August 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow! Time has flown!! It has been awhile since I have written you and thought I would let you know what is going on in my life. I hope this email finds you doing fantastic! After nannying for a family in Montana for 2 months, I came home due to several reasons. I came home and drove out to do a trial period with a family in Louisville, KY. I loved the children and the family I was staying with, but during the 2 weeks I was there God showed them that they weren't spiritually ready to be a leader to a nanny. It was a neat experience and they were so encouraging to me. It was unexpected to go back home, but it was a great time getting to know them and I still stay in contact with them. Before I headed home, I stopped by to see an old time friend in Nashville and my friend Beth from Wisconsin happened to be in the area too! We had a girls night and it was fun despite the unexpected news. I went back home and started searching for another nanny position. Mid April I started nanny for a single mother of 2 children. It was totally different from the other 2 positions being she wasn't a Christian and I didn't live with her. After nannying for her for 7 weeks, I put in a 3 week notice, and it has gone downhill from there. I am still praying for the children and for Abby. She has been hostile vindictive towards me since I left the beginning of June. God had me in their lives for a reason, and I pray that the seeds I planted in the kids' lives and Abby's life will be rooted. "God, so now what?" I asked myself. I searched for different positions and no luck in this days economy. Mom suggested that maybe it was an opportunity to go back to college and finish my degree. Being that I don't have a desire to teach, I knew that I didn't want to go back and finish that. I realized that I still have a passion for Spanish and God could use me in that area. So after lots of praying and searching, I have decided to go back to Missouri Western State University and finish my degree in Spanish. If I have things calculated correctly, I only have 9 classes left!!! That is REALLY exciting! I should complete a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish December 2010 if I can get into a certain class this fall. Right now the class is full and I have to have special permission from the professor to be able to take it. I won't know anymore information until August 18th at Walk-in Registration. Another thing new in my life is taking up running.....or jogging should I say! I set a goal back in June that I wanted to be able to run a mile without stopping. I thought I was crazy after starting that goal, but after 1.5 weeks of walking and running, I achieved that goal. My next goal is to be able to run a 5K....and that is exactly what I am doing! On October 10, 2009, I will be running a 5K called "Run For a Child". All the proceeds will go to a Christian Crisis Pregnancy Center called Rachel House. If you would be interested in donating money towards this please let me know. Donations are tax-deductible. I will need your name, address and phone number. You can also donate online at: http://www.active.com/donate/runforachild

Some of you may want to know what is going on with the orphanage and my future plans. With the orphanage the kids are doing great. Most of the students/children I taught in Kinder are no longer there. A lot of them went back with their families, which were all good situations! Zuleika is in the process of getting adopted within the next couple months along with her 4 siblings. This has been a LONG process for them, but God knows when they will be with their family! Paúl is sill at the orphanage with his 2 siblings. Ericka is back with her mother and her little brother (who wasn't at the orphanage). Saúl and Lady are back with their mother, and are really happy. She put her faith in Christ during this whole process, which is really awesome! Jhonatan and his sister Nayeli are back with his mother, which was long over due. She visited him every Saturday consistently and loves him VERY much! Edwin is still at the orphanage and is Miss Aly's class! He still talks about me and tells me that "Tia Mommy" is in the US. I LOVE IT! Maybe someday I will be able to adopt that little boy! Sebastian and Yan Pier are still at the orphanage as far as I know. FINALLY a few days after I left, their mother was located and told us their given names. That is the orphanage and if you are wanting to support them monthly or want the US Administrator to speak at your church, please let me know and I can get you that information.

Future plans.....let's see! I am going back to college in the fall. I am still dating Marc Hawkinson and we are doing well. He is great and I love him very much. God has brought him back into my life and it has been a challenging reconciliation with our families, but God is still faithful and is leading us in the direction that He wants us to go. I have an interview tomorrow with Hy-Vee in St. Joseph, MO, and could use your prayers in the job area. I am still planning to go back with YWAM after I finish college. I am hoping to be able to do translation with them at the base in WA along with nannying for the staff's family. Sorry that I can't give you more information on what is next, but God will reveal everything in time....His perfect time!

Thanks again for all of your support throughout the years! I am truely blessed to have family and friends like you! I pray that God blesses you abundantly as you continue to give towards His Kingdom! Here are some prayer requests:

1. Pray that I will be obedient to God's calling on my life concerning my job situation.

2. I have a court date on August 24, 2009. Pray that God's will be done in that situation and that Abby will turn her life over to Christ someday. Also pray for the children as I am sure they are having a hard time also through the whole situation.

3. Pray that Marc and I's relationship will continue to remain pure and that we will be obedient to what God has in store for us as we seek His will for our lives and our relationship.

4. Pray for the finances to come in for the orphanage. They are wanting to be financially independent from Mr. Miller.

5. Pray that I will be able to get into the class, for it is a pre-requisite to all the other classes I will be taking.

6. Pray for continued health for me. As I am preparing and training for the race, I pray that I won't have any injuries.

Thanks again and God's blessings to you as you continue to serve Him!

Serving Him in Love,
Amy Elizabeth Pitchford
201 E. 14th St.
Kearney, MO 64060
Blogspot: http://hogar-de-esperanza-amy.blogspot.com/

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.  Mark 10:13-16