Ok, so about the title; I suppose it is January’s news in February. But you’re getting the news in February, so it’s February’s news that happened in January. We good? Ok.
Things in this post: Chewie Update, hipster food photos, what Evan has been up to, family adventures. There are 25 photos in this post, so you don’t even have to exercise your brain very hard to get a sense of what we’re up to.
Chewie: The Saga Continues
Chewie is definitely lost forever. We can only hope that whatever airplane gremlin found it is enjoying it. I would recommend they wash it first. GOOD NEWS though! Naomi (Mimi), Missy’s mom and creator of Chewies 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2, has already completed Chewie 3.0! It was shipped to PA where our friend Curtis picked it up and took it to Haiti. Curtis is scheduled to visit us in Belize in a couple of weeks. Pray that the unrest in Haiti – nationwide protests seeking to oust the current president – will not keep Curtis away. Clearly you should pray for the people of Haiti as well.
Annabelle seems to cycle on and off between handling the transition here. This is normal and we’re finding ways for her to express frustration and anger in healthy ways. Please pray for all of us in this.
FAMILY FUN DAYS!!!
Part of taking care of Annabelle has meant we are being super intentional about taking our Saturdays as our day off and declaring them FAMILY FUN DAYS!!! Those are three exclamation points for those who are counting. One for each of us.
Enjoy the slideshow and be sure to read the captions.
We have been LOVING family trips on the motorcycle.
We found this little place in Bullet Tree Falls. Fantastic nachos and a knock-off frappucinno that was killer.
We love crossing ferries!
Xunantunich
Xunantunich – The second tallest ruin in the country.
Xunantunich – Totally safe.
Xunantunich
Xunantunich
Xunantunich
Monkey Falls – Missy found this incredible place online and we went explorig. HOLYCOW! It was like magic. A spring falls over a ledge just above this large pool. The spring water is warm, and the light is magic.
Monkey falls
We met this family and they asked me to take their photos, too. It turned into a bit of a free portrait session. Not a bad way to serve on a day off. 🙂
Sunday in between services, Annabelle and rode to Bullet Tree Falls and went swimming. We met some local kids and had a great time talking.
This is a dog. He barked a lot.
What I’ve Been Doing
I’ve been playing way more music than I expected and I’m so happy about that. Before I arrived, Fr. David (a great musician) was handling all of the guitar playing and singing duties as well as the priestly duties. It was made more challenging by an elbow injury. He asked me to step in and I have. I have learned more music in the past month than I have in the past several years combined. I never lead worship, and most of you know I’m a songwriter who has spent much more time playing in public than in church. This has been stretching to me musically and growing me in a good way spiritually. I play a lot of Wendell Kimbrough. The liturgical music we use is from a wonderful artist, Judy Bailey. Her album is “Lift Up Your Hearts.” Check i t out.
I’ve also been asked to teach a group guitar class. My students are awesome! This is the first time I’ve taught a guitar class and I’m really enjoying it. Look at the photo below. Seriously. How cute can you get?!
Also below is a photo of our sister church, St. Hilda’s. We went to a baptism service there a few weeks ago. I’m not posting photos of the baptism, out of respect to the family, but I’ll share a photo of the church, with a wonderful girl in white dancing in the aisle. The photo above of Annabelle in the purple dress was taken in front of St. Hilda’s. Beautiful.
My family and I greet you all in the WONDERFUL name of JESUS CHRIST and are BELIEVING that God is doing a wonderful NEW THING in your life. Many people I know had a very difficult year. In many ways last year was quite literally a “storm year” for us. After serving for twenty years in Africa and later in Europe we were unable to secure visas to remain in Portugal. It was a difficult transition back to the United States with our two children but it has also been a blessing for so many reasons. Topping last years challenges was Hurricane Michael and all of its devastation for us and many others. However, this year God is definitely DOING A NEW THING in us and with our ministry TOGETHER! We are still recovering from the storm but we have seen God faithfully provide. We definitely serve a God who makes RIVERS flow out of DESERTS! He delights in making a WAY in the WILDERNESS!
The Lord has connected us to NEW PLACES and PARTNERSHIPS that are truly amazing. One of these new partners is the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS). SAMS missionary heritage is truly awe inspiring and for those of you who know how our ministry has been welcomed across all denominational lines you will know how truly satisfying this is for me to be part of this Anglican missionary society. One of the first invitations we received as a “Missionary Bridger” has been Santiago, Chile through missionary Chris Feuillade. God willing, this April my daughter, Charity, will join me in Chile where I will be working for nearly a month doing evangelism. This will culminate with the painting of a large wall mural. As a working artist many of my paintings have been transformed into various products such as prints or coffee cups but this will be the first time I have taken one of my paintings to such a large scale.
Creating A Huge Point Of Contact/ Wall Mural
Why would you want to take a wall in Santiago and transform it? For me I think of this large outdoor painting being like Paul’s prayer cloth (Acts 19:11-12) except much bigger. The Book of Acts records that the Apostle Paul sent them to people with sickness and oppression and they were cured. My highest intention would be for my art to become like that in God’s hands. Through God’s grace, art has the power to change the onlooker and transform the room or space it occupies. I have been humbled and thankful each time someone has reported how, through experiencing the art, they had a great sense of PEACE. This is why I covet your prayers for this art project. I not only have to believe God for the finances to operate in Chile (scaffolding, supplies, airline tickets etc.) but I have to believe HIM for the TRANSFORMING MESSAGE. You and I are just messengers. HE is the MESSAGE.
I am asking YOU to help us with this project. It is not often you have the opportunity to create a landmark or a public work that has the power to inspire and transform a corner of our world. Think of it… YOU with US by God’s grace have the potential to take a graffiti bombed wall and so clearly share the message that Jesus Christ wants to touch and bless the lives of the Chilean people!
TOGETHER we are bringing HOPE, JOY, SMILES, and MIRACLES, in the name of Jesus. Write US TODAY! Let us know how to be praying for you and please consider sending your BEST love GIFT to meet this project’s budget and for us to be able to continue this vital soul saving ministry.
This photo shows one of the points where fires have been burning during the weekend and now. This particular one is behind the rural Mapuche community where Bishop Abelino was born and raised. Fortunately, in this case, the fire has gone away from homes. But as we write, they are evacuating people from where Marita’s family lives and there the fires have reached to their nearest neighbor’s property. On Saturday night, Pedro spent most of the night helping protect the school where his father works and right now he and Joyanne have gone out to Marita’s family home to offer their help. In Malalche, houses have been burned, two people have died, and Pastor Antonio is worried. In Dollinco, they have no electricity, so they have no water, and that makes it difficult for Pastor José’s family, as their daughter, Adriana, is terminally ill with cancer. In our own church in Labranza, Sonia, one of the members, was worried yesterday that their wheat crop will be burned if they can’t get it harvested.
The sky is gray and smoky today in Temuco and a nearby hill is on fire.Please pray for us and especially our brothers and sisters in the rural churches whose livelihood depends on their crops, animals and wooded land.
Thank you for your prayers. We will keep you posted.
