¡Feliz Navidad From San Carlos!

As this year so quickly draws to a close, I wanted to thank each one of you for your ongoing participation in all that goes on down here in San Carlos!  Your prayers and your generosity continue to spur us onward in what God is doing here in Mexico, especially through CEC and the many students whom we've been able to get to know over the years.

Many continue to ask how Howard Dyck, our director, is doing - he is continuing to fight, though it has been very much an uphill battle and likely will remain so for a while.  The family is working hard to bring him down here back to Mexico, as this familiar setting will significantly help in his recovery, Lord willing. One of the hurdles is the cost involved in transportation - if you would like to contribute, please visit:  https://gofund.me/028ccecf.  Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated in his recovery!

Others have asked if we plan to carry on with our school year this coming year.  The interesting part is that we were already planning for Howard and Susan to not be around for a significant part of this coming course as they were required to be in Canada for six months, bringing them back halfway through the course - and this was all already in place before any of these health complications arose.  Thankfully, we have a great team in place of fellow administrators and teachers who were and are prepared to move ahead this coming January, though, without doubt, a heavy heart.  We are grateful at the interest there is and the students who have already confirmed - not only for the first year course but the second year as well.  We begin in one month, Lord willing, the 23rd of January!  It is just around the corner and we covet your prayers as we prepare.  Specifically pray for those students whom the Lord would have be a part of CEC 2023.  It is often a challenge to set aside the time and make arrangements to be here - there are often many obstacles, but these too become opportunities to see God's faithfulness in their lives.  It is looking like a good group of students is slowly but surely coming together.

HIGHLIGHTS

It seems that I'm in a little bit of a calm between the storms as this fall has been quite busy.  Here are some highlights from the past couple of months:

Bethel Church Group

We don't receive many groups from outside of Mexico as that is not our primary ministry focus.  However, Bethel Church, located just outside of Winkler, MB, has sent a group before.  My parents led this team which was was supposed to come during the covid pandemic but for obvious reasons had to postpone their trip till this year.  They came this year, however, armed with hearts for service - all 24 of them - and left their impact not only here at the school but with a local church ministry that has a significant ministry in their surrounding, troubled neighbourhood.  The group poured cement, laid block, and served at the church's children's ministry - and they did it well outside of their comfort zone.  Laying block and mixing cement are not commonplace skills for us Canadians, like they are for many down here in Mexico, not to mention the significance of a language barrier.  As the saying goes, though, actions speak louder than words and perhaps that holds true to an even greater extent when there are very few words that you can share!  One of the Mexican workers on the project told Rafael, one of the church's leaders (whom many of you know and have personally met when he accompanied me with his family to Canada a few years ago) that he was greatly impacted by the team's dedication and effort as they took their time to work alongside them, of all the other things they could be doing or places they could go - it left a deep impression on him.  In the end, their actions spoke volumes, communicating how we are serving God together and caring for one another, even when words fail due to language barriers.  

Consiervos Missions Training Program

It was no small feat for the Bethel group of 24 to find space in CEC's facilities because during that time there was also a group of 25 or so students/staff with the Consiervos cross-cultural training program - we had a full house!  Consiervos spent just over two months in an intensive training course aimed at equipping lay-missions workers to serve along side cross-cultural missions teams.  Two of our previous CEC students were a part of this course and it was a pleasure to continue to interact with them and encourage them in their walk as they consider serving in missions work.  The program runs very similarly to CEC's program and featured 20 different missionaries participating in classes during this time.  It is a relatively new program, this being only its 2nd time running.  It complements our training program in many ways and actually fills part of the vision that CEC has had, having a "3rd year" program that focusses in missions.  It is a great experience to collaborate together with others in this way, and I have enjoyed greatly being able to be a part of this program as well.

