Saying our goodbyes

Valerie our nanny.
Interns and Nannies and Summer Staff
Greg and some of his men Interns
Today was sad as we said goodbye to nannies, interns and summer staff. It is so good to see how God brings so many different people with different gifts, talents and personalities and has them serving together to do a might work for Him. We are all parts of one body. He could do all this on His own but he choses to work in and through us. Praise God. Thank you everyone who came and served alongside of us.

Our last day with groups this summer....

Praise God for He is good. His love endures forever.
Greg and I spent our last working day with the groups this summer with one another, in the Cadereyta, pouring concrete for the ministry center there, then took the kindergarten and 6th grade graduates to the pool for a swim, dinner and backpack give-aways. It was a great day.
We prepared the floor and poured concrete for 4 hours in the sun and partially overcast day. The group was up beat and encouraging. I was able to take some interns who also have a heart for the cadereyta and pray for two women who are pregnant. Bartolla and Nuri. The kids had a lot of fun swimming and were excited to get their backpacks full of school supplies. To top it off, we had extra staff there which made for a lighter load for us all and just a lot of fun.
Praise God for He is good. His love endures forever.

Thanks for your prayers.......

God had a different plan for me on Friday. I spent a part of the day in bed with a headache. We have been resting this weekend with the final week of summer in store. Pray that we would finish hard. We have a group traveling to El Limon, a children's home about 5 hours away. On Wednesday both Greg and I will go to the Cadereyta. Greg will work while I help take a group of kids and their moms swimming. Thanks again for your prayers.
Cathy

More prayers needed.....

Ruby, the girl who has an infection on her head has seen a doctor but needs more medicine. Please pray for discernment on my part. I find myself giving 10 here or $20 there and before I know it our budget is out of wack. Pray that I pray for God leading in our giving and finances instead of doing things myself.
Please pray for Bartolli, a women who is pregnant with baby number 5 and due any day. There seems to be so many new babies. Normally such a happy occasion, but with these women its another mouth they can't feed.
Tomorrow I am taking 2-3 interns to the Cadereyta, my first time without Kelly. Please pray that we will follow the Lord's leading in sharing and spending time with these women.
Thank you for your prayer support. We feel it.
Cathy

Greg and I both have had the chance to meet weekly with some college aged interns this month. Its amazing when you look at your life and see all that God is teaching us. But we feel especially blessed to meet with others and see how God is working in their lives. We only have one more week working together and sharing our lives with one another. But we will continuing to pray for these guys and girls and ask that you join us as God shapes the lives of Brittany, Jackie, Andrew B., Andrew L., Cody, and Brian.

Praise God for Jen Powers and the nannies who put together a great VBS of Lava Lava Island. Our boys loved the songs, verses, the stories, the crafts, games and food. We can't thank you enough Anne, Becca, Courtney, Jenna, Jen and Valerie for investing in the lives of our kids. Along with the curriculum, we enjoyed crazy hair day, super hero day and pajama day. What fun.

Why do we do what we do?

I've been thinking about this lately. I think God works in and through me despite my motive. But am I experiencing everything he has for me, if I fill my time doing things rather than being obedient. If someone asks me what I did today and I answer " I prayed and read my Bible. Can I be content with that and see it for what it is. Or do I feel the need to say "I helped someone or shared with someone " or did something that in the eyes of others was really important?
Yesterday at the Cadereyta, another staff person told me that he was asked to pray for someone. He was in the middle of an action and almost found himself saying " In a minute, please". As if anything could be more important than taking time to lift something up to God. Lord, I feel convicted of my time and not looking to you on how to spend it. Have you spent a morning, a couple of hours during the day or maybe He is calling you to take a day or weekend to be with Him. Not doing anything, just being with your Lord and Savior. I know I am. "Be still and know that I am God. "

What a wonderful week of "offering"

As I mentioned in the last blog, we were blessed by having a group we know come and minister alongside us this week. Community Fellowship joined us in ministry and fun. However the week was not without its challenges. This group of 22 endured sickness, heat, a brown out which included no air conditioning for a night, bugs and other obstacles that we weren't aware of. God blessed this group as they chose character over comfort and obedience and offer with the strength that only comes through our Lord Jesus Christ. We served at the Rio, worked hard on the teen homes, hosted two different Casa Hogars for pool parties and spent three days with Casa Hogar Manantial de Amor. This home has mostly teens and preteens. God built relationships that won't easily be forgotten. On the last day, we were blessed by taking the kids to an amusement park with a water park too. The day was definitely full of memories. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. Thank you Community Fellowship.

Partnering in Ministry......

Community Fellowship from Lawerenceberg, IN is here this week. It is great to have a church that we know ministering with us. The first night we hosted Casa Hogar Manantial de Amor for a pool party and a cookout. Here is Kyle Greenwood (Greg's college buddy) and some guys from his youth group getting schooled in futbol by some boys from the children's home.
Today we went to Meme's Rio. This is the first time Greg and I got to lead a group together. God did some amazing things as we had a wonderful testimony time, the opportunity to hear about some medical needs and pray for a girl, Ruby with an open sore on her head and a women who was struggling with not wanting to live. Please pray along with us for both of these people. We believe in a BIG God and expect him to move in a BIG way. Meme is a missionary in her own neighborhood. She ministers to the people there and every group that we bring there. Praise God for the blessings He gives us when we take the time to be obedient.
Another photo, I add this one as I am sure its team USA returning after being scored upon.

Beauty in the Storm....

"Nothing, absolutely nothing- brings greater peace in the midst of suffering than to know that you're where God would have you to be...... Just to know that you are in His will brings peace and the ability to continue to do what he has called you to do. Without that knowledge, there's either a confusion that can immobilize you or a harried scurrying about as you try to do more than God ever intended for you to do."
During this first half of summer we've had some trying times.
-Just the other day a group was at one of our children's homes when a mother was stopping in to sign paper. Thinking his mother was there to pick him up the boy was so happy. Moments later his American that he was partnered with was left trying to console the little guy.
-Recently my Great Aunt Francis died. She was 101 years old. Finding out about relatives passing is even harder with the distance from family. Makes us realize how much we miss our loved ones.
-Sicknesses took its toll on not just us but our community. Some serious and some not so much.
-Greg and I have had tons of first recently. Some have gone smoothly, others not so much.

All of these have seemed easier knowing that we are where God has called us to. We know we will have trying times. Not just now but more to come however we find rest knowing we serve the Prince of Peace.

Investments and Blessings

We had the pleasure in June to have ~13 interns and 5 nannies work alongside of us. We have enjoyed getting to know these high school and college age guys and girls. Both Greg and I have had the opportunity to disciple and share life with a small group of guys and girls. The above picture is of Cathy and her group of girls. The other picture is of our last night out, enjoying one another.

An evening to celebrate...

This past Tuesday we were able to go out to eat and then spend some time together celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary. With so much going on here and all the people we connect with on a daily basis, it was especially nice to have a night to ourselves. God provided a great time for our boys as well as they attended a birthday party and sleepover of one of the boys here on the property.
My husband surprised me with our song as we danced and laughed at home. Yes we laughed a lot about our dancing. God continues to bless us and we are thankful that He is taking us on this journey together.