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God is Faithful

Life here in Puerto has become very busy for me. I have a new wife, Soco, and a large extended family to go with her. I love them all, and they are all wonderful. Sometimes the responsibility can be a little overwhelming. God has faithfully worked out all of our problems and in the process, is working on my patience and my reliance on Him.

We are currently building a house. It should be finished near the end of March. God provided a man, Mike Albutt, to manage the construction, and I could not have done this on my own. I am very pleased with the outcome so far and expect to have a wonderful house for Soco in a few weeks.

Yesterday, my step-grandson Mario fainted in worship time at school. He is ok, but it caused a stir. His parents are in another state, 12 hours away, and he is staying with his grandmother and me. God is helping me learn how to deal with the unexpected. I know I need a lot more work in this area, but I see His hand in almost everything. That word ‘almost’ is still a problem for me. But He is faithful and true to His word.

School is going reasonably well, praise God. The sixth graders are doing better in math than my previous years of teaching the subject in the middle school. I think part of that is because more of them speak English fluently because they have been in our school longer. And the other part of that is due to God growing me as a teacher.

God is faithful in showing Himself to students in school. There are a few students that are obviously struggling with God. That is good because we can see Him working in their lives.

God is also faithful in my personal life and my life in school and to the students that we are serving. I am so thankful that He has put me here. I will keep struggling with turning everything over to Him, but He will faithfully keep pulling me through.

-David Coulter, GEM Missionary

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Learning Patience

School is fun but challenging.

School is fun because I love the students, many of the students are very loving, and the entire teaching staff is committed to help these students in school, in life in general and most importantly in knowing God.

I loved these students the first time I saw them in November 2015. They are full of life. Most of them have joyful attitudes. All of them have a need for Jesus at some level as do all of us. Some know Jesus but their sin nature gets in the way at times. Others don’t know Jesus and need to keep hearing God’s word. I have seen students grow.

One student that had severe anger problems last year now has occasional bouts of anger that are so much less severe that it is miraculous. God is working in his life and it is obvious. Many other students demonstrate varying levels of increased responsibility and work ethic. A few have made professions of faith and committed their lives to Jesus. Even more miraculous, God is doing this amazing work through teachers and staff that are also fallen and broken, but now restored in Jesus.

Many of the students are loving. They enjoy hugging their favorite teachers. They beg for my lunch at times and other times they like to give me food. One girl sprays water on my face when it is hot. Oh, it is always hot. The expression of love I appreciate the most from students is completing their work.

Some of the biggest challenges in school is overcoming cultural differences as this is only my second year living and teaching in Mexico. Normally, you would not want to try too hard to overcome culture, but in this case, there is a culture of cheating and copying work. There are many students (not all) that avoid doing work in school so that they can copy from their “friends” that evening. I am learning to juggle the amount of homework and am having more success than last year keeping them on task, Praise the Lord.

My lovely wife and I are going to build a house, Lord willing. He has provided more than sufficient and it appears that construction work will actually begin on or about Monday, November 27, 2017. We are excited and know that God will give us what we need in our new house. We are looking forward to moving in in January or February if that fits in God’s plans.

God has been teaching me patience through all of this. I pray for help with patience but not too fast. Learning patience is not an easy task. God knows how much I need patience and how much learning I can stand without cracking. He has been very good to me.

-David Coulter, GEM Missionary

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The Works of God

Last July, our family of seven moved to Mexico to join Global Education Ministries as overseas missionaries at the Manantial School. We became immersed in a culture that was so foreign to us that it left us clawing for some form of familiarity and identity. Our response to this feeling was to get to “work”.

We sought to make things happen that were not yet ready to happen. We would overreach our mandate, attempt a shallow form of evangelism, or try to perfect some part of our jobs. The level of activity was extremely pressured and I felt manic…wanting to see everything happen NOW. Praise God He didn’t let us stay there long.