CEC 2023

With all of this said, it has been a busy fall season, and the busiest is yet to come!  Please pray for us as a school and as a staff as we navigate these difficult times.  It seems that over the years we have had to work through some significant health issues within our full-time staff - in a sense this is not new, but each one comes with its own set of challenges and discouragements.  We pray for Howard's return to San Carlos and for his recovery!  Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers!  I am grateful for each one of you.  ¡Dios les bendiga and feliz navidad!

When Things Just Don't Work Out

Why? If we had the answer to that question...or even put a quarter away every time this question came up, we probably wouldn't have to worry about retirement, would we?  This question can rise up in the smallest of things as well as in large things alike. Take, for example, a couple of weeks ago when myself and another teacher were planning to head out one weekend to visit a church conference a fair distance away where we would be able to share with a number of churches about CEC; yet, as I'm getting ready to leave, my car just doesn't start (btw, it started the next day without issues!). This turned out to be the nail in the coffin, though, as we had been tracking a large tropical storm that was supposed to be arriving about the same time as we were in that very area. So, as I call my coworker and tell him my car doesn't start, he tells me about this list of things that are impeding his ability to leave - my car was only confirming that, for whatever reason, we were not make this trip, as much as we were looking forward to it.

Bigger things? Well, it looks like every year we are surprised by things unforseen. This year is no exception (I think I say this every year!) For someone who's job is to plan, and who's nature is to have everything under control, this constantly presents a great challenge, but one where every year I see how things work out in ways that only God can manage. Seeing and knowing this, however, doesn't make the journey itself easy.

One of the biggest things that we are facing this year concerns our director and his wife, Howard and Susan, who took off for Canada where they need to spend six months for various reasons - this, however only brings them back at the beginning of March, well into our school season. With no other option, we were already preparing ourselves to be without our director and his wife as we prepare and begin our next season of CEC. This has now only been compounded by, as many of you have known and have been praying for, a diagnosis for some fairly serious health conditions that surfaced in Howard over the past couple of months resulting from the West Nile virus. Thankfully he is at home with his wife, in Canada, recuperating, however he is continuing to deal with some serious symptoms from the virus.  Thankfully they will have time in Canada over the next months in recuperation, but more than anything, your continued prayers are coveted as there are no treatments for West Nile itself - we just continue to pray that he would find healing and relief from the present symptoms that he is experiencing.  Once again, thanks to those who have been praying!

In all of these things, we ask, Why? What is going on? What are you working out, God? And so we plan as best we can, knowing that many of the difficult things in the past (I think of serious health issues that have struck some of our past staff members, and even with the death of Jose Luis a year ago...) have brought about fruit and experiences in trusting God that have perhaps been more powerful learning experiences than if everything had just gone "as we planned."

UPCOMING YEAR

Since I got back from being on the road for most of the summer, things have not slowed down at all. We had a great time connecting with past students and making new connections with new churches over this summer.  (Here's a pic of a reunion from some of our students in the state of Jalisco.)

L to R: Guillermo (staff), Alexis (2019), Ketzia (2021), Ruth (2022), Jacqui (2022), Joel (2018).

In addition to connecting with some of our past students we were able to meet personally some new pastors from some new areas for some potential new students in the coming years.  Many are already expressing interest in coming to CEC this coming January - keep praying that God would draw those whom He wants with us for 2023! As we face staffing changes (both our directors, and as some of our full-time staff not being able to come for the entire session) we look to see how these needs will be covered. We are preparing as well for our second year - an additional load, especially on teachers, but we look forward to reconnecting with alumni for two months, in March and April. Pray for students, that they would be able to get away for this time once again and be encouraged as they continue on in their ministries. All of that to say, plans are coming together and we are excited for another season!

BONDSERVANTS - CONSIERVOS

At present there are six students onsite for a missions training course called Consiervos, or, Bondservants. It is a 10-week preparation for those who would like to serve in a cross-cultural, missionary setting. The director of the program was sharing how over 20 different missionaries will be involved during this time as they share from their experience to encourage these participants as they prepare for serving in missions in the near future. Two of the students were with is at CEC earlier this year, so it is a great opportunity to continue to connect with them over these two months.

