August 2nd, 2024
by Mary Ellen Black
Read the latest news from Madrid
May 2024: Camp, Construction, and More!
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7 In April and May, poppies dot the landscape in rural areas and can even be found pushing through the rocky soil on the side of the road. Their bright red color, in contrast to the green around them, makes it seem like they are glowing. Their vibrancy is hard to miss, their delicate petals and stems sway in the wind. But the root of this plant is not thin nor delicate, but quite thick. We can compare this poppy (or any plant, really) with our spiritual lives. Metaphorically speaking, are you and I so rooted in Christ that our lives vibrantly portray Jesus our Savior? Are our actions and words and attitudes stemming from Christ and our faith in Him? |
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What fun we had at Elementary Camp this year! A BIG THANK YOU goes to Washington Heights Baptist Church for donating sooooo many supplies (art, sports, decorations, etc.) for this VBS-like camp to be awesome! It was a medieval theme and we studied the Armor of God and Biblical examples who did or did not put on their "armor". I also want to thank the 6 volunteers who came to help run the many activities, from the Bible lessons, to the science projects, to helping with hair or sunscreen or a band-aid, to playing sports or board games or listening to kids recite their Bible verses. ECA teachers thank you for coming and serving in so many ways! May God bless you! |
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| Construction has begun for our Sports Court Covering! We had a successful fundraiser relay run recently that brought us a lot closer to reaching our matching goal amount of $50,000. But there is still time for you to get involved in helping us reach that goal. Would you be one that contributes toward our gap of about $7000? Click here to make a donation! You can pray that all construction would go smoothly and that God would provide the rest of the funds needed for this project. |
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WRAPPING UP THE SCHOOL YEAR |
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One more class photo on the last day of school! I'm so proud of these kiddos for so many reasons: for having curiosity and wanting to seek the Scriptures for answers, for doing everything with creativity and enthusiasm, for growing in so many different ways this year, and for each of them reciting 50 Bible verses and the books of the Bible this month for a Bible memory award! Thanks for praying for me this year as I taught them, and continue to pray that these kids keep seeking the Lord and love Him and others. Also, keep in prayer the families represented and the work they are doing in Madrid. |
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For the last Bible lesson I taught my 5th graders this year, I used a carabiner as an object lesson to help them remember to "cling to" Christ and what is good. I talked first about the importance of this tool for mountain climbers, how they use it to be held secure when they are climbing. We took turns reading verses that reminded us to "hold fast" to the good, to what we've been taught, to the Scriptures, and to God. We also read verses about God holding onto us. I let each one pick their own carabiner to keep as a reminder that no matter what their future holds, they can hold onto Christ and His Word as He holds them. |
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One last outing to Brilla Cafe to end our Tuesday discipleship group meetings. It was a great way to end the year, to share some highlights and blessings, and hear that all these girls hope to continue studying the Bible together as a group in the fall. Ephesians 4:15-16 says"...we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." |
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Praises: -Strength and energy for Elementary Camp and the last week of school -A great camp with the WHBC team! -A good end to the school year -Construction of the Sports Court Covering has started
Prayer Requests: -For lots of language learning this summer as I take classes here in Alcala -For friendships with classmates at language school -For the new couples and individuals raising support to come teach at ECA in the fall, that God would provide for all of their needs! -For opportunities to share the Gospel with Spaniards this summer -To create good rhythms during the summer, including more time for spiritual growth |
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Copyright © 2024 Megan to Madrid with ABWE, All rights reserved.
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April 2024 - April Snapshots
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| | Isaiah 61:11 "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations." (ESV) Spring is here and I'm enjoying all the green and the flowers. May the Lord also bring forth righteousness and praise from more people in Spain! May His Holy Spirit transform believers to be more Christlike, around the world!
Near this plaza in Alcala, I will be taking language classes in June and July. I'm looking forward to the intentional time in the language, to making progress, and even making some new friends. |
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| Many mornings at school I give my students a writing prompt to respond to. It's a great way to get to know them better, to have them practice different types of writing such as summarizing or persuading, and a calm activity that usually doesn't require my help. Earlier in the month I gave my students "free choice" and told them they could decide the writing topic that day. My heart was warmed when I read this student's writing. |
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| Our current elementary team! I was happy to get a photo of all of us together, since we are usually in our own rooms all day with our students! I'm thankful to work with such great teachers, and I'm thankful for some new teachers that are currently raising support to come teach at ECA in the fall. Will you pray with me for the Lord to supply ALL of their needs, including finances and visa paperwork? Will you also pray for other teaching gaps that we still have, for the Lord to provide the teachers and support staff we need for next school year? Here's a list of current openings. |
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A special birthday trip: A gift from God was being able to go away for a long weekend with a friend to Paris for my birthday! Krista currently serves in England, so it was a blessing in many ways to have a little vacation together, talk about living and doing ministry in Europe, and encourage one another. We both enjoyed seeing so many historically significant and artistic things, and of course we ate very well! |
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| What's new at ECA? We are currently fundraising and asking the Lord to supply for a Sports Court Covering! The admin team have contracted with a company to build a durable covering over our sports court (currently just some painted concrete with a small wall around it). We use this court for all P.E. classes, some assemblies and school events, high school sports activities, and more. However, due to the weather throughout the year, there is no shade from the hot sun, no shield from the strong winds that come over the hill, and no protection when it rains. We would love to be able to use this space more frequently and not have to let weather permit its use. The mission organization TEAM has partnered with the school for a $50,000 matching grant for this project. Would you consider joining in to help us meet that mark? Find out how you can make a difference here. |
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Praises: -signed up for language school for the summer -special birthday trip to Paris -fingerprint appointment (for residency) was yesterday and all went well -shared my testimony/life story with my discipleship group girls this week
Prayer Requests: -one more month of school! -provision for ECA teachers and staff -provision for the sports court covering -that Christ would be seen in us during the English conversations at Brilla Cafe, and that God would work in people's hearts to accept Him as Savior |
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| Copyright © 2024 Megan to Madrid with ABWE, All rights reserved.
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March Update, and Happy Easter!
February 2024 - Building Faith in February
January 2024 - Answering the Tough Questions
December 2023 - Waiting and Resting
November 2023 - Monkey, Making Bread, and Many Thanks
October 2023 - Already Over
September 2023 - A God Who Gives Life
July 2023 - A lot of prayer journaling
June 2023 - Grace and Merch
April 2023 - Sprinkled With Salt
March 2023 - Snapshots from March
February 2023 - To Trust in His Timing
January 2023 - Being changed by the One Who Never Changes
November 2022 - A Thankful heart and Exciting News!
October 31, 2022 God is Working in Hearts, Through Conversations
September 28, 2022 A Sweet September
August 31, 2022 A Peek into August ... And My classroom
July 2022, A Contrast Worth Praying About ...
May 2022 Update: What does missionary life really look like?
November Thoughts and Thankfulness
Read the latest news from Madrid
June 2021 - A Little Bit of Everything
Celebrating Six Months in Spain (May 2021)