Praying to come alongside of Cony

Cony and her husband Edgar are director's of Manatial de Amor children's home. She is a great woman of God who I feel God calling me to befriend and pray with more. This will take a little time and effort to do. Will you pray that I am obedient in this area instead of thinking I could rest or having some other lame excuse. I think He wants to bless me in this.

Last week, glory strength and prayers to learn more about God and who He is..

Recently God has shown Himself to me. I have been faced with my unbelief and lies that I have listened to all my life. If I'm true to myself, I'm tired and would like to grab on to things that I deserve and coast through this last week. But I know God is calling me deeper. To obey when I feel I just can't. To continue on when no one would argue if I didn't. God wants more and so do I. Pray for all of us. Pray for us to go beyond ourselves. Thank you Lord.
We raise our hands a little higher
We lift our voices even louder
You are Holy
You draw us in a little closer
So we bow down a little lower
You are Holy

From a song written by our worship leader this summer, Craig Aven.

Three more Baptisms....

God seems to have worked strongly in the group from this week. Late last night three more baptism took place. Praise God

Celebrating Education with the folks from Meme's Rio

Yesterday we celebrated graduates from Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade. This year we didn't have any graduates from Kindergarten but we had 2 from 9th grade and 3 from 6th grade. The young girls in the picture with the back packs are standing in for family that wasn't there. We began our day at the Rio where the Lord lead our group in prayer for a tired and worn out Meme. Later three group members and three women from the Rio shared testimonies of what God is doing in their lives. We prayed for Cristoporo and Juan. Then we packed up 40 kids, moms and grandmoms and head back to our property. We had a great day of swimming, inflatables, pizza and a ceremony with each graduate getting a backpack full of supplies. God is so good to give us a sweet time with Him and loads of fun. At the end of the day they loaded the bus with a bag of candy, and memories of a great day. God is good all the time, All the time God is good.

Nannyless and feeling it....

Please pray for us for these final two weeks of summer. My (Cathy) mom isn't doing well and is in the hospital. Our boys are constantly wondering who will be in charge of them today as it has changed a lot this summer. This week we have one group and next week three. We are praying to finish strong, as we prepare for traveling home, raising support and visiting family. We know that your prayers sustain us and the people we work with. Thank you for being a vital part of our team.
Cathy

Janet and baby update (not Meme's daughter Janet)

The baby is still hanging in there. Remember that here parents don't name the little one for the first couple weeks to a month. So baby "Emily"(that's the girl name I always wanted to use) is doing ok now a week old. Please continue to pray for her and her family as Janet got to come home but is traveling to and from the hospital daily. With two other children, this is draining on just about anybody. Thanks for your prayers.

Edith and Me

God is teaching me to give my time to him. Here it is so common to hear the question of "What are you doing today?" I guess its because I'm performance oriented by I feel a lot of pressure with that question. Like I'm I doing enough today. Does what I say sound good enough? Should I be doing more?
God has been having me come to him and say "Lord, what do you want me to do today?" And wait and see. This week I had a opportunity to go visit a mother in the hospital who had a premature baby. I was going to pray for the two of them. As I offered my day up, I thought I felt God closing doors and wanting me to stay home. I wrestled with it as a hospital visit sounded worthy and a great thing to answer my dreaded question with. However, I soon found that God had other ideas for me. I spent some great time with Edith. Turns out she needed someone to talk with and prayer. If I had gone I would have missed out on this opportunity. Praise God for how He speaks to us.

I hear cheering from my windows.....

No its not a soccer game or drama performance. This eruption of applause and yelling is in response to the baptisms happening down at our pool. I think I counted 6 times which means 6 new lives entering in the book of life. 6 new lives for Christ. Their cheer is just a whisper to what is happening in heaven. I was lying in bed, tired from a long day. But after hearing the cheers I have a new found energy, one of praise and joy for Jesus and these new believers. Amen.

God is so good to give us what we need........