OTHER UPCOMING PLANS

In just over a week, 10 bible school students from Millar College of the Bible in Saskatchewan will spend a week and a half onsite with us for a missions module that we are hosting. Some of the same teachers involved in Consiervos will stay on to help these young Bible school students be challenged and encouraged to become involved in missions wherever and however God might lead them. Pray for this time as we lead them, and that God would use it significantly in their lives, especially as they can experience, even if just briefly, what it is like to be in a different culture. Two weeks later a group of 24 will arrive from Bethel church by Winkler, Manitoba, headed by my parents, for a week of serving both here at CEC as well as in the community, for just over a week.

These experiences bring me back to my first experience here in Mexico, a ten-day experience that has now "strechted out" to 15 years and counting. It seems that, in God's hands, things have a way of working out in unexpected ways, even if they are, at times, un-comfortable or not what we would have chosen. It was not that I didn't "choose" to come to Mexico, but it was not in my plans.  More specifically, I didn't really have any plans at the time! In the end God always shows His faithfulness and His wisdom as He works things out in His way. Every unknown becomes another avenue for learning to trust in Him - something I have to keep telling myself from time to time as this nagging question of Why? keeps resurfacing.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support! They are never taken for granted. ¡Dios les bendiga!

On The Road Again

Looking at the date I realized that it has been a while since I last gave an update - although in the meantime I was able to see many of you (the Manitobans!) over the month of July and enjoy a good time with family, friends, and my Church family.  Last year was the first year that I wasn't able to make it back to Canada and it was long overdue to see many of you in person - and it truly was a blessing.  I know that many of you read these updates and continue to pray both for myself and the ministry of CEC, but there is nothing that can replace connecting in person.  So, here's a little bit of an update of what's been going on and what's coming up over the next few months.

Returning to San Carlos early August was a matter of simultaneous unpacking/repacking with about five days of turnaround from the trip to Canada to hitting the open road heading down to the southern part of Mexico.  Driving most of the way but flying the last leg down to the southern most tip of Mexico to the city of Puerto Escondido, I met up with one of our teachers, Ivan, who as participated in CEC for the last number of years teaching Evangelism.  His ministry is unique where he visits on a weekly basis 9 different churches (one a week for about 5 days), teaching and encouraging the churches according to whatever their needs are.  For the most part these are small churches where the leaders/pastors have had little or no training - just a willingness to serve.  They typically are churches that are in need of a lot of help but are also vibrant and looking for the help that he is able to give them.  Arriving there, he arranged for me to visit 7 of the 9 churches he works with (plus one additional church), one per day, for a marathon of visits where he gave a small workshop focused on Evangelism and I shared about the opportunity to study in CEC.  The furthest church was probably about two hours away where we would take a taxi, then hop on a "collectivo" (a van or truck that would take you on certain route to the nearby town) and then perhaps hop on another motorcycle taxi or something of the like to get to our final destination.  By the way, Oaxaca is the opposite of Manitoba - not a straight or level road in sight - I may have been wiser to pack some Gravol for some of these outings!

Probably the most exciting part of this part of the journey was meeting the members of these churches, seeing their desire to learn and grow while also seeing the needs they have for teaching and training -  Ivan has a huge ministry in all that he is doing to help them.  At the same time, there was a lot of genuine desire for people in each of the places we visited to come to CEC - these are really the types of places that we desire to reach.  They are largely small villages, people mostly of agricultural lifestyles, living off of what they themselves produce.  It is rare to have a "full-time pastor" in the sense of a paid position.  Most who serve in the church in whatever capacity have their own livelihood apart from the church - there simply are not the kind of resources for paid positions.  Of course, the possibilities of studying in a seminary for several years are completely out of the picture.  CEC, for the shorter time of the course, and the significantly reduced fee (approximately $225 USD) is a very feasible option for many.

