Casa de Gozo (House of Joy)

This is just a vision. A vision stirred by the love in our hearts for the fatherless and motherless; for those who do not have a roof over their heads or a family to call their own; for the street kids in Bolivia, among other places, who sniff glue to cope with life; for the children at risk of exploitation and for those already exploited—whether it be child labor, child trafficking, physical abuse, or other forms; and even for those children who are recruited to exploit other children. This is a vision that one day—hopefully soon, we can actually do something to help these children, to be vessels of protection and refuge for them, sharing the love of Christ with them, and helping them experience the joy that could only come from knowing Christ. Click here to read more about this vision!

 

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Shaw Family Ministry Video

This is the first version of the Shaw’s Update Slideshow I made for them. I am going to make some shorter and some more in depth movies of specific ministries. Praise God that it worked to upload this video on youtube – it took all night! Check out the Shaw’s youtube site and their website.

Movie, Travel, Writing, and Old Friends

Movie

I am working on a Ministry video for the Shaws. I love making movies, but it’s a whole different thing when you make them for others. Yes, I am enjoying it, and yes, I can still use my creativity, but it does require a lot of communication and working together with the Shaws, which can be difficult and time consuming. Please pray that I would get this video done soon (and a more in depth one later) so the Shaws will have this resource available for their supporting churches. Pray that I would get it done soon!

Travel

My visa expires mid-October and every day after it expires, I will have to pay $1 to stay in Peru… Since I wanted to go to Bolivia again anyway, it makes sense if I go soon. At the end of October, I am most likely going to be traveling back to Bolivia to see the Olsons again (including Danae – yay!). If so, I would probably take the bus to Arequipa by myself and I am hoping to travel to Puno with Marta. Danae said she would meet me in Puno… but as of now, everything is up in the air (so to speak). Pray that I would figure things out and most importantly, that God would lead me where he wants me to be. If I do go to Bolivia, I would volunteer at the orphanage and possibly with street children for two weeks and then travel with the Olsons a few places as well.

Writing

I wrote my newsletter for the fall! If you would like to download it, click here -> Sumaq Chakikuna. It is called Sumaq Chakikuna, which means *Beautiful feet* in Quechua. As you may know, I love writing. It seems like I haven’t had much time to write lately, but the other day, I randomly came up with a whole storyline and now I really want to write. It’s about a girl who is married as a child in India and becomes a widow at a young age. Isaiah 54 was kinda my inspiration for this idea (to read Isaiah 54, open your Bible or click here). I will let you know if I actually start writing it.

Old Friends

Being here in Peru, it is so hard to keep up with people, especially old friends! Thanks to modern technology, it is now possible to talk to people from thousands of miles away, and if they are avid facebook users, you can know some of their daily activities and who they’ve been hanging out with lately. It sometimes makes it hard to be so far away from those who are or who were at one point a big part of my life, but I need to realize that there is a time and a season for everything… There are people here in Cotahuasi who I am developing relationships with right now, and I know that when I come back to the States in January, I will focus more on my relationships there. It does not mean that I care less about anyone simply because I have not seen them for a period of time. I am learning that more and more each day. Besides, I have the best friend ever who is always with me – Jesus Christ, my savior. 🙂

Update

I have been in Cotahuasi, Peru for almost two months now – it has been an incredible summer! Britalia is now back in the states and has started her senior year at Grace Bible College. I sent out a newsletter in late July and am going to start writing another soon. If you would like a copy of either newsletter, comment below with your e-mail address.

A typical week in Cotahuasi looks like this:

Everyday, I cook Breakfast, read my Bible, and occasionally work on media for the ministry and do small chores. We often play volleyball in the early evening.

Monday: In the afternoon, we sometimes visit the Hogar (Boy’s Home) and help with homework. Monday night, Brad teaches an advanced Bible/Theology study to some of the brothers.

The Hermanos studying at the Advanced Bible Study.

Tuesday: In the morning, I study for Bible study. Brad teaches the Men’s Bible study in the morning and Gina teaches the Woman’s Bible Study in the afternoon. I take part in the Woman’s Bible Study. We are studying “La Verdad Del Hombre” or “The Doctrine of Man”.

Wednesday: Janelle calls it “a day for visiting people”. In the afternoon, we visit the Hogar to help with homework. At night, we have prayer meeting at church.

