Cute stuff from life

Primavera

Spring Celebration with the Kids :D

 a Peruvian organization came an put on a party for spring

 some very entertaining games!!

 Sister Love

 Bub!

 they had a dance-off (that i may or may not have been wrangled into!)

 winners!! (yes i had to take second place~gotta hone the skillZ) ;)

 sisters

 Buds 

 someone isn't sharing... ..

 <3

 waiting for more games to begin~i just though the hat was so cute!

 eating strawberries? or something up that alley 

puppet for a prize 

As the band plays:

“When the Roll is Called Up Yonder,” by James M. Black, is being played in town somewhere. From the sound of the band, it must be a funeral.  Reminding me that someday we will be with Jesus, either in death or after being snatched up (so simple but so easily lost in the ruckus of life).

If not moved already, doubling moving, I am listening to, “Live Dead” by Dick Brogden on the internet.  He is compelling his listeners to share Christ, share the Gospel, with those who have never heard.  Some of the children here at the orphanage are from the mountains...I asked them if they had ever heard about Jesus before they came to Casa.  “No, no,” they say, “we didn’t know about Jesus before here.”  They tell me that there was a church there, but they were never told about Jesus. 

 

Music floats to me from the cemetery, “Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care,” and Dick Brogden is asking me from the internet, “Are you living dead?  Are you taking His message to the unreached?”  ...to die to our small desires...to live dead in His great Plan-life to the full! To die to self...so that others can hear their name when the roll is called up yonder. 

~Dear Jesus, please more of Your Spirit in our lives so that we can be true followers and right representations of You here. 

hot chocolate and movie night

Today's Realizations

Just today I was thinking about how I cross the great Pan American Highway every time I walk to my little favorite grocery story (of course I had to facebook status it too ;) ) Anyway, pondering how big that highway is literally as a road but also how it must have so changed the scope of things here in Peru. How big it must have been in the movement of connecting people and merchandise; making it feasible to travel and see the world outside of where a person grew up. How that highway must have completely changed things here in little Pacasmayo too. Then I started thinking about my little store that I go to and how it is almost nothing compared to ALL the many little stores we have here and how that huge highway and that little store are right next to each other, the irony, greatness and smallness connected. Reminds me of God's plan, like the great highway...it's life changing and huge and we have no idea exactly what is all going on but we know it's BIG and we want to be connected with that...and our lives and what we do is so small, nothingness, we are just dust, but we can be CONNECTED to Him through Jesus. We can be part of His great things like the little store along the Pan American.

from July: Marching~it's a big deal here for schools ;)

Getting Ready!

 The Marching Begins

Jesus' Bosom

Somedays it seems that everything is spinning out of control. Everything is too big and all the time and effort and emotions put in don't seem to make a difference.... on these mornings I imagine my head bent and resting against Jesus' bosom yielding to His care and sovereignty.

Yesterday one of the older girls was suicidal and took about 30 pills. She was rushed to the doctors when everything was uncovered. She is home and seems to be healthy without any visible repercussions. Also, this morning the day mom and I were discussing issues we have been having in the house. And I'm reminded that every child is healing or needing to heal from abuse and rejection. Side issue: In talking it came out that she believes that salvation is dependent on behaviors and tries to use this to keep kids from misbehaving....Thankfully we have had some really good theology conversations in the house and many of the older boys read their Bibles regularly. And all these things we leave in His almighty Hands knowing that He sees and cares.

New House

We moved into a new "house" (more like apartment: three rooms for the boys, one room for me and the babies, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and living room area) Moving day was a little wild with 1/2 of our things in the new house and 1/2 in the old but it's a blessing to be there and have new couches, our new stove with us, and new paint of the walls. Now the girls can divide into two houses and give some over-due room to the 23 some odd girls who have been living in ONE house!!! Zeb did a lot of work in the new house while he was here~thank you BUD!

 D-man in the hall 

 hands & feet

 And there was light...or i mean yellow...

 checkin the new bathrooms with Tonkers

Fanagling the door, Tonkers "helping" of course ;)

Psalm 46:10-11

"Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." The LORD of Heaven's Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. 

I can remember laying in bed when I was around 10 or 12 years old and I was worrying my little heart out. I don't remember exactly about what but I remember spinning in worries. Like those times when you are worrying about 20 things at one time. Then suddenly all those worries disappeared and the only thing left was "Be still and know that I am God." I could hear the words and after that I was at peace. I always remember that time when I read this verse~reminds me of God's Father Faithfulness.

Tonker-Joe Photo Factory