Tomorrow Is (Was) Graduation

This morning a reminder pops on my laptop: Tomorrow is CEC's Graduation.  Five weeks have already past since the hard decision was made to send the students home, but it seems more like five months with CEC feeling like a distant memory.

I had the opportunity to chat with one of the students yesterday who was going through a difficult time himself, wading through the uncertainty that is facing just about everyone these days.  Missing the regular meeting of his church family, he now finds himself working outside of his hometown, spending the week on the road, and being even more isolated from anything that is remotely close to "normal."  His isn't the only story of those who are struggling post-CEC; in and of itself, leaving CEC can be a challenge as one gets back to life and ministry after all that has been experienced here.  As we've been in contact with the students, we hear how others have faced difficult circumstances as well.

Others, though, seem to be isolated from all that is going on in the world.  One such case is Raul and his wife Sofía.  They live in a rural area in the south of Mexico, in the state of Veracruz.  Their weekly routine consists of walking through the surrounding mountains to share Bible studies to some of the local ethnic communities, of which Raul speaks their ethnic tongue.  These isolated communities are thankfully far-removed from all that is going on elsewhere, and Raul with his family are able to continue to make the several-hour trek on foot to these places several times a week.  In a sense, they have been able to return to their normal life and routine, rising early every morning to work, arriving back in the afternoon to head out and take care of the local church congregation or make the trek to the nearby villages they visit; most of their evenings are occupied with some form of ministry but every time I've talked to them, they are doing well and are encouraged, always positive, and making the most of every opportunity in front of them.

Raul & Sofía and their two boys.  The whole family makes the trek on foot several hours, several times a week to neighbouring villages for Bible studies.

Between job uncertainty, drastic changes in how to take part in ministry, isolation, and also the "shock" of leaving CEC, much has contributed to the struggles for some of the students (I think we can all identify with any number of these things...)  At the same time, in a very real sense, they, like all of us, have the opportunity to put into practice the things that they know, including many of the things learned during their time at CEC - in a sense they are on the training field now.  The communion that they experienced here in CEC (times in the desert spent with God or the group devotional times, etc.) doesn't depend on the school, or whether or not we are together, but ultimately on God and His unfailing presence in our lives.  God's sovereignty and control have not come into question either, though circumstances might seem to portray a different reality.  In the end, and this is something that we want the students to grasp while they are here at CEC, nothing experienced during their time here is dependant on CEC but solely on God Himself.  The circumstances look different, perhaps even drastically so, but He remains the same, wherever they are, as does every promise in His Word.  These circumstances we find ourselves in just might help all of us to more fully rest in His promises where under other circumstances, we actually "rested" in other things.

The students continue to need our prayers, but we know that God continues to be at work in their lives.  Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers and support.  I'm able to carry on with a number of responsibilities that I haven't had time for otherwise - some promotional material that we have badly needed so that when we are ready to get the word out for next year, we'll be ready to go, and things like that.  Staying in touch with the students is also easy to do with the many methods available.  God bless each one of you!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Who's In Control?

There's no need to comment on things that are happening these days and how everyone is being impacted in one way or another; unfortunately for us at CEC, it has meant that the students have been sent home early though we still had five weeks remaining to the completion of this year's course.  I suppose that this turn of events (for all of us) has in some sense awakened us to the reality that we truly don't know what tomorrow will hold.  This, of course, is nothing new - it has been the fact each and every day, however, in these days it becomes more of a reality.  And not only that, but also the reality that we are not in control.

However, as believers we find great comfort in being reminded that there is ONE who IS in control.  The Psalms especially are fully of cries for help and expressions of confidence in God, who is "our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).  This Psalm reaches a climax with the familiar words, "Be still and know that I am God" (verse 10).  I don't know how much different you are from me, but I know that for myself, I like control.  I get uncomfortable when things are out of my control; but God lovingly reminds me that things are better in His hands anyways.

