Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Back home in Peru
We arrived safely in Lima of Feb. 24 and have been on the go ever since.
We had just two short days to get our classroom and lesson plans ready for this year. It was a whirlwind of activity and stress but we both accomplished the goal with lots of help from our co-workers.
We have had a much better start to the year this year than last, the staff is ready to support each other. Pray that language and culture differences do not change the camaraderie that is just beginning to grow within MCS staff.
Pray also for the administration and the relationship between them and the rest of the Staff. Anyone who has spent any time teaching in schools understands the inherent tension between administration and teachers. Both sides are trying to help the children to the best of their abilities but often do not see eye to eye. While there are no huge problems at this point in time if we have many people praying I am hoping that we will never have the problems of last year.
I am still in the process of contacting the pharmaceutical company that makes the medicine that my Doctor would like to switch me to, it is extremely costly and I cannot afford to switch to it without financial assistance. I was told that it was good I was in Peru and I will probably get better assistance with the international branch of the aid...apparently they are better funded. It would be SO nice to be able to switch...ya know beyond actually controlling the disease and preventing bone deformity in me, it would also mean instead of taking five pills a day I would take one injection once a week!!!! Just think of it....once a week, one shot....sounds like heaven to me! It makes me very sad that thinking about getting a shot once a week now sounds really good to me, when a year ago I didn't need anything.
It has been good reconnecting with friends and extend "family" here in Peru and we thank you all who have helped us and supported us in any way to make this happen.
We will be updating this blog once a month at the least so check back here on a regular basis to know what's up with the Leinbach Sisters.
God's Blessing to each of you.
Cindy and Emily
We had just two short days to get our classroom and lesson plans ready for this year. It was a whirlwind of activity and stress but we both accomplished the goal with lots of help from our co-workers.
We have had a much better start to the year this year than last, the staff is ready to support each other. Pray that language and culture differences do not change the camaraderie that is just beginning to grow within MCS staff.
Pray also for the administration and the relationship between them and the rest of the Staff. Anyone who has spent any time teaching in schools understands the inherent tension between administration and teachers. Both sides are trying to help the children to the best of their abilities but often do not see eye to eye. While there are no huge problems at this point in time if we have many people praying I am hoping that we will never have the problems of last year.
I am still in the process of contacting the pharmaceutical company that makes the medicine that my Doctor would like to switch me to, it is extremely costly and I cannot afford to switch to it without financial assistance. I was told that it was good I was in Peru and I will probably get better assistance with the international branch of the aid...apparently they are better funded. It would be SO nice to be able to switch...ya know beyond actually controlling the disease and preventing bone deformity in me, it would also mean instead of taking five pills a day I would take one injection once a week!!!! Just think of it....once a week, one shot....sounds like heaven to me! It makes me very sad that thinking about getting a shot once a week now sounds really good to me, when a year ago I didn't need anything.
It has been good reconnecting with friends and extend "family" here in Peru and we thank you all who have helped us and supported us in any way to make this happen.
We will be updating this blog once a month at the least so check back here on a regular basis to know what's up with the Leinbach Sisters.
God's Blessing to each of you.
Cindy and Emily
Monday, February 16, 2009
HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!
We are going back to PERU!!!!!!
We booked Airfare for Feb 24.
We would like all those in the area who can to come to an Open House Feb 22 (Sun) from 3-7 p.m. We will be looking at pictures of this past year in Peru, video and eating snacks, it should be fun.
We are so thankful to all of you for supporting us, not just with money but prayer. We can NOT do what we need to do with our ministry without the prayers.
Thank you and we hope to see you on Sunday Feb. 22.
We booked Airfare for Feb 24.
We would like all those in the area who can to come to an Open House Feb 22 (Sun) from 3-7 p.m. We will be looking at pictures of this past year in Peru, video and eating snacks, it should be fun.
We are so thankful to all of you for supporting us, not just with money but prayer. We can NOT do what we need to do with our ministry without the prayers.
