Finding Our Sweet Spot

Yesterday was one of those "finding your sweet spot" kind of days. They don't come often but when they do, it's oh so satisfying. For the last eight months we've been pouring everything we've got into the wonderful people of Las Veraneras and Los Quindos. We've been visiting, loving on, listening to, praying for, discipling, teaching and starting micro-businesses with a lot of blood, sweat, love and prayers (with a few tears mixed in). Just last month we were able to rent a great little home in a strategic location to house our growing group of adults and children where we could start our foundation called Hands of Hope. What a gratifying day to see and experience some of the dreams God has for us here starting to unfold. It's hard to imagine that we are seeing only a tiny glimpse of all that He is doing here in Colombia!

Each Monday and Wednesday we arrive at the foundation a little early to set up, pray and welcome the people of the community to a time of fellowship, prayer and learning more about our Savior. Every time we go to the foundation I get a little fluttering of butterflies deep in my tummy as I wonder, "is anyone going to show up?" By God's amazing grace our little group has continued to grow, grow, grow! Not sure why they keeping coming back. Maybe it's to hear the funny gringos stumbling over their words or to have a little break from life, or maybe it's the cookies.....For whatever reason they come, we have come to love each one. We also know that His Word doesn't come back void as it says in Isaiah 55:11 "so is my word that goes out from my mouth:it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." We are planting the seeds of truth with love and care and we are trusting our mighty Counselor to take it from there.

As we pulled in to our usual parking spot yesterday those familiar little butterflies visited me once again. While setting the chairs in place we often wonder just how many we'll need that day. Well what a wonderful surprise awaited us as our little house quickly became so full that we had to start seating people in one of the bedrooms!! But the cherry on top was 4 indigenous ladies showed up! O.k. so you may ask, "what's the big deal?" It's a VERY big deal. We have been praying for quite sometime on how we can reach the indigenous(Indian) population in Las Veraneras. There is a small group (we think around 70) who have been displaced (desplazados) by the guerrilla and violence in their area. So they moved to Armenia seeking refuge only to find themselves living in horrible conditions with no work and no land to cultivate. Also Colombia has a very defined social class system and the indigenous are on the very bottom of the list. Most people won't even speak to them. So as you can imagine, they tend to be very suspicious and stay to themselves. This for obvious reasons makes them hard to reach. We had the idea to visit them and offer the left over clothing from our rummage sale. This would draw them in and we could then invite them to the Bible study the next week. They came and had a great time digging through and finding clothes that would work for them. They all left smiling (something that is hard to get out of them)and grateful with arm loads full. Lo and behold four of the ladies came back to see what the foundation is all about. Praise God He gave us this wonderful opportunity to reach out to them with warmth and love. We pray that we can somehow be a bridge for them to better integrate into this community. What a FANTASTIC day!

This is really late but here goes.  We recently opened our new Foundation called Hands of Hope.  Our vision for this foundation is to help vulnerable people in poor neighborhoods find hope and a dignified life through Christ Jesus.  We have been busy working with the squatter community of Las Veraneras by offering Bible studies, children's programs, counseling (informally) and starting a micro-business program to help the reach the precious people emotionally, physically and spiritually.  Our heart is to create a place of refuge and love in the midst of a very tough neighborhood by providing hope, healing and a hand-up.  We have been blessed beyond measure by Jorge and Cristina who have worked alongside of us and have huge hearts to serve their people.

Our precious friends Magdalena and Oscar from Medellin surprised us by showing up at our doorstep the night before the inauguration (April 4th) of our first community center!  What a precious gift that was!!  I don't know if I have ever been so touched by such a gesture.  It made the day all that more special, getting to share with them our community, our love for the people and the grand opening! 




I am amazed at how fast this all came together.  Just a few short months ago this was all still in a dream phase.  Here a short while later we have our 1st building rented in a most strategic location in the community (another gift from God), Bible studies for adults, children and youth and a micro-business started.  We are excited to to see where God will take this ministry next!  I stand in awe at seeing God's hand prints all over this amazing work.

Fruits of Labor

I am sitting here reveling in a day well spent.  Long and arduous, but oh how I live for these days of ministry.  All of a sudden God "konks" me on the head, "THIS is what it's all about!!"  Let me back up a minute....Every Wednesday we spend the day in Las Veraneras at the Foundation ministering to numerous children and adults through Bible lessons, visiting and counseling.  At times it can be challenging and heavy dealing with problems that run the gamete from AIDS and prostitution to attention starved children.  Just tonight we counseled a woman who's husband has been cheating on her for quite sometime.  She asked us what she should do.  Hmmmmm....let me think about that one. Yet in all this chaos and pain I am reminded that it isn't me who needs to solve all their problems, but to point them to the One who can.  I am so humbled and blessed to see the community looking to us (and more importantly to our Savior) as a place of refuge and hope.