The first church we visited in Quequestle, Oaxaca.  Ivan is on the left by the two kids. Pastor Pedro is to my left.  (You can probably spot me in the photo, right? ;)

Pastor Pedro (to my left in the picture above) is one such pastor, never having had any formal training himself.  Yet his desire to serve is coupled with his desire to learn - they welcome someone like Ivan to come and teach them.  Pastor Pedro would love to come to study, though for him, even taking four months might be hard to do - we will see what might work out for this year or for some time in the future.

Omero, a young man from another church was generous enough to give us a ride a couple of hours away to another congregation - he heard about CEC on a previous day when we visited his church.  On the drive I got to hear more of his story, how he had attended a church for a number of years but had not taken care of his relationship with God and eventually ended up caught in addiction.  While in a rehabilitation center his life dramatically turned around and he came back to the God, now with a deep desire to serve Him.  He ended up sharing a little bit of his testimony on one of our final days in conjunction with Ivan's Evangelism workshop - Omero's heart is for evangelism and his desire is to serve in whatever way he can.  As he shared about his desire to come to CEC, he was even more excited when he found out that he could possibly come together with his wife and their two kids.  

In each place that we visited there were example such as these who are the people we have in mind for CEC - pray for those that we have met, that God would provide the way for them to come, as He sees fit.  We look forward to seeing those He leads to CEC for this coming season!

I'll be on the road another couple of weeks.  In my second stop, unfortunately some of the churches that I had been hoping to visit have not worked out - there are times where churches look at a school like CEC with a certain amount of suspicion because it is outside their "denomination."  But at the same time this time has been a bit of a breather, a calm before the storm that awaits arriving at San Carlos.  I'll make one more longer stop along the way to a church in Jalisco that has sent a number of students over the years while also making several other shorter stops on the road back to San Carlos.

As I get back to San Carlos at the end of September, I'll have a week before the program Consiervos beings - a two month intensive course that trains people who want to use their trades in cross-cultural mission work - this will be the second time it has run.  Though it is not run by CEC, it is run out of our facilities and I'll be participating as part of the leadership as well as doing some teaching.  During those two months we will also host a missions module for Millar College of the Bible as well as a missions team from my parent's church, Bethel, in Winkler.  In the meantime we also continue to prepare for the next school session to begin the end of January.

With all of this said, the need for prayer doesn't end! Thank you for your continued faithful prayers.  Please feel free anytime to send me a message (rsthiessen@gmail.com) if you have any questions about anything.  God bless each one of you!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Desert Reflections

 It may be difficult to see, but it's there...

It's the driest time of year here - with months without rain, everything is as dry as a bone.  We get these occasional brush fires, though they are not too dangerous because, quite frankly, there isn't much that can burn!  But often, what little there is, ends up looking like the tree in this photo - dry, dead, scorched.  One would wonder if anything can come back to life in conditions like this.

But if you take a closer look...

...Somehow life persists and pushes through even in these dismal circumstances, even without a drop of rain falling from the sky.  

This past week I was able to advance a little bit more on my online schooling through Briercrest Seminary taking a class on the Former Prophets - the books of Joshua through 2 Kings.  Narrating the story of how Israel entered, conquered, and tragically ended up being exiled from the Promised Land, the question that must have plagued the exiled Israelites is this: Is there still hope?  These books are written as warnings of what happens when one repeatedly chooses to depend on themselves instead of God, yet even despite of its tragic end resulting from Israel's repeated faithlessness, there is an underlying current of hope anchored in God's faithfulness - He did not forget the promises He made to Abraham, and He will not forget His promises to us.

