F*A*M*I*L*Y...

The twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh we were able to spend some time with Rebecca and David in their little cabin in the woods.  We visited Ryan and Leigh Ann's and delivered some Guatemalan treats, well some Peruvian ones too. 

 

Ben loved his super hero finger puppets and

 

 

his Captian America cape complete with mask.

 

Among Anna Grace's treasures was a necklace with Guatemalan children charms.

 

She liked to pose in traditional Guatemalan dress.

This style hupil, corte, and belt is worn by girls in

Santa Maria de Jesus, a village close to us.

 

Love this f*a*m*i*l*y pose -

Papa D, Ben, Anna Grace and Mama G.

 

There was one of just the girls.

 

 

And one that will melt your heart!

 

The twenty-eighth found us on the road once again to spend a little time with this little lady who loves us...and ice cream too.  What better hertitage than to have a mom who prays for her children and grandchildren everyday, several times throughout the day! 

 



 

Time quickly came to a close as we headed back to Augusta on the twenty-ninth to share time with Deborah and Chris before she took us to Atlanta on the thirtieth. 

 

 

We got a little extra time at the hotel that night and then dashed to the airport on December 1st to fly away, fly away home, filled with many memories that make us smile.

 

We look forward to March when we get to travel back to the states and greet this family.

 

 



 And we look forward to greeting this family in April.

 

 

Well, it was a whirlwind of a month but filled with ministry and memories.

Thanks for being a part of our lives as you hold us before the Father.

May we continue faithful to the task to which He has called.

 

And more F*A*M*I*L*Y time

After David preached at his home church there in Adrian on the eighteenth and after a "DELICIOUS too much food" lunch, we headed to Augusta for more f*a*m*i*l*y time.  We enjoyed a community Thanksgiving worship at our sending church, Abilene Baptist before heading to the lake house.  Barry and Liz have been so kind to offer us the use of their country home to spend f*a*m*i*l*y and each time, we have made such special memories.  So on the ninteeth, twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-third, and twenty-fourth we made memories.

 

And shared two holidays in one...Thanksgiving round the table....

and Christmas gifts.

 

Dad gives the kids special angels each year.

This year Miriam's is mom and baby.

 

Rebecca's is a Noah's ark.

We had already ordered hers when the news was discovered.

 

Stephen's was the patriotic angel.

 

And Deborah's was the woodland angel, complete with bunny.

(She and Chris have a pet bunny.)

 

There was Dad and son time.

 

There was Mom and girls time.

 

 

There was Mom and son time.

 

And Dad and daughter time too.

And it all passed so quickly.

But better a little time than no time at all.

 

We treasure these F*A*M*I*L*Y times!

 

 

It was F*A*M*I*L*Y time

We enjoyed our f*a*m*i*l*y time with Mom and Gayle on the fiftheenth and sixteenth, and headed out for more family fun on the seventeenth to celebrate Loy and Claudette's 50th wedding anniversary!   That's a LONG time!  I think they got married when they were just babies!  We celebrated with a tea in the afternoon.

 

And then it was a great opportunity for the ladies to gather at a local Italian restaurant for dinner and a Miller Baby Shower for Miriam. 

 

 

The tired Momma to Be, Miriam - it's been a long day!

 

And since our family is very crafty, she received many handmade gifts too.

Aunt Claudette made a soft and cozy blue blanket.

 

 

Dianne made a receiving blanket and burb clothes.

 

 

 

Aunt Ruth made a special quilt.

 

 

Debbie wrote a book, The Ketchup Boy, and even autographed it.

All right, it wasn't just for babay Adams, but still how cool is that...

your cousin is a published author and you get her special book?!

 

 

She got other books too - some Golden Book ones and some others even in Spanish!

He will grow up to be the translator for Mom and dad when they come to visit.

 

Aunt Wrena gave him a prayer covering blanket.

 

David D choose this special bib..."My Dad is Cooler than Your Dad."

I guess he plans on Baby Adams wearing it when he is NOT around Baby Durham.

 

 

She received many gifts, perfect for baby and mom too.

But the greatest gift was being able to celebrate with a loving family.

We're kinda partial to this wonderful Miller fam!

 

 

Rebecca, Deborah and Miriam - Deborah is balanced on each side by her pregnant sisters.

She'll wait her turn till sometime in the future.

 



November keeps rolling along...

The sixth of November began the first of many travels that week.  We closed up business in Jocotan and headed back to the capital.  [Since we stay at a hotel about 45 minutes down the mountain from Nearar (the closest to the ministry site) it is not feasible for us to return there for a half day ministry and then drive the four and a half hours back to the city in order to arrive before dark.]  We realize though that our ministry is not only to the people in Nearar, it is also to the owners and workers of the hotel where we stay, the van drivers, the people to whom we come in contact as we travel when we refuel and stop for lunch.  It is wherever and to whomever He places in our path.

