April 2024 Newsletter

 

Traveling

Thank you for praying for David's travel to Mexico last month.  He spent several days visiting some of our IMB families and showing our boss around a few of the Indigenous work areas.  He ended his time there helping lead a Bible storying training with the Spanish language school students in Puebla.  The boys and I were home doing school.  Thank you for praying for us as well.  We now have six more weeks to go before summer break.  We are working hard and are looking forward to finishing up.

- Later this month, David will be helping the Stones with a mission team from Denver Baptist Church in North Carolina.  This will be a medical team, and they will be working among the Kanjobal people in the Department of Huehuetenango. Please pray for this team as they not only minister to the people's physical needs but their spiritual needs as well as they share the Gospel with them. Pray for all the preparations that need to be done to host this team. Pray for the travel.  The clinic will take place in a town about ten hours outside of Guatemala City. - On April 16th we will celebrate Ben's 12th birthday.  - On April 27th we will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. Did You Know? I am going to start including a fun fact about Guatemala in my newsletters. The Republic of Guatemala is divided into twenty-two departments. These would be similar to our U.S. States.  We currently live in the Department of Sacatepéquez. Throughout our years in Guatemala we have also lived in the Departments of Alta Verapaz, Peten, and Chiquimula.   Guatemala borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador as well as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Thank you for praying for us! www.imb.org

Life Lately March 2024

Here is a look at our family life over the past month. 

 

The boys began the month at a youth group outing to Irtra, which is a theme park in Guatemala City. They had an extremely fun day.

 

Cruz with his friend Canon at Irtra.

 

We had several game nights in March.  This particular time we were playing Aggravation.

 

Our local mall hosted a weekend of inflatables.  Ben enjoyed getting to play on a recent Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

Cruz playing video games and talking to his friend at the same time.

 

Ben helped me in the kitchen a lot last month.  Here he is making chocolate chip cookies.

 

Ben making a chicken pot pie.

 

baking chocolate chip banana bread

 

 

Cruz washing dishes as part of his weekly chores.

 

We made a trip into Guatemala City to renew Cruz's passport.  He looks so grown up in this new photo!

 

You have to provide progression photos from the last time he got a new passport.  I always use birthday pictures.  It's fun to look back at how he has changed over the years.   This was the last passport we will renew in Guatemala.  When this one expires in five years, he'll be a freshman in college. 

 

I love this ceiling view from a local restaurant in Antigua.   It is very cheery and colorful!

 

I attended a brunch outing to celebrate my sweet friend Melanie's birthday. We had a fun time of fellowship around the table.

 

 

Homeschool is going great.  We took a week off for Spring Break/ Semana Santa.  After this current week, we only have six more weeks left before summer break!! We are all ready!  

 

As part of our Bible class we listen to an audio book missionary biography.  In March we learned about Francis Asbury and Samuel Zwemer.  During one of our classes the boys got out our old playdoh set and passed the time listening and building.  It was fun to watch them!

 

Ben and his friend Josue on a supper outing to Wendy's. 

 

the boys at Wendy's in Antigua

 

Cruz and I on an afternoon coffee date in Antigua.

 

David had a work trip to Mexico.  He spent part of the trip showing our boss around some of the Indigenous work areas there.  They had a wonderful time visiting with several of our IMB missionary families.

 

 

I was sad to miss out on these fun fellowship meal times!

 

He ended his trip helping lead a training for our Spanish language school students.

 

We were excited to pick him up at the airport when he returned home to Guatemala!  Here we are stopping for a meal on our drive back to Antigua.

 

I spent an evening out with friends looking at the sawdust carpets that were made in our neighborhood. Surprisingly, it was the only time I walked around and took pictures of carpets the whole season.

 

On Good Friday we took the boys to a go-cart park in Guatemala City.

 

On Easter Eve David attended the 33rd anniversary service for the Baptist church in San Andres Itzapa.

 

Lastly, we ended the month celebrating Easter.

 

Easter Sunday 2024

 We had a simple Easter celebration at home in Antigua.

 

The boys had a few fun things waiting for them when they came downstairs Easter Sunday morning.  Our breakfast consisted of blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, and bacon.

 

We took some family photos before heading out to church.

 

They are growing up fast!

 

After church we stopped for lunch at Pollo Campero.

 

We had a restful afternoon, and then I cooked an Easter supper.   We had grilled chicken, carrot souffle, macaroni & cheese, and black eyed peas.  For dessert we enjoyed a chocolate chess pie.

 

 

My dining room table decorated for Easter.  

 

He is Risen indeed!