March Madness (What's Basketball?)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
"14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[d] 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[e] who is at the Father's side,[f] he has made him known." John 1:14-18
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b]
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
"14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[d] 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[e] who is at the Father's side,[f] he has made him known." John 1:14-18
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b]
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:22-24
Do not be deceived. This blog has nothing to do with basketball and everything to do with the madness that the month of March brought with it. Now, when I say madness I say it in the British way. As in, this month was crazy busy. Or the New York City way: "This month was mad busy, bro." This month has been crazy busy but also very beautiful.
The month of March brought along with it many mission teams that stayed a week at a time for their Spring Break. I met some beautiful people. I am so thankful for the mission teams that came because they help us serve in so many ways. We lack volunteers and staff and our weeks are so much better when we have teams helping us teach ESL classes or passing out flyers or Jesus Films. They help us to connect with our students.
Also, my days get busier when we have mission teams and I found less time to study but God gives every ounce of grace that we need for the day and it's new every morning. Just to open your eyes to how crazy busy my life is, here is a glimpse of a crazy busy week:
Sunday: 9:30am Sunday School, 11am Worship, 1pm Lunch, 4pm Keep Nursery, 6pm Worship
Monday: 8am hour bus ride to ESL center, 9am Orientate Teams on ESL, 10am ESL class/buy supplies to restock the center/buy groceries for team's lunch/set out team's lunch, 11:30am Lunch with team, 1pm Take the team on a scavenger hunt of the neighborhood so they can get to know the people group, 2pm Teach the team about Loving Muslims, 3pm Take the team on a prayer walk of the neighborhood, 4pm Let the team get Henna as they tell a Bible story to the person giving them a Henna tattoo (it's not permanent, but God's Word is :)), 6pm Team dinner time, 7pm Teach ESL, 9pm hour bus ride home
Tuesday: 9am hour bus ride to ESL center, 10am ESL class, 12pm ESL class, 1:30 Lunch, 2pm Orientation on Kid's Club, 3pm Kid's Club (tutoring)/clean the center, 5pm dinner, 7pm Bible study
Wednesday: my Sabbath..... and sometimes I study for seminary and forget to rest... or have lunch or coffee with people.. and then Bible study. :)
Thursday: 9am hour bus ride, 10am ESL, 12pm ESL, 1:30pm lunch, 2pm Kid's Club (tutoring & VBS)/ off night: studying.
Friday: 8am hour bus ride, 9am staff meeting. Usually have to do laundry or clean or shop for groceries or study.
Saturday: Study or get ready for a new team to come. Laundry.
I love serving with this ministry. I love that God can use me as a teacher, a housekeeper, a behind the scenes stocker, a friend, a co-missionary, a children's church director, and as a learner. I've always liked being able to do more than one job and this is a perfect place for me to be, exactly where God has placed me.
I have met so many beautiful people that have come on these mission teams and I hope to see them again. They have connected with the students and have built relationships with them and are sending them letters! It's so great. Please come serve with us if you have the chance. It will change your life.
God is so good and loving. So many people in my English classes are seeking Christ and wanting to know more about Jesus. Some are even already Christian. A Pakistani Christian, a Punjabi Christian. God is doing so much in this neighborhood, in this city, in this country and in this world. He is not finished with us yet or with all of his people yet. Please keep praying for God to use this ministry to reach people for Christ.
-Pray for Brittany Lester: She came on a mission team and she needs wisdom and guidance with the next steps in her life.
-Pray for Rebekah Turner: She is a missionary here with UNO and God is leading her to cool places where she can further her education in ministry.
-Pray for Larry Holcomb and his family: Larry started UNO and has planted churches and ESL centers here in the city. Pray for God to continue to use this ministry and to provide for it in every way.
-Pray for Loukia Kumar: She's kinda like the glue to our ministry. She keeps us all accountable and reminds us of things to do. She also schedules many teams to come. Pray for her and her family.
-Pray for all of our student's and their families. Pray that they would hear the gospel and that it would radically change their lives. Pray for dreams and visions of Jesus Christ. Pray that they would share Christ with friends and families. Pray that disciplers would be present in their lives.
-Pray for Camille, Jim, and Bethany Samuel. Camille is the director of our South Asian Center. Camille and Jim just had a new baby girl. Pray that God would teach them how to be godly parents and how to balance life with this beautiful addition.
-Pray for Cyril: He's a brother who needs a job.
-Pray for all of our volunteers. Pray for more volunteers. Pray for more Christians to be missional minded.
-Pray for all Christian leaders around the world.
-Pray for Nyima. A tibetan girl seeking Christ.
-Pray for Jampa. A tibetan girl seeking Christ.
-Pray for Farhana, Fariana, Farhim, Farhad, and Mohommad to know Christ.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support.
