Beverly's Blog

Phil.4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2012-02-11T10:38:00.005-06:00

Wow! Yesterday the sun shined ALL day! What a blessing. It has been chilly and rainy ever since I returned. Ugh! And today it is shining. I am so thankful. It is really cold in IL and KS, brrrrr!

So the last couple of weeks has been spent at the school enrolling students. As of now, we have 40 in the 7th-9th grades. I will be teaching 5th and 6th grades also, but I'm not sure of the numbers. I received a blessing yesterday from two former students and one is now attending elsewhere. The English that he is receiving is malo(bad)according to him. Nothing is translated for him, and he fills in the blanks on the pages after listening to the lesson on tape. (I have been told by different people that I should only speak in English when I teach. That may be okay for little ones who still have the God given ability to speak any language when they are born, but as they get older and don't use those specifics, those not used go by the wayside. Therefore, it becomes more difficult to learn and speak correctly in another language as the child gets older. Granted, there are people that God has given linguistic ability/talent, and they pick up languages very quickly, but most of us don't have that talent. And during some of the conferences I attended on how the brain works, the brain has to have some kind of info(schema)to attach incoming information in order to use it. Therefore, I believe the kids will learn quicker if that schema is provided, hence, translations). So one of the students asked if he could come back to my class. I said absolutely. I was pleased that he remembered English so well. I learned when I was teaching children with disabilities that students can fill in blanks correctly and not have a clue to understanding what they just wrote. I want these students to be able to carry on a conversation in English, and to be able to read and write with understanding. I want the kind of quality where the students will remember how to use the language after they finish the classes. I believe God for the grace and help for both me and the students.

So what else has happened? The dryer is now fixed, thank you Lord. And we learned that there was nothing wrong with the land line. It was the phone that was bad! Calling long distance is better on my land line. It sounds like the person is standing next to me, whereas on the cell, they are in a tunnel with a lot of static and difficult to

We need two more teachers desperately. Our first grade class has 46 students. Way too many for one teacher, if quality is the goal. And of course, we always need sponsors for our kids. And the need is now. I have to stand on God's word that says he will meet our every need according to the riches in Christ Jesus.

Heb.11:36 For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God...

2012-01-30T09:35:00.000-06:00

Wow, the month of January is almost over. Much has happened in the past two months. Graduation from CINCEL took place December the 9th, and I left San Jose, CR on the 10th. What joy to be going home after being there a year.

I was able to spend time in IL with my brother. We had such a good time together, basically just enjoying each others company. And of all things, we visited the cemeteries where family members were laid to rest. I was thinking we must really be getting old, because that's what "old" people did when I was a kid! But Donnie and I never grew up together in the same house, so we have a unique relationship. When I call him on the phone, we spend most of the time giggling! And over nothing, mostly. We definitely don't agree on lots of things, but we sure do love each other. The rest of the time was spent with kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids. What a family God has blessed me with. And it just keeps getting bigger!

And of course I was able to spend time with my friends and pastors Byran and Julie and their new little one. What a precious bundle he is. How I miss my church in Kingman. I always spend the last Sunday that I am home with my youngest at his church in Wichita. God blessed him as a child to play drums in church, and he is still playing. I praise God for that.

I wasn't able to be at the meeting with the ladies in Martha's Circle, but I did get to see and talk with some of them at my friend Amy's 90th birthday.

It was so different in the states after living in a foreign country for 3 years. I had to remember to throw toilet paper in the toilet instead of the waste paper can. Then I was waiting for a friend to come to a restaurant so we could have breakfast together. I arrived a little early, so I'm sitting on the benches inside the door waiting for her. After 15 minutes had passed the time we were supposed to meet, I told the waitress that I would go ahead and be seated. A minute after being seated, the waitress said my friend was sitting in the other room waiting for me. She had also arrived early and was waiting for me! So two things I learned: there is not a smoking area anymore, which is where my friend was sitting, and I need to look around before I sit down to wait for someone. But we had a good laugh, a good breakfast, and a great time visiting. And of course we talked about the Lord and what he is doing in our lives. Not always what we expect!

A couple of my children and I had a great time discussing the Lord, the end times, etc. And to watch the Lord at work is totally fantastic. A young lady asked me to explain a scripture to her while I was home, and I did to the best of my knowledge. But the amazing thing was that a friend had given her the Bible and it "fell" open to the exact spot that she needed. Some would say it was coincidence. I personally don't believe in coincidences. The Holy Spirit is always working, and especially when someone is searching for answers. I love that. God is so faithful.

Some relationships were restored, and I give thanks always to God for that because he's a restorer of broken relationships. Hallelujah!

Becky and her friend Mary, from the U.S. picked me up at the airport. They stayed here until Becky's new apartment was ready this past Tuesday. So now I have been in my house in Valle for a few days. What a great feeling, but at the same time, it is strange being totally by myself since Dec. 10! At first I didn't know what to do with myself!! But school for teachers will start this coming Wednesday, and then I will be very busy. It will be good to see some of the students I had in the 5th and 6th grades. I ran into one of my former students last week, and he hugged me for the longest time. Bless his heart, he was such a good student. He didn't cry, but his eyes were sure wet. He will be in 10th grade this year, and I don't know if we will have that grade where I teach. If not, he will attend the public school that is about a mile away. Here high school ends at the end of the 11th grade. One of my other students is working in a coffee field, so I don't know if he will return to school or keep on working. If the family needs money, most likely he will continue to work. Things are so hard here for kids, especially in the country.

And my friends here in Valle came to see me. What a great reunion. I missed them a lot when I was in CR, but we did email each other.

And my Spanish? Well, I can understand numbers better when I am buying something. And I'm trying to talk more with Wil, the fellow that takes care of the property here where I live. He always tells me, poco a poco, which basically means little by little, Beverly. So I need patience and practice.

I praise God for all he is doing in my family and my friends, and for all the prayers he hears and answers. And I thank him for this life he has given me. Blessings to all.

Ps.100:5 For the LORD is good;his mercy is everlasting...

2011-12-05T12:36:00.004-06:00

Woohoo! Graduation Day! We made it! Hallelujah a Dios. Paul, Gabriella, and Lucy came to the ceremony for me. They are such good friends. My part in the ceremony was to read scripture in Spanish, of course. I chose Psalms 100. But what a relief that it is over! I survived! And I'm ready to leave. But not until 8 in the morning. Will get to St. Louis around 3 in the afternoon. I'm so excited about seeing my family and my friends. What a year this has been. And no, I don't want to repeat it.

Last Saturday I went on the picnic with my special group. It was a good time. I met Minor's (who is blind) daughter and family. And what a great treat for me, but not the only one, because his granddaughter is named Beverly. She is about 4 years old. I was so happy to hear that they spell and pronounce it correctly. Thanks to Beverly Hills!!! Most Latinos spell and pronounce it Beberly. Esteban, Beverly's father, and I will be emailing, because he wants to learn more English. They are such a beautiful family. Several from the group told me that I needed to stay here in CR. They said I could teach English here! Bless their hearts. I love the friends I have here, but the heart is in Honduras.

I presented my project on the church and their relationship with people with disabilities this past Monday. My teacher gave me a big hug, said I did very well, and that I made her very happy. And that made me happy!!! But the real blessings come when God ministers through you to another person. He did that this week, and I praise him for his goodness to us and his love.

I praise God for the things that I have learned and the friends that he has given me. God is truly good all the time. One chapter closed and another to begin. How exciting it is to serve God the Creator. You don't always know what he is planning for your life, but you can be sure it will turn out well. Even the bad, he has promised to use it for our good. Hallelujah!

Well, I have to wash out the microwave and a couple of other things, and I'm done.

So Lord, thank you for this year even when I told you that I didn't like it here. You gave me your grace, and I finished well. Thank you for what I have learned, and thank you for multiplying it. Thank you for the people you put in my path to be my friends and vice verse. I ask you to bless them in the coming year, to save their loved ones that don't know you, and to help them know you more intimately. I love you Father. Gracias Jesus por total. Amen.

Give thanks with a grateful heart...song

2011-11-26T16:02:00.000-06:00

Only TWO more weeks to go! Yeah!!! Everybody is counting down. Last project is completed! I just have to present it next Monday. WooHoo!! ECO's, oral test, is this Thursday and no classes on Friday. But my last time with my friends that have children with disabilities will be on the 3rd of Dec. the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. I will miss them.

This Thanksgiving was definitely different. I went with Paul, Gabriella, and Emanuel to San Gerardo de Dota and the surrounding area. We had breakfast at this fabulous Cloud Forest Lodge, Dantica, owned by a Dutch fellow. The food was great, but the bread was wonderful with homemade marmalade. It was mora which is the blackberry. And then they took me around the valley and to the trout farms, rainbow trout. Wow, there were several ponds full of them. And guess what we had for lunch? Yep, trout. Great stuff. While we were at this little Mom & Pop's restaurant eating lunch, a tourist bus came with European travelers. They were stopping to bird watch. This area is known for the Quetzal. Paul saw one for the first time in his life so that made the day special for him. Even though it rained off and on, it was a day to be thankful. I definitely missed seeing my kids and families. Other than the date on the calendar, it didn't feel like Thanksgiving Day. But God always gives us things to be thankful for and the greatest, of course, is being his child, thanks to Jesus.

So now I'm cleaning the apartment getting ready to leave. I've washed the windows, ceiling fans, and cabinets. Will finish the fridge and stove next week. And I have started packing my bags. My fridge is almost empty as are the cabinets. And it's a little difficult to know how much food to buy especially when you are used to buying for more than a week or two at a time. The only thing that remains the same are changes!

Our conversation class has to have Ps.121 memorized by Wed., in Spanish, of course. I have it, but it is so hard for me to say it at the same time the other two are saying it!

I am thankful for what God has done in me since I have been here, and the language that I have learned. But I am assuredly ready to leave here. Ready to see my family first and then ready to return to HN.

I am so thankful that I know that God has my life in his hands, and he is in total control of all that comes my way.

Gen. 2:7, 21-22 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground...

2011-10-30T20:15:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I was asked to describe the first two chapters in Genesis by looking at drawings that really didn't do much to help me. I remember saying that God said it was good after every creation. My teacher said no, that God saw that it was good. She was right. Saying and seeing are two different things. So I have gone back to reread this part of Genesis again, in Spanish of course. So a couple of nights ago after I went to bed, I started thinking about God creating everything. All was spoken into existence except man. He formed man from the dust of the earth. And I thought about that a lot laying there in bed. I believe a baby's heart starts beating a week or so after conception, and he forms from the inside out. In my mind I could see the Lord down on the ground forming Adam. He had to start with the insides. And what a mind! I don't know which part he formed first, but forming the heart, the lungs, stomach, all the different systems: digestive, nervous, respiratory, skeletal, glandular, and all the rest. And then I thought about that little thing called the gall bladder. Just the right amount of bile released at the right time or there is a lot of pain and anguish. Wow! The mind of God. Every part had to work just right with all the other parts. And of course in my mind he had to use water, right? I can remember making mud pies, and I had to use water or there was just the loose dirt and no pie, which of course, no one wanted to eat after all my labor. The Bible doesn't say he used water. But I can see him on his knees or sitting, and moving around on the ground forming his first son of flesh. And when he finished with all that makes a human body, there it laid on the ground. This big creature of dirt. And then he breathed the breath of life into him and the thing formed became flesh and blood. Now isn't that the most awesome thing ever? This big form of DIRT that turned into flesh. The many times that I have read this in Genesis and it never hit me like this. Scripture describes God as having eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc., but we never see him getting his hands dirty. But I see him working in that dirt with a love that is indescribable. This man child Adam was perfect in every way. He was made with God's own hands. And then the Lord turned around and made Eve from one of Adam's ribs after he put Adam in a deep sleep. And in them he put the seeds necessary to populate the earth. I am amazed. And we are always in a hurry to shed this body that God made with his hands. I understand all the reasons, but at the same time I don't think we give him enough glory and honor for this part of ourselves. But then we love to see new babies, yes? Just think how God felt when he looked at Adam and Eve. And now when he looks at us. Such love. There is none better.

Ps.116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

2011-10-16T18:17:00.003-05:00

This weekend has been one of surprises, some good and some not so good. I was suppose to meet with my special group on Saturday and interview one of the mother's for my project, but I received a call from the missionary on Friday telling me that one of the kids died that day. What a shock for his mother (and the rest of us) because he hadn't been sick. They think it was a seizure. The "kid" was 42 years old. So needless to say, the meeting was cancelled Saturday for the funeral. Funerals are held within 24 hours here just like in Honduras. I didn't know Minor personally, but I sure feel the loss. And I pray for his mother. There will be such a void in her life, because Minor was happiest at his mother's side, but I know God will comfort her. His father died a few years ago. It's so precious how the Lord moves. I was thinking about Minor this morning and calling him a child, and I thought how we are God's children. Just like Minor, we are his children regardless of our age. God doesn't have grandchildren. And then the message in church this morning was about being God's child. Totally awesome! When we are adults, I think we forget that we are children in God's sight. His children. My oldest is 50, and I introduce him as my son or oldest child, or something to the effect that indicates he is my child. He doesn't become something else because he is an adult. And it's the same for my other four. Regardless of our ages, they will always be my children. Bless their hearts. And the same goes with them and their children. I am so blessed to know that I am a child of God, and He will never leave or forsake me, and will continue to teach me until the day that I stand before him in my new body.

On a happier note, when I answered the phone yesterday, a fellow started talking to me in English saying that I knew him because he had been with one of the teams that had come to HN. Well, there were several teams that had come, and I relayed that to him, because I surely didn't recognize his voice. Well, what a great surprise, it was Pastor Ken from MA. And I was able to talk to 2 of the ladies that had come on the team. AND then I talked to Becky, my missionary, who is their guest missionary for a few days. What a great surprise. God knows just how to bless our socks off! It's so nice to know that someone is thinking about you.

It has been so quiet this weekend. Most went to the beaches, but Sara and I stayed here. The peace is wonderful!!! She shares an apartment with two other girls. So we've went shopping, to church, and ate at the food court at the mall. There is a store here that is named El Rey, and it is like Dollar General and Family Dollar rolled into one. I spent a whole dollar! And the other store that is super cheap and closer to home is Pequeno Mundo. Fun places to go and look. We don't buy the things that we normally would because we are only allowed so much weight in our suitcases, so we definitely don't spend a lot of money on stuff.

So yesterday and today, I have spent a lot of time listening and watching Spanish television. Sometimes I don't understand at all, and other times, it's right there. Oh well, this is is a life long endeavor for sure.

For those of you that read my blog, please pray for Minor's mother and the rest of the group. The death of their special child lays heavy on their hearts at times. Thanks and God bless you for doing so.

John 16:33...but be of good cheer:I have overcome the world.

2011-10-13T16:20:00.003-05:00

Hallelujah! One project completed and another started! Yesterday was Capilla de Las Culturas (Cultural Chapel). We all had to speak about the country where we are going. Of course all was spoken in Spanish. Oh, my, the many times I had to practice with the recorder in front of the bathroom mirror at the school! Wow! I could talk about Honduras forever, I think, but it's a little more difficult in Spanish. But as I listened to all of us, I remembered Ps.24:1 that the Lord gave me when when he was leading me to go to Honduras. He has created the whole earth and everybody on it. That means all the different peoples, languages, and their cultures (and of course every culture has its good and bad). He values everyone of them because they are his. He made them. What a variety! That speaks mountains to us or should. He didn't make us all alike, but how many times do we want to be like someone else or do something as well as someone else when He hasn't given us that particular gift or talent? And when you hear all these things and see the pictures, it makes one really appreciate the peoples and God's handiwork. We all fixed some kind of food and/or drink. I fixed baleadas and horchata. The baleladas are flour tortillas with beans, crema(like a sour cream) with cheese on top. The horchata is a traditional drink made with rice, cinnamon, sugar, and milk or water. What a job that is to make! I don't think I'll make it too often from scratch. The fake stuff can be bought in a package like Kool-Aid. Don't know if they have it (hochata)in the states, but maybe.

On Tuesday, we were given an assignment to write about the last century, 1900-2000, and life in the U.S. It was due on Wednesday. Oh, wow, when I began to think of all that I have seen, I realized my age like never before. AND I only have 33 more years before I'm 100, if the Lord permits. When I started writing the changes, it was absolutely astounding. And it was like the Lord was saying, Celebrate your age! Well, ok, but how do I do that when older age isn't valued so much anymore? I guess I'll find out. But then He told ME to celebrate it, not everybody else! But there have been tremendous changes in every aspect of life, from communication to how children play. Incredible.

In Latin American countries, you will hear people exclaiming Jesus' name or !Dios Mio! which means My God. Yesterday, one of the workers exclaimed Jesus' name, and I cringed because it really hurt my heart, and I told her that Christians in the U.S. don't say that because it's not good. She said that her husband says it all the time(he's Latino) and I asked if he was a Christian and she said yes. I guess I was shaking my head because she asked why was it bad. I showed her Exodus 20:7 in my Spanish Bible, and she immediately said, No more! She told me the next day that she went home and showed her husband, and he also said no more. Hallelujah!!! I am so tired of being told about the culture and to accept it. Well, I understand that, but at the same time when the culture, which ever one it is, runs a muck of God's word, don't we need to speak up. And if they aren't told, because they don't know and aren't given the chance to know, nothing will change, and will we not be held accountable? And I understand one doesn't go around shooting his mouth off all the time, but at the same there is a time to speak (and a time to be still, according to Eccl). And yesterday it was time to speak and the Holy Spirit moved. Praise the Lord for his saving grace. Sometimes we don't speak up because we're afraid of offending or being persecuted. Wow, every time Jesus spoke, someone was offended because he spoke truth. He didn't speak to offend, but to save. And he was persecuted. Isn't that what comes with that cross we are suppose to carry? I, myself don't like that cross, because it was and is a thing of torture, but I love the One that gave the commandment to take it and follow, and if persecution comes, and it will, so be it. He overcame the world, and by his grace, I will too.

So now it's time to work on my next and last project. It will be about people with disabilities and their relationship in the church.

Thank you Lord for all you have done in me since being here. It is not a place that I have wanted to be, but you have done tremendous things, and I praise you for it, and understand that if I had not been here, they might not have been done. Muchas gracias por tu amor.

Heb.13:5-6...The Lord is my helper...

2011-09-28T14:00:00.006-05:00

Well, here we are once again. It has been three days since we returned from Panama. Nothing spectacular happened there, except we enjoyed the time off from classes. But, of course, we had homework, but not so much. Thank you, Jesus. And I couldn't find shoes, so will wear these that are really looking rough. Oh well, at least I have shoes and feet!

We had a different bus this time. It was more like a Greyhound because there were so many of us. But we had to unload our bags at both borders, so customs could see and run their hands through our stuff. But it wasn't a problem. Someone said they were looking for drugs, but who knows. It set us back an hour in time returning to CR, but that really wasn't a problem either. Instead of getting to CINCEL around 5, we made it around 6.

This morning we all had to speak in Spanish during the cultural chapel. Those that are learning English had to use English. I shared my experience with a funeral in Honduras compared to the way it is all done in the states. (My experience in HN reminded me of my Grandma describing my Grandpa's funeral so many years ago, long before I was born. So different then. So much more personal). But anyway, I was told I did very well. Once again I have to give glory to God for helping me.

I am enjoying my classes a lot more now. Tomorrow Clint and I have to converse and ask questions off the top of our heads. That ought to be real interesting! I just have to learn to pray without writing it out and reading it. That's my goal, not necessarily my teacher's goal. I do ok in my apartment, but when I have to do it in class, it's a little different.

Well, it's almost 5 o'clock our time, and I just felt an earthquake tremor. Wow! It's funny, because first you hear some rattling in your house and wonder what is making that noise. Then you feel the shaking, and you know what is happening. Then you wonder is it going to be longer or is it going to stop quickly. Then it's like do I move out of the house or stay. These thoughts are almost simultaneous. You "feel the earth move under your feet." An old song, but I think about it every time the earth shakes here. So it didn't last but a minute or so. I guess I'll turn on the TV and listen to the news, and see what they say about it.

Keith and I have to memorize scriptures for next week in our phonics class. I picked Heb.13:5-6. I have thought of what they say so many times since I have been here. But God's word never gets old and it does not change. Even when our circumstances change, God does not. I am so thankful for him in my life.

John 14:16...he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever:

2011-09-21T18:17:00.007-05:00

What a great birthday I had yesterday. I wasn't telling anyone here, but I forgot about FB! So when I turned on my computer, there were a lot of birthday greetings. A little after 5 am, my phone rang, and I thought who in the world is calling so early and decided that it was probably a wrong number. Well, lo and behold, it was Becky from the states singing Happy Birthday when I answered. What a pleasant surprise. So we chatted for awhile, and she had forgotten that we are an hour behind KS time. But no matter because I'm up early anyway. I heard from my children which is always a BIG blessing. I Skyped with my youngest last night and was able to talk to his whole family. Totally wonderful. Paul and Gabriella took Leticia and I out for dinner to an authentic Chinese restaurant. They did not know it was my birthday till we arrived back home and some of the guys were standing by the gate and said happy birthday to me. And Gabriella wanted to know whose birthday, and I told her it was mine. Well, how great God is. She said that's why the Lord told her and Paul the day before to take me out to dinner. God always takes care of the "little" things, and he knows how to bless our socks off! He is soooo good to me!

Paul and I laughed when I told him that I was learning some Chinese culture from him. His reply was something to the effect that I had to come to Costa Rica to learn it. He and Gabriella are truly a blessing to me. Paul put food on my plate when it was getting empty, and I told him that it reminded me of my dad when I was really little. And I actually used chop sticks for part of the time. I could never quite get them to work before, but I'm getting there. By time I leave here, I should do pretty good, just in time to return to a place that basically uses pieces of tortillas for utensils!

I hear so many times the reason God is doing something is to get us out of our comfort zones, like that is the only reason. As I was thinking about that yesterday, I was thinking, really? No, he takes us out of our comfort zones when we have been chosen to do whatever he wants us to do. He always has a purpose for doing what he does, and it isn't to just get us out of our comfort zones. True, it's not comfortable at times, because we have to change due the circumstances that he puts us in, but he's preparing us for whatever he has planned. Like yesterday. Chariti, in Mexico, popped up to chat when I was working on the computer. She was telling me about the changes there in her living conditions since she had returned there. I was laughing so hard that I was almost in tears. Comfort zone??? No washer and dryer. Hardly any furniture, and no waste paper cans, which she went and bought. Things that most Americans take for granted. And then today or yesterday in the conversation class, we were discussing the "comfort zone." Coming here is definitely out of our comfort zones, and we have the things that Chariti doesn't have. But he strips us of all the things we cling to, including people-family, church, etc. in order for us to cling to him. God will be first in our lives. Here we have been stripped of our language, food, friends, family, paying jobs, cars, houses, yards, customs, etc. Why? Because God is teaching us to totally depend on him. If we don't learn to do that, we won't make it in some of the countries where some are being sent. (It's very difficult to put all this into words)! And we truly learn that he is in control. Nothing happens in our lives without his say so. So all this teaches us to truly wait on him and follow the leading of his Holy Spirit. There is a deeper love for him that grows from all these things. We learn that he truly is our Father, and he loves us with a love that is deeper than we can understand. And whatever happens is for our good and his glory. AND he always provides for our needs whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual. We don't always "feel" his presence, but he is always with us. He said so in his word. And that's called "faith" to believe what you can't feel or see. When we rely on his word, we have peace even when there's nothing peaceful going on around us. So to be out of our comfort zone is actually exciting, because you don't know what's coming next. So whether we have the physical comforts or not, we have the Comforter.

