Novelas & Mangos

It is so good to be back at our church again. Juan did such a great job while we were gone keeping the church going. I'm sure it was tough. It's kind of like being the substitute teacher. Many days being the regular teacher is tough, but the substitute... horrible! He has only been here since January and then we just handed him everything in March and said "see ya later!"

Before when we would leave for furlough it would take us a month or two once we got back to build up our attendance again. This time, I haven't noticed that we have lost anyone. Juan is such a hard worker. There were some though that kind of gave him a hard time for being the new guy and he really had a great attitude about it all. A neighbor who doesn't even go to our church kept starting rumors about him, the poor guy. She's kind of know for that... watches too many novelas (soap operas) I think! Anyway it bothered him, but he has a great testimony, so it probably didn't harm him.

One of the young men who goes to our church was killed while we were gone. He had been involved in some bad things a while back, but we thought he was making better decisions. He has been coming faithfully, but hadn't put his faith in Christ yet. Jimmy even asked him one last time a couple days before we left and he said that he wasn't ready. Please pray for his family, that the Lord would comfort them. I just love his mom, she is such a sweetheart. His older brother has recently accepted Christ and his sister comes as well. His mom said that whenever she or her husband are alone in the house is when it hits them the hardest. They miss him terribly, I cannot even imagine. A husband of one of the ladies that comes to our church died with him. He had only ever come once I think and that was to the Christmas Play. Please pray for that family as well.

All of the details were pretty gruesome and it is really disturbing to the church. Some stopped coming for a while due to fear, but they are back now. It was disturbing to us as a family too. This was pretty close to all of us and we are really thankful that God protected the other people in our church and our family. There are so many evil things happening around us and I am thankful for God's protection and for all of you who pray for our safety. 

CUTE ITEMS OF THE DAY: (to make up for all the sad stuff in this post)

Here are my loves on Father's Day morning:

Jimmy got some new power tools, and the boys made him some adorable cards and gave him 2 t-shirts. One was an Iron Man shirt, which they thought was the coolest gift ever, and the other was a Duck Dynasty shirt that says, "Hap-pay Hap-pay Hap-pay".

Hugo, one of the teens from our church is here this morning working in the yard. He wanted a job to pay for a new cell phone. The boys think he is here JUST to entertain them! Here they are taking a mango break. LOVE mango season!