A Renaissance "homecoming" in Peru

Well, the weekend of homecoming is past. It was alot of work but worth it; we had a blast! There was a volleyball and soccer tournament which put SAM center tied with SAM Air base 1 to 1. The tie was broken with the skit (that I wrote for SAM ctr.), and we won! I turned the story of Snow White and the dwarfs into "Guenivere and the 7 Knights". Each knight had a quirk. They were great. We also enjoyed log throwing competition, nail driving, joust, fun kids games, and a food contest. We ended the evening with a great meal even though we only used our hands -- hey, it was Renaissance -- (we raised almost $400 for our senior for college) and then a bonfire. It was first for SAM Academy; the families enjoyed it and I was able to show them my fun side instead of my serious administrator side.

I cannot believe it is almost Thanksgiving--times flies. We are praising the Lord for all He is doing here. We will be doing a Christmas outreach program to the indians, a new teacher helper is coming in Jan., we welcomed 2 new students this month and 1 next month. God is really growing the kids. I had a special chapel with them last week, and the high schoolers particularly got honest. I am praying for them diligently to "put off" ungodly attitudes and "put on" Christ like ones.

You really can teach an "old dog" new tricks

Hey! Sorry it has been so long...we have had alot going on these last couple of weeks --PTL! No, you do not need to get your eyes checked or new glasses; the picture is me with a guitar. I am taking lessons to learn how to play. I love music and carrying around a piano is tough, so I thought I would try something a little lighter. I picked black b/c it will go with alot of my outfits :) --no seriously, my teacher, a fellow missionary says, I have potential.

School is humming right along. We finished our 1st 9 weeks and report cards go out this week. Victoria is going to do great - por su puesto! In Geography we are studying Europe, so our passports have a stamp in them for ancient Greece and Rome. Next, we travel to France. The guy who cuts my hair here is from France (he was on a trip to the jungle and loved it so much, he decided to stay and open a beauty shop), so he is coming to teach my students about the history and culture. We are going to dress up too. This past week we dressed in Renaissance outfits. It was fun!

I have also completed all of my training for the administration part of my position, so I am going full speed now. I am loving every minute of it, even the complaints (though few). I figure they are a good indicator that I am doing something right b/c I require a certain standard to be maintained. Several parents have given me the thumbs up and said, "It is about time." We hope to increase our enrollment next year by building confidence in our staff. So far, so good.

Homecoming is just around the corner, so I am busy with that too. It should be alot of fun. I wrote one of the skits this weekend with another parent. We (SAM center) are doing a funny portrayal of Snow White. Photos to follow in November. Hope this finds you and yours well. We love ya and miss ya.

Batter, batter, "bat"ter up!

Well, we have had another full week. This week brought a bat swooping over my head in the library and plopping down in front of me. I screamed of course. Shortly thereafter, I heard another scream coming from the next room; it was Victoria. They had 4 bats in their classroom. We are also accumulating some very undesirable bat poop in the library, so my next project this coming week is to find some brave soul to go into the roof area and kill the bats and clean out all the poop b/c it is being to drop through the ceilings--YUK. I did manage to get alot of areas organized this week though. Classes are going quite well too. We are studying Europe in Geography and reading A Father's Promise in Literature, so we are incorporating Poland into our studies as well. I taught the HS Lit class this week and helped them broaden their horizons with some interesting writing assignments.

Our "homecoming" event is beginning to shape up. We will honor our Senior on Nov. 7th and 8th; first with a semi-formal dinner and presentation and then on Sat. with tournaments, games, food, contests and a bonfire all with a Renaissance theme. I hope I have not taken on more than I can accomplish.

Victoria spent the afternoon playing dolls with one of the moms here whose daughter is all grown up and no longer wants to play. They had a fantastic afternoon. Minori (the mom) teachers Spanish and Japanese for SAM Academy. They also made brownies. I spent the afternoon going to town in search of a marker board. I found an older gentleman walking around with several hanging over his shoulders, so I popped out of the taxi and made a beeline for him. Moments later, I was the one walking through town with it draped over my shoulder. Ah...the simple life (no WalMart). I ended my successful town trip with a coconut shake which was welcomed as it was 100 degrees here today with very little breeze.

Just a reminder, we have a hammock waiting for the brave ones who want a jungle town experience...blessings.

Interpol and Lima trip

Well interpol went well yesterday. I paid my $ for my carnet for residency here and got my fingerprints and my teeth checked. I am able to go on to the next stage. They are also translating Victoria´s birth certificate so I can get hers next time I am in Lima. I made a few purchases for the house and will be going back out today to find lighting and fans.