And when you are learning another language, it's really a strange feeling when you forget words in your own language! Today Kevin, whose is 16 and learning English, asked me what the word for parque de atracciones in English was. It took me a couple of minutes to come up with amusement park! And spelling? I always received A's in spelling. Now I find myself asking myself if the word has two r's or one. Is it a t or c? Comfort zone?! And when I'm writing and need a certain word and can't remember what it is...Sometimes I leave a blank and tell my friend to fill in the right word, please, because I can't remember what it is! And she will write back and tell me the word. Hallelujah!!

Well, tomorrow we leave for Panama again for our visas. It's my last trip there this year as far as I know. So I must get to bed.

I pray that my Father will bless my family and help them to have the peace that he has given me.

1 Pet.2:9...who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

2011-09-15T11:23:00.005-05:00

Today is Independence Day for most of Central America, therefore we don't have school today. Yesterday the teachers fixed us a typical Costa Rican breakfast. Gallopinto, which is black beans with rice mixed together with seasonings, cheese, bread, coffee and juice. We eat beans and rice in HN too, but they aren't mixed together. I can eat beans for breakfast if I must, but I really don't like to do it. Beans are fine for lunch and dinner, but breakfast? Oh well, it's their protein and that's fine. Also some elementary school students came and performed one of their national dances for us. We also sang their national anthem. The national colors are red, white, and blue, just like ours in the U.S. Interesting. The teachers gave us a small history lesson from before and when they received independence from Spain. Unlike the U.S., they didn't have to fight a war for independence.

The third trimester started on Monday. The classes so far prove to be more relaxed and not loaded down with homework. It appears that there is going to be more practice in using what we have learned thus far with some new things added. I like it a lot! And I have been reading a book of short stories that one of the girls brought with her. That also helps. I only take my Spanish Bible to church and chapel services, and I read the chapters in it after reading my King James. So hopefully the brain is getting all this!!!

Next week we leave for Panama for the last time. I really do have to buy a new pair of closed in shoes to go home in Dec. The shoes I have has lasted for a year. Good length of time for the roads we walk on in HN and here. Although they aren't bad here in the city, you have to watch out for the "gringo holes". That's those places that are suppose to have grates over them. Ha! Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. We are taught to always look up, but here you better watch where you're stepping!

We have been learning to pray in Spanish. I always write mine out so the teacher can make any needed corrections afterwards, and to stay focused with my speaking. And yesterday, my prayer was thanking God for the independence of the Central American countries. But before translating into Spanish, the realization of the freedom that God has given us was totally awesome. Jesus too, fought a war for our independence and freedom from the kingdom of darkness. Thank God that he won that war. He brought us into his marvelous kingdom of light. Sometimes we don't remember that war, what it cost him, and the end result of winning that war. And sometimes we don't really understand it all. Communion is one time to remember it. But everyday when we pray, we need to remember and be thankful for that conquest. We have freedom in Jesus Christ from sin and shame. And when we sin, we can have forgiveness upon confessing. What a loving God we have. His love and mercy is forever.

Mat.6:8...for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

2011-08-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah y Praise the Lord! What a fantastic 5 days that Leticia and I had at the beach house. We did nothing but rest, eat, sleep, swim, and walk the beach. God knows what we need and when we need it even when we don't. I didn't realize how tired I was until Thursday morning. Wow! And I pray God bless Paul and Gabriela a hundredfold.

I met Gabriela a few weeks ago. I had been studying and I (?)decided that I needed to take a walk and clear the mind. Well, that's when I met Gabriela. She was standing on the corner watching her 4 year old ride his bike. I spoke in Spanish, and she answered in English. Well, that definitely opened the door. Talk about kindred spirits-from the beginning. She is Costa Rican, her husband is Chinese, and their son, whom they adopted when he was 3 months old, is from Nigeria. Talk about an international family! They love the Lord with all their hearts. Even though Paul is Chinese, he has never lived in China. He was born in Bolivia where his father worked for a helicopter company. They have opened their hearts and home to me. They have become my host family, they said. Isn't God wonderful? He knows who and when to put someone in your life. Because they want to help missionaries, they will soon be introduced to the other students here. Gabriela ministered to children in Nigeria. She has a servant's heart as does Paul.

So they took Leticia and I to the beach house on Wed. and returned on Sunday to take us back to San Jose. I'm not a swimmer, but Leticia is. The ocean was very dirty, and dangerous. There were red warning flags posted on the beach. So Leticia spent a lot of time in the pool, and I spent time in the hammock and walking the beach. The sand there is not white. It is more brown, not black like in southern Honduras on Isla de Tigre. Since Costa Rica has over 100 volcanoes, I'm thinking that is why the beaches are the color that they are. There was also lot of driftwood. I'm amazed that there is not a lot of seashells on the beaches that I have been to in Honduras and Costa Rica. This area that we went to is near the Port of Caldera, so we could see big ships coming and going, perhaps a couple everyday. The Tivies(?) River runs into the ocean there. So we walked to the river a few times. We had to pay attention because there are crocodiles living in that river. I told Leticia if she saw a log raise it's tail and move, she was to run in the opposite direction!! But we never saw one. The last day that we were there, three fishermen told us that they saw one, but he submerged himself when he saw them.

Just about every morning I took some crabs out of the swimming pool. They are the funniest things. Put something in front of them and those little pincers go into fighting position. A couple of itty bitty ones drowned. So sad. One of the mornings we heard this loud noise and saw a family of four iguanas on the roof of the house next door. They were sunning themselves. They would lift up their chests and heads while facing the sun. Sunbathing at its best! Parrots would wake us up every morning between five and six o'clock chattering very loudly. And then fly away into the trees. Gabriela's brother said that about 40 macaws were around about that time in the morning but I never saw any.

Gabriela's brother Jorge,(George)came over to meet us. A very nice fellow. I greeted him in Spanish, and he started talking to me in Spanish. Well, needless to say, I didn't understand. So when I told him, he started speaking English. While we were visiting, I told him about the man I had seen the night before standing outside the living room window at one a.m. He went outside and talked to one of the guards that was passing by. Sure enough it had been him. Evidently it is time for the sea turtles to come ashore and lay their eggs, and some other fellows had come in to steal them. So he and the other guards were looking for them. This area is privately owned and has guards on duty 24 hours a day. That's nice to know except when you see someone at your window in the middle of the night. And the reason that I was up was that Paul's ipod started blaring, and I got up to turn it off. The electricity had gone off, and we thought that was the reason for the ipod doing its thing, but who knows or cares at this point in time. Anyway, Leticia and I had decided that the guy outside the window was probably a guard and maybe had heard the ipod blaring and had come up to check it out. But it was nice to find out the real reason that he was there. And there is not much privacy in Central America. Windows and doors are open all the time during the day unless it's really hot, and the people have air conditioning, and we did have air conditioning. Also the curtains we had only half covered the windows, and they were transparent. So there are not many secrets. Make sure you dress in the bathroom because someone may cut through your yard right next to your windows!

I don't know much about southern constellations. Definitely couldn't see the Big Dipper. So I have to check this out. But the stars were bright and beautiful and reminded me of God's promise to Abraham. God would bless him, and multiply his seed as the stars of heaven. And then when I walked the beach the same promise was given concerning the sand which is on the sea shore. We can't count the number of stars or the grains of sand on the sea shores. Therefore, we can't count Abraham's descendants. I'm just thankful that I am one. God's promises are real. And whether or not we can see them with our physical eyes, we see them with eyes of faith. Abraham didn't see the promises fulfilled before he died, but the day is coming when he will. Our God is faithful. And the things He has promised us will come to pass in His time and His way. Praise be to the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to His only begotten son Jesus Christ.

Ps.23:1 The LORD is my shepherd...

2011-08-12T16:00:00.005-05:00

Today was graduation for three students. Each will be going to different places. One will return to the states, one goes back to Mexico, and the other will stay here in Costa Rica. So now we have three weeks vacation. It could not have come at a better time for me. You ever get that feeling that enough is enough? Well, that's where I was yesterday. So it's time for a break, not from the language, of course, but from classes.

One family will be returning to the states for the break, and the other family will be entertaining family and friends from the states. Leticia and I will have a chance to go to the beach for a few days at no expense. That's a gift from God! I met a missionary and her family a couple of weeks ago, and they offered their cabin at the beach or the one in the mountains to us. And they are taking us there and will return to bring us back home. What a blessing! I like the mountains, but Leticia lives near the ocean in Chile, and I don't think she has been to the beach since arriving here in January. So that will be a good thing for the both of us.

Last weekend several of us went to Manuel Antonio and spent the night there. (When someone or two someones want to go somewhere, they always ask others if they would like to go also because it's so much cheaper for everybody). We woke up to monkeys chattering and swinging through the trees. Awesome to see them in their own habitat doing what is normal for them. We went to the beach the afternoon that we arrived there and went back to the beach the next morning. They all love the beach! I, however sat under the big umbrella and read! But I did go out on the banana boat with them. It was fun. It's this big air filled thing that looks like a banana that is pulled through the water by a motor boat. You sit astraddle the banana and hold on to a strap in front of you. It carried six of us. Of course the big "thrill" is when the boat does a uuey and dumps everybody in the ocean. Now, I'm not a good swimmer, but we all were wearing life jackets. I was wondering how in the world am I going to get back on that thing. So along comes Alicia and grabs my jacket and away we go. Much faster than me doing it on my own! Now grabbing hold of that strap, and trying to throw your leg over the banana(like getting on a horse, only there is no firm ground under your feet!) with it bouncing up and down in the water is a sight to behold, I'm sure. Thank the Lord that one of the workers was there helping everybody to get back on the thing. Goodness, the things I do! And then ask myself what am I doing here??? But it was fun. But once is enough. Just like climbing that mountain in Honduras. Once will do it for all time.

So hows the language? Tough! I have an 88% in all except for the oral section, which is 61%. So hopefully they are changing my placement next tri to put me where I need to be. I have been in the 3rd trimester sections ever since being here. That's not the best place to be when first starting out. So here's hoping...

A person really learns to say hi and good-bye on the mission field, especially here, because people are coming in and leaving every time a tri begins and ends and sometimes in the middle of one. So I remember one of my middle school students that would never say good-bye at the end of the day. Always she would say "See you later, Ms Blumer" because to her good-bye meant forever. So I really did adopt that from her, especially being here. When we were talking about this yesterday, Olivia, 10 years old, said, "Yea, but we're never going to see them again."
And I told her that she really didn't know that because we don't know where God will send us or who we will see. It's very possible to see these missionaries again. So I have learned to say"see you later."

So I guess it's time to say, See you later.
Dios le Bendiga

John 15:16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...

2011-07-08T14:19:00.004-05:00

It's Friday, hallelujah!! So what has happened this week? We celebrated the 4th with only one hour of class. Then we spent time with the teachers showing them how some families celebrate the 4th by doing the spoon race, the three legged sack race, and racing with a balloon stuck between the backs of two people and then passing it back to back with team members. Such fun. And of course we had goodies to eat. In the evening we went to Josh and April's house for a cookout. We met missionaries from other organizations that were working in other areas such as the universities, Bible schools, and after school programs for children. Then Josh lit fireworks for the kids. Here you can shoot off fireworks whenever. Robyn had showed a video at school featuring our soldiers in different eras of war time, Arlington, etc. And of course one of our Savior and his cross and resurrection. It's always good to be reminded of why we keep certain days. Sometimes we just think of a day off from school or work, and it is so much more than that. I thank God for giving the world the U.S.A. If we fall, there are going to be many countries that are going to suffer significantly. I pray our country returns to the standard that made it great in the first place.

And this week, my oldest celebrated his big 50, which of course isn't so big after you reach it. I remember the 4th of that year, and definitely the 5th. So young and so ignorant. Thank God that He has always known me even when I didn't know him. Such love and grace that God has shown me.

Before God called me to the mission field, I knew nothing about missionary life. Boy, have I learned a lot. I want to talk to Abraham someday. I have thought so much about him. What did his family think when he said he was leaving because God (?) told him to do it? Why did God call him when he was an "old" man? When I think about it from the human standpoint, I wonder if it took that much time for God to get him in the position where when He said go, that Abraham would go? I have heard stories from missionaries on the field that talk about their families who don't understand why they left the U.S. And these are Christian families!!! But they really don't understand the call to missions. It isn't something that a person just decides to do on his own! Seriously, who would leave their parents, grandparents, etc., a good job, house, car, friends, church, for a place where they don't know the language, different food, clothes that don't fit so well, houses that are at best second rate, etc.? Nobody in their right minds! But Paul said that we have the mind of Christ, so of course we don't think like the "normal" person. Jesus said that He had chosen us, not the other way around. So this transition has been one of learning and relearning. We can not always see what God is doing. We just have to trust him and be obedient to follow him in whatever he asks us to do whether or not anyone else understands. And he does ask us to do things we really don't want to do. Being here is one of them for a lot of people, including yours truly. But I know a little of what God has done in me since being here, and I know I need the language. So God's will be done.

I have heard how many have to write to their sponsors way too much. And how many churches want the numbers on people saved, baptized, etc. and my flesh wants to ask them the same questions. Really people? There were only about 120 people in the upper room after Jesus had preached, taught, and performed miracles for 3 1/2 years, and he is God! I often wonder if our counting these things is kind of like David numbering Israel. God was not pleased with that action, and a price was paid for it. So are we measuring success or so-called success by numbers?

In class today we had to present videos that we took last week when we went to the Cultural Popular Museo(museum). I have always believed that there is a natural substance for whatever is needed. So my group talked about La Reina de la Noche, (The Queen of the Night or Angels Trumpets). It's a big plant that has beautiful flowers and soft leaves. Well, the leaves can be used for toilet paper, (better than the poison ivy that my youngest used one time) and the flowers give off a wonderful aroma at night that covers the odor from the outhouse. (UGH, I heard that)!! And the mint they grow is not only used for food, but it's also a deterrent for ants! Great stuff, not that I want to exchange the modern bathroom for what my grandparents had. But the soft leaves would definitely be an improvement over pages from Sears catalogs! But leave it to man to take the natural good use of something and turn it into something bad. This plant has addictive qualities to it, therefore it is used by drug addicts, and none of the effects are good. They eat it or smoke it, so I was told. How sad.

There have been a few times since I have been in Central America when I really wished I was a man, so I could have gone to the guys that have been laying in the streets, and talked to them about their situations. I know some choose to live like this. But I also know that there are some that have not, and they don't know how or what to do. Even in this school, we have been told to ask questions. Well, when you don't know what to ask, and you don't know the language, how do you do that? Unless someone helps you, you are totally wandering in the dark. Kind of reminds me of the good Samaritan, and the man left to die in the street.

Oh well, enough for now. Dios le bendiga.

Ps, 104:24...the earth is full of thy riches.

2011-07-02T18:04:00.003-05:00

So here we are in the middle of the week again. We returned from Panama on Sunday after leaving early Thursday morning. I think I enjoyed it more this time just because I knew where things were located. One more trip in Sept. and then home in Dec. So what did I do in PA? RESTED! We all went shopping together, and some went to the beach which is an hour or so away. No, I didn't go. It's not really what I enjoy doing. And the waves, sand, whatever was fairly strong because it took the polish off some toes!!
The trip there takes about eight hours in the bus. We stop for potty breaks, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. More often if necessary. And we stop on the Costa Rican side of the border for lunch. We always pray about crossing the border. Praise God that we have never been held up for them to check our luggage, etc. So the trip was great.
So today, Sat. the 2nd, we toured a coffee plantation. What a great learning experience. This company sells over 70% of their coffee beans to Starbucks in the states where they roast it to their specifications. Doka was started by a German family three generations ago. They own over 24,000 acres of coffee plants. And the caffeine content does not change in the kind of ground that you buy. The time of roasting changes the flavor from light, robust, espresso, etc. not the caffeine content. I was very happy to hear that. And a Coke and Pepsi has 90% more caffeine then coffee. In fact they send their beans to Germany where the decaffeinated coffee is made, and the caffeine is then sold to companies like Coke and Pepsi. Interesting, huh? And all the coffee plant is used for something. The trees are used for 20 years and then they are replaced with new trees. The old trees are used in the fires for roasting the beans. There is also a covering on the bean that is removed and is then used to make paper. So I really enjoyed this trip. I knew Jesus liked coffee!!!! I have been wanting to go to a coffee plantation since coming to Central America, and today I was able to go. We want to go back in Nov. when harvesting will be in progress to see all that we heard about today. This company processes by hand other than the separating of the beans which is done by machines that are 100 years old. Fantastic!
Yesterday, the school visited a Cultural Popular Museo(museum). We were able to make sweet bread and bake it in an oven that is outside. Also we learned how they use to make the adobe walls for the houses. They made frames from cane(not sugar cane), filled them with mud that was mixed with straw, and then they spread cow manure over the dried mud. This kept the wall from being destroyed when it rained. They sometimes whitewashed the wall using limestone and water. This method is now illegal because it won't withstand the earthquakes. Makes sense to me. Man's ingenuity, a gift from God of course, just sometimes makes me speechless.
So Monday, the 4th, we are going to a home of one of the missionaries to celebrate our (U.S.) Day of Independence after classes. Sure doesn't feel like July. And I think I am behind again on my newsletter. Oops. Guess I'd better tackle that this week.
God is absolutely so marvelous. I look at all that he has done in my life, and all I can do is praise him. Whoever thought I would be where I am, doing what I'm doing? Amazing. Dios le bendiga.

Ps.103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul and all that is within me...

2011-06-19T16:00:00.001-05:00

¡Praise the Lord! The volcano Irazu was totally clear while we were there, so we could see the sulfuric blue green water at the bottom. It was definitely chilly. We were approximately 10,000 feet up. It's the highest point in CR and if the skies are clear, you can see both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. However, it wasn't clear enough to see those. So now I have seen a volcano that can become active at any time. Very interesting because the last time it spewed forth its innards was in 1963 when President Kennedy came to visit.

I stand in amazement when I see the natural wonders that God has created. When I realize the power that he has, it just blows my mind. He is so indescribably awesome that sometimes it just takes my breath away. Of course, a newborn baby is just as awesome, as we are.

Things have calmed down a little this week, and it is so nice to just breathe! We have had so much work to do and no time for things to actually sink in. But the ones that are learning English feel the same way, so we're all in the same boat.

Today we went to Cartago for a field trip. We were to observe the people and how they do or do not use crosswalks, etc. I must say that they do a lot better there than here in San Jose and Honduras. The remains (outer walls) of a large Catholic church there that was started way back when, but because of earthquakes constantly destroying it, rebuilding was finally abandoned in 1840 something. It reminded me of the ruins in Europe that was built by the Romans, because this too is of the same architecture. The legend has it that at certain times you can see a beheaded priest floating around in there.

Tomorrow is Friday. YEA! However, I have to start my integration class then. I have asked to be put with kids that are receiving special education. Of course the Christian schools, like PIEDAD, don't have special education. So to start I'm going to a church tomorrow afternoon to meet some kids and parents. The lady that I will be working with is from England and has been here for 15 years, and in Peru for 10. She has a burden for the church to accept and assist those that have special needs and their parents. Needless to say, I am excited.

So I went yesterday and spent nearly two hours with the kids. Some have profound disabilities. But I came away feeling totally alive. Special education is my passion as Deya says. So the plan is to really get involved and learn from Brenda, and to help the kids and their parents. She asked if I wanted to go with her to visit the families at their home. Absolutely. I visited some of my students in their homes when I taught in the states, so thank you once again, Lord.

Today was Father's Day here and the kids performed for their dads and the church. Really great.
I pray all my son's were blessed by their children.

Next week we leave for Panama again for our visas. We are all ready for a 4 day break. So now, I guess I'd better finish my homework for tomorrow.

Dios le bendiga!

I Pet.5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

2011-06-03T14:13:00.005-05:00

I cannot believe that it is June already. Wow! Almost six months down and six more to go. Passing months don't mean a lot here, to me anyway, other than the passing of time because the weather doesn't really change much.

I am sooooo glad that the last two weeks are over. Thank you Jesus!!! The homework has been horrendous, plus they have added a class for three afternoons every week, so there isn't much free time. The last two weeks, we had to write several compositions, do two projects, and testing. One project had to be about a disaster somewhere in the world(I chose the Mississippi flooding) and homelessness since it is a problem in just about every country. This last project had to be oral with no reading of notes. I think I did well since the teacher said, "Bueno Beverly". I wish I felt that confident!! Robyn and I are just glad it's over. And to add to the frustration in preparing these things, the internet was not dependable due to the weather. I'd be looking at stuff, and off it would go. Grrrrr!

The Lord answered another prayer this week. We are always told to see and enjoy Costa Rica. Well, that sounds good, but there are several issues. One is money, since things are so expensive here, and another is where to go and how. Two of the girls speaks Spanish well, but they don't know how to get around very well either. So the other morning, I was talking to the Lord about it and Tim popped into my head. He is a young man(everybody here is young to me!)and single and just came in April. (He speaks Spanish well, and will be here in CR). So after class, I put my arm through his and said I had a proposition for him. When I explained the situation to him, he smiled and said, just ask, because he would like to go see places, too. I told him we would help pay for gas in his vehicle, and I would pay his entry fees. He said he would pay his own entry fees. So tomorrow we are going to see the volcano that is not too far from San Jose. I pray it will be clear when we get there so we can see it. Thank you Lord.

I praise God everyday for his goodness, because he truly is good to his kids. And I heard that one in my flock has started going back to church. Thank you Jesus.

Five new students arrived this week for six weeks intensive. They were all going to the mall, and I was invited, but decided I'd better stay home and get my laundry done since I'll be gone most of the day tomorrow and church on Sunday. And I just need some down time. (Yo necesito descansar. I need to rest.)

Every morning in class we have to read scripture and pray in Spanish. Well, this morning I chose Eccl.12:12-14. Well, lo and behold, Eccl. only had eight chapters in my Spanish Bible. I freaked! So My teacher and I are looking in the Bibles in class and sure enough, only eight chapters! Oh my, what a disaster, until we realized I was looking in Song of Solomon instead of Ecclesiastes! Well, we had a good laugh along with a big sigh of relief. Mercy, mercy, mercy! Boy, I'm glad this week of classes are over.

This past couple of weeks the song May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You has been running through my head. He is good and he does bless especially when we give him all. What an awesome Father we have.

Ps. 77:17-18 ...voice of thy thunder...lightenings...the earth trembled and shook.

2011-05-14T19:44:00.004-05:00

Earthquake!! It was not strong where I was. In fact three of us went walking after the thunder storm was over. (It rained really hard, and the thunder was deafening. Lightening cracked and popped. So people that are fearful of these would have a hard time here right now. The rainy season is definitely here). As far as the quake goes, we only noticed that something out of the ordinary was happening because the tree that we were near started shaking and dropping water on us. And then we realized that it must have been a quake. I called it a tremor, but the TV said it was a 5.8. The family that lives above me said it shook some things off their walls. Everything in my house was the same. I guess it makes a difference whether your on ground floor or above. Psalms 77:17-18 describes yesterday to a tee.

I think it's a reminder of just how powerful our God is and what kind of authority He has. Totally awesome. I'm so glad I'm in His hand.

II Sam.12:23 I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

2011-05-09T18:25:00.004-05:00

My last entry was the 17th of April. Wow, a lot has happened since then. April 18th thru the 1rst of May was basically vacation time from studies. New students were to come in on the 27th of April, and we all were to meet them when they arrived at CINCEL. I was looking forward to a time of rest and maybe to see a little of Costa Rica. But none of that happened.

