December ’14 Highlights (Photo Blog)

    My biggest ministry highlight this month was the opportunity to celebrate with our sponsored kids as they graduated from preschool, elementary school, and high school. We had 39 sponsored students who graduated this year. I am so incredibly proud of each of these kids. They have worked so hard and overcome numerous obstacles to get to where they are. They are cycle breakers. They will transform their communities. 

 

   We were so excited to have the VanVeldhuizens visiting with us at the beginning of the month. We always love having their family here with us at New Song. A huge part of their trip this time was bringing down water filters for each of our sponsored kids and their families. We hosted public health teachings in each of the four villages to teach about water-born illnesses. Each family built their own water filter to take home and use for their family (Don pictured above explaining the filters to the families during the Candelaria health teaching). This was such a HUGE blessing for the families in our communities. 

 

    This month we welcomed to new little loves into our church family. Pastor Walther and Claudia gave birth to a baby girl, Claudia Jasay, on December 1st (Jasary pictured above top) and Pastor Alex and Lady gave birth to a baby girl, Alexa Azereth, on December 20th (Alex pictured above bottom with her parents). We were so excited to celebrate with our pastors and their families. And I absolutely LOVE seeing children born into families where they will be so well-loved.     

 

    I'm so glad to see my sweet Lydia doing better. She still has a ways to go on the road to recovery, but her swelling is decreasing and her energy is returning. She has been spending time playing with her sisters and neighbors; that's something that she hasn't really done for months. Also, as a big answer to prayer, Lydia's mom is stepping up and really learning how to care for her daughter and manage her medications. She has made huge growth in the last couple of months. Praise Jesus! Please keep praying for Lydia and her complete healing. 

 

    I have been so proud to see several of our sponsored students honored as the top students in their class. I am especially proud of precious Yubelkis. She is an incredible young girl! She is the top student in her first grade class in spite of all that she is battling at home. I'm completely amazed by her. To read more about Yubelkis, read: Breaking Barriers. 

 

    I love celebrating quincenera with our beautiful girls! It is such a beautiful celebration to honor these girls as they become young women. This month, we had the privilege to celebrate Ariela's quincenera (Ariela escorted by her uncle Erwin). This young lady is really worthy of celebration. She is incredibly intelligent, hard working, mature, helps her family, and serves as a Sunday school teacher at the church. I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store for her! 

 

    I'm so proud of my Sunday school teachers in Candelaria! I love to see their hearts and how they work with the children. Thanks to our feeding program, Sunday school has grown significantly this year. We now have 200+ kids coming to Sunday school in Candelaria each week. 30-40 of them are under the age of six (2-6 year old Sunday school class pictured above). I love to see so many children come and know the love of God for them. 

 

    I love to see how the Lord continues to work in regards to the Abide foster home (pictured above standing on the Abide land). This month has been full of fundraising, meeting with my contractor, planning, and weekly skype dates with Anna and Lance (who will be running the home with me). We are only three weeks away from groundbreaking for the home. I cannot wait to see the Lord bring this dream to completion! Please continue to pray for the Abide foster home and consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us reach our fundraising goal to complete the construction of the home. You can give online at http://abideinlove.org. 

 

Bonus Photo: This month I had the unbelievable blessing to fly home Christmas week and surprise my family. It was SO fun! I loved seeing their surprised faces as I burst in singing, "I'll be Home for Christmas…." and being able to spend the week celebrating with all of my family. It was such a beautiful gift. Now on to all the BIG things that the Lord has in store for 2015!