As amazing as all the hugs from many loving children are, as wonderful as a smile from our deaf friend Andres is, as awesome as it is to welcome new people each week, the highlight of my day today was seeing our team loving in action.  To see our precious couple Jorge and Cristina that we've been discipling come alive in ministry today is what it is all about!  What an amazing feeling it is to see your disciples really "getting it" and taking ownership of their work in the Foundation.  Words don't describe adequately how proud I am to have them as  part of our team.  Their loving hearts, their willingness to learn, their availability to be poured out as a drink offering to serve their people for God's glory is inspiring.  How blessed are we that we get to be a small part of what God is doing in this country?

What a crazy journey this has been! We had the joy and privilege this week of kicking off our handi-craft ministry for the women in Las Veraneras.  As we have sought God's direction and guidance in this journey (admittedly sometimes clinging to Him with everything we have!), one thought has been pasted into my heart and mind. "Serve the one's I have placed in front of you." 

I have to admit I am one for making a plan.  Yet God has brought us on this journey without giving us a clear one (certainly against my wishes).  As we handed over our lives in service to Him, He simply said, "follow me...to Colombia.  He has been using this time of uncertainty to refine my character and to create in me a greater dependance on Him rather than my own plan (imagine that!).

When we first visited Las Veraneras we were asked to come start something for their community.  And as every "good missionary" does, we began an adult Bible study and children's program.  We had no idea how Las Veraneras would capture our hearts!  One of our own personal convictions has always been to have a holistic ministry where Christ's love is shared in Word and deed.  So as we have spent time in the community getting to know the precious people and to observe their needs, God has placed a great burden in our hearts for the women and children there.  Most are single mom's eking out a living by anything from working as domestic servants, recycling to prostitution.  We know that when we help them reach their potential in Christ that it will naturally flow down to their children that they so love. 

Our desire has always been to start a ministry that would eventually be self-sustainable, would help the poor, give people a sense of self worth and above all glorify Christ.  While praying for a marketable, sustainable skill we could start with, hair bows came to our minds.  So we made a few in colors to match different school uniforms.  We then took the bows to see what the response would be and God blew the doors wide open!  Henceforth, our handi-craft ministry was born. We carefully selected 4 women (whom we thought would most benefit) to start the project with, one being Tatiana who has special needs, along with her mother who also has special needs.  From the beginning, Tatiana has stolen my heart!  I knew that I wanted to help this young lady find a special place where she could blossom.  At first there was some concern about choosing her, "Could she do it? Does she have the fine motor skills? etc...etc."  As a team though we decided right off that this wasn't a "job or a production line", its a ministry of seeing transformed lives!  Wouldn't you know it, by far she made the best bows of the day!  And her smile of success and accomplishment were priceless.  Something seemingly so simple and insignificant as a bow can provide joy, dignity and self worth.  I am reminded of God's creativity.  All we need to say is, "use me Lord!"

We're just back from a great visit to Medellin.  We spent a wonderful few days catching up with friends and seeing Yokima (one of our dear Colombian missionary friends) off as she once again heads back to the jungle. 

It's hard to believe we're already half way through the first month of the New Year.  It's a time to dream about what this new year will hold and reflect on the year past. 

Last June my folks came for a visit.  It was fun spending time with them as well as letting them get a little "taste" of our lives here in Colombia.  Little did I know this would be the one and only trip for my mom.  A week later we had the awesome privilege of hosting our first short term team.  We had a blast ministering along side some pretty amazing folks!

In July we passed our one year mark!  Whew!  What a challenging yet blessed first year we had on the mission field.  Although I know we'll look back on that year with fond memories, it isn't one I'd like to repeat. It stretched me spiritually and emotionally in incredible ways.  I am continually amazed at God's provision as He would send someone, a note or an email with a word of encouragement at just the right moment to keep me going another day.  July 31st we packed up our belongings and said our goodbyes to the numerous new friends we made in Medellin (this proved to be harder than we imagined!).  Six hours later, three tired dogs, four tired kids and two tired parents arrived in our new town of Armenia.  After unpacking and a short vacation, we started home schooling the girls (something new for us).  Soon after we arrived we fell in love with a needy neighborhood called Las Veraneras where we started Bible studies for adults and a children's program.  God captured our hearts for this precious group of people.  As we listen to their stories and their hearts, we fall even deeper.  I guess this is where my continued prayer comes into play.  "Lord break my heart for what breaks yours."  Did you notice the word break?  Yeah, breaking one's heart is messy and a bit painful at times.  Yet to get a little glimpse of the Father's heart is so incredibly amazing.  Worth each and  every tear!! 

We had tickets scheduled for November to fly home for our mission's conference, speak at our churches and to visit family and friends when we got the news that Mom had cancer and was "going" fast.  Those were a few of the hardest days of my life.  Being so far and feeling utterly helpless,  I had to learn to rely on God in a whole new way.  Luckily I was able to get home to see her for a precious 3 days before she went to be with her Maker.  Those three days were both some of the best and worst days of my life.  I was blessed to spend just a few more hours with her, yet I knew it was time to say goodbye (at least for now).  On November 6th she quietly and peacefully slipped from our world into the next surrounded by her family.  I'll never forget the look of utter peace on her face as she took her last breath.  It was a sweet reminder of how good and faithful is our God.  