On the 19th, I received a note from my youngest son, Doug, that my 3 month old granddaughter had died. What??? Evidently she died of SIDS. Leah belongs to my second oldest son, Kenneth. She was born Jan. 8th. In my immediate family, we have not had a child die. Miscarriages, yes, but not this. I was totally shocked. I had to go home. I knew that Leah was already in heaven, but mom, dad, and sisters were still here! My neighbor, Tona came over to help me get plane reservations, etc. because I just couldn't get it together. What a blessing she was. And of course, the teachers and students that heard came over to comfort me and to be of help if possible. How long do I stay, and many other questions were going through my mind. I decided to return to C.R. on the 30th. On the flight home, I remember thinking that I wanted to hold Leah if possible. My daughter Penny and her husband were on their way from IL to KS. Doug, Penny, and Steve met me at the airport. The next morning, Penny, Steve and I were on our way to OK. There were no words to say to Kenny and Angela, just hugs and tears. We then went to the funeral home. She looked like a little doll laying there in that so very small casket. The funeral director asked if we wanted to hold her, and both her mommy and I said yes. So precious. My first meeting with my new granddaughter, and my last, on this earth anyway. Daddy had to leave the room.

When Leah's sister, Faith, heard that I had held Leah, she asked me why since Leah wasn't there. All I could say was that her body was still there, and I wanted to hold her. I had total peace through it all. Yes, my heart was(is) heavy for my son and Angela, but I knew and still know that God in all his wisdom and mercy has a purpose and a plan for all involved. If I could answer the question Why, then I would be God. I know that God gave Angela a couple of dreams to help give her peace, and she shared those with me. God is moving in this family in ways that we cannot see or know. And I trust Him explicitly. After all, I only have this family because He's the one who gave me all my children, and I have to remember that they in actuality are His, whether they serve Him at this time or not. All souls belong to Him according to Ezek. 18:4. He gave this scripture to me before I left for the mission field. So when I get to heaven, I am going to meet my granddaughter, Leah, and I believe we will know each other. I could be wrong there, but that's not a big deal, because we will still meet.

I thank God that He laid me on the heart of Pastor Julie before they received my email telling them of the sad news. God always takes care of His children. He knows the beginning and the end, and I am so thankful that I am His child, and that Pastors Bryan and Julie hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey Him.

It's interesting that my daughter-in-law, Jen, said that this was the first time in 14 years that all five of my children were together. Wow! So of course pictures were taken. Always at family gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas, there would always be one or two missing. That's not uncommon when family members live in different states. But what a sad occasion for this to happen. BUT God has a plan and purpose.

So today, classes began. I have the same teacher that I had the first seven weeks that I was here. But at least I can understand most of what she is saying, whereas before, I didn't. So I praise God that I have learned more than I thought I had.

We had AGTS last week. Theology classes. I have struggled with wearing the "missionary" hat. It slips down over my eyes! I have told my Father that I am not a missionary, more times than one. A teacher, yes, but not a missionary. Did you ever argue with God, the Father? There's no winning. So after classes last week, I guess I am. The hat doesn't slip as far as it once did, but...So I have been reading about some famous or not so famous missionaries, because before I was called here, I have to admit, I knew basically nothing about them. I still don't know a lot, but I'm learning. I can see God's hand in the books that Don, CINCEL director, has been loaning to me. Amazing what God does in our lives. Truly He is an exciting God. What an adventurer! Thank you Lord.

Boy, I think that my English is getting worse. I have to think twice about spelling some words, and to double think about writing my sentences! That's really crazy, except that's it's a sure sign that Spanish is beginning to take hold. Hallelujah!!

I just praise God everyday for His love and care of me and mine. He is truly an awesome God, and He loves like no one else. And when we really relinquish all to Him, He does amazing things in us and for us. We Christians continually say that God is in control, but when bad, or rather what we consider to be bad happens, do we still believe that He is in control? Yes, I do. What about you?

I Sam.15:22...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

2011-04-17T14:45:00.006-05:00

Gloria a Dios. I am so thankful that God is who he is. Today Leticia and I visited a new church with other missionaries. Oh my, it was an answered prayer. I have visited several here, but none have been where I could call home. I have prayed, Lord put me in a true Pentecostal church. One where they actually DO what your word says. James says we have to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. I want a church that practices what it preaches. I want a church that gives time for the Holy Spirit to move. I want a church that truly takes time to worship, not sing 3 or 4 songs, everybody sits down and then we are taught from some book and author other than the Bible and the Holy Spirit. I want a church where the Lord speaks to his people with messages in tongues with the interpretations thereof. I want a church that anoints the sick and believes God's word for them. Jude said "that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." What was that faith? And what was he telling us when he used the word contend?

This morning the Pastor said to turn to James 5:13. I knew what was coming, and I could have jumped out of my seat for joy, but I held myself back. And sure enough, he started talking about healing and bless his heart, he confirmed what I've been saying. We don't have to hold on to sickness, and it doesn't matter how old you are. The rest is me saying what I feel. Jesus didn't take those stripes for nothing, but many times I feel the church counts them as nothing by the way they act. I always hear what the doctors say, but not what God says about the situation. If God can't heal you, then know for sure the doctors can't. And if it's God's will for you to be sick, then why are you going to a doctor? And it isn't God's will for us to be sick, otherwise He wouldn't have provided healing. And now I hear those infamous words, "yeah, but..." Find "yeah but" in God's word. And I was so thankful that I could get anointed for a cough I've been battling. So am I healed? Of course. Isa.53:5, James5:15, and I Pet. 2:24. It's a horrible feeling to know what God's word tells you to do, and you can't find a church that does it or doesn't take the time to let you know that if you are sick and need be prayed for that they will do it. Very sad. I wonder at times what God thinks about it all.

Now comes an exciting event. When we were all walking out of the building, one of the ushers, I thought, said I had vomit on the back of my slacks. I put my hand back there to feel, and sure enough, they were wet. However, I had not heard that familiar sound when a child vomits. Well, he was ushering me and Leticia outside to the bathrooms. The ladies were all full so he stuck me in the men's bathroom and left. One of the guys with him was wanting to hold my purse while I cleaned up. Clean up with what? No paper of any kind, no water other than what was in the toilet. So I went outside again,and he put me back in there. So I went back out the third time and said, "no entiendo" which means I don't understand rather loudly. He gave me a cup of water, and Leticia came in to wipe the stuff off with that and her tissues while the other guy took my purse. Are you getting the picture? Well, Leticia had some on her behind, too. So here we are wiping this stuff off. I smelled it, of course, while Leticia is basically saying don't do that. These people are so afraid of small stuff. Well, I'm sorry, it didn't smell like puke! In fact, it smelled like French dressing. The orange kind in the bottle. In fact, I know that's what it was. I can't believe how fast all this took place to the point that things "you know" aren't right, but at the same time they aren't registering in the brain correctly. Well, these guys got my "purse". They are surely very disappointed, because what they got was my English/Spanish parallel Bible. Maybe $4 or $5 dollars in change, if that much, my prayer cards, a tube of lipstick, a comb, a pen, a few pieces of candy, and maybe a copy of my passport. And my eyeglass case, and I just remembered I had 2 Lempiras from Honduras worth about 40 cents in my Bible. And the purse was actually the bag I carry to go shopping. So my prayer for them is that they can't get away from the Word! I pray they get so convicted that they have to get saved in order to have peace!! Wouldn't that be just like our God? So that's my exciting day so far. Of course the day isn't over yet!!!

Friday past was graduation day for some. It was a day of gladness and sadness just like any graduation. Some left the following day and some will leave this week. I will miss one family in particular. Corey and I love to spar! Some people think we are arguing, but we're actually having fun. We have a good time. So Corey I will definitely miss those fun times. Tona, whom I've heard can cut you like a knife but you never know it because she does it so sweetly, I will miss you. Maggie, so quiet, and Alex, the ideal escort. You're a great family, and I pray God's blessings upon you, and that his will be performed in each of your lives as individuals and as a family. I love you guys.

And tomorrow my granddaughter has her 22nd birthday. Congrats Kelcie.

Isa.64:9...eye hath not seen nor ear heard ...things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

2011-04-02T09:32:00.000-05:00

Two more weeks and the first trimester will be over. Praise the Lord! Only three more trimesters to go. Reminds me of counting down semesters in college. So glad when one was over and excited to start the next.

So we returned from three days in Panama yesterday. We went to the city of David about 45 minutes from the Costa Rica/Panama border. David has a big Jewish population. Can't you tell by the name? It's a very nice sized city. We could walk downtown from the hotel, and that was nice. It's super hot there, and we were all happy to have air conditioners in our rooms especially at night. There is a store called Conway that is owned by Target, and the o in Conway has the Target logo. Interesting. We had to take a cab there which usually cost about $2 each way, but everybody usually chips in so it isn't quite so expensive. And the best of course was a Momentos coffee shop similar to Starbucks close to the hotel. Absolutely heavenly! Also I asked Leticia to ask one of the workers in Conway if she knew a good place to get our hair cut. Sure enough, so we went there. $4. Great! And we learned that Betsy, the young lady who cut our hair went to an Assembly of God church. God truly does direct our paths.

One thing you learn to do in Latin America is to walk. I praise God that I've always been a walker. So to walk a couple of miles is not a big deal. Therefore we walked downtown more than once to go to the store Picadilly. Talk about cheap! I bought a nice looking watch for three bucks. No, it isn't an expensive brand name, but that's ok. If it gets stolen or it quits working, I won't cry or lose much. I'm sure batteries here cost more than $3. And my old, cheap watch is about ready to die, and all the coating has worn off, so it has a bronzed look! Totally different than any other watch I've seen.

We stopped on the way back in Dominical, I hope that's the name, for lunch. The place was playing 60's and 70's music which was interesting. But then I went to take a picture of the front of the place, and there next to the sign, up in the air, was an old van like the hippies use to drive. Well, that spoke volumes. And then I learned that this place was a surfer's paradise. So we all went down to the beach. No shells, only rocks of all sizes. And sure enough there were surfers out there riding the waves. And of course the usual venders selling their wares. Then back on the bus and away we went.

But I think of the greatness and bigness of God. I look at the expanse of the ocean and the sky, and I get overwhelmed by just how great is our God. His intelligence we can't even begin to fathom. And yet He knows me, everything about me, and He loves me anyway. But as I told Ritchie, He loves the prostitute down the street, too. That's just to keep things in their proper perspective. And we can't even begin to out love Him, or out give Him. I think about the things He asked us to give up in order to go to a foreign country, and when everything is looked at from a different angle, we realize that He gives back to us a lot more than we gave up.

And it's interesting the places you call home. We were all so glad to return "home" to CINCEL. Normally, everybody tries to get away from here. Most all feels like it's kind of like being in a prison. The scenery, what scenery? There isn't anything that's really eye pleasing here. The creek (people call it a river, but it's really a tiny creek)next to our living quarters, we call peepeecaca because it smells so bad. But we were all ready to be home! And we praised God for a safe trip and for not having any problems at the borders. Speaking of the borders. You have to drive your vehicle, however large or small, through this car washing thing to wash off the bugs, dust, or whatever before entering or leaving either of the two countries! We all thought that was a little amusing and strange.

So serving God is an adventure. Sometimes it's not so much fun, but in the end it will all be worth it. The things He has planned for us if we are willing to follow him definitely includes a cross, come and die, but also to live life to the fullest. And I pray that He keeps me on that potter's wheel always in order that I may hear those precious words, well done thou good and faithful servant.

1John 5:4 ...and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith

2011-02-19T09:02:00.004-06:00

The Lord hears our prayers and answers them! So the lesson with the little ones went ok. I did my story and Corey did his. We had to translate to English for those that didn't understand Spanish. However, Corey had to translate part of his because I didn't know the words. So good job Corey!!!

Revelations 12:11 says that "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony... Every time God answers a prayer, however small we think, we are over comers because what he does builds up our faith in him. So one day I am going to remain calm when I have to do something that is not comfortable for me, in Jesus name.

I learned through one of my former students in HN that Eva will be teaching them English this year. Another prayer answered. I wanted so much for them to be able to continue English. I believe that we need to train or help someone else to do the job that we do so that when we are no longer there, the job, ministry, etc. will still go on. I use to tell Eva all the time that she needed to be teaching English. Her reasoning was the same as mine with the little ones, I can't do that very well. Well, with God I can do all things that he has called me to do because he strengthens me. So please pray with me for Eva. She will be so good.

We just finished half of the trimester in Spanish. Whew! This next week is AGTS. I'm not for sure what it is all about. No one has explained it very well, but it will be in English. It's not a good thing to be without Spanish for a whole week. I'm thankful for Leticia because when we walk, she practices her English with me, and I practice my Spanish with her. God truly does supply all our needs.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Amen.

Luke 18:1...that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

2011-02-14T19:00:00.005-06:00

I think I'd better use the same scripture this time as last time!! What a two weeks this has been. Well, I didn't have to fix lunch. Ritchie made pupusas in my apartment. But then he told me that he had invited all the teachers! Thanks for that heads up while you're fixing lunch!! So I went next door to borrow some plates and forks. I have four plates, four saucers, and 4 salad forks, the little ones. But all went well. God always takes care of things and us. The teachers enjoyed the food. Pupusas are made like small tortillas, only they have cheese, meat, and/or beans inside. Really good. It appears that there is a controversy as to who "made" pupusas first: Honduras or El Salvador. Hondurans say they did, and El Salvador says they did. I don't really care, I'm just glad somebody did! They are one of my favorite foods in Central America.

And I found out from one of the missionaries that is stationed here that it is ok for me to walk by myself. Thank you Lord. Leticia and I usually walk on Mon. and Tues. Last Saturday we took the bus downtown and went to one of the museums. Very interesting. Today, Saturday, Robyn and I went downtown and ate at a little restaurant called " El Spoon". Good food!! And then we went to the national museum which is housed in the old army fort here in San Jose. Of course, Costa Rica doesn't have a military of any kind today. What was really interesting was the drawings and writings on the walls of the "jail" that was used for disciplinary actions towards the soldiers or for political prisoners. Some of the dates were from the 40's. And most said, "remember..." Very
interesting. One day this week Robyn and I walked down to one of the malls, ( a mile or so away)
and then went to another store that is like Dollar General. Good place to buy school supplies.

So now my assignment for this week is to tell the story of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, in Spanish, of course, to the 4 year old kids in our day care. And there are only 4 here at this time. Do you know how bad I dislike doing something when I'm not for sure exactly what and how to do it? There's a reason I teach junior high and high school kids. I've been told it doesn't have to be perfect (like it would be anyway?) because they're only 4. Well, excuse me, I don't care if they are only 4. It needs to be done well. We're talking about a miracle that God performed. So the Lord will definitely have to perform another for me to do this. Am I complaining? Nope, it's just the way it is and my feelings about it. I can sit on the floor or in a rocking chair with kids on my lap and tell them stories, but this has to be with props and other things for them to do. Oh, and I have to teach them a song and a prayer, in Spanish of course! So I chose Jesus Loves Me for the song, and I'm praying for the prayer to come. Thank God for Robyn. She said she would draw the pictures for me, and I can write the story on the back. Smart, talented girl. Thank you Lord for her and her willingness to help me. And I was given a printer today so I can copy some pictures for the little guys to color when all is said and done. God is good and he does supply. And He will help me on Wed. The printer will be passed on to someone else when I leave here.

So in another week we change teachers. Hopefully, I'll be where I need to be. It's not a good thing to get a test and not know a thing on it. I'm thankful I have a college degree, and I don't worry about grades anymore. But at the same time, I want to do my best. However, when you don't know something, you don't know it. And today, Monday, I found out that I can go back a level when we change classes. Thank you Lord for that.

Before the Lord sent me to HN I never really thought about missionaries a lot. One reason was I didn't know too much about their lives. I listened when they came to the church, and I have supported them as a whole through the church. But when you're living around them, you see a whole different side of life for them. Like here, we have pre-school, elementary and junior high kids. They're great, but they have no place to go to visit their friends because they're all back in the states, and there is no place here for them to play outside. The little, and I mean little, park outside CINCEL's gate is not good because of the doggie leftovers that owners are suppose to dispose of and don't. And they have to learn to pick wisely what kind of gifts they want for birthdays, Christmas, etc. because it will all have to be shipped to wherever they are going. And that means weight and money. They have left grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, toys, bicycles, their schools, etc. because the Lord called their parents to be missionaries. Sometimes they go through some tough times emotionally and physically in order to adjust. What great kids these are. When they go past my door, I usually hear a "Hi Miss Beverly." They're from the the south, can't you tell? I praise God for them and I pray for them. I had to change schools a lot when I was growing up, so I understand that it's not always an easy thing to do. So I hope you will pray for the kids along with their parents.

So this is a little different than what I've written before, but life is life and sometimes it's tough. And yes, God is here helping and working with each of us and will use all the tough times to teach us and help us become what he wants us to be. And He always uses those tough times farther down the line, and they always increase our faith in him. But it is difficult to see that when you're in the battle.

Once again thanks for your support. Love and prayers.

Luke 18:1...that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

2011-01-30T16:22:00.006-06:00

The 4th week of language school is about to begin. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!! However, things are beginning to make more sense. I didn't go to the feria yesterday to buy fruits and veggies. I needed a day to just stay home, and get my brain together, if that's possible. School goes very fast with a lot to learn and do, and it seems there is no time to just think about what you are trying to learn and understand. Plus take care of all the normal life stuff like laundry, buying groceries, etc. But when you're in the military, you go and do whatever you're assigned, period. And this is what it feels like, but then I am in God's army, so that takes care of that.

Today Leticia and I went with Ritchie to the church he attends. We had to take 2 different buses each way, and that was good. It gave Leticia and I a chance to start learning the bus system. It cost us each about $.75 total. The taxi, one way, is about $6. So the bus is definitely the way to go. I didn't understand the pastor's speech very well, but I knew what he was talking about. Pray, pray, pray, and more than just those 5 minute prayers.

I do pray, a lot. I don't like Costa Rica at all, or maybe I should say San Jose. It's always overcast, so I rejoice when I can get some sun. It's not cold, but it's not so warm either. The food is ok, not as good as Honduran or the states. But then you can buy what you want at the store, so that solves that problem. You are not suppose to go walking by yourself, because it's suppose to be too dangerous. That really stinks. I'm so used to walking. And I think I'm homesick for HN. Isn't that a little strange? But then someone reminded me the other day that I had lived there for 2 years. Missionaries are strange people! They love their own country, their flesh and blood families, and miss them, but their hearts are in the countries where God has sent them to minister. When they say the country they were born in is not home, people look at them like the just committed treason or something. And that's not the case. I wouldn't trade my citizenship for any other other country in the world, not even Honduras. But at the same time, it (the U.S.) isn't my home anymore. But then God tells us that this world isn't our home either. So we just have to put it in perspective. When my daughter-in-law was in the army, she said home was where her feet were. I think of that often when I'm not wanting to be here. I know I need this year here to learn, but...and it's those buts that get us into trouble!! So I just have to pray, because I know God sent me here for a good purpose, for his glory, and not to die, so...get over it, Beverly.

Thursday, Deya took Corey and I downtown on the train. We could not sit together or with her. We had to sit with others and speak Spanish. That was ok. When we got off the train, we went to the Mercado, market. Wow, it was big. You can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, spices, and a lot more. One of the meat venders was hollering "hey, hey," and when we turned around, he was holding a pig's head! (Of course, we had to film everything because Deya used it in our class for discussion). I'm telling you, some people in the U.S. would think that was just terrible, but you buy FRESH meat and veggies here, not something that has been frozen for however long. So I want to go back there when I need meat. I did buy an once of paprika for $.15, and I need some bay leaves, but didn't about it while I was there. Oh well, another day. We walked all over, took a bus to the other side of town, I think-I was so lost-and then we decided to walk the rest of the way home, which was about a mile or so. What a class!

It's amazing the things (attitudes) that are in us that we aren't even aware of sometimes. But God has a way of bringing them to the surface in order to help us change them. I was told by one of the teachers that I was fixing lunch for her and Ritchie in 3 weeks. I said, "Really?" She's going to combine our class that day. Supposedly it was Ritchie's idea. He says not!! That really ruffled my feathers! I like to be asked! Oh, well, so be it. I was praying, " Dear Lord, what am I suppose to fix?" He gave me an idea, so it will be ok. Then another teacher said that you're not suppose to answer your door barefooted. What?? No, it's not showing respect. My house, my friend, and I'm not suppose to go barefooted! Amazing! AND you're not suppose to put your book bag, purse, or Bible on the floor in the church. That too, is disrespectful. But, you should not leave them on your chair behind you when you are singing and praying because of thieves. Oh, yes, thieves do go to church. So I have decided to check this out with others. And to smooth the feathers.

I guess I've rambled long enough. I will overcome, because I refuse to be overcame by stuff. Because "when we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus we will sing and shout the victory."

Love and blessings to all of you. And thank you so much for your prayers. As you can see, I need them.

Isaiah. 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear and your soul shall live...

2011-01-23T15:12:00.003-06:00

Great news! I have a new great-grandson. Jaden Alexander born yesterday(01/22/11), five weeks early, but is doing fine and will go home this week. Thank you Lord for answered prayer. His mama was also early, and "they" said she would be in the hospital 3-4 months, but she went home in a week too. How great is our God.

I have survived the first two weeks of language school! I don't know that I speak it any better at this point, but at least some missing components are being learned, and that's definitely good. I understand most of what my instructor says, but not all. So when I'm in total confusion, she slows down and goes a different direction, which helps a lot. I'm glad I have a year. I bombed the first test in the area of making a question from answers already given. It's like after the question word, then what goes where? I can ask questions, but this really threw me. But not to worry. I have a year, and I'm not getting a degree. And at this point in my life, I'm really not too worried. I just want to learn the language. I'm more concerned about quality, not quantity. I don't know if the teachers feel that way, but...
'
So what have I done? Yesterday a friend and I went to PriceSmart to buy a card. It's like Sam's. We could split the cost and each have our own card. We took a cab there and back. She is from Chile and speaks Spanish, but she is new here, too. So even though she speaks the language, she is a little nervous at doing things on her own also. The money is different for her just like it is for me. So we both have to figure out how much something cost in order to know if we want to pay the price. Even in Honduras, I always asked myself if I would pay that in the states. If the answer was yes, then I bought it. If not, then I wouldn't. So we were very proud of ourselves and thanking God for taking care of this and getting back home. We do have cards to carry with us in case we don't know how to say where we live or the cab driver doesn't know the area. Thank you CINCEL for those. She and I decided today that we are going to be brave and start taking the bus. It's much cheaper, and it is safe. We just have to remember to look and see where we get on and off!!

A bunch of us went to the mall Friday night to eat in the food court and walk around. Some of us stayed to watch a movie. It's in English and has Spanish subtitles. That's interesting especially when they make a big deal of stating that it isn't pirated. The only way I know that is because one of the students here explained it when I couldn't figure out what was happening. And yes, you can buy all the goodies before you go in just like in the states.

We went into one of the stores in the mall which is suppose to be something like Wal-Mart. Ha! One of the guys wanted to buy a backpack, and they were $70. Yeah, $70.00. In the states maybe $15. Crazy. We have to go to Panama in March because of our visas. Everyone has said to stock up on shampoos etc. because they are much cheaper there. Will definitely be looking at that.

Every Saturday morning some of us go to the feria. That's the farmer's market here. Definitely cheaper than in the grocery stores. There are two that are open on Saturdays and Sundays. We usually are there about an hour. Some of the apples come from the states, but they are usually from Chile. And yes, they are just as good. Maybe Johnny Appleseed went there too, you think?? No, I think God just spread his goodies everywhere that the climate he made was agreeable for them.

