God has given me Psalm 130 for my students and the country of Hungary.
Take a look at it! I look forward to discovering more about what God
has to say in this chapter and what He has to say to those I come in
contact with.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
The time has come. As I head out tomorrow for training and then
Hungary, I have been thinking a lot about this idea of leaving. Leaving
family, friends, comfort, familiarity, and so on. Everybody does
it(almost everybody)...I've done it with the World Race. It seems
almost harder this time because I have an idea of what to expect...
People
in the Bible were always leaving their life as they new it to pursue
God's vision for them. Moses was pushed down a river ("leaving" his
family) before he could even make the choice himself; the rest of his
life surrounded leaving comfort and privilege to pursue God's task of
leadership and redemption of His people.
Jacob had to flee from Esau after stealing his birthright. He leaves home and ends up in the desert first:
"12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth,
with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending
and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I
am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I
will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will
spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.
All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring
you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I
have promised you." (Genesis 28:12-15)
God gives Him a promise
(the land), a task (multiply & bless), and a journey...Jacob has to
LEAVE this piece of land to inherit it.
There are many, many
more examples throughout the Bible of God's promises to those who obey
His instruction to get up and go. In my case, I tend to allow fear to
enter in. Fear for family and friends' safety and fear that I will miss
out on the lives of the people I love.
I had trouble sleeping
last night. It took me forever to go to sleep (after 1 am) and I
snapped awake at 6:30 am this morning with my mind running a mile a
minute. (I always do that before I travel). One thing that was running
through my mind was something God was speaking to me about leaving and
missing out on others lives. God was telling me this morning that I am
not responsible for others' lives; that I cannot bare this
responsibility. He was telling me that if I don't follow His leading
then I will miss out on my own ABUNDANT LIFE! Wow! What a life-giving
rebuke from God. I HAVE TO LEAVE TO DISCOVER THE ABUNDANT LIFE GOD HAS
FOR ME.
I will miss my family and friends. I will miss my life
here at home. It will be a struggle to be gone again during the
holidays. To not be able to come home. This is okay! I learned last
year during World Race training that is okay to grieve and to struggle
through things while still following the path of God. Last year we were
asked to do something called "Grief Journaling." This is where we had
to sit and write out everything that's on our mind, what we are sad
about, anything and anyone in our life that comes to mind that has ever
hurt us, etc...to allow ourselves to grieve instead of pushing it aside
and just trying to "get over it." Everyone grieves in different ways
and at different speeds. They MUST be allowed to do this! Don't rush it!
Leaving
is a part of life and God has asked me to do it at this time. Does this
mean I won't miss those I love, be sad about not being "around", or
grieve? As Paul says, "BY NO MEANS!" It just means I am walking in the
abundant love God has created for me. I can't wait!
I am still learning a lot as I prepare to teach in Hungary in the fall! One thing I have learned is that you never stop learning or growing. Just because you go off and do a challenging 11 months overseas where you give up "everything" and stretch yourself further than you thought you could go spiritually and physically, DOES NOT mean you are done. I am by no means complete or "spiritually mature." God still wants to stretch me and continue to push my faith past the limits of where I THINK I can go.
As I am preparing for Hungary by support raising, I have also learned that things will not necessarily go the same way, or as smoothly, this time around as it did for me on the World Race. A lot of things are different from last year. For instance, I gave myself less than 6 months to prepare whereas last time I picked the very last trip possible (allowing for at least a year of support raising). In preparing for teaching overseas, I felt like I needed to put things more in God's hands this time and trust that deadlines mean nothing to Him and He will provide. So far I have failed to trust in this provision at least twice a week as I look at my low support account. He continues to remind me every day...TRUST...TRUST...