Those who were looking back as exiles from the Promised Land could not have had any idea of what God had in store for them, the very people who had repeatedly rejected Him.  Yet God's long-suffering patience - that slow-to-anger kind of enduring love - would still accomplish His purposes and offer a way to reclaim what was lost.  Somehow life can persist and even spring forth from the most surprisingly bleak, hopeless circumstances.  What Israel faced on a large scale, we often face perhaps even on a daily basis.  Sometimes, though, the hopeless circumstances carry on seemingly without end.  Yet somehow, God has not abandoned us (even though we deserve Him to do so!)  Where is He moving?  What is He doing?  Is there still hope?  The message that I heard loud and clear through these books of the Bible was, Yes, there is!  There is always hope when we look to Him...

ELIAS

Yesterday I had that opportunity to sit down with one of our students from this year, Elias who is from the nearby city of Hermosillo.  Having previously had his life turned around from being caught in addiction, he is now back working at the rehabilitation center where God first got a hold of him.  He is now in charge of a group of guys who have gone through their rehab program and are now reintegrating back into their lives, both working and serving.  One of his main responsibilities is giving daily devotional reflections as well as leading Bible studies.  This is something that he has always strongly desired to do but in the past sensed a deep inadequacy in both understanding and communicating the Bible, especially in front of others.  He shared with me how, even though at times he still has the same fear of speaking in front of others, he has seen how God gives him understanding, leading him in what to share, and giving him a deep sense of peace when he needs it the most.  He also shared how, now being on the "other side" where he is in charge of others, working for their spiritual grown (as opposed to being a student), he is understanding the challenges that comes with walking along side others.  The learning has moved from the classroom to the campo (field).

Perhaps one of the most exciting things to see in his life is not only how God is working in him and through him in ministry, but also how his family is slowly being restored.  Having virtually lost contact with his wife and kids because of his past, slowly, trust is being restored as his family see the profound change that has taken place in his life.  Not only are the relationships being restored, though, but he is sharing with them who God is and what He has done in his life.  God is not only restoring his family but He is also using Elias to bring them to Him.

MB TOUR

With summer just around the corner I'm looking forward to making a trip back up to Manitoba for the month of July.  While I was able to spend an extended amount of time in Canada in 2020, last year it didn't work out to make it up (the first time during the 15 years I've been down in Mexico).  I am looking forward to see many of you again!  Please let me know if you have time over the course of July - I'll look forward to connecting in person...until then, ¡Dios les bendiga! y nos vemos pronto!

Catching My Breath

Our 14-week marathon came to an end just over a week ago as our students took off for the respective homes.  On one hand they were sad to leave CEC behind but on the other excited to take back with them all that they have learned and experienced during these intense 14 weeks together.  The other day I had the opportunity to accompany one of our students, Juan David, to his home up in the outskirts of the mountains east of us in Sonora, about a 6 hour journey from San Carlos.  He had gone through CEC several years ago and decided to come back not only to refresh what he had learned but to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible.  He comes from an indigenous group, the Guarijio - you might recall a student from last year who also come from this area, Jesús (you can read about him here.)  Spanish not being their first language, not to mention significant cultural differences, made for a steep learning curve the first time through CEC.  Yet in spite of those obstacles, both Juan David and Jesús left CEC energized and excited to share what they had learned with their families and communities, many of whom have not heard the Gospel presented clearly.  Upon returning from his first time through CEC (in 2019), Juan David would spend hours, even days, walking to neighbouring villages, praying as he went, in order to share the Gospel.  Though the first villages can be arrived at by vehicle, from there it is anywhere from a three hour to an entire day's journey to reach neighbouring Guarijio villages.

This year, the transformation that we saw take place in Juan through his first time at CEC picked up where it left off.  At first being quite reserved, we began to see a whole new Juan David this time around.  Finding his place as part of the CEC family, his smile, laughter and joking demeanour came to the surface more and more.  As he would share about what he was learning in the classes and as he prayed and studied the Bible, it became more and more evident that his demeanour was anchored in something deep - in the joy that he has found in knowing God more and more, as well as his appreciation for studying the God's Word.  Repeatedly Juan would talk about "God's Word" (a phrase that often came from his lips) as he shared something that he had discovered through study.  What shone through too, though, was his simple and sincere faith in God seen in his powerful and simple prayers, as well the burden that he had to share the Gospel with others in his home villages.  What struck us particularly as we took him home yesterday was that, along his joy in seeing his family again, he had a new sense of confidence in heading back - not a confidence in his abilities but rather in the greater understanding he had of the Bible and how to share it with others.