I had the pleasure of spending alot of the day with Adeila, the Peruvian lady who runs the SAM house here in Lima where we stay. She is so helpful. I had a great time getting to know her and laughing and riding around in many taxis with her. Lima is a city of 8 million and it is sprawling. We ended the evening meandering through the Inca Market in Miraflores and then having dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was a real treat for both of us! I could tell she had never been to the rest. I took her to--we both loved our meals. We got back around 10pm and I got settled into bed around 11. Shortly thereafter there was loud commotion in the street outside and then a gun shot. There is a park next to the house. The police came;I believe some joven (young person) was shot. Sleep evaded me for a while and I laid there thinking about how many of these 8 million are unsaved. We must press on towards the goal friends...whether here in Lima, Pucallpa, or in the US...there is a lost world out there that needs Christ. The taxi drivers here have little statues and cards with saints pictures on them. They believe these things will protect them. It is such a lie that Satan has brought into this culture.

On a positive note, my Spanish is holding its own. I pretty much understood everyone yesterday and got around town with no problem. Even my conversation with Adeila was flowing. I am planning on getting a tutor with a couple of the other new folks so that we can stay on top of the language.

Brrrrrrr...

Wow! We are super cold in the jungle--Yesterday, it was 98 degrees; however, in the night, a storm rolled in from the South. Today it was only in the 50's which is freezing for us here. The drastic drop has been causing many to be sick today and church was very intersting as the chairs blew away. The church has no walls of course. The pastor was preaching on psalm 23 and had just finished saying that God is our Shepherd/Pastor...and the wind blew so much that the roof shook. He said, "Hey, aren't you glad He is?" Tonight it is 40 some degrees colder and since we only have screens, it is chilly. We have one room finished with windows (Victoria's), so she was sheltered last night -- PTL!

Please pray for our counterparts in Bolivia. They are being evacuated b/c of civil unrest. Two single ladies are arriving here as we speak. They are teachers and will be helping us out at SAM Academy.

Our Open House was a success this week; we had alot of fun too. The kids displayed their work and many parents and other missionaries attended. It was my first official duty as Adminstrator. School continues to go well.

My talk at the ladies retreat went well too. I saw a few of them at church today, and they again said how much they appreciated my sharing. A few of them went home and shared my testimony with their families as well. We will be meeting each Saturday afternoon from 4-6pm. I am praying the Lord will continue to build these relationships and help me with communicating in Spanish. Thank you for your prayers.

almost there...

Well, we are almost there...the house is still in progress, but we are closer. Electrical stuff is being finished today (Lord willing), floors are going to be finished Friday and screens put in. The cleaning(which is going to be a huge undertaking) will be on Sat. and Monday. Thanks to so many, windowns are being measured and hopefully within a few weeks, they will be installed. The Lord has touched the hearts of our dear spiritual family and has provided the means for almost all of them!!!! He has also provided for other house needs as well.

School continues to go well. I have been assessing where we are at and where we need to head. Our first teacher meeting is today after school, and I am looking forward to sharing with everyone my vision for the school and areas needing improvement. The Lord is teaching me alot in this position. Teaching is going great! I have been filling in for someone until they get here for High School Bible (one of my favorite subjects) as well as Geography (we have a great project going on right now), Literature/Larts, and teaching Daniel.

Please be in prayer as I speak this Saturday (IN SPANISH) at a ladies retreat for a local church here. It is a privilege to be asked to do this, and I am hoping the Lord will use it in the lives of these women. I am also praying for the development of relationships with this group as many of them will be in my upcoming Bible study (IN SPANISH) Lord I Want to Know You. It is awesome to see how the Lord is already working in my life in this area, which has been a heart's desire for several years. We are sensing His leading and your prayers in this endeavor. Praise the Lord with us!

Victoria is doing wonderfully! As always, she is a top student. She loves her friends here already and will be helping watch the young children while I am teaching the Bible study. She is quite active each day and enjoying the outdoors and warm weather. The students get together twice a week after school and play volleyball or soccer; she has alot of fun.

I will send pictures of the house when it is completed...until then -- be blessed and have a great day in the Lord!

update

Well, our 3rd week of school is well under way. We have a new bat in our classroom now. This is a continual problem as they live in the ceilings, and they have not been cleaned out in many years. Classes are going well. In Geography, the kids are responsible for researching their chosen area in the world and construct a hotel/resort given the dynamics of the geographical features in that area. Victoria is loving it! She selected the Galapago Islands. Her "draw" is, "Come sleep in both hemispheres"... My time with Daniel, the 4th grade boy I am helping is going great! He is very motivated to overcome his challenges. He is extremely bright.

