January 2015 Update on what is happening in Belize!

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1

As much as I intended to do an update last month but never did find time to do it. We have had a busy but fruitful past months. Cory started 10th grade in September and always enjoys meeting new friends and teachers. It was a struggle the first two months to get serious with his studies but is working at improving his study time. He will be in exam week this coming week and we appreciate prayers. 

Treajone came to us in Oct of 2013 and has brought life and laughter to our home. He will be placed with his adoptive parents this coming week. We will miss him and the longer it takes the harder it is to let him go. I feel blessed that we will still get to see him as he will be placed with a Christian couple that we are good friends with. He has had a few visits already and calls them mom and dad. 

As most of you know since end of June I have had the twin girls in my home that came to me two years ago as three month old babies. The first few months we were not sure how long they would be with us but now we know they will be with us for sure till end of February. Their mom has started to make weekly visits and is working at getting them back. She is a busy mom with a one year old, three year old and seven year old besides the two year old twins. I keep praying for her salvation and God’s perfect will for the twins. 

Just before Christmas we were told that Treajone would be placed with his new family and also that the twins would get a one week visit over Christmas with their parents. That is when I asked the social worker if it would be possible for us to have Douglas for Christmas who was placed in the Kings Children’s home. Just before Christmas I was informed yes that Douglas could come but the other children would not be leaving. God knew this in advance as always and brought Abigail Shaw beginning of December to help out. Yes, we had five children for Christmas and New Years but having the second adult to help out around the house was a blessing.

Abigail came two years ago to help out for three months when the twins were small. She made a lot of friends while she was here. Her desire also to instill Godly values to the teens on our street to just being a friend to those that God placed in her life. Right now she is helping with youth group in our church as well as takes time to hang out with the teens on our street.

Wally and Kathy Chopee have once again returned to Belize to serve where God directs them. They have come yearly since 2010 and have also made many friends over the time. They had a rough start as they both got sick the first week of being here. Praising God for the healing He is doing in them. 

God blessed us with extra car seats so I could safely buckle in the little ones when I drive. The only thing is when I buckle in my three little ones there is only room for one other person in the vehicle. The truck has been a blessing in getting us where we need to go but with extra children and friends coming down we just do not have enough room for all go out together. I have been talking to different people that know more about vehicles then I do. I wanted to know which vehicle would stand up to the rough roads we have here but also have enough seats for this family that God has placed in my life. When I talk about my family we have Marisol and her two children that come to church with us and Abigail who is living with us right now as well. Marisol has been like a sister and friend to me over the past seven years. I was told the Toyota Hiace or like an SUV that has that extra seat would be good choices. They both tend to be durable and have 4X4. I know God our provider knows more about our needs then we do and now praying specifically for Him to provide. It is a joy to be able to have the room to offer rides to church and now that Abigail is working with the youth we hope a bigger vehicle will also help for her to offer rides when needed. 

I always appreciate you interceding in prayer for us! I know we could not do this without your prayers and support! Thank you once again for being there for us!

July 2014 update!

Psalm 119: 10-11 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! YOUR Word I have hidden in my heart, so that I might not sin against You!   

End of June I received a phone call from the social worker to see if I would be willing to take in the twins back that I had last year for five months. I did not think twice and said yes. They came about three or four hours after the call. They were in a sad shape with sores all over their arms and legs. I was given meds for them for three days to help them with worms and parasites. Slowly they have been healing up and doing better. Their names are Kabe and Kiana. Kiana is the bigger twin but she seems to have more medical issues then Kabe. They are both walking and full of fun. With 21 month old twins and a two and a half year old, keeps me busy. Takes some planning to get to the store or if I need to go anywhere with all three.   

I would appreciate prayers for complete healing for each one of us. I have developed a rash this past week and not sure what it is. Not sure if it is something that came from the twins or something else. 

More prayer please!

In my last email update in June I shared about Diana whom I have been ministering to.   She came to my gate this evening after being on the streets with her two children all day looking for a place to stay or asking for help from anyone that was around. She came to ask me if I knew of a place where she could go. I called the social worker to see what should be done and she told me I needed to call the police and that is how she could get involved in this case. Diana has refused to seek work and says there is no need to work because she prays to God to provide for her. She says she does not like to beg but that is what she is doing. 