I had also started really early last year sending out support letters, speaking to churches, etc. This year I have not sent out as many letters yet or spoken to any church congregations yet. From the beginning of this process in January I had decided that I would not stress as much over the support raising aspect of "going" and would make sure to leave room for God to work. My fear, though, is that I have not done all I can on my part when I should...and still I worry about the money. After being sick this week (not feeling able to do anything), realizing that I have 4 months until I leave, and only having $1,000 in my support account I feel like it is time to start working harder and praying harder. When I prepared for the World Race, my support came in pretty easily. This time may be different...and I need to be okay with that.
Another struggle I have faced this time is that I am used to the way things have been done in the past with support raising and working with AIM (having gone to Kenya in 2006 and on the World Race with them). As I begin to work with Teach Overseas, I am starting to see how they run things differently, not worse but just different. Coming on, I think I assumed and acted as if their processes were the same. So I am having to relearn and adjust my support raising according to this. For instance, with AIM, I was able to have all supporters send their support directly to AIM (they actually preferred I did this). With Teach Overseas, I automatically did this, but I learned that when I do I have no way of knowing if someone noted they will support me monthly or that they will support me in prayer. Oops! This has been a source of worry and frustration for me in the last couple of weeks. It just means more work in contacting my supporters and letting them know about this slip-up.
When I went on the World Race, we immediately had to learn to give up what we know and what is comfortable to open our eyes for what God wants to do in and through us. Looks like I am still learning how to do this. Bring it on!
Happy New Year! Well, it's already February (jeez) and my birthday has come and gone, but I hope it has been a great start to 2010 for you! I want to share with you where I have been led now as I discover more of who God is and what He wants to do through me in my life. Beginning this fall I will be teaching English in Hungary! I am including my support letter below, and I hope to share more with you in the weeks of preparation to come.
Happy New Year and blessings to
you and your family! If you haven't already, please take the
time to reflect on what God has done and how you've experienced
His love in your life in 2009. God has done so much in my life
this year! I hope you have had an opportunity to hear some of
my stories in person of what God has done or received a note of thanks
from me. I look forward to seeing what God wants to do in my life
and through me in 2010. As I look at this next year and where God is
leading me, I would like to share with you! I am hoping to continue
to have your prayers and support of God's kingdom, bringing His love
and hope through relationships and service.
I have applied and been accepted
to teach overseas with Education Services International (or teachoverseas.org)!
I will be teaching conversational English to high school students in
Hungary starting in August. This is a year-long commitment
with the possibility of additional years if God leads me to it.
I will have one month of training with my team before I leave in August.
We will be trained in culture, teaching English as a second language,
classroom management, etc.
One thing I have learned this
year is that God has given me the gift of teaching and a desire to teach,
both physically and spiritually. Through teaching, I will be able
to build relationships with these students and to spend time outside
of the classroom with them. By my example and through connecting
with them I will be able to share Christ's love and hope for their
lives.
When I was in Hungary in June,
I heard of the nation's high depression and suicide rate, as well
as the struggle for younger generations to find their place and purpose
in life. Many are feeling lost, confused, and
unloved. God desires for them to know who they are as His beloved.
He wants them to find hope in Him. I am looking forward to spending
time with these students: providing them an opportunity to learn valuable
skills in the classroom, sharing God's kingdom with them, and building
friendships with them.
I ask that you pray for me.
Remember me frequently in your prayers. Pray for my preparation
(I have a lot to do before I leave) and for my heart and mind to be
ready. Please pray for my students, that they will open up and
feel like they can connect with me. Also, pray for God to provide
the funds needed to go.
While in Hungary, the local school
will provide a place to live and a modest
stipend. However, I will also need to raise funds for training,
flights, insurance, and retreats/support while overseas. I understand
if you are unable to support me financially. There are other ways
you can lend support, such as through prayer or planning a fundraiser
for me (I could use help in this aspect). However, if you feel
God leading you to give, you can mail the enclosed response slip in
the envelope provided.
Please consider supporting me with monthly or one-time donations.
I am especially looking for a strong group of monthly supporters to
meet this need; I am hoping to have 20 people commit to giving $50 per
month (I will need to raise about $12,000). Teach Overseas is
a 501-c-3 non profit organization, so your donation would be tax deductible
as allowed by law. Checks should be made out to "Teach Overseas"
with my account number (210022) written in the memo line.