Ministry? Aw, yes, ministry. Well, my ministry appears to be to help those along the way with their faith in what God's word says. And I'm not for sure if that's the way to say it. However, one young fellow(he's 24) told me the other day that he was my mission. Really? It seems I'm always correcting, preaching or whatever to him. Bless his heart. And when I have prayed for him, God answered that night or the next day. This young man has a wonderful calling on his life to help the kids in El Salvador. He has been there 2 years already. He can speak very well, but he doesn't have all the other stuff that comes with learning language. So here he is. And me. God definitely has a sense of humor. So next week Leticia and I are going with him to his church. It's an arm of the one he attends and works with in El Salvador.

What else? I miss my family. I miss Honduras, and I don't think I'll ever get use to all the bars on my windows and doors. Locked gates going in and out of the driveway. We in the U.S. do not realize the freedom we really have. Oh, to hold on to it.

I'm thankful everyday for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is so awesome. Never did I think I would be doing what I'm doing, let alone at the age I'm doing it. Now I understand Abraham and Moses much better than before. God doesn't stop using people when they reach a certain age. If we are his children, we serve him until the day he takes us home. It isn't just the "young" that he calls. He has a plan for all of us. It's the world that says, "You have worked long enough, and now it's time to retire." And do what? Serve ourselves? Die? No. And God doesn't call everyone to leave their families, homes, etc. and go to a foreign country. But he does call us to serve him, and be a light in the place he has put us. I pray that God's kids will read his word everyday in order to really know who this great God is. He will reveal himself to anyone that truly desires to know him. And when he does that, you'll never be the same.

Thanks to all of you that help support me in offerings and prayers. May God bless you abundantly.

Ps.68:19 Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits...

2011-01-09T14:50:00.001-06:00

Here it is, a new year. As a child I never thought the year 2000 would be a reality. It was like a sci-fi movie that just wasn't true. I just couldn't think that far ahead. So now it is eleven years after! Many people make new year resolutions and I probably did to in my younger years, but no more. It just doesn't make sense to me to do that. I have goals, but it's one day at a time.

Christmas time was good. I spent time with my family and friends. And I loved seeing the changes in my grand-kids. They are growing up so fast.

And now I'm in Costa Rica at CINCEL, the language school for the missionaries that are going to Spanish speaking countries. It's a close knit bunch already. God's people connect with each other, and they grow into families. And the family just keeps growing! It's amazing to think that I have brothers and sisters all over the world. It is interesting to hear everyone's story of how the Lord moved in their lives to get them on the mission field. Every story is unique, but then so is each one of us. God has a plan for each of us, whether we're on the mission field or not, and he uses everything in our past one way or another to bring us to where we are today and to use it for his glory. I shudder to think where I would be today if God was not active in my life. It's a scary thought.

I have been here for 4 days and it has been busy. My apartment is 2 big rooms with 2 baths. They made 1 big apartment from 2 one room apartments. I'm so glad because I need space. Perhaps that's why I like to live in the country. God is so good, and he takes care of little things. For example, my rooms are shades of my favorite colors, green and brown. The coffee cups are like mugs that I like to use to drink coffee. I have a large closet and a queen size bed that is very comfortable. I have cable and the internet. I'm right across the driveway from the entrance to the school. It can't get much better than that.

This morning we went to the fruit market. It was very big. We share things when there are too many for one or two people. Ritchie (who is 25 , single, and stationed in El Salvador) and I split avocados and limes. Too many carrots in a bag? Share them. I just bought one huge carrot which will last me all week, whether I cook it or use it raw. There is nothing like fresh vegetables and fruits. Right now I'm cooking 3 beets, and in a few minutes 3 of us are going down the street to buy eggs. So we went, and now we're back. Great little store down around the corner. We also found a nursery, so I want to buy a couple of live plants next week so my nest will really feel like home. Just gotta have plants in the house!

There are many AG churches in San Jose, but tomorrow we will go to the one around the corner. I think it has 2 morning services. So it has to be really big. Will see.

Well, today we didn't go to the one around the corner! We went to another, and the pastor is the Superintendent over the AG churches here in CR. Some things I understood, and some I did not. However he likened Gen.1 with our lives. The world was created by God and then God brought order into it. Our lives are not in order when God calls us. He brings order by bringing light which of course is Christ. And then somewhere in his message he said that we have to live God's word and culture and not the culture in which we live. Ritchie nudged me and said that he felt like he was sitting in my living room, because I had just "preached" that culture message to him before we left for church. He had said,"oh, my God." When I said you ought not say that he responded that it was the culture here. Well, that was an open door and I walked right through it! They say it in Honduras, too. When I asked why he said it, he said he didn't know. We ought not be using God's name in vain. The culture of the kingdom of God is different than the culture here, in the U.S., and Honduras. Jesus went against his culture many times, and was loved or hated by those around him. We have to follow in his path. This is the second time that this culture theme has been confirmed for me. The last Sun. in the states, I went to church with my youngest son, and his pastor also made the same statement. I love it when God confirms something that he has given me. Oh happy day...

One missionary is here from Chile and is going to India. She is here to learn English and then Indi (?)when she arrives there. I will be helping her with English while she helps me with Spanish. Grandma used to say "turn around is fair play".

So tomorrow classes begin. I am so ready!!

Many thanks Lord for your peace, and for your daily care of us, and you truly do load us daily with benefits: family, friends, everything that we need and desire even when we aren't sure what those things are. And thank you for remembering my family always.

Ps.81:10...open thy mouth and I will fill it.

2010-11-29T10:01:00.004-06:00

From Oct.24-29 we went to Choluteca with a group from Alabama. They added another room onto the school there, and I had my regular job of sifting sand! Two of the young ladies in the group decided to sponsor two children at the school. We praise God for that. Of the 4000 + students in our schools, only about 1000 + are sponsored. How much more we could accomplish if more of our students were sponsored.

Well, this past month has been really busy. And I'm sure I have forgotten some. Two girls working with Convoy of Hope stayed at my house after visiting the schools with Becky. We had a good time visiting and going shopping before they left. I was also able to visit with Jay and Nancy. What an entertaining time that was!!!

Went to San Pedro Sula for the Field Fellowship meeting and to celebrate Thanksgiving with the missionaries in San Pedro Sula. I was given the honor of giving the devotional at the meeting. God did well!! He got me so excited that I couldn't sleep part of the night. And I was just as excited when I shared what he had given me. And before I went to bed, I didn't have a clue on what I was suppose to talk about. But he brought the scripture to my mind about opening my mouth and he would fill it. But the minute I sat on my bed and opened my Bible, the Lord began to speak. What an awesome God we serve. There is none like him.

I will speak at the 6th grade graduation today on Pro. 3:13, the scripture on their invitations. So once again, he will fill my mouth. I also gave the devotional for the teachers on my last Friday at school. One of the teachers said at the end,"Wow! I learned something today." I praised God for that. So 3 times in the last 3 weeks. I'm amazed!

Then we will go to San Pedro Sula again on Wed. for 3 days of teacher workshops. Then the school year will officially be over. Hooray! I'm getting excited about going home and then to Costa Rica in Jan. for a year of language school.

My internet will be disconnected tomorrow in preparation to leave here. I have been told that I will get my house back when I return in 2012. That is a blessing. God takes such good care of me and all his children, if we let him.

So another month has come and gone. I am so ready to see my kids and grandkids AND great-grandkids. And to see my pastor and family, and friends. I am so blessed. Thank you Lord for all.

Ps.91:5-6 thou shalt not be afraid...nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness...

2010-10-14T12:27:00.002-05:00

I just returned from a week in Belize with Becky doing 3 teacher workshops. All the teachers were appreciative for the information they received. We stayed with Tom and Kathi Moore, missionaries from Texas. We enjoyed Kathi's cooking tremendously, and I was grateful for all the knowledge that Tom shared with us about the people, country, and other things in general. Great stuff.

Our first workshop was at the Central Assembly School in Belize City. After the initial presentation while the teachers were making teaching tools, I heard the most awesome sound. It was a hymn being sung in English coming from the church! I haven't heard a hymn since leaving the states. I needed that!

Then we were off to the Banana Bank Lodge near Belmopan. What a beautiful place. It is owned by a couple from the states, Jerry and Carolyn Carr. They have lived there for 34 years. Carolyn from Tribune KS, and Jerry from Montana. On the grounds are several cabanas with thatched roofs, large swimming pool, very large bird cage, a jaguar, and 2 monkeys on chains with signs on their roped areas that says,"BEWARE monkey bites". Cute but dangerous. Since Carolyn is an artist, the rooms have many of her prints on display. Beautiful pictures of the jaguar. The live jaguar never came out of her cage while we were there. And one morning there was a donkey's head in her cage to feed on. It stunk! And the smile on it's lips wasn't very inviting either! Many of the windows are stained glass. Absolutely beautiful. Carolyn shared supper with us one night, and this is where I learned about the bot fly. I had noticed that she had a place on her shoulder that was dark red, and I thought that maybe it was a wound that was healing. Oh, no, I was informed that a dead worm was in there! I couldn't believe my ears. You mean you're sitting there with the larvae of a fly in your shoulder? Oh, yes, but it was dead because she had painted the area with clear finger nail polish (another good use for it other than our nails)! However, she was going to the Dr. to have it removed. I had never heard of this before. Well, I received an education, probably more than I wanted. Anyway this egg is dropped on your flesh either by a mosquito or the fly itself. It burrows into your skin and there feeds on you until it comes out as a fly. Oh yuck! They itch at first just like a mosquito bite, but then it begins to hurt because they are eating away on you. I looked them up on the internet, and they look just like Tom described them. Want to feel vulnerable? Check it out. I decided to stand once again on the scripture Ps. 91:6. During the meal Becky told about some kind of moth landing on the chin of a missionary while he slept. It laid its eggs there and he had to go to the doctor to have them removed when they began to grow. That freaked me out, too. Well, the next morning Carolyn met me outside and said she had to tell me that after she went to bed, she heard this fluttering noise. She turned on the light and saw this moth. She knew it wasn't the kind that Becky had talked about, but it was like the Lord was saying to her that they had such fun at my expense that...We laughed about it because God does have a sense of humor.

The second school was Valley of Peace. Teachers were engaged and really liked the recipes for making glitter, play dough, and using white toothpaste to stick things to the walls.

The last school was at Red bank, a Mayan village. They, too, enjoyed the presentation and making the teacher tools. When we arrived there, the first thing was to eat in the home of one of the villagers. Two vegetable sized serving bowls were given to each of us. One bowl contained white rice and the other a soup with a couple of large pieces of chicken. NO spoons! A huge basket of tortillas were placed on the table. They use the tortillas to soak up the soup. There's no way that I could have eaten all that food. Tom or Kathi asked for spoons. So thankful for those utensils!! It was delicious, but far too much. They cook in a different building outside the main house. The main house consisting of one room with a very small table, the one where we ate, 2 bedrooms, and I think one bathroom. This main part had a metal roof. The other a thatch. In the "kitchen" there was a sling of sorts hanging from the ceiling, and inside was a 7 month old baby girl. Happy as a lark, she was. Talk about innovation. You could give a little push and swing her to sleep. The only problem for this westerner was that she could only see the ceiling. She could hear all that was going on around her, but couldn't see anybody unless they poked their heard in her "sling". I don't know what else to call it.

Belize is suppose to be very hot and humid. I really did pray that it would not be so, because I sweat so much to the point that it looks like I just washed my hair. Some people perspire, but this lady sweats! So I figured I'd be changing clothes a couple of times a day. Well, lo and behold, if God didn't do it again. The weather was beautiful. NO sweating!! Well, one time at Red Bank, but not enough to speak about. I praised him everyday for that. Of course, no one else was complaining about the weather, either, not that we Christians complain :-)!!

Belize truly is a small country. Less than 400,000 people. But most of it is jungle. I would not want to live there . Everyday commodities are very expensive because most is imported from other countries. They do have jaguars there that like dog meat, so we heard, but they usually stay hidden from human eyes.

God has truly blessed me in coming to Honduras. He has allowed me to visit other countries and meet many of his children. He has protected me, kept me healthy, provided for me, and taught me more about himself. I love him and give him glory for all he is. Truly he will bless his people in their obedience and love to him.

Ps.147:8 ...who prepareth rain for the earth...

2010-09-17T12:17:00.003-05:00

Here it is, the middle of September. This school year will soon be over. I think we are all ready to see the end in sight. But always, there with the relief that it will soon be over, is the sadness that comes with the realization that you won't see some students again. It is especially sad that my students won't receive English next year. The 7th and 8th graders are just really getting comfortable with using the little things that they have learned. So it's really a downer for me. But God is in control over all, and He has the plan for their lives, not us. We just have to do our part when he puts them in our lives.

Last month, Becky and I enjoyed cherry pie and ice cream. Heavenly!! We still have 2 cans of the pie filling left, so 2 more before we leave in December. Yee-Ha!!

The last two months have been a little trying with all the rain. The road to Macuelizo is a disaster. We have had to get off the van and walk a little ways in order for the bus to get unstuck or to get over the humps that were formed by traffic going through the mud. It's a mountain made of rock, but the crevices have been filled in with rock and dirt that's like clay. But all the rains have washed it away. Last year we didn't receive this much rain and I wondered if Honduras really had a rainy season. Oh, yes, it does. So many people here get scared when it rains very hard. It's because of all the damage that the rain caused during Hurricane Mitch in '96. One of the fellows that owns the pulperia, where I wait for the van to go to school, told me that he was afraid when it rains hard, and he asked me if I was afraid. I told him no, because I'm not, and he looked incredulous. He wanted to know why, and I said it was because of God. A couple of days later, he asked if Jesus had been a man. I said yes, and he didn't say more. So the Lord is busy. And it's interesting that the pastor preached on God's promise that He would not destroy the earth with a flood ever again and about the covenant rainbow with Noah. A very timely message.

The cancha at school has been finished, and now the guys are working on the other building. (Before they are finished working this time, they will also replace the guttering on the kinder building). The kids enjoy being able to play soccer on the new cancha. What a blessing all this is from the Lord. I'm so glad He supplies his people, and when they give when He says give, so much can be accomplished. I don't want this school to always be the poorest of our schools here in Honduras. So much the Lord has to do here. I want it to be the light that He has called it to be.

On the 15th of this month, we celebrated the Independence Day of Honduras. Our kids looked great. Our drummers played the whole distance. Why the judges were at the end of the parade route, I will probably never know. Our drummers were in the 5th and 6th grades. They played the whole distance which was probably a mile and a half, give or take a few feet. But it was uphill over half the way. On the last stretch, our little ones in kinder had to quit. They just couldn't go any farther. The little girls were twirling batons. So cute. And the little guys had drums. So needless to say, the judges didn't see them. The judges did thank the extranjeras(me and Becky)for coming to Honduras and helping them. It was so hot, and all the kids wore uniforms of one kind or another. They were actually sweating, too. Not just this gringa. So now, no school till next Tuesday. And today is Teacher's Day. I received a message from my phone provider saying Happy Teacher's Day.

I received a very nice gift from Silvia, my Spanish teacher. A new Spanish Bible. I have a parallel in Spanish and English. And I always cover the English side when I read for her. Not good enough! So this one is a 2000 translation of the 1960 that I already have. So praise God. It's so funny, because she'll ask me if I understand after I read. I have to tell her the truth. Of course I understand what I just read, because I know what it says in English. She just sighs. God bless her!

And last Tuesday during my lesson, I found out that Valle has a POST OFFICE!!!! Silvia said. I couldn't believe my ears. Are you kidding me? For two years I've been saying that we don't have one. Well, today, during my lesson, we are walking there. So in 2012 when I come back here, si Dios quiere, (if God wills)I will have a mailbox here. Do wonders never cease.

Thanks once again for all your prayers and support. God truly does hear and answer our prayers. God bless all of you.

Eph. 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God...

2010-08-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

What a great time in Kansas, minus my daughter-in-law's bout with MS, of course. But the timing was right so I could help out with the trips to the doctor.

Kelcie and Derek's wedding and reception were beautiful. I pray that Jesus will always be at the center of their marriage, and that the smiles they wore on Saturday will forever be there for one another through good times and bad. God bless you both, and the children that are to come from this union.

What a great time to visit with the other side of the family from Montana. Grandma Harter and I have a beautiful family in common. It has been several years since I have seen them, and it was good to chat with the different members of the family. It was good to visit with Uncle Dave. He and I shared a rental car in 1996 when we were in Belgium at the same time to visit Gary, Susan, and family. Kelcie was about 6 or so then. So I'm glad they all made the trip.

I had discovered a black speck on my front left tooth. So I decided while I was in the states that I should check on getting an appointment in Dec. when I return to the states for a longer time. So I went to see about an appointment on Saturday, and the secretary asked how Monday morning at 8:00 would be. Absolutely wonderful. So off to the dentist. Praying that it wouldn't cost a lot. So the dentist came in, asked me where I was living now, looked at the tooth, and said he could buff it out. OK. That sounded good to me. So he did. As I was leaving, his associate said he wasn't charging me for anything. Wow! Thank you, Dr. Hall. May God bless you in blessing me.

Pastors Bryan and Julie came to visit me on Monday afternoon with little Elliott, and that was a real treat. Thank you so much. I had gone to church with Doug on Sunday and didn't get to see them. I miss them as my pastors and friends. And little Elliott is now 7 months old, and is a very happy baby. Plus he's absolutely gorgeous.

I was suppose to leave on Tuesday, and after Doug and I arrived at the airport, they were saying that the flight to and from Houston would be delayed due to bad weather there. So we decided that I would stay another day and leave on the morrow. Worked out great. So back to Doug's house. He left for work very early, and after Jen got the kids off to school, she went to get some much needed sleep. I was really tired so decided to follow in her footsteps. So I went downstairs and slept till 11. It was great sleeping weather. Raining, and everyone knows how good it feels to lay down, listen to the rain, and then fall asleep. I can't even remember the last time I slept till 11:00, if ever. But it sure felt good, and I didn't feel too guilty!

So the return home was without event, although I visited with a missionary that lives in Canada. He was coming here for whatever business his church has here. Also visited with a father and son on the way to the states that had come here on a medical mission trip. He was Independent Assembly of God. I don't know the difference between the two because spiritually we believe the same things. The Assembly I went to in IL was Independent. So he gave me the name of the pastor that has a church here that is not to far from Valle. So maybe I will meet him some time. It would be interesting to know if he knows people that I know.

When Becky and I walked into my house, we were hit in the nose with a horrible smell. We discovered that all the meat in my freezer was thawed and spoiled. The electricity had been off for a couple of days. However, that would not have thawed the meat, especially when no one was opening the door. Something had happened to the fridge again. It was blowing hot air instead of cold. So back to Becky's for the night. Mario brought a small refrigerator the next day until the other could be fixed. And it was fixed the day after, so that was good. The scripture, give us our daily bread came to mind. I had enough meat for a month or so, because it's nice to go to the supermarket in Tegu when I'm there and stock up. Guess I should rethink that. Especially when the electricity is not so dependable this time of the year with all the rain. Well, welcome to Honduras where things are so unpredictable. You really do have to depend on God, because He only is unchangeable. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. So whatever the need, He will supply it.

So now the kids have to write letters to their sponsors in the states. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are writing theirs in English. I hope!!! They also are memorizing the 23rd Psalm in English. I am memorizing it in Spanish. I didn't think it was fair to ask them to memorize without me doing the same.

I praise God for his goodness and blessings, and someday I will see his face, but more important is to hear the words, Well done my good and faithful servant.

John 14:2 In my father's house are many mansions:...

2010-08-08T18:13:00.007-05:00

Friday afternoon Eva and I went walking. So let's go to the cemetery. I've been to just about every place else in town, but not there. So we did. The most peaceful place is a cemetery. No one there to bother you. This one was a little creepy looking to me because the graves are almost on top each other. And some of the headstones and vaults were not standing straight. I was sure the path we were on went over some graves. Grandma always said you never walk on a grave. It's disrespectful. So I felt a little guilty. They have a lot of graves above the ground with the casket inside the concrete vault. One family had several vaults built on top each other, and the whole building was made to look like a castle! (Made me think of the Father's house wherein are many mansions). There really was no room to walk between the graves. That's how close together they were. Some were covered with the ceramic tiles, others were plain cement or painted. I guess I'll have to take a picture. Never thought about it Friday. Speaking of cemeteries, I went to my second wake a couple of weeks ago. And that always makes me think of my own! Unless we're alive when Jesus returns, we'll all go that way sometime.

Before I leave in December, we are talking about going to the mine that's near Valle. They used to mine silver from it. It also had a beautiful waterfall, but that was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch. The rain from Hurricane Mitch did a lot of damage in Honduras.

Last week seven schools came to our school. We hosted a fair day where the different schools brought things made from recyclables. We took first place in every area. What an accomplishment. Made us proud, the right kind of course. Now they are planning a science fair for the seventh graders. That ought to be interesting.

Work has begun on finishing the "cancha" for the high school. That's an answered prayer for me. It's something these kids need. I'm so thankful for those of you that sent me an offering to help with this.

We have an epidemic of dengue at this time. It's caused by a particular mosquito. The hospitals have been full. A campaign has been underway to clean up dump sites and to empty any vessel outside that can hold water including flower pot saucers. Cities have been using pesticides to kill the mosquitoes and their larvae, but it rains just about everyday, so the fight is continual. Dengue can kill. There are three basic types and the one that causes a person to bleed from different areas of the body is the worst. Right now we have a teacher that is very sick with it. She is suppose to return to school in another three days. I hope so.

In two days I leave for KS to see my kids, grand-kids, and to attend my granddaughter's wedding. I am soooo excited. Hopefully, I will get to see ALL my kids. Thank you Lord for my BIG family. What a blessing they are to me. And thank you for all the friends that you have given me. They, too, are a blessing in my life.

Eccl.3:1 To everything there is a season...

2010-07-31T10:23:00.009-05:00

Well, here it is,the last day of July. Hard to believe. The seasons here don't really change much so it's hard to think of one season passing and another one coming.

I had a big heartache a little over a week ago. Lobo died. It broke my heart. He was such a good dog. I miss him walking with me. When I went to feed the geese, he was right beside me. He would walk me to the wash room, wait for me to leave, and then walk me to the door of the house. Where I went, Lobo went. I miss him putting his left front foot on my left foot and standing against my legs so I couldn't move, all because he wanted me to pet him. However, I do not miss his barking just before bedtime. But I miss his greeting when I come home from school and when I leave in the mornings. This is from someone who supposedly doesn't like dogs. Go figure.

On the other hand, I had a great blessing this month. After sharing scriptures with Denia, the Lord healed her stomach, and she has returned to Him. That is the greatest blessing in this world, to have someone return to the Lord after being away for so long a time. And what a difference it has made in her life. Our English lesson has turned into a Bible study which is great. I still teach her son English.

I was so glad that yesterday was Friday and that the week was over! It has been a couple of weeks of chaos for this gringa. There were days that I didn't have all my classes because they were practicing for the Day of the Indian, meetings with parents to get their children's grades, and now practicing for the parade on Sept. 15 which is Honduras' Independence Day. I was so tired when I arrived home yesterday. But then I had an English class with Denia's son. But Rodrigo said he would like to have his English lesson on a different day. He wants to have that afternoon free. Boy, do I understand that. So we are changing it to Wednesday when I don't have a Spanish lesson. God does take care of the little things, doesn't he?

It's interesting that I have witnessed to adults since I have been here. When Eva and I talk, I either confirm what Ramiro has told her or vice verse. We are always confirming the word to her without the other one knowing it. But she always tells me that Ramiro told her the same thing. What a blessing for her and us. God will always confirm his word to us one way or another. Either a brother or sister in Christ, a sermon, something. He loves us so much and he wants us to understand.

It was my turn to do the devotional yesterday for the teachers. I talked about how important it is to read God's word daily. Many go to church, but they don't open their Bibles during the week to see what God is saying to them. We can't stand on or obey his word if we don't know what it says. Pastors don't have the time to teach us everything about God. And besides that, God wants to speak to us individually through his word, and he wants to have a personal relationship us. Amen?