My wife suddenly got shingles on her face, and this sickness led to some of the hardest weeks of our lives. All of our work and striving came to a screeching halt for two full weeks, while my wife was bedridden. I mostly stayed home and cared for her and the children. It forced me to pray constantly and to begin calling upon God more fully.

I would equate this time in our lives to a car getting four simultaneous flat tires right as it hit the gas to plunge over a huge cliff. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that this trial would save us before we could wreck everything. This situation, along with several other exceedingly difficult trials to follow, began new humbling in our hearts.

In the midst of the suffering and difficulty, God gave me a treasure of a verse to help me through, even as I thought I was doing “God’s work” as a missionary going 90 miles an hour to press “His” agenda. In the gospel of John, right after Jesus fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish and then walked on water, Jesus explains that He is the bread of life. At this point, Jesus really has the ear of the disciples after what they have witnessed. The disciples, who are completely intrigued by this miracle man, ask Jesus this question, “What must we do to be doing the works of God?” And Jesus answered them, “this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This verse put me right in my place. I had been seeking to “do” the work of God, but I was not resting and believing. On the surface, I would have told you I believed more strongly than before, but I deceived myself and believed a lie. A dominant thought current running through many of us Christians is that the more we DO God’s work, the more loved we are….that somehow we can earn God’s love and favor.

99% of evangelical pastors, leaders, and missionaries would agree that we can’t earn God’s love…but it’s a different thing to think something than to live and rest in it.   Our human drift is towards capitalism, whereby we seek to achieve, succeed or win with relationships or the market for our purposes, comfort, or increase.

Do you strive to make things right? Do you work tirelessly to be the cause of the desired fruitfulness in your life? Do you try hard to escape the suffering you so fear? OR…Do you, at your core, rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Do you, at your core, know that your human efforts are spiritually fruitless? Do you, at your core, see suffering as the means by which you are cleansed, disciplined, and crafted into His image?

Do not work for the food, results, status, or material that perishes, but believe in Jesus who God sent to free you and give you all that you will ever need in Him. See what happens when you are transformed to let your work be to believe. Let your new sweat be envisioning what Godly result you want for your friends in His name. Let your new mission be to cry out to Him, in belief for your family’s deliverance.   Let your new craft be to ask and believe God for business effectiveness, gospel witness, and a prosperous rejoicing in His name. Let your new trade be to believe in God’s promises for your church by seeing Jesus lifted up and your members unified, sanctified, and witnessing to the power of the gospel.

When you find yourself looking to yourself for effectiveness, change this focus into examining yourself solely to see how you and your thoughts are hindering belief in what was accomplished at the cross and then agree to simply rest in that finished work. Do you believe it is finished? Rest and pray. He is faithful. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

704631_10207139802147916_4018787005924459280_oRob and his wife, Mauri, were married in 2004 and have been blessed with 5 children (2 biological and 3 adopted). Rob has a Master of Education degree in Counseling and Development from Winthrop University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who also has many years experience teaching children of all ages. Rob is currently serving as the 7th grade Bible teacher and School Counselor at The Manantial School in Mexico. 

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Follow me

One gift of a Monday with no school, thank you Mexican Independence Day, I met with a friend for a run on the beach. With the sun on our backs and the sand sliding into our shoes, the miles and conversation passed quickly. We arrived to our destination, catching our breaths in a shady area. The ocean was filled with surfboards and tourists, and we watched as joyous and shaky riders conquered waves and face planted into others. Yet always willing to paddle back out and try again.

I’m sure many messages have been and could be written about the connections between surfers and following Jesus. The unknown of the waters, the determination and ability to take risks…but, I’m not going to talk about those topics. For off to our other side were 5 men. Five men that had nets, simple clothes, and no shoes. Fishermen.

I’ve never had much interest in fishing. After seeing a hook get stuck in the palm of my big brother’s hand, I stayed away from the sport. If I’m honest, maybe I just don’t have the patience. Regardless of the reason, I had never really watched the process. I was mesmerized as the men worked together, casting out the net, pulling it in, each with his own purpose (one seemed to simply keep the others laughing).

