CREATIVITY AT WORK
from sketches to masterpieces
"Joined and Held Together"
Hello Friends,
We are now in Ecuador! And it’s so exciting and encouraging to know that you are behind us in prayer and support. Thank you so much for mobilizing us to be the hands and feet of Jesus! I'm reminded of Ephesians 4 where Paul mentions how we grow in maturity as the body of Christ. In verse 16 he explains that "from Him [Jesus], the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." And we truly feel the love and growth of His work in you and in us. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
A quick update on our transition—although it's been hard at times there are many things working out well. For example, Nancy has some family here that are helping with the ‘tramites’ (tra-mee-tes) of getting us settled. This is huge for a smoother transition. Things take much longer to get done here and grace and patience are required.
After the bulk of the transitional work to get here, we needed some rest. Here are some pictures from our time in Florida before we left and in Ecuador when we arrived. Most of these pictures are in Mindo, a beautiful place I would like to take anyone who wants to visit.
As far as ministry goes. We plan to get well acquainted with the local churches and culture to better understand where and how we could serve. We prayed and felt it wise not to jump in right away. Instead, we want to build friendships and community. So it may take some time before we share ministry pics, but we’ll be supporting already established ministries and updating you about that in the coming months. That’s it for now. Please continue praying with us and thanks again for your partnership!
More local pictures to come.
Freedom & Nancy Rodriguez
The place where you live matters.
The Rodriguez family
The place where you live matters. It didn’t escape God’s care to orchestrate the circles around you. Take time to think about the people that you know and see regularly. The lilies that grow quietly around you over time. God cares about who you know and talk to. You add beauty and depth to their life. Paul understood this concept when he wrote about visiting churches in person and having a spiritual gift exchange.
When I think about the places where I’ve lived I realize that I would never have met some people had I stayed in my place of origin. And I’ve learned so much along the way. If you are fortunate to live out your years in the same house or town then you have rich ground with deep roots. Some of us are more like dandelion seeds which are carried along by the wind.
Recently, we rented out our home to fellow believers who are now part of our story. We have been in transition for a few weeks since, trying to consolidate items in our storage unit. There have been so many people along the way who have helped us get our home ready, or opened up their homes to us, and welcomed us by providing a meal or two while we continue to get things in order. We will end our time in the States visiting my parents and a few friends in South Florida but let me tell you about some heroes that rescued us from overwhelm.
Friends like Neil and Jennifer helped us paint the endless brown trim, Freedom’s brother and his wife opened up their home, Herb and Michelle also opened their doors and let us use their basement for two weeks. Kimberly and Ryan cooked a couple of meals and prayed for us with tears, Amy shared DIY sushi with a side of inspiration and encouragement. Then there is Saul. Saul is our neighbor. He has blessed us in so many ways. He would come over and share his carpentry skills while he disciples us in the faith. He crafted several items in our home, cut our grass once when we weren’t looking(ninja), and helped us haul oversized items. I asked him if he was an angel several times.
Most of these days are spent saying goodbye to many things and people. I joke that after I gave away half of my shoes, everything else was a little easier to get rid of. But it’s the people that you carry with you everywhere you go. The times you shared and the gift exchange that keeps giving.
Let’s talk about that gift exchange. It’s often imperceptible. It comes from the refreshment that we have brought to each other over the years. It’s small, sweet moments that build an abundant life.
Pretty soon we will be in an airplane and the doors will open to New.
New people. New church. New gifts to give and receive. It’s been the recurring message that it will be joyful. Freedom, with his long-time dream of being a minister through the arts, will be unleashed. It’s no wonder lately that his spirit hears the words, “pick up your mat and walk.” As long as I’ve known him he has longed and he has waited. He has even said, “Take this cup from me.” I look forward to seeing him in action. I will be by his side with two of our three children following his lead and helping to carry the dream forward as we serve in Ecuador.
Prayer points and updates:
Pray for our travels as we anticipate lugging around two large suitcases, one carry-on, and a personal bag...each. That’s twelve heavy items.
Opportunities to supplement our support with graphic design freelance.
Our family traveling without our dog for now due to Covid restrictions on live animals.
Our kids as they adjust.
Praise:
Our apartment in Ecuador is getting ready. There will be some renovations happening in the kitchen while we are there but, by now we are pros at transitions.
Our twentieth wedding anniversary! What joy!
The support from my extended family as they are eager to welcome us.
