I love Christmas!

I just love Christmas time. There is something so special about spending time with family, doing things you don't normally do together. Like last week - all the girls in the family who were in Kamloops got together to bake and decorate sugar cookies. My mom, my sister, Arryn and Alex and my niece Christa, spent 6 hours together laughing and telling stories as we worked. It was a lot of fun; it was also super delicious! The rule was, if you broke a cookie you had to eat the evidence! Mmmmm! I broke my fair share! My great niece and nephew were there as well. They are 2 1/2 years old and 8 months old. Watching my mom, Greatgrandma, decorate cookies with Zekie, was priceless. Great memories.

We also ventured out into the bush for our annual hunting trip - for trees, that is! We saw deer and other critters as we walked through the hills looking for the perfect Christmas tree. It may not be a cultured, visually perfect tree, but because we go as a family and pick it out together, it is perfect for us.

I also enjoy attending the church Christmas programs. It is just such fun watching the kids and listening to the choirs.

I think, although, what I love most about Christmas, is celebrating the birth of my Saviour. In Kamloops, they say that only 3% of the population are professing believers - 3%! The community at large can be openly opposed to religion, in particular a faith that calls you to submit and be accountable. Yet, at Christmas, so many who don't know Christ, are drawn into Church, listen to the old carols herolding the birth of Jesus, and soften their hearts to the message of the Gospel. They don't feel the need to be on the defense, because, after all, it's Christmas! Peace, joy and goodwill to all men, right? What an amazing opportunity we have, as believers, to show the love of Christ to all we encounter during the Christmas season. Rather than being frustrated at waiting in line at the cash register, visit with those around you and bathe them in love. Show extra gratitude to those serving you and bless them. Be different; stand out - but in a soft, loving and gentle way. A way that makes all around you feel special and appreciated.

I love Christmas because I get to celebrate the birth of my King with family and friends. But, I also love Christmas, because I get to love, perhaps in a little more direct way, the non-believers that God has placed into my life. How much better could it get?

Blessings,

Karren

Making plans for the future.

Well, we have been home now for almost a month. It has been so good to see our family and friends. We have had many challenging issues to work through over the past month, including some health issues, and I have to say, I wasn't really excited about it. But, once again, the Lord has shown Himself faithful and what seemed overwhelming a month ago, is all sorting itself out. That is the Lord. He is the only one who could possibly put things in order to allow us to return to Guatemala in January and we are so thankful for divine intervention.
I think if I was aware of all of the ways the Lord provided, protected, guided and directed my life I'd be shocked. I know He is working His miracles in my life continually, but for the most part I am unaware. When I do see, with my physical eyes, how He has provided, I am only seeing the tip of the iceberg; so much more has happened already beneath the surface.
For example, in October, our renters emailed us in Guatemala to tell us they were moving. We were concerned about coming back to Canada, advertising and hoping to find good tenants. It is hard to put someone in your home and then leave the country, as you don't really know how they will care for your home. Just as we were preparing to put the ad on Kiji and Craig's List, and begin the long process of interviewing possible tenants, we had lunch with my family. We sat with my nephew and his family and learned they were interested in our house. To make a long story short, they are our new tenants!
With this provision, God answered two of our prayer concerns - providing us with good tenants and eliviating some of our concern about leaving Arryn behind in Canada. To know that she won't be alone in the house, but will have family upstairs, is a huge relief for us. How many things, although, needed to be put into place for this to all happen? Certainly more than I was aware of when I received the email saying we needed to find new tenants. I could only see the tip of the iceberg, and it looked more like a challenge than a blessing.
Another example of God's provision and planning is in the area of our health. Rocky has been in need of a surgery for a number of months now and we were doubtful that he'd be able to get in while we were home. Again, it looked like a real challenge. We were thinking that he'd actually have to return to Canada at some point during the year to have the operation. But, the Lord had a different plan. The surgeon he visited happened to be going to Guatemala to volunteer in a hospital in Antigua later this year. They got to talking and she was impressed with what Rocky was doing. She offered to ask one of her other patients to have their surgery postponed, so that Rocky could get in and have time to recover before we need to leave for Guatemala! That just doesn't happen in today's medical climate; that was the Lord! He hand selected this particular surgeon and prepared her heart in advance of Rocky's appointment. We serve an amazing God!
The Lord has also made a way for us, financially. Not only has He provided some odd jobs for Rocky this month so we have some cash for Christmas, but our support levels have increased substantially since we started on this adventure one year ago. All of last year, we were going into debt each month to work as missionaries in Guatemala. It was a debt we were willing to take on, as we really believe the Lord has called us to serve Him in Guatemala. That doesn't make it easy, although, and we were concerned about how much longer we could shoulder the debt if our support didn't increase. As we were reviewing the reports that Impact Ministries gave us at the end of October, we were humbled and thouroughly blessed. Although we are not yet at full support, we are getting close. The Lord asked us to go and we said yes, without knowing where the support would come from, and now we see Him touching people's hearts to give. That is miraculous.
I am sure if you stopped and looked at your life, you, too, could list off numerous ways the Lord has interviened and not only provided in a time of crisis, but prepared the situation well in advance of the crisis. What an amazing God we serve. He never promised us life that would be without its trials, but He did promise if we lift our eyes off of the problems and set them on Him, the author and finisher of our faith, we will see with a new perspective. That is my challenge - to see more than just the tip of the iceberg and feel overwhelmed or even defeated. I want to lift my eyes to the heavens and recognize the miraculous hand of the Lord in my life, so I can rejoice and give thanks in all things.
Bless you,
Karren

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...!

Well, it finally happened. This morning we woke up to a white winter wonderland. It really is beautiful, although the temperatures are sure cold.

The picture is from a recent outing with Rocky's brother, Myles, and his family.

Rocky has been busy this past week working on finishing off the renovations in our basement suite. We really had barely moved in last year before we left for Guatemala, so many things were left unfinished. He has also taken on a bathroom renovation so we have a little money for Christmas.

I have been busy unpacking boxes that were stuffed in under the stairs to see what we really have and still need to give away in order to fit into our downsized living quarters. It's all good, although. The transition into a smaller residence has been a good one. It is amazing how much stuff you accumulate that you don't really need or even use. For example, I had 8 twin sized comforters and only 1 twin sized bed. Why, you might ask; well I asked the same thing and couldn't come up with a good reason. I now have 2 and good will has 6.

