What happened?!

No, we really haven't had an alien invasion.  No, we haven't fallen off the edge of the earth.  I really can't give a reason...I have just neglected to post.  How does that happen anyway?  As I look back through the blogs this is absolutely the longest I have ever gone without posting and the sad thing is, I have no excuse.  Well, enough apologies...on to other things.

A couple very eventful things happened the end of April. Our dear missionary friends, David ad Regina White, welcomed their newest little one Benjamin Miller White into the world. We were able to spend a little time with them throughout the month and this momma's heart was delighted to hold and love on him and his older brother Cruz. 

Then this momma's heart was really excited when her own baby (age is relative to a momma) got to visit for 9 days. 

We enjoyed time just being together with Miriam.  We attended an associational meeeting down in the southern part of the country where David shared our work. 

It was a delight to worship together with our brothers and sisters and we look forward to working with churches in this association to plant churches in unreached areas. How Great Thou Art is beautiful in any language...¡Cuan Grande es El!

We so much enjoyed our time together.  We did not travel many places - just to this overnight trip - but were just together.  Isn't that the best family time?  Though we did visit some of our favorite places here in Antigua.

Casa Santa Domingo del Cerro

The view from our table at lunch...

and the view around on the grounds...

at Hotel Antigua.

And a most visited place in Antigua, can you guess where?

We were just sad the sun wasn't shining on the volcano this time.

As always, the visits are just too short but we treasure the memories we made.

Since Miriam returned to the states, we have traveled near and far - here in Guatemala and far in Peru.  David was able to attend a meeting of Connectors from Mexico and Central and South America.  It was a wonderful time for them to share ideas and plan for the future.  Our visits here in country are also opening doors and we trust soon to have more partnerships available for churches in the states who are ready to launch into the unreached areas of Guatemala.  Keep praying for doors of opportunities to open.  We know that God is at work, we just want to be "in the way" doing God's will.

We are excited that our first Connecting Partnership team arrives today.  Tomorrow after a dedication service at our church in Chimaltenango connecting Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee and La Iglesia Bautista Canaan, the vision team from Brainerd and Pastor Victoriano and us will head to the east.  Pray that God will make clear the path of launching into La Cumbre de Nearar with the goal of evangelizing, discipling, and equipping believers. Isn't it great to be part of God's plan to reach the world? 

Happy Faces...

The family here for Sunday lunch

Dad and Mom, Miriam, Stephen, Rebecca, Deborah and Chris

Dad and Miriam

Dad and Stephen

Dad and Rebecca

Dad and Deborah

David's all-time FAVORITE dessert, snack, meal,

well, his all-time FAVORITE anytime food

His all time FAVORITE drink - coffee, new grinder and coffee gift card

And his all-time FAVORITE team...GeOrGiA,,,

two new shirts

dollar choclate bar

and

hnnd created Go Dawgs painting

Yep, there's been a whole lot of happy faces during this weekend...haha

And we keep celebrating...

Today is David's birthday, the daddy of the bunch.  AND we get to celebrate with all the kids in our home!  It has been "many a year" since we have all been together to celebrate his birthday and we are enjoying it to say the least.  And the neat thing is since it is during a weekend, it is not just a one day or one meal celebration, it is all weekend long.

Happy Birthday David! 

Pictures will follow but it is time to make sureeveryone is up and getting ready for church...so neat to be able to worship together as we celebrate life.

Miller Family Time wishes you a Merry Christmas!

Recently all our children were able to come for a visit. And what a time we had!

First off, the mission van we anticipated in using wouldn't start in time for us to head to the airport, so, fearing we might be late if we kept working with it, off to the airport we went in our Terracan. Well, we were able to get almost all the luggage and most of us in the car, "Guatemalan style." The rest of us traveled in a taxi to the Arkansas House to try the van again. So rather than a leisurely lunch at a local mall's food court, we had a hurried up picnic lunch, loaded the van again, and off we went...chug, chug, chugging up the mountian...until it stopped. Thankfully David was able to get it to a good (that is a relative term here) place on the side of the road that had recently been repaired from the latest landslide until the towtruck could come. Have no fear...he was able to pull the van up onto his flat bed truck, we were able to climb back into the van (David rode with the driver to insure we got back where we needed to go) and off we went. Kinda felt like riding in the "Beverly Hillbillies truck." Yep, we were the talk of the road as we headed back into the city.