We spent our first Christmas and New Years here in Colombia.  It was fun getting to see and experience all the unique cultural things that Colombians do to celebrate this time of year.  It was a milestone for the girls as well.  Although we missed spending the holidays with our family, we spent time together embracing some new traditions.

And that brings us to 2012!  We are excited to see what plans God has for us this year.  We dream of starting a church and community center to meet some of the spiritual as well as physical needs of the people in Las Veraneras.  We desire to be better parents, to help our girls be the princesses God has called each of them to be, to love without bounds as Christ loves us and for our cup to overflow abundantly onto the lives God has brought before us.  But most importantly we hope to draw nearer to the Father each and everyday as we seek Him as a couple and family.  I have been meditating on the verse found in Philippians 1:5 "because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Here's to the beginning of a VERY full year!

~Heavenly Father,
I ask that you continue to mold me for every good work you have purposed for my life and the ones who you have put in my path. That you'll give me the strength to accomplish your will.  That you'll continue to shape my character with you as the Potter's hands.  That I will be refined into a vessel fit for your service.  That I will count the cost as a privilege and never a burden.  "Here I am.  Send me!"   ~Amen

Season of Great Blessings

Ooooh and Ahhhhhh have come out of our mouths more than once during these last few weeks of being here in the States.  We are greeted at every turn with a shot of the most brilliant colors of Fall, each more glorious than the last.  What a GREAT time to be home!  When we first arrived the colors of Fall had just made their first appearance for the season.  A few weeks later and a few degrees cooler we are ushering in the beginning of winter.  Brrrrrr....it's cold outside!! (o.k. maybe for someone who has adjusted to Colombian weather!)  I swear I can feel Jack Frost nipping at my nose! 

It's my favorite time of year!  Hot apple cider, sweaters, a crackling fire and those Fall colors that make me oh so giddy.  I am reminded of God's incredible love for us!  As we have embraced a hectic schedule speaking, attending meetings and visiting, I have to take a moment to pause and take in a breath of all of God's goodness!  I don't want to miss a moment of it.  Life is just too short to let it pass by without reveling in all of God's glory.  Here's what God has been up to in these last few weeks:

1.  In God's perfect timing we made it home to see my mom before she went home to be with her Maker.
2.  The celebration of life service for my mom was set amidst the beautiful Ukiah Cemetery on a picture perfect day.  I think it was just what she would have wanted. 
3.  We have spent precious time with our family and friends.
4.  Our girls have gotten A LOT of one on one time with Grandma and Grandpa and their cousins.
5.  We were refreshed and re-energized at our Christians in Action conference.
6.  We were encouraged by other missionaries and what God is doing through them around the world.
7.  We were blessed to get to meet up with fellow missionaries from Colombia who also happen to be home.  What a small world!
8.  We were given the opportunity to share about our love for Colombia in 12 different settings (from          churches to home school groups).
9.  The interest and response for short term missions has been astounding!!  We are looking forward to seeing more teams in Colombia.
10. Our churches have supplied us with enough gifts, school supplies and hygiene items for 100 kids at our Christmas outreach program in Las Veraneras.

I am continually amazed at how God supplies for each and every need.  Whether it's emotional, physical, spiritual or financial, He provides in the most amazing of ways in the most amazing of times and through the most amazing of people.  Did I mention, "WE ARE BLESSED!!"?

Beyond Busy but Blessed Beyond Words

WOW!  What a time of  blessing we have had while here in the States!  It has been C R A Z Y busy but we've been blessed beyond words.  God has been opening doors and stirring hearts!  Here's a quick recap.

Our bi-annual Christians in Action conference and banquet kicked off our six weeks.  We had a great time connecting with the other missionaries and hearing what God is doing around the world. We were refreshed  with some great teaching as well.  Matt and I had the privilege of sharing our hearts for Colombia at the banquet by being interviewed by our pastor from New Hope who MC'd the event.  What a time of great encouragement!

Our first stop of course was our home church New Hope Community.  We were offered such a warm, "welcome home!"  There is nothing like coming back into fellowship with the ones who have raised you up, prayed for you and sent you off to the mission field.  We will always be grateful to our church family who has loved us in such an incredible way!

New Hope also hosted an Actis Social where the church could come and visit us in a more intimate setting.  We had fun making frijoles (beans), arroz (rice) and platanos (plantains) to share a little taste of Colombia with our friends.  We had such a wonderful time catching up and visiting with our church family.  Their support and prayers have kept us going each step of the way!

Our next stop was Auberry Community where we were invited to talk to the Adult Sunday School class.  At first we had NO idea how we'd fill the whole hour.  Silly us!!!  We were able to fill that hour and more.  Once we got rolling talking about our love and passion for serving the people of Colombia, there was no stopping us!  What a great group of Godly, mission-minded people.

