tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125455852024-03-07T21:13:34.162-06:00Compelled by LoveJenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-89609801086700399752011-12-07T15:00:00.002-06:002011-12-07T15:02:33.933-06:00PLEASE HELP** THIS IS THE FUNDRAISING LETTER I SENT OUT EARLIER THIS MORNING. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR HELP AS WE FINISH OUT THIS YEAR!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY AND TAKING THE TIME TO SUPPORT US! WE APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!!<br /><br /><br /><br />Dearest friends and family, <br /><br />As the year is winding down it’s time for us to start “closing our books” for the year and looking toward next year for the ministry. As with any non profit, that inevitably means attempting to “catch up” and pray toward a budget for next year - deciding how and sometimes “if” we’ll be able to continue with commitments we have made and really want to keep. <br /><br />On paper it’s been a hard year. Several “unexpected” expenses have thrown us for a loop. Some friends of ours who borrowed our car for a day had an accident that totaled our truck and we obviously had to replace that as it is the only transportation we have. I have had to had more medical tests run this year and had a minor surgery which cost significant money to an already tight budget. We had an electricity problem in the house which cost us almost a thousand dollars extra in an electric bill. There have just been many unexpected’s on top of an economy that is certainly showing most of us working in the non profit sector that “times are tough.” We aren’t exempt in any way from feeling the weight of what happens with the economy in the States. In fact to a budget without a cushion it sometimes is crippling in some ways or at the very least inhibiting significantly to a ministry. <br /><br />We continue to believe with all of our hearts that we’re operating out of God’s economy and not what it “looks like” to a world full of people. God certainly continues to provide and we are grateful. He continues to touch people’s hearts and we watch generosity pour in and continue to touch us to our toenails. <br /><br />The truth is however that as we are looking at our end of the year, we need to raise about $15,000 to be able to continue our commitments as we approach 2012 and we really need your help. It sounds like a tremendous amount of money but when broken down into pieces we can all work with - it’s 15 people at $1000 or 30 people at $500 or 60 people at $250 or 150 at $100. You get the picture. If spread out among a team of people it becomes possible. <br /><br />With honestly we admit that we have an electric bill we presently can not pay. For the first time in 6 years, last month was the first month we were unable to pay rent at the ministry house. Our tire fell off the truck two days ago and to fix it we have a bill of $800. We have “borrowed” from folks we love to cover for a time but it’s time to pay up. So it is no exaggeration when I tell you that we could use your help in almost “desperate” ways. <br /><br />As you are making plans for your end of the year tax deductions, if you would consider us we would be so incredibly grateful. If your heart is touched by God to donate toward a ministry that we believe is still bent toward elevating the poor, to fighting for justice, whose heartbeat is still to love with the heart of Christ and make Him visible and tangible in a world that at moments exists without hope - we would be so grateful for your help. We would welcome you to be a part of this team of people who help to make this happen. We thank God for your heart to help us serve and rescue. Truly. <br /><br />We cannot do this without so many of you and we have never been more aware of that than we are in this present season. We are praying on this side of the globe that we will be able to come up with the deficit in this phase of fundraising season and then will be able to secure more monthly sponsors come January in Phase 2 of our fundraising plan. <br /><br />It has been a good year in terms of what we have been able to be a part of at Called and Compelled. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue to host and facilitate teams and do the follow up for all that goes along with relationships built through those experiences. We are delighted at what God is creating and sustaining through our partnership with Women of Purpose in an effort to bring English speaking missionary women together for refreshment and renewal. We continue to work closely with a homeless ministry we believe chases the heart of Christ into the darkness and lights up places most people avoid. We are excited about the opportunities to build more houses through sponsorships throughout the year and not just in the summer when teams are here. We pray to be able to continue to invest in and even study and build relationships with those families and continue to love and encourage them. The privilege of walking closely alongside Carlos and Saul and pouring into them as they live in our home is precious and we adore them. Although the proximity of the little boys family has changed, they moved back to Comayagua (about 3 hours from us) a few months ago, our heart remains steadfast in our prayers for and our desire to continue to walk alongside their family in whatever way the Lord allows. <br /><br />So as you can see, our ministry plate remains full to overflowing. Both with tasks and with blessings. <br /> <br />I was reminded just how very blessed we are again last week. We built a house for a sweet momma and her four children, who worked beside us all day pounding nails, or moving wood, or anything else they could help us do. We had finished building and it was time to leave and as usual we prayed over the family - that God would reign in that home, that they would always be blessed there and that they would come to know how very much He loves them. I turned toward the momma, her name is Telma and she grabbed ahold of me in a death-clutch hug and just kept patting my back. I tried to let go at one point and she just held on and I felt these quiet cries coming from her. So we stood that way for a moment and as my good friend Mark reminded me on the way out the door, “this is why we keep doing it Jen, that’s exactly why, cause all we have in life are moments, and they need to matter.” True enough brother. <br /><br />So here’s to continuing to partner to make the moments matter for a Savior who is present in every single one of them wooing us toward Himself. <br /><br />If you would be willing to help us - <br />TO DONATE: <br />1) www.calledandcompelled.blogspot.com (you can donate with credit card here if you wish)<br />2) For tax deductible donations - make the check payable to Belpre Church of Christ and send it to Mary Ann Laughery, 685 Timberline Dr. Vincent, OH 45784<br /><br />If you have any questions or need more info, please feel free to ask. <br /><br />Please keep track of where we are with our fundraising goal on my blog at www.calledandcompelled.blogspot.com and watch how with each of us playing our part we can continue to make a difference in this country and for these precious people. <br /><br />If you know of any other churches or individuals that might be interested in becoming involved with the ministry here in Honduras, please pass this along to them as well or give us their contact information. We are seeking to develop a broader base of partners and expand what Called and Compelled Ministries is and does over the coming year. <br /><br />Thank you so much for your time and sacrifice. <br /><br />Because we are still compelled by His love, <br />Jen Wright (on behalf of all of us at Called and Compelled Ministries)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-86111336204717057172011-09-06T14:44:00.005-05:002011-09-06T17:13:27.302-05:00The Kingdom Is Alive Tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDkcN6pSv9_S-asg14sZaatYSLWSnlxAY08FxCkh_Qp7ppoNTLz16o4XqOGfJWEqpTNWTEIaIDMNJ0BZAAC3nfQTxLts74lSpaI0TJLdZ5RcrF6O_GzZsI8jrKgY9Bhj_CQbS/s1600/blog+header+concept+-+1000+redesign-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 92px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDkcN6pSv9_S-asg14sZaatYSLWSnlxAY08FxCkh_Qp7ppoNTLz16o4XqOGfJWEqpTNWTEIaIDMNJ0BZAAC3nfQTxLts74lSpaI0TJLdZ5RcrF6O_GzZsI8jrKgY9Bhj_CQbS/s320/blog+header+concept+-+1000+redesign-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649372774245694290" /></a><br />Well we are in the final stages of preparing to head to Dallas, TX on Thursday morning. Some amazing friends have agreed to help us raise money for the causes most near and dear our hearts this year and so we are tour bound. It is humbling to have them using their gifts (which are plentiful in each of them) to help us raise money for Called and Compelled. I am excited to travel with them and look forward to what God will do in each of us through this experience. For our first benefit show Called and Compelled is also getting to link arms with the Touch A Life Foundation. Their story is incredible and we eagerly await learning more about their work in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ghana over the course of the weekend. Find more information on them at <a href="http://www.touchalifekids.org/">http://www.touchalifekids.org/</a><br /><br />Please check out the website <a href="http://www.thekingdomisalivetour.com">www.thekingdomisalivetour.com</a> to see more about the crew :) <br /><br />Please pray for us that Jesus might be elevated, that things might be spoken that would challenge and grow places in each of us that need to be touched and tended to and that because of something that happens more people might be helped in the name of Christ. <br /><br />We will try to keep you posted as we travel as well.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-8951901435663358252011-03-25T11:25:00.000-05:002011-08-19T00:20:10.762-05:00COMMITMENT...We were asked at the renewal that we just came from to make some “commitments” (which is hard for some of us who flee from most anything that requires commitment for fear that we will fail, but that’s another post altogether).
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<br />We were to ponder and pray and listen for God to speak in regards to what He was seeking to transform within us throughout the week and how what we felt Him shifting would play itself out on the following Monday morning when we were no longer in “renewal” setting. It was obvious that real life was waiting, so how would our time together with one another, and mostly, with the Lord have affected the everyday-ness of our life.
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<br />In an attempt to not oversimplify but not write a ridiculously long post – one of my RUDE awakenings throughout the week of being in God’s presence and the presence of some other folks who invited us to engage with them in the process of a “deeper life,” was that I felt clearly convicted that I had traded in my DELIGHT at being a daughter of the King and walking with Him into hard places and feeling privileged to do so – to attempt to lead a ministry. The exchange has been stinky and it’s taken the best parts about doing all of this with it. It has left me tired and frustrated and burnt out and bitter and hurt and lacking in so many places. I was offering the people I was certain God has asked me to serve, a very manufactured offering, because my cup was bone dry – there was nothing there worth anything to offer. I found myself scary dry and scary numb toward some things that should move this girls heart.
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<br />One of the largest regrets I have about ministry is that sometimes it hardens things that were so soft and vulnerable and nurturing in some far off distant place in the past. Some of that is “theirs” to own (whoever “they” might be)…for instance my heart remembers soft and vulnerable before it seemed like everyone was watching and knew how you were supposed to do things and were dishonoring in their conversations about how wrong even your best attempt at following Him passionately and serving people is. It was that way before ministries fought and competed for credit instead of working together to help the people who needed it. It was that way before people who loved Jesus didn’t act like Jesus very much at all. AND THEN…if I am honest a whole big lot of it is mine to own…It was that way before I took my eyes off Him and put my eyes on all the needs in front of us and our inadequacy to meet them. It was that way before I was able to walk past a half naked hungry soul and that feel like a “normal” part of my world, without needing to respond. It was that way before the pictures in the newspapers of murdered bodies lying on the ground no longer made me sick to my stomach or burdened in my heart and I was able to flip the page without much feeling about that at all. It was that way until I allowed my guilt over what other people thought a missionary should be to dictate what I did whether I felt God leading in that direction or not. It was that way until I began behaving as though I believed that working for God might be the same thing as pursuing God. It was that way before I thought that being a “missionary” had now become part of my “identity” instead of a really humbling piece of my journey through this life. It was that way until one day I realized that I had gotten so far from the girl I was when I came here to do this that I honestly wasn’t sure whether I really knew myself at this point at all. There’s a whole lot there that takes some “owning” from me as well.