I am also working on our third newsletter to fill everyone in on where we are at and what the future holds for us. I know there is still a lot of work to be done on editing and updating Impact documents, so I am going to get back to that task this coming week as well.

Our kids are all busy and doing a variety of things. Arryn has been taking a TESL course (Teaching English as a Second Language) at TRU so that has occupied some of her time. She is also looking for part-time work, which prayerfully she'll find soon. Hope seems to stay busy with school and homework - I love grade 11 math! Marshal is somewhere in Nicaragua enjoying the surf and sand, and Alex is finishing up this semester of nursing at TRU and looking forward to Christmas break.

There is a little update on our family's activities.

Blessings,

Karren

Remembrance Day

Yesterday was Remembrance Day; a day where we remember those who have served so that we can enjoy living in a free country. We were in the car at 11:11, and Hope said, "Okay, everyone quiet!" We observed a moment of silence and then I asked her what that silence meant to her. She said, "It is something we do out of respect. It is the least we can do for those who gave their lives for us."
It got me to thinking about Jesus. More even than the soldiers who have fought for our political freedom, Jesus fought for our complete freedom. The Bible says where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom! Because of what Jesus did on the cross for us over 2000 years ago, we have freedom! Not only that, we have a hope for the future. Remembrance Day should be every day! Everyday we need to remember the sacrifice that was made for us at Calvary and give thanks by living our lives as those who are free. Free from worry, doubt, anxiety, fear, whatever. The enemy tries to paralyze us and place us in bondage, but Jesus Christ came, died and rose again so we could be free. How amazing is that?
I want to live my life in a manner that reflects the fact that God knows me; He has a plan for me; His plan is good, not bad; His plan gives me hope for the future!
Thank you, Lord.
Blessings,
Karren

Back in Canada

Well, we arrived back in Kamloops this afternoon. Our flight was uneventful - PTL! - and we even got a free upgrade to the emergency row, so that was a bonus. We spent the night at Tom and Sandy Martin's place and they let us use their van to drive home with all our luggage. I think we had around 550lbs of luggage - 6 large duffles and 6 pieces of carry-on!

It is a strange thing to come home. It's wonderful to see family and friends and catch up with those we've been apart from, but it is hard to just slip into old routines, as they just don't seem to fit anymore.

We were only in our basement suite for 5 weeks prior to leaving for Guatemala in February and then another 4 weeks in August - a total of 9 weeks. I wandered around the kitchen tonight as I prepared supper and I didn't know where anything was. It was almost as if I was in a stranger's home. Home for us right now seems more like the house we left behind in Tactic, than our basement suite in Kamloops.

We went to Super Store this afternoon to pick up a few things. Ever since Super Store opened in Kamloops, it is where I have done the majority of my grocery shopping. I cannot count the number of times I have been in the store. Today, although, was different. Rocky, Arryn and I wandered up and down the aisles not really knowing what we were supposed to get. I kept repeating the most necessary items in my head, so I wouldn't get overwhelmed and forget. We felt like fish out of water. We hardly said a word to each other and when we saw the total for our 5 bags of food, we gasped! $137! How could we be so extravagant to spend that much on a few small bags of groceries?

It is interesting how your point of reference changes when you've been living in a different culture for an extended period of time. This is called reverse culture shock. When you've been away, even for a short time, but more so for longer periods of time, you no longer feel like you fit into your home culture. Everything seems strange and foreign and it is a challenge to feel like you belong.

I suppose that is okay. Les was saying, the night before we left, that we really aren't supposed to feel like we belong in our culture because our home is with the Lord, not here on the earth. So perhaps this taste of reverse culture shock / re-entry is a good thing in the bigger picture. "Do not be conformed by the patters of this world..."

Thank you for all of your support and prayers. We are so blessed to have people in our lives who care about us and support us. We have much to do over the next little while and many decisions to make, so we ask for your prayers. We hope to catch up with many of you over the next few weeks!

Blessings,

Karren and Rocky

Getting packed up to go to Canada.

Well, it seems like it's been a while since I blogged - sorry! I tried once and the internet wasn't consistent enough to post. We have had a very busy last 2 weeks. We finished our language classes! Yeh! It was really great to take classes, but it was also really hard. Oh well, I guess anything worthwhile learning takes time. We returned to Tactic and jumped right into a week of celebrations. We were able to participate in all the schools' closing ceremonies and graduations which was a real treat. Arryn made a special presentation to the class she worked with most - she made all of them a little keepsake.

I turned 48 on October 26th and celebrated by sharing in Chicoy's first grad class (those graduating from Elementary school). There was a program in the morning and then a dinner in the evening. It is incredible to think of how the schools have grown over the past few years.

Today, we said goodbye to Larry, Val and Ksenya Schmidt who have been here for two months. It was great to have them here and I know Rocky appreciated working with Larry on the work sites, making plans for the future. So much is happening right now with the properties; it is very exciting.

We are also getting ready to pack our bags and return to Canada. The last two months have been productive for us. We hosted 2 teams, did 2 weeks of Spanish school, Rocky worked on plans for the new property, I worked on updating Impact Ministries documents - a seemingly endless job!

Thank you to all of you who have supported us this past year through your prayers and finances. We are truly grateful for your kindness and generosity. It has been an honour to be used by the Lord to build His kingdom, and we continue to be humbled by the fact that He chooses to use us.

God Bless you, Karren and Rocky

One week down, one to go!

Well, it is Saturday morning and I have to say, we are both happy for a morning without classes! I am sure throughout the weekend we will spend time studying, but to have a relaxing morning for a change is a real treat! Boy, I don't think we really knew how hard it would be to do 4 hours of one-on-one classes every day. I actually thought, prior to starting last week, that in the second week we might increase our time to 6 hours. Boy, was I mistaken. The first two hours go pretty well. Then we take a 20 minute break. The hour following the break is okay as well, but the final hour is really tough. I suppose at our age, there is only so much our brains can absorb in one sitting. It got me to thinking about schools where they only have two subjects per day, but classes are 3 hours long. I think I'd lose it after a while! Oh well. We are both learning a great deal, so that is wonderful. My teacher, Gerber, loves to talk, so we spend the first hour just talking in Spanish about the events of the previous day. Yesterday was great because we had a fairly strong tremor at 5:30am so we spent an hour discussing tremors, earthquakes, tetonic plates, volcanos, etc. It was super stretching, vocabulary wise, but a topic of great interest. We also discussed this week the rescue of the Chilean miners. That has been quite a story! Our daily discourse has kept me up on world news, which is neat because when we are in Tactic, it seems so removed that we really don't know much of what goes on elsewhere.