The End and the Beginning
Think about the times when you knew one thing came to an end so that another could have its beginning. There's usually an odd feeling. Like the expanse of excitement and also a quiet spacious sadness. Perhaps it's the space that opens up as you pack things away. The hollow sounds begin to echo in your home.
We are just weeks away from starting anew in Quito, Ecuador. Our house is being emptied to make room for our renters. We will spend the rest of our stay here with friends and family. And then...
And then we begin again. From one almost empty space to another. Yet it will be full. Full of different sounds and smells. A sky full with the contours of gigantic mountains. Languages streaming out mostly in Spanish and Quechua.
It will start off awkwardly, I'm sure. As most new places do. It will be uncomfortable for some time, especially since we are just taking clothing, books, and art supplies. Small things will take massive amounts of energy to accomplish. Like food shopping, or getting from point A to B.
I happen to know this because I have had massive moves in my life. In fact, I will feel like a foreigner in my own country simply because my first massive move happened when I left Ecuador for New York at five years old.
It's so amazing when you finally adjust to a place. When you feel powerful enough to maneuver your way around without a thought. I will miss that feeling. I will miss the people that I have come to know. But at one time this place was new, and the city was new, and I was humbled by not knowing much about it.
But God has made a promise.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Wherever we go He is with us and we go to Him. From Him to Him. And that means that we will find people to love and serve. And they will become a part of us just like the people we've met along the way from South Florida, to Arkansas, to Georgia, and not forgetting New York.
The best part of all this is that we are going with a team. The fact that we are able to go means that God has sent people to partner with our mission. If you are a partner with us, then we are not alone. We may tremble in our shyness, feel vulnerably incapable of expressing deep thoughts in Spanish, and we might need to pray for courage. But you are with us and God has a plan of glory.
Details:
We are waiting for our paperwork to come in the mail with a golden seal of approval called an apostille.
Our oldest son, Joshua, is now in college at Georgia Southern University.
We will be visiting with family so that our renters can move into our home. We have two renters as we were able to build an apartment in our basement.
We are continuing to raise support and believe that God has handpicked individuals and families to adopt us in prayer and financial contributions.
Prayer Needs:
For our kids to have a graceful adjustment period.
Full funding to support the work God is doing through us.
Favor with Ecuadorian ministries that have expressed interest in ArtServe programs.
Logistics - when and how to manage all the moving pieces (no pun intended) of moving a family abroad.
Health and safety. We are still going through a pandemic. But also that we would be able to manage our stress well. We have experienced some strain in our bodies as we are figuring so many things out.
Please consider partnering with us as do God’s work in Ecuador!
Summer Camps 2021 Review
Three Camps in one month!
When we first planned for camps months ago, we thought it was crazy but we knew that we wanted to give kids an art experience before we moved to Ecuador. And it was crazy. But on the last day of the third camp, we had so much joy in our hearts and gratitude for the kids that we got to spend time with. We knew it was worth it.
We started out with all the energy to collect cardboard from local businesses so we could attempt a giant geodome for Architecture Camp. Freedom just had to attempt something huge that the kids would remember. And it was almost a success!
This camp was also so much fun because the kids felt so much maker-energy and, with hot glue handy, they made building structures, a corner of a room, and a collage of Marietta. We looked at amazing architecture and sculptures around the world, ancient and modern. Our desire was to integrate the idea that God has a city and we are looking forward to seeing it one day.
For he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10
Nature camp was all about craftsmanship and we used many natural materials to create a nature collage, a hiking stick, and a bug hotel. I have to say that the highlight of this camp was the hiking stick. God was gracious to provide local resources again.
We took a walk to our nearby park and, to our surprise, we saw a neat pile of myrtle tree branches left behind in a wooded place from Spring’s pruning. It was perfect! Then we went to the park’s bamboo forest to collect bamboo sticks for our bug hotels. These two projects were our most successful. We did worry a little about what glue would work, how the kids were going to debark the branches, and would we have enough time to flatten leaves and flowers? In the end, everything was perfect and thanks to Gorilla hot glue sticks, nothing fell apart. The bug hotels looked amazing with bamboo segments, moss, garden animal figures, and seashells. The hiking sticks looked professional! They were stripped with dollar store vegetable peelers. I thought it was a miracle that only two peelers broke in the process. Our favorite time was sitting outside with them as they peeled, sanded, painted, and carved into their hiking sticks with metal files.