I am trusting in the truth that God will provide for what He has led
me to do. Will you be a part of that?
I am so excited about this opportunity
and to experience more of God's love for others. I am learning
more every day about this love! Thank you for all you do and please
keep in touch with me: sharonjoprice@gmail.com. Let me know your thoughts and
how I can share more with you.
Here's a blog that my friend Matt Snyder posted...please read it:
Today's National Human Trafficking
Awareness Day. That means that for the 27.1 million people that are
enslaved beyond their will are getting some much needed attention.
Who's giving it? We are. We are their voice. We are their deliverance. We are their freedom waiting to be delivered. The question is: what are you doing to help them? God's given me a platform through blog and other media outlets; He's also given me a voice that I've dedicated to Him. So Twitter this, Facebook it, Digg.com it, and do what you have to, to get the word out. You're welcome to copy & paste this blog I wrote a while ago.
* * * * *
"Srey Neang followed him through the entrance. At first her
eyes had trouble adjusting to the darkness of the room. Slowly, she
could make out the scene. At nearly every table a middle-aged man
enjoyed the company of two or more young women who casually draped
their bodies around him.
Chuan led her through the club, occasionally pausing to give a brief
greeting to a male patron. Once they reached a staircase at the back of
the club, he pointed upward with his index finger. Srey Neang went
first. At the top of the stairs they reached a small hallway with three
doors, all shut. She turned around to get further instructions. Chuan
jerked his head deliberately to the right, indicating which door she
was to open.
Srey Neang turned the knob and tentatively pushed forward. It startled
her to see a man standing in the middle of the room as if he were
anticipating her arrival. She heard the sound of the door click shut
behind her... the room did not hold much furniture, save a bed and a
small nightstand. The man, in his mid-thirties... uttered a simple,
shocking command in the local dialect: Take off your clothes.'"
-- true story, called "The Conspiracy"
My life was ruined last night. I don't think that I've ever said that
before, let alone sincerely meant it to the very core of my being. In
the matter of minutes I've never had my heart shatter into so many
pieces that the only ounce of expression left in me manifested itself
through more than three hours of tears.
Heart graced my cheeks.
And it wasn't something that I really wanted to happen, it just did.
It hurt. It still hurts. And within me I can't ignore the urgency to
act, to actually take a stand and respond out of obedience. I have to
do something. I will not remain silent. It's one of those moments
where the Lord's righteous anger boils within me, yet with such grace
and love that my life pulsates with His goodness, His heart, and His
mercy for all people.
Yet in the same moment I'm waging limitless war on hell.
I'll fight this until the day I die.
A few of us watched a movie last night called "Human Trafficking". I
had heard of the issue in passing, not in depth, and I knew that it was
a passion of many... yet I still never cared enough past myself to
really dive in and learn. Maybe it was a subconscious attempt to keep
myself distant from responsibility. Like I've said before, the further
we can keep ourselves from an awareness of an issue, from keeping
ourselves from knowing the facts, from the possibility of having some
kind of "invested-interest"... we can void ourselves from having to
react.
It's almost like an excuse for survival... but I don't accept it - even for you.
In case you don't necessarily understand the term "human trafficking", let me break it down for you into understandable terms: slavery.
I'm not kidding.
Human trafficking is, in fact, modern day slavery and it happens all
over the world. At any given moment the International Labor
Organization (ILO) reports that 12.3 million people are in slavery worldwide, the majority of them being for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked every year internationally (that doesn't include domestic trafficking) for sexual exploitation.
That means they're used for sex against their will.
We call that rape.