So the word gringo. I have been told that it originated with the words green go. Our American troops were here for whatever conflict, and when the Hondurans wanted them to leave, they said green go because of the green uniforms. Hence, the word gringo. Gringa for the female. I don't take offense with this word, although some people do. And it's interesting when I see people that look like Americans, I call them gringos without even thinking about it. I guess it's because I know that they won't be staying here. I have been told that I'm a catracha which is the nickname for Hondurans. Every Central American country has one of these nicknames. It's like Yankees from the north in the U.S. and Rebels from the south. Not too big a deal.

So I'm going home to KS on the 12th of August for 4 days. I am so looking forward to seeing my family that lives there. I haven't seen them since Jan. And, I will be able to attend my granddaughter's wedding. What a blessing. What an exciting time in her life.

One of the evangelistic churches from Tegucigalpa is starting to meet here in Valle on Thursday nights. This past Thursday night was the showing of the film Facing the Giants. Of course it was in Spanish. I cannot keep up with the language in a film. But I knew what was happening because I had seen the film with my son Ken. So I am planning to go to their services on Thursdays. My friends here in Valle attend the church in Tegu. I have been there a couple of times including this past Mother's Day. I believe one of the pastor's will be having the service and not one of the leaders. Leaders are not pastors, but are trusted to minister the Word, etc.

I am so counting the days until I go home for a visit. Thank you Jesus that I have a family to go home to.

II Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him...

2010-07-01T18:16:00.004-05:00

Well, what a deal!! I had to go to the ATM at the service station which is a mile, give or take a few feet, from my house. Of course, I walk. Well, lo and behold, it was gone. The station doesn't have one anymore. The only one that I knew about in Valle that takes MasterCard. Boy did the thoughts begin. Basically, no money except a few $ in U. S. and very few limpiras. So I'd have to go home to get them plus my passport or go to Tegu or call Becky or....I'm praying, Lord, what do I do? My cable is due today. Am I going to have to go to Tegu every month to get money? I had a few limpiras, so I decided to buy the laundry soap and coffee. Before I got to the store, I thought I'd ask the guard at the other bank if they had an ATM inside. Sure enough, Praise God, they had one that takes MasterCard. I usually go to the other bank down the street to pay my phone bill and electric bill, and they don't have an ATM or at least I've never seen one. Will check that out the next time I'm there. Nothing like having money and not being able to get to it-or so I thought. There is a little building at the park in the center of town that has an ATM, but it doesn't take MasterCard. So praise God there is one here that I can use.
I will be getting a new Spanish teacher next week. She is a cousin to my former teacher, Denia. Due to the classes at the university in Tegu, her time will not allow her to continue teaching me. But I will still get to visit with her on Friday afternoons since I'm teaching her son English. A few of our classes turned into a Bible study, and due to the moving of the Holy Spirit, she is going back to church. Hallelujah!
I split my 5th and 6th grades into two classes each. What a difference that makes. It's amazing how much the attitudes change. I still have a couple in the 6th grade that I think need to be in their regular class and not in mine. They could care less and they don't respond in a positive way.
I am so thankful that Jesus said he would never leave or forsake us. Truly he is a very present help in the time of need regardless of how big or small. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness.

Mat. 7: 12 ...whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them...

2010-06-10T18:04:00.004-05:00

Well, now I'm meddling as Bro. Gruver use to say. But I went walking after listening to the news about the Gulf Coast, and I was thinking about how the Americans give, not just big corporations and the government, but little people like you and me whenever there is a national or international disaster. And now that we face another in the gulf states, I hear a lot about how we are canceling our vacations there. Why is that? The people there depend on us for their livelihood especially the little restaurants owned by Mom and Pop and the small hotels and motels. It makes me sad that many vacationers have canceled. Because why? They can't swim in the ocean? Probably for most, it wouldn't be the first time that they swam in the ocean anyway, or took a boat ride out to wherever. Wow, wouldn't it be great to see all these vacation people go there anyway and help these people retain their livelihood? If I was home and was going on vacation, I would go there. I've never seen an oil spill(not that I ever wanted, too), but it's there. Maybe I could even help clean some of the stuff off the beach, I don't know. We help everybody else, why can't we help them? I'm not saying send money to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or any other charitable organization. Just go on your vacation. Can't think of anything to do while there? Maybe you should just do nothing and rest. Wow, there's a novel idea, especially when Americans have said that rest is their #1 recreation. Well, rest is not a recreation. It's a bodily need in order to stay healthy. America is facing BIG problems in every area. But this is one area that we can do something about. Just go on the vacation. We can choose to help our brothers in need. Maybe it won't keep them in business for the next ten years, but it might. Sure can't hurt. Who's to know? And they need to see our bodily presence there and know that we do care about them, not just people from government offices who are paid to go there to help fix the problem. Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive. But we do receive a blessing when we give of ourselves and our money. Almost nothing feels better than knowing you have helped someone else when they were in need. And if we were one of those in need, would we not appreciate someone coming and helping us?

I love my country, the U.S.A. And in my heart, I feel one of the reasons God has blessed us so is our willingness to give. Didn't He say that when we gave, it would be given back to us, pressed down, shaken together, running over? We can't out give God, and he cares about these people. So maybe He's saying to you, "Hey, why not go south to the Gulf this year?

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit...

2010-06-07T09:35:00.010-05:00

El Salvador! Beautiful from the air. The country looks like a beautiful patchwork quilt with all the fields a different shade of green and brown. It's much flatter than Honduras. We arrived in San Salvador on Wednesday afternoon after a forty minute flight. Received a visa for ninety days for ten dollars. After going through customs, we met up with our guides that loaded us onto a bus to take us to our hotel. Not everyone stayed in the same place. Our hotel was Hotel Siesta. Very nice. I was thankful for the air conditioner, especially when it was time for bed.

After settling in, we were taken to the church for the evening service at 7:00. Those of us from HN all wore blue shirts that had been ordered for us. We looked good! There was close to 400 people there for the seminar, not counting the workers from the church. Of course, everything was in Spanish, but the one message that stood out for me was for us to remember the dream/vision that God gave us. That brought back the message that Pastor Vernon gave me when I went and talked to him about what I believed God wanted me to do. He told me that God had given me the vision, but it was up to me to keep it alive. I really didn't know how much I needed God to renew my spirit when I went to El Salvador. But I did, and He did. Thank you Lord. How much He loves and cares for His children and provides what we need when we need it. I wasn't too thrilled about going to a teacher conference, because most is the same thing all over again with maybe a different name than what I had learned. But this was a Christian missionary/teacher's conference. What a difference. The mornings were filled with messages from the different pastors/leaders over LACC. After lunch, there was time for two workshops, dinner and then another service. So we were there at the church from 8 AM to 8 PM or longer. They have a school there also that goes from preschool to twelfth grade. It's also bilingual, but so is El Salvador. The food they served was wonderful. The grounds of the church and school are beautiful. On Friday afternoon, we had about three hours to go on a tour. We had three or four choices. Becky and I chose the volcano. But it rained off and on all day and by time the bus got there, it was so foggy that we couldn't see anything. What a disappointment, but the restaurant that we went to offered us free tea or coffee. That helped, plus the restaurant itself was beautiful and peaceful. A time to relax. Then back to town and the last service.

Between dinner and the evening service, we had the opportunity to watch the high school band. What a band. They take part in competitions and have been number one in El Salvador for the last three years. I could see why. The formations they performed were absolutely marvelous. Every note and movement memorized. They have a great teacher. Every time they were finished, we would all want more, so they obliged and gave us a couple more performances. May God continue to bless them.

U.S money is used in El Salvador. The driving there is like Costa Rica and the U.S. The literacy rate is over 90% just like Costa Rica. The literacy rate here in HN is under 50%. So sad. So many people here do not believe that a formal education is important, much less reading. As a whole, Hondurans do not want to read, especially for enjoyment. I mentioned to one of the teacher's last year where I teach that the kids needed to read. She said something about the parents being afraid to let their kids read. I asked why and she said perhaps the parents were afraid of losing their children. I said, "Are you kidding? What do they think the internet and cell phones will do?" She said she didn't know. Fear-so much in this country. So much ignorance here due to the lack of a good education. I was talking to one of the teachers at the high school where I teach, and I mentioned Anne Frank, and she had never heard of her. I couldn't believe my ears. I thought everybody in the world had heard of Anne Frank. The teacher knew about Hitler, although I don't know to what extent, so therefore I thought for sure she knew of Anne Frank. Not so.

Well, this week is vacation for all the schools. I'm so glad. We all need a break. So this week I'm working on a small booklet of English vocabulary for the kids. The schools here are required to teach English, but most of the kids can not carry on a simple conversation. So that's why I'm making the booklet. I want my students to be able to converse, albeit very simple. I'm also trying my hand at writing very short stories for the kids to read using the vocabulary that they have learned. Will see how that works out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Blessings to all.

2010-05-29T15:07:00.002-05:00

What a great time Penny and I had shopping. Two days of it. It was so nice to have had that time with her. And hopefully, I have most of what I need for Costa Rica next year. I also was able to meet my newest great-grandson, Caleb. He's four months old and loves to talk and smile with you. Yep, now we have three Calebs in the family. But that's ok because the Caleb in the Bible is one of my heroes.

I was wanting a piece of cherry pie with vanilla ice cream on top, and I ate two pieces! Absolutely wonderful. It's kind of funny how you miss something to eat when you're not home. Cherry pie of all things. They don't have that here. Sometimes the larger grocery stores in the city have the frozen ones that are imported, but not where I live. And sometimes those that are imported are a little old.

Coming to the states this time was a little different. We made it to Houston without any problems. While we were waiting for our flight to St. Louis from Houston, I looked around at the people and just about everybody was on some kind of electronic device. Too bad if you wanted to talk or meet someone new. However, I was looking over the shoulder of the young man sitting next to me. He was watching a western on this little bitty thing,and I was wondering which one. When it was over I apologized for watching and of course he said that was ok. Anyway it was a re-make of the 2:10 (or 3:10) to Yuma. Of course, I saw the original!! So we started to talk a little. Then our time to leave changed. The flight in to Houston was late due to bad weather in the east according to the older gentleman on my right. They had to fly around some storms. Then it changed again. The lady at the podium said they had to clean the plane before we could board. Then after the time changed again, she said they had to replace a light in the bathroom. They didn't want us to go into a darkened bathroom. THEN the Captain came out and I heard her say that these people had waited long enough and they needed to get us on board to STL. Well, the next thing that occurred was the Captain talking to a supervisor who talked to another supervisor. Finally, the lady at the podium said we would be flying without a working bathroom. We had ten minutes before boarding. Everybody headed for the bathrooms, including the guys. So now we're ready to board. Well, we got to the door of the plane and was told we couldn't board. Back to the gate. By now the sign above the door had a different city and time on it. Now what? The lady said that the STL group was to go downstairs and wait a few minutes for a different plane. Our baggage was being transferred to another plane. So down we all went. At last we were able to board and leave for STL-two hours later. Two hours, not much in a lifetime, huh? But it was interesting to watch people's reactions. One old fellow was furious and said he would never fly Continental again. He would take United. His daughter informed him that those two companies were merging. Of course she was just as angry and using a few choice words to say their luggage probably wasn't being loaded and wouldn't make it at the same time they would arrive. The fellow with the movie, another young lady, and I started talking. I finally said, " You know, this could be a lot worse." They agreed, and after talking, we decided that before all these electronic devices came into being that people actually met and talked to other people when they traveled. How the world has changed in the past 20 or 30 years. Sometimes it's a place I don't like very much. But then I look at all the beauty that God has created, and it's ok again. And our luggage made it to STL at the same time. You never know what God might be protecting you from. So all was well. I just have to make sure that I give the people that are going to meet me the number of the flight that I will be on. Oops!!!!

So I have been back a week and it has rained a lot just about every day and night. Some have said it is unusual for this time of the year. We shouldn't be getting this much until June and July, and again in September and October. Going to and from school has also been interesting. Watching the water run down and across the mountain road is interesting. It makes a path with or without mans help. If it gets blocked one way, it will go another. As I was watching and thinking about it, I thought isn't that what the Lord does for his children? When there seems to be no way at all, He makes a way. It was a great reminder about the awesome God we serve. Absolutely nothing is impossible to Him and to those that believe.

So next week I go to El Salvador for a conference with other LACC teachers from different countries, and other missionaries. I'm excited about meeting them and hearing John Bueno speak. He spoke at my commissioning service in Springfield MO in 2008.

What else is happening? The students that had English last year are doing well. They won't initiate a full conversation, but they will answer all you ask them. Well, the things they know anyway. Soon testing time will be here again. I just have a real aversion to testing. But it's one of those things that has to be done. So I will start reviewing this week. I'm in the process of writing some short stories using the vocabulary they are learning. Will see how that works. Most Hondurans do not think that reading is important at all. So therefore very little is done in that area. They don't realize how important it is. If you don't know how to read, you sure can't read God's word. That puts you in a position of believing always what someone else says about God. The Bereans were famous for checking the scriptures to see if what they heard was truth.

So I need to study my Spanish and start getting test previews ready. Nothing worse than walking into class and not know what you're doing.

Ps. 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD...

2010-05-09T19:00:00.007-05:00

God is so good. When He calls you away from your family, He provides others to help you through those times where family is important and normally present. Being away from children and grandchildren on Mother's Day is especially difficult for mothers on the field. It's a day that mothers are made to feel extra special by their children. So again this year, several of us are without our own children, just as those that are single are without their mothers. And like some, my mother is no longer alive. This was the first year without her. I missed calling her and wishing her a great day. I didn't get to send her a card or give her a gift. So this Mother's day was a little difficult to say the least.

I went to church with Ramiro and his family, and friends on Friday night. The church was honoring mothers. A couple of people were walking through the congregation before church and were taking pictures of mothers with their children. When one of them was before Yesica and Melisa, Yesica said, "Beverly, be my mom." So we had our picture taken. The pictures were shown on a screen after services and copies were given to us when church was over. I don't like to have my picture taken at all, but this one came out really good. Yesica's mother wasn't there and neither were my children. I praise God for the friends He has given me here. We all adopt mothers and children! But I praise God for my children that e-mailed me early Saturday morning and on Monday. And for the one who called Sunday night. You lifted my spirit. I thank God for each and every one of you. I love you all very, very much.

Yesterday, Olympia and her sister-in-law made lunch for her mother, mother-in-law, Becky and I. Badder, pronounced Bother, made us a card. It was so nice. They made enchiladas, the Honduran way. Absolutely delicious. Becky and I had a very quiet, peaceful, enjoyable day. What a blessing.

Friday the kids celebrated Mother's Day at school. The teachers had a really good program. Kids did skits and sang. Some of the teachers were dressed like the little people or pillow people. Absolutely hysterical. They couldn't see what they were doing at all. They had these long bags, the kind that rice, beans, and corn comes in, over the top half of their bodies with a face painted on them. One of the teachers kept bumping into the wall while another almost sat on the lap of one of the fathers that was there. Everybody was laughing. The teachers said later that they were so hot and sweating so much that they couldn't see. It was hilarious. Then they had two of the mothers break balloons by sitting on them in a chair. Whoever broke the most won. What a contest. Finally, they played musical chairs. Well, when the last two mothers popped down on the last chair at the same time, one of the legs on the chair broke and all ended up on the floor. Absolutely hysterical. No one was hurt of course, but it was funny. Everybody enjoyed themselves. And of course, a meal followed which was delicious.

Instead of going to Costa Rica for my visa renewal, I'll be going to IL to spend 3 days with my daughter, and I'll also be able to visit my brother who has been having some health problems.

I hope all you Mother's had a great Mother's Day. Children truly are a blessing from God.

Ps. 29:2 Give unto the Lord, the glory due unto his name...

2010-04-29T14:13:00.000-05:00

Well, here I am back in Valle after almost two weeks in El Progreso and San Pedro Sula. What a hot, hot, hot time. Some days were over a 100 degrees. It doesn't get that hot here in Valle. Here you normally have to cover yourself with a blanket at night time. Not there. Air conditioning is needed for most of us gringos anyway. I don't think I could live there. The heat is oppressive, for me anyway. A group of 19 were there from MA. Several of the men spent a couple of days in bed from what we call Montezuma's Revenge. Headache, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. It's horrible. From what the Nationals say, it is caused from the change in diet, exercise, and climate.
Even with the sicknesses, a lot was accomplished. Two second story rooms were completed including having the roofs put on. A floor was poured in one room on the bottom floor which made it complete. It takes a lot of preparation time just to get ready to do the actual pouring. Everything is basically done by hand. However, the concrete mixer was used to mix the concrete for the floors.

The most marvelous thing happened when we were getting ready to pour the floor on the one room upstairs. They pour concrete on corrugated aluminum. Hot stuff that is blinding when the sun shines on it. And it was shinning very bright that day. The guys thought they might get a third poured due to the heat. But just as the buckets of cement got passed upstairs, a cloud moved between us and the sun and stayed. Everybody noticed. It was phenomenal. We started at 2:30 and finished at 7:30 after dark. The whole floor was poured. It would never have happened if God hadn't moved that cloud to cover us. It reminded me of the cloud that was with the Israelites during their 40 years in the wilderness.

Another thing happened that reminded me of our spiritual forefathers. Most of us had swollen feet. It's due to the heat. The Israelites feet never swelled during their 40 year stay in the desert. We weren't in the desert, but it sure felt like it. And we weren't there for 40 years.

One of the fellows that came had made a hoist to help with the lifting of concrete, blocks, etc. I think the buckets were faster, but it lifted wheelbarrows of concrete. It will be a blessing for the Nationals when moving blocks and other heavy objects upstairs, especially when there aren't many of them there.

The ages of the group ranged from eighteen years old to seventy eight years old. Everybody had a place and a job. But isn't that the way God works? No one is left out. My job is sifting sand. I love to do it. Me and my shovel. Two of the younger ladies were discussing the need to help me when one said they couldn't keep up with me. I'm use to it;they are not. However, one became quite good using a shovel by the time they left to go back to the states. I told her that I would pass on my shovel to her when the time comes. And all the ladies did help me by keeping the sand from piling up behind the screen and moving the pile closer. Thank you so much.

I did get in one block line, but not the concrete line. I don't think I could have kept up with everybody, especially in the afternoon heat.

I was invited again to come teach English in El Progreso. But again,I don't think I could stand the heat, and it's up to God where I go and don't go.

I talked about the cloud cover which was a big deal. But God deals in the little, everyday things that sometimes we miss. One of the fellas told me that he and his wife decided not to call anymore on the last couple of days before he was to leave for the states. However, the day before he was to leave, he said there was a nagging in him to call her. He finally did. She was just getting ready to leave the house for the airport to pick him up. Isn't God good to us? And the Holy Ghost can be a great nagger-He makes a good parent, spouse, whatever the need. Praise God. He cares about every detail in our lives, and sometimes we don't hear or heed the first call. So I thank Him for the gentle shoving.

I had the opportunity to testify about my coming to Honduras. What an awesome experience it has been. And to meet other brothers and sisters in Christ that I wouldn't know if I weren't here. In fact, I couldn't quit talking about Him. But isn't that what we are suppose to do? Tell of His goodness to us. That's our testimony.

Well, the rainy season wasn't suppose to begin until May, but I think it is here, It rained while I was gone, and it rained most of the night last night. It's a little after 5 in the afternoon now and it's thundering and getting really cloudy. I'm sure the rain is coming, but we need it big time.

Until later. Blessings.

Ps. 139: 2...thou knowest my thought afar off.

2010-04-11T09:53:00.005-05:00

How wonderful God is to me. He truly knows my every thought and feeling. For those of us that didn't grow up in a Christian home, thoughts enter our mind that come from our lives before we knew Christ. One day not long ago I was walking home from the bus after school, and it was one of those days. There was not a particular thing that was wrong, it was just a lot of thoughts, things, etc. and I was thinking Lord, if I was a drinking woman, I'd just go get drunk. Of course I'm not a drinking woman, but that's the way I felt. Anyway, the thought came to drink from the fountain of life. How awesome was that? And I am so thankful that God KNOWS me. He knows everything about me. I don't have to try to hide anything. I did exactly that. I started talking to Him about my feelings, thoughts, etc.and soon all those things that were bothering me were gone. I had peace once again. The fountain of life gives us life. He is the fountain of life. So now I know I need to drink from that fountain instead of trying to get away from what ever is bothering me. I am so thankful that God loves me and is with me 24-7.
Thank you Lord.

I am with you alway...Mat. 28:20

2010-03-27T07:47:00.004-05:00

How awesome it is to know that God is with us every moment of everyday. We can call upon Him at anytime and anywhere, and He will supply our need, whatever it is. Yesterday was one of those times. It was PE day, and the 7th and 8th graders had decided that they would go to the playas-beaches. I said beaches are in Tela and Roatan not Macuelizo. Noe, the custodian, and one of the teachers said it was by the river. Well, the river was 1 1/2 hours down the mountain, depending on your speed. Oh my, on the way down, I thought, " Dear Lord, what am I doing here?" There was no road. It was a path no wider than your foot in most places. Wow! Watch your footing. Alex, our bus driver was invited to go along, and bless his heart, he kept his eye on his "teacher". So I had his hand when needed. He comes to my English class when he is able, and we do English going home from school. Of course, he is not use to a lot of walking since he lives in Tegucigalpa. So he was in the hurts, too. Thank God I walk here in Valle. Anyway, we had to step aside to let a couple of pack horses go by. Honduras is such a land of diversity. This mountain was just as tall if not taller than the one in Amapala that I only climbed half way up last year. But on this mountain, you went up, down and around and praised God when you hit a level place. People that live on this mountain don't have cars and trucks, since there are no roads. So they travel by horse or foot. Oh, my, it makes me tired just to think about walking there again. Well, we finally made it there. Well, the river had hardly any water in it since we are in the dry season, but there was the swimming hole. And it was a swimming hole, just like the one my kids use to use when they were kids, only this one was a little bigger. The kids had a great time. So they had maybe 30 or 40 minutes to play and then back up the mountain. Well, the footing going up was easier than coming down, but the uphill climb was tough. Alex went ahead with some of the kids because he had to get back to take the first busload of kids home. Well, there were 4 kids that were behind me and they were having a hard time. Hearts were pounding. I told them we sit down, rest, catch our breaths, and go again for a space. We probably started doing this half way up. I said, Jesus ayudame-help me. Sure enough, He put one hand on my chest and the other on my back and said breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out...My mind needed to be on something else other than the top of the mountain which seemed to be moving farther away all the time. Then the song, one more river to cross, one more mountain to climb, one more valley that I gotta go through leaving my troubles behind...I'm going through with Jesus hallelujah...came to mind. So my spirit was singing. I haven't thought of that song in years! A couple of times I told Alejandra, the other teacher, just send a helicopter!! Wouldn't that have been the cat's meow? Dumb gringa!!!! Well, we finally made it. Praise God. But Alex, me, and Alejandra said never again. A couple of times when I thought I can't do this, I thought if my life was at stake I'd do it. So on I went. But I was glad to see the road. There was time to walk to cool down before we reached the school and to get the heart rate back to normal. What an experience.