With our partnerships, we allow a day for shopping and visiting in Antigua.  So the seventh found us in Antigua.  As we were walking along the street, headed to the artesian market, several noticed some cars that looked as though kids inside were rocking them.  Others mentioned that they felt a little dizzy.  When we entered the market and saw the buzz and heard the comments, "Did you feel that?" and "Wow, that lasted a long time!" it took a few moments to realize that yes, indeed that was an earthquake and a big one at that.  We were glad that we came to our house after shopping and could answer many calls that came regarding our safety and that of the team's.  All in God's timing. 

The team departed on the eighth, so after getting them safely settled at the airport, we traversed the road back to Antigua to wash a week's worth of clothes and get things packed for us to head to the states on the ninth.  Deborah and her MIL met us at the Atlanta airport with the inlaw's car for our use while in the states.  (Isn't that a special ministry?  Yes, indeed it was!)  And off to Chattanooga we headed to finish the night of the ninth and the tenth, we special long time friends Bill and Vicki.

By now the cold/flu bug which had begun earlier in the week was in FULL bloom, but we prevailed. The eleventh we headed to share ministry at Brainerd Baptist Church for their Missions Forum.  God proved a welcome refuge for us in the home of Bob and Marsha in their downstairs missionary apartment.  We could visit with them and then slip downstairs to load up on medicine and rest before heading out again.  (Thanks so much for ministering to us in special a needed manner!  Rest, rest, rest in a quite place - just what we needed.)  We invested in the lives of children on Sunday night at their missions dinner (while the adults enjoyed their own missions dinner in the BX).  We look forward to gathering around the throne one day and seeing the fulfillment of the seed we planted of world missions.

 

The twelveth was the opportunity to refresh long time frienships too.  Glynis was able to have an early breakfast, brunch, and almost lunch (thanks Cracker Barrel) with long time friend Jeanne.  (From BMA camp days many just a few years ago - haha) Then that evening we reconnected with several from past mission teams at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Clay.  We are anticipating how God will continue to use mission teams from Brainerd in their partnership with La Iglesia Canaan to reap the harvest in La Cumbre de Nearar.

 

At the missions lunch on the thirteenth, we were challenged with a vision for Kenya, followed by fellowship with our long time friends, Barry and Scarlett Wilks, now missions pastor at Brainerd.  He took us to the Christian book store with instructions that we were to spend $250, no questions asked, as directed by an unnamed donor - what a treasure!  what a gift!  what an opportunity to gather materials in Spanish to share with dear pastors here in Guatemala and also to refresh our own spiritual lives!  Thank you!  We capped the evening with dinner with a long time hero of the faith, Bill Stafford, one of his sons, a granddaugther and her husband, members of previous Brainerd teams here in Guatemala.

 

Chapel at the Christian School on the fourteenth began our day.  What a gift to be able to share with 1-5 graders of the adventure of following God's call wherever He leads!  And then we received a treat with lunch with Pastor Carlos at a favorite Mexican restaurant.  The evening closed with dinner and two sessions of training about ministry in Guatemala. 

 

On the fifteenth, followed breakfast with strategic future team planning and sweet fellowship with Randy and Nancy, we took another road trip down the highway to Macon to spend a couple of days (the fifteenth and sixteenth) with these very special ladies, my mom and sister.

 

 

And the month is only half way through!  Are you tired yet?

 

Recent Happenings with "FAMILY"

 

 

From November 1-8 we worked alongside this team from Brainerd, Chattanooga,

and 34 church members from Canaan in Nearar.

Brainerd team members included:

Carlos, and wife Sylvia.

Joey, Brittany and husband Rusty, and Brian.

 

Antonio in the white t-shirt is the young man from Canaan

who has a passion to reach the people of Nearar for Christ.

He stayed an additional night (the church had to return to Chimaltenango on Sunday)

to assist the team with another outreach on Monday.

 

Willie, a young man from Canaan was a wonderful translator for the team.

Hope his schedule will allow us to use him more often.

He has a great passion to reach folks with the Gospel of Christ.

 

Luis, in front, was a super van driver who loves the Lord.

 

Precious eternal impacting time with brothers and sisters...

the family of Christ!

 

 

It was a wonderful week and I will update more of the details of the week but after we put them on the plane Thursday morning, we hurredly returned home to wash clothes, update emails and do a little future planning, pack and get back to the airport on Friday morning to head out the states.

So what are we doing?

 

 

 

Well, tonight we are enjoying time with long time friends, Bill and Vicki...

friends like family...

 

 

yep, ENJOYING watching G*E*O*R*G*I*A football!!

 

Go DAWGS!!!!

Just like old times!

