People. You have so literally and powerfully taken our needs to the throne of God that we have seen and felt the effects in a mighty way. The last update that I sent out was a cry for help in praying for my Vann. He was so sick. His lungs were gurgling with every breath, and there didn’t seem to be any improvement in his days, until we asked you to pray. The very next day he turned a corner, and has been steadily improving since then! His lungs started to dry up, and he was noticeably stronger – able to work a little longer every day. We’re about a month down that road now, and he is nearly well. His lungs are clear, the horrid cough is gone, and he is at about 75% with his energy – which is amazing! Thank you so very much for lifting us up to the throne of our great God!
The dry season has finally seemed to set in giving us an opportunity to advance on the camp and mission base projects! Vann has poured a slab for the poolside bathrooms and is working on the slab for the first camp bathhouse! All of the gravel and bricks have been delivered, not without trials – which is why we’re so grateful for some dry weather! Next, he will need to dig and build the septic systems, which have to be specifically engineered for this area, and built from scratch of course. He has also been able to put some much needed attention towards maintenance for the fences and road. Maintenance is literally a full time job for this mission base, but alas, it is still just us here, so it’s a difficult balance between advancing on building projects, and maintaining everything before the jungle takes over again!
We have had the opportunity to serve several large groups of people here this month! We hosted an open-house style July 4th celebration with a cookout, yard games and fireworks at the end of the day with about fifty people having come throughout the day. We love our missionary/expat community!
My Peruvian mother, Aurora, brought her church’s ladies group out here for their retreat, and we just had so much fun! Nothing here goes as planned, and this day was no exception! Even though this is supposed to be dry season, storms still blow through in big Amazon fashion, and that’s what happened the night before the retreat, and all the next day. So, even in the rain, these ladies were coming to their retreat. At 8am they arrived at the highway gate. They came in a large bus, as there were over 50 people (including kids and the babysitters), and all of their food and drink and luggage for a day out. That presented a problem since the neighbors have an agreement that nothing larger than a family car or truck is allowed on the 3.5-mile dirt road between the highway and our house if it has been raining, as the heavy vehicles cause huge ruts and damage to the road when it is soft. So… we shuttled them from the highway to our house with two cars in three trips, and then back again at dark. It was more work than we usually put into hosting groups, but it was such a blessing to have them here worshipping God in our living room while the kids played in the yard and the pool – in the rain!
The other groups have been smaller, and have for the most part had their own transportation! Small groups from church come to the pool after Sunday services, missionaries gather for impromptu volleyball tournaments, and many just come out on their own for some rest and peace and refreshment. There really is nothing like a glass of Southern sweet tea on a wrap around porch with a friend.
Our church has celebrated another baptism Sunday! One of the girls that was baptized had just come from the neighboring youth camp in which Vann, Corynn and Ethan have been helping with every day this past week. What a joy it is to see this church growing in the Lord!
God is doing big things like providing us with the health and finances to build this mission base. We just look at the precious faces of the nearly 200 people God has brought here just this month to be loved on and ministered to, and feel so blessed to be able to serve here!
Thank you again for your prayers; they sustain us. Please keep it up!
"God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible." - A.W.Tozer