Some Happenings...

At the beginning of August we started homeschooling Simon and Gabriela. It was a difficult decision for us to make, as the kids were happy at school and doing well. Simon is doing an online program called Monarch and Gabriela a program called Horizons. Alex continues at the Christian school they all were attending.

They are the happy home schoolers

On Tuesday and Thursday's we drop the home schooler's off at a friends house and she teaches them along with her 4 kids. This has been a real blessing as I can continue to work in the office on those days. We are in a routine with the kids now, they start classes at 8am and are usually finished by 1:00pm. I am enjoying being with them and they are enjoying being home schooled but miss their friends. In November, our friends leave on furlough until March- we are praying for someone to come and help teach the kids during this time so that I can still continue in my role as the administrator of the ministry. Also please pray for a bilingual assistant that I can train – the coordinator of the different areas of the ministry are all very understanding and have done extra work for me but it is not the best situation as they all have a lot of responsibilities already.

                                                                            Alex turned 14

 

Alex is keeping up with the 8th grade work load even though it means some late nights at times. He is also taking music lessons after school and plays basketball which he is enjoying. Simon was thrilled that he was able to play basketball in a local competition this weekend. The 10 to 12 year olds were a player short so he got to play with them. He also played with his team of under 10's. The younger teams games were really funny to watch, one game in particular had the audience in stitches, I wish we had videoed it. In that particular game Simon got the ball and concentrating hard dripped down the court, he looked up to shoot, moved again looked, and for a third time, by then the other team arrived to defend. Simon has stopped right under the hoop and couldn't see it.

We asked for prayer in a previous letter for Carlos translating jobs. God certainly did answer. He has been selected to translate a devotional book for teenagers on a monthly basis. He has just finished the first book. He has 5 days to do the work each month. Since it is concentrated time he can schedule his ministry work around these 5 days. It means working an average of 15 hours a day.

Ministry happenings

The Other Way house was broken into and stripped of everything. As well as the police, the fire brigade had to be called as the thefts had ripped out the piping for the gas. Everything in Colombia has bars on the windows and strong doors, so how did the thefts break in? The bars on one of the windows was sawed off and in they went. They stole the bars, so when Carlos and a welder from church went to make the place secure again they had to spend a morning going around the local junk shops in the hope of finding the stolen bar. They didn't find them so they spent the rest of the day putting up new bars on the inside of the window. Thefts can't saw them off that way but the down side is the windows can't be opened either.

Two young adolescents who Carlos tutored for many years are going to be doing YWAM Discipleship Training Schools. Julian in Argentina (he left last week) and Paola in Chile (she leaves next week).

Julian and Paola are the ones in the back row to the right

Prayer requests:

• We need God's wisdom as we balance family and ministry life.
• Thanks to God for the translating job that has been given to Carlos.
• Thanks to God that I was able to complete the USA tax return for the ministry.
• Thanks to God that the kids are all healthy and are able to participate in local sports activities. Through this we are able to meet other parents, pray that we will have the opportunity to share about Jesus with them.
• Homeschooling currently takes place on the dining room table- this is not ideal for space nor for shape as the table is round and Simon can not support his arms properly – we bring a small table downstairs each day for Gabriela to use. We have a patio 3.5m2 that we would like to cover and turn into the school room– our request is for God's provision to be able to do so soon.
• Pray for a full harvest of souls at the next two youth/parents camps that our church is running in October/November.
• Pray that the government funding given to the towns that were affected by the last flooding will be used properly and that the preventive work will be carried out before the next rainy season starts.
• Pray for the youth in the ministry- especially for those who are seeking work or the opportunity to study.