Our final camp, to me, was the best way to wrap up our camps. We didn’t know what God would do in our hearts as we planned, months earlier, but it made perfect sense to end this way. Some of our campers have come to us each year and have literally grown up before our eyes. As I planned for the Around the World Mix Media Camp, I became inspired by folk art from people of different countries.
Our projects included inspiration from Mexican motifs, African textiles, and rain sticks which are found in many countries. But the message God had for us was The Great Commission. Our projects had a purpose: To love the people of this world and to be inspired to share that love. We became living examples to the kids as we shared that we were being called to move to a new country to learn about the people, love them, and share the Gospel.
We told them how much we wanted to provide these fun activities to kids, youth, and families in places where they have never had art camps before.
In the end, our minds and bodies were pretty exhausted, but our faith had grown. Some projects were a great success and others were not as we imagined but what was consistent was the joy and energy that kids infused in their creations. And the best part was how God was at the center of it all, how He provided, and the kids. The kids' love and creativity just give us such a boost of faith that we are on the right track.
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation Mark 16:15
Thank you to all parents and those who supported these camps.
THE CALL
We’re moving to Ecuador!
by Nancy Rodriguez
For Freedom and I, the idea of doing missions work has always been a part of our Christian walk. Even before we were married, we have known that we were to be in missions, on mission, and have a ministry to fulfill. To add to that, God has frequently led us to some of the dearest people, who have had some experience in another country in the mission field, usually as missionary kids who are now adults.
For some time, we thought it would be Africa, later Spain. Life had many twists and turns and the missional calling seemed to be put on hold. Of course, the world is our mission field right where we are and we are to be a light to those around us, even in our own homes. But we just knew that God had a cross-cultural, overseas calling for us.
Isn’t it funny when God shows you your calling in an instant, but then it takes practically a lifetime for you to fulfill it? I guess it’s not that weird when you realize that it happened to Moses, Joseph, and even Jesus.
Considering that, I guess it seems perfectly fine that this journey has taken us about twenty years. I know that we will always feel the calling onward until we reach our eternal rest, but as you’ve probably heard from other missionaries, you just know when it’s happening now.
We are moving our family to Ecuador! There is anticipation, preparedness, and just a great deal of faith that wasn’t there before. There is energy in our steps, direction, and a steadfast focus. God has prepared a place for us once we get there, lovely people to rent our home in Georgia, and we have a community of church leaders and missionaries ready to welcome us. This is really happening!
WHAT'S NEXT:
I think of the fish from Finding Nemo who were so determined to get to the sea, and then asking, “now what?” once they arrived. While that makes me chuckle, I know that culture shock is real and it’s very disorienting to be in a completely new cultural environment. This isn’t for the faint of heart, not the best career plan, and yet… And yet there is a new faith to walk in, a new place to usher in His kingdom, a new community of people to embrace.
It’s undeniable. For many years I longed for God to tell me specifically where and when otherwise I would not move. It’s different now. I’ve learned that you make a move and then you know. You just know.
One day during Sunday service it felt like God supernaturally made time slow down. I knew the song but had never noticed this phrase:
“If the wind goes where You send it, so will I”
It tore me up, and I knew. I knew why my husband was laboring in prayer for so many years. He even said many times, “take this calling away,” not because he was unwilling, but because the calling was so strong, and yet so far away. So far away, so many years ago, and yet the time is now and it is at hand.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Please consider committing us to your prayers and donating. No amount is too small but we do prefer monthly commitments. We need to be surrounded by a loving cloud of witnesses. If you already support us in any way or have in the past, thank you! You give us courage and hope in what's to come. With God’s help and support from our community, we are hoping to leave in September.
Dream big.
Dream big. Make plans. Enjoy the process. It may get messy. It will be worth it.
If you think that was something out of a life coaching session, you might be right but it was also what took place this past week in our Architecture Camp. I simply love how a creative maker-space lab opens up the creative mind. There are problems to solve, projects to accomplish, a set amount of time, and the supplies you need to get the job done. The experience is so invigorating. Kids move about in organic ways as they experiment with the supplies in order to make their ideas come alive. And besides the occasional danger of enduring a burn on their finger thanks to the glue gun, the fellow architects are happy even when their ideas change or don't come out as they imagined.