Though we only had a couple of hours that we could spend with him at his home as we dropped him off had the added treat of seeing Jesús as well who had travelled from his village to meet us.  It was a treat to see him especially since it is relatively difficult to stay on contact, there being very limited cell service in the area where they live.  We are praying that Jesús would come back next year, this time with his family (wife and two teenage/adult children), so that he too could, along with his family, deepen his understanding of the Bible to be even more effective witnesses to their community.

Juan David and Jesús have been a tremendous answer to prayer and fit into something greater that God has been bringing together far beyond CEC.  Local ministries (Casa de Esperanza, where I spent my first five years in Mexico) and churches have been investing time and energy into this area, organizing missions trips to share the Gospel in this area.  While there are churches established, there is still a great need to bring the Gospel message to villages where there is little or no church presence.  The existing churches too have great needs too to be encouraged and strengthened.  While the missions trips could help someone in both of these areas, to have two young men like Juan David and Jesús, men who spoke their language and understand their culture, will be the greatest "missionaries" to their own people.  So, through prayer and help, especially by Casa de Esperanza, these young men have had the opportunity to be even better equipped and grounded in the Bible to help strengthen and grow the local church.  Please keep both of these young men in your prayers!

I'll post some updates intermittently of some of our students as they are back at home serving in whatever way they can - thanks for your continued prayers for them.  As I make plans for the rest of the year, I am looking forward to spending some time in Canada (hopefully in the month of July) followed by resuming some travels throughout Mexico in August and September in order to visit past students as well as make some new connections for CEC.  Other opportunities over this coming year will include, Lord willing, participation in the Consiervos missions program (with the English program starting in just over a week and the missions training program taking place in October and November).   As we make plans also for next year while continuing to encourage our past students (hoping that we will have a good group for 2nd year this coming school season), it almost seems like 2023 is just around the corner!  Thank you for your continued prayers...  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Halfway Home

As we reach our halfway point (7 weeks done, 7 more to go...) I would like to share with you about one of our students - Elias (or Elijah in English).  Coming from a background of drug addiction, Elias came to know the Lord 4 years ago through a drug rehab center.  He came to CEC with the desire to learn more of the Bible for the purpose of sharing with others, through teaching and preaching, the Word of God.

Having gotten to know Elias over these past weeks, I have rarely met someone who is so genuine and sincere in his love for God and his desire to serve Him in everything.  A week ago as we were celebrating communion together, he shared in reflection about how for the past number of years he lived with the fear of condemnation as a Christian.  Much of what he had heard about the Christian life was based on following rules - you must do this - you must not do that, or else...and the stakes were apparently very high.  He shared during communion about this weight that he had carried for a long time, always worried about committing mistakes and losing his way.  However, with a huge smile coming from a heart evidently full of joy, he shared how now he understood more fully the incredible Gospel message of Christ's completed work on the cross, and that nothing, in fact, can even be added to it.  He shared how this incredibly heavy weight that he had been carrying  has been lifted off of his back.  He understands it not as a freedom not to do whatever he wants, but to serve God now in joy and gratitude, not in fear.  He is not the only one who has been impacted profoundly by the study of the Bible - each one could tell of their own Aha! moments as God continues to reveal Himself to each one of the students being in the Bible day in and day out.