I thought I'd include some photos of the hotel where we are staying. I have to say, I feel a bit guilty because it is so nice! Thanks Jon and Chris! Our room looks onto a courtyard that has a fountain and an amazing garden. The entire grounds here are beautiful with flowers and trees of every variety. We have a small kitchen in our unit, so essentially we have been eating the majority of our meals in our suite. This has made being in Antigua way more economical than if we had to eat out for every meal. We are only about a 10 minute walk from our school, a 15 minute walk to the central park and no more than a 20 walk to almost everything in Antigua, so our location couldn't be better. We are far enough out of the center of town that we don't hear the church bells in the very early morning - what a blessing!

Rocky has been spending the afternoons with Marshal. They are enjoying the opportunity to hang out together. They have hiked the hills around Antigua and yesterday they climbed Pacaya. Rocky said the volcano has changed tremendously since the erruptions earlier this year.

Please continue to pray for us as we study. We are trusting that the time and energy we are putting in will pay off by strengthening our relationships with our Guatemalan brothers and sisters.

Blessings,

Karren

Language School

Well, I just finished my second day of language classes. My brain is so full of verbs, I don't quite know what to do. It seems to me that English verbs are actually fairly straight forward, or you can at least figure it out that they go together. I know the rest of the language is really difficult, but not so much the verbs.
Spanish is different. The rest of the language is fairly predictable, but the verbs are crazy! For example, the verb "to be." First of all there are two verbs "to be," but if you look at only one, "ser" it goes like this - Yo soy, tu eres, el/ella/usted es, nosotros somos, ellos/ellas/ustedes son. That is the present tense of I am, you are, he/she/you are, we are, they/you (plural) are. For past tense, it is - Yo fui, tu fuiste, el/ella/usted fue, nosotros fuimos, ellos/ellas/ustedes fueron. It doesn't look anything like the present form!
I am praying that the Lord will simply open up the unused parts of my brain so that I can learn Spanish faster and that it will make sense to me. I know He is able to help us in miraculous ways, and learning Spanish would make us so much more effective in our ministry in Tactic.
Please pray for us as we do these classes. We sure need it!
Blessings,
Karren

Medical Clinic in Pombach

On Thursday and Friday of this week, we ran a Medical Clinic in Pombach, a mountain village about 30 minutes out of Tactic. The first time we visited this village was 10 years ago. At that time, we were not really welcomed with open arms, but over the years we have worked to establish a solid relationship with them. 9 years ago, our home church in Canada purchased property in Pombach so that we could build a church. A local pastor in Tactic, Pastor Pedro Fortin, had a vision from the Lord for this village and we partnered with him to see it fulfilled. Over the next three years, Kamloops Christian School worked on the construction of a church and Pastor Fortin trained a pastor fill the position. When we first arrived, the village had only 3 families who were evangelicals. The second year it had grown to 7, the third year 15, and now there are actually three evangelical churches thriving in this remote village with over 40 families serving the Lord. The Lord is so good! Here in Guatemala, the people are hungry for the word of God. When presented with His truth and His hope for the future, they embrace it openly and their lives are forever transformed.

The doctor who is currently here, Dr. Tom Martin from Vancouver, and his family, along with Impact Ministries support staff, managed to see well over 100 people in two days. Along with the common complaints and ailments of headaches, neckaches, parasites, malnutrition, skin infections, and bronchial infections, they saw a few very rare disorders, one of which the doctor said he'd only seen once while in medical school. One young lady was born without a thyroid, not an uncommon condition and totally treatable in Canada. Because she didn't receive any care, although, she is only about 2 1/2 feet tall and severly mentally handicapped. They also saw a rare chromyzone deformity where an 8 year old boy is only 27 pounds. He is blind, cannot walk and due to his illness, he will probably not see his 14th birthday. What a challenge to live in a remote village, trying to care for the special needs of some of these children.

The Lord, however, is interviening into situations just like these and miracles are happening. When medically we can do nothing, that is when the Lord can step in and do amazing things.

We listened to a young man from Pombach tell of how his wife had 3 still born children in a row. After their first child was still born, the witch doctor visited them and told them if he would have performed certain rituals over the lady prior to conception and then during the pregnancy, the child would have been healthy. So, wanting desparately to have a healthy child, they paid for the rituals to be done. Because this man only earned about $15/week and the ritual cost $100, they had to borrow money to have it done. The wife conceived and carried the child to term, but again it was still born. The witch doctor returned and said they obviously needed to have more rituals performed because the gods were not pleased with them, so they borrowed more money - now the price had more than doubled - and performed multiple rituals. Their third child was also still born. The pastor of the church visited their home and shared the Gospel with them as they mourned the death of their third child. They accepted the Lord and their lives were transformed! They now have 3 healthy children and are actively serving in the church and telling others of how the Lord healed them, physically and spiritually. In their time of huge need, the Lord met them and provided for them. What a miracle.

We may not be able to address all the physical needs of the people of Pombach through our medical clinic, but the Lord can. He asks us to do what we can, and then leave the rest to Him. Nada es imposible para Dios - Nothing is impossible for God!

Making arrangements for language school

Well, we dropped off the team from Leduc, Alberta this morning and returned to Antigua. We spent the afternoon checking out all of the arrangements for our 2 weeks of language school. Jon and Chris Loewen, friends of ours from Kamloops, have a time share they offered us for a hotel in Antigua. When we finally found it, we were blown away! It is a beautiful hotel with all the amenities. Our room is not a room at all - it is a suite, with a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. We are going to be totally spoiled. I am really excited to be able to prepare our own food, as eating out in this country long term is generally not good for the tummy!

We also stopped by the language school where we had booked on line, and I was really thankful we did. It was on the opposite end of town - not in walking distance from the hotel - and it didn't look at all like it did on line. We cancelled those arrangements and went in search of a school we found a year and a half ago. It is located on Calle Espiritu Santo - Holy Spirit Street! It is only a few minutes from our hotel and we had the opportunity to discuss the program with someone there and feel really good about it. It is also cheaper than the other school. God is so good!

Rocky hasn't been feeling so great today, so he is resting. We are thankful for the time to rest and to check things out for our classes. Although our Spanish has improved this year, we need so much more! I hope our brains are ready to be stretched!