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<br />Sure there are places that have grown and changed and shifted. There are places that are better as a result of the journey, but I think sometimes moving forward from where you are requires naming what you hate about where you are. I think this is that.
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<br />Somehow naming it and saying it and calling it what it is – liberates. There it is, honest, and out in the open, I am far from who I desperately want to be.
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<br />So now what??? Well, I think that’s where the “commitment” of what would change on Monday morning after our renewal time together comes in. At the risk of this sounding like I’m binding myself to some “law” I’ll never be able to keep, and using some tag line that has become an easy way to bury someone with guilt, I was certain that some things were going to have to change in my world. You know what I decided. I deserve an hour in the morning to seek God. I deserve a pretty place to be able to do that. I desire a cup that overflows with Him and things that would honor Him and if that’s true then it’s going to take some devotion on my part to bring that cup to Him for His abundant filling. So I decorated my patio. I bought myself a table and chairs. I was gifted with some gorgeous flowers to plant in my flower boxes. I bought some more pots and some other flowers that I just loved. I created a space to meet with God. It won’t be magic. It won’t create something I couldn’t have created in a corner of my bare room – but I want to be intentional about meeting with God and delighting in that again. I figured He was deserving of my time and energy in creating and decorating a place where we would have a date each day. So I dedicated that corner of the patio to be my “prayer chair.” Many other things will inevitably take place there but at the beginning of my day whether it’s 5 minutes or an hour or longer, I’ll seek Him there. I’ll put myself in position of surrender and listen for His lead. I’ll remember that my identity is in being His daughter…NOTHING else. I’ll be still and I will allow Him to quiet this heart that can hear the criticisms and opinions of others so loud some days I think I might go nuts. I will bring Him my mess and ask Him to start here with me first, change this before I invite or serve or “work” for everyone else who “needs” Jesus, I’ll remember that I’m pretty desperately in need of Him as well.
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<br />This prayer was one that was shared at the “renewal” and will become a regular part of my morning time…it speaks of morning, but it also speaks toward new beginnings and I feel like that also is where I am at this point in the journey.
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<br />AT THE DAWN
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<br />Our first glimpse of reality this day – everyday – is your fidelity.
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<br />We are dazzled by the ways you remain constant among us,
<br />in season, out of season,
<br />for better, for worse,
<br />in sickness and in health.
<br />You are there in watchfulness as we fall asleep;
<br />You are there in alertness when we awaken…and we are glad.
<br />Before the day ends, we will have occasion
<br />to flag your absence in indifference…
<br />but not now, not at the dawn.
<br />Before the day ends, we will think more than once
<br />that we need a better deal from you…
<br />but not now, not at the dawn.
<br />Before the day ends, we will look away from you and
<br />relish our own fidelity and our virtue in mercy…
<br />but not now, not at the dawn.
<br />Now, at the dawn, our eyes are fixed on you in gladness.
<br />We ask only that your faithfulness
<br />permeate every troubled place we are able to name,
<br />that your mercy
<br />move against the hurts to make new,
<br />that your steadfastness
<br />hold firmly what is too fragile on its own.
<br />And we begin the day in joy, in hope, and in deep gladness. Amen.
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<br />I desperately want to be honest with myself and with my God about who and where I am and how desperately I need Him – and today at this dawn – I think I make the commitment to start there again…knowing that I will no doubt fail…and that He will NO doubt still love me. Amazing!! Absolutely amazing!!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-65375860331346937792011-03-19T10:17:00.000-05:002011-08-19T00:18:19.404-05:00ROCKED MY FACE OFF!!!I have just had a “defining moment” week in my life.
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<br />I remember the season that led up to my reinvention of what this heart believed to be true about church and God and an authentic relationship with Him so vividly. It sticks out to me and will forever be a mark of my spiritual journey because it reshaped so much of my own walk with God. I learned in a small group of people in my 20′s what it meant to passionately love God and become a disciple attempting to follow so closely that the dust from His steps might land upon these feet. I wanted to become a follower of Christ, the platitudes and cliches would no longer satisfy all that was stirring in my heart. I wanted Him – a true version of Him – a pursued intentionally version of Him – a manifestation of Him in my life in the ways that I chose to live out every part of life. That season actually began my “relationship with Him.” My belief in Him came much earlier but His permanent home in my heart took up residence during that season. It was a “defining moment.”
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<br />So when I use the words “defining moment” they bear weight in my heart. They carry with it the idea that it marked me so deeply that parts of my heart/life/pursuit of God will forever be changed from the experience.
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<br />In the same way that worshipping with a small group of folks “reinvented” my ideas about community and God and church and walking with Him, this week has marked me as significantly in my views of ministry. I have been changed forever by both witnessing these women serve and minister and by the empowering of feeling like God was challenging me to go and do likewise in the sphere of ministry that He has placed before me.
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<br />I have a feeling this blog will be the spot where I wrestle out some of what’s in my heart about my time here and ALL that has happened as a result of it. Even typing that I have a myriad of words coming to mind for blog topics…hesed, easy love/hard love and all that happens in between, Psalm 103 (which could easily be 150 blogs on it’s own), a whole host of names of women who have touched me deeply and things you should hear and know about each of them, oh heavens, I have soooooooooo much crowding for space and desperately needing a way to flow out that I’m gonna need a way (if for no one else but me) to say some of this … so this is it!!
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<br />One of the things I have read over and over and over again since someone was kind enough to share this with me is this prayer. It resonates. It challenges. It screams in some moments and whispers in others. Today this is what I need to share and what I need to log on this space, so that I never forget how much it spoke to me in this season.
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<br />An Answering and a Refusing
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<br />We confess you to be the God who calls,
<br />Who wills,
<br />Who summons,
<br />Who has concrete intentions,
<br />For your creation,
<br />And addresses human agents
<br />Who do your will.
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<br />We imagine ourselves called by you…
<br />Yet a strange lot:
<br />Called but cowarldly,
<br />Obedient but self-indulgent,
<br />Devoted to you, but otherwise preoccupied.
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<br />In our strange mix an answering and a refusing,
<br />We give thanks for your call.
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<br />We pray this day,
<br />For ourselves, fresh vision;
<br />For our friends, great courage,
<br />For those who search for You in places more dangerous than ours,
<br />Deep freedom.
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<br />As we seek to answer your call,
<br />May we be haunted by your large purposes,
<br />We pray in the name of the utterly called Jesus, Amen.