Our third church where we shared was Clovis EV Free.  We were so blessed to share in the excitement of them calling their new pastor and his family.  WOW!  What a gem this family is!  The mission board put together a terrific Missions Sunday that we were privileged to be a part of.  We were blown away by the testimonies that 3 young people gave about their experiences of being in Africa for the last year.  Each time we visit Clovis EV Free we are reminded of the heart beat they have for proclaiming the Gospel to all Nations.  They take Missions seriously!!

We are always blessed to return to Sierra Lutheran where we first gave our lives to Christ.  It is where Matt is so well known and loved by the small mountain community.  We connect with old friends and meet new ones.  We even made it onto the front page of the Mountain Press (o.k......so it's not the New York Times!!)  Sierra Lutheran will always have a special place in our hearts!

One of the most fun places where we spoke was with the home school group and youth group of Clovis EV Free.  We were impressed by the knowledge and understanding of missions at such a young age!  Way to go home school moms!!  It was fun to see them experience a little bit of Colombia by trying raw sugar cane and Agua Panela (a popular Colombian drink).  It has been a blessing to share about how God is moving in the world and to encourage young people in their walk.

Our next opportunity to speak was at a men's Bible study group at Clovis Christian Church.   I have to admit I felt a bit awkward and intimidated at first speaking to an all men's group (A first for me!), after warming up a bit, I found them to be quite friendly and engaging.  The pastor there always gives us a warm welcome.

Our last Sunday in the States we were interviewed by the pastor at People's Church.  WOW!  It was amazing but a little intimidating standing in front of such a huge church (especially when we're used to speaking in front of the "masses" of 50-100 people here in Colombia)!  We received a warm welcome as well as a lot of interest in short term missions.  So hopefully we'll see a team from People's down this year!

 We feel privileged and honored each time we are invited to share about the work God is doing in Colombia.  God continues to amaze us in His provision, protection and timing.  He has opened doors we never thought imaginable!  We are still in awe of a creator who chooses to use weak vessels (us) to share His Good News, bring hope to the brokenhearted, and healing to a hurting world.  As we continue to follow in faith and obedience, He continues to guide our path and provide in the most incredible of ways.  Our time in the States was a time of spiritual refreshment, encouragement to keep keeping on, and a precious time to visit our loved ones.  We close out the year feeling mighty blessed by our Lord and Savior!
 

Where is He guiding us?

As we were surveying a potential area to begin ministry we came across an older man laying on the ground outside his home with a cast from his toes to his hip.  Had a head-on collision with a taxi, he says, only he was walking!  The taxi driver promised to take care of him and paid for his first visit to the hospital, but now the man lays there, waiting desperately for the driver to return and keep good on his word.

In another village, a woman of 82 years old lays in her bed, not sure where to turn.  Her name is Aurora, and she is one of the poorest in Colombia, displaced from her hometown, and lives all alone.  She feels sick all over and has an extended stomach from a large accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity.  The hospital sent her home with no medicine or any further method of treatment.  She has Ascitis, she says, but she doesn't know if there's something medical that can be done or if she's just supposed to lay there and die.  We pray for her of course, and wait on the Lord to see what He's going to do. 

Another family next door hear that we're passing through and stand in front of their "cambuche," or make-shift home.  Her husband, her mother, and herself all live together and as we pass by I see desperation in the eyes of the mother.  She starts hugging Shelley and doesn't let go.  I ask if I can pray for them and she pulls me inside.  Her daughter begins to cry immediately and says that none of them have work and cannot find work.  They're desperate.  Further down the trail I catch up to Shelley ministering to a family of indigenous tribal woman who at first refuse to let her in.  We find out later that they recently had 6 shots fired at their house, the bullets passing through their thin walls like paper.  They're angry, and are making plans of pulling up the roots they had planted there and moving somewhere else.

The Christian family we went to visit live in a cambuche too, and her son has cancer of the bones.  He's doing well, and our girls say he's really nice and let's them play with the baby rabbits.  Frequent trips to larger cities for treatment are a normal occurrence for them.

A good question we have for the Lord right now is; Where are you leading us, O Lord?  We have followed your leading first to Colombia, then to Armenia, which is the capital of the State of Quindio.  Although Armenia is beautiful and is in the middle of the greatest coffee producing area of Colombia, and thus the world, Quindio also has the highest unemployment in the country, the evidence all around in the poorer neighborhoods.

Shelley and I have been waiting for the Lord to show us where He'd have us begin our work here and yet there is so much need it's hard to know where HERE is!

Please pray for us, that we hear and feel and see His leading, so that we are exactly where He wants us!

Between Here and There

Well....I have to start somewhere! It has been almost 4 weeks since we arrived in Armenia. It's a little difficult to put it all into words as we traverse this next transition in our lives. It is why I have been a little quiet lately. Not sure how to put all that is swarming around this overflowing head of mine into intelligible thoughts. Here's a quick recap.

