A different kind of Makarios student sponsorship

The sponsorship money for each student goes to pay for the needs of the school. This is includes, but isn't limited to, teacher salaries, the food the students eat including while on school breaks, the uniform shirts, the electricity bill, gas for the generator when the lights are out (which is a daily occurrence), etc. The American staff here with Makarios is encouraged to send their students to the Makarios school. Sam and Levi have already been attending for the past two years and are sponsored by a very nice lady.  (Thanks, Sharla!!) When the American students become a part of the school there is the same financial need as the other students. When the American students are sponsored that is $100/monthly that the missionary family isn't shelling out. There is then an investment in the ministry of Makarios through sponsorship, but also to our family specifically. If you are interested in sponsoring Sarah or knowing more about sponsorship in general, please let me know.

I will tell you a little bit about Sarah. Sarah moved to the DR when she was 6 months old. She hangs out with Joe during the day and when the boys come home from school they all play together if Sarah isn't napping. Sarah has a very good handle on her letters, shapes, colors, and she is working on her numbers. She holds a pencil well and traces letters with accuracy. Sarah enjoys singing, reading/being read to, painting, being the one to pray for our food and taking baths. She speaks full English sentences, but does some sign language as well.   She is so excited about going to 'kool with the boys and Mama. She will enter in the 3-year old class even though her third birthday is at the end of February. We will assess if she will stay in the 3-year old class next school year or if she will go on with the 4-year olds. She is learning Spanish and that will be the main purpose of her starting school so early. 

Thank you for taking an interest in our family by reading this.  If you are interested in sponsoring Sarah, please email me at lauriemajcher@gmail.com and I will connect you to the sponsorship coordinator.  If you are interested in sending some end of the year giving or in joining our monthly support team to help close the $1, 000 deficient in monthly giving we would be very thankful!  Please visit:  https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary for end of the year giving or joining our monthly support team. 

Que Dios les bendiga/May the Lord bless you all!!

A few pictures from the past few months! Is it really almost December!!??

 This is the Hill Country Christian School of Austin team leading chapel for the Mak kids.  This is where I spent 9 years teaching!  I love the trip is still going strong!  What a blessing.  November 2015

 Sarah is practicing tracing her letters.  She is a smart girl who will be starting at the Mak School in January!!! Watch out, Profe Gloria and Profe Marnelia!  October 2015

 The Makarios Staff in Austin and the DR prayed at the same time the whole month before the Makarios Gala which was 21 November.  It was a wonderful fundraising event that the Lord blessed.  October 2015

 Our family headed to Jarabacoa, DR for a weekend with a few other Mak folks.  It was a great, chilly weekend, like 65 degrees.  Downright freezing!  October 2015

 The American Mak Staff had a Fall Party and Sarah went as Frida Kahlo.  October 2015

 Okay, so this is a First Day of School pic.  A little late.  That 'one to go' will be heading to school in January.  :)

 Levi's first day of Kindergarten.  He loves his teachers, Profe Yomo and Profe Jenna.  He loves to play and be with his classmates.  He enjoys riding his bike to school and loves Odilcia's cooking.  He recently told me that he wants to be either a doctor or a clown.  :)  September 2015

Sam's first day of First Grade.  Sam loves his teachers, Profe Perla and Profe Katherine. Profe Katherine just had a baby boy last week!  Sam is a sharp student who loves to answer ALL questions and help his classmates.  He also likes to ride his bike to school.  Sam would like to be a teacher when he grows up....or maybe run a school.  Hmmm, wonder where he gets that!! September 2015

Maid's Quarters Christianity

Our house has a maid's quarters. This is a room with a bathroom that is for a maid to stay if she lives with the family. We use it to store stuff that we don't readily need or stuff we don't know what to do with including spiders and cockroaches; it reminds me of my own heart. When I give a tour of our lovely home I breeze over the maid's quarters—it is a mess and you don't really care about seeing our dust, our various random items and aforementioned spiders and cockroaches. The same is when I am surrendering my heart—or parts of it—to God. Lord, come see the upstairs—the view is nice and the breeze is fantastic. Try the hammock. The maid's quarters? Oh, You don't want to see in there. Just spiders and cockroaches.