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<br />And amen Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-42924357037846201182010-04-13T07:51:00.000-05:002010-04-13T07:51:39.587-05:00WEDNESDAY - Gals :)<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0biatFruYUTgebHIW_bG29FuwvS0rsOLWDZb2njqs_-QOG0BY0EYB4WWJ2xKBdyZzr3PGNz38DKUGds8wgv9YJO74__uYkR1ED7ktwISesPo_hD65w79-T1I2DUGY-IowDjJ/s1600/DSC_0192.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0biatFruYUTgebHIW_bG29FuwvS0rsOLWDZb2njqs_-QOG0BY0EYB4WWJ2xKBdyZzr3PGNz38DKUGds8wgv9YJO74__uYkR1ED7ktwISesPo_hD65w79-T1I2DUGY-IowDjJ/s320/DSC_0192.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivE62A1ahcZC-8teFwTj-6ylkUbEjnYG_Dx3aj33X6eJLm8vxR1Smknz4vITtFgTz0RXP3lUZIYYMAxUdo12XFNB-KDqn58tzv8NJtCU6DG_1JbGZWdMMC6Ob_IzqIc6QunsPx/s1600/DSC_0194.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivE62A1ahcZC-8teFwTj-6ylkUbEjnYG_Dx3aj33X6eJLm8vxR1Smknz4vITtFgTz0RXP3lUZIYYMAxUdo12XFNB-KDqn58tzv8NJtCU6DG_1JbGZWdMMC6Ob_IzqIc6QunsPx/s320/DSC_0194.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuBuK2jMazvDnABNtoWLhFgH-pYU2FCu8MvJAr78zKfmtIVQZZqkA4abO4WowXtmAsLqayArX6Y3rxBNo5iHi-YAtl98jGv4wGQWCcSmfP7AOsHlyXyhP6li0QbmzmNoSEDt7/s1600/DSC_0197.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuBuK2jMazvDnABNtoWLhFgH-pYU2FCu8MvJAr78zKfmtIVQZZqkA4abO4WowXtmAsLqayArX6Y3rxBNo5iHi-YAtl98jGv4wGQWCcSmfP7AOsHlyXyhP6li0QbmzmNoSEDt7/s320/DSC_0197.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittkqw5PVsxMpvy2gAPuglhjxh-fDLiVmmZrl20kzsPDZhqqvmtVnXqWjUT1RP-azZutSNrhFlko576BiIuZjplv8o7MlJwMVE6KhlDmlKhvtWzq5RtNDaUE200Pg_WXd3_LYX/s1600/DSC_0213.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittkqw5PVsxMpvy2gAPuglhjxh-fDLiVmmZrl20kzsPDZhqqvmtVnXqWjUT1RP-azZutSNrhFlko576BiIuZjplv8o7MlJwMVE6KhlDmlKhvtWzq5RtNDaUE200Pg_WXd3_LYX/s320/DSC_0213.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Wednesday we divided to conquer and the girls plus one very sweet bodyguard (Mark) headed to a new place for this year. We went to the juvenile detention center for teenage girls. It was a sight to behold. We sat and looked into the eyes of BEAUTIFUL girls 12-18 years old who had done what was required to land yourself in prison but they were just too young to go there. Many of them though if their sentences last over the time that they turn 18 will be transferred to the women's prison system. It was one of the most heart wrenching things I have ever seen and I've laid eyes on some pretty gutt wrenching stuff in this country. I sat near a couple of them and talked to them and asked their story and there were 13 year old girls in there for murder. I could not hardly remember to continue to inhale and exhale a few times when they told me some of that stuff. A 17 year old girl in there with a month and a half year old baby who was absolutely gorgeous and sweet as could be when we were talking to her in for at least 5 years for trying to smuggle drugs into her boyfriend who is in the mens prison system. She went for a visit had drugs in her pocket and life has dramatically changed for a very long time. <br /><br />We teamed up with a ministry that I team up with anytime I can get the chance called Mi Esperanza. Some of my very good friends work with this ministry to empower and educate women to learn a skill to be able to provide a life for their children and themselves. It's a great ministry that is doing fantastic things, but on this particular day they took their beauty school students for a social service day. So the beauty students spent all day with these young girls giving hair do's and pedicures and manicures and just loving on the girls and hearing their stories. It's a new thing that has been implemented into the program not so long ago and the students love it. Old students ask to return for social service days because they believe in it. It's a neat thing to watch some of the women who have come in poor with little self esteem now have something to offer to someone else. Fun to witness and the young girls love having older gals to talk to and look up to. It's pretty special. <br /><br />We took spaghetti and had lunch with them and popped popcorn and met some very special ladies with Orphan Helpers who are committed to teaching those young girls about Christ. We promised to continue to try to resource for them and find them bibles and spanish curriculum to use with the girls inside the center. <br /><br />A few of us who live here and are able are going to make this a once a month stop at least. It stole a piece of our hearts and we recognized them as the least of the least in so many ways. Without hope, many of them, and no one up to this point who has loved on them. I really believe that sitting beside them for a couple hours a month might be one of the most worthy expenditures of my time I've found in a while.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-37492076591230161102010-04-12T08:09:00.000-05:002010-04-12T08:10:31.338-05:00TUESDAY Stop 3<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaUMV1yTtpxzouX-7nbb9pCWNbHyUtMcDClI3un0yvdBZcs_Gkxd19VXRY6UlKZiWJJYATvgpmQDimljUwDshtKLFOk-wvXHg9tMHaNUK2ORoFdAHdKF1Me-H-OWoJAw9kSpM/s1600/DSC_0132.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaUMV1yTtpxzouX-7nbb9pCWNbHyUtMcDClI3un0yvdBZcs_Gkxd19VXRY6UlKZiWJJYATvgpmQDimljUwDshtKLFOk-wvXHg9tMHaNUK2ORoFdAHdKF1Me-H-OWoJAw9kSpM/s320/DSC_0132.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyHAbJnFe9i86k1SP3S5yDMdZwqVtNSv44w313_UbKDVvWXidQfS-Cp1Kwe8HW8d0Wpk3cKCpdX1CCrejhYuMv37ZY2TTnLi1UYmJWgjkv7NshKSmdXYhz1yTlCsoiO5xCoVD/s1600/DSC_0138.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyHAbJnFe9i86k1SP3S5yDMdZwqVtNSv44w313_UbKDVvWXidQfS-Cp1Kwe8HW8d0Wpk3cKCpdX1CCrejhYuMv37ZY2TTnLi1UYmJWgjkv7NshKSmdXYhz1yTlCsoiO5xCoVD/s320/DSC_0138.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO23fmBHb5zMDs-jv2G6WysPGAkbf4S0muX7q6B5AdJy7HD-Pw4QitsuUHepoGotOmKXhqjgzjT4_k7YS2-4K91xezZ2FrfdGx4sVFGVW5H13BpGlzg9To_CUSyFfIOo96vE-X/s1600/DSC_0150.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO23fmBHb5zMDs-jv2G6WysPGAkbf4S0muX7q6B5AdJy7HD-Pw4QitsuUHepoGotOmKXhqjgzjT4_k7YS2-4K91xezZ2FrfdGx4sVFGVW5H13BpGlzg9To_CUSyFfIOo96vE-X/s320/DSC_0150.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcWfeF6nJKAZxpT8XawX7riYaC21g6AIwBcPS94dhTZEEiAnticAuD7ROZU1B3vgsWaR-BMsJk_NsM0Svjbf1uwrUqMuPxJh3JXPwRA7UVPnriQk5Mi54dfrPfJBJU2X0Dl10/s1600/DSC_0164.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcWfeF6nJKAZxpT8XawX7riYaC21g6AIwBcPS94dhTZEEiAnticAuD7ROZU1B3vgsWaR-BMsJk_NsM0Svjbf1uwrUqMuPxJh3JXPwRA7UVPnriQk5Mi54dfrPfJBJU2X0Dl10/s320/DSC_0164.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Next place on the agenda was the Mother Teresa Home. This is a facility with special needs children, orphaned children, single mothers, basically anyone who needs a place to go is welcomed. There are 2 sisters for 42 children and that was pretty obvious. They are low on resources and time and energy. We had fun doing popcorn with them and just playing for a couple hours in the afternoon. It will be a place that I will visit again and try to help. We were touched and tormented by the way the children were treated pretty harshly. Then we heard their story and realized they were under serious stress with only 2 of them for 42 childrens needs. That is certainly no justification for being unkind to the children but it perhaps gave us a tad more grace as we reached out to love on the children and the people who care for them. Brian Feldmeier must have played airplane with the popcorn for 10 minutes solid clear around the table as more little boys came and wanted to be a part of someone paying enough attention to them to put a piece of popcorn in their mouth. It was fun to see little boys get to play with grown up men and enjoy it so much. They lack male attention for sure and so they crave it and latch onto it when given a chance. Our guys did a terrific job of that. <br /><br />This was the end of our day and we went back up to the mission house after we were done playing and were whooped...a good whooped, the best kinda whooped I know. It was a great day.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-42221438442417140302010-04-12T04:32:00.000-05:002010-04-12T04:33:32.540-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNt4NWoSbSPj8-46WD2QBmXk8vn6mWV6gOdn1FcgEUy-jmdPhlWhWbaINzbdpwJmpGmKN-3jj7kbgvX_7pqJd9HSt567iW_0biWB6yLsdC52uyuq7GJwrpWgsBW0Q8xutf-55/s1600/P1010400.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNt4NWoSbSPj8-46WD2QBmXk8vn6mWV6gOdn1FcgEUy-jmdPhlWhWbaINzbdpwJmpGmKN-3jj7kbgvX_7pqJd9HSt567iW_0biWB6yLsdC52uyuq7GJwrpWgsBW0Q8xutf-55/s320/P1010400.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUDYl8M_NiDqp82G8jHxZjkGSRlI5h2BGVCSPfccdbvMr1b1IOqAwXM_x-Cs-AgjyFbXyVFATNXT6gNiqTFItKwHJ7dQ7xf1DVcdaRRZvNJRHBwLnH_MC_arWlRrEBQlPX9mj/s1600/P1010402.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUDYl8M_NiDqp82G8jHxZjkGSRlI5h2BGVCSPfccdbvMr1b1IOqAwXM_x-Cs-AgjyFbXyVFATNXT6gNiqTFItKwHJ7dQ7xf1DVcdaRRZvNJRHBwLnH_MC_arWlRrEBQlPX9mj/s320/P1010402.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />So this was a little lady we saw at the market who had a basket FULL of bananas on her head that she was trying to sell. We decided we'd like to try and make her day and buy her out. She walked away dancing a little jig with a HUGE smile on her face. Fun stuff!! <br /><br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8jmLOM3rKcEu6qJKnztjyjoyxwua12Zi4TT6-jVjRuekxMlBF2zX88rFXPe0PSI_oBgcd_fZmZ2Hjj2GOSI90eqPLiKPqujyggKY3OqrDM3Oyj76ruhdpNRL3QLAkWv5W_Wm/s1600/P1010403.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8jmLOM3rKcEu6qJKnztjyjoyxwua12Zi4TT6-jVjRuekxMlBF2zX88rFXPe0PSI_oBgcd_fZmZ2Hjj2GOSI90eqPLiKPqujyggKY3OqrDM3Oyj76ruhdpNRL3QLAkWv5W_Wm/s320/P1010403.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAr0JFNIZ2I3KssDzP6gctAiv-qechFrZusF-xVLzjqpJCgJGWcDpnitu6dC7Sc5cFy5Zc0B-SQ_0ct7G-lKA4yxTZQOgAGmemQWTP61d5ZK77OxM4LcErSL1QFkP-tkCW4Qa/s1600/P1010407.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAr0JFNIZ2I3KssDzP6gctAiv-qechFrZusF-xVLzjqpJCgJGWcDpnitu6dC7Sc5cFy5Zc0B-SQ_0ct7G-lKA4yxTZQOgAGmemQWTP61d5ZK77OxM4LcErSL1QFkP-tkCW4Qa/s320/P1010407.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />This is Rosa's little store in the market. I love visiting there and buying from her when I can and knowing that I'm helping her family. It was fun to allow the group to see another moment in the life of one of the people we love here.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-5717952459673234722010-04-12T04:14:00.000-05:002010-04-12T04:15:12.965-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11xn8W5kerDSnGQ0h5B1I9dFUAYeosll_gPtwLLBMjeg_k2TBnRyqzqaJhmZ-jp2FkHDn0cB-S4_kQHv5KVkPjxtc-EX88S6zzbjTfctXby8XTVhae9HlgqZJt8KYtFn-8kL/s1600/DSC_0119.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11xn8W5kerDSnGQ0h5B1I9dFUAYeosll_gPtwLLBMjeg_k2TBnRyqzqaJhmZ-jp2FkHDn0cB-S4_kQHv5KVkPjxtc-EX88S6zzbjTfctXby8XTVhae9HlgqZJt8KYtFn-8kL/s320/DSC_0119.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Eva and Sarah - it was one of the sweetest spots of the trip for me as well. <br /><br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJc4xXsjg2Yflajsx6Ut-_x1DswFO4GwgcRj-6QZJpeifEBYhT-zEpbdWce3Ti-dU1WyEWYiMyM5Qdj6jA7zXT0xrZKzFX3LFtFacN9YvA6Z_q7VOAH1rM9xjvjwOvpNszLMR/s1600/DSC_0123.