muchisma gracias!!!

OH MY! What a successful night!  I can hardly even believe it but our grand total (before taking away the money to cover the expenses) came to over $2100!!!!! amAZING!!! I’m so blessed! I know I say it all the time and it is totally true every single time!  Do you know how great the God I serve is!?! Let me tell you, I walked into the fundraiser trusting it would be awesome, figuring maybe we’d break a little over even but that the evening would still be fun and a great way to create awareness and it totally was!  The bowling alley ended up giving me an even better deal on the lanes as well ($100 LESS than anticipated!)  If you are in the market for an alley Lucky Strike in New Westminster is a great option!

Our big winners of the evening with the highest and lowest scores of the night!

LOVE BOWLING?! LOVE KAYLA?!

Even if you only love just bowling JUNE 23 is going to be a great night, YES! It’s that time!  Time for my fundraiser!!!! HUZZAH!   I am pre-selling tickets and would love to hear from YOU! 

The proceeds will be going towards my ministry in Costa Rica. 

Update Newsletter

 Hey Hey Family and friends, below is my April newsletter, enjoy!
 


Dear Friends and family,
Round Two!!! Some of you may know that, in early February, I did not get to attend the conference in Ecuador. I made it all the way to their airport but was denied entry because my passport did not have a sufficient number of months left before it expired. Therefore, immigration immediately deported me back to Canada (after a 13 hour layover in Texas!). It was not my favourite travel experience and I was sad to miss out on meeting my soon-to-be coworkers. However, God taught me a lot during that time and I can safely say I am wiser and better for it!
Since being back on Canadian soil I have been simply working, volunteering with the youth group at church and trying to figure out the legalities and navigating the paperwork one needs to organize before leaving the country. Above all I am thoroughly enjoying my last few months up here, trying to soak in as much as possible – despite the cold!
PRAYERS – aside from the usual- Spanish comprehension, safety, and health (physical and spiritual):

For my finances, this is a volunteer position and I am required to raise support (roughly $28,000/year). I am required to have at least enough to cover my initial 3 months before I am allowed to depart. Currently LAM has received about 7% of that goal. I still need a little over $6400 before I will be allowed to leave. Please pray that my budget would be reached so I may leave in early July as planned.

If you are considering becoming a financial partner, donations are tax deductible in both Canada and the US and you may do so either through the attached reply card or online (Canadians: www.lamcanada.ca or Americans: www.uwm.org).

  WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING DOWN THERE?

In cooperation with team leaders I will be responsible for the care, selection, preparation and debrief of short term missionaries. This includes promoting and developing short term programs. As well, I will be looking for another ministry project similar to what I had previously done in La Carpio, Costa Rica - working and getting connected within a community!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and support me, be it prayerfully, financially or both! I am very excited about what is to come! For more information or if you have any questions please contact me, I would love to chat!
Kayla Chandler
 
This is the link to the original newsletter, if needed:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=ECA537FEC56F70D5!398&authkey=!ADVskZBAhc9uBTQ&ithint=file%2c.doc

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!

PEOPLE!!!! I have just gotten of the phone with an angel! The United representative just called me to give me WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!! (which I am not allowed to disclose, that’s how sweet it is!)

Ah!!! GOD IS SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!! For serious SO good!  I heard nothing but groans when i said i was dealing with United.  Honestly, the beginning of the conversation I thought the rep was going to just say “sorry, you screwed yourself”.  She gave me the low down of how it’s my job to have my passport prepared etc etc. Which i admit it is, so then she asked me to explain to her what happened and then she cut me off  midway, when i was saying that it was my fault too, to say SUPER CONFIDENTIAL AWESOMENESS!!!!!! PRAYER WORKS!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