Keith Green has a song called “Rushing Wind”. He invites the rushing wind to blow out the dust from temple, himself, and to be found faithful through trials. Lord, I long to have the courage to invite You to do that. To truly invite the Lord to prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. In order to do that I need to open up the maid's quarters of my heart and mind. Let the wind rush through and sweep away the arachnids and the undesirable strongholds that grip me. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, 'He is the source of your life in Chirst Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.'


Now, if you come to my house, please don't ask about the maid's quarters. It is just an analogy and I have no intention of actually cleaning that place up. My heart, on the other hand, you can ask about. We sure do covet your prayers as we work on the de-dusting of those unseen areas that living overseas, that living as missionaries, that living on Earth can be easily created.


As a bit of report of the work we are doing with Makarios, we have completed a seven-week summer session and look forward to a bit of time off before we start preparing for the 2015-2016 school year. There are many changes at the school that include no less that 6000 details that just may actually get tied down with the wonderful help of the VERY BEST staff on this planet. We had a few students accept Christ through the weekly VBS's that the groups planned!!! It was a wildly busy, but great summer! Makarios also is seeing 3 outstanding ladies leave our ministry for what the Lord has next for them. Each of these ladies, Miranda Wauson, Imani Folkes and Kelly Case, all brought amazing talent and passion for the Lord to the work on this island. They are and will be very missed!!


As far as what is up with our family, Sam will be entering first grade. Levi who turns 5 on Friday (7 Aug) will be entering kindergarten. Sarah will have to wait to enter the Mak School as she is only 2 and half now, so Joe will continue to hang with her and work on her alphabet and guitar skills. I will continue to be principal at the school where our focus this coming year will be excellence in teaching. If you are a teacher or administrator and are interested in helping us strive for excellence, PLEASE let me know.


If you are interested in supporting our family financially we will certainly appreciate it. We are currently about $1000 short in monthly giving. That is only completely terrifying if your God isn't the God 'My Pockets Are Profoundly Deep and so is the Generosity of My People' Almighty. Has God been nudging you to give to missions? Maybe He was calling you to help us close that gap a bit. Here's how you can: https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary


Many, many blessings to y'all. Thanks for reading our little, not-monthly or even bi-monthly, more like every-three-monthly blog. We are grateful for you faithful folks!!!

Joe is teaching Sam and Levi to play Spades.  I think Sam's face in his hands is an excellent summation of the success of this endeavor.

Cole Bland is one of my former students from Hill Country Christian School of Austin.  He has serves as an intern this summer and did an outstanding job!  Part of his work included making this cool see saws from old tires.  Thanks, Chachi!

Our family at Mount Isabel.  I am not sure why we are completely unable to take a normal picture! 

This is our neighbor, Radolin.  We celebrated her 8th birthday with her.

I'm a godmother to Ronal and Kikina's baby girl.  Her is Robin.....named after the wonderful Robin Inks!  Another staff member, Doug Beck, is the godfather.  Pretty cool to be so connected to this family.

Our cool new sign in front of the school.  Call us.  :) 

Time in the States, tough stuff and my parents' 50 years of marriage!!

Wow!! It has been a while since I posted a new blog. For you faithful readers, I am really sorry. I guess the excuse of busy-ness doesn't cut it. (But I have been!!) :)


We finished our time in the States and it was a wonderful, quickly-passing time. We are indebted to so many for making it comfortable, fun, productive, encouraging, and fulfilling.


We got back to the DR on Wednesday, 24 March and moved into a new home. On Thursday, 25 March, the boys and I got up and headed to school. I had their uniforms packed in their carry-ons. Perhaps that was a little hasty to get back into the swing of things, but we were so anxious to get back to our 'normal'.


Basically, the update that I want to leave with you is that we had a great time in the States, we are thankful for what the Lord provided financially through the sacrificial and faithful people around us , we know He will continue (**to be a part of God's faithfulness to us, please visit the giving page of Makarios' website: https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary. We would be very appreciative), we are so glad to be back home and thankful to be a part of a great organization. BUT......


The reality is that the longer I am here the more my heart breaks for the kids and families we serve. Unfortunately, I use the word 'family' very loosely. The thing about working with any group of people is that the needs can be so overwhelming. The physical needs of our students are just so profoundly basic—food, clean water. The emotional needs are crippling and generations old. Ultimately, though, THIS is why we are here. May we truly bring God's hope of biblical proportions that leads to true change and offers Light in the amazing darkness that is around our students.