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJc4xXsjg2Yflajsx6Ut-_x1DswFO4GwgcRj-6QZJpeifEBYhT-zEpbdWce3Ti-dU1WyEWYiMyM5Qdj6jA7zXT0xrZKzFX3LFtFacN9YvA6Z_q7VOAH1rM9xjvjwOvpNszLMR/s320/DSC_0123.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuNkNMMXKyrlConFUXn4b2UKec-GYcLI1nVRHdmJz9ITnuShxXKKHqycqikeNRO2ZFWl_kcE6xDY10mzZ_-Fc28dwrUkVEYXovI52jLEU4-ZDYrgVSEB54Co45jf9BpACwA8f/s1600/DSC_0125.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuNkNMMXKyrlConFUXn4b2UKec-GYcLI1nVRHdmJz9ITnuShxXKKHqycqikeNRO2ZFWl_kcE6xDY10mzZ_-Fc28dwrUkVEYXovI52jLEU4-ZDYrgVSEB54Co45jf9BpACwA8f/s320/DSC_0125.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9tj8Gfoyn5pRbzsbCKjxUQTPpahIpL4EjwZl_yGkZbE9E35DQJR01gpfcQwDUr5BIY4lRLHd3BERhyT7dn-29bYp2gtqW-hE6f7BhH1j_bp7V0NyvfQiLiODD0e1EV6ejrvq/s1600/DSC_0126.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9tj8Gfoyn5pRbzsbCKjxUQTPpahIpL4EjwZl_yGkZbE9E35DQJR01gpfcQwDUr5BIY4lRLHd3BERhyT7dn-29bYp2gtqW-hE6f7BhH1j_bp7V0NyvfQiLiODD0e1EV6ejrvq/s320/DSC_0126.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />When we asked Don Francisco what some of his greatest needs were he said...honestly Jen we really need food. Alrighty then. I shared that with the group and so we loaded up to head to the little market where my friend Rosa has now opened a little store and so we went and bought food for the folks we had just sat beside. We loaded them up on corn for tortillas, beans, rice, eggs, some fruits and veggies, and a few other things that should last at least a week. I'll go back to check on them soon and make sure they're ok and bring more if they need it. It was a sweet experience both to be able to bless Rosa as she is attempting to pay back the microloan she was given to open her little store and know that at the same time we would be able to bless CEDER. I will try to look for a picture of Rosa's store so you can see the type of market we experienced. It was a cool experience for the team to see Rosa as well because she used to be the one serving us every year at the mission house when we brought teams in and now we were able to serve her. They enjoyed getting to see one another. Another cool moment of attempting to intentionally use the money that God asked us to steward in ways that would provide the most ripples.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-35940997636189115362010-04-12T04:06:00.000-05:002010-04-12T04:07:25.112-05:00TUESDAY Stop 2<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pMXUesQjfuiXMa_-M5Rbxx9hctoR05J2S1wvxDWhX_Xdos9g2GQIFEd_FsDWyoYu70kiWl3-8_m7tcx1hQlaCj1RHG7YufovcVUGNGBTV2SScynuimAQEq2kdpKzIGReN-RJ/s1600/DSC_0094.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pMXUesQjfuiXMa_-M5Rbxx9hctoR05J2S1wvxDWhX_Xdos9g2GQIFEd_FsDWyoYu70kiWl3-8_m7tcx1hQlaCj1RHG7YufovcVUGNGBTV2SScynuimAQEq2kdpKzIGReN-RJ/s320/DSC_0094.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS32FRhyIxk6OP5btxa-2L3ABV3udp7MeRfcH17uNoUd3bJiqyB5OCcuEB3MDGrAtQDXiv0zyTb6NeSnPzSXr7KBJWAmM5e8KLjZZ3z7d8l_OJD2q6kdUkgKQYd3qZKGUtMsdp/s1600/DSC_0098.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS32FRhyIxk6OP5btxa-2L3ABV3udp7MeRfcH17uNoUd3bJiqyB5OCcuEB3MDGrAtQDXiv0zyTb6NeSnPzSXr7KBJWAmM5e8KLjZZ3z7d8l_OJD2q6kdUkgKQYd3qZKGUtMsdp/s320/DSC_0098.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKswyTm9gI8XJ1UbIKicoek6121zRJKgIqz9XavvG0Xzgj4-3s1init6nDg4QZgTZ9dd8EZj6ec0Mpg7HP5kcz8SVUxaeJmbouD0i5KW7wJQICqAFysMw5eHCdsl48GL82Hj_r/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKswyTm9gI8XJ1UbIKicoek6121zRJKgIqz9XavvG0Xzgj4-3s1init6nDg4QZgTZ9dd8EZj6ec0Mpg7HP5kcz8SVUxaeJmbouD0i5KW7wJQICqAFysMw5eHCdsl48GL82Hj_r/s320/DSC_0102.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZ2NXZgOotaNAXyg1m68ai4ycP3z61neCx3YZ0B-UlueNHrGVZflkLc7mONy9J68hNqjJfar-D0d7oIbUUoyguE8L9kQKK7lvGTe4EoyyM8BHEsA2EX-eDI7yBskTN-xcHV1K/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZ2NXZgOotaNAXyg1m68ai4ycP3z61neCx3YZ0B-UlueNHrGVZflkLc7mONy9J68hNqjJfar-D0d7oIbUUoyguE8L9kQKK7lvGTe4EoyyM8BHEsA2EX-eDI7yBskTN-xcHV1K/s320/DSC_0111.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />So after the hospital we were off to the elderly home. Last year was our first trip there but it's becoming a pretty sacred spot for us as well. We were reminded of the precious work that Don Francisco does as he provides a place for the elderly to pass from this life with some shred of dignity and someone beside them as they go. I watched people cry because we asked about people we had connected to last year who were no longer there this year. It was like the reality of the moment hit as Don Francisco talked about them with love in his eyes and a knowing in his heart that he'd done the right thing by giving up a career as a dentist to come and live a life among these precious "least of these." I had the privilege of sitting and trying to translate for Eva while she talked to this sweet little lady named Sarah who has breast cancer and is just waiting for it to take her from this life into the next and she was sitting there no longer able to see quoting scripture to us. Then she would take our hands and kiss them and say now listen you go and continue to be kind to people and try not to hurt anyone ok? Think that's a great motto to live by and sounds a whole lot like the simplicity of the gospel to me. <br /><br />We had some flowers left over from the hospital so we brought them with us and did some more arrangments to place beside the beds of the folks who reside in CEDER (the elderly home). It was so sweet almost as soon as Brian started to put them together a little lady who resides there came right over to where they were working and started to help place the flowers in the cups. She was so sweet and particular as she arranged them to look just right. Once again a special moment of her being able to serve her friends who have now become family there that she wouldn't have had without resources that were brought by this team. The flowers gave her an opportunity to serve her people. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! I think God smiled big on that one.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-34391431730246130052010-04-12T03:54:00.000-05:002010-04-12T03:54:50.917-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23b5adSjn2yKVxZ_zomw-zsR8NVnh8cHYjm5zsfBHvtpYVt-xJ5mLlNSj1Y1UMUhqCEC8WGPIAyutOs5gmYiyURxukGjm6DJJme9nhezThpjUTZ8ua1xkzeWTQrGASHj2Xk2b/s1600/DSC_0080-1.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23b5adSjn2yKVxZ_zomw-zsR8NVnh8cHYjm5zsfBHvtpYVt-xJ5mLlNSj1Y1UMUhqCEC8WGPIAyutOs5gmYiyURxukGjm6DJJme9nhezThpjUTZ8ua1xkzeWTQrGASHj2Xk2b/s320/DSC_0080-1.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iZD3YPkkfR84DybY-mbFcSxozej5rB7cNkXhPwwlk82edGGaiT_67EpNUilOrb0XtGy7AiqPmTbjyRvqUnuw3UkVSwMAmgjRQ94Y9-IQb3HTYN7mAzWlnpoVnynGCjRcKe9h/s1600/DSC_0085.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iZD3YPkkfR84DybY-mbFcSxozej5rB7cNkXhPwwlk82edGGaiT_67EpNUilOrb0XtGy7AiqPmTbjyRvqUnuw3UkVSwMAmgjRQ94Y9-IQb3HTYN7mAzWlnpoVnynGCjRcKe9h/s320/DSC_0085.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tqyMoB4wPExt0BEvxOy3mfdXCQoE8mQ19XTFjacex5N4XWU8W18cpYx0lAmHqY1jpU2A-xqiYBnQHLkdb-SPBOvtmFVbboN0MPzgX4m8PLvUp6rpO9POasG5fjU6cuxf8IE/s1600/DSC_0090.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tqyMoB4wPExt0BEvxOy3mfdXCQoE8mQ19XTFjacex5N4XWU8W18cpYx0lAmHqY1jpU2A-xqiYBnQHLkdb-SPBOvtmFVbboN0MPzgX4m8PLvUp6rpO9POasG5fjU6cuxf8IE/s320/DSC_0090.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw6EMbX2YP48LhrODiDJqcvKjnLJQls2egTxhJGOnZYEFITh4LD2FPewdl6qScMgQ7N5Nk01wOuwIDJDMDGBMndMXvbHyok_5tuTI1XyUf98jDnkLOYlioodPyfCqgac_xoMQ/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw6EMbX2YP48LhrODiDJqcvKjnLJQls2egTxhJGOnZYEFITh4LD2FPewdl6qScMgQ7N5Nk01wOuwIDJDMDGBMndMXvbHyok_5tuTI1XyUf98jDnkLOYlioodPyfCqgac_xoMQ/s320/DSC_0092.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />A few more pictures of the hydrocephaly kiddo's and their momma's waiting for a shred of hope that their baby might make it...and Cesar our bus driver being a part of the things we were involved in. That was a really sweet part of this journey too. He jumped right in and wanted to be a part of serving his people. I think I've mentioned it but I will say it again probably several hundred times...I LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS...I am learning that a large part of a short term teams experience is to provide experiences for Hondurans to serve Hondurans as much as it is possible. It's beautiful to watch and the effects of that last long after we're gone and that's what we hope for...that when we're gone they will still be helped and served. There were some very neat moments of that this year.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-6438962801713243602010-04-12T03:45:00.000-05:002010-04-12T03:46:20.515-05:00TUESDAY Stop 1<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkI-ZzbTHybA2lqXTu83F9QVgD5yuilXVsSIV2jzh9mwHm7wJV9OU_rl_PFlV09JT2wjOGg7P7jK9l2B-kCG6fz7r5glQVo6O43FkwWV9iiBDRs6seziIqHzS-qEGTCJrIZERU/s1600/DSC_0065.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkI-ZzbTHybA2lqXTu83F9QVgD5yuilXVsSIV2jzh9mwHm7wJV9OU_rl_PFlV09JT2wjOGg7P7jK9l2B-kCG6fz7r5glQVo6O43FkwWV9iiBDRs6seziIqHzS-qEGTCJrIZERU/s320/DSC_0065.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6L5y2kpiO_jJ_-6ibu5dJmAb5unCJkMj2Gm2iu4o3L-9v3bdmS4TE9jYDXA30bdotw1l75TJhAp4c2o_yEVOYmLXz3MvXA79c-6aJtQJBK6mC8htnmiJTIcKaIl0kYP1DpZiu/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6L5y2kpiO_jJ_-6ibu5dJmAb5unCJkMj2Gm2iu4o3L-9v3bdmS4TE9jYDXA30bdotw1l75TJhAp4c2o_yEVOYmLXz3MvXA79c-6aJtQJBK6mC8htnmiJTIcKaIl0kYP1DpZiu/s320/DSC_0070.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBQjZZGTgWnWffBDsJuqSSfqrpv4ed88sk7DvZNwQr-qUJJuFjL3o5qY7vTk17_qs6Tfnj4swdqjO8N90rKHKUFbCu2oIrFUHXYBr3diz6Du1_ZTRhZqClYwHSGW9uQC1rp8n/s1600/DSC_0072.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBQjZZGTgWnWffBDsJuqSSfqrpv4ed88sk7DvZNwQr-qUJJuFjL3o5qY7vTk17_qs6Tfnj4swdqjO8N90rKHKUFbCu2oIrFUHXYBr3diz6Du1_ZTRhZqClYwHSGW9uQC1rp8n/s320/DSC_0072.