Update on Erika......

Well Erika is back home today. The Dr. on Wed. said she did have some third degree spots but that they looked as if they still might heal on their own all be it a lot larger process. A woman from her neighborhood can to learn her bandage procedure. Please pray for Erika because the condition of her house is so much different than her. Dust blows all the time, distilled water will need to be purchased and real time and care needed to give this girl a chance to heal. God is great and can protect her. Thanks for your prayers. Erika is the oldest of five and was very missed by her family.

Another Miracle from God.......

Meet Erika. She's been living with Jim and Betty Betcher this past week. Erika burned her legs near her feet and ankles recently. Last week when a group went to Rio 3 Dr. Carter went with them to see patients. When he saw Erika he knew she needed to be somewhere where she could keep her wounds clean. Jim and Betty knew the Lord wanted her to come home and stay with them while she healed. This was great as Carter could change her dressings 2-3 times a day and monitor her healing. Now over a week later she is beginning to heal with new skin growing. However two spots look suspicious for third degree burns. Will you pray for healing and proper care for her. Praise God she has a consult with a specialist today to see if she is going to need a skin graft. During this time, many people are in a lot of pain. Erika seems to be spared that and rarely complains of discomfort never the less pain. When Carter first saw her she had bandages that weren't right for her wounds and they stuck to her. She cried so hard while he took them off however since then she has had moments of wincing for just a moment. Praise God for the miracle He has done in her life. Had she stayed in Rio 3 there would have been such a little possibility for her to receive the sterile care she needed and infection could have led to amputation or worse. Praise God for what He does and how he used Carter, Jim, Betty and so many others in this girls life. Because she stayed here and we live above Jim and Betty I have been able to get to know her. Last Sunday Ashley, Jim and Betty's daughter, and Erika came up to make cookies. What a joy it is to serve the Lord. Some changing bandages, some offering a home away from home, and even some making cookies and offering friendship.

Draw your sword......

This week at Douglas Church Steve McCullom spoke to the kids. I loved what he did. He had each kid lift up their Bible as a drawn sword then asked them to look up a verse. The child who found it first came up front and read for everyone to hear, then he explained what God is teaching us about that verse. It was so powerful and the kids loved it. I think these kids are seeing the love of God through so many, not the philos love that humans can give but the agape love that only can come from God. Praise God for how He is using so many people and their talents to help bring the word of God to these children.

A little different kind of doctor visit...........

Today I took a woman to the dr. Medicine is different here but get a load of this. We had an appointment with a doctor at 10:00. She never confirmed the appointment so we had to wait until 10:30. (in the states, it seems like we'd wait a month), then as we sit down and talk he gets her history of diabetes that she is not controlling, her hormones that she hasn't taken in the last year, and her poor eating habits. This doctor (a Christian) says the Bible tells us that our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ. Have you done that? The lady says yes. Then you need to care for yourself better since the Spirit lives within. Here on earth God gives us only one body, take care of it. Then he says OK, lets take a look at you. I'm blown away thinking (in the states there would be concern of a lawsuit. After looking at her, he decides she needs to see another dr. for a hernia repair. The woman asks if he could call that dr. to see if he could see us. He calls and after a while asks if we can wait there for an hour and the dr. would come to us. He'd come to the clinic where we were already. (I'm thinking can't imagine that happening in the states.) He not only comes. But consults with the woman, examines her, gives her prescription then goes to the front and tells them not to bill us that it is a free consult. I am praising God and grateful that hopefully Lord willing He will perform her operation next week at cost. God is so good. He helped me find the clinic with oral directions in Spanish and no address, allowed her to see 2 doctors for the price of one and had Biblical teaching to boot. Some days I really like Mexico. Viva la Mexico.

Sign Out

About 2 months ago a babysitter asked if he could use our computer to go on facebook after the kids went down. I thought it was nice he asked and said sure. Ever since though there is the upper body of a cartoon man ok really just a figure like a man on the right hand bottom corner of my computer. Occasionally I have conversations that pop up at the weirdest times. I have since come to learn that it is windows instant messenger. As computer savy as I am, I can't get it off so every time I log onto my computer I have to click on that little guy and press sign off. If I forget someone pops in to say hi to Kevin or writes who are you? in spanish. This is like my life sometimes. Here I can have people popping in my life at any hour of the day, I have unexpected things that are asked of me. Recently I've taken to "signing out". I feel it. I know I should be asking God what I need to do, asking him for power, strength, direction, love, whatever. He can and does provide. I just need to ask. " You do not have because you do not ask..." I believe its a verse in James. Forgive me if I don't remember correctly. Today I'm resolving not to sign out. To take this day by day, moment by moment knowing God will give me all that I need.

