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July Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER
August 2020
Thank you for your prayers in regard to the Dominican Republic’s presidential elections on July 5th as they went very smoothly.  The new president-elect, Luis Abinader will take office I believe in August. The country opened up completely for the elections to be held and to start up their tourism again but the rise of COVID cases and deaths has also gone up.  The DR has issued a 45-day National State of Emergency starting July 21st until September 3rd.   Mostly reinstating curfews to help contain the spread of COVID.  But they are hoping to still keep the country open to tourism.  The plan is for the schools to start on August 24th but some uncertainty in how it will be done.  Please continue to be praying for wisdom and energy and strength to all our leaders, staff, kids and missionaries.

There are some exciting things that are happening in our ministry.  We are having a virtual service team.  We are continuing to help give food to our kids who go to our schools and continue to evangelize to their families.  Our one school, ANIJA has been having a book drive to get books for the school library.  We are in the midst of a child sponsorship campaign so if you are interested in becoming a child sponsor for $39/month you can either check out our website https://www.kidsalive.org/sponsor-a-child/ or you can email me for more information.  My hope is to be able to go back to the Dominican Republic around the end of August or beginning of September time frame.

Psalm 119:105, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

My journey continues as God has illuminated my next step which is officially finishing my time serving with Kids Alive International at the end of December 2020.  I will be finishing my time in the Dominican Republic on September 30th.  Thus, when I return to the Dominican Republic, I will be finishing my time by handing things over, packing up my things and saying good-byes.  This is a big life transition.

Since my last visit to the states in 2019, I have had this unsettling feeling and not sure what was really happening.  I believe that God is calling me to come back to the states to do life again with my family after being gone for 14 years.  I was hesitant at first because it felt weird to receive a calling to be stateside again and to do life with my family.  But after much prayer and talking with a handful of people I felt God confirming this calling in my life.  What does this look like?  What would I be doing stateside?  I have no idea.

I am doing my best in trusting and waiting for God’s next instructions.  This is not an easy
place to be but isn’t that what faith is believing in the unseen?  In my finite mind, I just figured that what makes the most sense is to do nursing again full-time.  But as I have searched various nursing jobs, nothing has really stood out to me.  As I am writing this, I am chuckling because it reminds me of when God told me the purpose, He had for me back in 2004 – being a nurse and working with kids and youth.  I then tried to take things into my own hands by becoming a school nurse.  But God knowing best, shut those doors to my way of thinking in order to open the door to His way of completing His purpose in and through me.  What an amazing journey it has been!

Coming back to live stateside, I have been really stressed out about my financial security.  Why is that such a stressor?  Why all of a sudden am I not trusting for God to provide for me when He has done so faithfully for the last 14 hears?  I do not know but the question that kept popping up is Shannon are you willing to trust God to provide for your financial security?  This is one of the biggest lessons that I am learning through this time is being willing to trust God completely for my financial provision as I come back to live stateside.  What this may look like?   Again, I do not know.  But I do know who does which has given me complete peace about coming back and living stateside once again.

One of the member care classes I am taking had us see the red thread that is throughout our timeline.  One part of my red thread is trusting God.  God reminding me from His Word, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Please stay tuned to where God leads me next.

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for the presidential elections in the DR went well!
Praise the Lord for health!
Praise the Lord for his teaching, guidance, and equipping!
Pray for me to finish well in the Dominican Republic.
Pray for our missionaries, leadership, staff and kids in the Dominican Republic.
Pray for wisdom in knowing when to go back to the DR.
Pray for our nation.
Pray for the church to arise as one body and in one spirit.

Shannon Eaton
829 Kocher Dr.
Grove City, PA  16127

Email:  shannon.eaton76@gmail.com
Facebook:  Shannon R. Eaton

To Donate:  www.kidsalive.org/shannoneaton

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