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_L2yYV8JRFeuGkYqKjBUdzhvwzxFXxllARHWI5cQk-jEbRdCUjKzQFx3HiJzHHxz5_ypxwjzrc6PzG7XH37OCxIrWvsmaklG_oGa9FWVcXy7s7iSiP5eNkDMz3q0pwPXCKGA/s1600/DSC_0074.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_L2yYV8JRFeuGkYqKjBUdzhvwzxFXxllARHWI5cQk-jEbRdCUjKzQFx3HiJzHHxz5_ypxwjzrc6PzG7XH37OCxIrWvsmaklG_oGa9FWVcXy7s7iSiP5eNkDMz3q0pwPXCKGA/s320/DSC_0074.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Tuesday will rank right up there with one of my VERY favorite days in team history. I LOVED it!!! I can't tell you the number of times I have been at the hospital for visits now...but it's ALOT!! This was by far the neatest visit that I've had. We had the privilege of having one of the doctors from Hospital Escuela come and we had devo that morning in the foyer of the hospital. She shared some about her experience working in a place with limited resources and how much she loved what she does. We had a donation from some very sweet folks as well to use at the hospital and so Doctora Sandra was able to take a few of us across the street to the medical supply store where we were able to buy two shunts for hydrocephaly children that will essentially save their lives. The tremendously humbling and difficult thing to grasp is that one of these shunts costs about $250 and the families watch their children die often because they can't come up with $250. I can't even grasp that. So to know that $500 was spent to save two children's lives was a really touching experience. Doctora Sandra led us all around the hospital and took us to see the hydrocephaly children and to present the shunts to the head nurse on staff (the doctor was in surgery). We stood in the room of the children who will likely receive the shunts and placed our hands on them and prayed over them their families and all who work with them. It was a beautiful/heartwrenching way to start the morning. Extreme sorrow and extreme joy living in exactly the same moment. <br /><br />A couple years ago Momma Grose visited a little girls room while on a hospital visit and laid a single flower on the little girls bed and watched her eyes light up and a smile break over her face as she noticed it was the only thing with any color in a very dull room and how that one little flower brought so much joy. While talking about our trip this year that idea just mushroomed into...let's go to a flower stand really early one morning and buy most everything they have and take it to the hospital and make little cups of flowers to put beside the beds of the kiddo's. So, as God would have it, we had a flower expert with us and so Brian worked with a few other people to make little arrangments in plastic cups to take to the children. You should have seen the people coming by asking for one. They were beautiful and it was so much fun to watch a plastic cup and some flowers turn into something way better than that.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-19728680639152441822010-04-08T08:25:00.000-05:002010-04-08T08:26:22.219-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dif63ThBJK9qaO7jvNy71qRy1eAB3KrdScLcwy9qEu0xi_EjmgXCOaK74XKRud25BuVW4O_wn9vRr8nu8XWc8qE6MihhVeMimsHUMVdGr05coB5acMEL5W3dRZmG2h-S-bp_/s1600/DSC_1219.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dif63ThBJK9qaO7jvNy71qRy1eAB3KrdScLcwy9qEu0xi_EjmgXCOaK74XKRud25BuVW4O_wn9vRr8nu8XWc8qE6MihhVeMimsHUMVdGr05coB5acMEL5W3dRZmG2h-S-bp_/s320/DSC_1219.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXiloP6n-XMZyNkqotifeFJCm9l3UnsvpK6BR5FisZLGXRCVK4pmywMS5HXvmWpluTcVd4yYESJWAN5MIORAaX1FENE9NrKWDJK5ib1BaAgXr51vByOfvC22lSxoCwYz6h23a6/s1600/DSC_1241.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXiloP6n-XMZyNkqotifeFJCm9l3UnsvpK6BR5FisZLGXRCVK4pmywMS5HXvmWpluTcVd4yYESJWAN5MIORAaX1FENE9NrKWDJK5ib1BaAgXr51vByOfvC22lSxoCwYz6h23a6/s320/DSC_1241.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDNP2cNItxc1_J5-NW8Jr9LYd91z71M8aU56gsVKJJ5q65NfLxQreHRa0BvdBlMvKJtQ3ASV7XMnNdSWRSO-h8cT-W15Ztt8NgHB_Kh2AAjpKGh2fJPWdHFrvp1UZVopb1fZn/s1600/DSC_1266.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDNP2cNItxc1_J5-NW8Jr9LYd91z71M8aU56gsVKJJ5q65NfLxQreHRa0BvdBlMvKJtQ3ASV7XMnNdSWRSO-h8cT-W15Ztt8NgHB_Kh2AAjpKGh2fJPWdHFrvp1UZVopb1fZn/s320/DSC_1266.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEstqeuwhkTvMt_P679J2gWPTjNwGQg8sTQTJV2wME6nw6h5jqnUGfxatqXdzeDL0XkwQjKs0cimlfJLkYgGE9v4S4q1b6zQiUMCCejn6giYZ9iF8rC9ugtrtx9NkqhSpVOQEd/s1600/DSC_1274.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEstqeuwhkTvMt_P679J2gWPTjNwGQg8sTQTJV2wME6nw6h5jqnUGfxatqXdzeDL0XkwQjKs0cimlfJLkYgGE9v4S4q1b6zQiUMCCejn6giYZ9iF8rC9ugtrtx9NkqhSpVOQEd/s320/DSC_1274.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><br />Monday we had a packed day and built a house for a family out near the dump. We had heard about this family through another guy Marlon who had a house built for him a few months ago. A man wanting to help someone else he knew that needed help. It is touching to watch people become missionaries to their own people when given a chance to extend God's goodness and explain to them that God will provide and then help to make that happen. They worked alongside us all day long to help build their own house and be a part of the gift that was being extended. I love watching that happen may I just say. <br /><br />We took a break at lunch to go and serve at the dump. For some of our team it was the the first time that they had laid eyes on this place. A difficult day no matter how many times you've seen it. <br /><br />In the afternoon when the house was about finished we went back for another load of water in a bag and delivered a second time to those working in the dump. The heat at this time of the year is horrible and they beg for more water every single time we come. <br /><br />It was a hard day but it was an honor to come alongside some people who praised God for a cup (or bag in this case) of water and a roof over their head. For the least of these Father...thank you for them and the way it helps us see you.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-20645600254041654212010-04-08T08:13:00.000-05:002010-04-08T08:14:32.139-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbol5kKzRRDn5k0qCfTTCJOdLncp71-_L-64X6pTyztrhy9AchqlAPVNC8RxrK_r4W6JUA7m-HuLcATU0eRiBgfW8_12r9XsK6M2KWDAEsRQSXylZXHM3vwaNvf4G_dPd0IOK/s1600/DSC_0998.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbol5kKzRRDn5k0qCfTTCJOdLncp71-_L-64X6pTyztrhy9AchqlAPVNC8RxrK_r4W6JUA7m-HuLcATU0eRiBgfW8_12r9XsK6M2KWDAEsRQSXylZXHM3vwaNvf4G_dPd0IOK/s320/DSC_0998.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZxFf7VvS8qoVV-UrljYbgOp1MHZNJi-0QSps19XRh8H5U55hMLXTAmrXy-Udey5tG8bTX2L1UoTc3yeGaROtIqgDZP_64riQY8YKtWrKr3hUjvXTufZJnLiTeJL7M134NAN6/s1600/DSC_1014.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZxFf7VvS8qoVV-UrljYbgOp1MHZNJi-0QSps19XRh8H5U55hMLXTAmrXy-Udey5tG8bTX2L1UoTc3yeGaROtIqgDZP_64riQY8YKtWrKr3hUjvXTufZJnLiTeJL7M134NAN6/s320/DSC_1014.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_W9849sillrEIVgv1Mm9G3hoAVj65AKZTmWhIm5CVuFMJjK5N6OMmQJOzA5RphmnwBOy2GlnMX7nTkwfoTZPhcnHULr37uwcLGtvVxChUBK8K5L6FLTE9Mu-jWhRgrXAQKwGd/s1600/DSC_1020.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_W9849sillrEIVgv1Mm9G3hoAVj65AKZTmWhIm5CVuFMJjK5N6OMmQJOzA5RphmnwBOy2GlnMX7nTkwfoTZPhcnHULr37uwcLGtvVxChUBK8K5L6FLTE9Mu-jWhRgrXAQKwGd/s320/DSC_1020.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJY2Wfp-Exdb88KfDlarzcgMcxWRA7U7QRemcAkXM2CZPjAbp4w9cN3ytgffG4Q0VqzZRnSsRALhgAQO2lG5Co_t4FRF3M-HRO0PLCupEk0af5HEx4hzl3170g_jo2KKstHAs/s1600/DSC_1023.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJY2Wfp-Exdb88KfDlarzcgMcxWRA7U7QRemcAkXM2CZPjAbp4w9cN3ytgffG4Q0VqzZRnSsRALhgAQO2lG5Co_t4FRF3M-HRO0PLCupEk0af5HEx4hzl3170g_jo2KKstHAs/s320/DSC_1023.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><br />Sunday morning we worshipped with the church in Sector Ocho which is a very needy community where we found Sarahi, Marisol and their family in great need a couple years ago. We knew they were one of the poorest communities we spend time in and so we loaded up our clothing for a distribution and after worship allowed the community members to come through. We had blankets, shoes, and clothing. I wish I could express to you how humbling it was to see them all DART for the blankets. They are cold and often without anything to protect them from that. It was great fun to watch the team helping people "shop" for themselves. A great way to start the day before we were off to Didasko.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-85071509820607187122010-04-08T08:08:00.000-05:002010-04-08T08:08:40.417-05:00Easter Sunday<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbYo4YdznKaktKrgqIprq7jUxf1JFGHXxeBcer3wne6ZUTQXSibH_3fC7MQwCW-rKZ3VVsVPSQpEdAbTdewaD3BCT208jaH4eL4Zpw5yyzNH99jsnxZO48gh8uEv2cPga0Kyz/s1600/DSC_1053-1.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbYo4YdznKaktKrgqIprq7jUxf1JFGHXxeBcer3wne6ZUTQXSibH_3fC7MQwCW-rKZ3VVsVPSQpEdAbTdewaD3BCT208jaH4eL4Zpw5yyzNH99jsnxZO48gh8uEv2cPga0Kyz/s320/DSC_1053-1.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-NhQuypHWdIb6ErVyqvHVOeI0kZ_c7yZy8JmqXO2i-0mw_RKWvvLGbul-6j2xjm66YMnfMtPTIylunhVja-KE5VA-DOoDqb1shq8smIG2RoKYB2-luWP7BEfGZHJL9qDADKs/s1600/DSC_1059-1.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-NhQuypHWdIb6ErVyqvHVOeI0kZ_c7yZy8JmqXO2i-0mw_RKWvvLGbul-6j2xjm66YMnfMtPTIylunhVja-KE5VA-DOoDqb1shq8smIG2RoKYB2-luWP7BEfGZHJL9qDADKs/s320/DSC_1059-1.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5WvsIAZz2xji79NnKvXNAPLbW1m6PoWRaOuFvJum7VCFxspwcfv5HD3GLcQFsWnRLC-JM4TYIQqelA0UFpXo_g6lxpb3OqFW0EBdtdkaTkSnv8oV3sp837wQ1I7z6eq6GCGr/s1600/DSC_1064.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5WvsIAZz2xji79NnKvXNAPLbW1m6PoWRaOuFvJum7VCFxspwcfv5HD3GLcQFsWnRLC-JM4TYIQqelA0UFpXo_g6lxpb3OqFW0EBdtdkaTkSnv8oV3sp837wQ1I7z6eq6GCGr/s320/DSC_1064.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2006CH8aBCGDJrdAcjJ_U4-oecuORMhjJSTKw8y9bSovnsrSj43moBh625sE8H8JIycjdy8CrXBWHU0nMCGWKQiAxhZF2XMJu42OGl09uMVjgxziU-6McqmAUtJDc1x_icZN/s1600/DSC_1074.