There's a lot of reasons that human trafficking exists, many I
attribute to sewage that seeps out of hell and infects lives through
all kinds of lies, deceptions, accusations, and the like. But it's
also because people make a choice; they choose to feed the system, to
turn over money to the monster that enslaves and imprisons. "Out
of the total number of foreign visitors, roughly two-thirds entering
Thailand were unaccompanied men. In other words, about 7.3 million
unaccompanied men visited the country in 2003. Certainly, not all of
these men came as sexual tourists, but it is a good bet that a
significant percentage did. In fact, according to a survey of travel
agents conducted by international aid agency World Vision, 65 percent
of all tourists to Cambodia are men and one-fifth of them travel with
the express purpose to have sex."
You might be thinking to yourself, "well, Matt, I've never even been to Thailand or Cambodia and I never intend on going. I don't contribute to the madness."
There might be truth to that statement - I agree. But think about
this: every time you sneak onto your computer and check out a little
bit of porn here, a little bit of porn there... you contribute. In the
Netherlands and Germany, they've found a significant association
between prostitution, pornography, and human trafficking. The
pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar industry... every
year... and prostitution's merely a front that will typically mask
human trafficking.
So
maybe you weren't aware, but now you are, that many people that are
trafficked are also used for pornographic purposes, yet another ploy
within sexual exploitation.
I can get onto more facts in another blog... but you might be wondering what the Lord's calling out of me.
I've never heard the Lord speak to me with such clarity. Last night I
was sitting on the balcony/rooftop of the house we're staying at here
in Phnom Penh, letting the Spirit express itself through my body. I
was wrecked beyond words. Kim was inches from me crying her heart out as well. I've never prayed more in my life.
And I've never heard the Lord speak to me with such certainty.
He said, "Matt , I've made you an exhorter, a teacher, a
fire-starter... and I want you to create awareness. You're my
mouthpiece. I need you to speak. I need you to open eyes and hearts
to issues long ignored. Don't remain silent." He also told me to
go to Bangkok, ASAP, and see as much as I can first-hand. I have a
responsibility now and I cannot be disobedient to it.
So, truly, let's consider this the beginning. I'm merely getting
fired-up and I fully intend on catching y'all within the blaze.
* * * * * *
Here are some good resources to check out for more information:
Well, I have been home for almost 2 months! Life is very different now from what it has been in the last year. I have been visiting with friends and family, running errands, organizing my pictures (there are many), RESTING, and now looking for a job.
God has been teaching me so much about His love and faithfulness in this time. My heart is in missions and I believe God is leading me toward that process. For the time being, though, while I am here I believe God can use me here. This is an opportunity to grow in my walk even more with Him. I hope to have a job soon where I can be involved in ministry and earn a little bit of needed money. Please pray for that to happen quickly. Please also pray for doors to open in missions for the future.
The last two weeks have been awesome! I want to share with you what I got to do. I went to Gainesville, Georgia to serve at the training for the January 2010 World Race squad. Not only did I serve in behind the scenes tasks like kitchen duty, clean-up, etc. But, I was also able to spend time building relationships with these future racers, hear their stories, answer questions, pray for them, worship with them, and just love them. God taught me so much about His love this week. I never thought I would be able to love so much people that I barely know, but I truly believe God has blessed me with the gift of experiencing and feeling His heart for people. In this fashion, I felt like God was using me to show His love to these racers. When this happened I could better understand His heart for me. God broke my heart once again for people I barely know. I really enjoyed being at training, and seeing this process from the "other side."
I also got to see about half my squad again (20-25 people) who came to help with training. I guess we couldn't stay away from each other! We fell right back into a natural rythm of encouraging and lifting each other up, feeling comfortable around one another, and just having fun while serving. It was like another week of ministry together in community. It reminded me of how much I miss having a community that challenges and keeps me accountable to the things of God. I believe when I continue in missions in the future this type of community will be a part of it. I also got to meet a lot of amazing people in the World Race community who were on other squads.
I was sad when it was time to leave. But it was a good thing! I had to leave a few days early to go to a retreat back in Northern KY. This last weekend at the retreat was also an awesome time to remember God's love for me and for Him to reaffirm who I am. I realized God definitely has created me for missions and to love people through ministry...I can't hide it!
