And away we go! (again!)

Dear Friends and Family, July 6 – July 14, Patrick and I will join the 2012 Northwest Bible Church Mission Trip to Rio Hondo Guatemala. This year, the group has blossomed to 90 individuals - the largest group to date! We will be working alongside our church-sponsored missionaries, Julio and Lucki Garcia, who have lived and worked daily in the area for more than 13 years and have an AWANA program, church and a very unique mother-run food kitchen in the area. We also have 33 translators, all students at a seminary in Guatemala City. First, if you have time, we encourage you to watch this video about why we are going, and what we intend to accomplish. It also explains why we believe JESUS is the answer to overcoming poverty: http://vimeo.com/27096230. You can also read more about the trip I went on with the same group to the same area in 2010 here: http://businessbyfaith.blogspot.com/2010/08/its-time-to-talk-guatemala.hml1?m=l . The church’s blog for this trip is here: http://2012nbcguatemala.wordpress.com. While we are there, our group puts on a three-day camp for all age groups Monday-Wednesday. I am in charge of the toddler group, ages 0-4, and Patrick will be heading up the games station with some other guys in the morning and has a small group of teen guys by himself in the evenings. The children (ages 5-18) are broken into age groups and go to devotional stations, games and crafts throughout the morning. We break for lunch and come back in the late afternoon for a group worship time, dinner, and again the groups including moms and dads break into groups for crafts, devotional and fellowship. The theme for “campamento” is 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” This was chosen by Julio and Lucki because as with many impoverished areas, the people have broken relationships with God, others and creation, they do not care for their community or others. This verse will be used to focus on three “R’s” – Recycle – regeneration/salvation “in Christ he is a new creation”; Reduce – our sin is reduced “old has gone”; and Reuse – gifts/talents used for His glory and kingdom “new has come”. We are filled with joy to be a part of God’s work in this beautiful country and hope you will pray for us while we are away. Along with three days of camp, we will have a work day, visit schools in the area where they let us put on our skits, spend a day at Julio’s church (nothing is more beautiful than the passionate prayer of a missionary in Spanish) and finally, a day in Antigua, Guatemala, it just happens to be my 30th birthday! Please pray: 1) That Patrick and I will be open to God’s specific purpose for each of us while we are there. 2) That we will form special relationships with the children and parents. 3) Pray for an open heart and wisdom as Patrick works with the teen boys who are in such a pivotal time in their lives. Guate is between the US and Columbia and prime drug trafficking area. Many children become wrapped up in this dangerous lifestyle as a way to make money since they can’t afford post-6th grade education and many drop out. 4) That the time would go quickly as we will miss Jack. 5) That Jack would be a good boy for his grandparents as he will be traveling to and from Dallas to Bryan with each set. 6) Good health and NO sickness while we are there. 7) We do have full time security but pray for safe travels by plane, bus, truck and whatever else! ☺ Thank you for your support, we covet your prayers. Love, Andress and Patrick

Overwhelmed

One of my New Year's resolutions was to start reading my Jesus Calling devotional again. It's such a great, applicable, relevant and efficient way for me get into God's word. Apparently I'd had the same new year's resolution last year because my hand writing had scratched out a prayer for job security with the upcoming birth of Jack. It's fun to look back and see what God has done for me. Today I got to write my follow up to that request. God has allowed me to stay with Head Start part time contract! I was confident he would work it out and he did, I could feel him saying "I will handle this." I felt so overwhelmed by his kindness to me. Kindness that I could make some extra income doing something I enjoy with people I enjoy, and kindness that I can be with my son 95% of the time. This sparked me to pop over to tomorrow's devo and my chicken scratch over there, in which I had written the verse Isaiah 40:11 "He tends the flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." How KIND is our savior! I am so thankful I don't need all the answers to raising Jack, to finding balance, because he gently leads me. SO thankful.