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2006CH8aBCGDJrdAcjJ_U4-oecuORMhjJSTKw8y9bSovnsrSj43moBh625sE8H8JIycjdy8CrXBWHU0nMCGWKQiAxhZF2XMJu42OGl09uMVjgxziU-6McqmAUtJDc1x_icZN/s320/DSC_1074.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />As is our tradition we spent Easter Sunday afternoon with the sweet bunch at Didasko. We did our annual Easter Egg Hunt which they have grown to love so much and we also did a project this year where we bought each of them new pillows and had one of the Mi Esperanza ladies make a pillowcase for each one of their sweet little heads. Our hands and messages were traced with markers to put on the pillowcases so they could be reminded that while they slept we would be praying over them and carrying them close to our heart. This is one of those places with VERY limited resources that has captured our hearts and the relationships that have been built there remain long after the 10 days we spend in this country. I saw a grown man and a 17 year old kid cry hard when they hugged each other and tried to leave. I saw a teenage girl who has had her life changed literally by the knowing that a family cares and loves her consistently even from far away. When people question why short term missions matter I don't need to look for a reason very long...they matter because the effects are anything but short term. They live on in a little guys heart who remembers your name every single time he sees you. They ripple over to sweet lives who know that they matter and they capture our hearts into believing that we must or are compelled to find ways to love on them all year long. We are watching the effects of that. It was a sweet day to witness the lives of some kiddo's and some big people who have been deeply changed by loving one another. <br /><br />More to come stay tuned... :)<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-65639240889155190952010-04-04T14:45:00.000-05:002010-04-04T14:46:53.013-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggebQnldjrXDveJJ_MagTHHPnS-EaG5CdWQaai1rl5t-R1xt1t_-AgioXi_i4QxQW0MP-ptjL7h7sHVKSlNaHtKyD1VwsGjDKxU7dv7OP0gXHgNT2uYdONaBpPTmbgRYrV98Ze/s1600/DSC_0874.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggebQnldjrXDveJJ_MagTHHPnS-EaG5CdWQaai1rl5t-R1xt1t_-AgioXi_i4QxQW0MP-ptjL7h7sHVKSlNaHtKyD1VwsGjDKxU7dv7OP0gXHgNT2uYdONaBpPTmbgRYrV98Ze/s320/DSC_0874.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLriijr6GCBjpN62ZYzX4ezYlDiy4pxtojYk9ioFFJM5XNtUciGNVh0o8qBMWJxDR09rB2oDY1I2XVH9TWPul1IU0ZZqOYpGrQezHg6f08gmHf18N3ffdCg9JAzmpfUDWvuTCb/s1600/DSC_0933.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLriijr6GCBjpN62ZYzX4ezYlDiy4pxtojYk9ioFFJM5XNtUciGNVh0o8qBMWJxDR09rB2oDY1I2XVH9TWPul1IU0ZZqOYpGrQezHg6f08gmHf18N3ffdCg9JAzmpfUDWvuTCb/s320/DSC_0933.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_k6ezebIdjvCJPHeCDqaTF-mUnwWONIzwT0XqBVGXZjNBebpqvt3q2bOXmiJxGsfKf9pAukUH6x_597wdqd-L0e3Y-FA55QghK7yZv7gobrIwpnlV9mo6SKx-sQ4wQWJRoDl/s1600/DSC_0953.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_k6ezebIdjvCJPHeCDqaTF-mUnwWONIzwT0XqBVGXZjNBebpqvt3q2bOXmiJxGsfKf9pAukUH6x_597wdqd-L0e3Y-FA55QghK7yZv7gobrIwpnlV9mo6SKx-sQ4wQWJRoDl/s320/DSC_0953.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYgBohO5_DMgy5jCqHFxSBVQpdGNpWWetsydx8yMKTfmmXPENhFVmrTt75Rm_UU1h-qV5TbyCZh7rJQr9Zr-RmkmW6vLaDrCGxOOmxXDBglVxU5UtwYVXcX6_wzIA8P4f3rPX/s1600/DSC_0974.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYgBohO5_DMgy5jCqHFxSBVQpdGNpWWetsydx8yMKTfmmXPENhFVmrTt75Rm_UU1h-qV5TbyCZh7rJQr9Zr-RmkmW6vLaDrCGxOOmxXDBglVxU5UtwYVXcX6_wzIA8P4f3rPX/s320/DSC_0974.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-11789540787003021962010-04-04T14:34:00.000-05:002010-04-04T14:36:27.182-05:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl47KP7JV5GybmpD1QDDIrWjuCaJKHmV8rFUd-Pzg0Yb1nsUJdh_P1b6uMPtZeaZdbpdEU_JJtExRF2goPBp7Euac4hbDQhspw0MVzWhT4fzTrYyLBcebGt7kFYJBxDbj2vWN/s1600/DSC_0883.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl47KP7JV5GybmpD1QDDIrWjuCaJKHmV8rFUd-Pzg0Yb1nsUJdh_P1b6uMPtZeaZdbpdEU_JJtExRF2goPBp7Euac4hbDQhspw0MVzWhT4fzTrYyLBcebGt7kFYJBxDbj2vWN/s320/DSC_0883.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FwFG1wcPh6a128P7PkvHEj9mcFI0CZN73DlYwDWWZXn3UZqw1pGrnpU0uqZTggXGN_YbijoKSjjwIhMReo7ydKwgD833nJJakNlkfbB00JBzMSNsaDTf0x59_jv1O4lzbbC6/s1600/DSC_0899.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FwFG1wcPh6a128P7PkvHEj9mcFI0CZN73DlYwDWWZXn3UZqw1pGrnpU0uqZTggXGN_YbijoKSjjwIhMReo7ydKwgD833nJJakNlkfbB00JBzMSNsaDTf0x59_jv1O4lzbbC6/s320/DSC_0899.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzMdMYpKkkZdf2fxLRNWn1pmFTuGs5y43jnwujKh1X23idZ1bXNfg-hunDc7XNAlLaZ6LyRERTJNMENLaP8fT6Qq3encwgY9ATFcAZS-UO311Oq6XBlRAp4pIwMv-Xhybgn4c/s1600/DSC_0914.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzMdMYpKkkZdf2fxLRNWn1pmFTuGs5y43jnwujKh1X23idZ1bXNfg-hunDc7XNAlLaZ6LyRERTJNMENLaP8fT6Qq3encwgY9ATFcAZS-UO311Oq6XBlRAp4pIwMv-Xhybgn4c/s320/DSC_0914.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_lZ1FEs9e6sVq6g9LQEKnZVJnTxMji6Smx2yBuxNYrowD5nx2Oe6ficijaiMUZEvHQrThUzgtbsWjvULZiWzWzZ2BLMNedX-7-JgTJPmWTiufIVDKzHlD0EAVqzckSXCDx9U/s1600/DSC_0975.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_lZ1FEs9e6sVq6g9LQEKnZVJnTxMji6Smx2yBuxNYrowD5nx2Oe6ficijaiMUZEvHQrThUzgtbsWjvULZiWzWzZ2BLMNedX-7-JgTJPmWTiufIVDKzHlD0EAVqzckSXCDx9U/s320/DSC_0975.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-69869135746079235102010-04-04T14:18:00.002-05:002010-04-04T14:26:47.861-05:00HOLA...Hello friends and family...everyone arrived all safe and sound and I PROMISE you this is the first breath we've had to sit down and try to share with you the events of the past few days. They are jam packed full and late when we get home and we have LITERALLY fallen into bed when we get there. Right now we are sitting in a fast food restaurant for a very quick lunch before we head to Didasko. <br /><br />I of course am thrilled to pieces that these precious folks have landed and are now sitting near my heart and we are loving getting to do this together once again. We miss some of you who are normally with us so much and are carrying you with us in our hearts every single place that we go. <br /><br />I will attempt to post some pictures from yesterday if I have time before the bus loads again if not I promise to put them on there tonight. <br /><br />Thank you for your continued prayers. We're off to Didasko soon for our annual Easter Egg hunt and to love on them for a while. <br /><br />Love and blessings, <br /><br />ALL OF US :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-65249891148257345512010-03-31T11:09:00.002-05:002010-03-31T11:19:09.897-05:00AND WE ARE OFF...ONLY A FEW MORE HOURS UNTIL MY PEEPS ARE HERE....yayyyyyy and we'll begin another journey to attempt to be the hands and feet of Christ to those He places in our path. Please pray with us over the next few days as we finish making preparations and perhaps work on the most important preparation of all - our hearts. <br /><br />I am also attaching a copy of our itinerary here on the blog so you'll have some idea where we are and what we're doing and you'll be able to follow the ones you love vicariously through the journey. More importantly I am attaching it so that you'll be prayerful for us in the locations that we believe God has placed before us this year to go and serve. Please ask Him to teach us and show us and grow us in ways we can't even imagine yet. Pray that the people who see us miss us and see Jesus and that we meet them with a humble heart wherever they are and come alongside them. Please ask God to use us to be a remedy for those who are impoverished most of all for love, knowing that He put all of who He is in us and if that's so we carry His love with us and it covers their deepest need. We covet your prayers and appreciate you joining us on the journey. <br /><br />ITINERARY 2010 - APRIL 2-10<br /><br />FRIDAY 4/2/10 <br /> <br />12:00 PM Teguce Team Arrives - Mark/Lori/Sam Pick Up<br />12:00 PM SPS Team Arrives - Jen and David Pick Up<br />12:30 PM Group eats lunch across from airport<br /> SPS Team - Eats lunch on way back to Teguce <br />2:00 PM Arrive at Mission House - Unload luggage<br /> Help load wood on truck (TGU crew)<br /> Go to house site to unload wood at house site (TGU crew)<br /> Fill easter eggs for Easter Egg Hunt at Didasko (TGU crew)<br />6:00 PM Team from SAP arrives <br />8:00 PM Team Meeting - Devotional <br /> <br /> <br />SATURDAY 4/3/10 <br /> <br />7:00 AM Breakfast <br />7:30 AM Load bus<br />8:00 AM Arrive at house site (family who have been burnt out)- devotional on site <br />4:00 PM Head back to Mission House <br />5:00 PM Dinner at Mission House <br />6:45 PM Head out for Mass with Larios Family for those who want to<br /> <br /> <br />SUNDAY 4/4/10 <br /> <br />6:30 AM Breakfast <br />7:00 AM Load bus <br />7:30 AM Organize clothes for church members - Sector Ocho<br />9:00 AM Worship<br />11:00 AM Clothing Distribution<br />1:00 PM Travel to Didasko<br />2:00 PM Lunch/Easter Egg Hunt/Pillow Case Project<br />5:00 PM Back to Mission House <br />6:00 PM Dinner<br />7:30 PM Jesus Statue Devo<br /> <br /> <br />MONDAY 4/5/10 <br /> <br />7:00 AM Breakfast <br />7:30 AM Travel to House Site - devo on way at water collection point <br />9:00 AM Arrive at house site (Near dump) <br />12:00 PM Break for lunch to serve in the dump <br />1:00 PM Finish house<br />3:00 PM Travel to Bencaleth - special needs orphanage <br />5:00 PM Travel to Mission House<br />6:00 PM Dinner at Mission House<br />8:00 PM Devo/Discussion Group<br /> <br /> <br />TUESDAY 4/6/10 <br /> <br />7:00 AM Breakfast <br />7:30 AM Load bus<br />8:00 AM Hospital Escuela - (flower stand on way) <br />10:00 AM Elderly Home - (possibly take Paola with us to give haircuts) <br />12:00 PM Mother Teresa Home - (take veggie tales movie in Spanish and popcorn machine)<br />2:00 PM Casitas Kennedy - (think of something to do with them)<br />3:30 PM Travel back up mountain <br />4:00 PM Early dinner before meeting Amber<br />4:45 PM Load bus for stadium feeding <br />8:00 PM Head back up the mountain <br /> <br /> <br />WEDNESDAY 4/7/10 <br /> <br />7:00 AM Breakfast <br />7:30 AM Load bus<br />8:15 AM Meet up in city with Mi Esperanza <br />9:00 AM Arrive and help Mi Esperanza unload<br />12:00 PM Lunch with girls - spaghetti <br />3:00 PM Load up - pass out hygiene kits to the girls<br />4:30 PM Arrive back in the city - Shop at Mi Esperanza<br />6:00 PM Dinner<br />8:00 PM Devo/Discussion Group<br /> <br /> <br />THURSDAY 4/8/10 <br /> <br />7:00 AM Breakfast <br />7:30 AM Travel to House Site - San Miguel <br />8:00 AM Arrive at house site/unload wood, etc.