Marshal arrives tomorrow - yeah! We are really excited to have him come and see where we live and what we do. There is a doctor here right now running some medical clinics, one of which will be held in Pombach. We are hoping Marshal will be able to go along one day and take some photos. Arryn is really excited about taking Marshal to school with her. Her Prepa class at Chijacorral has prepared a little surprise for him. After spending a week with us in Tactic, Marshal will be coming to Antigua with Rocky and I and doing 1 week of language classes before he takes off to explore Central America.

Well, I'm going to go wake up Rocky and see if I can convince him to get something to eat.

Blessings,

Karren

Waiting for a tropical storm!

Well, Tropical Storm Matthew was supposed to travel directly over us in Tactic, but, much to our surprise and joy, it disappated prior to its expected arrival. Extreme weather is something we are getting more used to all the time, but it is never a very comfortable thing. For us, in our home, we have some significant water issues. Because we are at the bottom of a hill and the storm drains are just past our house, when it really rains, I mean a down pour, the water all backs up into our house/yard. It is hard to describe how much water falls from the sky when we have a real downpour; it is surreal. Our street becomes a river and the drains all shoot water up into the air because the pressure in the drainage system is so great, it cannot handle the water pushing its way through. As a result, the drain in our carport becomes the "out." All the excess water comes up through this drain and floods our yard and backs up our septic system. Yuck! It wouldn't be so bad if it was just rain water run off, but here, they don't separate the septic systems from the drainage systems - they all run together and out into the river behind our house. So, when it backs up into our yard, it is more than just water - use your imagination here! I tried to attach a video of a recent storm, but it wouldn't load up, so I added a couple of pictures. It isn't quite the same, seeing a still picture as seeing a video, although.

Well, I should go for now; Rocky is at the worksite with the Leduc team and I am supposed to be working on Impact documents!

Blessings,

Karren

Celebrating 10 years in Tactic!

The culmination of a week of celebration was a parade Guatemalan style. All 1100 of our students and 100 staff walked through the streets of Tactic, from one end all the way to our Chijacorral school. It was quite an overwhelming scene to see how large the ministry has grown in 10 years, and how many lives have been impacted. Once the schools arrived at Chijacorral, they were joined by well over 300 parents for a program which showcased each school and celebrated what the Lord has done over the past 10 years. The time of worship was amazing. There is nothing that can compare to the voices of 1100 children and youth worshipping the Lord! I tried to tape it, but my camera's microphone just didn't capture what it actually sounded like.

The focus of the program, although, was not just on the past, but also on what more is yet to come. That is exciting. We are so blessed to work with a ministry that is having an impact on the national people. The original vision of Impact Ministries is no longer just the vision of a group of Canadians, but is now embraced and moving ahead as the vision of a group of young Guatemalan leaders. That is awesome.

Although it is the rainy season, the Lord held back the rain for this event (PTL)! It was hot and sunny. I think everyone got too much sun that day, and the kids in their uniforms were cooking!
Each school developed a float which spoke to something about the ministry and/or the Lord. Purulha's float was of the medical clinic and they had a group of kids dressed as nurses and doctors. Thier sign says, "inject yourself with Jesus!" Chijacorral's float was of Noah's arc to remember the promises of God and His plan for the future.

What an amazing day! Something truly worth celebrating.

Blessings,

Karren

Another Karren!

We had a lot of firsts with the Celebration Team! It was the first time I have ever taken a group on a home visit where the family gave the sponsor a chicken as a thank you gift! It was the first time I have been a part of a baptism at Rio de Vida church, and our daughter, Arryn, was one of the baptism candidates. To hear her declare her love for the Lord and her desire to leave the world and all it offers behind and live totally for Him was an incredible honour to witness! We participated in a parade through Tactic. All 1100 of our students and 100 staff marched through the streets of Tactic to celebrate the 10th anniversary. I have never been a part of something like that!

I think, although, the most shocking first was when we took the group to the hospital to visit the children and new moms. I brought a small gift to one mom and chatted with her a bit - I am so thankful I am learning more Spanish! - prayed with her, her husband, and her parents and then moved on to the next bed. A couple of minutes later, the grandpa asks me my name. I was thinking he wanted to know which ministry we work with so I gave him my name and Impact Ministries' name. He asked me to say my name a couple of times, so I did, and then he said his daughter was naming his granddaughter after me! Can you believe it! What a surprise. That is for sure a first! I went back to the bed and sure enough, the mom wanted to name her daughter after me. The group all pulled out their cameras and I became "Grandma Karren."

For me, at first it seemed silly and a bit over the top, but as I thought about it, the Lord really spoke to me about gratitude. This new mother was so grateful for the small gift and the few minutes I spent talking and praying with her, she wanted to show me by naming her precious baby girl, Karren. I have a lot to learn about gratitude. How thankful and grateful am I for the blessings of the Lord in my life. Sure, I face challenges and trials, but when I look at the big picture, I am so outrageously blessed. I want to show the Lord my gratitude more. I want to love others with no alterior motive, simply because the Lord loves me.

Blessings,

Karren

Back in Guatemala!

Well, we arrived in Guatemala on September 1st, and since our arrival, have not had internet access in the evenings, when we have a few moments of free time, so we have not blogged. Sorry!
Anyway, much has happened since we returned. We are here, hosting the Celebration Team - a group of Impact Minitries' supporters. The schools here have put on some amazing events and celebrations to show their gratitude for Les and Rita and those who have supported Impact Ministries over the last 10 years. One of the things that has struck me about his particular group of supporters is the number of sponsor children they all have. One couple sponsors 10 children and they are looking to sponsor even more! Can you believe it? It is incredible. We have been doing home visits every day just to get through all of the children whom this group sponsors. What a blessing!
Our schools hosted a spelling bee and the finals were this week. Wow! It was quite the production! They invited principals from public schools to come and see the event because they want to include all of the schools in the area next year. It is an amazing outreach. We started with a flag ceremony, followed by some praise and worship. Then we enetered into the competition - or olympics, as they call it here. It was great!
On Thursday, we are having a huge community march with all of our students and staff, marching through the streets of Tactic. Our destination is the Chijacorral school, were there will be a program. Again, we have invited the mayor and other dignitaries, so it should be quite the event.
For us, although, the highlight of this past week was Arryn's baptism. Wow! On Sunday afternoon, before our church family, Arryn declared her love for the Lord and desire to live her life for Him and was baptized along with a number of other Guatemalans. It was a wonderful time of celebration and we are sure proud of her.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We sure appreciate you.
God Bless,
Karren

