Putting the fun in fundraising!

"So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is useless." (I Corinthians 15:58)

Here's what fundraising ought to look like:

Here's what fundraising actually looks like

But seriously, folks. Despite all the hairpulling and bashing our heads against uncooperative technology, we are having a lot of fun with all this. It's been awesome to see the Lord at work through the whole process. Thank you to all who have supported us so far in any way. We love you!

Check out our Facebook profiles!

We just set up Facebook profiles and look forward to staying in touch with you internet savvy people that way after we deploy to the DR, Lord Willing, in January.

Last week we toured around Northern California visiting friends from camp. It was an awesome time of catching up, rock climbing, playing Guitar Hero, etc. We were planning on camping at Castle Crags state park (in the picture), but when we encountered sweltering heat and realized that at 2:00pm we still had another 8 hours of sweating before bedtime, we decided to just swim a little in the Sacramento River and push on to Eugene.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed us on our journey!

J&K

We're hired!!

Jake and I have been hired by Young Life International to be Work Team Coordinators in the Dominican Republic. We will be working at Pico Escondido, or hidden peak, a Young Life camp where work teams from the states come. The camp is awesome and we are very excited about this opportunity. It was great to be a part of a work team during Spring Break so that we have the perspective of a participant. Our time in the DR was also very valuable for helping us evaluate whether we were a good fit for the position and the camp as well as whether the DR was a good fit for us. We know that there will be many challenges that will come with this new move, but we are excited to see the Lord work through us. I also wanted to share something that I have been reminded of and comforted by...

"The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty, consequently we do not make our nests anywhere." Oswald Chambers

Oswald goes on to say that "We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God." I clung to this promise during this process as we waited to hear from Young Life and here if we were chosen for this position. I had to be reminded in my uncertainty that I serve a God who is certain and I need only to trust in Him. Now that we know where we are going, I still have to keep trusting Him! There is a lot to think about now; fundraising, moving, plane tickets, traveling to visit family and friends, etc. In all of this I know that as I "leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come." OC

Kyla

Dominican Republic Pics

Kyla and I spent Spring Break near the town of Jarabacoa in the Dominican Republic at Pico Escondido, a nearly completed camp owned by YoungLife. If you're not sure who YoungLife is, check out www.younglife.org. We joined a work team from Georgia, so our job was to do construction projects as the camp is still far from complete. Here we all are.


In addition to working, we were also there to look into the Work Team Coordinator postion that will soon be open. YoungLife is looking for someone to manage the logistics for work teams coming down from the states, helping construct what remains to be done at the camp. There is already awesome ministry going on at camp; however it has potential for much, much more. Here is the view from the main lodge at camp.


There are some incredible people down there already, working with the Dominicans and the North American teams that come down. Here are a few of them.


This picture was taken at Doulos Discovery School, one of the many amazing ministries in Jarabacoa.
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It's just stuff

On Monday morning I received a call that there was a fire in my classroom and that everything in it was beyond repair.

Including my drumset.


And decorations on the wall.


At times I get frustrated, but the Lord has been reminding me that it's just stuff that was lost. No one was hurt. Now Kyla and I just have less stuff to sell when we go overseas.

He is risen indeed!

The tree in front of our apartment started blooming just in time to match our easter outfits.

Dominican Republic Video