Lots of News!

Welcome back to the weekly blog! I hope this note finds you all doing well. I have many things to share with you this week. I'll start with the biggest news of all! God has provided someone to keep my cat while I am in the states. Drs. Placido and Tony Mercado are SAM missionaries who run a medical clinic which ministers to the Aeyore, an indigenous group of people. They have two children Jose (5th grade) and Emily (3rd grade). Emily is the most excited and I know she will take great care of my baby. I talked to them on Wednesday and got an immediate yes. By the time I saw some of the 3rd grade students on Thursday morning, Emily had already told her friends that she was going to be taking care of my cat! You can continue to pray for them and for me as it will be hard for me to leave her behind, and they are afraid of her running away or something happening to her while she is with them. However, God has been faithful in providing for that need and I know he will take care of any struggles that occur along the way.

Last weekend was full of fun! Dana and I had a wonderful time in San Ignacio! We had calm flights, beautiful weather, and a very relaxing time. We stayed by the pool a lot in the afternoons, reading and napping. We also walked around a fair amount, visiting a few people that I had gotten to know last summer. On Sunday morning, we took a retreat of silence to spend time thinking, praying, and reflecting. Then on Sunday night, we went to a service at the church I attended last June and July. All in all, it was a wonderfully relaxing time! Definitely one of those vacations that's hard to come back from!

I forgot to mention last week an experience I had a couple of weeks ago. I went to the youth group meeting on Saturday night, like I often do. There was a boy there who has just recently started coming. He is in my Sunday school class, so junior high age. During the time of fellowship I was just chatting with him about school and things. Out of the blue he turned to me and said, "My teacher says that babies whose parents aren't married, aren't wanted, is that true? My parents aren't married..." It opened wide the door for me to talk with him about the love of God and how God doesn't make mistakes. I don't know his mom, I don't know what her plans were for having children, but isn't it wonderful that I could still tell him about someone who loves him very much and who has great plans in store for him! I didn't get to go to church last weekend since I was travelling so I haven't seem him since then, but he is often on my mind. Please pray for him and for the other kids I meet here who come from broken homes and whose parents aren't walking with the Lord. Oh that these children would not seek to be walking in their parent's footsteps, but instead would be looking for the path God wants them to take.

Well, I think that's about it for this week. The upcoming week will be full of birthday celebrations (not just for myself...since my birthday is April 18, but also for Pablito HAuse and another friend from church whose birthdays are on the 14th and the 16th). We also have the junior senior banquet tomorrow night. It's formal and exciting for students and teachers alike! Tune in next Friday for up-dates on these major events! Blessings to you all!