I am just soaking it in and allowing Him to guide my future!
Please continue to follow me in ministry as I update you and keep me in your prayers.
We are flying to the States tomorrow! I'll be home in less than
48 hours! I'm very excited to see everyone and share with you
personally. I would love to talk to you if you have any questions or
want to have lunch/coffee. I also hope to post a few more blogs on
this site to give you an idea of what I have learned and to share a
little more about this last month. God is so amazing and He has shown
it to me over and over this year! Please continue to pray and seek God
on my behalf...this will be yet another not so easy transition back
into the U.S. Also, I am praying about where God is leading me and it
takes some courage to think big. So I will need big prayers and big
support. Thank you for already doing that so much.
Dios le bendiga y Hasta pronto!
(God bless you and I'll see you soon!)
Here are many more pictures to enjoy from this month:
The Guys and the Girls at the Quincenera
Baby Dunia at our Outing to the Beach with the Kids
Santiago, the Pastor's Son, worked with us on construction this month, we had lots of fun and good conversations with my limited Spanish
Mixing Concrete
The Always-Beautiful View of the Lake from our Porch
Sisters Christian and Amalia-loving on me while one of the Tias (Aunty) laughs in the Background
Keyla-
(a girl with a beautiful heart, she and her two brothers live at the
orphanage), she commented that she now sees us as family
Julietta-
falling asleep while she is trying to finish her dinner, at the
Quincenera; When we first arrived on the first day at the orphanage she
immediately came up and jumped and hugged every one of us...how is she
so loving and trusting after what she's been through?
Team Banah at our Final Debrief Banquet! (We all got fun paper-plate awards from this year, mine: "The Best Hair Cut on the World Race")
This month I had the opportunity to work with Helen, the director of the orphanage. She is so loving and easy to be around. Here is some great information written by Melissa Gibson. Also, there is a video below done by a former World Racer. It shows the orphanage and community members so well. Whenever I watch it it touches my heart because I miss those kids and the community so much!
------------------------
Being on this race for 11 months, traveling around the world, will
expose you to a lot of new experiences. Some easy, but most are
difficult. The race also allows you to meet some amazing people from
all over the world - in all walks of life. I've met some of the most
selfless, most loving, dedicated, and most faithful people that I've
ever met. Take Helen for example.
Hellen
is the current director at CICRIN, the orphanage where my team is
serving for the month. Helen cares for 20 orphans, from a 1 year old up
to 22 year olds who came from family members who either abused them,
mistreated them or literally left them to fend for themselves. And
she's been doing this for almost 20 years.
Twenty years ago, Hellen left her home country of Costa Rica for a
three month getaway. After finishing college, she left to process life
after her father passed away. She joined up with some friends who were
running an orphanage in Nicaragua. Helen is fluent in Spanish and
English, so she decided to lend her linguistic skills by serving as a
translator at the orphanage. She spent 3 months serving the Lord there,
helping out her friends, and falling in the love with the kids. But at
the end of the 3 months, she was ready to go back home to Costa Rica.
Her friends who ran the orphanage had an emergency that came up and
told her they had to return to the States permanently and would have to
close the orphanage unless there was someone who would stay and care
for the kids. They asked her to consider staying.
She immediately said no. She had no interest in staying in Nicaragua
and definitely not alone and wanted to go back home to Costa Rica to be
with her family, her friends and to continue down the path she was
establishing for herself. She prayed that God would not make her stay.
But after spending time in prayer, it was undeniable what God was
calling her to do. She didn't want to hear it, but God's voice was very
clear and he was leading her to stay.
So, she decided to trust God and stay for a few more months until He
raised someone else to come and take over for her. Seeing how she had
no idea how to run an orphanage. I mean, she was only a translator,
fresh out of college.
