Web site: www.danvanzoest.com
Nicaragua Christian Academy web site: www.nca.edu.ni/
Our mailing address: Dan Van Zoest; Nicaragua Christian Academy; Apartado 842; Managua, Nicaragua; Central America
I just wanted to mention here that we have listed two critical prayer requests at the end of this update. They are highlighted in red. So, if you do not have time to read this update, we ask that you would please read the requests and please pray. Thank you! You will also find pix of our family at the end of this update.
Dear Family and Friends,
I am so thankful today for the opportunity to write to you. It has been awhile, I know. And I've truly missed this time with you. As I write, your faces often flash through my mind and it does seem to me that we have spent a few moments together. I pray that you experience this same connection. So, grab a latte and let's share! Know that we love to hear from you too, about you, your families, and about how God is using you as a missionary in the field that He has placed you in!
Upon arriving back in Nicaragua, we hit the ground running . . . unpacking and organizing our things in the home we moved into the week before we left for the summer. Then, there was the flurry of activity that accompanies the start of school. Soon after school began, we received the news about our head cook Blanca's daughter's drowning during a powerful rain storm. Blanca is back at school and has an amazing community of people supporting her in so many tangible ways. I do see pain in her eyes each time we greet each other. And yet, she appears to continue to take steps forward, trusting her God. The Independence Day celebration on Sept. 10 also required a lot of preparation for teachers and students and families. It is always a wonderful day of celebration as we watch 3yr old through 18 year old students dance traditional Nicaraguan dances. The favorite, however, every year is the teacher dance when the teachers perform their own dance. I find myself so full of joy during this celebration as I see the pride that Nicaraguans have in their country and the passion with which they celebrate. Today we celebrate Rebekah's 11th birthday with some of her friends from school for a party/sleepover. This will be lots of fun. And after all that fun, we should then settle down to more of a routine until Thanksgiving.
Almost every day or every few days since we have been back, Dan and I are sharing ways that we see God just blessing us. It has been so amazing. We want to share these blessings because so many of them are answers to prayers that we have asked you to pray. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers. We are so aware of how "prayed for" we are as we watch all that God is doing.
The Blessings:
- Dan moved to a new office which is more secluded, but very noisy as he is located next to high school classrooms. God went before us as He provided the Bose Noise Cancelling headphones through a Sunday School class from our sending church last year. Dan wears them every day and says that they work perfectly!
- Dan also enjoys his office because he was formerly in a very high traffic area and was frequently interrupted. The seclusion of his office now gives him the opportunity to accomplish much more during the course of a day.
- Dan was also relieved this year of a particular task that took a lot of his time and was not very much in line with his job description. He has often talked about what a difference this makes and how thankful he is for this change.
- Last summer, Dan was talking with me about how he enjoys his work at NCA but that he misses accounting (his former career). A few weeks into school, Dan was asked to take on an accounting piece which will be a great help to NCA teachers. He is excited about this.
- The house we moved into is an amazing blessing. We can't even begin to share all of the blessings of being in this home. The greatest blessing is that we no longer feel like we live with another family. People noise is no longer an issue for us and we feel as though we have a whole new life. We now can have true quiet time with the Lord and our souls are revived!
- The Bible Study that I lead with the teachers has exploded. It is amazing what God is doing in so many ways. We now have 4 leaders and 22 women involved in these Bible Studies. It was amazing to see how God led women to sign up for the 4 groups we have offered – we limited group size and were amazed how the women chose the groups in such a way that each group received the exact number of women who could attend.
- In addition to the numbers, we are seeing God deeply at work in the lives of the women. I was talking with one of the leaders yesterday who said that a Nicaraguan woman (who is going through a divorce) walked into her group and later shared with her that her first thought was, "What does this girl have to teach me about suffering. She does not look like she has ever suffered." Carmen, the leader of this group is a beautiful young woman – appears very put together , is working on her doctorate degree, etc. However, during the course of their group time, Carmen shared her testimony which includes how both of her parents have been divorced 4 times. God so beautifully drew this woman to Carmen's group and we now look forward to how He will continue the process of healing in her and her family's life (her children are students at NCA).