Packing our bags

Well, we have two more sleeps in Canada and then we are off again for Guatemala. Our time at home has been good, although not without its challenges. When we arrived in Kamloops on August 3rd, our daughter, Hope, told us she didn't want to go to Guatemala with us in September. We were certainly not expecting that. As a result, all sorts of challenges came our way, all of which, praise the Lord, have sorted themselves out for now. So, Hope is going to stay in Kamloops and complete her first semester here.
We have been able to see most of our family and friends and sure enjoyed catching up. Marshal has been fire fighting in the Cariboo, so we have only seen him a couple of times. He is really enjoying the adventure of fire fighting and is wanting to do some travelling when the season ends. Perhaps he will find his way down to Guatemala for a visit (here's hoping!). Alex is busy as ever working and getting ready to begin her 4th year of nursing at TRU. She is going to be an amazing nurse! We have a new grand-niece who was born in March, and it has been very special to see her and see how our nephew and neice are raising their children. We are sure proud of them. Our neice Chelsey is getting married and although we are going to miss the wedding (September 11), she let me come to her dress fitting so I could see her in her wedding dress! That was very special. Not as good as being at the wedding, but certainly a great memory for me. My mother-in-law is heading out to Brazil again - this time for 5 months! She is working with a ministry there and loving every minute of it. We will miss her, although, as now we probably won't see her until November 2011. We have an amazing family - God has blessed us richly!
Rocky was able to find enough work to pay off our accumulated bills. In fact, he had so much work, he couldn't get it all done. The Lord definitely provided here. I have been working with Bev on Impact Ministries documents - quite a job. We are trying to streamline things so that we are not contradicting ourselves between documents and also not repeating ourselves. This has proven to be quite labour and time intensive! Dan Howell, the man who does all the tech stuff on the Canada side for Impact Ministries, is in Guatemala right now and he is going to be training me on how to upload documents to our website. Our eventual goal is to have our applications all electronic so that the Canada office can view them, but those of us working in Guatemala can also see them. That would be a huge step forward.
We are travelling down with the Celebration Team on Tuesday. It is Impact Ministries' 10th anniversary and it will be a busy 10 days of celebrating. Although it is sad to say goodbye to our family, we are excited to get back to Guatemala. Our daughter Arryn, who stayed in Guatemala, is going to be baptized when we get back and we are sure proud of her.
So, my next post will be from Gautemala. Until then, God bless you. Thank you for your support and prayers! We know that your prayers make all the difference!
Blessings,
Karren

Back in Kamloops!

Well, we arrived in Canada the evening of August 2nd. My parents picked us up at the Vancouver Airport and we drove through the night to get home. It was a great feeling crawling into our own bed after being away for 6 months. A lot has transpired here in our absence and we are busy catching up with family and friends.
On Friday we had the chance to help out with the container that is going down to Guatemala. We sorted through a ton of donations and loaded the selected / needed items into a Uhaul and took off for Canmore! After 8 hours of driving we finally arrived! We were blessed to be able to stay with Juerg and Esther Salzgaber, a family that was working with us in Gautemala for a couple of months. Juerg is the one organizing and packing the container which is going down to Guatemala in a couple of weeks. He has managed to get donated an industrial kitchen for our new project - what an amazing thing!
Rocky has been able to find a bit of work to help offset the shortage we had in our support over the past 6 months - PTL! I am going to be working with Bev Crozier in the Kamloops Impact office, sprucing up the ministry handbook and other documents for our website.
We are also spending some time getting ready for our "share event" on August 26 7pm at Bible Truth Church here in Kamloops. We sure hope to see you all there. We are excited to share with you how the Lord is using us within Impact Ministries and what the future holds.
Blessings,
Karren

A quick hello!

Hi all,

Well, we are back in Tactic with our final team before returning to Canada for the month of August. It has been a crazy few weeks! This last team was from Duvall, Washington, and they were a lot of fun. They were so supportive and encouraging, I think we drew strength and energy from them. It was so great to be a part of what the Lord was doing in and through this group. Many of them spoke Spanish and it sure enabled them to interact with the people here to a greater degree than those who don't speak the language. Where often we use translators, like in children's ministry, this group spoke their message in Spanish. On their final day of children's ministry, more than 200 children showed up plus many adults. Wow! It was amazing. We asked the pastor of the church we were working in to address the kids and make a call for salvation and many of the children came forward. I know that not all who prayed to accept the Lord were sincere and probably a few had prayed the prayer before, but I know that some new souls were added to the Kingdom that afternoon and it was a huge blessing to be a part of that.

I don't always understand why the Lord chose to use us here in Guatemala, but I am sure thankful. Everyday I feel His hand upon us, guiding and directing us, one step at a time. Sometimes it is difficult and we are challenged to walk by faith, not by sight. Other times it is so natural and easy, because no other path makes any sense at all.

We are looking forward to touching base with some of you in August and hope to see you at our reporting night (Thursday, August 26th, Bible Truth Church @ 7pm).

Blessings,

Karren

Adversity

Adversity is something we all inevitably face. I know from personal experience, it never feels good and when it passes or is resolved, I am relieved. The Lord doesn't promise us a life free of adversity, but He does promise we will not walk through it alone. It is when adversity is at its greatest that we often see the hand of the Lord move in miraculous ways.

We are experiencing some adversity in the ministry here. Our school in Purulha has been under attack for some time. The mayor is disputing our property boundaries and has threatened to bulldoze down the school! The process of working towards resolution is long and arduous, but we are trusting the Lord. We know that the Kingdom has been advancing in Purulha and that has got to make the enemy angry. Hector David has been blessing that community as he serves as Director of the school. About a year ago, he started a cell group meeting for parents on Thursday nights. It grew so much that he needed help and so they changed the time to Sunday mornings and the group continues to grow. He has also started a soccer school for boys in the community. He is teaching about the Lord through the game of soccer. They have now entered into a league and have won every game they've played!

We are also experiencing some personal adversity and it is hard. It is difficult to know how to respond in the right manner. We want to be God honouring, yet sometimes it is a challenge to see what that actually looks like. We have to cling to the promises of the Lord, like that in Jeremiah 29 - "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future," declares the Lord.

