awesome--God has been showing me over and over again that He is my refuge, He is my hope, He is my strength, HE is in all, and HE has control of all! I keep finding myself frustrated and questioning God, but I keep getting brought back to this place! He is good! Here are some things that have meant a lot to me this week…

Numbers 35:9-15 “ God spoke to Moses: ‘Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, when you cross the River Jordan into the country of Canaan, designate your asylum-cities, towns to which a person who accidentally kills someone can flee for asylum. They will be places of refuge from the avenger so that the alleged murderer won’t be killed until he can appear before the community in court. Provide six asylum-cities. Designate three of the towns to the east side of the Jordan, the other three in Canaan proper-asylum cities for the People of Israel, for the foreigner, and for any occasional visitors or guests-six asylum cities to run to for anyone who accidentally kills another.”

Okay, so, when I read this passage on Monday, I was thinking what in the world does this mean, and what is the purpose of me reading this today? The side notes for this verse in my devotional were sweet though! It says “Spend some time thinking about the God who is making Himself known here. What is on your heart today? Bring your thoughts to the God who created asylum-cities. Think about what it means for you to be with the God who is both a God of justice AND a God of refuge.” So amazing. God is a God of justice, but He is also a God of mercy, love, hope, and most of all, refuge!

We JUST got a new director at JCS this week, he will be starting after Christmas (long story, but our director now was just kind of filling in until someone perfect for the job was found) and he spoke for our staff devotions on Friday. He told us his story, which was really cool. He became a Christian while attended a Christian school in Cuba, similar to ours. He went to that school solely for the purpose of the good education (like a lot of our students) but had 2 teachers who really SHOWED him the love of Jesus instead of preaching at him all the time. It was because of those teachers that he saw living the love of Christ that he decided he wanted to be a part of it, and that is what he expects from our staff. His main desire for our school is to show the love of God to our kids, yes education is important, but the most important thing we are ever going to do is show them Jesus. It was so cool to hear him say that, and such an encouragement for how I try to run things in my classroom. That morning I had just read this verse from Deuteronomy 10:11-13 “What does God expect from you? Live in His presence, follow the road He sets out for you, love Him, serve Him, serve God, YOUR God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments I am giving you today and live a good life”.

Friday in chapel we sang “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. Tim told us the story behind the song, and it is so cool! The writer of the song had lost his wife a year earlier, so this was his first Christmas without her, so obviously very sad, but as you read/hear the lyrics of the song, you can see where he started out feeling sad and hopeless, but then realizing that “God is not dead, nor does He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail!”

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!