Christmas & Beach Pictures

We had a great 2015 Christmas Holiday Season!  We were able to get a way for a few days to the beach and returned on the 23rd and then had some fun on the 24th celebrating with friends and with just our family on the 25th.  We hope and pray that each of you enjoyed your holiday season!  Below are a few pictures from these activities:

We had a great few days away at the beach with our family and 2 other missionary families.  As you can see it is a beautiful place.

On Christmas Eve we had friends over and played games and the kids built ginger bread houses.  Everyone does fireworks at midnight here so we enjoyed them from our roof as well.  As well as a white elephant gift exchange.

We had a fun Christmas morning with the kids as well.  We had breakfast together and sang happy birthday to Jesus, opened gifts, took naps, ate Christmas dinner and played games. 

God is good and we are grateful for our family and friends to do life with.  It is always a hard time of year to away from extended family but these things help us as we start new traditions and make memories.

We hope you all had a great Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year!

Jennifer's Parent's Visit

We were glad to have some family visit over the last part of November and first part of December.  It is the first time we have been able to celebrate Thanksgiving with Family since we have lived here.  We did a lot of things together like climb Volcano Pacaya, go to Antigua and do some home visits.

 Here are some pictures from our time together:

Jennifer and her mom                                              Our trip back from the Airport

A walk to Magdalena on their first day here.


The boys opening presents from Aunts & Uncles and Grandparents!!

More gifts. Awesome Lego sets from Janet and Tony and some Notre Dame gear for Levi!


Luke got a book.                                                       Let the building begin.  Jacob was in heaven.

We (Tony, Ben, Levi and Jacob) climbed the Volcano Pacaya which is the most active Volcano in Central America.



Some time at the feeding center                               Hanging out with our friend Cesar.

We had dinner with our friends Juan Carlos and family.  We did some home visits with some of the kids in our feeding center and schools.

Some fun times at the mall as well.

Caleb's Birthday

10 days ago we celebrated Caleb's 6th birthday.  It can't be so that our youngest is 6!  I am feeling older every day! Caleb has spent more of his life in Guatemala than in the States.  He is such a sweet young man.  His personality has blossomed over the last year!  Not long ago he wouldn't even let us take his picture and now he wants to talk to everybody and introduces himself and wants to know everything about you and shares what he likes.  He doesn't like us to call him our baby but he is so we will even though he is now 6 years old.  Here are some pictures from our celebration. Tomorrow we will be celebrating Jacob's birthday.  He will be 10 already.

My prayer for Caleb, Jacob and all our kids is that they grow up knowing and following Jesus no matter the cost.  My greatest desire is not that they finish college or have a successful job making lots of money but that they realize in Christ alone is true joy and that there is no greater joy than serving Him.  Please pray with me for these young men that they know and follow Jesus and take the world by storm!

Levi bought this for Caleb.  I love that our kids want to buy gifts for each other!

Legos from Mom and Dad.  He loves legos! 

Caleb wanted to go "go-karting". 

He loves the dogs! 

Lunch.

Breakfast.

Cake! 

Celebrating with friends.

Visit from Mama Juana

We had a great time with my Mom who visited from the 1-19th of September.  Many came to know her as Mama Juana during her time here.  She was able to do many things with us including going to to beach, teaching in the cooking school, sharing in the art school, sharing her testimony with all of our staff, doing some visits and many other things.  It was great to have her here.  Check out some pics from her visit below.

We had a great time together relaxing and enjoying the sun at the beach.  Look at how tall Luke is!!

Mom enjoyed hanging out at the feeding center.  Caleb and Joel like playing with the kids that come.

This is our monthly staff gathering.  Mom shared her testimony and how for 30 years she prayed for one of her son's to carry on the role of her late husband as a missionary in a Spanish speaking country.  Love Guatemala is partially the answer of a long time prayer of her! To God be the Glory!

 She taught the ladies to make chicken enchiladas.  

They gave her this gift!

Trying to balance on her head as the ladies here do.

We were able to visit our friend Cesar with Mom.  Of course he remembered her by name even he hasn't seen her for over 2 years!

We visited with Jaimie and her family.  She is the one I wrote about here that recently lost her mom.

Amelia and Mom.

Amelia and her family with Mom.

We were able to get out one night with Mom by ourselves. 

Thanks Mom!  We hope you return soon!  Love you!

Grieving with Hope

It was a bit of a rough weekend.  I got a text from Carlos Sunday morning early that one of the mom's of one of our art school students had passed away.  This was not just a mom of one of our student's but a friend and a neighbor. Many of you know her and have prayed and supported her and her family over the years. Her name is Albertina. Above you can see a picture of her with 3 of her kids, Cristian, Milton and Yeimy.

She had been sick off and on for many years but yet I was surprised because I did not know that it was at this point.  It is always hard when someone passes away.  It hurts, it sucks and it seems wrong.

My heart aches and I grieve. I grieve for this family that will be without a mom and wife.  I grieve for many who will not have this friend.  I grieve for this culture where this happens way too often because of lack of medical attention, resources and many other reasons.

So we cry and we grieve with this precious kids who are more precious to Jesus.  We pray and walk with them through their pain.  We grieve yet not without hope.  We have hope not because we have all the answers or know how to help this family in this situation.  We don't have hope because we can relieve their pain. We have hope because we know the God of hope that even in the midst of horrible grief and pain can bring hope and joy.  We have hope because of Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross to bring us eternal hope.  That is why we exist, that is the hope we can offer.  This is the hope that will change the world. Give Hope!