<br />3:00 PM Play with kiddo’s at day care in San Miguel <br />5:00 PM Organize and pack up <br />6:00 PM Dinner <br />8:00 PM Devotional/Discussion Group<br /> <br /> <br />FRIDAY 4/9/10 <br /> <br />8:00 AM Breakfast <br />10:00 AM Load bus for Good Shepherd<br />1:30 PM Load bus for Ojojona<br />3:00 PM Ojojona<br />4:00 PM Play with Casa Kiddo’s<br />5:00 PM Have a cookout on Casa property<br />7:00 PM Head back to city <br />8:00 PM Devo/Discussion Group<br /> <br /> <br />SATURDAY 4/10/10 <br /> <br />4:00 AM Head to SAP airport<br />9:00 AM Head to the Teguce airport <br />10:00 AM Check in at airport in TGU<br /> Check in at airport in SAP<br />12:00 PM Everyone flies out minus Andrew, Teresa, Jessica, and AdrianJenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-17080770208389730442010-02-01T13:24:00.000-06:002010-02-01T13:24:32.122-06:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xbkxlqiFYq_1NBe9m0nSErZ7Tgt_dG4zGsB3XCKOfjgkmwrsnY84tzvITW2uURgdhyphenhyphen_JpeFa2LDGSj3L-n9YyPxwMp2RtwlV1UH0u7NpfzcTbTl5vntEfL6_b7KcWw5n-R5H/s1600-h/DSC_0904.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xbkxlqiFYq_1NBe9m0nSErZ7Tgt_dG4zGsB3XCKOfjgkmwrsnY84tzvITW2uURgdhyphenhyphen_JpeFa2LDGSj3L-n9YyPxwMp2RtwlV1UH0u7NpfzcTbTl5vntEfL6_b7KcWw5n-R5H/s320/DSC_0904.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxmDMxbeYx2eSy6br_hpZUfJbvX3v7THRyXKvAALh5upmytbN3M2CstXiuBv5M16wL7iO8lXKSstihYS4XzkR2pDg-ewLVAllKML4u35PSHTuYm5w5RsMxXs3RBXEpTl3kfdW/s1600-h/DSC_0734.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxmDMxbeYx2eSy6br_hpZUfJbvX3v7THRyXKvAALh5upmytbN3M2CstXiuBv5M16wL7iO8lXKSstihYS4XzkR2pDg-ewLVAllKML4u35PSHTuYm5w5RsMxXs3RBXEpTl3kfdW/s320/DSC_0734.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqwRlMY6aTpYaw2gnqJyrb4bHLgVkqnoMwGOavY0d_eGRXWa30npGtOmOKa_1iNq6nxEhyphenhyphenWeIubdMfEkm24nrCM0ITWlT4idUQuSlbHlbNjexdyAEppVHSJynC74A0bbSjhDo/s1600-h/DSC_0827.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqwRlMY6aTpYaw2gnqJyrb4bHLgVkqnoMwGOavY0d_eGRXWa30npGtOmOKa_1iNq6nxEhyphenhyphenWeIubdMfEkm24nrCM0ITWlT4idUQuSlbHlbNjexdyAEppVHSJynC74A0bbSjhDo/s320/DSC_0827.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXKzks02KPKrapVqcWvzQXUy5zn8hg_VvIVscgGJf8Hna2migxqdGiJ-RZcFi4CRXRRZHrXptncnbfAaAyDx4PPC5prbs5YCtlmXy1e5OaFM6QT4PTzXPz5sm84K6oxnzjV4Y/s1600-h/DSC_0832.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXKzks02KPKrapVqcWvzQXUy5zn8hg_VvIVscgGJf8Hna2migxqdGiJ-RZcFi4CRXRRZHrXptncnbfAaAyDx4PPC5prbs5YCtlmXy1e5OaFM6QT4PTzXPz5sm84K6oxnzjV4Y/s320/DSC_0832.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><br />A few of my very favorite faces. This family has come a long way but still needs your prayers and support. Thanks for walking alongside them and us. We appreciate you!<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-15375408783182375892010-01-18T22:44:00.000-06:002010-01-18T22:45:09.277-06:00<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Ewt312-dmXsufOxWYCI1uAWqzzMmpzzaCgddwXZiE-01cJGcaHxMLM9amNgJ6T5CBcHkLQ-2280C0HXxqyfnAJhc5X34ENFaFS9me56bTujfHmU6UIeX6Gbo9i-jhS0ZikV/s1600-h/DSC_0661.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Ewt312-dmXsufOxWYCI1uAWqzzMmpzzaCgddwXZiE-01cJGcaHxMLM9amNgJ6T5CBcHkLQ-2280C0HXxqyfnAJhc5X34ENFaFS9me56bTujfHmU6UIeX6Gbo9i-jhS0ZikV/s320/DSC_0661.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><br />I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!! We never get this boy to smile for a picture. He's in a stage where he'd rather pose in cool mode and not so much show the sweet soft guy that is buried underneath...but the other day we were at a build site and I had my new camera with me and I said oh smile Eduardo and he did and this is what turned out. :) <br /><br />I look at it and remember a day several years ago sitting in a village with a sweet little boy who grabbed a hold of my hand and my heart as we sat on a cement floor and sang all day long while a team built his family a new house. I remember a hundred times when he hugged me and meant it. I remember many times when he has asked for my help or my advice. I remember the times when he has allowed me a glimpse into his heart. I remember the good stuff...<br /><br />Amazing when I look at this picture how I really sort of forget the moments that have felt like frustration or failure or hopelessness. I have sort of just been pulling it up every couple of hours over the past couple of days since I took it and feeling a flood of hope when I see those eyeballs and remember there's a heart behind them that I love a WHOLE BUNCH!!! <br /><br />I continue to covet your prayers for his heart as he is attempting to find his way in a culture that doesn't necessarily encourage soft and kind...I continue to beg God to seal His heart in ways that He can never turn from. <br /><br />As always I appreciate you journeying with us...this ministry is the effort of so many and we couldn't do what we do without you. <br /><br />Love and blessings.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-460824004221689432010-01-14T23:26:00.003-06:002010-01-14T23:53:03.661-06:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPnirDWrOc-ofps1jFkQpkrCdvTSSF2fqfbo2LEQ6Y_CGYaG9GAp0G5e3jeYBYAUBEoowR2foXz_59JPooz8gpYRcupYdOWXnuC0xKpUQg52dMFDU5XOrrxI5YZcUrEp5gEg-/s1600-h/DSC_0544.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPnirDWrOc-ofps1jFkQpkrCdvTSSF2fqfbo2LEQ6Y_CGYaG9GAp0G5e3jeYBYAUBEoowR2foXz_59JPooz8gpYRcupYdOWXnuC0xKpUQg52dMFDU5XOrrxI5YZcUrEp5gEg-/s320/DSC_0544.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426835379311438594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyQn38tmE8y1uQu4h19dZUhdHzcpUnCf5E7GGNv5uzFiyRY5D94sZLSQIz_nSZvY_N01Xw5f85oZRNzyVMxxXvdc9ug7TQpPz1OtmVsalp1-deRnI6S7iIQXwTMXi7hbYJfCs/s1600-h/DSC_0554.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyQn38tmE8y1uQu4h19dZUhdHzcpUnCf5E7GGNv5uzFiyRY5D94sZLSQIz_nSZvY_N01Xw5f85oZRNzyVMxxXvdc9ug7TQpPz1OtmVsalp1-deRnI6S7iIQXwTMXi7hbYJfCs/s320/DSC_0554.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426835377311590018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiqBH6_OBstO-4rO4GmC8oj9h_LKOVWTU7fiixztlxguB-_wcT_sbhuFEHHFWkNozQKYXuzSkn9i4fsCpnsEcA5P1szDZn6VHIl7zXY0slRFR2iFV-7ZCuxf6T9zBIgeVifnc/s1600-h/DSC_0538.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiqBH6_OBstO-4rO4GmC8oj9h_LKOVWTU7fiixztlxguB-_wcT_sbhuFEHHFWkNozQKYXuzSkn9i4fsCpnsEcA5P1szDZn6VHIl7zXY0slRFR2iFV-7ZCuxf6T9zBIgeVifnc/s320/DSC_0538.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426835371405162130" /></a><br /><br />Some sweet faces I got to meet today who were waiting to have surgery to repair cleft lip and palate problems. Looking into these little eyes was a great way to remember why I love being here. I got to play outside with some of them for a few minutes while they waited anxiously to be called into the room for surgery. The little people always draw me in somehow...I am a sucker for a brown eyed baby. A group of doctors came this week to volunteer their time to fix their sweet little selves...what a beautiful gift they are offering...it's an honor to witness even a small part of all they're doing!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-58802054371728170032010-01-08T13:16:00.002-06:002010-01-08T13:48:11.954-06:00I wish I could paint you a picture or show you one of my day today. I'll try to use my words to do so. <br /><br />I am at Tony and Sarajane's house today, (no doubt you've read their names on here before they are two of my favorite people on the planet.) I stayed overnight last night and to say that I get spoiled rotten when I'm here is a mild understatement. There is a fire roaring in the fireplace right beside me and I can feel the warmth of it on my arm as I'm typing this (not to mention the soothing sound of the crackling) and the curtains are pulled back from the double door windows and I'm watching the snow fall. Maggie just brought me a cup of Sugar Plum Spice hot tea a bit ago and I'm enjoying it as it is my very favorite flavor near the holidays...when you've walked this many miles together, you know those sorts of things about one another. Casting Crowns is playing softly on my laptop as I type this and just up the stairs I can hear the sounds of life and laughter from some of my VERY favorite people on earth as they take down their Christmas tree together. <br /><br />Can't even describe to you today the blessing of having people in my world who know me so well that they give me permission to be in their home, light a fire for me, come love on me every once in a while, and then give me permission to sit in quiet and read and spend a very much needed day with God. <br /><br />I don't have a ton to write today, nothing of deep eternal significance I suppose...or maybe it is, maybe I am just reminding myself of the gift that this sweet family is to my life and they have been of EXTREME eternal significance. They still are. <br /><br />And maybe just maybe I'm remembering that most often I see Jesus in my relationships with other people and remembering that we have the opportunity to show Him to one another whenever we choose to. <br /><br />Today I see Him in a fire, some snow, several hugs, and the freedom to do whatever I want to do while in their home. <br /><br />I love you all so much. You do love me like Jesus. You always have. I love Him more because of you!!! <br /><br />(Sidenote: as I was getting ready to close this, this precious little gal with big ole brown eyes just delivered a candy cane to me from the tree and said "here auntie Jen" and stoked my fire cause it was dying down. thanks God for your tender touches through human hands. you ARE good to me.)