Ok, now to a different plan, we loaded all the folks up in a minivan and off we went home.  This time we easily made it home, enjoyed a chili/cornbread dinner before David and Mike headed back to the capital for all the luggage.  Finally much later, we were able to get repacked for the start of travel on Sunday and settled for the night.  Well, travel did improve as David was able to travel back to the city early Sunday morning for sister mission's van, remarkably just like the first van with which we started.  And after Sunday worship, we ate at the local Piccadilly cafeteria and headed out to new and exciting travels.





We spent a couple of days at Lake Atitlan...the most beautiful lake in all the world!



That's the Miller kids all grown up!

Back home for a night and dinner at the "diner" down the street


before heading to the Pacific for a couple of days.



Home through the capital to "crash" the mission Christmas Party and to sleep for a few hours before the hike up Pacaya



and shopping in Antigua


and Christmas gifts before bedtime.



It was a short week but FULL of much activity and LOVE.

Merry Christmas from All the Millers...

David and Glynis, Miriam and Mike (Adams), Stephen,

Rebecca and David (Durham) and Deborah and Chris (Slater). 

May your celebration reflect the real meaning of CHRISTmas!

Home Again...

Deborah and Chris welcomed me to Georgia and to the beginning of very special family time.


I was so thankful that my mom could travel with me and travel we did...Greenville, Augusta, Adrian, and all around town.


David, Rebecca and MaMa


Stephen and MaMa


Miriam and MaMa


Deborah, me and MaMa

We had family time...


Miriam, Rebecca, and Deborah


Stephen

friend time...

Ryan, Leigh, Ben and Anna Grace


Ms Peggy

church time at Marrietta First Baptist, Abilene Baptist, and Adrian Baptist...



and extended family time...



Then yesterday, I arrived home to my very happy husband. Sixteen days is a short time while visiting family and friends, but 16 days is a LONG time without David.

Taking a break...

Yep, taking a break from blogging for a couple of weeks as I am in the states (for the first time since April 2008), spending lots of time with my 91 year old mom and our precious children and other family members. Loving the time...will post photos later. Doing a lot of traveling so keep us both in your prayers.

Remember to call the Ch'orti' to the Father...
to create a desire to know the Truth,
to discern Truth from error,
to hear the message of Salvation,
to receive the free gift of Salvation,
to join us around the Throne of the Father.

Meet you in prayer at the Throne.

Hands and Feet from MFBC

One of the things that MFBC provided was gift bags for each of the attendees. Each age division of their church were assigned a particular group of items to provide - hand sanitizer, small bottles of shampoo, small kleenex packets, nail files, etc. These items filled goody bags which were a delight to give and receive.


The team also filled material bags for each attendee.

They prayerwalked in San Andres Itzapa, praying for the light to shine brightly against the darkness which permeates the entire village.

They assisted at registration,


the tienda (snack bar),


t-shirt sales,


cooking, serving and washing dishes.

(Did I mention, washing dishes? I know they wish they had a quarter for every dish they washed.)

But least you think all they did was work, we took part of one day to shop in Antigua and visited Ronald at the really neat McDonald's there.


And we took a quick trip to Lake Atitlan for a boat ride across the lake to Santiago, to do a little more shopping and sightseeing before returning to zipline high above the jungle.




Well, some of us, enjoyed the walking the trail and viewing the monkeys and watching the flyers enjoy themselves.


Then we returned to the capital for packing and a return flight home.


Thank you MFBC for all you did to encourage and bless our indigenous pastors and leaders. Thank you for sending a very special team (incluing our precious daughter, Rebecca) to minister as your hands and feet in the name of Jesus.