Speaking of serving Him, the other night it was Elias' turn to lead a study in our weekly Men's Night.  For him this was a big deal - though his desire is to share with others the truths of the Bible, he has expressed on many occasions his fear of doing so and his limited understanding of the Bible itself.  Having dropped out of school at a very early age, reading was difficult and he has expressed frustration at various times in not understanding many things in the Bible.  As the weeks have progressed, however, being immersed in it in and out of class, his mind has been absorbing its truths (even if slowly), and they have simultaneously been sinking into his heart.  It was evident as he shared the other day on the top of betrayal, looking at Judas' example of betraying Jesus.  In "fear and trembling" he lead us both from his own life and in reflection on the story of Judas and Jesus - it was a joy to see him rise to the occasion, and, in his own words, depend on God to work through him.

What has been exciting as well, is how God is working in his life to bring his family back together.  For the years of drug abuse and neglect, he had virtually lost all relationship with his wife and two kids.  The Lord had put it on his heart to seek reconciliation with them and he has been praying to that end.  During the weekends when he is able to talk to them, he has seen more and more of an openness on his wife's part to see reconciliation, with hopes that this will become a reality.  It is exciting to see how fully and completely God can transform, slowly and surely, the life of someone who had literally lost everything.  

He is just one example of the transformative work that we are seeing God do in each one of the students.  It definitely doesn't come without challenges, but with each challenge we have seen the students respond to God's work in their lives.  This doesn't even mention the work that God continues to do in our own lives as well!  I have finished my first section of teaching on Spiritual Disciplines - in a couple of weeks I'll begin a course on the topic of Grace and how to live in environments of grace where others can grow in maturity.  Meanwhile we continue to see God's patient work in each one's lives.  Sometimes I want to see things change faster, but then I just need to take a look in the mirror and see how slowly (but surely) God's work has been in my own life - and continues to be!  One of the first verses we look at in Spiritual Disciplines is Psalm 1:2-3, where growth, anchored in faithful meditation on God's law, is like a tree - slow, even excruciatingly slow growth! But a tree is not easily uprooted.  Thank God for His patient but sure work in each one of us!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Covid, Classes, and Cambios (Changes)

 Every year brings with it something new, something unexpected.  After ten years here at CEC, that has been the one constant!  As a scheduler, it can be frustrating - but I suppose something needs to keep me up at 3am from time to time!  In reality, though, as the years have progressed, expecting the unexpected takes the edge off.  More than anything else, though, knowing that God works out His plan even when they aren't according to our plans brings ultimate rest.

While this year's plans have already been derailed, we are still encouraged with this coming school season.  Perhaps I need to explain a little...  Yesterday was supposed to be our first day of classes, but as you can probably already guess, our plans have changed.  A week ago several of us staff members tested positive with Covid - nothing serious, mind you, just the typical strain that seems to be making its round now more as a bad cold.  As it turned out, several of the other staff members have also developed symptoms and so we decided it would be best to hold off on week before we bring our students on site to begin another school year.  Fortunately all were able to readjust their arrivals to accommodate this change.  In reality, this has given us all a chance to breath a little deeper, catch our breath and be ready, Lord willing, for CEC's 2022 class.

We have eight students lined up, with another one or two possibilities.  We are excited as well about a number of students wanting to return for our second year.  While last week served as a had a chance to catch my breath being confined to my house, I had some opportunity to prep some of my classes, going over past material and re-envision how to stimulate the students in growth.  The first weeks I'll have the chance of working through Spiritual Disciplines with them - pray with me as we explore these themes together in way that, I hope, encourages them in their own relationships with God and with each other.

Fortunately I am doing much better - a few of our staff are still battling some cold-like symptoms.  Please pray for us as a staff that we will be healthy and ready to go by this weekend.  In one sense, it is a blessing to have this behind us before school begins.  Please continue to pray for our students - already having been in contact with them we can see their desire to learn, hearing some of how God has already been at work in their lives to this point.  This year already feels like we will need an extra spirit of flexibility - not always the easiest thing for a scheduler - but I know it will be a good year.  Thanks for your continued prayers!  ¡Dios les bendiga!