Updates
Connected.
Jesus said “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Apart from Jesus there is no worth. All of our work and efforts are worthless. We find joy when we stay connected to Jesus, and each other, and work in His Grace!
What a joy it has been to work together as a family this month. One day at a time, all day until the sun sets, and the mosquito cloud descends, chasing us back inside our little apartment. We have completed the insulation, plastic and have hung drywall on all of the first floor walls! We installed the kitchen cabinets and are working on getting a countertop finished. It has been hard work, but we’re together, connected. The children are learning skills and the value of work, family, and the joy that comes from staying connected to Jesus throughout their days.
A huge blessing for us this month was having Vann’s mom here for nearly three weeks! She worked along side of us, and loved on us and encouraged us. She stays connected to Jesus, and the joy in her life is so evident. We are so blessed to have such a Godly role model in our lives!
Vann’s shoulder improved some for the couple of days that it rested while he was in Lima taking his mother to the airport and being a tour guide, but the pain seems to have returned as he came back home and returned to the project. He got an MRI while he was there in Lima, and while it seems to the MRI technician that it might be a case of acute tendinitis, we are waiting for Dr. Peter Cole to come next month and fully evaluate his injury. He is a dear friend who has operated on Vann’s collarbone before, and just happens to be one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the world. He founded a ministry called Scalpel at the Cross, and regularly brings orthopedic teams down here to serve in our own, Pucallpa, Peru! Being connected to the body of Christ is an amazing thing!
We have been so blessed to see God answer our prayers for the Dumitru family, our Romanian missionary family that we support here from our base. They are out in the tribe this month, and have been nearly without drinking or wash water because of the prolonged draught that we are experiencing this dry season. So they called us to ask us to pray for rain last week, and so we prayed. That very day they heard a huge thunder clap, and as they looked up into the bright blue, cloudless sky they saw massive, sparkling rain drops coming down! God sent rain. It wasn’t very much that day, but it was enough to fill a few buckets, and to refresh their spirits knowing that our living God answers prayer and sees our every need. Since then, God has sent some nice, cloudy days that have brought enough rain to fill all of their rain barrels! Staying connected to God through prayer is a powerful thing.
Our church held a beautiful baptism service at the lake at our neighboring mission base. Seven precious souls were baptized as a public proclamation of their faith in Jesus! After the service we were delighted to have a few dozen people here enjoying the pool and playing sand-volleyball for the rest of the day. The ministry of hospitality to our fellow believers is something that gives us tremendous joy!
Thank you to those of you who support us, and pray for us. We are eternally grateful for the way that you connect with us and encourage us as we follow Jesus in the Way together.
“The whole meaning of prayer is that we may know God.”– Oswald Chambers