Sunday, March 25, 2018

The Wedding Day

Over half of the students at the institute are single. The lady they choose for their wife is crucial. We care about them so much! Besides having a happy life, we want them to live out the purpose God has for them. Their partner in life will be their partner in ministry too. We want them to have God's very best for their lives. We feel the same about the young ladies in our youth group. It's stressful at times watching all of these relationships unfold!
All of us on a boat tour last month. We might have teased them a little bit for sitting together!
Angelina was the cook at the farm and now is a student. We love her! She is such a hard worker and has a genuinely sweet spirit. Sometimes it is really hard to get to know people when they become part of the institute and I have to really work in the beginning at building a friendship with them. She wasn't like that. It's so easy talking with her. It's a delight! She has always been a comfort to me.
 Giovanni is a second year student. He was voted Best Christian Character by his peers last year. He is the fourth from the right, holding his plaque. We were excited for them both when they shared their intentions of getting married with us!
 They were married legally at the courthouse on the last Wednesday in February
The day of their civil wedding.
and then their church wedding was the following Sunday. All of the students helped prepare for the ceremony. I thought it was sweet that even the guys helped!
Hilda and Bonnie spent lots of time helping me build flowers!
Angelina was a beautiful bride!
Angelina with her parents
Both of their families were there to celebrate with them.
We were honored they wanted to have the ceremony at the church here. Giovani is not originally from Petén, so his family had to travel a ways.
  
Jimmy performed the ceremony. It was all beautiful! In a culture that pressures girls to start living with the first guy that gives them any attention, these two followed God's plan. They waited and honored God with their decisions. I feel like He is blessing them for it. We wanted to celebrate that!



 Afterwards Angelina's family had prepared caldo for everyone.
That part was a lot of fun! 
We just love them and can't wait to see what God had planned for them! The next semester started the following Tuesday. Pray for them as they continue with their studies and as they begin their life together!

Sunday, March 18, 2018

My Baby Girl is 6!

This year we decided to have Eden's party with her friends at school. It is common here to have parties during the school day.
  She has a wonderful teacher, Maestra Norma. This is Eden's second year in her class. The assistant teacher is wonderful too. I never posted this on the blog but Eden finished K-5, first in her class. I think that has a lot to do with having such a great, patient teacher!
She wanted a baby doll theme this year of course, she LOVES baby dolls. She picked out every detail. She is very opinionated... and I like that so far, haha!
Invitations
We played lots of baby doll games. There were prizes so I don't think the boys in her class minded too much!

 I love this picture of Titus. He was determined to get a seat next to Eden. Once everyone started eating he kept sneaking snacks off all of her friends' plates!

Eden with her best friend, Emily
Eden's teacher told her that she could wear a party dress that day instead of her uniform since it was her birthday! She must know Eden very well!!

 
  
Eden wanted a baby doll cake with pink ruffles! 
 I'm just so thankful Eden has the opportunity to go to this school with these sweet ladies as her teachers. It has helped her so much with her Spanish (I think she speaks better than her brothers, but don't tell them;)
The party was on the day before her birthday since her actually birthday was the first day of the next semester at the farm and both Jimmy and I had a class that day. I thought it was sweet for Jimmy to come too. He and Eden have a very close bond! Since the next day was her birthday we had a little celebration that night in Santa Elena, at Pizza Hut with more of her friends that don't go to her school. We are very blessed to have so many sweet people in our kids' lives. 
I think the girl was thoroughly celebrated! 
For her birthday present from us, Jimmy and I made her some beds for her Barbie dolls. It was so much fun!
I am so thankful that God gave us a daughter. She is an absolute delight, just like her name means! I hope we stay close to each other and even more importantly that she stays close to God. 
This photo was from the day back in August when she put her faith in Jesus for herself!  
 Then she was baptized in October. So this was a big year for her! We are so thankful for God's great care for our little girl!
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