A land of diversity. In the big cities, you find all the technology that you find in the states. In the country, depending on the area, there aren't even roads let alone technology. But most have cell phones, but maybe not the fancy ones. I'm so glad I had such a diverse childhood. At Grandma's, there was no inside bathroom. She did have running water in the sink and a water heater. However, I have lived in houses where there was no running water. There was a pump outside and maybe a hand pump in the kitchen. I have had to wash clothes by hand , but I'm thankful I don't have to do that now. Most women in Valle wash their clothes by hand. It's quite amazing what you get use to and what you can do without if you have to. There was one wider place on the mountain that had a couple of barrels sitting there. Sticking out of the mountain was a small black hose with water going into the barrels. It was not a fast stream at all. On the way back there were some ladies there. One was bathing her baby of several months, and I don't remember seeing what the others were doing. I was too busy just trying to move onward. But I do remember the looks on their faces when they saw this gringa. What a surprise. Well, the legs are beginning to talk to me!! I was wondering when the soreness would appear. I think its on its way!!

So today there will be a team living here on the property for a week. They will be working at the school. I'm so glad and hopeful that it will all be finished this week. What a blessing for the kids to have a place to play soccer, etc.

So today I'm thankful to the Lord for my health and His continued care, even when I may not be using common sense. But something has taken place in my spirit that wasn't there before the climb. Thank you Jesus.

IITim. 1:7 For God hath not given us a spirit of fear...

2010-03-20T16:00:00.003-05:00

School is now in full swing. Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day. It is a big deal here just like Mother's Day. The parents supply the money for the food that the cooks at school prepare for the fathers that come. The different grades practice skits, songs, and poems to perform for their fathers. It's really quite nice. My Spanish teacher was shocked to find out that we don't do that in the states. I explained that the younger grades make things for their fathers and the churches usually do something to honor fathers, but as a whole the day is celebrated individually by families. Very strange to her. I really appreciate the fact that they teach the children the national anthem of Honduras, beginning in kindergarten. During the celebration, it is sung after prayer. They sing all the stanzas, not just one or the chorus. I wish we would do that in the states, but then heaven forbid that we should offend those that are not from the U.S. or don't believe in patriotism. How far we have fallen.

The week of the 29th will begin La Semana Santa-Holy Week and we will be out of school ready for a break. However, there will be a team here from the states working at the school. So Becky and I will be cooking breakfast every morning at 5:30. Right now the guys from El Progreso is here building steps, retaining walls, and a place for the high school kids to play soccer or whatever. It is so nice to walk down steps instead of loose gravel that can send you flying if you're not careful.

Exams will be given when we return to school. Yuck! I don't like giving tests, and I don't like taking them. But it's a must. I am happy with what the kids have remembered from last year. Right now we're working on telling time. They are just like some kids in the states. They can read digital, but not a regular clock. So it's a little difficult. And there are places in this world that still use regular clocks including watches. But then the Hondurans don't use the same words that I learned in Spanish to tell time either. So I understand their confusion and frustration. Really makes me wonder how much different it will be in Costa Rica. I'll be thinking, Lord, here we go again. Yeah, I hear some of you saying, "But look at how much you're learning". Just goes to prove that there are more ways to skinning a cat than one. That's morbid, but it's one of those things my dad use to say. The students are also learning the books of the Bible in English. They really have trouble pronouncing Judges.

Last week in the Bible study, the leader asked if we were ready to go if Jesus should come back. Some were a little fearful and he explained that when we are in Jesus, we don't have to live in fear. Of course, that's the crux of the matter. Are we in Jesus? Something was said about time, and I remarked that we won't have time to think about it when the time comes, because we will go in the twinkling of an eye. I don't know if a twinkle is the same as a blink, but I think it may be faster. But then Hondurans are a fearful people, and we talked about that a little. Some of my friends were shocked to know that all our homes in the U.S. are not surrounded by brick walls or cyclone fences with locked gates and barbed wire running along the top. Here, when you go to someone's house, you stand outside the gate and jiggle the gate while calling out to them saying, Buenas or Hola. I've taught my students how to answer the door if they were in the states. Very shocking to them to be so close and knock on a door, and not be calling out at the same time. How different our cultures are, but in many areas, the same.

I received news last week that the mother of my best friend in Wichita had passed away. It was sad to hear, but it was also a time of rejoicing for she was ready to meet our Lord. Everyday we have to be ready. Our sins forgiven and walking the path that He has called each one of us to walk. As the nations around us become more confused, we have to keep our eyes on Jesus. He is on the throne above all thrones and is in complete control of all things. Nothing happens without His say so. I'm so glad I know Him.

John 10:10...I came that they might have life and that they might have it more abundatntly

2010-02-24T19:10:00.000-06:00

Well, so much for warm weather! It has been really chilly here this past week. Even I wore a jacket on most days. It has been rainy, which we need, but the wind and cloudy skies made, made it very chilly. I'm glad to see the sun shining today. It's not overly bright, but it's out.

Almost 2 weeks ago I was able to go to Triunfo in Southern Honduras. The group that I went with, not AG, took school supplies for the children at a Christian school there. The leader of our group presented the gospel while lunch was being prepared for the children. We helped serve many children lunch. After lunch, the school supplies were handed out. Many of them wanted their pictures taken. When they saw their pictures, they smiled from ear to ear. Such a little thing to make them happy. Then they saw the balls for soccer. You should have seen them run. The bus driver starting kicking a ball, and the fun began. These kids learn to kick a soccer ball by the time they can walk!

This area is very poor. One of the men that went speaks English, and he told me that many of the people that live here wait for their relatives in the states to send them money. Others produce and sell cashews, while others go and work at the shrimp farms and come home on week-ends. It is a hard life here. We also took a medicine chest and gave it to a lady that helps the people in the community. The chest contained things like aspirin, bandages, antiseptics, etc. She will charge less than is normal, but enough to replenish her supplies and hopefully make a living. An older gentleman also talked to us about the plants he uses to treat certain ailments. Tea is made from most. He told us of plants that will lower blood pressure, normalize blood sugar, relieve constipation, treat headaches, etc. Other plants that are made into poultices to relieve sore muscles, etc. Very interesting. My kind of person.

This area reminds me of some places in the southwest United States. Very dry, dusty, and hot. There were many dry creek beds, and even the river reminded me of the Arkansas River in Wichita. Not much water in it most of the time. By time we left, I wanted to put my feet in a bucket of water!

Since we were so close to Nicaragua, we all voted to go there. So we parked the bus on this side of Honduras and walked across the bridge into Nicaragua. Just like the states, you would never know you crossed a border without a sign telling you. Everybody laughs because I say I have been to Nicaragua. Well, I have. I stepped on that turf and took pictures while my picture was also being taken. So I have been there!!!

We stopped in San Lorenzo on the way back to eat. Well, we had that famous Sopa de Mariscos. The seafood soup. Of course you always get the little crab-the whole body.
And then there is shrimp, and a big piece of fish with the bones still in it. I thought if my Grandma knew I was eating fish that still had bones in it, and eating fish at all without a piece of bread, she would probably turn over in her grave. No doubt I heard her saying be careful. From where we were, we could see that famous mountain in Amapala that we climbed last September. Well, I should say that some of us climbed. Some of us only went half way.

On the way to Triunfo, we stopped at a shop that makes water filters. They are shaped like a bowl and made from pottery material, including sand (I don't have a clue as to what is used to make pottery!) with a chemical added to the material that destroys germs, etc. The bowl sits inside the top of the water dispenser like the ones you take on picnics. You pour water into the bowl and it goes through the bowl into the dispenser. They hold about 5 gallons. The bowl has to be scrubbed every so often just like the water dispenser in my house. But these filters last for 1 1/2 years. If I had one of those I wouldn't have to buy water! The water dispensers are either ceramic or plastic. The plastic is cheaper, of course. The cost is about $30. Not bad, but for a lot of these people, $30 is a lot of money. Anyway, I thought they were very cool. From the conversations, these are also used in parts of Africa. What ingenuity.

So school is in full force and all is well at the moment. I have four grades, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th consisting of 72 students. The fifth grade can be a challenge, but they have learned that they walk in and out of my classroom. And that they use the trash can for their candy sticks, papers, and pencil shavings! So progress is being made. The 7th and 8th graders are very calm compared to last year. Must be maturity and maybe because we know what to expect from each other. It's good to see the kids that I had last year. So we pray God helps each one of us do the things and learn the things that will be pleasing to Him.

Jesus said that He came that we might have life and that more abundantly. He truly does bless our lives both spiritually and physically. What a blessing to have His Spirit living in us. I praise God everyday for what He is doing in my life. I pray God blesses everyone that reads this blog.

Gen. 18:25...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

2010-01-30T10:03:00.006-06:00

Well, two more days left before I start my second school year here in Macuelizo. Hard to believe. Next week will be a work week for teachers and enrollment of students, and the following week, too, if I remember correctly. It will be interesting to see how many high school students return. I begin teaching English to Denia, my Spanish teacher, and her son next Wednesday, and of course my Spanish also resumes. I'm quite happy to know that I understand a lot more Spanish now than when I left. It's amazing. Of course all credit goes to the Lord. I have asked Him to help me remember, and at the same time, I am picking up new words everyday. PTL!!

So this week Yesica, pronounced Jessica, went with me to the meat market to show me how to order fresh cut meat. God bless her for that. It wasn't too difficult. She is so good about explaining things to me so I really understand. Such as asking for a suave cut. Suave means soft. I'm thinking soft meat? But that would mean tender in English. So she proceeded to explain that there are tender and tougher cuts of beef, such as roasts,etc. Ok, I understand. Do I remember where all these cuts are? Of course not, so guess I will do some research. What a difference from buying precut, prepackaged meat. And I ordered two one pound packages of chicken which were already cut and frozen. One pound had a leg and a thigh, my favorite parts. I'm thinking a leg and a thigh weigh 1/2 lb. a piece. Wow!

It is nice to walk through the village and have people wave to me. One fellow yesterday asked me when I returned. I was so happy that I understood exactly what he said, and that I answered him correctly. One of the missionary wives said I was being immersed. I hope so. I'm not as concerned about speaking now as I was last year. Lots of things I don't know, but on the other hand, I understand more this time around. Thank you so much Jesus. You have blessed me above measure.

I received some really sad news this week. My granddaughter has suffered a miscarriage. She was 12 weeks along, but the Dr. couldn't hear a heartbeat and the baby only showed 10 weeks growth. So...I know God will heal her pain and her body, and she will carry and have the healthy babies that she and her husband desire.

God has truly blessed me with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I do not separate blood relatives from those that aren't blood related. So altogether I now have 16 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. What a family! I hope I didn't leave anybody out.

And I just received an email from my granddaughter. What a blessing to know that she knows that God has a plan and that all is well even when we don't understand what He is doing in our lives. What a God we serve who knows the beginning and ending of all things. What a blessing when children and grandchildren know and serve the Lord. Could anyone ask for more? I don't think so. I praise Him always for His goodness to us.

Well, it's that time that I must study and then go shopping for some little things like garlic and black pepper.

Blessings!

Ps.34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD...

2010-01-21T12:35:00.009-06:00

Well, it appears that I am several weeks behind. I really did go on vacation! So now after spending six weeks in the states, I am now home in Valle. The weather is beautiful and the sun is shining. Hallelujah. I'm one of those people that needs light. I found out that if I turned the lights on in the house, especially in Feb. in the states, I felt better. Dreary days made me feel dreary. No me gusta. So here I am. I had to go to the store this morning to buy food. The shop keepers welcomed me back after spending Christmas in the states. That warmed my heart. I still need some things, but since I haven't walked a lot, I decided to go this afternoon or whenever. It really doesn't matter, since I'll walk to town everyday anyway.

I had a welcome sign with balloons around it from the Eva, Yesica, Denia, their children, and Wil. The girls are coming over this afternoon. It will be good to see them. I was prepared for Lobo's welcome, so I didn't get knocked over. He was one happy German Shepherd. And he started barking to let every one know I was back! What a dog.

I thought I had a couple of weeks before school starts, but teachers begin the first of Feb. so I need to get things started. And speaking of school, the teacher's conference at Lake Yojoa, in November, was basically the same as conferences for teachers in the states, except we had pastors speak to us in the evenings. It was great.

The Lord always opens a door for me to share my testimony about being in Honduras. And yesterday was no different. Praise His name, for I love to tell what He has done and is doing. Not always, but when you meet North Americans coming to Honduras, nine out of ten times, they are on mission trips as was the fellow yesterday. His group was going near the Nicaragua border to help build houses. I don't remember the name of the group, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that God uses many people that believe in Him to get His work done. I met a lady in Target in Wichita when I was shopping one afternoon, and she told me to read a book called Three Cups of Tea. What a story. It's about Greg Mortenson building schools in Pakistan. There were a couple of things that truly hit home for me. Greg didn't go as a Christian or missionary. In fact he was a mountain climber, but his attitude was the same as we must have towards the people God sends us to. Great story.

I was really selfish by only visiting my home church, and not going to visit the others that I appreciate so much. But my home church was celebrating its second missionary convention, and I felt I needed to be there. I also was able to meet 2 of the missionaries that I had not met before. AND the best of the best was seeing my pastor's wife, also a pastor, pregnant. Beautiful! AND then I was able to see baby Elliot! What a blessed baby to have these two people for his parents. Of course, they would say they are the blessed ones. And, of course, they are. I truly miss this couple when I am gone. They and the church are truly my church family. I miss Pastor Bryan's sermons and his Wed. night Bible studies and him playing the devil's advocate. It's good because he makes us think.

Last but not at all the least, I had a great time visiting my kids, grand-kids and great grand-kids. I'm a couple up since I've been here, thank you Kenny, and more on the way. Children are a blessing from God, even the ornery ones.
So I want to thank you guys for making me feel loved and wanted and for putting up with me. Thank you for letting me use your vehicles so I didn't have to rent one. Doug, thank you for cleaning up the computer, taking care of all my business stuff, and getting up at 4:30 to take me to the airport. Thank you Darlene for a bedroom filled with my stuff. Penny, thanks for having Christmas early (tell Katelynn thanks too)so I could visit with all the kids, not to mention getting songs on my computer!! It was fun going shopping with you Steve, while Penny was catching forty winks after working the midnight shift. If ever you and Doug get together to go shopping, well...the stores will love you. Great fun. Thanks for the good reading Sis, and Jen for the movies we took in, and Christmas with your family. This is not the end of the list, but you get the drift.

I love you all and miss you when I'm here. I'm glad you understand that God has a plan for each of us even though we may not understand it at times. But some day when we look back, it will have all fallen into place and then we will see clearly. God is so awesome. It's like when I made my return ticket to St. Louis instead of Wichita in August. What was I thinking? Evidently I wasn't, but when I realized what I did, the thought that came was God has a plan. So I didn't try to change it. And truly He did. My daughter needed to see her momma. How much God loves her. Enough to see her need for December in August. And since God is no respecter of persons( He doesn't love her anymore than the rest of us), He does these things for us, and sometimes we don't recognize His hand in our lives. Did I know that was His plan in August? Of course not, but it sure thrills my soul to think about it now. I feel a shout coming on!! Got to go.

Blessings.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you...Jer. 29:11

2009-11-17T20:23:00.003-06:00

Last week was really a busy one. We had two kindergarten graduations and one 6th grade graduation. They are very big and important events here. The kindergarten class had 40 students so they were split between two teachers at the beginning of the year. Therefore, two separate ceremonies. All the girls wear the same style and color of dress while the boys wear black suits with ties that match the girls' dresses. This year the color was aqua. Very nice looking. A meal is prepared for the students, teachers, and the student's family. The 6th grade graduation reminded me of our senior high graduations. They wore black caps and gowns. A meal was prepared for this graduation, too.

I was asked to "preach" for the kindergarten classes. So I took the scripture that is written on their certificates. It was Jer. 29:11. What a message the Lord gave me. Of course, Becky translated. One of the ladies from the district office told me it was very, very good. And when she addressed the parents, she reiterated what I had said. So I praise God for His timely message to the parents. The director of the kindergarten class gave the message for the 6th grade.

All the decorating was done by the teachers. What creativity. We blew up a lot of balloons with a couple of plastic "hand pumps" and tied all the knots. Our thumbs were really getting sore by time we finished. Basically, everything was hand made. We made a big arch with white and aqua balloons for the kindergartners to walk under as their names were called. One of their parents walked with them to their seat. A walkway was made with pine needles for the 6th graders to walk on on their way to their seats and the walkway had black balloons on either side. Their colors were black and gold. Decorations were also made for each table, and the family could take those home. A photographer was present at all the graduations taking pictures that could be purchased by the families.

Last week the teachers had to turn in grades at the district office. What a chore. All is done by hand in black ink. There cannot be one mistake, smudge, erasure mark, or the use of corrective white out. If so, the whole paper has to be redone. Wow! I'd still be doing it. I always make a mistake somewhere.

This week we have been busy cleaning, sorting, and counting all the supplies. Tomorrow we are going to paint the school inside and out. This was a project of the 6th grade class, and they made enough money to purchase the paint. So tomorrow it's roll up the sleeves and give the school a fresh look that it really needs.

Friday is the Christmas dinner for the teachers at a restaurant in Tegucigalpa. Our cooks and custodians are also included. We drew names last week, so everybody is excited and trying to figure out who got their name. Christmas in November! But we aren't in school in December.

Next week is the teacher conference at Lake Yojoa. Becky says it's a lot of fun and very good. I hope so. Then we come back and have Thanksgiving dinner with the other missionaries and English teachers in Tegucigalpa. Now I'm celebrating Thanksgiving after Christmas!!! This is the second year that I have not prepared Thanksgiving dinner for my family. What a change.

And a few days after that, I fly home for a few weeks. I'm ready to see my family and to have a change of pace. However, my Spanish teacher is requiring me to write her in Spanish via email. I can do that.

So my first year teaching English in Honduras is almost over. It has been a great year. Next year will be better, since the kids and I are more acquainted with each other, and we know what to expect from one another. They know more English, and I know more Spanish. There are some parents, besides the teachers, that are wanting classes, so will see how the Lord works it all out.

God truly is a good God. I am so thankful that I know him, and that He has good thoughts towards me. I can rest in that knowledge.

God... a very present help in trouble Ps. 46:1

2009-10-31T15:07:00.000-05:00

Last week a couple of the teachers was looking at the calendars that Joyce Kaufman and her students at Cheney High School made for me. When they came to the month of October, they were shocked to see pictures of the jack-o-lanterns. They were like, "Oh,no". Christians in Honduras, they said, do not keep Halloween. I told them I don't keep it and haven't for over 40 years. But they couldn't believe that Christians in the U.S. keep it. Very interesting. And even more interesting was the sermon this morning, because it started out with the knowledge that today is El Dia de Brujas, the day of the witches. It is a day of rejoicing for Satan's followers. Wow, it's the first time that I have heard a Christian pastor speak out against it. People may say that the people here are just ignorant and unlearned. Well, they know Jesus and if they are ignorant and unlearned, I guess He must have been, too, because He definitely knew of Satan's power and ability to deceive.

This last week was the last full week for students. Monday and Tuesday this week are for "recuperacion" tests for the kids that didn't past their tests last week. How times have changed. When I was in school, eons ago, you were expected to learn the first time around, and when tests were given, you either passed or you didn't. And maybe there were 1 or 2 kids that didn't pass in a grade or two, but it sure wasn't more than that, and we didn't get to take the test over. How our expectations have changed.

The Lord is definitely a very present help in the time of need. Yesterday, I was going to town to get my hair cut and do some shopping. And when I closed the door behind me I knew I was in trouble. I didn't have my keys! Oh, boy, what a pickle I was in. I couldn't leave the yard because I didn't have the key to unlock the gate. I couldn't climb over the fence because it's a little high and has barb wire on top. And even if I tried, somebody would have seen me and then the policia would have come, and they wouldn't know if I was trying to get out or in. I could see myself being taken to the police station and trying to explain what was going on. What a mess. All the windows have bars on them, so even though a couple of them were open, I couldn't squeeze through. I thought if I could jiggle the sliding door, maybe it would open. If I could get it open, I could get a broom handle and reach my keys that were on the table. Nope, that didn't work. Oh, boy, I'm here till 8 or 9 tonight when Will comes. The cell phone was in the house,too. Yeah, I hear ya!! So I've been praying all this time, of course, and when I decided I'd just sit on the bench and talk to God the rest of the day, my deliverance came. Will came strolling around the corner of the house. I was never so happy to see anyone in my life as I was him. Hallelujah! But he didn't have keys to the house. So we looked in the windows, thinking, etc. and Will says, ah ha! And away he went. Well, needless to say he got into the house, got my keys, and opened the door. And I praised God for sending Will when he did. Probably no more than 10 or 15 minutes had passed between the time I locked myself out and Will came. I continue to thank God for that even today. What God uses to build faith in his people. I'm sure He will bring this episode to my mind further down the road.

In about 4 weeks it will be time to head for the states until January when I come back. I'm ready to see my family again. I'm not anxious to see cold weather, ice, and snow. Snow is beautiful, but...

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me...Ps.139:17

2009-10-10T10:51:00.004-05:00

God continues to amaze me. He is so awesome and truly does meet all our needs. But He goes beyond our needs. God has blessed me with some really good friends here and at home in the U.S. I have been privileged to meet and become friends with some of God's other children here, those that I don't work with or attend their church. I was invited to go to the school that Johnny's daughter has started in Tegucigalpa. I was also able to meet her partner, Esther, who is a psychologist, and we were able to discuss those children with special needs. I met some of the parents and their children, too. Her pastor came to bless the school and those involved in the whole project. What an anointing. And then he called me up to pray for me. Wow! The words he said over me were confirmations of things that God had already revealed to me. However, there were a couple of new things. So we will see the things that God has spoken. His word never returns void unto Him.

The last couple of weeks have been very busy. I was able to go with Ruth, PIEDAD office secretary, and Becky to San Pedro Sula and El Progreso to pass out the Christmas gifts. That was on Monday and Tuesday. And there I was able to see two of my working buddies, Raul and Jose. I had a chance to ask about Raul's family and to talk to Jose who is getting married to Veronica in December. And of course Raul talked about me sweating like a horse which is an expression in English that I taught him. And in those two places, I am always wet. It is so hot there. Of course they're only an hour or so from the coast. Then on Thursday, Ruth and Becky came to the school where I work and passed out gifts. It's really early this year due to schools ending at the end of October which is due to all the political stuff that has been happening.

On the second of the month, the teachers at school threw a surprise birthday party for me. And it truly was a surprise. Since we have a teacher devotional on Fridays, I was sitting there listening to Patricia and looking up the scripture that I was suppose to read. Half way through the meeting I looked up and there on the whiteboard in huge letters was Happy Birthday Beverly. Talk about being blind!! The teachers were cooking food before and when I went into the kitchen they said it was a special day and just smiled. OK. They do things all the time that I don't know about until it is happening. So... But I was blessed. And they fixed enchiladas which is one of my favorites without the Parmesan cheese which really turns my stomach upside down and I mean that literally. They gave me green earrings and bracelets. Very pretty especially since that's one of my favorite colors. I did see Becky's car there when I went down to the kindergarten building and when she came out to meet me I didn't say, " Hi, how are you?" I said, "What are you doin' here?" Talk about bad manners!! I immediately apologized, of course. Her response was that they had called and asked her to come. Still didn't register. Talk about being blind in one eye and can't see out of the other!!! But they truly blessed me.