Emily is our July nanny for two weeks.
Sammy our June nanny. We have been blessed with great girls to care for our boys this summer.Both girls have been answers to prayers
For the month of June we had a great nanny named Sami. She was great but was asked to be an intern for the month of July, so even though we get to see Sami and talk with her, she no longer is our boys nanny. We had a nanny scheduled for July but God had different plans for her and we found ourselves without a nanny.
Then with just a couple of days left in June, an intern for June asked if they could stay and nanny for us for 2 weeks. We were excited for Emily to help us in that way. What I was soon to find out how God orchestrated all of that. First of all, A friend of Emily's family (who is a huge advocate of B2B and friend of ours) had dinner with her parents suggesting it and they agreed. Through the process Emily needs for school were cared for and we were (are) blessed with a great nanny. As July began God revealed other reasons for Emily to be here. She was able to meet with another staff member with similar giftings as her allowing a mentoring time, she has encouraged me in a time of much need for renewal. Also a girl from CH Douglas came to visit her sister here for a week. This girl was very close to Emily and she was thrilled to spend time with her and feed into her.

please pray for Janet and her baby

A woman from the Rio named Janet (not Meme's daughter) delivered her baby prematurely on Friday. She began losing fluid on Monday and chose not to go into the hospital even though doctors told her she should. On Friday she woke up to blood and has rushed to the hospital. After arriving her husband and mother were told to wait in a large waiting room to meet with a social worker about how they were to pay for her stay. After 2 hours of waiting, they spoke to a social worker and recieved Janet's clothing in a bag. They waited some more. After 3 1/2 hours they were called into a room and were told that Janet gave birth to a baby girl who couldn't breathe on her own and to prepare for the worse. As Meme and I stood listening I thought. I know many people who were born prematurely and did quite well. Many with breathing issues. But I didn't know if I could offer her those comforting words as I wasn't sure what kind of care was available to her. As we stood there in the hospital hallway we bowed our heads and humbly prayed knowing that God was in control. I found myself bothered that not everyone is offered the best treatment available. Some don't seek help because they know they can not afford it. Please pray with me for the health of this little one.

Praise God for how He is using our son Ben

Recently we have seen how God is using and developing our boys. This week it was Ben. Rodolfo lives in an apartment below us. Sometimes his mom comes to visit and she brings her grandchildren (or Rodo's neices). Ben has struck up quite a relationship with one of them. Last Sat. morning, Ben began talking with this little girl and the next thing I know he's in the toy house making this little one, laugh so loud. She was so happy and loved that he took the time to be with him. We talked about how God can use him to show His love to others. I think he did that last Sat. Love you Ben

We give thanks to all Supports and ask for prayer

Wow, we just finished week 4 and know that we are in the midst of God's work with all of you. We are here because of our supports and the Lord Jesus Christ. This week, as I do many weeks, I had a great conversation about this great phenomena that
God does in and through us. He could miraculously do the things he does in each individual life. But He choses to orchestrate this beautiful thing, where He weaves our lives together. He has called you all(our supporters) to pray and give encouragement and fianances to this ministry to allow us to do what we do. This past month we had a college age girl, Sami Matthews come and watch our boys so that we could both be out serving. The groups that come do so much work that we just couldn't do without them. These groups also encourage us. There are people praying for these kids. One 13 or 14 year old girl heard about a girl in a poor community that we serve and how she didn't have a hairband so her mom used a chicken bone to put her hair up. She gathered her friends and made hundreds of hair bands, barrets, and ties for the girls in the communities we serve. When we share the stories like these, or how God used all the people in our lives to get here, or any other ways the Lord works in our lives He is glorified. Only He provides in these ways changing the lives of those He uses and those who recieve. God is sheltering us all in the process.
As we stop to take a breather before the next four weeks. Greg and I want to say thank you for all of those who support this ministry and praise God for all He has done and continues to do.
I also want to ask you for continued prayers for protection, for energy to depend on Him. Its easy to think we deserve rest and not depend on God for our rest. Its easy to listen to Satan's lies that we can't do something God calls us to do. Its easy to get caught up with the work or being overwhelmed. Thank you for your prayers.

Hamburger, chicken, things for a household.......

Sounds like a list from a game show I know but this week it is a blessing that God gave Manantial de Amor through a group from Christ's Church at Mason this past week. They visited this children's home and the Lord touched their hearts to bless them. When this arrived this week. The directors at this home where ecstatic. God is so good as He continues to shelter the orphan child. Ps. 91

Sharing Hope, Sharing Christ

This week is McCollum week, a group lead by Steve McCollum . Steve has the gift and passion of evangelism. At church on Sunday, this group passed out books about the good news of Jesus Christ. For about 10 minutes the group paired up with kids from Casa Hogar Douglas to share the good news with them. What fun it was to see the Hope of Christ being shared all throughout the church. Amen.