Well its high time I update this thing. I've been living in the valley for a month now since I last wrote. Its been quite an experience and I've learned so much about adjusting to a different culture. I didn't expect to find such a difference in culture as is here but there is a marked difference. As I've prayed about what the Lord wanted to teach me and do with me I've realized that learning to adjust now in this place is good practice for another culture adjustment if He ever takes me to a different country. So I'm trying to be patient with myself and be open to all kinds of new things. 

The church I'm a part of here, LifeHouse,  is a ministry that was built out of a large church in McAllen called Baptist Temple. LifeHouse is specifically geared toward college students and young adults but we have a varied group of young single moms, college students, young families and young adults. But that last sentence made our fellowship sounds rather large. Its not... its pretty small but those that come are serious about living incarnationally in our communities- joining Jesus where He is at work and being His hands and feet right where we live and work, etc. Its really an amazing group to be a part of, the Lord knew just what He was doing bringing me to this place. Each week I get to love on and play with and share Jesus with kids at a housing project called La Posada. Adam is our head leader for this group and another of our girls, Cristina, leads a group at another project not far away. We also have tutoring available twice a week for the kids and being a part of that has been such a blessing! I was a little hesitant to join at first as its been a long time since I did long division or algebra... but I find myself most often sticking with the elementary grades and have met some precious little kindergarten girls who need a lot of help with reading and spelling. Their mothers also want to be very involved and standby to listen and learn any English words they can. They ask me to say the spelling words to them and then they write down the way it sounds to them on paper so later that can continue to help their daughters by pronouncing the words correctly. Both of them, and other moms, have expressed interest in learning English so we're seriously considering starting an ESL class just for them! In a selfish way it will also help me pick up more Spanish!!

If you would pray for two girls that I have gotten to befriend: Erica and Yvette. Erica is a high school student that is very bright and responsible. She is working very hard to get everything together to continue on to college next fall and provide for her unborn baby. Adam has built a relationship with her boyfriend. The boyfriend has a couple prospects for work and needs to continue to work hard to make something happen. He is a hard worker but needs help in fighting discouragement. This couple has become very special to us. Now Yvette is someone I prayed for and then met a few days later. I was starting my first day of orientation for my new job and had asked the Lord to bring me someone to befriend and she was the first to walk into our classroom that day. We hit it off and spent our lunch breaks eating together and talking. The Lord was so faithful to provide this girl who is also beginning her second job in an ICU at another hospital here. We have a lot in common. I don't know if she knows the Lord but she has expressed an interest in hanging out in the future so praise God!! As for my new job at the McAllen Heart Hospital, I'm learning SO much! Its so true- as a nurse you learn something new every day! I'm having to be patient with myself and with my preceptor as we learn how to work together and as I am having to be the new girl again. Pray that I get the hang of things and learn quickly. This hospital is 1/10 the size of Scott&White and so has a very different atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone. I really want to be a part of the team so pray that I find my place before too long :-)

This first month here seems so much longer than it's really been with all the things the Lord has done. I am looking forward to many many more opportunities and people coming my way. Adam and I are growing in the Lord and learning how to work as a team in ministry- its such a gift to be a part of his life here. God has taught me a lot about how to wait patiently for Him to act and not fretting about things I can't change immediately. I'm growing in my prayer life and have seen the Lord answer many prayers that only He knew about :-) He is Good! His faithfulness is so present with us here.