Eva had asked me the week before if I wanted to go with her and some friends mountain climbing near Santa Lucia. I said sure because I know my friend Eva and we were not going to climb a mountain like the one in Amapala. So the day of I asked her to call Denia, my Spanish teacher, because we wouldn't have time for a lesson. I could have called, but I wanted to make sure there were no mistakes in the message. Just being on the safe side. She said of course, so later when she was on the phone with Denia she told me that Denia had called her to say that she wasn't able to teach that day. Well, I praised the Lord because I didn't want to be the one that was not able to keep our class time, again. So at 3:00 we were on the bus heading for Santa Lucia. It had started to rain and when Eva got out her umbrella from her bag I saw a deck of cards and asked about them. She said we might play with them. Now I'm really wondering about this mountain climbing thing especially when she said I would know a couple of people there. So we were to meet the group at one of the restaurants. So who popped out from behind the wall when we found a table? You guessed it. Jessica and her daughter, AND my Spanish teacher and her son. Happy Birthday Beverly! That's two surprise birthdays in less than a week. We had great food, another birthday cake, and lots of laughs. This restaurant has three huge concrete slides. I remember asking Eva before if you could slide very fast down those things. Oh, yes, was her reply. Well, it's Eva saying come on Beverly. Are you kidding? Those things were huge. I don't know how tall they were, but we had to walk up about thirty steps from the bottom and that wasn't to the top. So away we went. Talk about fast. It was. And of course I had to go on all three. And they all weren't straight down. Some had curves. I told Denia to come on. Oh, that girl. I finally took her hand off the edge and held it, and away we went with her yelling all the way down. It was fun. That's one thing we will have to do when Doug comes back down with his family.

So now I'm 65. Everybody here says I'm joven, which means young. And I'm saying are you kidding. Especially when 35 is old here. Isn't that just the craziest thing you ever heard of? I refuse to get OLD. Older, yes, old, NO. Why should I? Because our cultures say that when we reach a certain age we should have all these diseases, retire, sit in a chair and do nothing, etc., etc. Do you know how many people retire and die within the first 3 or 5 years? Where is that written in God's word? Where is it written that when you are a certain age that God will not heal you anymore? I don't refuse to die if it's my time, but I sure refuse to have all these things that the world says I have to have. So God and life is good. I praise and thank Him everyday for my life and my health. I am so thankful to Jesus Christ for taking those stripes and going through the agony that I can't even imagine just so I could be healed. What a loving Savior we have. Paul said to renew our minds, and that we have the mind of Christ. And as a man thinketh, so is he. We are in this world, but we are not of it. We are citizens of a different country, and that's the culture we need to be listening to.

Taste and see that the Lord is good...Ps. 34:8

2009-09-25T18:10:00.000-05:00

We are almost to the end of September. It has gone so fast. I suppose, from what I hear, that I have reached a milestone since I just turned 65. Hum, I don't feel any different then I did yesterday or the day before.

My youngest came last week, and it was so good to have him here. The Apostle Paul talked about being refreshed by the coming of people he knew and loved. Well, I understand exactly how he felt. We have needs sometimes that we aren't even aware of having. Evidently, I needed to see my son or at least one of my children. Didn't realize that till he was here. God knows and supplies all, doesn't he? So I am refreshed and ready for the next episode in my life.

Our most exciting event while he was here was our trip to Amapala. It's on the island called Isla de Tigre, Island of the Tiger. It's in the southern part of Honduras off the Pacific coast. Beautiful. The beach has black sand due to an extinct volcano. It's not dirty, it's just black. The water has an emerald green cast to it from the reflection of the mountains covered with green foliage. Anyway that's what I think. So since green is one of my favorite colors, I thought it was beautiful. The water was warm and comfortable. The weather was very hot there and Doug and I sweated liked horses, which means we were wet most of the time.

Our guide to Amapala was Johnny, the school bus driver, and Rafael, a young man who teaches at the school ran by Johnny's daughter. Rafael speaks both Spanish and English-a life saver to be sure. So the biggest adventure was to climb the 5,500 foot volcano. Oh my. Everyone thought it would be best that we two older people take a moto-taxi or car around the island. Well, when our tour guide came, that the hotel had called for us, I thought if he can make it, so can I. He was no spring chicken. So, up the mountain we went. I made it a little past half. A little wisdom needed to be heeded. So I told everybody to go on and I would wait for them. Well, Doug decided I shouldn't be by myself. So he suggested that the guide stay with me. Thanks Doug, but it really wasn't necessary. However, this gave Roberto(Bob), a chance to practice his English. He's very good and teaches, voluntarily, some 6th grade students. He wrote three words on his hand that he didn't know the meaning to, so I helped him with those. And yes I asked him how old he was, and he is 67. So we waited, and we waited. Finally the three survivors returned. And they all said that the guide could not have made it. Well, on the way down, Bob kept giving me a stick to use in walking down the mountain. I kept leaving them behind, because they took more energy to use than just walking. Maybe I didn't know how to use them correctly. Anyway, we had to be careful not to slip on the loose rock and go rolling down the hill. But I walk in loose rock to get to my classroom, and I don't use a stick. You just have to watch where you're putting your feet, and maybe walk sideways, and praying all the while, of course. Walking on vegetation also helps. Anyway, we made it down without any mishaps. Oh my, three hours up and one back. What a trip. So when we returned to the hotel, we asked when we would be charged for another day. At 4:00. And it was 3:50. We had 10 minutes to get our stuff and get to the taxi, a boat that would take us to the mainland. We made it.

Needless to say, we didn't do much the next day. Doug was in some kind of pain. The last half of the mountain climb was at a 75 degree angle. He said he thought he was going to die by time he got to the top, so I'm glad I stopped when I did, and that he didn't die! It was tough enough just to get half way there. Rafael is a mathematician, and he gave us the stats on the angle degree. It makes me tired to think about it.

However, we did walk to town and it helped him to walk it out. We went shopping and bought some things, and then we went and ate some pupusas. They are made with maseca(corn flour)dough with quesillo(cheese)and/or meat or both inside, and then they are fried on a grill. Very good.

On Saturday, we went to Tegucigalpa, the murder capitol of the world, as Doug calls it. We went downtown and then up to the United Nations Park where there is a small zoo, a huge statue of Christ overlooking the city, and a smaller statue of Confucius. On our way down, Doug was missing McDonalds of all things, so we went through the drive through and headed back to Valle. And the next day, it was time for him to head back to the states. We had a great time while he was here, and God blessed him with two new friends. How good our God is.

We've only had two days of school this week due to Mel Zalaya coming back into the country. Curfews have ran all day and night in some instances. Airports were shut down completely for passenger planes for a couple of days. Doug came and left at the right times. God puts things in place long before we even know what is happening.

I'm not much of a swimmer. I know how, but it isn't something that I enjoy. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that none of my family swam when I was growing up. I don't think my brother can swim either. I learned as an adult and wasn't too thrilled with the whole issue. However, I made sure all my kids learned to swim. So Doug said I had to snorkel with him. Whew! I ducked twice and said ok I'm done. But God knew and he provided Rafael who had not been swimming for many years. They had a fantastic time. So some day, I'll do it again.

Not much has been happening at school. Last week was a vacation and this week we have had curfews. However, the kids are still learning English and I'm still learning Spanish. So all is well.

Thank you for your support and prayers. Pray for the people of Honduras and that all with the government will be as God wills. God Bless you all.

...thou understandest my thought afar off . Ps.139:2

2009-09-12T13:13:00.005-05:00

In Honduras, September 10 is El Dia de Los Ninos, the Day of the Children, and is celebrated in the schools. There is singing, skits performed by teachers, games, food, candy, cakes, and of course, the ever popular pinatas that are filled with candy. The children dress up in their finest for this occasion. It's a fun filled day. They are sent home with bags of candy, small toys, and cake for their mothers. At least that's the way it is in our school.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, the seventh graders and I helped Johnny and Noe fill in the crevices of our road with rocks and dirt. I prayed it wouldn't all wash away when it rained. And it all didn't, but some did. But at least, Johnny and Alex can drive the vans down the hill to the front of the school to let us all off instead of us falling down. We need a drainage ditch on each side of the road. I don't quite know how to do that when the one side is solid rock. I'm still hoping that the men in the area will come and help do what can be done. They did work on the main road and it is much better. I think there were ten that helped Johnny. So hopefully we can get a meal put together for them to show our appreciation. I had heard that because the people in that area didn't vote for this mayor, that he wasn't going to fix the road. So therefore, it wasn't going to get fixed. Interesting how everybody waits for the government to fix their problems, even if it's a rock/dirt road in front of their house. Of course in the states some official would come tell you that YOU couldn't fix something because of a possible law suit, or some ordinance, or whatever. But that's not here. I kept saying that it would only take a couple of hombres with a couple of shovels to fix this one place in the road, and the way these guys work, it probably wouldn't take 20 or 30 minutes if that long. I just didn't understand why they didn't do it. Well, for some reason, ten of them got together and made a big difference on the main road, and yesterday we heard and saw where the government is beginning to fix the whole road. I'm so glad. Thank you Lord.

Isn't it great when the Lord answers you in the little things? Things that aren't a prayer request but just things you think about with him. A couple of weeks ago I was thinking about a former Sunday School student I had many years ago. And lo and behold, I received a message from him this week. I am thrilled. I haven't seen him in 20 years or more. So the plan is to connect when I go home in Dec. and meet his wife and four daughters. Speaking of going home, where was my mind when I bought tickets to fly home in Dec.? It sure wasn't in KS, because I made my return flight to St. Louis! Oh well, God has a plan. I will be able to spend time with my daughter and her family, my brother and his family, and Mack and his family. I guess since I was leaving St. Louis, it was automatic that I'd return there.

I was walking through the house talking to the Lord, in my mind, and I asked him to remember mom, and realized I couldn't do that anymore because she isn't here anymore and she doesn't need it. I find myself thinking that I need to call her tomorrow and realize I can't, or I think of something that happened that I want to tell her and realize I can't. So I miss her. And it's ok because God is my peace and I know with him all is well. And He comforts me in those times, when I need it most.

So my youngest son is coming here Monday. I'm so excited. It will be good to see him. The rest of you can come too. I will be just as excited to see you!!! Anyway, we have planned a trip to the southern part of Honduras where there is an extinct volcano. From the Isla del Tigre(tiger)you can see the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua. So we're looking forward to that. My Spanish teacher, Denia, was a little concerned yesterday. So she made sure we practiced how to ask for our check in a restaurant, soap at the hotel, or whatever she thought might occur. She acted like an old mother hen. Thank you Lord for her concern and help. And bless her heart, she is always dreaming about me. Poor thing. So when my Spanish is really good, she is almost beside herself with joy. But there are other days, when it isn't there at all. The joys and heartaches of being a teacher. I understand completely.

We are out of school all week. So glad. The school year is quickly coming to an end. When school resumes on the 21st, we'll only have about 7 weeks or so left. September 15 is Independence Day here. There will be a parade here in Valle. Our school usually marches in it, but not this year. We've been told it's because of swine flu.
The band from the 7th day Adventist school will be marching. We saw them practicing last week. Brought back memories of when my kids were in the marching school band.

So what else? The kids English is continuing to grow. Hopefully, next year I will be better prepared and more organized. I think most teachers always think we didn't do enough or we didn't do it as well as we should have, etc. We always need improvement somewhere.

Thanks to those of you who wanted to send an egg carton with Doug for me. That's great, but you would be surprised how easy it is to carry 12 eggs home in a small plastic bag and not break any.

Thanks for all your prayers for all of us here especially during the political turmoil. We truly appreciate them. God bless all of you.

And the peace of God...Phil.4:6-7

2009-08-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Again I am reminded that my life and times are in God's hands, that He knows everything from the beginning to the end. There are no surprises to Him. What a comfort to know that when I make plans and they are suddenly changed that God already knew it. And if I'm shaken by it, I just have to talk it all over with him, and my peace is restored.

I had made plans to go to Costa Rica because my visa was due again. I bought my tickets and was looking forward to going to another country. I really do like to travel by air. Instead I went to the U.S. again. I had received a message from my youngest son that my mother was having serious health problems. I knew something was up when I couldn't reach her by phone the preceding Sunday. I called my brother and he said that the doctors had not expected her to live through the night before. So I flew home on the 11th of August. She passed the 13th of August and was buried the 17th. Jesus said he would give us peace, but not the kind the world gives. I was so thankful for that peace when my mother was dying. People ask me if she went to heaven. Do I know if she made it to heaven? No, but I know God knows and he is a just God. I normally prayed with mom before we would hang up when I called her every week or so and she said she was right with the Lord. So I leave it there. Do we really know if an individual goes to heaven when they die? We hope so.

So I was able to spend time with my daughter and brother and their families while I was there. It was good to see my grandchildren and my great granddaughter, Nicole. I was able to visit with other relatives that I had not seen in years. So even though it was a sad time, it was also a time of rejoicing and reconnecting with other members of my family.

When I returned to Honduras, Becky and I went to San Jose, Costa Rica for the three days. It was a time of rest that we both needed. San Jose, the capital, is big just like Tegucigalpa. However, the people in Costa Rica drive like people from the U.S. That was a welcomed change. More English is spoken there than here in Honduras. English is a required subject in many of the schools there. We wanted to visit the language school, CINCEL, while we were there, but it wasn't open. We did a little shopping and went to Taco Bell so Becky could have a bean burrito. Well, they don't have bean burritos. And why would they when beans are a staple in Central America? But we were thinking Taco Bell, an American restaurant. Oh well, a Mexican pizza sufficed.

So back to Honduras and school. It was good to be back. I miss Honduras and everything about it when I'm not here. I, too, was missed, and that was nice to know. So on the first day back, we reviewed. It was good. On Fridays I do the devotional with the 7th graders. This was the second time that Eva, my interpreter, was not there. But God was there and my Spanish was ok. My lesson was on having peace and that our hearts not be troubled like Jesus said in John 14 and 16. He said in Matthew 10 and Luke 12 that he didn't come to bring peace but a sword. That sword, his word, will cause a division, not only in our families but in the world. Since Honduras is going through a difficult time now as are other countries, we are reminded in Mat. 24 that all these things must come to pass. But even so, we are told in Phil. 4:6-7 that if we pray about all the things that trouble us, God's peace will keep us. How good God is to his children. The new song we are learning in English is Come unto me...Mat.11:28-30.

My Spanish lessons have gone from 2 days to 3 days a week. My teacher worries that because I live alone, I don't get the practice that I need. (Jesus and I speak English)! She wishes that I could live with a family here in Valle that just speaks Spanish. Be immersed. That's the key.

We need our road fixed that goes to the school from the main road. Two of our teachers have fallen in the last week and have hurt themselves. They haven't broken anything, thank you Jesus, but they've been hurt. I asked the "principal" if the men from the area around the school would get together and work on it. She was doubtful, but maybe if we got the word out, some would come and work on it. Will see what can be done next week. Jesus said ask, and if we don't ask...

Again thanks for all your prayers and support.

I can do all things...Phil.4:13

2009-08-08T12:45:00.008-05:00

Well, it appears I'm a little behind on things. However, I finally got the newsletter out. What a mess. I never planned to be a publisher of anything nor a big user of a computer. God has a way of putting you in places and doing things you never cared to do. So everyone hopefully will have some patience with all this when things don't look like a professional job. Because it truly isn't. People, especially Doug, says to just go in and play with it. Ha! That's exactly how I got on Facebook, that I don't have time for, don't really know how to use, and then I lose things and don't know how to find them again. And it appears that I touched a button somewhere along the line and changed the font in some places in the newsletter. Oh, well, hopefully next time will be better. Need lots of prayer here. But in the fast world we live in, everything has to be instant, and you're required to be everything, whether you want to be or not. I thought I was doing pretty good just doing on line banking and doing it right.

So what's happening? Will begin Spanish lessons three days a week instead of two, so that's six hours a week instead of four. The problem here is not having anyone to converse with, since I live by myself. I teach English just about all day long. I speak with the teachers and shop owners in Spanish, but that's not for a long period of time. And you know, I can trill that "r" when I'm using my prayer language, but not in normal speech. I finally decided that it's because I'm not controlling my tongue when using my prayer language. God is. So my prayer is for him to loosen my tongue when speaking Spanish.

What else is happening? Yesterday we didn't have classes except for the 7th graders. Parents came yesterday to get their childrens report cards and to talk to teachers. The other 7th grade teacher wasn't there, so the only class the 7th graders had was with me. And since it was Friday,
it was devotional time. Eva wasn't there to translate due to meeting parents in the kindergarten. Since they are learning the chorus "Come, now is the time to worship" in English, we worked on singing and looking up the words they didn't know which were not many. Thank you Jesus. They sing it in Spanish in church. Then we talked about what they wanted to be career wise. Which means, they have to go a different direction than what is considered normal here. A girl gets pregnant at 13-16 (and above) years old. The guy goes else where, and starts over again with another girl and is not held accountable for the children he is helping to create. They don't look towards the future. It's here and now. So with God's help, maybe this group can be different. They looked a little shocked when I said it was pecado, sin, in God's eyes. It's very difficult to break away from your culture into God's culture, and maybe impossible without God's help. For the two are not the same. So I pray God will open their eyes, ears, hearts, and minds to his truth. And that they will work towards the careers they said they would like to have. The area I work in is very poor. So God and his grace is a definite need in their lives. And I'm so glad that he hears and sees the poor. And He will make a way for them if they make him their savior. A choice we all have to make.

Received the sad news that one of my former students had passed away. Really broke my heart. She was such a blessing to have in class. She had muscular dystrophy, if I remember correctly, and was probably 18 or 19 years old. I had her during her freshman and sophomore years. We had a lot of fun trying to figure out what was going on in Lost, the television series. And we never could. She decided that's why they named it Lost, because we were. She had a great sense of humor. She will be missed by all who knew her. I pray God will comfort her family.

update

2009-07-12T18:44:00.004-05:00

July 4th has come and gone. I remembered it, forgot it, and remembered it again. It doesn't seem like July at all. Maybe it's because it isn't hot here like there, and farmers aren't driving tractors, etc. It all seems a little surreal. Meetings for teachers there will be starting before long. We had school all last week but left earlier than usual. Most of the teachers come from Tegucigalpa, and they were a little nervous. Life in Valle was the same. I did go to town with my friend to pay my cable bill,etc. She grew up here and can read the "climate" so I was safe. I just read where the curfew has been lifted. That's good, maybe. I just pray that truth will prevail and God's will be done. I must study some more. It seems like that's all I do. Teach and study, but then that's why I'm here. So later.

II Tim. 1:7 For God hasn't given us the spirit of fear...

2009-07-01T09:51:00.005-05:00

Well, here I am in my house following the advice of our embassy. Wow, since I've been here, I've experienced an earthquake of sorts, and now a coup, anyway that's what the news is calling it. I feel like I'm on house arrest even though I've never experienced that. I'm sure it would be safe to go uptown in Valle, but I won't. A friend is coming this morning to go do some things for me in town. Bless her Lord. But since I have to stay at home, I have a few cleaner windows. So maybe I'll get the rest washed by tomorrow.

I'm still giving English lessons and taking Spanish here at the house. We haven't had school all week. Hopefully, it will resume next week.

I didn't have electricity yesterday due to the rain. So I decided when it came back on to cook some things and put them in the freezer for the next time. Oh, yeah, the freezer will keep for a few days. Oh, the dependence on electricity. Now if I had a "stove" like many of the people here, I wouldn't have a problem. The things these people can do without the modern conveniences is amazing to me. However, I really don't want to wash my clothes on a washboard by hand. But I do know how, if ever I need to do it. And speaking of that, we have to go a different way to school since the rains have really made a big mess on the road we normally travel. So out in the middle of nowhere, it seems, there is this strange looking piece of construction that would remind you of gates on a dam. There's 5 or 6 openings. I finally asked what it was, and sure enough, it's a place for the people to do their laundry. It's right there by the creek, and there are washboards built in the cement. Wow! They have special soap for laundry, and the soap they use to wash dishes can also be used in cold water that kills bacteria and germs. One of the brands is made by Colgate.

So am I fearful? Not at all. God is in control and He allows things to happen for His purposes. In our patience, possess we our souls. So if things come to worse, and I pray they don't, He will move us out. Will keep you updated as much as possible.

...who is so great a God, as our God? Ps.77:13

2009-06-28T15:16:00.008-05:00

Oh happy day. I now have my identity back. I went to Tegucigalpa on Thursday, stayed with Becky over night, and Friday morning we were at the U.S. Embassy just before eight. Of course we didn't get out of there till almost nine. Then we headed to immigration for my visa. The lady said it would cost me L1900. That's $100. We had already checked and we were told it wouldn't cost anything. Praise God, I didn't have to pay. Because it was a new passport, which I did have to pay $100 to get, there were no stamps in it noting when I had come into and left the country. So they had to go looking for the information in their computers. After a good hour or more, they found the copy of my re-entering the 23rd of May. So, she stamped my passport, and away we went. Even though it was time consuming, all went well, and everyone was nice and helpful. After we left the embassy, I started thinking about why they put gel on your hands when you enter the embassy. Most people don't go in there with dirty hands. It made me think about the "spray' or whatever that we were told about when my purse was taken. I was thinking, what do they know that we don't know? Interesting. Maybe you can answer that one, Gary.

One of the teachers asked me if I liked (still) Honduras. Of course the answer was yes. I told her we have ladrones, thieves, in the states too. She was totally shocked. People think the U.S. is like heaven. What a badly mistaken idea. I told her people are the same all over the world. You have honest people and dishonest people. It doesn't matter where they live. It's a matter of the heart.

School is going well. I now have a "certified" teacher coming to the house two days a week for two hours each to help me with Spanish. I was asking questions that Eva didn't feel she could answer adequately. So the brain really gets a workout. I can tell she's definitely a teacher, and she teaches 4th graders in a school not too far from ours.

The Honduran team from El Progreso put the roof on one of the other buildings at school, and put electricity in our rooms. I now have one light bulb and one electric outlet. Woohoo! Thank you Lord. No, we don't have the transformer. If my information is correct, they ran a line from the kindergarten building. There is so much that needs to be done there, but when you run out of money, you have to wait until more comes in. How I appreciate those that give to missions. Without that, there wouldn't be a school here where I teach. In fact, Jessica, the young lady that comes to my house for English lessons, has such artistic abilities. If I had the money, I would send her to art school. So if somebody out there would like to sponsor her to go to art school, let me know. It is so expensive and at this time, she doesn't have a job. However, I had her draw a vine, Bible,and branches on one of my walls, so we could have a place to put our favorite scriptures written in English, of course. The kids have really enjoyed looking up their favorite scripture in Spanish and then translating it into English. So I have hearts, flowers, and papers with scriptures and art drawn on them taped to the wall. It's cool.

I want to thank all of you that remember us here in prayer. It's so important to us. God does keep us. We just had a new president installed this morning with Congress removing the other one. What all that means for the future, I'm not sure, but God knows and is still in control. It's "he that putteth down one, and setteth up another". Ps.75:7 So even when things don't look good, they are.

Blessings to you all.

Ps. 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2009-06-16T19:31:00.001-05:00

Well, here I am after only a couple of weeks. And for those of you that like mysteries, I have one for you, so keep reading.

We were out of school this week for a break, don't know that it had a name, but everybody needed it. Becky had a young lady from CO here the past two weeks, and I was blessed to spend time with her also. Thursday, the 11th, was her last night, so it was her choice where we would eat. She chose Chili's, one of mine and Becky's favorite restaurants. So away we go. Our service was not as great as it normally is, but... So after we ate and paid the bill, we got up to leave and a feeling of dread went through me, and I remember thinking I didn't want to walk through all those people. Now that was weird, because you most always walk through a crowd of people at restaurants like Chili's, Applebees, etc. especially at that time of the evening. And it doesn't bother me, normally, but you will see that that whole evening was not normal. So we walked through the crowd of people inside and outside, and most were North Americans. I remember putting my hands on one young lady and saying,"con permiso, por favor"(excuse me,please, so I could get through the crowd) even though she was an American. Well, Lauren and I were ahead of Becky and we got in the car. However, Becky wasn't behind us. I looked back and I thought she was waiting for a car to pass. But after the car passed, she was still standing there. I knew something was wrong so I hopped out of the car to go see about her. By time I got around to the back of her car, she was at the back of it and bending over. She was in pain because she had banged her knee bone on one of the benches on the way out. By that time, Lauren was looking out of the car to see what was wrong. Becky was soon able to get in the car, and I went around to my side to get in. The minute I sat down, I said,"Where's my purse"? It was nowhere to be found. So back inside the restaurant we went to make sure I didn't leave it there. Well, I didn't. The manager went through the camera tapes and sure enough it shows me leaving with my purse over my shoulder. It was a very small purse and carrying it that way put the purse itself under my arm. What a shock! No purse, no passport & visa, no driver's license, no bank debit card, no credit card, no insurance card, no glasses, no cell phone, and over $200 gone because I had just used the ATM. Pictures of kids, grand-kids, friends-all gone. Everything I normally do, I didn't do. I normally don't carry my passport, because I carry a copy always. I normally don't leave the car door open when I get out, and I did when I went to check on Becky. But then Lauren was in the car. There were no people or cars around our car when I went to check on Becky. Chili's outside camera only scans the side of the building and not the front. If it did, we would know what happened. So who got my purse and when? The guard didn't see anybody, and the manager came outside with a flashlight to help us look under cars, etc. but to no avail. My purse was gone. What a shock. I had my passport copy, or otherwise, I would be an illegal alien. Ok you guys, don't go any farther with that statement.

