God's Provision through difficulty

right after he broke his arm

Thank you all for your prayers as M was going through his surgery.

Everything went well.  The surgery lasted for about an hour. They were able to use a method involving an x-ray machine that provides real time viewing allowing the doctor to make two incisions about 2mm long to insert the nails or pins. After about four weeks these pins will be removed. It is not expected that his growth plate will be affected by the break to any large extent if any at all. We are back home now and our next step will be to visit the doctor on Friday to make sure the bones are starting to fuse together.

Please continue to pray for him as he goes through the healing process and deals with not being able to run around like he wants to.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28

Our first visit to the hospital we were told that they would not be able to fix his arm and we would have to go to Buenos Aires for the surgery, but God provided an alternative. We met a doctor at church on Sunday night that that does not usually come. He advised us of this pediatric trauma surgeon in a private practice that would be able to assist us. His office is just two blocks away from our house and the surgery took place at another medical clinic just four blocks from our house. So instead of having to drive two hours or more, God provided a place that we could literally walk to. We do serve an awesome God.

Surgery is complete...two nails added

Through the process, we were able to give testimony of why God has brought us here and the work that He has for us. We never know how God is going to work through these conversations that we have with people, but He knows and He directs our steps. We are thankful for the opportunity to witness to others and pray that God would continue to bring people into their lives to lead them to Him or that He would continue to use us.

February update

Standing on an old lava flow in Chile

At the end of January we had the opportunity to go to Lican Ray, Chile for our annual missionary conference. It was a pleasure for us to meet many of our fellow missionaries in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay as well as fellow ministers of the gospel in the U.S. and Ireland.  We were challenged each day with messages from Pastor Bob Philbrick.  We encouraged one another as we shared in common struggles and victories.  The kids really enjoyed the opportunity to meet all of the other missionary kids in GMSA. It was a joy and welcomed reprieve from Spanish as they (and we) were able to communicate with everyone in English. We praise the Lord for the strength that He gives us as “iron sharpeneth iron.”

Actually getting to the conference was a challenge in and of itself. It was a two day drive that turned into four! Our first hurdle was to cross the border into Chile. We were disappointed to not be allowed to cross because of a complicated paperwork issue with our van. Basically, we do not have our Argentine residency paperwork started yet because we have been waiting for paperwork from the U.S. Because of this, we had to put our van in The Gibbon’s name so we could actually purchase it. We have other paperwork that gives us permission to use it so that it is not normally a problem and we have been able to cross into Uruguay, but the road to Chile was closed for us. Upon receiving this bitter news, we got back in our van to begin plan ”B” only to discover that our van wouldn’t start! Because it is a standard, we decided to jump start it using the clutch. We just had one opportunity as we were already close to the gate to Chile. I am proud of Donelle for successfully navigating her first jump start even with the pressure of only fifteen feet left before hitting the gate!

Our first volcano sighting!

We drove to the nearest city which was about an hour and a half away. Upon finding a mechanic, we discovered that not only was the alternator not working, but the battery had to be replaced also. If we were in the U.S. we would have likely been back on the road in a few hours, but there is difficulty getting parts here so had to spend two nights in a hotel and were finally able to get moving again. The Gibbons met us at the border crossing and we were able to cross with them there with us. On the way back from Chile, I noticed a problem with the clutch on the van. After first noticing the problem, there were no other symptoms until we got home. The day after we arrived, the clutch went out completely and this time we would wait a full week before being able to get the parts and get it fixed. We thank the Lord for His provision for these extra expenses and for working out His timing for this to take place. We know that He is in control, but it is through times like this that we see Him working clearly.

Praises: 

Praise the Lord for His continued provision especially through the trials.

Praise the Lord for a softening in the hearts of one of the couples that we asked prayer for previously. He has started coming back to church again occasionally. Please pray for continued growth and full restoration.

Praise the Lord for growth in language acquisition especially in the kids.

Praise the Lord for two new churches supporting the ministry.

Praise the Lord for three potential mission teams this year.

Handing out VBS invitations with Aunt Debbie

Prayer requests:

Wisdom to make wise choices.

That God would keep us faithful to Him.

Continued language and cultural development.

That God would strengthen us through the challenges that we are facing.

VBS that is running Feb. 17-21. Pray for the hearts of the young people to be turned toward the Lord and that parents would respond to God’s call as well.

Continue to pray for the two couples that are struggling with their relationships and faithfulness to the Lord.

Thank you again for standing or kneeling with us as we serve the Lord together.

New Beginnings

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.” Psalm 150:1,2  We are thankful for the Lord’s power and greatness for He has brought to Argentina in His timing. Although we are not fully supported, the timing was right for our arrival. Just two weeks later we received our first mission team.

Our 3 bedroom house

            The day after we were picked up from the airport we were able to look at our house and meet the owners. They were in the process of doing some much needed renovation so we had to delay our entrance into the house. Thankfully, we were able to stay with our co-workers Tom and Debbie Gibbons until it was ready. Two weeks later when it was finally ready, we were moving out of the Gibbons at the same time that the first members of the team were arriving. We praise the Lord for His timing in providing us a place to live.

