This is Missions To Me

Right now is probably my favorite time so far in our ministry here. We are working with people from 3 difference communities, two that we weren't sure if we would have the opportunity to continue, and we live close enough to two of them that they are regularly in our home. Plus in the town where our church is currently located we have the freedom to do whatever we want! That's very different from the guerrilla communities. 

Three girls from our church came over the other day to learn how to make an apple pie. Pie isn't really popular here, but most people here I've noticed really like apples. I don't think they find them that often in the market either. For some reason these girls specifically asked for apple pie! 

E1 and E2 are sisters. E1 is still in high school. M is a friend, younger than them both.

Their first pie crust ever was practically perfect in ever way!

We had a good time! They are supposed to come back this week and teach me how to make Kekchi caldo!

All three of these girls, based on their own words have not placed their faith in Christ yet. Please pray for them! 

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for the family in our church that lost their little boy. We have been praying about how we could help. I knew that the mom probably really needed an escape out of her house, away from her thoughts, away from most of the people in the village who have been pointing blame, so Norma and I went and picked up the mom and her 4 other kids for a day of fun. It was when the team was here, so a couple of the girls watched my kiddos for me, so that everyone would fit in my truck. 

We went to Pollo Campero, had lots of girl talk, and then the arcade. 

These are some of the nicest kids you will ever meet. I kept trying to explain to them that they could win tickets and then use those tickets to buy prizes. I think they thought I was nuts at first, but then once they caught on, we had hundreds and hundreds of tickets! They kept giving their tokens to their sibling when he would run out like it was nothing and then the oldest brother used all of his tickets to buy a bracelet for his sister. I love these kids! 

We had a special church service for this family too. Jimmy preached about how we mourn, but how we mourn with hope that we will get to see their sweet little boy again. The mom is a Christian, but she made a prayer of reconciliation to Christ that night. She was right there beside me the next Sunday when we kicked off our ladies meeting! She was a big help. 

Through this whole experience with this family, I have seen God comfort them, specifically the mom, in ways that are a testimony of His faithfulness. I am so thankful for the things that they have shared with us. Through all of this sorrow they have brought glory to God. Please continue to pray for them. Jimmy is going to ask the mom to share her testimony with our church. We will see what happens... The father does not claim to be a Christian. He comes every single week though. Please pray!

Four other teens from our church came over to have dinner with us while Jared and Becca were here. (Becca and her brother stayed 4 days more than the rest of the team.) Hugo and Wendy are Christians, M and her brother E are not. 

Hugo had a birthday this past week. He told me that he turned 14. I knew he had been 12, so I asked about it. He said that he looked at his ID and it had the wrong birth year on it, so legally he's 14! He seemed pretty happy about that discovery!

We taught them Uno before supper and then after supper we played until 10! It was fun!

CRAZY ITEM OF THE DAY:

We watched Karate Kid the other night for our Saturday family movie night... can you tell?!