The next morning at the office, the secretary was telling about people doing this out side of restaurants like Chili's. They use some kind of spray that makes you lose your memory for a few minutes. Yeah, I know. Sounds like something from Steven King or your favorite sci-fi film. But later, a couple of missionaries told Becky that they had heard it on the news.

So what happened? Becky, Lauren, and I have no clue and neither does anyone else. The whole thing is just strange. On Friday, we took Lauren to the airport and said goodbye. Then we went to the U.S. Embassy to apply for a new passport. I had to go get new pictures taken, and don't think they aren't beauties. With not much sleep the night before, I had suitcases under the eyes!! Vanity, vanity. Next, to the immigration office, then to get my eyes examined and new glasses, and of course a new cell phone. So we really got everything replaced or it's on it's way. I emailed the bank and called the credit card company the night it happened. So all is well.

So why did all this happen? I haven't the slightest idea. But God knows and He allows things to happen for a reason and a purpose (thank you, Jen). God gave me peace through all of it. I knew He would take care of it all. I'm thankful that it happened this way and that we weren't assaulted or hurt. I told the girls I was not sitting in an ash heap and scraping myself with a potsherd, and everything that was lost could be replaced. It just caused some inconvenience for us. I'm not the only person who has been robbed of their passports, etc. And God made the way easy for us to take care of everything. People were nice and helpful and we didn't have to wait forever. And you learn to wait in Honduras.

So I praise God for His presence. He is always with me, and He knows everything from beginning to end. I don't have to worry about anything, because He will take care of me and all that concerns me, even this. And that thought kept going through my mind during all that happened. He knew what was happening even though I didn't. Thank God that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and is ever faithful. Pastor Bill said I was now baptized. So that makes me a bonafide missionary.

Now some news about school. Becky, Lauren, and I painted a couple of the classrooms this week. The Honduran team from San Pedro Sula will be here this week to work on the other building some more and to fix the area in front of the high school. I will be glad to see them again. However, I probably won't get to help them.

The earthquake that we had a couple of weeks ago, rocked me in my bed at 2:30 in the morning,I remember thinking earthquake tremor and rolled over and went back to sleep Lots of damage up north in El Progreso and San Pedro Sula, but none here. In fact a lot of people slept right through it. Thanks for all the prayers that were made on our behalf. The people of Honduras thanks you too.

Until next time, sounds like a news commentator, God bless and keep you.

My times are in thy hand...Ps. 31:15

2009-05-29T15:52:00.002-05:00

Well, it appears that some people read my blog almost daily. I guess I'm a little behind. Sorry about that. I really do not like to write that much, although I could probably talk forever. So let me see what has been happening in my world.

Since my last writing, we celebrated Mother's Day. It was like our Father's Day celebration. The students and teachers did skits and then we cooked dinner for the mothers.

The day before Mother's Day was used for conferences with parents and handing out grades. My students are doing good. Some are really excited and want to learn the language while others could care less. Kids are kids whether here or in the states. I have been told by the nationals that my Spanish is good. Well, it will pass. I can get the message across, but when you spend several days or a couple of weeks with only English speakers, the Spanish does a nose dive.

I didn't make it to Costa Rica for my visa renewal. Instead, as some of you know, I came to the states. What a trip! It was good to see all of you. And to be in church with you on Wednesday night. It felt good to be home.

I thought I was just coming home in order to renew my visa, and of course to see my family while I was there. Well, God had some other plans, as always!! After church, I decided to drive by my house. Well, the grass was very tall and it looked like no one was living there. The next day, I called the young lady that was buying it, and sure enough she had moved. Well, that left one day to get things done. I told my daughter-in-law, that when I saw the place in the day light that I would surely sit down and cry. I kept that yard mowed and it always looked good. (We are stewards of the things God gives us). Well, I didn't cry. God has released me from the place that was home for 12 years. So now I ask that you pray with me that it will sell quickly and that the Lord will help my son with all the stuff that he will do to help me. Isn't it great to know that God knows everything and that He will take care of us, regardless of what other people do? I'm so glad that nothing takes Him by surprise.

Well, we had an earthquake yesterday morning, the 28th. My bed started rocking about 2:30 a.m. and I remember thinking, earthquake tremor. I've never been in an earthquake before, but I rolled over and went back to sleep. When I got up, I wondered if it really happened. It did. All the LACC schools are fine along with our families. One of our churches has a broken window, and things fell off the walls of one of pastor's home up north. So we are praising God that it wasn't worse. There was damage in the towns of El Progreso and San Pedro Sula where we were earlier. Most people that I know here slept through it, and didn't know anything happened. I thank all of you that heard the news for praying for us here.

Some of our English and Spanish lessons here at the house sometimes takes a back seat because the Lord is opening doors to minister. It's either praying for one of the ladies or sharing scripture and confirming what the Lord has already said through a sermon from their pastor. I am so thankful for God's grace and patience and for confirming His word to us. And speaking of His word, I never keep my Bible out with me when when I fly. I always ask for a window seat so I can look out. I see those clouds and think of the scripture referring to them as the dust of his feet, and how high He will be when He returns, and how we will be going up to meet Him. It takes my breath away. Well, this time, I kept it out and laid it in the middle seat until I could sit down. I thought I would spend some time in Psalms. When I sat down, the lady sitting in the aisle seat tapped it and smiled at me while shaking her head up and down. The only thing she could say in English was thank you. We began talking and She told me that she was going through chemo for cancer and had already had a mastectomy. She also had osteoporosis really bad. I said, nosotros oramos (we pray) and she said yes. So we did. She had tears in her eyes when we finished and the stewardess came by and asked if she was alright. I told her we were praying. She affirmed that and went on down the aisle. God knows, doesn't He? We continued to visit after praying. She was flying to the states to see her grandson graduate.

Tomorrow I am going to learn how to make pupusas and tortillas. Pupusas are tortillas that have cheese and or other things like sausage or chicken inside. They're really good.

Thank you for all your prayers. You don't know how much it means to those of us that are here to know that people at home are praying for us. We, too, remember you.

Blessings,
Beverly

Cloud Covering Ps.121:6

2009-05-05T15:09:00.005-05:00

It's hard to believe that another month has gone by. I have just spent the last 12 days in San Pedro Sula which is in the northern part of Honduras and very, very hot. I had the chance to help a team from MA build a couple more rooms onto the school in El Progreso.

I have heard of bucket brigades, but have never actually seen one in progress. These buckets contained cement. They were hoisted to the second floor by a rope with 2 hooks made of re-bar. They were quite heavy, and not even full, but it took 2 men to pull the rope and get them to the top. Then they were passed from person to person and poured into the proper place. What a job. Only half of the floor could be done in one day. The other half was done the exact same way the next day. One room had to filled with dirt in order to get it ready for a floor after the sides were built with cement blocks. It was good to have a backhoe come in and do the filling. It would have taken several days to shovel it all. And speaking of shoveling, I found my niche. I shoveled the rock and sand needed to make the cement, or is it called concrete? Sorry, I haven't taken time to find out the difference. I think you use cement and when it gets hard, it's called concrete, right? I'm expecting one of you fellows to straighten me out on this. Anyway, I had to throw a shovel full of dirt and rocks against a framed screen to separate the sand from the the other stuff. What a job, but I loved it. I used muscles that I didn't remember I had.

It was soooo hot, but we were all praying(thank you, Betty) for cloud cover and a slight breeze. God answered our prayer every day, and boy did we praise Him for it. Everybody's clothes were wet with sweat. What a workout. And the amazing thing was that we didn't HURT. We were sore, but not hurting. Amazing God that we serve. People were getting red but not burning. What an experience.

I was asked by the Nationals to translate their Spanish to English and the English asked me to translate to Spanish. Oh, boy! But I got the messages across and everybody was happy. I told Raul, the jefe, (boss)Yo estoy sudano como un caballo-I am sweating like a horse. He had never heard that and thought it was hilarious. Guess what he was saying in English the next day? You got it. Jose told me I had good Spanish. It was so funny because everybody knew my job was the shoveling. No one said it, but we all kind of knew what each person's job was. Jose wasn't there the first day, so when he came, he started shoveling. I finally just stood back and watched because I wasn't for sure what to do. I thought maybe I had taken his job. Well, when Raul and one of the other guys saw what was happening, they immediately told him that I was doing it. So bless his heart, he quit and let me continue. But he did step in and help me when they started going faster and he threw the rocks into the other pile for me. I really appreciated that. Plus it gave us time to get acquainted and for him to learn some English and me to practice my Spanish. And I have to give credit to 2 of the women on the team. They came over the couple of days and shoveled too.

When we drove in the first day, all the kids had lined the drive way to welcome us. What a sight. They sang worship songs in Spanish and had learned some in English, which they also sang on the last day when they did a human video. What a powerful lesson they gave.

We were able to play soccer and volley ball with them. No, I didn't play soccer, but I did volley ball. The guys thought the kids had decided that if the Americanos were losing, they would let them win, so the goalie just let that little ball go right on through at the end of the game. It was funny and everybody had a good time.

I was able to check out some English workbooks at one of the school book stores in San Pedro. I bought enough for my 7th graders, thank you Covenant Assembly, and will check out the book stores in Tegucigalpa for the other students. Will start in them tomorrow and see what happens. They are not used to having books of their own to study, so I'm curious to see what transpires.

I guess I should tell you that I didn't go to Costa Rica. I just renewed for one month and will go this month. I hope this finds you all well and blessed. Again thank you for all your prayers and giving. God always blesses with much more.

To God Be The Glory

2009-04-04T13:33:00.000-05:00

Hi Everybody,

Life is so interesting here. In Valle, you see mules, horses, cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, city buses, SUV's, taxis, and moto-taxis all at the same time going to and fro on the streets. And of course all the people that are walking. I love it! My mother always said that I should have been born 100 years before I actually was, but then she would have had to, too, and I don't think she would have liked that. And where else do you carry a dozen eggs home in a little plastic bag that just fits. I think I held my breath most of the way home. They were not in a container, oh no, just the plastic bag that was not very thick. And yes, we made it home just fine. Thank you Lord.

It has finally gotten hot here. I am so glad. I have heard of the snow and ice storm that you are having in KS. I'm not a bit envious!!

I attend the little church next to the school. It would probably remind you of the old fashioned country church of years gone by. Nothing fancy. But the people have the joy of the Lord and does it ever show. The praise service was probably an hour long last Sunday. One of the young men leading the songs sang till his voice was almost gone. He didn't care. He was too busy worshiping. It's good to see men raising their hands, crying, and unable to stand still. There was nothing out of order, and no, no one was swinging from the light bulbs. (We don't have chandeliers)! And the drums was being played by a 10-12(?) year old boy. I found out later that Christian is in the third grade. He did very well. Once in a while, he would get off beat, and his dad would get him back on track. But that didn't stop the worshipping that was taking place. It took me back to Calvary Temple when Doug played the drums, a little older than this young man. And now he plays at Asbury Methodist. Truly God's gifts and calling are without repentance.

I ran into my first, and I hope my last, coral snake. He was only a baby, about 4 inches long, but he sure had that little head up ready to strike. I hate killing things, but I didn't want him going into the school yard where he was headed. So between me and one of the mothers, the little guy met his end beneath some big rocks.

The men from San Pedro have been working on the tech building. They also finished the floors on the two rooms of the upper level of the high school. People ask, all the time what do we need here. Well, the $15,000 for the transformer, money for textbooks, and sponsors for those children that don't have any. I would love to have some kind of window coverings for the high school. We have openings with bars, but no coverings. So the wind blows the posters off the walls and they have to be re-taped to the wall just about every morning. Windows are expensive and they get broken by people throwing rocks. So I'm not for sure what the answer is for this situation. The walls are made of concrete blocks and then cemented over, but not to a real smooth finish. Life is a little rugged here!

The English classes are going well. I finally said that only English would be spoken because I was learning more Spanish than they were learning English! Amazing how the English was beginning to be used. Thank you for all the prayers for my learning the language here. I am getting better.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are very long days. I'm usually up by 4:30 every morning, but those 3 days don't end until about 7 in the evening. After school, I am learning Spanish and then teaching English. And when 7 comes, I'm ready for bed, almost.

Becky and I met a group of college kids from Wheaton College in Illinois that was here to put a water system in one of the small areas south of here. The young man said he had never seen the Holy Spirit move as he did when the system started operating. Everybody was crying and giving praises to God for what he was doing for them through these kids. They had raised $65,000 to come and do this. What a loving God we serve!

I was waiting for the bus when a group of North Americans went by. They are volunteers at the orphanage here in Valle. One fellow was going to be here for a week and the two married couples are here until the Lord says it's time to leave. Sometimes I'm amazed at all the people that leave their homes and families to go to strange places in order to fulfill the calling God has placed on their lives. He is so totally awesome, and He can sure add some adventure to our lives.

I can't believe that I have been here almost three months! At this point in time, the plans are to be in Costa Rica next weekend in order to renew my visa. After 3 months, you have to leave the country for 3 days and then re-enter. Becky will go with me. We can't go to the countries right next door due to some agreement between these countries. It would be nice if we could, because Becky could drive there. But God has his plan, yes? This is good timing since we are out of school this next week and the following Monday for Semana Santa-Holy Week for Pascua, Easter.

The devotional went well yesterday. The lesson was basically about God having a plan for our lives and giving us a free will to be able to choose who we would follow, and the rewards that would be received for the choice we make. It was "excellente" according to Johnny and a couple of the students. So again I give thanks and credit to the Lord for that.

So I guess this is it for now. Thank you so much for all your prayers and giving to the Lord. He will truly bless you.

Hospitality Rom. 12:13

2009-03-10T15:24:00.002-05:00

My first experience with a missions team was a learning experience. We had a team of 12 from OK come to help with the building of our high school tech rooms. I really don't know if tech is the right word. The rooms will be used to teach welding, baking, computers, and working with electricity. Of course we will need equipment, teachers, and $15,000 to buy the transformer needed to supply electricity to the classrooms. And naturally, we are believing God to supply the need because He said He would. So the team supplied a need for us. We, Becky and I, were up every morning between 4 and 5 to cook breakfast for everyone. Another need supplied! Then everyone was off to the school and building site.

I went to teach, and they went to carry cement blocks, mix cement, lay the blocks, etc. The ladies also helped paint the old desks. They sure needed a face lift. Kids here are like kids at home. They like to leave their art work and names behind for others to see! The team really enjoyed the Honduran food at lunch time. Fresh fruits and vegetables, tortillas( ours are smaller and thicker), cheese, and meat. YumYum!! We took them to Honduran restaunts for dinner. They enjoyed that, too. I should say we all enjoyed that.

We all went to CEAD for church in Tegucigalpa on Sunday and to Macuelizo for a mid-week service on Tuesday night where the associate pastor from OK spoke with Becky interpreting.

Now back to normal, whatever that is. I am in charge of devotions with the 7th graders on Friday mornings before they have their PE and then go home at noon. Well, lo and behold, the Lord has done it again. Johnny can play the guitar and has a beautiful singing voice. He is going to lead us with some worship songs during some of the time, and Eva is coming up from the Kindergarten to translate the message that I have for the students. So another prayer request is that I give what God wants them to hear. I am so amazed at everything that that the Lord has done and is doing.

The pastor's wife, from OK, and I really enjoyed talking and sharing things of the Lord. What a time of refreshing for both of us. It was so good.

Until next time, I truly thank you for all your prayers and giving. May God bless each of you.

God Supplies All My Need Phil. 4:19

2009-02-28T13:19:00.003-06:00

God has certainly supplied all my needs! I have rented Mario and Doris' house here in Valle de Angeles at a most reasonable price with all utilities paid. What a blessing. The property is beautiful and has a fellow named Will( he and his wife just had baby number four) that takes care of the grounds and buildings. There is also Lobo, BIG German Shepherd that definitely takes care of me. Where I go on the property, he goes right beside me. And of course all is fenced in.

I attended my first wake here in the Valle. I don't know if this takes place in the city or if other small villages do it this way. But the family prepres the body, buys and places the deceased loved one in the casket(which has a see through glass above the face area) holds the visitation in their home, uses family or friends pick up truck and takes the body to the cemetary or to another location in town in order for all to pay their respects that could not go to the house where the first or the second message is given by the pastor. The body is then put into the ground. I did not go to the cemetary or to the service held here in town. The body has to be buried within 24 hours of passing away. As a child, I heard my Grandma tell of the same kind of wakes when she was younger. I thought how far we from the U.S. remove ourselves from sickness and death. We die in a hospital with basically strangers surrounding us, regardless of their compassion, and then our dead bodies are again given to strangers to prepare our bodies for burial. Interesting.

I woke up yesterday to complete darkness. And when I say darkness, I mean so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. No electricity! I thought of one candle in the house. Woohoo! Alas! No matches-Well you would be surprised at how much light my cell phone and little alarm clock face can put out in total darkness! It came back on right after daylight. I stayed home to have cable and internet installed in my house. Well they called before they were to come and sure enough the power had gone off again. To make a long story short, it all was installed around noon. I must say it is nice to be connected to the outside world and to be able to have more than one channel( that came in not so good with only Spanish)to watch. Now for all of you that know how much I dislike computers and all that other stuff, I have to confess that here I appreciate it. In the states, not so much.

I have been praying for a tutor in Spanish. When I was ready to get on the van Mon. morning, a young lady that was standing near by asked if this was the bus to the school. I said yes and to my surprise she got right in and sat next to me. Wellllll, she had been hired as another teacher for the kindergarten, had lived in England for a short time, and therefore speaks some English. Praise the Lord big time. He just dropped us in each others laps. So we start this week helping each other with the language we need to learn. How awesome our God is. He has taken care of every little thing that concerns my life here. I stand in total awe of Him and His grace.
My classes at school are going very well. I started teaching the kindergarten teachers yesterday. Johnnny, the bus owner and driver is also coming to learn English. I'm sure since there is someone who can interpret for me, it won't be long before I am teaching Bible classes for the teachers at school. Will see how the Lord moves.

Today a team from OK is arriving to help with the building and finishing of new classrooms for the high scool, grades 7th-9th. We just have the 7th this year but will add a new class each year if possible.

I think I experience something new everyday. I told the Lord that He must be part Latino! because there is no need to get in a hurry here. And His time frame is not always ours. And as much as we hate to wait, we do have to learn to wait on the Lord, yes? I told Becky everybody there needs to come here for a lesson in patience!! But you know, everything gets taken care of that needs to be taken care of. So all is well here.

Thank all of you that have been praying for me. You don't know how much I appreciate it. Until later, may God bless and keep you.

New Home

2009-02-02T20:23:00.000-06:00

Today I rented Mario and Doris' house in the Valley. It has 3 bedrooms, big living/dining room area, small kitchen, 1 1/2 baths, and a hallway. It has a porch that goes all the way around the house. They are charging me very little-a lot less than Becky allotted for in my budget. They pay for water,except my drinking water, electricity, and phone(ha ha guys, it's a land line!!). I just have to pay for long distance, but then I have that instument called a cell phone. Anyway the only thing I won't have for a while is the internet, but Doris is going to see how much it will cost to install the cable since it goes right by their house. I also have the use of the washer and dryer. And guess what else? It has a bathtub-don't laugh. Most places here have only showers. But I'll have one of those, too. The school bus/van goes right by the house! Lobo, the BIG German Shepherd also lives there. So you don't have to worry about my safety. There is a family man that also stays and takes care of the property, that of course is fenced in. It's beautiful and I can't thank God enough for supppying it. But then, He does all things well, doesn't He? I don't have to buy sheets, blankets, etc. I pray God will pour Mario and Doris out a blessing that they won't be able to contain, because that is surely what He has done for me through them. He has just worked out every little detail, and I know He isn't done, because school hasn't even started. So this is the latest.
THANK YOU for all your prayers.

(Doug, I'll work on the blog thing!)

First 12 days

2009-01-31T13:15:00.002-06:00

The first 12 days have been very busy and interesting. We've shopped for birthday presents for students of LACC that have sponsors. Do you know how long it has been since I've shopped for clothes for little kids? A long time! Don't ask me at this point in time if something looks like a size 8, 10, or 12! Your guess is as good as mine or maybe better!

So we cleaned the office and moved furniture. Since we don't have a paper shredder, I elected to be the shredder. You wouldn't believe it, but I filled two garbage bags. Wow!

We went to check out a few places to live in the Valley. Not many there, and the ones we saw were not good. Then we went WAY out in the country, near the school, and wow what a place, but very expensive. Of course, I wouldn't have to buy food, cook it, do laundry, clean or anything else. The price was being negotiated since I am a volunteer here, and the place was started by a Catholic priest to help the poor in Honduras. But at this time, I'm waiting on the return of Mario and Doris to find out their plans for me with their house. So hopefully, I will know Monday. But not to worry. God knows the place He has for me.

Let's see. What else? Internet is not very dependable everyday. The Valley has an internet cafe but I couldn't get on in the village with my lap top. Becky says Mario has internet at his place. The expensive place has it.

I have become an eavesdropper!! Reading Spanish is good. Hearing it clear is another matter.
So I'm listening to all I can.

Ok, I think that is it for now.

Comprando para ninos

2009-01-22T12:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, Becky and I went clothes shopping for the LACC kids. Today we separated them all and put them in bags to be delivered at a later date. I learned that just one class a year is added to the schools. :( That means I won't have the 6th graders that I had when I was here before that would be 8th graders this year. I am disappointed there, but God knew it and He knows the kids I'm suppose to teach, so it's ok. I will have 5th, 6th, and 7th grades.
I am speaking some Spanish. I can read most of the stuff that I have seen. I ask Becky just to be sure. Some conversations I understand, and for some I am totally lost. Imagine that!
She's freezing and the girls in the office are cold. I think it's great!!!
Oh, by the way, I was able to watch the new season of Lost. Hooray!!

2009-01-20T19:33:00.000-06:00

1/19/09Flight to Honduras was great. Met young lady from London who will be teaching English also, but not with me.Remember sunrise.Oh yes, bought the dreaded cell phone!!Iron and coffee pot to follow. Definite necessities.
1/20/09 Went to Valley today with Sherry and Becky to look at an apartment(no,no)and then we looked at Mario and Doris's property. Definite yes IF price and a few other things are agreed upon. Won't know till they return from the states at end of month. Ate pizza at the little restaurant there-made from scratch-about 30 minutes-Excellent!!Had an American Expresso coffee-mmm good.

January 20, 2009 5:50 PM

Hello from the blog spot.

2008-12-26T14:56:00.002-06:00

This is to let you all know that Christmas was wonderful. I have a new son-in-law, Steve, and my son Kenneth was able to come home. Very nice.