- Last year, I had been praying for more opportunities to be involved with our kid's classes at school, just desiring more of a relationship with the classes and I also had a burden for their spiritual well-being. This year, God so amazingly has opened up a opportunity for me to do a half hour of devotions once a week with both Rebekah's and Will's classes. It has been so fun for me when kids stop me in the hall to talk with me about what we are learning, how they are completing assignments, and I enjoy being in the midst of a group of kids that also includes my own. I enjoy how our kids have this community of diversity in which they get such a great opportunity to learn about grace – how to relate to people who are so very different from themselves. I will also speak in the 3rd - 6th grade chapel again this year and I recently substituted for the 6th grade teacher. It was a rough couple of days (especially since it was raining so hard the kids could not hear me, the electricity went out, and they could not go out for recess because of the rain!), but it is now so fun to greet each of those kids by name and hear them yell to me, "Hey, Mrs. Van Zoest!"
- A few weeks before we left for the summer, I rode in a car for an hour or so to a Women's Retreat with a woman I did not know. It was amazing how clearly God spoke to me through her. I told her I was burned out and needed help planning for how to do our next year differently. She said something that has rung in my ears ever since. She said, "You need to follow your passion and say "no" to everything else." This is so true here in Nicaragua as our energy reserve is compromised by heat and daily life stresses. A friend of mine once said, "If you get one thing done today, you are doing GREAT. If you get two things done, take the next day off!" I've taken these things to heart and have dropped responsibilities that were draining me of energy and that were not my passion. I'm now doing what I believe God has created me to do – 1)To be a supportive wife to Dan and an available and attentive Mom to Rebekah and Will, serving them as God leads me to. And 2) To be in the midst of people, sharing Christ with those who do not know Him and challenging and encouraging those who do to take the next step in their walk with Him. As a result, I am at peace, full of joy, and so very thankful!!!!!
- Rebekah and Will are doing amazingly well. Dan and I have commented how they both seem so "settled" this year. We often see both of them smiling and laughing at school and in the midst of friends. Will's teacher mentioned to me how several kids in his class identify him as their "best friend". This, is truly an answer to prayer! We see them growing in their relationship with each other as they enjoy time together and I am finding lots of notes that they are writing to each other. So fun. I am thankful every day for the privilege to be a Mom.
- While at the school yesterday, I watched High Schoolers planting trees around our campus. Dan later told me that the Gardeners who take care of the campus are teaching the students about gardening. One of our staff members recently set in motion a fund raising effort to raise enough money to build Blanca a house. She currently lives in a dirt floor hut with her kids. These events represent again how God is at work at NCA as he uses a lower class Gardener to teach and to mentor students; He uses an upper class Nicaraguan staff member to lead others to serve a sister in Christ who is in need. God is doing so much at the school - both inside and outside of the classroom. One day a few weeks ago, Dan came home and said, "NCA is a pretty amazing place to be."
Prayer Requests:
- Please do continue to pray for health and safety for us and for our community. There are many viruses going around, several people with parasites, and we know of a family who has had Dengue fever. Every week we hear too of more families who are broken into. Last week a friend was at a stop light and someone tried to open their car door and get in. This family emailed the missionary community to warn people to make sure their doors are always locked. This has not always been the "norm" here – it seems that things are changing.
- We have been hit hard this year with a number of "extra expenses". Some of them medical - as with turning 40, I've had the pleasure of beginning some yearly check-ups that have not previously been a part of my routine. Some of them, things breaking down and needing to be fixed. And others involve just unexpected expenses. Our support continues to be very strong and we are doing fine financially. We would just ask you to pray that God would continue to be our Provider and that we would be protected from further unexpected expenses.
- Hurricane Matthew is scheduled to hit Nicaragua sometime today and tomorrow. Heavy rains and winds are predicted which causes a threat due to the fact that the ground is saturated from recent heavy rains. Please pray for the protection of Nicaragua from destruction and loss of life. It is also possible for us to lose water and electricity and for the roads not to be passable in the next several days. So, please pray that everyone will be prepared for these challenges as well. We are praying too about the fact that we will be having Rebekah's party this afternoon and then a sleepover. Praying that we can get the girls all home on Sat.!
- Please pray for God's protection on Nicaragua Christian Academy. Last week a student was suspended for a behavioral issue. This student's parents were not happy with the school's decision and have involved a lawyer, the media, and the police. Liam, NCA's director, as well as our psychologist, were taken to the police station for questioning last Tues. Liam said that he is seeing how God has already been at work protecting NCA, as the police have been very supportive of the school. However, we are not sure how the law suit will unfold. NCA is now working with a lawyer and we pray that God uses this situation for His glory, as NCA is now in the public spotlight. Liam has urged our school community to love this family and to pray for them. We ask you too for your prayers for them as well.
Thank you once again for your prayers. We know that we are part of a team, and you are a vital part of the work that God is doing here. Thank you so much for being a part of this work with us.
Peace to you,
Dan, Lisa (the writer), Rebekah, and Will Van Zoest