This month God gave blessings through so many people and I have a stack of Thank Yous to write and send.
Thankful for His grace upon grace upon grace upon grace,
Amy Drake
Do not be deceived. This blog has nothing to do with basketball and everything to do with the madness that the month of March brought with it. Now, when I say madness I say it in the British way. As in, this month was crazy busy. Or the New York City way: "This month was mad busy, bro." This month has been crazy busy but also very beautiful.
The month of March brought along with it many mission teams that stayed a week at a time for their Spring Break. I met some beautiful people. I am so thankful for the mission teams that came because they help us serve in so many ways. We lack volunteers and staff and our weeks are so much better when we have teams helping us teach ESL classes or passing out flyers or Jesus Films. They help us to connect with our students.
Also, my days get busier when we have mission teams and I found less time to study but God gives every ounce of grace that we need for the day and it's new every morning. Just to open your eyes to how crazy busy my life is, here is a glimpse of a crazy busy week:
Sunday: 9:30am Sunday School, 11am Worship, 1pm Lunch, 4pm Keep Nursery, 6pm Worship
Monday: 8am hour bus ride to ESL center, 9am Orientate Teams on ESL, 10am ESL class/buy supplies to restock the center/buy groceries for team's lunch/set out team's lunch, 11:30am Lunch with team, 1pm Take the team on a scavenger hunt of the neighborhood so they can get to know the people group, 2pm Teach the team about Loving Muslims, 3pm Take the team on a prayer walk of the neighborhood, 4pm Let the team get Henna as they tell a Bible story to the person giving them a Henna tattoo (it's not permanent, but God's Word is :)), 6pm Team dinner time, 7pm Teach ESL, 9pm hour bus ride home
Tuesday: 9am hour bus ride to ESL center, 10am ESL class, 12pm ESL class, 1:30 Lunch, 2pm Orientation on Kid's Club, 3pm Kid's Club (tutoring)/clean the center, 5pm dinner, 7pm Bible study
Wednesday: my Sabbath..... and sometimes I study for seminary and forget to rest... or have lunch or coffee with people.. and then Bible study. :)
Thursday: 9am hour bus ride, 10am ESL, 12pm ESL, 1:30pm lunch, 2pm Kid's Club (tutoring & VBS)/ off night: studying.
Friday: 8am hour bus ride, 9am staff meeting. Usually have to do laundry or clean or shop for groceries or study.
Saturday: Study or get ready for a new team to come. Laundry.
I love serving with this ministry. I love that God can use me as a teacher, a housekeeper, a behind the scenes stocker, a friend, a co-missionary, a children's church director, and as a learner. I've always liked being able to do more than one job and this is a perfect place for me to be, exactly where God has placed me.
I have met so many beautiful people that have come on these mission teams and I hope to see them again. They have connected with the students and have built relationships with them and are sending them letters! It's so great. Please come serve with us if you have the chance. It will change your life.
God is so good and loving. So many people in my English classes are seeking Christ and wanting to know more about Jesus. Some are even already Christian. A Pakistani Christian, a Punjabi Christian. God is doing so much in this neighborhood, in this city, in this country and in this world. He is not finished with us yet or with all of his people yet. Please keep praying for God to use this ministry to reach people for Christ.
-Pray for Brittany Lester: She came on a mission team and she needs wisdom and guidance with the next steps in her life.
-Pray for Rebekah Turner: She is a missionary here with UNO and God is leading her to cool places where she can further her education in ministry.
-Pray for Larry Holcomb and his family: Larry started UNO and has planted churches and ESL centers here in the city. Pray for God to continue to use this ministry and to provide for it in every way.
-Pray for Loukia Kumar: She's kinda like the glue to our ministry. She keeps us all accountable and reminds us of things to do. She also schedules many teams to come. Pray for her and her family.
-Pray for all of our student's and their families. Pray that they would hear the gospel and that it would radically change their lives. Pray for dreams and visions of Jesus Christ. Pray that they would share Christ with friends and families. Pray that disciplers would be present in their lives.
-Pray for Camille, Jim, and Bethany Samuel. Camille is the director of our South Asian Center. Camille and Jim just had a new baby girl. Pray that God would teach them how to be godly parents and how to balance life with this beautiful addition.
-Pray for Cyril: He's a brother who needs a job.
-Pray for all of our volunteers. Pray for more volunteers. Pray for more Christians to be missional minded.
-Pray for all Christian leaders around the world.
-Pray for Nyima. A tibetan girl seeking Christ.
-Pray for Jampa. A tibetan girl seeking Christ.
-Pray for Farhana, Fariana, Farhim, Farhad, and Mohommad to know Christ.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support.
This month God gave blessings through so many people and I have a stack of Thank Yous to write and send.
Thankful for His grace upon grace upon grace upon grace,
Amy Drake
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