Trying to grow vegetables in Mexico....

I had a pretty big garden in Indiana. We grew potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, pumpkins, strawberries.....you get the idea. Well, last year I tried and nothing came up. I think its cuz its was too hot. To begin planting in April and May means 100 days already. So this year I began in Feb. really the end of Jan. So far things are coming up but not sure if its weeds or plants. Actually I believe I see onions coming up, however it maybe too early to see the tomatoes and green beans to grow. If you know anything about warm weather plants please let me know.

Our new digs

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minus Ben's room. I'll try and get that on soon.

Hurt People Hurt People

A fight broke out before Sunday school class a couple weeks ago. These two boys couldn't be more than 8 years old. Two other women from Back2Back helped peal them apart. The class was chaotic at best. There was a spirit of anger in the air. More than those two boys threw punches at each other. After the class was over these two went at it again. My friend Mandy was able to peal them apart and she stayed with the instigator. Christy, another friend took the other boy and cared for him. Mandy tells how she was praying about what to say to this boy and gave him a hug. In her arms he just broke down crying. Mandy asked his name and he responded "Carlos". Carlos cried for 5 minutes hard without letting up. On hearing this my heart melted as I remembered my frustration throughout the class wondering if the kids were really getting anything. I'm quick to get angry with those kids who always pick fights and often don't take the time to remember that they are hurting too and need the love of Jesus just as much as the others. Some times when my flesh wants to fight back and get angry I need to listen to the Spirit to see if he wants me to embrace that kid, my son, my neighbor, or anyone else who hurts me. Perhaps we can be the arms of Christ by embracing someone that is hurting us.

Seeing a difference.......

I am so blessed in doing what I get to do. Many days I experience the joy of the Lord. Not that everything works out great or is perfect. Often the work that the Lord has us doing we don't see the results right away or ever. We just need to trust that the Lord is doing what He has promised and that perhaps on the other side of heaven we will see the results. Milagros is different. She's one of those cases that God is allowing us to see the differences on this side. Through a very generous donation of several people from a church that was here this summer, Milagros has been able to attend a school for the deaf. Through this opportunity she is learning a lot. This will definitely open opportunities for her. I also am seeing a growing sense of independence in her and her mother. Tere, Milagros's mom sees her daughter as a capable girl verses a dependent the rest of her life. The Lord used this group of people in the lives of Milagros and her family. The kind of impact that will change her future. Almost weekly Tere shares her thanks to God for this group and the impact it is having on her daughter. Praise God for the great things He has done.

I'm choosing not to show you a picture I took.

Yesterday I went to the Rio with a friend of mine named Carter. Carter is a doctor and he was seeing quite a few sick people. All with colds, viruses or bacterial infections. He handed out medicine and we spent the afternoon talking, laughing and asking him medical questions. At the end of our time there, a woman mentioned that some people involved in witchcraft left a doll in the field across the way. This being so foreign to me I went to check it out. It was explained to me that the night before a car pulled up and parked in the field. It was dark and the people at the Rio were unsure of who it was and what they wanted. Fear and concern began to grow in the Rio. After a little time Meme decided that by themselves each woman in their own home was just frightened and unable to do anything. So Meme called her neighbors and had them come together to confront the car. As they did they saw a woman and a man passed out in the car without any clothes on. They woke them up and scared them off. That was about one in the morning. The next morning in the field the people in the rio found a rubbery like doll with two heads and a substance that was supposed to look like blood (not sure if it was)on it. Since it had been several hours when I had seen it there were ants all over the thing. When I asked Meme what it was and why it was there, she stated that it was to scare people at the rio. I had taken a picture of it but decided to erase it from my camera. As much as I was curious and thought of sharing it with you, I realized that I was just perpetuating the purpose of the doll. I have been praying for the people of Meme's rio ever since. This is just a little of what the families are fighting against. I have been thinking of all the kids that play in that field. The image that burns in my memory are in theirs as well. I have prayed that Jesus would take captive that image not just in my mind but the minds of those little ones as well. I pray for protection and strength. I pray those people know that He who is in us is stronger that he who is in the world. Would you pray with me.
So posted here is the photo worth posting. The woman that fight the enemy on a daily basis. Pray for these women, children and men.

Greg preached his first sermon in Spanish

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I am so proud of my husband. They even gave him applause.