Prayers for the Wheels, Please!

Greetings once again! I rejoicing that because of God's great mercy and love I can still continue

to live for Him day by day! What riches of mercy He showers so freely upon all of us!

I wanted to post this morning to request your prayers for the pickup. It has been in and out of the mechanic a LOT lately. We changed the fuel pump in March, then we had to replace the ball joints. But the engine has been running very rough lately. In fact, last Wednesday, on the way back from church, we nearly didn't make it back. Thursday we changed the spark plugs, and on Friday the mechanic took off the muffler system, thinking it was clogged. He decided that was not the problem, and said it is only running on three of its six cylinders. But, he felt like it would be fine going to Poite that evening for Bible study.

So... off we went! Unfortunately we never made it. Thankfully, if you let it sit for a while after it has been shutting down, it will eventually start running again, so we made our way slowly back home.

It is back at the shop today and we are praying it become roadworthy by tomorrow evening so we can make it to the Bible study in Poite this week. We would greatly appreciate your prayers!!

In the meantime, I continue to be blessed with opportunities to invest in people's lives on a personal basis, whether it is my dear friends living beside me and their children, my coworkers, the young lady living with me, etc. This past week I had an unexpected conversation with some men who came to talk to me about some land they had for sale. Very non-Christian sort of people who I have seen around for a number of years, so I have an idea of their rough background. Because of the rumors that the world was going to end on May 21st, they began to ask me some questions. What a great opportunity to share a little of the truth of God's word with them! It was just another example of the doors God can open in His time and way!

Clifford has been investing time building a relationship with a young man here in Big Falls. The guy has been coming to church, but his parents are nominal catholics. He (Israel) has also been travelling with all of us to Poite fairly often. We are praying that the Lord will draw him to Himself and bring him to salvation.

Magdalena's husband is the teacher for the adult Sunday school class here in Big Falls. Please continue to pray for their family as well.

And, in closing, a few pictures :)

Breakfast buddy :)

Our newest studio technician for the Bible study recordings. ;)

Children at church in Pueblo Viejo this past Sunday. I rode along on the bus with the church from Big Falls to share in service at Pueblo.

No males allowed!!! :)

Yesterday evening was girls' night at my house. Sunday morning as I sat in church here in Big Falls, I watched different girls get up and participate in the service. As I did so, I began to think about the fact that now that I live in a village I can actually have girls over at my house. When I was at the Center, it was too far away to have just girls over some evening, so I had never done so. But now... things are different. So I invited the teen girls from the church over to my house yesterday evening.

It has been hot here. Excruciatingly hot. Like so hot and dry that creeks that "never" get dry are dry. In my house yesterday afternoon it was 95 degrees plus 54% humidity = 108 degree heat index. And so... I wondered what to do with a bunch of girls at my house. We would all roast if we sat inside. So, we swept off the flat, cement roof of the house and decided it would be the coolest spot (there are step going up there - it is set up to build a second floor). We carried a table up there, graced it with flowers from the yard, spread some sheets for a seating area, and called it good. I decided to serve fruit salad and scones... but NO hot tea! Instead we had blended ice coffee... perfect for the heat.

Seven girls ages 15-18 arrived at my house by 5:30. Sandra, of course, was already here, so that made eight of them. We munched on our snacks, played a game, then delved into a devotion - casting a vision for the girls to be different than the world, to give their lives to God completely and expect Him to transform them into something completely different than their peers. To focus on the things of God, and He would give them a beauty that radiates from within, regardless of whether they fit in with the "in" crowd. We had a good discussion afterward, with the girls sharing things that were particularly difficult for them, then closed in a time of prayer.

I think that everyone enjoyed it, and I pray that the Lord planted seeds in their hearts that will grow and blossom. We need young women to stand up and be a light to this world!

Friday... again!

It is Friday, once again! That means we will be off to San Benito Poite this evening to talk about God's remnants, and fascinating truths from Noah's ark! Please pray for safety as we go, God's Words to be spoken through us, and a safe trip back home (still waiting to get the ball joints changed on the truck - so the bumpy road always reminds me to rest in God's care).

Also, the Maya Bible study radio program continues to air every Saturday and Sunday, so we would appreciate your prayers for that as well - that God would use the words spoken to stir up faith in the hearts of the hearers so that they might draw closer to Him!

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God!

This was the sunrise from my rooftop one Friday morning… isn't it glorious?

I am thankful that God shows us His glory in nature! Beauty such as this refreshes my soul and reminds me of the greatness of God's mercy and love for us! That same Friday, in the evening, as we travelled to Poite for Bible study we saw quite a few howler monkeys in the trees. On other trips we have seen pairs of toucans, a white hawk, and many other creatures, making the long, bumpy drive a fascinating tour of God's creation.

I am blessed by the beautiful displays of God's handiwork, however there are more difficult aspects of God's handiwork as well, such as storms and earthquakes that bring destruction and cost lives. I am reminded of the Scriptures that tell us that at the end of times there will be an increase of earthquakes and other natural disasters, as well as the increase of wars and other troubles. What a good reminder for these difficult times we find in Luke 21:34-36: "But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." May the Lord make us watchful so that we might not become overcome with the cares of this life… may we keep our eyes on Him, looking for His coming, rather than dreading the difficulties that surround His coming because of the sin of this world!