Collaborative Mural of Places in Marietta
With various safer gluing options, kids are often willing to risk the glue gun. I suppose they judge that the outcomes are worth it. Or perhaps they like a little danger aspect. In this particular camp, making other things with hot glue became a hit. Several kids discovered that dried hot glue looks a lot like water for a lake in their city block display. Other kids tried to find molds to fill with hot glue in order to make a fish tank for their room design.
Let's talk about the mess that falls by the wayside of a beautiful creation. Can an artist make something beautiful without surrounding himself with unwanted fragments of what it takes to make it? Can the junior architect make her imaginative world without pieces of foam core, and markers littered by her side? This is part of the process and I think it is one of the most enjoyable for me to see. I don't like the clean-up and clutter as much as the next person but I see the fruit of enduring it for the sake of allowing my young friends to be unhindered in their making. Clean-up will take place eventually like my wise mother always said, but the experience of carefree creation is more valuable.
Lastly, is it ok to work hard and have your big plans fail? We attempted to make a giant geo-dome. It mostly worked out! But some of the cardboard triangle units were not strong enough and they didn't hold their shape too well. The kids were still able to go inside it and see light coming in through the star-shaped cracks. We learned that when building something things may not always work out but we gain experience and that makes it worthwhile. We build in faith!
Geo Dome
Thanks to all the parents and partners who support this ministry.
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10 NIV
Showing Up
Lately, I've been thinking about the word, constancy. I am reminded of the beach. I know we are in the middle of winter, and depending on where you live, you may be experiencing it in all its glory. Gray skies included.
But when I think about this word, I remember the waves with a perfect blue sky and white puffy clouds. One day in my 20's I recall visiting the beach alone and just standing there at the shore bracing each wave with my pant legs rolled up. Suddenly, I had this sense of understanding when I realized that one thing was for sure. If I remained in this place the waves would surely come. I may sink a little, and I may even be moved, but the waves would never stop. Constancy. Like His love, like God's faithfulness, like His word. The meaning of the word constancy has to do with being loyal and dedicated. Like being committed to a spouse. But it is also a quality of permanence, persistence, and having an enduring nature.
The beautiful thing about qualities like these is that they are reflected in the Trinity. Also, that we are partakers in this divine nature. This means we either long for constancy or we are engaged in reflecting it in some way. How does this expression of steadiness help us in our studio practice as creative people?
When we are consistent and regularly engaged in the creative process, the outcomes are beautiful and even surprising. We no longer rely on inspiration to fuel us, rather we fuel our efforts by "showing up." When we remain persistent in this pursuit, we discover that we are only scratching the surface. There is always work to do. We can't help but insist on being heard for we have something important to share. The faithful exchange of "showing up" brings about a beautiful body of work that speaks to the viewer. How perfect.
What if we are that sacred place where He faithfully shows up to create and the end result is a beautiful body, a temple, a bride? What is your studio practice? How does consistently showing up to do the "work" end up surprising and even delighting you? How do you push through when you lack inspiration, insight, or lack of direction?
These are some questions we just want you to ponder. We will also talk about these questions in our next Revelations of The Artist Creative Group. You’re invited to join the conversation on Thursday 18th, at 7 pm on ZOOM 299 064 3514
Creatively serving,
Sharing Life, Love, and Community.
We have been doing a lot of walking, thinking, and looking up at the sky. With each step we take, we notice the oxygen coming and going in a cleansing pattern. Highlights from our regular hikes have been the colors of the sunset. We call ourselves Sunset Chasers. Do you love the sunset sky? Sunsets are guaranteed to look different each time you get yourself to your favorite lookouts. We can describe the colors, the scattering of light rays, but mostly we are inspired to just praise.
Recently we were able to host a painting workshop for a small group of children. We had the opportunity to create a space where supplies were just available for kids to explore. There is much to be said for an environment of exploration and mercy, where mistakes are just ideas that need a shift, leading to a new outcome. The freedom of reaching out to grab endless paper and paint is an important experience for anyone and it seems to fit children quite well. I hope you can offer yourself time, mercy, and exploration in whatever you love to do.
Thanks to parents and all that contributed to this creative program.
"It was very good!"
I am not surprised to find the craft section in Walmart practically bare. I chuckle when I see there is a shortage of tie-dye, Mod Podge, and even paint. It’s also interesting to find that even needles are in low quantities in Hobby Lobby. We have all had some level of having to hunker down recently. It’s no wonder that with time on our hands, and our kids on our hands, we have begun to have an itch to make something. I recently asked students if they found themselves making something during the quarantine. Some have begun to play instruments, create beats, write songs, make leather crafts, and tie-dye (of course).
