God has taught me so much over the past few weeks in Tahoe.
I have had the privilege to work in the preschool with many of the kids I had last year in my class. They have all grown up so much! I have learned a lot being here and I have learned things I need to work on. I have kept the changes I made when I was here last summer, but now I am working on my attitude and complaining when I am tired or overwhelmed. I realize that even when I am tired, I am still supposed to be joyful. I am here to spread God’s great news, and if I am moping around because I am tired then why would people see Jesus in me and want that. So that is my goal is to work on how many times a day I say “I am tired”. Another thing I am working on is putting mistakes in the past and moving on and not dwelling on them. I am hoping I can take hold of this and change it.
One thing I am making my goal this summer is to have a conversation with each of my kid’s parents about God and what Jesus has done for us. Many of the parents remembered me from last year which is great, and I have been able to continue those relationships I started building last year. However, one thing about it that make me sad is that many and most of my parents do not have a personal relationship with Jesus and many have never even heard or know what it is all about. I want to have one conversation with each parent about Jesus and if it leads to it, I want to tell them how they can have a personal relationship with Him. My goal though is to start planting seeds, plant more seeds, water, and possibly see fruit be produced in the form of salvation! I ask that you pray for the people of Tahoe to know Christ. Here it’s not easy to share the gospel. These people have all they could ever want and live in such a beautiful place. However, many of them do not know the Maker of themselves or the beauty. I want people here to realize that there is so much more to life and they too can have that abundant life.
Things I have heard from children this summer so far. We all know I have a little boy around here that I adore named Seth. Well we were in line to go to the bathroom and he comes over to me while we were waiting and starts playing with my hair. Then he said, “Miss Kacey, I haven’t had any stop and thinks today have I?” I said, “No Seth you haven’t.” Then he said “That means I get a prize from my mom.” I said “Yay, Seth!” He said, “I love you Miss Kacey.” I said to Him back, “I love you too.” And he said, “Does Jesus love me?” I said, “Yes even when we mess up and have to go to stop and think sometimes, Jesus still loves us then too!” And he just smiled and gave me a hug. As a five year old seeds are already being planted in Seth’s life. Another kid story is about a four year old named Tucker. He is so funny. He was crying one day when he came in because he didn’t want to leave his mom. Well Ms. April calmed him down and went to another center to check on the kids. Well Tucker still didn’t want to go to centers. So then Miss Alexis, one of our high school helpers said “Tucker do you want to go to a center?” Tucker replied with, “No Miss Alexis, the choice I want to make is for you to call my mom her phone number is and he then recites his mom’s phone number. And says just call her she will come get me.” Needless to say we didn’t and he calmed down and went to a center, but not many four year olds will calmly just say call my mom here is the number. There are many other stories as well!
I love the people in Tahoe. I love the kids. I love the place. God is so wonderful! I have one amazing team too. We have all just gelled together really well. We went to Yosemite last weekend. And some stomach bug thing started. I have not had it and it seems to be trailing off around here, but pray for it to go away. The kids here are still in school. They were supposed to be out on June 16, I believe but they had so much snow this winter that school isn’t out until June 22. So our Big A Club summer program isn’t till June 23. So we have been doing school year things. This is why I have worked in preschool during the day while the girls are in orientation (since I have been here before). Also we are all working with the age group we will have for Big A club. I will have the same kids I had last year which means I will continue those relationships and plant seeds.
Another thing God has shown me again is that missions and occupational therapy is for me. OT is just the way to spread the gospel more! Missions is my life though, but OT is a part of that. I am so excited to see what God does with it. I was questioning it again when I got here and to whether or not I could do both. Well yet again on the first parent’s night out, I had a special needs kid. His name is Joaquin, and he has a mild form of autism. He would flail on me and babble and really liked lights. I was able to calm him down and communicate with Him and then he fell asleep in my arms. It was so sweet and in those moments God said what He did last year at the first PNO, see Kacey you can do both. For it to be the first PNO again and God show me that is such a God thing. The little boy named Finn that I worked with last summer at the first PNO now comes to afternoon A+. He has down syndrome but you wouldn’t know it at all! He is just like a normal kid which is the goal of pediatric OT is to help special needs kids to live a normal kid life! I am so excited for God’s plans for my life and I know He wants to do great things through me and I am available.
Pray for me and my team. Pray for the staff. Pray for children and parents to come to know Christ this summer. Pray for all the people of Tahoe to know Christ. Thank you for your prayers and support!
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