lesson learned: the hard way

There’s nothing like spending an entire day in and out of airplanes, airports, customs, etc. etc. only to be rejected at the final destination.  I left home yesterday morning at 4 am to get to YVR for my 6:30 flight.  At check in, I had no problems and was sent right through.  My connecting flight in Denver – same deal, open door.  Houston – same.  After 19 hours of travel i finally reached Quito, Ecuador only to be told by their immigration officers that my passport expires about 2 months too early (i have about 4.5 months left and you apparently need to have 6 months and they didn’t care that i was only staying for 9 days and had a flight out booked).  Now I had heard about this rule right before I left and had called the Ambassador of Ecuador (in Canada) and my airline to enquire if this was legit.  I was told by both that I should have no problem.  So once I cleared my first gate I figured I was in.  I explained this to multiple guards numerous times (in Spanish and English) with no success, they immediately sent me on a 6 hour flight back to Houston (30 minutes after arriving).
During this time i wish i could say i handled myself gracefully, however, after 3 flights, minimal food consumption, combined with extreme exhaustion and frustration i was a sprinkler – if sprinklers turn red, get all puffy faced and sob uncontrollably in front of hundreds of strangers, HA! not my best moment!

But you know, once i got back on the plane (and yes i was escorted  like a criminal) i sat down in my seat, cried some more and then decided that it was time to process and get some comfort from the Big Guy and He did not disappoint, whipping out some of my favourite verses:

“Be joyful always [even when you are deported], pray continually [especially when you are distraught], give thanks in all circumstances [even when you look so awful that even your mom would think twice about acknowledging you in public], for THIS is God’s will for you [Kayla] in Christ Jesus”
                                                                                  – 1 Thessalonians 5:16

“[Kayla], Reflect on what I am saying for the Lord will give you insight into all this” 
- 2 Timothy 3:7

“Consider it pure joy, [Kayla], whenever you face trials of many kinds.  Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything” 
                                                                           – James 1:2-4  (After this one i told God that i would rather be in Ecuador than mature…)

“Blessed is [Kayla] for she perseveres under trial, when [she] has stood the test, [she] will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” – James 1:12

My biggest regret was not dealing with my passport sooner and the pain came from feeling 100% guilty knowing i could have prevented it had i prepared sooner.  However, during my 13 hour layover in Houston today (yes, 13! I got in at 5:30am and did not leave until 6:30 pm) I had time to reflect and realized that while i could have checked the requirements sooner and yes i could have just renewed my passport earlier – hindsight is always 20/20.  I had investigated the timeline and been informed that i should have had zero problems as i was leaving well before my passport expired.  I was misinformed.  Now I guess most people would maybe be angry at God “why did this happen” etc. etc. But that maybe crossed my mind for a millisecond, God is able to move mountains and if i was supposed to get in i would have.  I no longer see myself as a foolish, incompetent, estupida  and do not see this situation as a complete failure – it is a learning experience! I tend to learn things best when i fail/make mistakes. I know that God is for me and will use this experience to better me, it was not a waste of time!

***

The reality of being denied at immigration pierced me so profoundly I am compelled to share.  On my way back to the plane it occurred to me, this rejection will happen one day to those who pass away without accepting Jesus Christ into their lives!

People are going to go thinking “i was a good person, i did nice things” and expect to be going to Heaven.  Then they will get to the gate and will be told “I'm sorry you cannot come in, you don’t have the needed requirements” and they will reply (like i did at immigration):

“well i was told that if i was nice and didn’t murder anyone i would go to heaven”

But that won’t matter!  The problem will be:
“Did you believe that Jesus Christ died for you to pay for your sins?” 
                                                                     (does your passport have 6 months on it?)
                    “Did you accept Him as your Lord and Saviour?”