Thank you and we hope to see you on Sunday Feb. 22.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Another step of faith
Well, as of now, we are planning to go back to Lima for a second year of teaching!
No, we haven't raised the full amount of support we need (a little less than $14000), but in seven days we received commitments for a little less than HALF of it. We're taking that as a confirmation of God's provision and direction for the next eleven months (to go back).
If you are one of the people who have generously pledged to support us, THANK YOU. Please go ahead and fulfill those pledges at this time; make checks out to either Emily OR Cindy and mail them to us at our parents' address.
Please check back often for support updates and information on our return trip to Lima.
Love to you all!
No, we haven't raised the full amount of support we need (a little less than $14000), but in seven days we received commitments for a little less than HALF of it. We're taking that as a confirmation of God's provision and direction for the next eleven months (to go back).
If you are one of the people who have generously pledged to support us, THANK YOU. Please go ahead and fulfill those pledges at this time; make checks out to either Emily OR Cindy and mail them to us at our parents' address.
Please check back often for support updates and information on our return trip to Lima.
Love to you all!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The "problem": Peruvian laws changed; the school cannot pay us like last year. We can return only if we come as fully supported missionaries.
We need $500/month per person; $1000 monthly total.
Big picture: $11,000 for the 2009 school year.
Also needed in Feb: airfare & health insurance ($2000 total)
Also also needed in Feb: Emily's meds for the year ($500)
The Result:
In seven days, we received commitments for $6600 support. This is almost half of the total amount we need. We are taking this overwhelming support as confirmation for us to return to Lima for our second year of teaching at MCS.
If you still want to pledge a future amount or give a gift now, PLEASE do so; our race is not yet completed!
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Final Countdown...
...More than just a rockin' 80's song, it's an accurate description of what my life feels like this week. This week we are collecting pledges. (I feel like a public radio station.) We're not asking for money (yet), we're asking for amounts of how much money people could give if we did go back to Lima. We need $11,000 dollars for the next eleven months, and also some airfare and insurance amounts. It seems overwhelming. Completely and entirely overwhelming, especially in this economy!
And yet, we're throwing it out to our friends and family- "laying out a fleece" as our pastor put it. So far, we have more than $4500 pledged. In about five days. And I am realizing that what is truly overwhelming is the generosity of people who love the Lord, and believe in us as teachers. It is overwhelming. Completely and entirely overwhelming, especially in this economy! So, to all of you who are supporting us through prayer or financial gifts, THANK YOU for your love and faith. We value every cent that is being pledged to us and understand the value that every one of those cents has to the people gifting it to us. It is a testament to God- and to the faith of all of you who are acting out of love for God and the gospel.
Please check back for frequent updates...
We love you!
And yet, we're throwing it out to our friends and family- "laying out a fleece" as our pastor put it. So far, we have more than $4500 pledged. In about five days. And I am realizing that what is truly overwhelming is the generosity of people who love the Lord, and believe in us as teachers. It is overwhelming. Completely and entirely overwhelming, especially in this economy! So, to all of you who are supporting us through prayer or financial gifts, THANK YOU for your love and faith. We value every cent that is being pledged to us and understand the value that every one of those cents has to the people gifting it to us. It is a testament to God- and to the faith of all of you who are acting out of love for God and the gospel.
Please check back for frequent updates...
We love you!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Trying to remember that God IS in control...
So, we've sent out 200 update letters. 200 pages of oh-so-brief summary of what the last nine months of 2008 were like. 200 pages of photographs giving a brief glimpse into our life in Peru. 200 postcards asking people to consider how they might be able to support us financially so that we can go back to Peru for our second year of teaching.
I hate asking people for money; especially NOW, with such turmoil in the economic lives of those around us. Elkhart County, where we live in Indiana, is apparently one of the hardest hit counties in the nation, with a current unemployment rate of 12%! The newspaper is filled with story after story of factory and plant closings, lay-offs, relocations, etc. And in all this, God wants us to start asking people for money???
