Where Do I Even Begin

The last few weeks have had me feeling like I'm on a fast moving train.  It's been busy around here and we have hardly stopped to catch our breath.  We have had a steady stream of guests and it's left me with little time to blog.  I have a lot to catch up on and I'm going to try to do it this week.

When I left off I mentioned that we had friends coming for a Spring Break week.  We had an amazing time with them!  I have over 200 photos and several videos from our time together.  I don't know how I am going to condense that down to a blog post but I'll do my best to do it in the next day or so. Here is a photo we took on our first morning together.  We sure are missing them!

Sara Madalin, Reagan, Malinda, me, Ben, Cruz, and David

our dear friends from home 

It has been HOT around here lately!  April is usually the hottest month of the year so we are bracing if it's already over 100 degrees in March.  Here is a look at the forecast for this coming week-

 Yikes!

We have been trying to keep cool in all ways possible.  On a recent Saturday morning (with a high that day of 106) we made our own water slide using our inflatable pool and our neighbor's slide.  The boys had a blast!

fun times with my little guys! 

Last week was Holy Week here which meant all the locals were on vacation.  The schools and many businesses close for the week and everyone travels.  It's a busy time for the restaurants, hotels, and tourist spots.  We like to lay low and stay home if we can.  Traffic can be a mess!  I ended up doing school six days last week.  We began on Palm Sunday so I could get the Bible story in.  I planned to take off on Good Friday but since we didn't have plans that morning we just made it another school day.  It was a busy week of school, but a fun one.  We focused most of our time on learning the Easter story.  I will post about that later this week too.  

On Monday we had a family who serves in Honduras come over our way for a visit.  We had a great time with them!  They have young kids too so it made it an extra fun week for the boys.  We would do school in the mornings and then spend our afternoons and evenings with them.  We enjoyed some good meals around the table and a lot of laughs sharing stories together.  They are new on the mission field so we spent some time encouraging them and trying to help them during this adjustment time.  

On Thursday afternoon we had our regular weekly Bible study.  We met again in the village of Porto Suelo.  It was a combined service for our Bible study groups in Muyurco and Nearar.  We had a great turnout and it was wonderful to have everyone together.  We were excited to have Bro. Elias join us.  He is a Baptist pastor in Chiquimula at the church we attend from time to time when we are not in the village on Sunday mornings.  He led the Bible study time and also a few songs.  It was his first time to go out to the mountains with us and he really enjoyed it.  We hope he will join us again soon.  Miguel, our ministry partner, also went with us.  We love how the Lord keeps adding partners to help us in our work.  Not only do we have locals like Bro. Elias and Miguel but also our church partners in the States.  We are very grateful for each one who helps serve alongside us! 

hiking to Bible study in Porto Suelo last Thursday afternoon

My two boys are usually in the front leading the way.  I love that.

David, Julio, and Reyes before our service began

Anacleto reading scripture during the service

 Rafa leading music

I was trying to get a photo of all the leaders from each of the villages but it ended up being a few extras also.  Pray for Reyes, Rafa, Julio, and Anacleto.  These are the men that God is using to help us in the work there.  Pray for God's anointing on them and His protection over them. 

David and Bro. Elias hiking back down the mountain

Pray for us as we continue to form a relationship/ friendship with him and seek ways that we can partner together to spread the gospel in this area.   

We had a wonderful Easter weekend and enjoyed celebrating as a family and with friends.  I'll write about that soon too.  I love setting time apart each year to study and reflect on what all Jesus did for us.  It challenges me to want to serve more, give more, and do more so that others might know Him also.  

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
‘Tis all that I can do!

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day! 

Thank you for the cross, Lord!