That’s all you needed to do!!!
It’s so easy, so simple, aaaaah!!!! SO awesome!!! “Dear Jesus, I am a sinner, that is lame but I believe that you died for me and paid the price for all my sins (past, present and future), I think you’re the cats meow, lets be friend forever! Amen”

Its pains my heart; some of you who will read this do not believe in God, that is your prerogative and i do not agree with forcing my beliefs on to you.  But please know that i pray for you and am grieved every time i think about the reality that you could get to immigration and be sent away!  I love you, and want to party with you forevah and evah!!! (yes i did just break out into song in my head)

 

Lastly, I do have prayer requests:

• Today i spoke with the airline representative at the airport and she informed me that i should not have been let onto any of the planes (they should have all known better) and therefore she explained that the company had failed me (not just once but 4 times) and advised me to call tomorrow and see what the airline will do for me to amend the situation.  So please pray that I get a sweet deal!
• That God will show up big time for me and that the reason for my needing to be here will be revealed
• For blessings to all the people i interacted with yesterday and today, God really blessed me with my plane neighbours i had a lovely woman on my first flight, Dee, she was very positive and energetic (good for a 6:30 am flight).  My second flight was a guy who used to fly planes for mission organizations in Africa and the Middle East, my third flight i did not have a chatty neighbour (she just drank haha), thankfully on my flight back to Houston i was alone in the row (if i had had a neighbour they most likely would have drowned in my tears) and then on my last flight I had Rob, who was excellent! He gave me some tips about passport stuff, bought me a little bottle of wine (he said i deserved it after my journey) AND it even turned out we had mutual connections,he is friends with a guy i used to work! There were many others but i didn’t get everyone’s names, the point is while it seems silly to think I spent the past 2 days riding airplanes, i got to meet a lot of people and only God knows the affects of those interactions.
• For those who will read this and decide, “HEY! that Jesus guy is for me!!!” Pray they are able to get connected with a legit life group/church!

Okay I think that’s enough, sorry for the essay but I've had a lot of time to think :) If you made it this far CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You win a hug* the next time i see you!

*disclaimer, you will need to initiate said hug

yep, this is happening!

 

Well friends, with the new year comes another adventure, I am excited to finally announce that I will be on the move this year!

 WHAT IS GOING ON ?!?!!?  <— click here

 

Please contact me if you would like to say “hi” and/or receive a prayer card packet. Then I can mail it or perhaps even hand deliver!  Prayer is going to be the biggest factor here and I would greatly appreciate some back up!  Oh man!  Who’s getting excited!?!!

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”        

-  Ephesians 6:18

*If you would like to support financially see the side bar under “Want to support Kayla” OR *click here*

the white man

It struck me today while i was out walking; Stop lights!!!

So you’re walking, at a good pace, you tap that button and bam up pops the white man and you continue on your way without missing a beat. Other times you get to a light and have to wait a couple seconds – gives you enough time to pause, glance around, ponder a Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman moment with the guy in the fancy car to your left – but before you quit your day job and exchange your cute flip flops for some inappropriate thigh high heels the white man jumps up to save the day and you walk on!

AND THEN! There are those times where you want to pull out your hair as you have been waiting for what feels like an eternity!  It is excruciating!  Every light but yours has gone off at least twice, when did all those turn signals appear?! Its as though the orange hand is mocking you “oh you want to walk? HA!  You cannot for I am the Almighty Orange Hand of Pain!” So you continue to stand..and wait, you cry a little – on the inside of course, and start lusting after ‘the other corner’  "Oh that sweet sweet corner, so lush, so dreamy, I bet the guys are cuter on that corner, probably all single, love Jesus, and have a thing for awkward brunettes enamoured with the Latin culture…” but instead you are stuck on THIS corner where all there is is the button and that guy over there picking his nose…

*this was the moment i burst out giggling on the street

  It reminded me of where I am at right now - yes, the corner next to the nose picker! Even before coming back to Canada it has been a given that God will be sending me somewhere or have me involved in something Latin.  I am not picky (unlike my neighbour over there! haha) I will go or stay wherever and have made myself open to whatever the Lord has for me. I’m just waiting for ‘the white man’ to show up. There have been quicker lights and much much slower ones. One being that I have been accepted and as a missionary by an organization called Latin America Mission, Canada and we are currently in the discernment process of where/when I should go, the opportunities etc. While it is hard to wait at times it is also wonderful being here and I am enjoying the many blessings that are available to me.  I feel like if we were to go back to the light analogy I have 2 options:

1) I can wait for the light to change,
       for the white man to come and to be in the will of the Lord
                                                           OR 
2) I can choose to walk anyway, and risk getting hit or going the wrong way

I believe that God has me on this corner waiting for a purpose, He is preparing and maturing  me and while some days it would be wonderful to just pack up, create a spiritualized “calling” from the Lord and head out. I instead choose to wait for the glorious “beep beep….beep beep” of the white man’s unmistakable theme song! It has seemed like many opportunities have come while I have been waiting but the majority do not seem to pan out.  They dissolve so quickly at times I wonder if they ever truly existed. It can get discouraging not to mention frustrating and then the other day I came across a great passage which encompasses this last season I have been in:

“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”

                                               Habakkuk 3:17-19

I have many things to be grateful for and choose to focus on those, one of which is those of you who continue to pray and support  me, Thank you so much!  I am comforted and blessed knowing that I am not alone. As far as current prayer requests these are a few I have right now:

• It would be great if you could pray that if abroad is where I am to go that an opportunity will come, with my name plastered all over it. Lets go for a clear sign from the big Guy, the bright yellow flashing light kind, that would be ideal!
• I am currently commuting about 2-2.5 hours to and from work each day on top of an 8 hour shift, needless to say I am quite exhausted. I would love for something closer which pays well, offers benefits, and allows me to feel more fulfilled than where I am at the moment.
• To be more focused on the spiritual realm and my relationship with God rather than what I see physically. Fear of the future and all the “what ifs'”  is daunting some days, while I know I am secure and that I am in good hands I do get overwhelmed with all the unknowns.

T-Minus 1 week…

well the time has come! In exactly one week from right now I will be returned to one of my very favourite places in the whole entire world! 

Yes it’s true I am going to Costa Rica again! *siiigh  I’m very excited!  Quite a few months back I received an email from Dr. Jim, a dentist who had taken a team down last year.  Medium story short he asked if I would be able to make it down for their trip this year and translate for them.  I am so flattered, it had come out of thin air and completely took me by surprise.  So once I picked my jaw up off the ground I pondered and prayed it over aaand obviously how could I turn it down!?!  When God throws something so amazing  your way you best be throwing on your glove to catch and run with it!

So I leave Friday for 10 blissful days of airports, couch surfing, dental translating, yummy yummy food,  aaand getting my visit on!!!! I’m very grateful for this opportunity and am hopeful as to what this experience will bring!

Finalmente, I would very much appreciate your prayers over safety, health (we know i be catching all sorts of germs be it up north or down south!) and I would be absolutely tickled if you could pray that God would continue to coddle me and prep me for whatever it is that he’s got up his sleeve.  However crazily enough, this trip is NOT about me (insert shocked face accompanied with a gasp!) please please please pray for my lovely friends and family south of the border and that they will feel some serious love from the Man upstairs and that lives will be changed!!!

“feeling tired, sluggish, completely inadequate??? REJOICE!!!

 it is the perfect opportunity to rely on ME in childlike faith” –Jesus

So i must apologize for going off the grid for almost 2 months!  If we’re being honest i have had no motivation to sit down and think about how i am feeling or start pondering big questions.  Not to mention my one month of rest plan (where i would take a month off to recharge and after those 30 days i would be back at 100%) has been failing miserably.  How foolish of me, I should’ve known better, God’s plans always dominate mine!  Needless to say I'm still sick and it’s been very frustrating (i was diagnosed with sinusitis and bronchitis on monday and am now hopped up on drugs, aka watch out phlegm you’re abouts to be evicted!)