As we walk the path the Lord has laid before we us we can do nothing but trust in Him and His plan. Please pray for the situation in Purulha as well as for our family and the challenges we face.

Bless you, Karren

You know you're in Guatemala when...

I love this country! I love the people, the atmosphere, the sights, smells (okay, not always the smells!) and tastes. One of my favourite activities is going to the market on Sunday mornings. We have church at 4pm on Sundays because many of our members work in the market and Sunday morning is the biggest market day of the week. People come down from all the mountain villages to sell their goods on Sunday morning and it is such a culturally rich experience to go and wander around, buying what you need for the upcoming week. This last Sunday, I met two women who really intrigued me. One, her photo to the right, was so friendly. She was sitting by the entrance into the indoor section to the market talking and greeting everyone who passed by. She was selling limes - a bag for 1 quetzal. She also had some herbs - most of which I still don't know what do use them for - and she seemed so happy to sit and be a part of the market.

The next woman I noticed was wearing a unique head covering and the style of her corte and guipil was quite different than the local, Tactic style. Based on her dress, I could tell she was from a mountain village where they speak Achi. She noticed me taking pictures in the market and she wanted her photo taken. She was so excited to "pose" for me and then giggled when I showed her the image on my view screen. Many of these woman do not have mirrors in their homes and they do not actually see their own image, other than a reflection in still water, so to see their photo is a huge deal.

The market is full of bananas right now and there are numerous types available. Everything from thick, chubby bananas, to red bananas, and even tiny pinkie finger sized bananas. We eat a lot of bananas here because they are delicious and cheap! You can buy 16 large bananas for the equivalent of 1 Canadian dollar. Food prices change from day to day depending on the amount of produce available. If there are lots of tomatoes in the market, then they are inexpensive, but if only two or three vendors have tomatoes, they can become quite expensive. Bananas, however, seem to grow well all year. Most homes have banana plants in their yards and they are an abundant fruit here.

Rocky and I sometimes joke with one another and list off some of the things we see that remind us, clearly, we are not in Canada. We say, "You know you're in Guatemala when..." Here are some of the things that are common sights here, but uncommon in Canada: 4-5 people riding on one motorcycle; passing on the highway with oncoming traffic; men carrying 12 foot lengths of lumber on their backs; guys transporting 100 pound propane tanks on the back of a peddle bike; cattle being herded down the main street (even in the Capital City); goats in the central park in Guatemala City so people can buy a cup of fresh, warm, frothy milk; buying molasses at the pet food shop and clothing dye at the pharmacy; guys are playing soccer in every possible spot where it is flat enough to make a field; vehicles with 4 huge bullhorns on the roof driving around town advertising what is happening that day; a sign in our only grocery store that reads, "don't try on the underware" and there is no changeroom; and the list goes on and on.

Life here is very different. We are blessed to be in Tactic and are so thankful that the Lord called us to serve Him and these people in this place. Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. We know we are not in this alone and are grateful for family and friends who so generously partnered with us to make this a reality!

Blessings,

Karren

Please pray for us!

We leave today to pick up a team in the capital. For the next 4 1/2 weeks, we will be working 7 days a week for about 15 hours a day without a break! Please pray for our health and strength as we serve these next three teams.

A team is usually here for between 10 - 12 days. We pick them up in the capital (a 4-5 hour drive away), and bring them to Tactic the following day. Most of our days are divided into four different activities. We begin around 7:15am by attending one of our school's morning devotionals, which begin at 7:30am. Following that, the team heads out to whatever work project Rocky has going. Right now, most of the work is still focussed at Chijacorral, so the order of the morning is digging and moving dirt! Then, following lunch, we head out to do children's ministry. We have done children's ministry in all of our Vida school's already this year, so now we are going out to small churches and blessing them by providing a three day DVBS program. It is a great experience, both for the teams and the kids who come. On the afternoons we don't do DVBS, we are doing pastoral visits, home visits or hospital visitation. Then we are back to the guest housing for supper.

Rocky and I are responsible for purchasing breakfast food and guest house essentials, maintaining purified water at the guest house, and picking up lunch and supper from the Peter's home. Somehow, we have to work these extra activities in around the other events of the day. That usually means, while the team is showering after working or enjoying a 1/2 hour off to relax, we are busy running around town!

Two evenings we do cultural activities. The first is a night where we eat Churascos - BBQ Guatemalan style, blow off firecrackers, and then play soccer. The second evening, the team gets to experience making a traditional meal themselves. We take them to a mill and have corn ground into mush and they make their own Doblados and drink Arroz con Leche.

All other evenings, we do a "debrief." That consists of spending time in praise and worship, then talking about our day's experiences and the things the Lord is trying to teach us. This is a very rewarding time for us and for the teams. As we hear them share, one after the other, what was meaningful to them, what touched their heart, how they saw the Lord move, we are encouraged in our faith and in our role here. Their sharing also encourages their team. By the end of the trip, they are comfortable sharing their hearts and being vulnerable and open with each other. We always end the evening with a time of prayer and response to the Lord.

Then, Rocky and I go to our house, take care of whatever needs taking care of - laundry, etc - go to bed and wake up the next morning to do it all again!

On the third to last day, we travel to Antigua (6 hours away) for our last two nights. We spend time touring the old capital of Guatemala and learning some of its history. The team does the tourist thing and goes shopping - a highlight! During the evenings, we prepare teams for returning to their homes and discuss what challenges they may face. We also ask them to articulate what they believe the Lord is asking of them once they return home. Our last night is precious as we hold one another up in prayer and bless one another. Then, the following morning, we drop them off at the airport and wait for the next group to arrive that evening.

Our work here is amazing and we are truly blessed to serve the Lord in this capacity. It is, although physically taxing, and so we ask for your prayers.

Thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support,

Bless you,

Karren

Why Short-term Missions?

When I worked at Kamloops Christian School and was in charge of the Foreign Missions program, people would ask me all the time, "Why do we send out students to Guatemala? It is so expensive. Wouldn't it be better if we just sent the money? It would help so much more."

Now that my family has been here, in Guatemala, for 5 months and we have hosted numerous teams, my answer is more firm than ever. Yes, sending groups on a foreign missions experience is expensive. The cost of flights and out of country costs are high. But it is not about a one time monetary cost - it is about affecting a heart for missions for a lifetime.