The Boys from the Hogar making monkey faces 🙂

Thursday: We have Club de Niños (Kid’s Club) in the afternoon. Lately, we have been leaving on Thursday morning to visit villages. Last week, we went to Maghuanca, a village 2.5 hours up canyon, and spent the night at the school there. At night, the hermanos (brothers) ministered to the community, sharing the gospel, singing, and showing a few video clips of Christian testimonies. Other times, they have shown the Jesus Film in Quechua. We spent the night at the school. This Thursday, we are going to Charcana, a village a few hours down canyon.

Me with some of the kids at Club de Niños

Friday: Here in Cotahuasi, we have youth group in the evening. If we spent the night in a village like last week, we usually do kid’s club in the morning. Janelle does the main teaching, but I have been helping more and more each time as I learn more Spanish. We have been teaching on and making the “Wordless book bracelet”, which tells the story of the gospel by the colors of the beads on a bracelet. We sing songs, tell the story, have them color pictures, and make the bracelets. Last Thursday, Brad also taught the children about the importance of the Bible – being the very word of God. Occasionally, we leave on Friday to go to villages instead of Thursday.

Janelle and I teaching in Maghuanca

Saturday: This can be a day to relax or visit people. We sometimes come back from villages or make day trips to villages on this day as well.

Visiting on the Shaw’s Front Porch

Sunday: We have church in the morning and in the evening. We have gone to Huillac on Sunday morning as well – Hermana (Sister) Rosa goes to Huillac every Sunday morning to teach kid’s club and to have a Woman’s Bible Study there.

Sunday Morning Kid’s Club in Huillac

Please pray for the Shaw’s ministry in the Cotahuasi Canyon, and pray for me during my time here. I go home on January 9 so I can attend the Spring semester at Grace Bible college. Please comment with your email if you would like the newsletters, and feel free to write me at r_kieda@yahoo.com. If you would like to check out the Shaw’s facebook page: click here, or their website: click here. Thank your for your support in prayers!

† Raquel Gozo

Two Days…

Hello Everyone!

The time is fast approaching when Britalia and I leave! (Sunday at 1:00) We have been extremely busy with finals, typing lectures, and last minute preparation for this summer! We still have two long days ahead of us filled with “Blomberg” – the professor we’ve been typing as a freelance job. We are finally done with School for this semester! I’m pretty sure that without your prayers and God’s help, we wouldn’t have made it (seriously!)

Wednesday night, we went to Olive Garden with the parentals! They’ve never met each other and they had a great time! (They even said they might hang out sometime without us). It was kind of like a last (fancy) supper with them. With all this work I have to do, I haven’t had the time to realize that I will really miss everyone! I’m sure Britalia feels the same way.

I would like to thank you all for your support and prayers! I will try to update this blog while we’re in South America and during the weekend I come back for my friend, Amanda’s wedding (May 21-23). In Florida, we will not have internet (or any electricity for that matter). If you would like to send us a letter or check out the HEART institute’s website, go here: www.heartvillage.org. The address of HEART is under the “contact” tab.

The weather here in Michigan has been great (53˚ today, 47˚ tomorrow, 59˚ sunday), but I must say, the weather in Lake Wales, FL seems a little bit more desirable (maybe a little bit past desirable). Here is the weather forecast, just so you all know what we’ll have to go through down in Florida.

Sun May 09		Partly Cloudy	89°/67°	10 %
Mon May 10		Partly Cloudy	87°/68°	20 %
Tue May 11		Partly Cloudy	89°/69°	20 %
Wed May 12		Partly Cloudy	90°/69°	10 %
Thu May 13		Partly Cloudy	90°/68°	10 %
Fri May 14		Sunny	90°/69°	0 %
Sat May 15		Sunny	90°/69°	0 %
Sun May 16		Partly Cloudy	89°/69°	10 %

Hope you all have a wonderful few weeks, and Dios te bendiga! Read your Bibles and pray mucho! LOVE, Rachel Joy

(BTW, here’s a picture of us and some of the girlies at school, We’ll miss you all!)

So soon.

In seven days, Britalia and I will be flying to the HEART institute in Lake Wales, FL. We will be there for three weeks, then spend 5 days with a family friend of hers. On June 2, we will take an Amtrak from Orlando to Miami and fly that night from Miami to Santa Cruz, Bolivia (with a stop in Lima, Peru). This is just the beginning of our adventures during the summer! Hopefully I will have time to edit this website and keep you all updated! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we are preparing for this summer and have our exams this week!

Blessings, Rachel Joy