That was almost 20 years ago. And Helen is still at the orphanage. She
is a single woman who has devoted herself and her life by giving it
away. Her love and obedience for Christ drastically altered the course
of her entire future. It's funny how when we make ourselves available
for God to use however he wants. When we give over control to him - how
he equips us for things we never thought we were capable of ever
doing.
Helen has transformed CICRIN into a beautiful home for the orphans and
the kids call her Momma Helen. CICRIN has become her home as the
orphans have become her kids. She has to deal with the politics of
operating an orphanage under a government who adds a complicated
laundry list of requirements every year just to keep the orphanage
open. Under the new government, about 11 orphans have been sent back to
their abusive uncaring family members in the last year. We're praying
that the government shows her and the orphanage favor and allows the
kids to remain at CICRIN and receive the love, education and care
they've been receiving for some many years at the orphanage.
Twenty years ago, Helen prayed that God wouldn't make her stay. Now, Helen prays that God would never ask her to leave.
She receives volunteers almost every month who come and help construct
schools, better schools, build dormitories for the kids, feeding
centers for the children in the local community. She relies on
volunteers to come and help out with the construction projects, which
often take years to finish because of the lack of volunteer staff.
She used what she had. A second language and God transformed her life
which in turn has dramatically changed the lives and futures of 20 +
kids in Nicaragua.
You don't need to have the skill to be used by God. He simply wants
people who love him, trust him, and are willing to make themselves
available for him to use. Maybe your at a point in life where you need
some direction. Maybe you don't know what to do with your time off.
Maybe you have gifts and talents that you don't get the opportunity to
use. Or maybe you're tired of the rat race and ready to help someone
else in need.
You don't need to be a superstar with all the talent and skill to be
qualified. Just be available. Hitting some nails, mixing and pouring
cement, laying brick for walls, making rebar doesn't require you to be
a master constructionist in order to qualify for the job. Maybe you're
tech savvy and know how to design websites. Maybe you like to cook and
want to feed some hungry orphans. Maybe you're a teacher, an artist, a
doctor, or a lawyer and want to offer your services to those who are
less fortunate. Maybe you like playing games like duck-duck-goose or
soccer and you like being with kids. Maybe you're ready to exercise
your philanthropic muscle and make a corporate gift to some needy
cause. Or maybe you've heard God call you to something and you're
running the other way.
God doesn't need masters of skill. It helps, but it's not
important. He just wants lovers. People who are willing to look beyond
themselves and offer hope, love, and a helping hand to someone in need.
You may just change a life in the process! Maybe even your own.
"One discovers their destiny on the road to avoid it"
This video was taken by a former World Racer one year ago who also visited CICRIN.
I wanted to give you a glimpse in video format of some of the kids here at CICRIN and life on the island.
This month we have been working at Cicrin Orphanage on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua.
It is so beautiful here and the kids are beautiful. There are two volcanoes on the island.
I have really enjoyed all that we have been doing. During the day on most days I have been doing construction at a pastorīs house and building a feeding center at the church. Mixing concrete in a pile on the ground ("the old fashioned way"), laying bricks and concrete, lifting concrete buckets, bending rebar, etc.
In the evenings we have been playing with the kids and doing fun stuff around the orphanage. Just the other day we celebrated the Quinceanera of two girls here. The 15th birthday is a big deal in Latin America. There was everything from a coreographed dance to an enormous cake, to tons of visitors...everyone dressed to the nines of course.
I have enjoyed our time here so far and really want to truly experience this last week of ministry on the World Race. God has done so much this year and I canīt wait to share that with you, my readers.
I have applied and been accepted
to teach overseas with Education Services International (or 
So
maybe you weren't aware, but now you are, that many people that are
trafficked are also used for pornographic purposes, yet another ploy
within sexual exploitation.
Hellen
is the current director at CICRIN, the orphanage where my team is
serving for the month. Helen cares for 20 orphans, from a 1 year old up
to 22 year olds who came from family members who either abused them,
mistreated them or literally left them to fend for themselves. And
she's been doing this for almost 20 years. 
