Articles
The Irvings' Letter to Our Church
10/30/06
October 30, 2006
Dear Valley Vineyard,
??? We’ve been here in Baja for just over a month and I wanted to take a quick minute to say hello and to update you on our lives here.?
?? First, thank you so much to all who are praying for us.? We are experiencing the undeniable presence of God with us.? Each of us has felt overwhelmed and alone in different circumstances here in our lives, but God has faithfully come through each time and shown His face to us.? I want to share some of those times with you.
??? The boys were invited to attend the mission school here on the campus.? We saw it as an excellent way for them to be immersed in Spanish and to make friends as there are no other English speaking children here right now and our own Spanish is limited.? Luke, mostly, was devastated and scared.? His principal told him she saw courage in him and that she believed he could do it.?? Luke struggled every morning just getting there.? He felt overwhelmed and alone.? Lots of tears.?? About 3 weeks later, Mary Schmidt was here and told Luke she’d been praying for him and that God had given her a word for him.? It was to be courageous, that the Lord was with him.? She prayed that over him and things have been so much better.? He and Steven are learning Spanish and have lots of Spanish-speaking friends that hang out at our house.? It’s still difficult, but Luke is seeing God’s faithfulness to him in giving him courage everyday to go.
???? David has been given the responsibility of over-seeing all the outreach here: adult and child evangelism, the rescue teams, the clinic, the ministry to the disabled, and all 3 rehab centers.?? Each ministry has a full life of its own and together they can seem overwhelming.? But God is faithfully giving David wisdom and favor with the people he is working with.? Slowly, he is seeing wants and needs met within each ministry.? God is smart and loves to impart His wisdom when we ask for it.
??? Bethany and I are putzing around doing home school and filling in all over the mission.? Although Bethany has found a lot of contentment in this, I have been wandering around wondering what I’m doing here!? I can get easily depressed when I feel a lack of purpose or sense I’m unable to make an impact anywhere.? But lately, in my laments to God, He has shown up during my quiet times in intense ways.? I genuinely feel His presence and His heart for not only me, but for those I’ve been coming in contact with.? I’ve been meditating on Col 3 and trying to pull the attention off of me and my sense of accomplishment and onto who He is and what He is doing around me.? I can’t really explain the difference, but in my own heart I am full of joy.? I find myself singing a lot and bubbling on the inside with excitement with the little things I’m assigned to do throughout the day.? My circumstances haven’t changed, really, just where I’ve put my eyes.?
??? In all these little ways, God is showing Himself for who He is:? faithful, encouraging, present, and aware.? We’re grateful to be here.? It feels more like a sabbatical than a mission.? Thank you so much for supporting us.? Your prayers have been wonderfully heard and answered.?
??? All our love,
Carrie, David, Bethany, Luke, and Steven???
Irving Family