I have been thinking about this quite a bit as some of the discipline issues lately that have lead us to discussions about abuse, the lack of food outside of school, shredded family relationships, destroyed trust, and a 3-year old walking to school by himself. Perhaps this is particularly juxtaposed this week as my own experiences in life are quite the opposite as my parents celebrated 50 years of holy matrimony on 1 May!!! This is an amazing accomplishment for which I am exceedingly grateful as I recognize how their personal commitment to Christ, marriage, and family have directly impacted me. Their years of commitment to each other have built the emotional hedge of security that creates children who aren't stunted in their emotional development. It is amazing how this and eating properly have such an effect on little ones.


It is most certain that tackling poverty and the vicious cycle that accompanies it is exhausting.
I am thankful for the heritage my parents have provided—it is truly life altering to have food, security, support and love. For this, I truly thank my parents and I desire that each of my students experience the love and security that I have enjoyed in my own life. Until then, we carry on with the task at hand: to create a school where students can come, be fed, hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and become world changers as a result. All glory to God as we pursue this Kingdom-expanding work!


You can be a part of it, too: https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary

A few pix of the Majcher Fam

 Sam and Caleb Lehr at MTI in Feb. The Lehrs are heading to the DR soon to serve along with us!

 While in CO we had the privilege of attending Denver Bible Church and going to lunch with Joe's hero in the faith, Bob Enyart and his wife, Cheryl.

 My college roommate from University of Indianapolis!!!  Ali Bechtel Conrad!!

 MTI taught us much.  We left blessed, encouraged, hopeful and healthier.

 Our new place in the DR. It is closer to the school--the boys and I walk to school!

 Ronal and his baby girl, Robin, in Chichigua.

 Three little monkeys hanging out on the porch railing.

Sam, Levi and Sarah listening to Sarah's new book with Gramma and Grampa's recorded voice.

20+ Beds

One day recently-ish as I was giving the kids the run down for the day I said we would do this and that and then 'we will go home'. Levi looks at me with confusion and inquired, “Where IS 'home'???”


Our family moved out of our house in Puerto Plata mid-November to prepare for a trip stateside to raise funds, attend missionary training and visit family. This endeavor will take us to mid-March before we can go home—back to the DR.


1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another.


This time of traveling hither and thither has afforded us some (not-as-intensely needed) family time. We will have been in more than 20 different beds in these months. We have been in homes of many VERY gracious people who have blessed us richly through their hospitality to this family of vagabonds.


First stop was the Makarios mission house where we stayed for two weeks. Doug and Margaret Beck, who run the Makarios mission house, were fantastic about their normally-very-quiet mornings being replaced by...something very different. The second week was spent WITH the mission team from Hill Country Christian School of Austin—it was a regular slumber party which included a wedding being thrown at the Mak House! Then to Cori and Ruth Mora for our first month back in the States. Hats off also to Ashlee and Aimee Mora (former students of mine) who were temporarily booted from their bedrooms to be taken over by Hurricane Majcher. It was here we were given Sarah's now-favorite new book! Then to Matt and Kassie Fleming (former students of mine) and his dad's farm for a fun, animal-filled get-away that was refreshing to us all. Sam is still talking about how he can shoot a gun all by himself! Then off to the trying-to-sell-their-house-so-they-can-move-to-the-DR Cory and Ashly Albright's where we discovered Paw Patrol, gingerbread trains aren't as easy to assemble as one may think and that Izzy, the cat, really doesn't want to be friends with Sarah as hard as she may try. :) Then off to snowy Indy where we stayed with Jen (a former student of mine) and her very cool police- officer husband, Dan where we stumbled upon a Chuy's restaurant and that Sam IS capable of recognizing that there is a pretty solid chance that the bunk bed WILL fall nearly missing Levi below at some point in the night. :) Then off to a week of swimming at an indoor pool in Mishawaka, IN thanks to Chris Hickey and Paige Snider and then off to the home of the gracious Ron and Gail Knickrehm where Sam, Levi and Sarah got to sled for the first time. (Actually, I should also thank their daughter/my former student, Kate, since she is the one who volunteered their house!!) Then to the yummy house of Indiana Deli owner, Nancy Beatty, who made the fateful move of mentioning that she had space for our family and even had bunk beds!! Then off to the lovely home of Matt and Stephanie Kohl who are in the small group that we used to attend. These people are saints as there is almost no part of their master bedroom—which they gave up for Hurricane Majcher—where my family did not puke. In the mix has been hotels between Texas and Indiana and between Texas and Colorado, plus the haven of endless chocolate for all grandkids (the home of Don and Judie Hickey) and the haven of endless pizza for all grandkids (the home of Pam Majcher). It should not go unnoticed that my mom housed three pukers as well. Sam was one. Levi was another who puked on my mom as she was trying to get out the door to see Beth Moore. My saint-of-a-mother canceled her plans so I could keep mine—girls night out with dear friends of almost 20 years, Kate Mawby, Kim Heuer and Sharla Megilligan. The other one was my dad who got sick from Sam and Levi. :(


