"Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Luke 5:4
The command to let down our nets in deep water requires us to have trust. Deep water is desolate, dangerous, and unknown. But there is beauty in the unknown, in the dangerous, in the desolate.
It’s October. It is so hard to believe that it is halfway through the first semester here. I am feeling much better physically and have enjoyed a busy couple of weeks.
Two weekends ago there was a holiday on Friday, so I enjoyed a three day weekend with a trip to a nearby town (Constanza) with my host family, a pancake breakfast with friends, another trip to a waterfall (pics below), and time with new friends in Jarabacoa. A week ago I helped with a 4th and 5th grade camping trip from Wednesday to Friday. It was so great! We hiked for about an hour or two with our packs to the top of Spirit Mountain (an organic coffee farm) and camped for two nights with our students. This was part of Outdoor Education Week. The 6th and 7th grades also do their own camping trip at Spirit Mountain and the 8th grade backpacks for five days to summit Pico Duarte. I am hoping to find another 3 day weekend to tackle Pico Duarte – it is the highest peak in the Eastern seaboard. The experience of camping with my students was so unlike anything I have done, but I feel has only strengthened our bond as we go forward in this school year.
God is doing some amazing work in this area. The Young Life ministry has just exploded this year. It is only the second year of Young Life in Jarabacoa. We had over 60 kids at our last Club, many from schools other than the two where we currently do ministry officially. It’s exciting that it is becoming a draw to the community as a whole. Please pray as we try to navigate through language barriers. Our clubs have taken on a Spanglish feel – parts in English, parts in Spanish. We are also outgrowing our current meeting spot. I have been looking for a house that can serve as a Young Life ministry house and also possibly live there with one or two other girls. Please pray that God would make a house available that is centrally located, has a large meeting area, and not too expensive. It’s exciting to watch Him work and a privilege to be along for the ride.
As for me, I am starting to feel more peaceful here. I have always felt like I’m in the exact place God has called me to be, but have certainly felt challenged along the way. I was reading the new Donald Miller book and he used an illustration that just fits me right now and one that I could relate to this past summer. He talks about paddling away from shore and when you start your journey, the first part happens fast. The shore behind you is getting smaller and the distant shore doesn’t seem so far away. But then all of the sudden you find yourself in the open water and neither shore seems within reach. This summer, my family (meaning the Drebes/Gast family) went on a kayaking excursion in Cape Charles. It seemed simple enough… Paddle through the beautiful marshes of the inner coastal waters of the Chesapeake Bay and cross the channel to the barrier islands to enjoy a day on the Atlantic Ocean. So… the twelve of us set out and all was fine and dandy till we found ourselves in the open water of the channel. We were aiming for a lighthouse on the far shore and it seemed that the lighthouse remained the same size for hours as the strong current kept us from making much progress. It’s this place I feel God leading me to. Perseverance, strength, faith, and trust will all be needed as the pace begins to slow down and life becomes more familiar here. Thank you for your prayers as you paddle with me.
