Updates
Oh, We of Little Faith.
Do you remember that in our last letter we mentioned the fact that we had a need for a car? It seemed huge. It seemed impossible. Oh, but our God is the God of the impossible! In just the right time, not early, and not late God moved through some of His faithful servants to provide for our need. We now have an automatic 2008 Honda Pilot for me to drive the kids to school. It is a much more gas-efficient and reliable car for me to handle. We are so very humbled by God’s goodness and faithfulness!
This school year has brought with it some new things for us to adjust to with as much grace as we can muster! Good things, but change is never easy. I have homeschooled our children, and have had them with me at all times for their entire little lives. So as you can imagine, sending them off and trusting their education and well being to other’s hands for the majority of each day is a big change for me. The children of course have these same changes to face, but from their perspective the changes are bigger, and harder, but they are so brave. They have new doors of opportunity open to them, and we are all looking forward to what God has in store!
Vann’s mother Sandy was able to come for a visit and spend three weeks with us here! It is always wonderful to be together, but it is never enough time. Both Vann and I are blessed to have come from loving and Godly families that gave us a strong foundation on which to stand. As we see the world spinning out of control, down the trajectory that God told us that it would, we pray that with His wisdom we will raise our children to be strong in the Lord. They are growing up in a darker world than we did, and they will need to shine brightly, and stand firm in the faith.
In between all of the company that we’ve been blessed to have from the beginning of this year, the progress on the house has moved very slowly. We have run electricity and water out to the missionary housing base which took a considerable amount of time, resources and labor. Vann is also rebuilding the dash of our truck as it has cracked apart over the years in the heat and is now falling off of it’s frame from all of the “off-roading” it does every day. Unfortunately there is no such thing as buying another dash here. It will have to be fabricated from a sheet of 3/16" aluminum after everything has been torn out, disconnected and hope that everything goes back together again! Oh the joys...
We still have some urgent needs. The kids schooling has brought with it extra costs. Their tuition is $100 a month, or $1000 a year per child. Even with a more gas-efficient car, we will be spending about $400 a month in gas for school runs. As this mission base expands, unsurprisingly, the maintenance costs rise. Gravel for the road, diesel for the tractor to maintain the road and keep the jungle at bay, and the list goes on, but our monthly expense far outweighs our income, and the extra cost has to come out of the “one-time gifts” that we occasionally receive. We are trusting God for our finances. This is His mission and He will provide for it as He has faithfully these past eleven years. We feel that it is our responsibility to tell you our needs and give you an opportunity to join us in God’s mission here in Peru!
Please pray for ~
· Safety; for everyone that comes to the pool, for Vann as he works so hard at so many things with blades and heights and miscellaneous dangers, for the children going to and from school in Pucallpa traffic, and safety spiritually for all of us as there is warfare here.
· Health; for Vann as he is dealing with constant migraines and his kidney stones are on the move, and for me as I am doing so much better, but still needing to live within my very limiting limits.
· Boldness in speaking the gospel and sharing Jesus with those who come to the pool and whom we meet with in town.
· Salvation for so many of the families that we are so privileged to know, love and are currently working with.
· Monthly support
· Completion in our construction projects
Please Praise God with us for the car!!!
We also thank Him for His mercy in protecting Corynn from a viper snake bite last week. Her hand was inches away from a large Fer-de-lance as it was coiled up right where she was doing her farm chores. It’s hard sometimes for this mama’s heart to rest in Him and to be anxious for nothing because I know that He cares for my family and me. Oh, me of little faith.
Ephesians 6:10-20