Because I work under the social worker I am not allowed to take her in. Also it would not be safe to take her in as she goes off on tantrums at any given time. She has taken it out on her family many times. 

I am blessed to have a fenced in yard and it keeps it safe from having just anyone coming into the yard unannounced.  

The police ended up coming for Diana and her two children. The social worker told me they would find a place for them to spend the night. Please pray for complete protection for the children as well as for Diana. Desiring God’s perfect will in their lives. 

Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.

Psalm 47:6-7

June 2014 what is happening in Belize!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6&7

In my last update I had asked for prayer for the eleven year old foster girl that I might be getting. I met with her and felt that I should take her but in the end the social worker has chosen a different placement for her. I have prayed for God’s will in her life and ours as well and believe that this was God’s best. Thanks for your prayers.

Treajone (two and a half yrs) is still with us for sure until August. We continue to pray for God’s best for his life. He is a joy and brings a lot of life into our home

We had a super productive time with the team from Virginia in April. We had two teams back to back and they were able to get the school room painted and finished as well as a railing put on Marisol’s deck. They were also a huge blessing to the girls at Marla’s House of Hope in Belmopan once again. Thank you Crossroads Community church in Virginia for coming to Belize and blessing us with your talents and love. So far we have not received the OK to start a school for fall so we hope to start an after school program for the children to come get the help they need for homework. Praying for the provision of a computer, printer and supplies that we would need to help children get their projects done for school. Also praying for a worker or two that can tell the bible story and love on the children as they get helped.

The end of May we had our 8th annual ladies retreat. What a blessing to have 78 ladies attend. Thank you to Laura for coming from the States to teach us on how to decrease so that Christ may increase in us. One of my high lights of this retreat was that we had seven ladies from Gales Point attend. As some of you know Brian and I used to travel to Gales Point every Sunday where Brian taught in the village church. Special thanks to Pastor Kenny for bringing the Gales Point ladies and for picking them up on Sunday.

Back in 2007 when God gave my friend Denise Meyer and I a desire to organize a ladies retreat we had no idea how many years we would continue doing this. I remember Brian told me this was the first annual retreat of many! I guess I generally do not look that far ahead but I can see how God has been faithful in supplying a team of workers to help organize and plan these weekends. After the first retreat Anna Mensie from Seine Bight came on board as well and Rachel Plett from Spanish Lookout. All four of us live in different areas of Belize but we are still able to unite and plan. God is good!!

In the past few months a local lady named Diana has been visiting me. She would sometimes ask for groceries or other things and seemed very depressed and at the

point of giving up. When I shared the gospel with her she told me that she believed in

God but did not need the rest. Sometimes she came over four or five times a week, sitting in my home three to four hours without saying much. Other times she would ask my pastor’s wife to call me and tell me she needed to talk to me. I continued to share the gospel with her and eventually she told me that she had prayed to receive Jesus. I told her that was great but now we needed to focus on who we are in Christ. Our walk with Christ is very important- just believing He exists is not enough! As I had her write out scripture pertaining to who we are in Christ I seemed to notice slight change in her. Right now we are going through the first book of John.

Diana’s Mom (Miss Carmita) attends my church. A long time ago, Miss Carmita asked me to pray for her daughter and for her grandchildren. On Sunday Miss Carmita told me that she can see that the prayers are working and they are seeing a change in Diana. We are praying that Diana will have victory in her life and will give herself completely over to HIM. May she find forgiveness in her heart to those that have wronged her and also able to ask for forgiveness for those that she has wronged.

Another example of God’s provision was through the visit of Mary Lou Ticknor, a missionary in Mexico who came to visit a local girl that she has been sponsoring for high school. While Mary Lou was here Diana showed up at my door. I was not sure what to think but Mary Lou was able to minister to her with the love of Jesus while I took care of things around the house. When the ladies from Alabama came to our church to do a study on choices we make and teach us some crafts Diana joined Mary Lou and I. What a blessing to have these ladies come share with us from God’s word and a blessing that we could bring friends to this study. I felt like it was a time of filling up as I had poured so much out in the past months. Once again, God knows our needs before we do and He is faithful in providing.

Looking forward to see what God has in store for us this summer. Once again, thank you for your prayers, love and support.