August 15, 2010

3,782 Thanks


August 15, 2010


I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now
Philippians 1:3-5


We have been blessed by our partnership with Central Peninsula Church from San Francisco, CA. 


Alan and Jackie with Cathy & Rob McIlvoy (Youth Pastor/Team leader for CPC)




Throughout the last 2 years they have not only began financially supporting us, but they have a team of warriors who sustain us through their prayers, and they have sent down 3 teams to encourage us in our work on the island. 



CPC in the DR; Summer 2009


In June they sent down their 3rd team, however we weren't able to be here due to being in the states having our babies. As a way to bless us, the church did a diaper drive and little did we know they brought not only a bunch of stuff for our girls that we sent them, but they also brought down diapers... 3,782 of them to be exact.


This is just a small part of what they did when they came to the DR. Not only do they partner with us, but they partner with Medina, a pastor in a poor community in the city. He has big dreams for this dark dark place and members from CPC have come alongside of him to encourage and pray for these dreams to be realized. A very sweet bond has formed between Rob (the youth pastor/team leader) and Medina. 




Pastor Medina and Pastor Rob

Throughout their week they brought light to dark places. They were the light of Christ on the construction site, building a church that proclaims truth. 






They were the light of Christ feeding sweet children in the Hole, a landfill rundown with drugs, prostitution, and alcohol. They were the light of Christ singing songs and teaching children the ways of the Lord.






They were the light of Christ working to repaint a rundown basketball court in Medina's community- a place that Medina hopes will reach out to the youth and offer an alternate extracurricular activity aside from succumbing to drugs and alcohol.






Seeing CPC in action is so inspiring. It pushes us forward and gives us strength to persevere.


We have been so blessed by their partnership and by their love for us. We constantly feel encouraged by them and it has filled us so that we may encourage others... Isn't that how the Christian life is meant to be lived? 


And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24

CPC praying for Medina and his church


Thank you CPC- 3,782 Thank you's from us and from our girls... & just in case you were wondering what 3,782 diapers look like...
Thank you CPC for blessing us with a year's worth of diapers!




Check out their video of their week serving in the DR!

Central Peninsula Church 2010 from Amanda Braisted on Vimeo.

August 13, 2010

Home

After 4 months in the states waiting and delivering our girls we have finally made our way back to our home in the DR. It has been a strange transition going from just Alan and I to a family of 4. We are relearning everything (as if we didn't have enough to learn only being married for 15 months!!). Learning how to find time to be with God, learning how to do life as a family, learning new ministry roles, learning how to be parents... we are in a never-ending process of trying to figure things out.


We plan on updating you over the next few weeks little-by-little on everything we've been up to in the last 4 months and everything we are looking forward to. Alan has jumped back into ministry while my ministry role seems to be ever-changing and I am challenged to find ways of bringing the "glorious" into the mundane everyday mommy tasks (like diaper changing!!) so be sure to keep checking with us!


And of course we want to extend a BIG thank you for your prayers. Every step of the way we have felt led by God and sustained by your prayers!


If you haven't checked it out, you can read our birth story HERE!


Much love,
Alan and Jackie
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