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-16117140968180817802010-01-04T13:41:00.003-06:002010-01-04T13:45:42.314-06:00Ohhhh and #11 - I will use this blog to share and process again because those of you who follow and support us are worth the time it takes to process and share here. <br /><br />And you could help me by praying for my "list." I appreciate you all!!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-44582029460202188242010-01-03T10:53:00.005-06:002010-01-04T13:40:42.136-06:00I love new things don't you??? <br /><br />I got a brand new computer for Christmas from my parents (because my old one crashed completely) and I loved the fact that the desktop was completely clean, I opened the music folder and it had NOTHING in it, picture folder - same thing, completely clean for me to add anything I wanted to, it was totally organized and without clutter, the outside was clean, the box it was packaged in was even cute, I just love NEW!!! I am having a hard time wanting to put anything in the folders because they'll start to become messy again and filled with stuff and right now I just like the feeling of clean and new. I realize that the feeling about my computer probably has implications about my feelings on life right now. <br /><br />I kinda feel like that with this new year. I'm feeling this really big tug to simplify life. I don't know yet what all of that means, but I know that it has gotten too cluttered. I have had some time recently to reflect and process and I guess meditate on what it is that in 32 years I've created for a life. Am I living the way I want to be living at this point, glorifying God, serving other people, cherishing my family, following God's voice and lead? <br /><br />If I'm honest, the answer is yes and no. I mean I have my moments which probably even turn into days and weeks sometimes when things feel just as they should be. I'm living out a dream doing my best to humbly serve people in Honduras, I'm surrounded in life by people who love me and support what I do, and I think more often than not I would tell you that I'm listening for God to show me what to do next. I laugh and love on my nephews and my nieces and I watch movies with my parents and I celebrate my friends and the gifts that they are to my world. I read my bible and I ask God to reveal to me what He wants for the next chapters of life and I embrace those with boldness and courage. I contribute to a community of faith and seek their accountability and involvement in my life and I do my best to offer myself to their journey. <br /><br />If I'm honest with you though, there are moments when I look at all I've attempted to do and everything I believe I've thrown my heart into and I far too often am motivated by what everyone else thinks, I say yes to far more things than I should and then get upset with other people for their expectations not with myself for being undisciplined in my commitments, I get tired of being broke instead of embracing a life with less for a worthy cause, I feel defeated when the outcome doesn't look like what I thought it would and one of my kiddo's moves back to a horrible neighborhood, I look for the quick fix and throw money when I'm stressed and busy instead of offering my heart, I get upset with a struggling father who really is trying to better his life when he isn't changing fast enough to meet my timetable, I think far more highly of myself than I ought to sometimes and I enjoy the praise of people and wallow because of their criticism, I put burdens upon myself to be a robot when I am a human being who needs rest and a break. So if I'm really honest and transparent before you some days my answer to the question of am i living the way I want to be living is no. <br /><br />This isn't a beat up on myself post, it really isn't. It's my looking back on a year and wanting to refine some things for the next. <br /><br />I love the idea of new. I have no idea where the idea for new years resolutions came from, and I know they hold no more power than any other decision I make any other day with commitment and conviction but there's something about a year that hasn't yet been filled up with mess, that has 365 (well 361 days now) left for me to fill up and organize, it's a clean calendar with blank spaces and it feels like it holds so much opportunity for doing it better. <br /><br />So I am limiting myself to 10 because I can still wrap my head around that many and I might actually hit 5 out of 10 if I give myself a broad target :) Let's be honest our success rating on these isn't terrific. So here we go, my list for 2010...<br /><br />1. I will take my boys on some dates with their momma to hear about the things that really roll around in those little hearts. I will not assume anymore that just because they have a roof and plenty to eat that they have a heart at rest. (Sidenote for my own confessions: Forgive me God for thinking that because they had far more than what they used to that I had fulfilled what you had asked of me in regard to them. You did the giving of the "stuff" and somehow I felt like I got the credit and should receive their gratitude. Help me to realize that even nearly grown boys need to know a momma's love and it's my heart and praise they're after not my stuff. Please continue to teach me Father, but will you please somehow protect them from my inadequacies.) <br /> <br />2. I will give myself permission to take Monday mornings "off" from running - to be quiet before God and to organize heart and mind so that I might be a better leader for those that God has placed on my team and all those that may someday be, and so that I might be a better follower of His heart. (Confessions Part 2: God there have been moments in this when I have bought into believing that something might fall apart if I shut my door and had uninterrupted time with you in quiet to focus and renew. As though you needed me to keep things running... I have learned I can't function long without burning out without it, so help me here to let go and stand still once a week as we begin a new week will you please help me start from the right spot, on my knees in submission to Your authority.) <br /><br />3. I will write one handwritten letter once a week to the people who matter to me. I will deliberately invest in my circle of influence and attempt to make them feel cherished and loved. I will do this for their sake and my own.<br /><br />4. I will hit the gym 3 days a week at some point in the day. When I feel better I am able to serve better and so I will make a deliberate effort to take care of myself and my health. <br /><br />5. I will forgive more and be bitter less.<br /><br />6. I will read my bible every morning even if it makes me 10 minutes late for what I'm going to do. Showing up 10 minutes later when my heart is right will accomplish far more than showing up 10 minutes earlier without lining things up within my heart for the day and I will pray to remember that. <br /><br />7. I will work to take captive every thought and operate less out of what other people think and more out of what I know is right as God speaks it into my circumstances.<br /><br />8. I will be diligent about reading and studying ways to help people I love help themselves and become self sufficient instead of attempting to be their savior. I am totally inadequate and do a very poor job, so Lord will you please be the rescuer and use these hands and show this mind how to be wise about the help we offer and the ways we do it. <br /><br />9. Even when I don't know how to do it well and I sometimes fail I will at all times and WITHOUT REGRET love them from a place so deep that I know it will at moments hurt and I will trust that when it does you will hold me. I will also trust that when we celebrate the victories together they will be twice as sweet because of the love that exists in the deep places. <br /><br />10. I will celebrate every victory large or small because they're worth it and because tomorrow is never guaranteed. I will acknowledge the places we've messed up and attempt to make those places better but I will do my absolute best not to let those overshadow the things that are going right...and Lord when I do remind me that life is good and I am surrounded by people to love that love me. I am blessed!! <br /><br /><br />So knowing that in my humanity I won't succeed at these for an entire year in all the ways I'll want to, but from a heart that's looking at a year in review, these are a pretty sweet list to work towards for this girl. <br /><br />Happy New Year. Lord help us to make you famous...you deserve it!! <br /><br />Blessings.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12545585.post-53562170091213291422009-10-25T18:16:00.002-05:002009-10-25T18:19:03.921-05:00Hello all...my friend Amy is a classroom teacher in North Carolina and she has a fantastic bunch of students who are challenging students and teachers, even classrooms, across America to become a part of providing a bilingual education for children in Honduras. They put together a sweet little promo video and you can watch it here. I'm so proud of them and grateful always when young people get passionate about serving someone else. If you know any other teachers in other places who would like to get on board with us, let us know. <br /><br />For the sake of the children, <br />Jen<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fG25iSHRELo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fG25iSHRELo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15114361426108214379noreply@blogger.com0