It has been a very difficult adjustment for me (Emily) to accept the idea that human plans have once again fallen down in shambles, and that God's plan apparently is for me to ask people for their money. It's not hard to accept that human plans have been changed; I know that already. The difficulty is in the whole asking people for money thing. It seems SO presumptuous. Yes, I know that we're not really asking for "just us"; we are asking people to support a ministry that God has led us into... but here's the thing: i'm enjoying that ministry so much more than i've enjoyed almost anything else i've ever done as a career/job/employment it just seems somehow wrong to ask people to give me money to keep doing something i love so much. i can't get a job in the States teaching like i can in Peru- i'd need to go back to school. and some day i plan on doing that. Teaching in Lima has completely solidified that teaching is where i am supposed to be in life. And I love teaching hand in hand with God and the Holy Spirit.
I guess I've spent so long gearing myself up every day to go to jobs i don't really enjoy at all (or even despise) so that I can fulfill my financial obligations and needs for living, that having a daily employment that i enjoy so much is a bit miraculous for me. and I guess part of me says, how can i ask other people to pay for my happiness? I have to keep reminding myself: I'm not asking them to pay for my great job, i'm asking them to make it possible for me to serve God by doing exactly what He created me to love doing.
It's still humbling and more than a tad bit overwhelming to get notes from one unexpected source after another committing to give us hundreds of dollars. We were humbled last year at several large gifts (lap top computer, a $2000 and a $1000 gift) that made it possible for us to meet all the financial needs we had. I cannot thank people enough for their support: not just in material matters, but also in the prayers that we felt lefiting us up through the toughest moments. I cannot thank you, except to promise to go back and do my best as a teacher, a woman following God, a sister, and an ambassador of Christ from the United States.
Thank you. We love you all.
I hate asking people for money; especially NOW, with such turmoil in the economic lives of those around us. Elkhart County, where we live in Indiana, is apparently one of the hardest hit counties in the nation, with a current unemployment rate of 12%! The newspaper is filled with story after story of factory and plant closings, lay-offs, relocations, etc. And in all this, God wants us to start asking people for money???
It has been a very difficult adjustment for me (Emily) to accept the idea that human plans have once again fallen down in shambles, and that God's plan apparently is for me to ask people for their money. It's not hard to accept that human plans have been changed; I know that already. The difficulty is in the whole asking people for money thing. It seems SO presumptuous. Yes, I know that we're not really asking for "just us"; we are asking people to support a ministry that God has led us into... but here's the thing: i'm enjoying that ministry so much more than i've enjoyed almost anything else i've ever done as a career/job/employment it just seems somehow wrong to ask people to give me money to keep doing something i love so much. i can't get a job in the States teaching like i can in Peru- i'd need to go back to school. and some day i plan on doing that. Teaching in Lima has completely solidified that teaching is where i am supposed to be in life. And I love teaching hand in hand with God and the Holy Spirit.
I guess I've spent so long gearing myself up every day to go to jobs i don't really enjoy at all (or even despise) so that I can fulfill my financial obligations and needs for living, that having a daily employment that i enjoy so much is a bit miraculous for me. and I guess part of me says, how can i ask other people to pay for my happiness? I have to keep reminding myself: I'm not asking them to pay for my great job, i'm asking them to make it possible for me to serve God by doing exactly what He created me to love doing.
It's still humbling and more than a tad bit overwhelming to get notes from one unexpected source after another committing to give us hundreds of dollars. We were humbled last year at several large gifts (lap top computer, a $2000 and a $1000 gift) that made it possible for us to meet all the financial needs we had. I cannot thank people enough for their support: not just in material matters, but also in the prayers that we felt lefiting us up through the toughest moments. I cannot thank you, except to promise to go back and do my best as a teacher, a woman following God, a sister, and an ambassador of Christ from the United States.
Thank you. We love you all.
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