You see, by coming here (or to any other developing nation) and seeing first hand what is happening, a person's heart is touched. We take groups on home visits and show them how the majority of the world actually lives! It is very eye opening. They discover that we, as North Americans, are not normal! It is a humbling experience, that causes them to look at their lives and what brings them satisfaction. We hear, over and over again, comments like, "they have so little, yet they seem so happy." We are able to look at where real joy comes from and discover it is not routed in stuff!

We take them to places like the sink hole in Chicoy and share with them the spiritual bondage that the people here are in. We do this to increase their empathy for the Guatemalan people, but also to give them an opportunity to examine their own lives. It is a very powerful experience to look long and hard in the mirror and allow the Lord to touch areas of our lives that are keeping us in bondage.

We go to the hospital and visit the children's ward. Bed after bed we talk to the parents and the children, give the boy or girl a small toy, and pray for them. We place team members in positions where the Lord uses them to bless others. It pushes them way out of their comfort zone, but that is where our hearts and spirits are more open to the Lord, and they walk away blessed having served in this way.

By going on a short term missions trip, a person experiences what they do not (perhaps cannot) experience at home, and it affects them. One of my former students put it this way, "it expands your world and your thinking." Thanks, Anthea! And it is this expansion that affects world missions. I don't mean that everyone who comes on a short term missions experience will land up serving on the foreign mission field, although that can happen for some. What I am saying is that the next time a missionary visits their home church, they listen a little more closely, their hearts are affected, and they desire to help in whatever way they can. Because they have "been there" and seen first hand the reality of the stories they are hearing, their hearts are softer than they were before. This impacts world missions. It may be a sad statement, but what touches our hearts, as North Americans, touches our wallets, and foreign mission organizations need financial support to continue to serve those who have yet to hear the Gospel we hold so dear.

So, why short term missions? Because it is life changing for the one going and it advances the work of the Kingdom of God.

Perhaps it would be good if we started to ask the Lord questions like, "Lord, how do you want me to be involved?" "Lord, have you called me to go, or to stay home? " Keith Green said at one of his last concerts before he died something like this, "Every believer is called to go, but only a few are called to stay." His statement is a radical departure from how most of us think. The last time I read "The Great Commission" it didn't say to go if you feel like it, if it is financially doable, if it works into your schedule. It isn't really stated as an option at all. It says, "Go!"

Blessings,

Karren

The house is so quiet!

On Thursday morning we said goodbye to Hope! She is off to Canada to spend July at Eagle Bay Bible Camp working as an LIT (leader-in-training). She had mixed feelings about returning to Canada - particularly without us. She was excited and nervous all at the same time. We were blessed to be able to send her with Walter and Cathy, a couple who have been working in the medical clinic for the last 10 weeks. They have three of their own daughters and were armed with a good sense of humour, so she was in great hands! She arrived in Canada without any problems - PTL - and will enjoy spending time with family and friends before she leaves for camp on July 4th.

Rocky and I will be in Canada for the month of August and are planning a night of sharing for Thursday, August 26th. We have been so blessed to work with Impact Ministries and short term missions teams. We are excited to share with all of you the things we have seen the Lord doing here in Guatemala.

Arryn is going to stay on in Guatemala and finish out the school year. She has invested herself in her teaching and wants to finish what she has started. I was looking at her photos the other day and was touched by the love she has for those she is working with. I had to include this photo for you all to see.

Thank you, Lord, for giving my family a heart for the people of Guatemala. Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of serving you in this country with these beautiful people. Help us, Lord, to shine your light into places of darkness so you can bring freedom to those who are in captivity.

Churascos, Firecrackers and Soccer!

We are getting ready to participate in three Guatemalan traditions tonight - eating churascos, blowing off firecrackers and playing soccer. The team from Westpark Christian School in Manitoba is here, and they are in for a treat! Churascos are thinly sliced BBQ beef served on a bed of cabbage and onions with frijoles, peppers and tortillas. The meat is soaked in a marinade before it is barbequed over a wood fire and is really tasty. The entire meal is eaten with your fingers and that is all part of the fun. The drink we will have is Horchata, a rice based drink with tiger nuts, cinnamon and sugar. After supper we are going to light a few strings of firecrackers in the field behind our house and then we are off to the Chancha to play soccer against the grade 11s! It should be a lot of fun!

Human Machines

Oh, for a backhoe, bobcat or excavator!! I have never shovelled so much mud and dirt in all my days of construction. However, this is the way it is done in Guatamala. It may take longer but it is a whole lot cheaper and it provides some much needed employment for these Christian men. We are doing some more groundwork in preparation for drainage and a retaining wall. When this portion of the project is complete we will have a great playing field for one of our schools and we will be ready to start adding more classrooms.

This has been a great time for me to interact with these Pokumchi brothers. It has not really helped my Spanish much because they what to teach me Pokum words instead of Spanish. We share many laughs together as we exchange words and try to communicate. Their native langauge is their first and Spanish is their second. It doesn't help to bring a translation dictionary because only one of them has enough education to read a little Spanish.

When we start work at 7:30 in the morning, it is a pretty amazing atmosphere. The kids are all upstairs in the chapel for their morning devotional and as Angel David leads them in praise and worship, the men on the site often sing along. I am thankful to the Lord for this opportunity to be apart of His work here in Tactic.

Rocky

Our Foundation

It is the KCS Grad weekend and I am feeling a little sad that I cannot share this amazing event with them. This will be the first KCS grad that I haven't attended in 16 years! Wow, that makes me feel old.

Anyway, I started thinking about foundations and Christian education. I know, first hand, that Christian education isn't perfect. There are all sorts of challenges that small Christian schools face that the public system doesn't have to deal with. Low numbers, few high school electives, not a huge variety of friends, teachers teaching outside of their specialities, limited funding, etc. I am sure you are very well aware of the challenges in a small Christian school.

The benefits, although, far, far, far outweigh the challenges. This is the part that so many Christian families miss. As a parent, obviously I want every opportunity for my children to succeed. I want them to receive the best education possible. The challenge for parents is to decide if the best education is that of gaining an abundance of knowledge in an environment void, and at times hostile towards, God; or, is it better to gain knowledge and wisdom in light of our Creator and in keeping with His Word? I believe the better choice is that of wisdom and the Lord. Knowledge is just that, knowledge. Wisdom is so much more - it prepares one for life - real life.

