God Always Provides.

Here is the latest…  Since making the decision not to move to Costa Rica (on 12/30/2009), God has continued to open doors and provide as He always has.

First off, He provides a sweet little 1940’s two bedroom house in a great little neighborhood, complete with a hardwood floors, coffered ceilings, a really cool screened-in front porch, and a fenced in backyard for the dog.  And Bonnie is able to use the second bedroom as a studio (an answer to prayer).  Not only is the place wonderful, it’s cheap too!  One bedroom garage apartments in this neighborhood run for about $900.00 / month, but we were able to get this house for only $850 / month!  Talk about a blessing.

After searching for a job for a little over ten days, I had made it to final round interviews for three seperate positions:  1) as a Community Organizer  2) as an Administrator (COO) of a local non-profit and 3) as a Web Design Instructor at the local technical school.  By January 20th, I had received two verbal offers, to which extent I cancelled my final round interviews for the Community Organizer position.

That said, I am doing my best to accept both the Web Design Instructor position and the Non-Profit Administrator position.  I actually started working with PTEC (Pinellas Technical Education Center) this past Wednesday on a part time schedule (hourly – max of 28 hours / week).  The Administrator position is a full-time position (salary – 32 hours / week with Fridays off), but they are ok with me trying to pull off both gigs initially.  Though the instuctor position is cool and it has allowed me to get through the door of the Pinellas County School Board, my priority is with the non-profit.  Not only is it a COO position (with a transition plan to CEO), but it is an amazing program that I have no problem selling my soul to.  Plus, they’ll pay for me to go to USF (Univ. of South Florida) to take weekend courses and get a certificate in Non-Profit Management!

The name of the non-profit is Resurrection House and it is a very well established organization here in St. Petersburg.  Established in 1987, the program is a community, faith-based, transitional housing and self-sufficiency program for motivated families with minor children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.  And because they take absolutely no government funding, there isn’t all the red tape to deal with and you can actually be effective!  At this point, this position isn’t a done deal, yet.  As there was no job posting (the CEO approached me directly), no other applicants and I’ve received a verbal offer, I’m thinking I have a good chance, but I don’t want to jinx it.  They are still waiting for the results of my background check.  :)  Hopefully, by the end of next week I will have a written offer.

You can learn more about Resurrection House here:  http://www.floridaresurrectionhouse.com/

Bonnie has put in a couple of applications for teaching positions that start in the Spring, but hasn’t had any hits yet.  We’re thinking since God gave her a home studio, she’s probably just supposed to focus on making pots.

With that, I want to thank you all for your continued prayers.  They mean more to us than we could ever express!

Love you all and can’t wait for you guys to visit!

God Always Provides,
Omar

PS.  As if that wasn’t enough, I got my cat LoJack back!!!  One big happy family.