OKAY...I need to get my act together and stop pressing the submit button before my thoughts are completed!!!!

I am sending out an APB on the following people:

Donnie Madden

Keith Troyer

Thomas Jakobsen

John Walker

Ben Ward

Jose Tobias

These are folks that I have either lost recent addresses for or have not heard from in ages. If you have contact with them, pass the message along that Elijah is hunting for them and has made the hunt public:)!!!

It has been way too long...I have backslidden as it pertains to my Xanga commitment!!!!!!!!!

The questionnaire form that is in the previous entry was sent to ORU folks in my address book. It was great to get responses from all over the country and beyond. The reality is that many people still do not have blog sites, so mass e-mail is still the only way to cover lots of ground at one time. It really blessed my heart to hear from so many people. I feel like I have been out of touch with so many people for so long!!!!! When you get a chance, fill it out in your e-mail if you got it in your inbox. If not, post it here and I will figure out what to do with it!!!!

Since I am behind, are there other ORU folks that have recently joined Xanga??? What is the difference between Xanga and MySpace??? Are there any preferences for any specific reasons???

Blessings to all and I hope to stay in better touch!!!!

Elijah

It’s Been One Year!!!!!

Good folks,

It has been one year since I made the decision to move to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. El Senor ha sido demasiado bueno a mi!!! I am still loving, living, serving, and giving here in one of the most beautiful places on earth!!! Where there is a WORD there is a WAY and here is the word that I stepped out on to come to the DR…

Isaiah 61:8,9"Because I, GOD, love fair dealing and hate thievery and crime, I'll pay your wages on time and in full, and establish my eternal covenant with you. Your descendants will become well-known all over. Your children in foreign countries will be recognized at once as the people I have blessed."

I want to share three impacting moments of the past couple of months in the DR…

1.       My 6^th Grader’s Graduation: As the 6^th grade teacher, it was my responsibility to prepare my students for their graduation. To make a long story short, it was bound to be a disaster. All of a sudden, singers are hitting sour notes and students are forgetting their lines. I was one stressed teacher, but I knew that somehow I wanted God to speak to these kids on their final night as 6^th graders. I asked the principal if I could share a few words and she allowed me to do so…I poured my heart out to those kids on that night and something happened within ME! I looked into their eyes as I was sharing, and I began to see the call of God on the lives of various students. I saw it all year, but God let me see special things this evening. It was all I could do not to just leap, run, and dance for joy. As I looked at the graduation pictures weeks later, I was reminded once again what an honor and a privilege it is to serve the Lord as a teacher. A glimpse of God’s glory on the next generation…WOW!!!

2.     Hosting a team for the 1^st time: I got a chance to host a team that came from the church of Javier Maldonado, a close brother and fellow ORU grad. He is the Youth Pastor at Centro de la Familia Cristiana in Orlando, Florida. He came with a group of 13 students from his church for a 2-week mission trip with YWAM. My dream of hosting a team has finally come truly…It was awesome to see God bring an ORU relationship full circle for the impacting of lives and the advancing of His kingdom!!! We were goofy freshmen together at ORU and it was mind-blowing to realize that we were all grown up, doing the work of the Lord…and still as goofy as ever!!! One of the biggest blessings was seeing him with his beautiful and talented wife, Anjelina. Javi has a wonderful youth group that has become a part our family here in the DR…they will always have a special place in my heart.

3.    Jessica joining me in the DR: Jessica deciding to move to the DR and pursue a teaching job at my school was (and continues to be) surreal in many ways. Love is great when one is assured of God’s hand in it all. Understanding the rational and irrational dimensions of love have been challenging yet sweet. Our relationship is best defined as a series of faith acts…her moving to the DR is the most recent one of all. Her faith in God and trust in His word speak loudly in the heavenlies, but it also speaks loudly to my heart here on earth. Faith always gets a response from the throne of heaven…I cannot wait to hear what the Father says and/or does in response to her faith…I am just grateful to be on this journey with her…So far, I love doing life with her!!!

There are many more moments that have been impacting since my time in the DR, but there are the couple that I wanted to share with you all. In addition to teaching, I have been faithfully committed to working with YWAM’s youth discipleship program (King’s Kids) this year. I have seen incredible and prayerfully lasting fruit this year!!! I am blessed to be a teacher and a mentor in this program.

         This year, I will be teaching various high school subjects. I will be the 12^th grade homeroom teacher, 7^th grade Bible teacher (these are the former 6^th graders from last year), and Grammar/Literature teacher for 9^th-12^th grade. King’s Christian School is an amazing place to work. God has truly given me a precious burden for our school and I thank God for being counted worthy to serve as a teacher and intercessor for this institution.

       God has GREAT things in store this year. Faith is the word of the Lord for me in this season. It is simple but profound when one lets the Spirit of God breathe on it fresh and anew. I ask that you continue to celebrate with me as I run this race that has been set before me; continue to collaborate with me as we win for the Lamb the rewards of His suffering; and continue to call on the Lord with me out of a pure and undefiled heart. Rejoice always and pray without ceasing!!! From the bottom of my heart, “THANK YOU” for your love, prayers, and support…it really does make the difference!!!

In grace,

Elijah

P.S. Forward this on to folks…I want to make sure that this gets to as many of my friends as possible…even the ones I have not talked to in ages…while you are at it, send me your most current contact info: address, #, e-mail, birthday, anniversary, etc….oh, forgive all of the typos that might be in this e-mail…I am at an internet café and am in a super rush…40pesos an hour!!!!!:)