Our move went well though I was amazed at just how much we had accumulated in one short year! Our friends at the Seminary all waived their goodbyes as we headed for Armenia. We loaded all of our goods into a moving truck while the four girls, our dear friend Magdalena and the three puppies squeezed into our car for the six hour drive. It made for a "cozy" trip. I was delighted upon arrival with the beauty of the house (good job Matt!), as I had not seen the house before arriving in Armenia. We had the blessing of Magdalena and Oscar's help getting the house set up.

Then there is the transition.........The first week I struggled with frustration as I couldn't find things (seems no matter how well I organize and pack, it's still hard to find stuff when you need it!!). Second, the house doesn't have nearly the storage we need for a family of six. So I wanted to unpack but couldn't because there was no place to put it. Ugggg.....Finally in our second week we started feeling more settled. This means I can find things when needed (most of the time) and our house is coming together (well sort of!). We have found grocery stores and the basic necessities of life. The girls are loving that they can have their dogs at home, there is nature all around for them to explore (the bug bites are too numerous to count!!) and they can run free. Kids seem to adjust so easily! After being here two weeks we were going a bit stir crazy for company and being the "people" people that we are, we decided to research other missionaries in the area. Praise God we found two other missionary couples to get to know!

We are very blessed to begin work with Pastors Jairo and Doris. We've been getting to know their church which we'll be working out of. They have a very different style of worshiping than we're used to and we are so grateful that God is opening our eyes to new things. Our spiritual experiences are growing immensely!

Finally, we also started homeschooling amongst all this craziness! Yes, we are loco! Long story short, we arrived mid school year so the girls missed a half of a school year. Rather than throwing them into a new school we decided to try homeschooling for 6 months. I know.....I know....I said I'd never be a home school mom! Goes to show you, NEVER say NEVER! Actually Matt and I are splitting the duties and this is working out well so far. He is concentrating on Math while I have Language Arts, together we teach Science and Geography. Later we'll add other classes (we're taking it slow!!). Shhhhh....don't tell anyone this, but I am actually finding it rather enjoyable (ask me in another month, this may all change!).

As glad we are to move away from the city, I can't help but look back on the year living in Medellin and all the amazing people we met and feel a bit homesick for it. The year came and went with it's trials and challenges, but also it was one of many blessings. A year is just long enough to make good friends and for things to feel "normal" and "comfortable" (something my soul craves). Well.....God has other plans for us than our comfort. He wants to mold us, shape us and use us to reach others for Christ. I am reminded that He is the Potter and we are the clay. To be fit vessels, we have to be stretched, smoothed and formed to His likeness. This process is never comfortable!

Over all and through all, we are praising God for His continued provision and direction as we continue this journey of making His name known. At times we feel overwhelmed, out of our element and down right useless as we bumble our way along. We make cultural blunders and language blunders all along the way. But we have come to find Colombians to be very gracious and oh so helpful as we find our bearings. We serve a Lord who is big enough for the task of using our weaknesses, our strengths and everything in between for His Kingdom! We are looking forward to seeing what God has planned for us and the people of Colombia here in Armenia.

A Year of Abundance by shelley

Today we celebrate our one year anniversary here in Colombia. One short year ago we were packed to the hilt, teary eyed from saying our goodbyes, and full of expectation as to what our new life would hold. A year later, we are no longer "first-year missionaries". I guess that means.....we SURVIVED!!! No words can adequately describe the roller coaster of emotions that we have encountered this past year. We have experienced highs and lows that we had never before experienced. Homesickness, fear, excitement, fatigue, joy, pain, gratitude, and humility could all be felt within a single hour. As we waded through each tide of emotion God held out His mighty hand to help steady us. It has been an incredible blessing to see Him work in His miraculous ways through each step of this journey.