Justs down the road from us is a bridge. Due to the storms and abundance of rain over the past month, the banks of the river and the foundation of the bridge has been tested. The people living on either side of the bridge lost a chunk of their property, as the retaining walls crumbled and fell into the rushing water. Now that the water has subsided, the municipality is checking out the damage done to the foundation of the bridge. I am happy to say, that although it did shift slightly, it is still structurally sound.

This bridge is like a metaphor for our lives. If, when we are young, we construct a solid foundation and world view, rooted deeply in God's truth, when the storms come and the water rises, we may get bumped and even bruised, but we will not crumble. This is what Christian education can do for a child, who later becomes an adult and has to live out their beliefs when life is not always "a bed of roses."

Every morning at 7:30 I am reminded of the value of Christian education and building a solid foundation in a little life. As I am busy working around the house, I can hear hundreds of voices raised in song and praise to the Lord, as the morning devotional from our Chamche school echos off the mountains. The children in our schools here, in Guatemala, are learning to look to the Lord first: first thing in the morning; first, before the challenges come; first to Him and not to themselves. If they can learn that, the rest of their education is a bonus, because they will be fit to live out their life for the one who created them. How can knowledge be more important than that?

Blessings,

Karren

Desperate Situations

I am sure many of you have been following the challenges that have plagued Guatemala recently. I know Les sent out an email describing the devastation in the country following the erruption of Pacaya and the tropical storm Agatha. The team that was with us in the capital when Pacaya errupted was a group of young adults from Western Canada. They were due to fly out the morning following the erruption, but the airport was closed. Because it was a natural disaster, the airline was not responsible to cover any costs incurred by travellers. Thankfully, a few on the team had a delux insurance package which would cover hotel and food costs.
As we tried to find a hotel, we discovered that all of those who would have been travelling that morning were now stranded in Guatemala City and all the hotels were booked. All they could find was a hostel. They re-booked their flights for 2 days later, and called the hostel's shuttle to come pick them up. Rocky and I said goodbye, somewhat reluctantly, and drove back to Tactic. This was a first for us - leaving a team in the capital and returning to Tactic. We had marvelled the entire time the team was here at how easy going this group was, and they continued to amaze us. They weren't angry that their flights were cancelled and they seemed to take everything in stride. Amazing! We arrived back in Tactic and gave Les the contact information for the group and left things in his hands.
As we watched the news headlines on-line, we learned of tropical storm Agatha, and how the heavy rains were complicating the clean-up of the volcanic ash at the airport, and that it would now be closed for a week. A week! I cannot imagine spending 1 week in the Capital with no vehicle, no money, no clean clothes, and nothing to do! This group, again, took it all in stride. Somehow they made contact with an Alliance Church and were resettled in there and were very pleased with that arrangement. They finally were re-booked to leave the country, but were rescheduled in two groups - one to leave Friday, June 4th (a full week after their original flights) and the other Saturday, June 5th.
Les went to the capital on Wednesday night and took the group to Antigua for the day on Thursday. When he got home, he shared with us how well they were all handling this unexpected delay. He saw the first group off at the airport and then picked up the mother of one of the girls who is here for a year and left for Tactic. While driving, he received a call that the second group from the team who was scheduled to leave the next day was out walking and got robbed, losing everything they had on them, including 1 passport.
We were thankful that they were physically okay, but an event like that is bound to shake a person up. Again, they seemed to take it all in stride and immediately contacted the Canadian Embassy, got a temporary passport so they could still travel and flew out of Guatemala the following morning.
We don't know why this group experienced what they did, but we are trusting that the Lord is going to use all they experienced, the good and the not so good, for their benefit. I have to admit, I don't understand this, but I know what the Word says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " Romans 8:28. And I believe the Word to be true! Bless you, Lighthouse! We love you guys!
Blessings,
Karren and Rocky

Rocky Turns 50!

Yesterday (June 1st) was Rocky's 50th birthday. We decided to celebrate North American style and went to the Park Hotel. We rented a room and went out for a nice, romantic supper for two. The place we stayed is like a mini Minters Gardens with plants and flowers of all kinds. They also had a small zoo with lots of walking paths. We had a really relaxing, enjoyable time. We realized that in the 4 months we've been here, we hadn't had a "date" night, so it was time. What an amazing treat!

Blessings,

Karren

God's Many Blessings!

We have been enjoying our time with a team from Calgary - the Calgary Vietnamese Mennonite Church young adults group. They have been wonderful to work with. We have had the privilege of doing children's ministry in a remote mountain village - Bem Peq (sp?). It is just over the hill 30 minutes from one of our schools and they speak a completely different language there.

The first day we went up, there were about 50 children and a few adults. The team did crafts, played games, sang songs and I told a story. The pastor of the church we were working in said, before we began working with the kids, that it was his desire that these children had some fun. He said life was not fun for them and he really wanted them to enjoy themselves. Well, after the first 30 minutes, there wasn't a person there who didn't have a grin on their face. The team did a great job loving the kids and playing with them. Just as we were packing up that first day, the sky opened up and we had a torrential downpour. We had taken the 2 vans and the Toyota Land Cruiser (4x4) with a winch, as the road was a little sketchy. We made it down, but it was pretty crazy.

The rain continued through the evening and didn't let up until well into the night. The river beside where we live almost overflowed the bridge and our yard and house flooded once again! We knew the road up to Bem Peq would be a mess, so we hired a 4x4 truck and used the Toyota Land Cruiser. It was quite a journey! In places there were crevaces at least 2 feet deep where the rain had washed away the gravel and dirt. Other places were a foot deep of soft mud.

When we arrived at the church on day 2, there were about 80 kids and some parents there. Our numbers were growing. We again enjoyed our time with the people of this small village. On our last day, there were well over 120 children plus probably 40 adults! The team had taken up a love offering for the pastor and his family and presented it to him. He was touched by the team's generosity. The amazing thing is, this team really didn't do anything super extraordinary - they just shared the love of Christ! It is so simple! And by doing this, not only were the people of Bem Peq blessed, but the team was blessed as well.

The church prepared a huge meal for us to say thank you. We ate with mixed emotions knowing how big a sacrifice this was for them, as they probably don't eat meat very often and to buy enough food to feed us all cost them a great deal.

I am so blessed to be able to participate in these kinds of activities. I don't know why the Lord chose our family for this work, but I am so thankful. I cannot think of anything I'd rather be doing.

Thank you, Lord!

Karren