Greetings in the Name of the One who Is and Was and Is to come, Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God. In my desire to follow Jesus and be obedient to His commands, it’s funny how often I forget all that He suffered. In one sense, He came to suffer and die so that we would not have to. Yet we are also called to be one with Him and join Him in His suffering. As I sit to write this post, I find myself wondering about my own willingness to suffer.
It’s a bit strange that this post is starting here. I don’t feel like I have been through a lot of suffering recently. But perhaps I do see some fruit from all that we have suffered in the past. I mentioned in the last post about the fruit of suffering in our marriage, as Jessenia and I grow stronger in the LORD. Of course, going further in, the fruit we are experiencing in our marriage comes from the fruit of what God harvested in our hearts. That is where the transformation takes place, and it affects everything around us, not just our marriage.
Before I continue, let me pause to share this update on Margine. Jessenia, Jeruahel and I were thankful to visit Margine and her baby girl, Luz about three weeks ago. The visit was both joyful and concerning, to be honest. It was joyful to see this precious child, hold her in our arms, and see Jeruahel with her. It was concerning to hear the cultural standards with which Margine and Alba (her mom) were caring for the baby, provoking sickness in Luz due to their own ignorance. Jessenia and I did our best to give clear instructions on what to do and what not to do (i.e. breastfeed only, don’t give home remedies). Jessenia was able to return a few days later to bless them by helping clean the house. I didn’t get a picture, but Margine’s family was shocked at how clean their house could be. Hopefully they’re inspired to keep it that way. Please pray for them. Pray for wisdom for Margine and Alba, as well as other people around them to give wise counsel. Please pray for Margine’s maternal heart to be awakened, that she love, care for, and sacrifice herself for the good of her daughter. Pray that they would seek first the kingdom of heaven in their hearts and home. We all need the transforming power of the Word of God, and they are no exception.
To help you better understand the harvest of what I’m going to share next, I need to give you a little history first. I went to USC to study business and make a lot of money. Halfway through I realized I didn’t want my life to be about that, and instead thought I would work with children. My plan was to finish my business degree, be a teacher through Teach for America, get a masters in education, and maybe go into administration one day. Long story short, that was my plan, not God’s. Instead I learned Spanish in Spain, moved to Central America, served as a missionary in several non-profits, married the most beautiful woman, and together served children and families in service to God.
Four years ago, the LORD brought me back around to teach in a school called NCA. As our ministry schedule shuffled and we sponsored children to go to school while living in their own homes, my schedule opened for this opportunity to teach secondary math. I only committed year to year, not fully convinced God really wanted me to keep teaching. Last Fall He reaffirmed His plan for me at NCA and I committed indefinitely. Shortly thereafter, the principal position opened up for the Fall 2025. With much prayer and encouragement from the community, I applied and was given the job. In March, April and May I spent as much time as possible with our departing principal to soak up all I could. Two weeks ago, I started online classes towards a Masters in Education through Dordt University. Come the end of July, I will be the secondary principal as school starts again in August.
Apparently my college self wasn’t too far off, but I’m so thankful for the LORD’s timing as opposed to mine. All the experiences I have had in ministry and life have prepared me for this role in a way I could never have imagined. I come into the role with a heart seeking God’s ways, not the ways of academia. Don’t get me wrong, we want academic excellence, but our framework and foundation will not be the same. We long for our students to know the Living God, know they have a part to play in His greater story, and surrender to Him instead of the world. That’s how we want our graduates to leave our school.
What really encouraged me as I prayed about this position was the way this new role aligns fully with the commission I believe God gave EdificaSion so many years ago. “As priests and stewards equipped by and with the Word of the LORD, Jesus raises up His Family through us. It is a planting of His children, and a harvest of His sons and daughters. In this edification they will find their place in God’s Family, and in it they will know their identity in His Son. This is the LORD’s primary purpose for EdificaSion: that the children He has entrusted us with would know their identity in Christ. In the LORD’s plans and timing, we also believe He will call us to continue this edification on a larger scale, providing a safe place for more families to come and dwell under the covering of the Temple and Tabernacle of His Presence.” When I wrote that on this same website, I had no idea I’d end up at a Christian school. Yet here I am, and here the LORD has called me to be. I’m excited looking back on what has been harvested, and more excited looking ahead to the harvest of His sons and daughters in this next season.
It is important to note that while I am working as a principal, I am not being paid as a principal. NCA was founded by missionary families for missionary families. In keeping with those roots, all expats receive meager wages and fundraise as missionaries. My compensation will be about $1100/month, and our family requires a little over $4000/month after taxes. Our ministry expenses are also a little over $4000/month, which means we still need to fundraise over $7000/month. I can’t write that without being amazed at how the LORD has provided all these years, even when our budget was higher. So many people (you know who you are!) have supported this ministry. We thank you in humble gratitude, knowing we couldn’t be here without the support of the Body of Christ. You have partnered with us in serving the LORD, and it is a privilege to share the stories of God’s faithfulness with you. At the same time, I look at the rest of the year and see there is not enough in the bank to get us through August. I’m so thankful to all who choose to join us in prayer and by giving financially. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, ‘To God be the glory!’