Our Students: BACK: Abram R. (Jalisco), Abram M. (Chihuahua), Miguel (Sonora), Joel (Jalisco), Manuel (Sonora), Jesús (Sonora); FRONT: Carlos (Veracruz), Carmen (Sonora), Andrea (Oaxaca), Sofía (Veracruz), Raúl (Veracruz)

That is the confidence our students went out with this past weekend.  The decision was a hard one to make and to carry out as staff, but for the best of all involved, we decided to send each student back to their homes and communities.  The past nine weeks that we have spent with them have truly been a  blessing, and as students reflected on the time we've spent together, each one could share with gratitude how God had met them in specific ways, and how they are not heading out the same.  We can attest to that as we've seen significant changes in each one of their lives.

In the coming weeks I'll take some time to share specific stories of how God has been at work, but for now, let's pray for each of these students as they unexpectedly find themselves back home, perhaps feeling that they weren't ready to leave CEC behind.  Some in particular are at a transition point in their lives and weren't sure what was next for them.  Thinking they still had five weeks remaining at CEC has left some of them feeling very unsure and vulnerable.  Yet the reality is that nothing is out of God's hands, His control, nor His plan. He saw this coming and was preparing each one of them for this moment.  This now becomes the place where the rubber meets the road and we learn to walk by faith when we can't see what's around the next corner (and we have no understanding of what's going on!)

Thanks for your prayers for the students and for us as a staff as we figure out our next steps and what the rest of the year looks like.  I keep hearing in my head the voice of a GPS unit repeatedly saying, "Recalculating route...recalculating route...").  I'm glad that God's routes never get recalculated by unseen circumstances!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Speak to me, Lord!

We are officially 25% of the way through our 14 weeks together with these 10 students who have joined us from all parts of Mexico. Though it's only been three and a half weeks, honestly it has felt like about seven weeks together in many ways. "Ahead of the curve" is one way to describe this group in the sense that from Day 1 this group "agarró confianza" (some things are just easier to say in Spanish!) Basically, they got very comfortable very early as a group. This is great, because its when we get past the initial "ice-breaking" that we can get down to the real work of learning and growing, and yes, this more than often comes through conflict as "iron sharpens iron." I think there's been a lot of iron-sharpening already! Within the first two weeks a number of students faced internal mini-crisis where they were close to the point of leaving. Thankfully each one made the decision to stick around, staying the course. It is often as we are confronted with different issues that we respond by running. Praise God that no one has successfully run so far!

The class of 2020: Jesús (Sonora), Jorge (Sonora), José Carlos (Sonora), Abraham (Jalisco), Abraham (Chihuahua), Andrea (Oaxaca), Carlos (Veracruz), Raul & Sofía (Veracruz), Juan (Sonora)

One of the big themes that has come up with this group is what it means to "hear God's voice." This can be misleading because to hear someone's voice is not difficult. We hear people's voices all the time - this is easy to understand. But it is different with God's voice. We don't (except perhaps in rare occasions) hear an audible voice like we do with people. So what does it mean to hear God's voice? Below is a graphic I shared in one of my classes that perhaps over-simplifies it, yet it holds the key to what we've been conveying to the students in helping them to develop a deeper understanding, stronger habits, and ultimately a sensitivity to hear (and discern) God's voice from the many other "voices" that we often hear. "The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) These are humbling, almost scary words when we consider the power of God's Word and what it reveals in us but even more so, to us. It's no wonder why someone might want to run!

"Speak to me, Lord!"

BUT, Jesus Himself, speaks clearly about what His intention is in speaking to us. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." (John 15:11) We are excited when we see the students respond to God's Word, sometimes having to face some hard and painful things in the process. But the purpose is ALWAYS for our own good. We have seen that in a number of students already, responding to God's work in their lives. We have some students who are still continuing to struggle through some difficult issues, but we are excited knowing that God is continuing to do His work in each one of them. Continue to pray with us for each one of them! Continue to pray for us as a staff, as we work together in unity. Thank you for your faithful prayers! ¡Dios les bendiga!