We are so thankful for the endless generosity and kindness our family as been shown throughout these months. Many memories have been made and friendships deepened. This list,does not even include the wonderful offers we had to stay at folks' houses as well or those who have treated us to a meal or gave helpful cash donations. Needless to say, the Dominicans will note how well we have been treated and will happily comment on how fat we have become while being in the States!! Seriously.


I am extremely happy to report that we are in Colorado right now participating in the long-awaited, month-long missionary training. It is with the generosity and prayers of many that we are here. In God's sweet timing we had a large and generous gift come in 2 days before we were to leave for Colorado that allowed us to attend this training paid in full. We have been here a week and already have learned so much as a family.


God is so good and He certainly isn't boring!!


Finally, as always, we ask if YOU are willing to be a part of our monthly support team or spare some of that tax return. Our supporters are an elite group of wonderfully loved-by-us people! We truly can't do what we do without the support of folks like yourselves. We are looking for 18 more people to give $100 a month to bring us to fully supported. Here's how: https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary

I Belong in the Service of the King

Last Sunday while at Hill Country Bible Church NW where they are doing a series on Esther I was amazingly struck by some amazingly simple points. They are found in Esther chapter 4 -7 where Esther the Queen is informed of a plot to kill her people and she could play a major part in sparing them.

1. Esther, at first, is reluctant to be out of obedience of the king.
   

            Her first response when asked to go before the king is to note that it was, in fact, a crime
            worthy of death to approach the king when you were called by him. I became very aware
            of how different my life would be if I were to so quickly be willing to honor my King
            with obedience when I am about to do something that is outside of what the King asks of
            me. The King says to not fear or fret. The King says to fully rely on Him. The King says
            to give my best to Him. The King says to seek Him first and His Kingdom.
            May I be quick to honor my King through obedience.

2. God uses timing to create a scenario where He is glorified.
   
   Our God is a good God, but His timing sometimes can be frustrating. This time of fundraising and having deadlines has proven to be a waiting/gaining patience and trust game. As we are reliant on folks to hear the Lord and then respond we know that God provides in some of the most unexpected ways. Several puzzle pieces needed to be in place and when they seemingly weren't, God showed up in a major way. This story of Esther is worth a read if it has been a while for you! We had a bill for missionary training in Colorado that really needed to be paid for by Monday as that is the day the program starts. We lacked a few thousand dollars AND with the whole family being sick this week fundraising communication almost nonexistent. Today when I checked our Makarios account there was that last few thousand dollars from a single donor. And today is only Thursday. His timing is perfect.....and faith-building!

Esther 4:14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, the life and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”


I appreciate that God has a plan for us. I value that He uses us and our little offering of talent (He gave us) and time (He gave us) to make something far more than what we can imagine. BUT, if we do not act in obedience then He will accomplish His plan through another way. Lord, may I be like Esther and (at least) hesitate to be disobedient to your direction for me as you are my Holy King. May I be found faithful and obedient for the Kingdom work at hand.


Understanding there is much to be done in the United States and worldwide, our calling has taken us to the DR to be a part of the life-changing work on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. We simply are unable to accomplish this without YOUR generosity. Please be a part of our support team by contributing to the $1800 a month deficit we have in monthly giving on our behalf which is our salary. The link to be a part of God's faithfulness to us is: https://makarios.webconnex.com/missionary

Levi and Sarah in the snow for the first time.

Christmas 2014

Back with good friends, Jakob and Isaak Megilligan

Fun with Matt and Kassie Fleming!!!