A year of abundant blessings:
July 2010: An amazing group of family, friends and an incredible church sent us on our way with support, prayers and love.
August 2010: We're REALLY here in Colombia! After two years of praying, planning and preparing, we finally reach the mission field. Someone please pinch us!!
September 2010: We started Spanish classes with Magdalena who would soon become one of the best gifts from above. She and her husband Oscar have become our second family. We simply wouldn't have survived this year without their prayers, their encouragement and their love!
October 2010: I had the opportunity to officiate my brother's wedding in Tennessee. What an incredible honor and privilege! The twins and I enjoyed spending time with family and seeing the colors of the Great Smoky Mountains in the Fall.
November 2010: We got the gift of all gifts! Family bought us plane tickets home to see them for the holidays. What perfect timing as we were REALLY starting to get homesick!
December 2010: We spent three great weeks with family, friends and our church. Refueling our spiritual reserves, visiting friends, sharing our experiences and eating some of our favorite foods did our homesick hearts some good!
January 2011: Back in Colombia refreshed, refueled and ready to take on the world! Or at least learning Spanish. By the way it's HARD learning a foreign language! By God's grace and the grace (and patience!) of the Colombian people, we are slowly getting it.
February 2011: The girls made it to the half way point in their school year at Colegio Canadiense. Way to go girls! We are so proud of them as they face the day to day challenges of living in a foreign culture. They're our little super troopers!!
March 2011: We continue to enjoy doing ministry in the rural community of Guarne. We hold Bible Studies, handi-craft classes and English classes. We are blessed by the learning opportunity as we partnered with a Colombian team to reach the people of Guarne.
April 2011: We traveled to the city of Armenia to seek out God's direction and guidance as we check into ministry opportunities in the surrounding areas. We were delighted to spend time getting to know the pastor and his wife that we'll be working alongside. Once again, God continues to be faithful as we watch for open doors and an invitation into the community. On the drive home, we felt a strong affirmation of God's direction.
May 2011: We held a dental brigade in Guarne for the people there who can't afford dental care. It was a great day and a way to share the love of Christ in a real and tangible way.
June 2011: My Mom and Dad came for a visit! The girls were OVER the moon to have their grandparents here and they loved playing tour guides. God also blessed us with our very first short term mission team! We had a blast ministering with them doing VBS's, preaching, giving testimonies, Bible studies and agricultural classes. When they left we were physically tired from a busy week, but spiritually and emotionally recharged (plus our chocolate and peanut butter store's were restocked. Woo hoo!).
July 2011: Well......here we are a year later, speaking Spanish (well sort of), having survived our first year on the mission field. It has been challenging, humbling, stretching and sometimes downright hard. But it has been a year of great growth in our marriage and our spiritual walk. It has been a year in which we've watched our four precious daughters rise to the occasion of living cross culturally. It has been a year of God opening our eyes to the realities and needs of a hurting world. It has been a year of seeing God's handi-work as He weaves incredible people into the fabric of our lives. It has been a year of seeing His faithfulness as each month we are supported by the love, prayers and finances of family, friends and our church. It has been a year that we'll never forget. It has been a year of abundant blessings!!

Our First Short Term Team

The team from California is back in the States and now we have some catching up to do! For the last 15 days we have enjoyed hosting our first team here in Colombia. God blessed us with a great team, amazing weather, and the protective hand that we needed. The Lewis family and the Dilles spent two weeks with us doing VBS's, preaching, teaching and feeding the homeless. It was a packed but fruitful week as we ministered to children and adults in a variety of settings. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to share a little bit of our lives and heart for the country that we have come to love with such a wonderful group of people! We pray they took a piece of Colombia that will forever remain in their hearts!

Here's a recap of our week:
Day 1-Pick up team at the airport. Don't they look bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to do ministry?
Day 2-Rest up from the travel. Outing to the botanical garden and Pueblito Paisa for a dinner of Bandeja Paisa (the typical Colombian dish).
Day 3-Planning and practicing for our first VBS and evangelical outreach at the Presbyterian Church. The team did a great job at their first outreach!

Day 4-Tim preached at the Presbyterian Church while the rest of the team taught Sunday School.
Day 5-Trip to the local market called Minorista. What a fun experience!
Day 6-Off to Guarne for a two day outreach to the kids and adults in the community. We offered a VBS for the kids by Tim, Shannon, Brahms, Miriam and Fred. Agricultural classes were held by Helen and Diana taught the adults. We were blessed with excellent weather, a terrific turnout and wonderful hosts and company!
Day 7-Second day of outreach to the community of Guarne.
Day 8-Whew! We were tired and needed a morning to rest! We headed out on the metro and cable car so the team could see different parts of the city. All went smoothly until Tim, Helen and Miriam got on the metro while the rest of didn't quite make it on because the doors closed too soon. OOOPS! I can only imagine the look on my face as I saw half of the team whisked away on the metro! Luckily they didn't panic and we met up where we were supposed to meet. Lesson learned:Prepare the team for the what if's.....In the afternoon we headed to a flower farm in Santa Elena and topped the day off with a yummy meal at Hato Viejo.
Day 9-we got up early for a great day spent at El Penol and Guatape. The whole team climbed the whole 684 stairs (yes, Tim counted!)!!! The breathtaking view was so worth the climb. Oh and there was a firefighter there at the top with an oxygen canister (Just in case we needed it! Praise God we didn't.).
Day 10-We went to Parque Los Tamarindos (a water park) to celebrate Kennedy's 10th birthday, followed by dinner with friends. Our church sent all kinds of Hawaiian decorations to make Kennedy's day extra special!
Day 11- We all said goodbye to the Lewis Family as they headed to Bogota for some more sight seeing. And the Dilles shared at Casa Isreal (one of the Christians in Action churches). Then to Crepes and Waffles (one of our favorite restaurants!) for a delicious lunch.
Day 12-The girls had the day off of school so we headed to Santa Fe de Antioquia to look around, see the sights and shop a bit.
Day 13-Fred shared his testimony at a ministry for men coming out of prison. He really touched a lot of hearts that night! We then went to a children's feeding program where the children stole our hearts!
Day 14-We went to Guarne for our normal outreach. We saw many sweet faces return from the previous week! Matt, Fred and Diana then went to feed the homeless with City of Refuge ministry.
Day 15-We took Fred and Diana to the airport and said our good byes:(

What and incredible time we had! Words can't quite describe the awesome experience and all that God did in and through this precious team. Our prayer is that eyes were opened, lives were changed, and hearts were touched for the people of Colombia.