Our house is not quite finished, but it is coming along. They are saying by the end of next week maybe. It actually has been a blessing to be a part of the process and getting to make choices for the layout etc... We are very excited about finally getting settled. Our trips into town are dusty. We have to take a mototaxi (which is a motorcycle that has a rickshaw like cart on the back). I think I am pretty familiar where stuff is now. I continue to struggle with breathing and coughing to the point of being doubled over at times b/c of the smoke that 24 hours a day pours into the sky here from the wood factory. The Lord has been gracious though and has kept me strong and able to continue in my responsibilities.

Next week I will be speaking at a ladies retreat for a local church, so my sharing (30 mins.) will be all in Spanish. Wow, what an opportunity! I am thrilled the Lord has given me this privilege. Pray for me next Friday evening that all the Lord has for them will flow freely in Spanish from my mouth and heart.

There is NO lion in the street

I was reading this a.m. during my quiet time and was reminded that a sluggard comes up with excuses not to do something (to stay in their house) b/c "there is a lion in the street". However, God clearly commands us to go forth...whether that means across the street to your neighbor or to the next state or to a different country, the command is clear. However, we (people who are so comfortable and don't like change) make up excuses like the sluggard not to do God's work or fulfill His destiny. It has been my prayer for several years to teach a Precept study in Spanish. I recently went to language school to aid in this endeavor. While there I thought, "if only I could stay for the whole year...I could really teach in Spanish". God convicted me right there. If He has called me or you to a ministry or to a job or whatever, HE will equip.

Last night, my prayers were answered. God took this willing heart and gave me the confidence IN HIM to say yes to teaching a ladies group here in Pucallpa! God is so good and patient. Although I am nervous and hope my Spanish is good enough...I know God will use it for His glory. WHAT LIONS ARE YOU LETTING get in the way? Don't be a sluggard (God said it, not me)-- get out and do what He has laid on your heart to do. IF you are not sure (b/c He has a plan for you and it is more than watching that TV), ask HIM; He is faithful. Love and grace as you live for HIM!

A Look Back

Our 1st week of school went very well. I am adjusting to teaching on a block schedule which is very different than everyday teaching the same subjects. My middle school students are sharp. We have already had our first test and all A's. I tutored Daniel today. He is the boy who wants to come to school full-time; our session was very successful and I am confident we will make the necessary progress in time. Please pray for him.

Our house is coming along great! I was in there over the weekend sweeping up and helping with some electrical wiring issues (thanks dad). The addition is walled in and now just the finishing touches along with electrical stuff. We are excited about getting truly settled. We visited a church this weekend with one of the missionary families here. Their sanctuary was being worked on so we all crammed into the old building with no fans, and it was 98 degrees here yesterday. The sermon was solid on the life of King Hezekiah, and I understood almost everything the pastor said; what a blessing. We tried our first restaurant yesterday too. We had fish from the river, which is a tributary of the Amazon River flowing out of Brazil. It was delicious. In the afternoon, we played volleyball with the church and enjoyed getting to know them. Victoria sends HI to everyone and thanks for writing. It is an encouragement.

The Heat is On!

Hola amigos! Que tal? We are doing very well. I have so much to tell you, but I will try to be brief. First of all, GOD IS SO GOOD. I am truly amazed by HIM continually! We arrived here in Pucallpa, Peru on Saturday as scheduled, and the luggage was here by the end of the day. The trip over the Andes Mtns. was incredible. We even saw snow on the tops of some of the peaks. It was just so strange seeing that knowing we were going to land in extreme heat. And we did...our new friends, students and co-workers met us at the quaint airport with a welcome sign. We made the short trip to the SAM academy compound and got settled in right away. It immediately felt like home even though we are not yet able to move into our home for another couple of weeks. The workers are so diligent and even working in extreme heat to get it done promptly. I took before pictures today and will include them in our next newsletter. The house needed repair and an addition, as it was built some decades ago. It is made of wood and is on brick stilts to cut down on the bugs and such.

Pucallpa is alot like where we were in Venezuela except much poorer and if you can imagine, I think a bit hotter. I love the heat though and have been enjoying the trickles down my back while unfortunately for others, they are dripping wet. We have not had many bug bites yet, but the smoke from the next door wood factory is almost unbearable, especially at night. Victoria has already had a nose bleed from the dryness and smoke, but God is able and all we need to adapt. We are living in the old boys dorm in two seperate rooms that have not been occupied for many years. It is quite sufficient but rustic. Another teacher is gracious enough to let us use her bathroom and kitchen.

School began yesterday, and it was quite a day. I am teaching middle school Language Arts, Spelling, Literature and Writing along with Geography. I was going to teach HS Lit. as well, however, I have decided to tutor a 4th grade boy who has some learning disabilities while his mother who is a certified teacher for HS Lit. and taught a couple of years ago (as I am sure much better than I) serves in that capacity. I am excited about helping this young man with the goal of getting him in the mainstream classroom. (I sure wish I had Ed Lawson down here - NILD instructor). My students are quite smart. I have 6th-8th grades; Victoria is the only 6th grader and will be challenged and she is excited! I am teaching her Latin III several times a week, and she is taking Spanish as well with another teacher.

