A Class in Review

Two weeks have passed as the dust settles from another school season. The first week after classes is lived in somewhat of a trance - exhaustion coupled with the emptiness of a school campus and a relatively free schedule.  I had the opportunity to spend some of those days with my parents as well as another couple from my church who were visiting me during the final week of classes.  It wasn't until that first full week had passed, after getting over a cold, that some semblance of the "new normal" began to take shape and with it an opportunity to look back over this school season to appreciate many of the things that took place.  Without a doubt the students go through the same process as they leave CEC.  After about a week of relative silence from them as well, we are beginning to hear how they are doing too.

The class of 2024 - I was going to put the "official" looking class photo but this one captures much more accurately their true personalities!  Back row L-R: Jesús Fernando y Yuleni, Nazaret, Luis, Jesús Ramón; front row L-R: Juan, Isaías, Ariel, Manuel, Jesús, Armando.

Without a doubt, as with every year, it is encouraging to look back and see how God works in their lives far beyond instilling in them a greater love for Scripture and a deeper understanding of who God is.   These are of course foundational and in our morning times where the students had a chance to share with each other their reflections from their daily morning Bible reading (as they read in chronological order about six chapters per day), time and again students shared how they were impacted by how they were coming to know God more deeply and truly as they spend time in His Word.  One student, reflecting on her time in CEC remarked:

"My perspective changed, my way of thinking changed, my way of living and my conduct changed, the way I express myself changed, dramatically, by coming to know God more deeply through His Word." (Yuleni)

It is always exciting to see how God works through His Word, through the classes, through the circumstances, and through the community to reveal Himself and bring about deep change in each one of the students lives.

As I think about some of the "highlights" from this past year, I can't help but notice how they are couple with what one could call "lowlights."  By lowlights, I mean challenges that the students faced where they were being confronted by circumstances in which God was at work in their lives: ultimately, to learn to rely more deeply on Him.  These highlights (and lowlights) marked not only the students lives but ours as staff as well - challenges that had to be worked through together, that caused growth in all involved.  Luis, whom I had the opportunity to mentor this year, comes to mind.  

Luis comes from the nearby fishing village, El Choyudo.  He serves faithfully in the church one of our staff members, Guillermo, pastored for many years and continues to oversee.

There were several points throughout the school season where he was ready to leave - something he openly shared with us, especially during the first weeks, asking for prayer to make it to the end.  Having grown up largely on his own (his parents abandoning him and leaving him with other relatives at the age of four), it was a challenge to live in an intense, structured community setting.  Luis came in with a love for the Bible, having learned to read not in school but out of a sincere desire to read the Bible, and was serving faithfully in his local church.  The work that I saw God do in him during his time here was in learning to live within this loving, close-knit community.  At one point in particular, he came to find me one evening after an altercation between some of the students.  It just so happened, however, that I wasn't at home.  (I had burned my hand lighting a hot-water heater and so my neighbour, a fellow staff member, Guillermo, had taken me to a doctor to get it treated.)  Luis later shared that he had come to find us to say that he was ready to leave but was "forced" to, instead, wrestle through the night with what was on his heart because he couldn't find either one of us.  He was able to find refuge in God and to work through it in prayer.  That ended up being the last time we heard from him about leaving CEC - he finished in many ways a changed person.

One other situation stands out concerning a dear brother who comes from a nearby church whose pastor has also previously been a student at CEC.  Both pastor and student are named Manuel (to make it confusing!)  Manuel had intended to come last year but due to issues with his business was not able to get things arranged for him to be away for the three and a half months of the program.  This year, however, everything fell into place.  Manuel, in many ways, also struggled with the intense structure of CEC; being a business owner, he was accustomed to relative freedom in the sense of managing his own time.  Towards the end of the program an issue arose putting into jeopardy, in a sense, his involvement in CEC and his ability to properly complete the program.  Due to a personal concern he was contemplating skipping out on our final weekend of ministry where the entire team prepares and serves in a neighbouring community, putting into practice some of the practical aspects of the training they've received.  Without going into details here, he shared what was going on in his heart with myself and a fellow staff member.  All we could do was listen, pray with him and trust the he would allow God to work in him in this matter.  To be honest, I was preparing to be disappointed by the decision Manuel might make; my co-worked, incidentally, had more faith than I did!  The final weekend went off without an issue and, thanks to God, Manuel came along and faithfully served.  I knew that it was very significant for him that he did, knowing that for him it was a significant step of faith and that God had worked in him to give him the peace necessary to be able to do so.  These seemingly "small" steps are evidence of great works done in the hearts of the students and we are privileged to walk along side them in this process.

Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers for myself, for us as a staff, and for the students as well!  May is a time of reflection, evaluation, organization, and planning for the coming year.  The students also find themselves in their home environments, missing the CEC community, but also with ample opportunity to share in both word and deed how they were impacted during their time here.  Please pray for me as this year takes shape, as plans are made, in how to best invest my time, with CEC opportunities regarding promotion and connections with students, to local opportunities to serve as well.  Also, this time after CEC is a rejuvenating time, a time to "fill up the tank" after extended withdrawals.  You can pray not only for rest but also spiritual rejuvenation and renewal for myself.  God bless each one of you...¡Dios les bendiga!