We watched them pull in a big load, the birds loudly protesting from above, and my friend turned to me and made an unforgettable observation, “Just imagine Jesus walking up to these men and saying Follow Me.” And I realized that I had never truly paid attention to that part of Scripture. I always took for granted that of course they would follow Jesus. Of course, they would understand what was to take place by leaving everything to follow Him. But they didn’t.

So, I thought about what that meant for them to leave their nets. In Matthew 4:19 it says that Jesus simply states, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” He doesn’t say, “Don’t worry, you will always have enough to eat” or “With me you will see amazing things of God.” Jesus only says, “Follow me.” He doesn’t entice us with beautiful views, delicious food, or amazing coworkers. He just wants us to follow Him.

I will never forget a quote which states, “When you delay obedience, doubt and excuses creep in.” For the next verse says, “At once they left their nets and followed Him.” They were the first ones. They didn’t have the gift of seeing others already following Jesus. They didn’t read books about missionaries or watch inspirational movies. They heard His call and simply obeyed. And I think in many ways if God did show us His plans…well, in our humanness, we would freak out a little bit. So, in His graciousness, He shows us one step at a time. One day at a time. One moment at a time.

IMG_6744Sarah Quigg is serving her second year at our school in Mexico as the 5th-grade teacher. We are so blessed to have her on our team, and our students are INCREDIBLY blessed by her God-given talent for teaching and loving them so well.

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Running Free

One of my biggest struggles has always been finding myself stuck in a routine. To a certain degree, life will always have a bit of a routine. I always teach Math first, Science is always filled with sweaty faces after recess, and Itzel never fails to bring me an apple on Tuesdays. And I love knowing these things. I love feeling confident in what will happen, in how (usually) my plans for the day are always carried through.

Then sometimes a feeling of restlessness takes over my heart. A yearning for new. For experiences and places that I have never known. This feeling could be simply a human desire, growing bored or unsatisfied so quickly with the gifts God has given us in the here and now.

Or maybe these new experiences and places are not so far from the here and now as I had thought.

This morning I awoke with the sun on a gift of a Friday with no school. I instantly felt that dread of a routine day. Knowing that I would start with a run, I laced up my shoes and set off. At the bottom of our hill, where I always turn right and head to the beach, I ran into a fellow teacher and his growing band of bike riders. He told me they were going on a road that seemed to have no end, a road that eventually ran parallel with the river, and was filled with great views. A few minutes of small talk later and I was headed back onto my routine for the day (because if I’m honest new things make me hesitate at first).

One minute late something stopped me. Whether it was the Holy Spirit, or the threatening chicken just ahead, I’m not so sure, but something made me turn around. Turn around and do something different…and a little bit outside of my comfort zone.

I was SO blessed.

14976260_10211416378269389_1723835645_oThose hard steps became a worship to the Creator of my body. The dreaded and just get this over with attitude changed into an experience I didn’t want to end. My thoughts turned into prayers, my heart became filled with love, and my morning became a glimpse of how Jesus desires to pursue His children (yes, endorphins could have played a part as well).

I laughed with a woman as I showed my white girl fear of two goats (I’m still sure they were ready to charge), I was completely in love as I ran on dirt roads with a mountain view, and my desire to pursue God was renewed.

So maybe today it could be a small decision to turn left on a run instead of right. Or to not avoid that small conversation with a neighbor. Or even just to pray for someone that is hard to love. All I know is that those small decisions…those can change our hearts…those can make us feel nervous and uncomfortable…those can bring amazing experiences…those can bring glory to God.

Sarah Quigg graduated from Liberty University in 2015 with a B.S. in Special Education. She loves running and growing closer to God while exploring His creation! We are so happy to have her on the team, teaching 5th grade. This is her second year at the Manantial School in Mexico.