Time Flies!! by shelley

Top 10 things God has been teaching me in the last 10 months:
1. Just when I think I've been stretched to the max, He gives me enough strength to do what He asks of me. I am reminded of the verse, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 I am also reminded that the One who called me will also equip me. I have done things in the past 10 months that go FAR beyond my wildest imagination! I had the privilege of officiating my brother's wedding last Fall, I have preached a full length sermon (something I never thought I'D be doing!), I am helping my family navigate missionary life in a foreign country and culture not to mention learning a foreign language (which by the way is HARD!!).
2. As an American (sorry for the generalization) I tend to get my identity by what I "do" or by what I "fix", not by who I am. I am learning that it is far more important to find my identity in a person. His name is Jesus Christ. First and foremost I am a child of God. Out of my relationship with Jesus will come the "doing" part. The part where I have the opportunity to touch the lives with Jesus' love to those He has put in my path. I think I may have had this turned around a bit.
3. I am learning how to be a "waiter" and not just a "do-er". O.k. confession time: This has been an extremely hard one for me! I am wired to be a do-er and God has been extremely busy re-wiring my thinking, perspective and priorities. We came here to Colombia with certain expectations, desires and an agenda for ministry. In the last 10 months He's been teaching me that it is HIS agenda, not mine. Not only is it His agenda but in His timing. I am coming to realize that He doesn't need us "doing" anything for Him. After sharing some of our struggles and frustrations with a long-term missionary, he said, "this is where you're going to be tested. Are you comfortable just (not used lightly) being a child of God? Not being known by your strengths, capabilities, projects, etc.?" Oooooo....that stopped me in my tracks! God is FAR more interested in my relationship with Him than He is in any agenda. Once I have that straight, the "doing" part will come naturally.
4. Adjusting to a new country, culture, climate and language is a process (not an event). I have naively thought at times, "Whew! So glad we're over THAT hump!" Just to stare another hump in the face. This is where I meditate on Philippians 4:13 again.
5. As a mother to 4 wonderful daughters, they look to me for security and stability in our very unstable life. This means I have to do A LOT of faking it when I feel the ground is about to be torn out from under me!
6. As a wife to a wonderful husband, I have had to learn to share my "space" in a new way since we now are together at home quite a lot. We have had to learn to work together, live together, and share our frustrations, fears and feelings of life on the mission field without killing each other!
7. My continued learning to be utterly dependent on God. For strength, provision, safety, guidance and direction.
8. Contentment. I am learning to be joy filled and content in each moment of this grand adventure. At times this has not been easy for me. There have been disappointments, struggles, frustrations and heartache along the way. But God is teaching me that with the "ugly" stuff that comes along with missionary life also comes joy, adventure, new friendships, and unimaginable blessings.
9. Each day I fall a little more in love with the people here in Colombia. God has brought an amazing group of people into our lives to love us, hold our hands when we feel we can't take another step, give us all sorts of invaluable insight into the culture, and give us encouragement along the way. I am continually amazed by a God who cares for us so incredibly much! I love the verse found in Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
10. Last (but certainly not least) we are learning to have a sense of humor in it all (something I could desperately use a little more of!). To laugh at ourselves when we make cultural blunders, to laugh it off when we say silly things in Spanish (which we do often), and to not take life too seriously.
As you can see, God has been busy molding and shaping this clay pot into a vessel for His service. At times I am just broken shards, yet He gently re-wets me, puts me back on His potter's wheel and starts again. Each time smoothing the rough and ragged edges as any good potter does. I am the clay. He is the Potter. Lord, mold me, shape me and refine me to be a fit vessel for your service here in Colombia. Amen.

Dental Brigade

Wow! It's been way too long since we last blogged! It's not to say we don't have anything going on because we've had lots. We continue to enjoy doing ministry up in Guarne on Wednesdays. Walking from farm to farm praying for people, visiting over a cup of agua panela (a popular drink here in Colombia), and getting to use our 4-wheel drive is right up our alley. We have been blessed to be a part of a team who is working diligently in this vereda (rural neighborhood) to bring the hope of Jesus Christ. Matt and I teach English to 20 kids from the age of eight through High school. There is such a desire here to learn English because speaking English opens the door to opportunities that they otherwise would not have. Being out in the country, these folks have little opportunity to higher education and better paying jobs. Teaching has proven to be fun , yet challenging as we hadn't prepared for teaching English before we came. It can't be THAT hard, right? I am learning that just because you SPEAK the language, doesn't mean you can TEACH the language effectively. Many a night is spent pouring over lessons. So here we are being stretched by God yet again in a multitude of ways! It has proven really good for our Spanish practice as we most often have to tell them the directions in Spanish.

