Monday, February 23, 2009

Personal Update

Yesterday was a very good day for us. We enjoyed the morning service and in the evening went to the other church we are helping, as they have no Pastor.

It was very hot last night. I found a seat directly under the ceiling fan and was literally dripping with sweat. It was well over a 100*F outside and in a room packed with bodies, I can't even venture a guess as to the temperature inside the church. Poor Clint was on the platform, directly under the overhead lights, without even a fan. He was preaching away and wiping his forehead with his handkerchief every few seconds.

But it was well worth it! This church has been struggling for over a year without a Pastor and has lost members because of it. This discourages others and they have not had a steady availability of solid preaching and teaching. My husband has been preaching regularly for the last two months and you can see the difference in the people already.

The sermon was on Faith from I Thessalonians 2:3-8. At the invitation given at the end of the service, about 20 people went forward. Most were adults and 8 were men. We are planning an evangelistic campaign in the neighborhood next month and the people are excited to invite friends and family.

Clint continues with his Guarani lessons and now throws out words and phrases all the time. The Paraguayans really appreciate the effort he is making in studying their second language.

We have been working on student and leader guides to the Marriage Seminar materials which Clint had developed in Venezuela. We will begin a small group for married couples in our home next month using this material which is loosely based on the book,'Love and Respect'. We are excited to be able to share this with Paraguayans.

Clint also has been asked to be on the board of directors at the American Paraguayan Cultural Center. This will be an opportunity to meet people and interact with a different circle of Paraguayans. I am mostly excited about it because it means we can use their English library now!!!

We finished our summer break here in Paraguay, so Jayde and I started home school last week. My last time through High School! This is the first time in 20 years that I have only one student! Now my days are full of English Comp., General Science, World History I, Math, Christian Womanhood, Bible, and Literature.

I am using new curriculum. I had to change some of my books, not because the others were inferior, just that I could not bear to teach from the same books again. I was sick of them! Jayde is excited to have brand new books which no other student has ever touched! I never realized that being the youngest in the family, she had never experienced this, but I think she will miss all the notes written into the margins by her siblings! Each one left their opinions and aggravations in many of their books, for the next student to read. Mostly my oldest daughter, Jackie, left things like this in her Algebra book!



My son liked to leave his notes written in Greek... or Elvish. Very entertaining teaching these kids!

Not so important news, but still fun, is the fact that my girls are playing on the girl's church soccer team. They have been competing and the girls are still in the running! The guys did not fair so well. Jewel plays goalie and Jayde is on Defense (full back). Both are doing quite well for their team and having a good time competing against other churches in Asuncion and making friends with other young people.


We are the 'blue team'.



It looks like Jewel is playing basket ball in this shot!




Jayde and a friend on the team.


Please continue to pray for our friends in Venezuela
who have been missing for a full week now.

20 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Now my days are full of English Comp., General Science, World History I, Math, Christian Womanhood, Bible, and Literature.

How wonderful! My days are filled with some of the same, of course. And right now is the busiest time of the school year for me. Never mind the stress -- I love what I'm doing with groups of homeschoolers.

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I will continue to pray for your missing friends.

Kris said...

thanks for the update. keep up the good work.

kw

Brenda said...

Sounds like things are going quite well for you. Don't know if you are using MIM, but we use those materials with a lot of success here.

Humble wife said...

So wonderful that so many came forward!

Yay--the end is near in schooling!!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful update with good news! It's always nice to see progress and know the Lord is leading! Good luck to Jayde this semester!

Steve Harkonnen said...

It sounds to me like your stay down there is actually an adventure. We kinda miss that. We lived in Iceland for four years and want to go back now!

Dawn said...

Sounds like a wonderful Sabbath!

You have a full plate with teaching all those subjects. I admire anyone who can home school!

Betty said...

We will keep praying for your friends!
I´m so glad you are experiencing such blessings in your church! And also glad this struggling church has found such capable leaders in your husband and you! Keep up the good work and may God bless you further!

Elephantschild said...

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Brooke said...

Two words: Outdoor Service. ;)

I'll keep praying for your friends, JM.

Betty said...

Making this comment to check if it´s still working.

Jayde said...

Hi Mom!

Z said...

I and my Seventh Day Adventist friend in Olympia, WA are praying for your friends, JM...

I love to hear about your life there... 'Christian womanhood'? OH that all girls got taught some of that! Lovely..xxx

Unknown said...

I LOVE these personal updates! Jewel did look like she had just made a hook shot! Loved seeing my Jaydie Lou with her little friend as well. That's exciting about her new books! I know it doesn't take a whole lot to amuse her!

Charles said...

Great post. Wow twenty coming forward. God is working.

Your description reminds me of my childhood days during summers at my grandmothers little country church. I always associate that type service with Funeral Home fans and real lemonade dipped from a washtub.

We sang in some churches that when you got back on the bus and changed clothes you could wring the old ones out. Great memories.

Gecko said...

You certainly have a lot of variety in your busy days, and pleased to see all your hard work is paying off.
I admire you for home schooling, I think kids are better off these days for being schooled at home.

Rebecca said...

What age did you start homeschooling?

Rebecca said...

Sorry, I meant what age were the children when you started homeschooling?

Christie said...

WOW! Busy days and lots of great stuff happening. Thanks for the update on your friends in Venezuela, too. We're praying for them, as well as for the work you're doing right now in Asuncion. :)

Michael said...

My son liked to leave his notes written in Greek... or Elvish

I once used the Elvish letter chart in the Appendix to Return of the King to work out a Feanorian system for writing in English (the book said it could be done). I used it for not taking in college. No one ever asked me for my notes....

Can't read it anymore. That was a long time ago. I do have two similar fonts on my computer, and one day, when I haven't go quite so much work to ignore, I'll teach myself the Feanorian script again.