Dear Family and Friends,

As most of you know, I have spent the last three years teaching high school English at Lexington Christian Academy in Kentucky.  Though my time here has been fruitful, I have always considered this as just one step on the path God has for my life.  After many months of searching for opportunities, waiting for open doors, and seeking the Lord for direction, I believe that God is clearly guiding me to pursue his call to missions overseas.

I will be taking a position teaching K-9 ELL (English Language Learners) at the Morrison Academy campus in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  My position as an ELL teacher will be to work with students who require extra help to be grade-level proficient in English.  This is the same school where my sister, Sara, works as a second grade teacher; as Sara signed a two-year contract, we will spend at least one year living and working in Kaohsiung together.  I will leave for Taiwan on July 27, 2009, and though I hope to return to the United States for a visit or two, I have made a two-year commitment to the school, so I will be living in Taiwan for at least that long.

Obviously, there will be many changes in my life over the next few months as I prepare to leave the country.  I want all of you to be a part of this process with me, and more than anything else, I covet your prayers.  Paul speaks the following words about the necessity and purpose of prayer in Philippians 4:6:  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  I have a tendency to get caught up in the details and worry about the little things, but I know by the promises of Scripture that since God has opened this door for me, he will make my way clear.  Please pray with me that God will be the ruler of every detail of this transition and that he will be glorified in and through my life.

I will be sending email updates about my plans and progress, so if you are not already on my mailing list but would like to be, please let me know by sending an email to me (christel.hatcher@gmail.com).

Faithfully,

Christel