PETRA Ministries

I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. Ps. 77:11

This year started out with a bang as the Porch family so generously spent a day of their precious time together to come and give us a hand on the house! Unfortunately, the day ended in an unforgettable trip to a local clinic to stitch up their son’s finger that was sliced on a piece of sheet metal. We praise God that the cut missed his tendons, and is healing up nicely despite the nasty, 3^rd world treatment!

Vann has worked rain and shine to get the roof ready for shingles. As with every other part of this project, it has taken a massive effort to progress. All of the walls that meet the roof have to have plastic, hardy-board and sheet metal flashing installed before the shingles can go on. The same is true for all of the fascia boards along the edge of the roof, so he cut up another log for those, and has been working tirelessly to install them. We hope, God willing, to have the roof shingled by the end of February!

This month we also have a shipment coming in with a lawnmower that God supernaturally provided for this mission! So, Vann is dealing with the paperwork for customs. Yay. Speaking of paperwork, we have begun the long and arduous process of applying to change the status of our visas to “immigrant”. That will give us much more freedom to come and go without so many restrictions and a more permanent status here in country – Lord willing. Lots of paperwork means lots of stress, time and a quick trip to Lima for an Interpol check. – Oh joy.

In the midst of all of this exhausting, everyday busyness, God does something BIG to remind us that we’re only here because He wants us here, and that we are His. Praise be to God, and thanks to many of you being willing to listen to His leading, the funds that were needed for the children’s schooling  this year and for our tickets to the States this summer have been provided! We are so, totally humbled to be part of the body of Christ.

I was honored to do a photo-shoot for a friend of ours a couple of weeks ago. She is a friend from our English classes in our first years here. Her precious little one-year-old baby was born almost completely blind. She has been extremely sick and in the hospital for over a week. Please pray for baby Sofia and her mother.

I am so often reminded that I am not in control of much in this life. Clara was climbing on the walls of the house a couple of days ago, and got a huge wasp sting right between her eyes. This same type of sting is what sent her to the hospital in anaphylactic shock a couple of years ago. This time her face swelled up and she still has a headache, but she is healing up just fine. Praise God! She belongs to Him.

As those around us constantly watch for what our reactions and responses will be to some of the hard things that life throws at us, I pray that we will be lights that point them to Jesus. I want to have a heart like Job who fell on his face and worshiped God when everything that he knew and loved was stripped from him. God is always good. He always has taken care of us, and He always will. 

Remember. 

Remember what He has done for you and give thanks!