December Newsletter

Dear Prayer Partners,

I am currently on Christmas break and just returned to the DR from the United States a few days ago. I am reflecting on the month of December as well as the way God worked in our ministries in the DR overall in 2023. I am excited to see what God will do in our ministries in the coming year! Thank you for your faithful prayers and partnership in this ministry.

Updates

• The week of December 4th we celebrated Semana de la Chispa at the school. This is our spirit week and, more importantly, our spiritual emphasis week. During Semana de la Chispa students get to participate in dress up days and have chapels and devotionals focused on a spiritual theme. This year our theme was creation. I loved being able to use this week to teach my students about how all of creation points to the Creator who made them with a purpose: to bring Him glory. I have multiple students who have been asking questions about salvation in my class recently and I love watching them learn about God and really consider questions about God, sin, and salvation at their young age. I am praying that they would be able to grasp the beauty of a personal relationship with God and that they would surrender their life to serving Him.

• We had many Christmas celebrations in the first few weeks of December. I was able to participate in the praise team for our church's special Christmas program on December 10th. This was a great opportunity to reflect on the precious gift of our Savior together as a church. On December 14th we had our last day of school which we celebrated with class Christmas parties. After school that day we also had a Christmas lunch with the school staff which I was able to participate in the praise team for as well.

• On December 19th I flew back to the States. I was in the States for about 2 weeks and was able to spend time with family and friends in Ohio and Iowa. It was a blessing to spend Christmas at home with family and to have time to rest and refuel.

Prayer Requests

• Please continue to pray for residency. I got a new background check while I was in the States which I believe is the last document I need for residency. I was told that I need to get my residency completed by April or else I will need to restart the entire process. Please pray that the documents I need are processed quickly and I am able to get residency before April.

• This is the time of the year when our school starts working to fill positions for next year. Please pray for wisdom for those involved in the hiring process and for God to work in the hearts of those He has called to join us next school year.

• Pray for the teachers as we return to school after the break. Our first day back to school will be on the 10th. Please pray that both students and teachers have a smooth transition as we adjust back to being in the classroom.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Blessings, Natasha