 

We are sharing in the Mission Forum at Brainerd Baptist, Chattanooga,

for the next several days and having some training sessions with past and future teams.

And then...more family time!

 

You can be sure that more pics will follow those times too!

Stay tuned for shared pics and blogs as we have internet.

 

Go DAWGS!

Headed out...Need Prayer Covering

We are so excited...Brainerd Baptist medical/evangelistic team has arrived, soon the team from Iglesia Canaán meets with us here at the Arkansas mission house in the capital, and then we will launch out to Nearar. We NEED your prayer covering! Then along the week, I will drop in some pics and updates so you can follow along the journey.

We head to Jocotán to a hotel as our home base and then daily will go up the mountain to Nearar to share the love of Jesus. It is exciting to see the first "working" partnership between these two churches. (Now, I'm sure those guys on the vision team would disagree about the "working" part as they moved that galera down the mountain to Reyes' house...sorry guys, no offense!)

David and Regina White will be working with us as well. Pray specifically for David as he is "recovering" from a bout with dengue fever.

Pray for safety in travels.  

Pray for Satan to be bound, eyes and hearts to be opened and receptive to the Truth.

Pray for an amazing moving of the Spirit among the people to hear, discern the Truth, and receive salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Pray for physical needs to be diagnosed and met. Pray for physical strength and stamina for the team.

Shine, Jesus, shine,

Fill this land with the Father's glory.

Blaze, Spirit blaze,

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river flow

Flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your word,

Lord, and let there be light.

Cliff Richard

A Month Filled with Guests

We have had a fun time this past month with friends visiting.

Our first partnership team arrived on May 19.  The dedication service on Sunday at church knitted the hearts of the team from Brainerd Baptist in Chattanooga and the church in Chimaltenango as we launched out for the first vision/planning trip.

 When we returned from the Chorti area, we had a day for a little fun and sightseeing.

We took the boat ride over to Santigo; the guys did a little shopping.

After lunch at El Pescador, we rode the boat back to Panajachel.

And before our ride back home, we stopped at one of David's favorite places.

This is my favorite spot to wait...

 the flowers are so pretty,

 while we wait for these guys to do their thing...

 I think it was Todd and Jonathan's first time to zipline...and what a place to do it!

We did a little traveling after the team returned to their family in the states,

visiting in two different areas of the country and

laying the foundation for two more partnerships.

Then on the 31st, we were thrilled to have Bert and Rod

and their daughter and her husband join us for a few days.

Bert and Rod are "long time friends" from early in our marriage. 

We served at their church back in the 70s and 80s.

They had married the week before us and so we both celebrate 35 years of wedded bliss this year.

For their anniversary celebration, they wanted to be involved on a mission trip together.

They joined a team coming from their home area to Guatemala. 

 It was a success and life impacting trip for them. 

On the plane to Guatemala, Bert led a young man to Christ. 

Then the team, working with another IMB missionary here,

worked in an area south of us and made eternal investments there as well.

They joined us onTthursday, and we threw in a few special treats as an extra celebration.

A trip to one of the top 10 lakes in the world, Lake Atitlán, was spectacular.

 We took the boat ride over to Santiago. 

The widow lady has become a precious friend of ours. 

We long that she become a sister too.

 Our terraza with Volcán Agua, was one of their favorites places.

Then on Saturday, Ed and Adrienne and their granddaughter,

who were also on the same mission trip, joined us. 

Ed and Adrienne met with Pastor Apolinario and his wife Maria.

Their church Bull Streeet in Savannah, GA is entering a partnership with

La Iglesia Dios es Amor in San Andres Itzapa

 to reach an unreached area with the Gospel of Christ.

 Partner certificates were given to each church

as the work began with vision-planning meetings.

 Ed, Adrienne, Kalee, Bert and Rod against the backdrop of Volcán Agua.

After we took the nine of them to the airport on the 5th,

we drove over the the national softball fields

where we met more friends who were visiting-working here.

Leigh and Will, friends of ours from Augusta,

 are coaches for a girls softball tournament team.

They brought a portion of their team, along with some of the parents,

and two assistants to Guatemala with Athletes in Action.

Their assistants were two young ladies who were youth when we served at their church.

They served the Lord ministering in schools and a children's ministry,

as well as played the National and Junior National Softball teams of Guatemala.

Wished we could have visited more with them during their time here.

 We did reminisce a little as we watched the girls play.

Oh the hours we spent at the ball fields when our kids were younger.

I still love the thrill of it.

On the 7th, off we drove again, this time with

 Pastor Victoriano and his wife, Cristi, to meet with some pastors. 

We are praying that more partnerships develop from these meetings.

And then we have another one tomorrow.

So it has been a busy almost month of visitors and traveling.

But we wouldn't trade this life. 

It is exciting to be a member of God's team.