There is something so satisfying in making something that wasn’t there before, something that is unique because you’ve added your personal point of view and flair. Can you imagine how magnanimously more fulfilling it must have been for God to speak things into existence? It was void, and then it wasn’t. The emptiness was swallowed up by light, life, order, and beauty.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
When the Bible says that He beheld what He had made and saw that it was very good, I think what He felt was satisfied. (This is my very puny human word for what He felt.)
Meditate on that.
How many times do you look at something that you have made, struggling through it, seeing only the failures? Pushing through the ugly stage of creating is hard. It feels vulnerable, but once you have finished your creation, I hope that you have experienced seeing that it was very good. It may not be what you imagined. It may have imperfections. For us, the “very good” comes not only by how something looks but also by how we felt during the process. There are many studies out now that explain what artists have known - art making is good for the soul, mind, and body. Handicrafts like weaving, bookbinding, carving, sewing, and woodworking have equally positive effects. It spurs that inner joy and peace that is part of our DNA as creators after God’s own image. Right before school started in our state, we were able to squeeze in a couple of small art camps with kids who braved going out in order to have art and community.
One of the camps was called Art Maker Mash-Up. It was good that it was a small group because we used a lot of supplies, techniques, and it was messy at times. But what a joyous young community. One of our projects failed. I blame the mesmerizing effect of watching my husband and the kids mix water and cement. I forgot that the mixture should have been like peanut butter rather than like runny pancake mix. Alas, our mosaic stepping stones cracked in the end, becoming excavation opportunities for the kids who decided to dig out the sea glass. An attempt that led to a failure presented a new opportunity—the opportunity to fail with grace and to still call the process GOOD. The kids never wavered. No one was too disappointed because it is not only the product that brings joy but the process as well. We looked at our cracked cement and smiled. I think God called it “very good,” and so did we.
STEAM Camp
Our first ever RC-STEAM camp where our focus was to build, construct, and marvel at God's creation.
Although we initially hoped for our usual group of about 15 kids, we realized understandably, that the current situation was going to keep most families home. Of course, the Lord had such great plans through this. Our own kids were able to participate and my older son was “the expert,” having built several RC kits in the past. It's important at this time to see each opportunity as valuable, no matter how small. And if we could be a light and a source of rest from such heavy and troubling times, then we were very willing to serve. Perhaps we didn’t get the outcome we hoped for, but indeed, the outcome we received from the Lord was so sweet.
We believe the impact was deeper and the individual attention and assistance we were able to give each child were greater. On the first day, the campers and our two kids (ages range from 10 years old to 15) got their race car kit. The box, containing 250+ pieces, was gigantic. The skill levels needed to build this kit could be on the adult range, but we knew we could empower kids to try and to be successful. The kits took about 6 hours to build and it was spread over three days. The final touch was spray painting the body of the truck. The results were great. Each truck was of the same model but was individualized by the kids to result in a shiny, large-wheeled, fully charged powerhouse.
Although a bit of a learning curve, the kids had a blast learning how to drive them. On the fourth and last day, we built cardboard ramps. The amount of mechanical building, concentration, construction, and fine motor skills used in this camp was on a high level. The kids made sour faces at the mention of math, but we assured them that although math is unavoidable in a STEAM camp, the math required included a satisfying result. And so, we thought about a geometric shape - the triangle - and how it can be used to make ultra-strong structures. Once complete, the handmade, measured, and planned-out-by-kids ramps would possibly make the cars fly for a second, that’s the satisfying part. The outcomes were amazing!
The cars crashed, flew, flipped, and ride over each other. It was hilarious fun but we did not forget to have daily devotions centered on Intelligent Design.
It was serendipitous because we had just ordered a book titled Made In Heaven. It was a perfect addition to our camp because it highlights God's creation and man's attempt to solve problems using technology from the natural world. We learned that a mantis shrimp has 12 color receptors, whereas we only have 3, and can see thousands of colors we can't. We learned about the design of our hands and how scientists are trying to recreate prosthetics as high tech but still can't. We read about God's response to Job as he highlights the "treasures of the snow." We pondered what a Leviathan or Behemoth was as described in scripture. We have to tell you, as a nerdy science and history enthusiasts, We were all about it!
What a blessing we get to empower and inspire campers in this way. Can’t wait to have another camp like this!