Ok moving on – there are much more exciting wonderful things afoot!  I am SO delighted to report that while I have been struggling with depression, frustration, and quite a bit too much fear God has been faithful! huzzah!
This morning i read Isaiah 30.20-21

“Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying “this is the way, walk in it”

One of the hardest things i have been facing is feeling distant from God.  Confused on where to turn, what to do, why sucky things happen, not feeling like i was hearing much, etc.  This passage  immediately filled me with new hope!  Last night, I was offered a job at the dermatology clinic where  i worked before i left for Costa Rica.  Not only that but i got a raise!  say whaat!?!? I KNOW!   The thing about this verse in Isaiah –  it emphasises that I need to make the turn first it’s way easier for God to move something with momentum over something stationary (like saaay someone who lives in her pjs on the couch…).  Sometimes we get caught up in the fear and our feet get stuck and we stand there in the same spot screaming “aah God why have you forsaken me?? where is my direction?! I want a hug!!!”  when reality is we need to first take the steps out  in faith trusting that if we are going the wrong way we will be redirected! 

So right now i am stepping out, taking a job (which is seemingly temporary,who knows what doors will opened).  I am not allowing myself to even consider going out into the field again until I'm completely recharged and healthy – not only physically but spiritually as well.  Picture it this way a watering can is not so productive when empty.  When watering the garden you take your can (full) and shower the soil then once it’s empty you take it back to the tap to be refilled until it is overflowing; so much so that it spills out while you are walking back to the garden.  I want to get back to the place where i am overflowing with the spirits of living water which cannot be contained so that while God is carrying me back to the garden I'm splashing out everywhere!  I do not know where my garden is or when i get to go, but i do know that i am in good hands and it doesn’t matter where the water lands the important part is that there is water to spill!

PRAYER
(ps did i tell you I'm so thankful for people taking the time to pray for me, i feel so special!)

• I want to be heaaalthyyyy!!!  so please pray that the medications work quickly so i can finally drop the illness be congestion-free and have an immune system stronger than Samson!
• For a softened and open heart eager to be taught and alert to the plethora of joy, grace, and learning opportunities each day has to offer.
• For continued grace and peace knowing i am where i am supposed to be right now and that my peeps' to the south are in good hands.

• That each day will bring me into more intimate relationship with God and he will fill me with wisdom, patience, and confidence so i can fearlessly discern  the paths to take.

*cough PFFFFFFFF! *sniffle sniffle blaaaah

gah so I've been meaning to write a wonderful piece about what God’s been teaching me and how I've been coping with the transition back.  However it’s been put on hold because i have death gripe (aka extreme disgust flu) case in point its hard to not be miserable.  It wasn’t so bad last week when it was a minor cold and i could spend my day playing the dance party game my mom has for our Wii.  But sadly, I've been getting worse and each day has come with less energy, less sleep, and more mocus (my friends down south would be ecstatic as they have a weird fascination with picking my nose)…i don’t even know if i would mind that much as it would block the dripage… haha eww tmi

Aaaanyways , Jesus is pretty clear when he calls us to “be joyful always”  _{1 thes 5.16}  so I've been trying to stay positive and not give into the crazy thoughts that tend to pass through and attempt to camp out when trapped on the couch for what seems like endless hours at a time.  Normally what helps me feel better is to remember all the awesome stuff I've been given and compile things that I'm grateful for (and lets face it I've got excess, the big guy has been super generous with me). It’s sadly so easy to focus on the negatives, but if you take like 5 minutes to step back and honestly look at what’s there wooo! one can’t help but find her smile. Lets take a gander at just 3:

number 1: aaah i know this gets out all the time but i am truly blessed with wonderful relationships down south and one of the BEST feelings is picking up my phone or opening my email to find that while i may be out of sight I'm not out of mind... i have been showered NO drenched with messages of encouragement, love, updates, questions, and all the usual antics from my latin familia. I'm very lucky!

number 2: my support system, even when crazy irrational kayla is near there is no fear! Just love, prayers, encouragement, and a huge dose of undeserved compliments.

EEEK number 3!!!: if all else fails I'm SO DELIGHTED that God made platypuses AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE THEM!!!!

*sigh, I'm pretty sure if you could see the gigantic smile that has overtaken my face strictly on looking at this picture alone you’d need to go change your pants because you just pee’d them from laughing so hard.

bahaha that’s enough for now, please pray i get better ASAP love kayla :)!