Our latest newsletter:
It is May. Here in Guatemala it is still sunny skies and warm temperatures. We’ve had a few foretastes of the coming rainy season but most days it is BEAUTIFUL!! We are grateful that we have a small area outside our house and a small park next door to us that the kids can be outside playing. If we leave our small neighborhood (7 houses) we have to have masks on . And really there is nowhere to go. Many places are shut down. There are no social gatherings, churches, or restaurants open. So, we continue to home school and become increasingly creative in finding new things to do. The girls have been doing lots of baking and lots of crafts. We are enjoying playing games, reading, extended prayer times, and keeping up with family and friends through social media.
But it’s hard. It’s hard to fight the feelings of frustration—that we cannot be serving in the orphanages on a daily basis. And we have no idea when we will be allowed back in but we are so looking forward to the day that we can love on those precious little ones. We have been communicating with the directors and trying to encourage them, we have been praying for all the kiddos. We have been giving to other ministries that have relationships in the rural villages and are providing food for hungry people. We have partnered with a friend in Florida who works at a nursing home and have sent pictures and letters to the residents to try to put a smile on their face. We have prayed and prayed and prayed some more for all those who are sick, for those who are lonely or scared, for all the essential workers who are putting other people’s needs before their own, and for countless people here in the villages of Guatemala that are literally starving. And my heart cries out, “What else can I do, God? Use me!”
And each time He gently points me toward my family and reminds me that when I care for them, when I spend precious time with them, that I am serving Him. And I am again reminded that this time at home is a blessing as we continue to struggle with Junior’s behavior. We strive to be consistent, loving, and compassionate but fall short as the frustration grows. But we are so thankful for God’s mercies every day that we can start anew each day and celebrate the good times! We are looking forward to restrictions being lifted so we can once again get him the therapy that he needs. But as we wait, we do the best we can. And through it all, we know that our hope is in Jesus! We are comforted by the fact that even when life is crazy our hearts can be filled with the love, joy, and peace that comes from the Creator of the world! We cling to the promises in the bible that He loves us, He cares for us, and offers to take all our burdens. Oh, the joy that those promises bring!! Our prayer for us all comes from Romans 15:13:
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Adoption
If it were too easy,
Everyone would do it.
If it were too hard,
No one would do it.
If it wasn’t worth it,
Jesus wouldn’t have done it ….
…..or called us to do it!!
 |
Date night-Quarantine style: Dress up, go through drive thru, come home and eat chicken in bedroom while kids eat mac and cheese downstairs!!
|
 |
| Willy enjoying some sensory play. |
 |
| Bocce ball in the park. |
 |
| Fun in the sand. |
 |
| The girls enjoying a tea party with a tea set they made out of clay and painted. |
 |
| Love those smiles! |
PRAISES
¨ God is in control of EVERYTHING!
¨ Governments are working to keep their people safe and healthy.
¨ God’s people are stepping up and sharing the hope of Christ with those around them in these crazy times!
PRAYER REQUESTS
¨ For the people in the rural villages here in Guatemala that are relying solely on God for their next bite of food.
¨ For the medical workers and service providers that are putting other people’s needs before their own to keep us fed and cared for.
¨ For the sick, scared, and anxious . May they know God’s peace.