The other great news is that one of the pastor's wives here who is Peruvian has been praying that someone would come and teach a group of young believers (women) in her church using the inductive study method that she experienced while spending time in the US. This has been my heart's desire for many years. I am humbled that God has put me here equipped with Spanish and a love for inductive study. I hope to begin next month. Please pray that the women would be receptive to this indepth study on the names of God by Kay Arthur/Precept. I have taught it in English before, now I have the privilege to teach it in Spanish.

We are so full of joy in this ministry opportunity. I am hesitant to say I could stay here for a long time b/c of what happened in Venezuela, but I truly do feel as though we have once again been put in the right place for the right time--thanks be to GOD. Let us hear from you...KandV

Bittersweet

The Lord has blessed us with so many wonderful friends!

Greetings from South America! As always transition time is a time that is bittersweet (la dulce y el limon) We left Atlanta last night at around midnight(14th) after a busy 12 days back in US visiting as many as we could and repacking. The overnight flight was as fun as you can imagine--NOT. We kinda slept in every position we could think of trying to get a few winks in before we arrived here in Lima. The smell of Delta's eggs were almost more than I could bare at 4a.m. The trip was smooth and customs was a breeze compared to what we have dealt with in the past, so we are thankful. The Lord sent one of his angels to help with the 6 heavy suitcases which totally saved my back--thank you Lord for your provisions. We are now at the guest house in Lima awaiting our trip tomorrow into Pucallpa. The luggage is on its way now by truck which will take almost 24 hours. The plane trip is only 1 hour mas o menos. Starting our paperwork was not too successful today as we are now on Latino schedules (muy tranquilo). I will make another trip back in a couple of weeks to try again.

School starts on Monday and we are excited about getting settled in our temporary house until they finish renovating our house which is steps away from the school, yeah! We have met several families already who we will be working with in Pucallpa; I am excited to hear all that is going on for the Kingdom in our jungle town. My prayer is that Victoria and I will be a part of the growth of new believers in the area and find a church to become involved in. My heart's desire is to begin a Precept study with a group of Peruvian women in Spanish, so please pray to that end.

For all of you that know I am not "up with the times", I just wanted to let you know that I now have a MP3 player thanks to Stephanie and my 43rd birthday. Hey Jenn, "I'm in the now. (ha, ha)

Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We are here thanks to your support and love. Please know we are humbled by all that the Lord has done and is doing and will do. Blessings!

Seeing God in the midst of busy times--

Wow! What a week we have had since returning to the US last Sunday! We have been visiting friends old and new. We had the pleasure of returning to Hebron Christian Academy and seeing lots of friendly faces. It was such a blessing! We were commissioned at First Baptist Church Loganville and have been loved on by our wonderful church family. We are going to miss everyone. God has been precious to me in these days as I went before Him and asked Him to cleanse me b/c I did not have peace. He was faithful to show me my sin and give me Scripture to set me on His path. I have allowed doubt to hinder me and fear to paralyze me at times during this process. All that needed to be raised and done before leaving seemed overwhelming to me. I thank the Lord for reminding me that He is in control and His timing is Perfect. Isaiah 58:11 and Habakkuk 3 really spoke to me.

Thursday the 14th is the day--we will leave in the evening and by Friday be in Lima, Peru to get paperwork for our visas underway then onto Pucallpa. School starts on Monday the 18th, so we are very excited to get to know everyone and get settled.

Thank you again for praying for us and encouraging us in these times. We could not be going without your love and support and prayers.

Spreading the Gospel to the nations

Por que de tal manera amó Dios al mundo que ha dado su hijo unigénito para que todo aquel que crea en Él, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.

Juan 3:16

Peruvian flag

Friends and fun in South America

1. My students in Venezuela.

2. Three beautiful princesses, Anna, Emmalee, and Victoria.

The other places we've traveled to

We've worked in many countries. We worked in Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela, for 2 years. We worked in Madrid, Spain for a while after that. Later, we went to Costa Rica for a couple months to learn Spanish at The Spanish Language Institute in San José. Now we are in the process of moving to Pucallpa, Peru, where I will be the director and teacher of a small mission school.

What we've been up to

1. My Spanish grammar teacher, Marlene.

2. Our new friends, the Penningtons.

3. Mauricio, Rosalia, and Grace Sanchez (the family we live with) before going to a party.

4. Victoria, Miguel, and Grace on Superhero day at school. Victoria was a soldier, Miguel was Spiderman, and Grace was Super Flora.