Besides offering English classes, our team teaches a Bible study, puts on a children's program and teaches a skill such as sewing, or handi-crafts. This has been an effective way to reach out to the community by equipping the people in a variety of ways to help them sustain their families. Think "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." It is our hope and desire to reach these precious people by stretching out the arms of Christ to meet not only their spiritual but physical needs as well. Another way we have reached into the community is by offering free counseling with a psychologist. Many have dealt with tragedy and loss due to the violence here in Colombia as well as an over abundance of broken families, drug and alcohol abuse. We had a fantastic day a few weeks ago doing a free dental brigade in the community. We had a great turnout! Every minute of the day was booked full for free cleanings and check-ups. Our precious Dr. Nairo worked a VERY full and long day! It was a long but very gratifying day. Job well done team!

To The Eje Cafetero and Beyond....

Recently we took a family trip to the Eje Cafetero (the coffee axis) where we'll be moving in early August. This is where we'll start our work with Christians in Action planting churches. God has been busy lining things up for our move in His usual amazing ways! He has brought a very special Colombian couple Jairo and Doris into our lives to work alongside. They have a healthy church in Armenia but are desiring to follow God's call on their lives by helping to start new churches in the surrounding Pueblos. After meeting them and getting to know their vision and love for their people, we knew right away that our hearts were aligned. While we were in the Eje Cafetero we looked for a school for the girls, a house, and areas to start ministry. We also had the privilege of sharing our hearts with Jairo and Doris's church as well as a new small group in a nearby Pueblo. Upon asking the congregation of who may be interested in joining a church planting team, several came forward. We are excited at the enthusiasm this church has to reach more Colombians for Christ! We managed to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing and adventure as we introduced the girls to their new city. We got four big thumbs up (which is a huge blessing since we didn't know how the girls would take another move)! God has blessed us with a house that is just 5 minutes out of town but has room to breath in the fresh air, the girls can be the country girls that they are, get the dog they've been dying for and we can get away from the hectic city life we've lived in since being in Medellin. We are looking forward to the next part of our adventure called "Living and Serving in Colombia", though we are a bit apprehensive of yet another transition. On the bright side, we don't have to learn a new language (just get better at the one we've been learning!).

Feeling settled

It's hard to believe how fast these past seven months have flown by! At times, I still have those hair raising, goose bump getting, pinch me so I know I am not dreaming moments where I think to myself, "are we REALLY here living and serving the Lord in Colombia? Did we REALLY leave family, a wonderful church and friends back in California? Are we REALLY raising our four girls in a foreign country?" I am so thankful for those moments when God gives me this perspective. He also reminds me that WE didn't do any of this, HE did! It's been a whirlwind as we have been adjusting to life here, learning and coming to love the Colombian culture and learning Spanish. It hasn't always been an easy road, but it's one we'll look back on with fond memories of all that God has done and is continuing to do in our lives. By His strength we have been able to endure far more than I could have ever imagined! In the seven short months we have been here we have tasted new foods, survived the landslides, are learning a new language and new way of life, we have climbed mountains, started teaching English classes, made many new Colombian friends and have had the pleasure of being an integral part of a new church plant in Guarne (just to name a few). We are definitely feeling more settled and adjusting to the rhythms of life here. That 'settled' feeling will be short lived though as we prepare for our next move to the town of Armenia in August. We are excited to see what God has in store for us and the people of Colombia on the next leg of our journey. We recently returned from a scouting trip to the area to see about ministry, homes and schools for our girls. We will post some pictures soon! To be continued....

Taking out the trash by Matt

Okay, so I've never really liked taking out the trash, but somehow it has traditionally became the "man's job" (like fixing the leaky sink, toilet, etc.). However, after watching how Colombians do recycling, I have little room for complaint. All the trash is put out on the street, either in barrels or in bags in a pile, and then people come by and pick through it all. Surprisingly, they find quite a lot of recyclables to take. They start at the top of the hill and work their way down so they don't have to carry anything as they ride their cart. Click and watch the video:
It is quite efficient and a great way of making sure nothing goes in the garbage that couldn't be recycled. What hard, back breaking work though (all done for a few pesos!!). The interesting thing is that they ride their carts downhill, steer with ropes, and stand on rubber stoppers that act as brakes. They have to squat and push down really hard to make it stop. Some of the hills here are pretty steep and I bet the ride gets pretty exciting at times! Without a cart you really have to work! One memory that will forever be etched in my mind is when we saw a young mom and a 2-1/2 year old girl dragging huge bags full of recyclables. There were too many bags for the mother and so her little toddler had to drag one too, but it was so hard for her. It was definitely one of those heart wrenching moments :-( I am not sure I will ever look at "taking out the trash" the same again.