Our 2004 Hyundai H-1 

            One of the major tasks to accomplish before the team arrived was to purchase a vehicle suitable for our family. Our options here are limited, so we were searching for a Hyundai H-1. We travelled to Buenos Aires several times even requesting to purchase two different vans only to be rejected by the owners before coming across the one that the Lord had for us. We were able to purchase the van a few days before the team arrived and then use it to transport the teams from the airport as well as to and from camp. We praise the Lord for providing us with a vehicle in His perfect timing.

Completing the ceiling in the main building

Dave West 

James' temporary desk

            We are thankful for the two teams that were here during the months of October and November. We were able to accomplish much work on the main building which is just about completed. We praise the Lord for His continued faithfulness in moving the camp forward as we have a goal to hold our first camps in January 2016!

·         Please pray for our continued adjustment here.

·         Please pray for good relationships with neighbors and people that we meet within the community.

               

                                                     Kids Corner

First Birthday in the Summer!

We are making new friends down here although we miss our friends from back home. We understand more of the language with each new day. Sheldon and Josie have a girl form the church that is tutoring them three times a week.

We (Hannah and Jaimie) walk one of the stores to buy meat, bread, or fruits and vegetables.  There is a different store for each one! They know us by name and some of the workers even know where we live. We had a couple of girls return something that was left behind earlier this week. I guess we kind of stand out because we don’t know the language well, but we are getting there.

We are in the Christmas cantata at the church. Please pray that someone would come to Christ as a result.

Thanksgiving dinner with fellow missionaries

Nursing a stray...she is ours now! 

Fun with Goossens, missionaries serving in Gualeyguaychu, AR

First Christmas tree in the summer

It was six years to the month since we answered the Lord's leading in our lives to serve Him full time as missionaries. It was not long after that we went on a survey trip of Argentina and Uruguay during which we sensed the Lord's leading to minister to the people of Argentina. For the next five and a half years we visited churches establishing our support base, both prayerful and financial, as well as spending a year at language school. During this time we learned a lot about missions and the local church, different philosophies, our role as missionaries with the local church and abroad, ourselves. These experiences all serve to prepare us for what is ahead, most of which we do not even know what that is!

On October 1 we boarded a plane with our family, about fifty bags of personal possessions, and a young lady from our church to help us with the transition. At our commissioning service, Pastor Bob Philbrick said that it would be completely different than a short term mission trip—he was right! Together, we have been on at least sixteen different mission trips which have helped to prepare us for this transition, but when we arrived, there was a sense of finality that we have never experienced before. We sold our house and gave our van and furniture away. That page has been turned and there is only the possibility of moving forward where we are.

Our co-workers, Tom and Debbie Gibbons, had already secured a house for us before we arrived, but because of the work that was being done to it we were not able to enter until after being here for two weeks. We immediately began our search for a vehicle and furniture. We discovered that there is really only one practical vehicle choice for us which is a Hyundai H-1. Although there are other vehicles that would fit our family, most of them would cause us to be constantly harassed by the police in thinking that we were using it for a commercial transport vehicle. When your options are limited, it is helpful to narrow your search! We have found a vehicle which we purchased, but then discovered that we had received some mis-information from an authoritative source and actually were not able to transfer it to our name because we do not yet have the right documentation and will not till March or April. Once again, Tom and Debbie stepped in and we put the van in Debbie’s name to complete the transaction. We are discovering that things work differently than we are used to.

The kids are really adjusting well. The house that we are renting does not have a back yard, but we do have a park two blocks away. This has been helpful in that we are meeting people at the park and creating the opportunity for the kids to make new friends outside of the church. The language is a barrier, but it is not a hindrance in their ability to make friends.

One of the challenges that we face is moving from a daytime to a nighttime culture. We are accustomed to eating dinner at about 6 in the evening and then having the kids go to bed between 7:30 and 8:30, but it is typical here to eat between nine and eleven. Consequently, when we get together with other families it ends up being a late night for us and the kids, but we enjoy it, especially the kids for staying up late!

We are finding that most everything takes longer here. One stop shopping does not exist, so we find ourselves going to two or three or more different stores to get what we need for the day. Back home we might do our shopping once a week or couple of weeks, but here it is more practical to go shopping every day both because of what is available and the size of the refrigerator that we were able to purchase. Although this is an adjustment and adds to the daily chores, which causes meal preparations to take longer, it also adds to the opportunities to visit with and build relationships with the people in our area.

 

Hello from Argentina!

Hello from Argentina!

    We are praising the Lord for an uneventful trip.  It didn't have to be easy but it was and we are thankful.  The kids loved both flights!   In New York we were able to check in our 7 carry-on's which was a huge blessing.   When we arrived in Georgia the connecting flight was already boarding so we had to RUN to the gate which was down at least two flights of scary escalators. :) Scary for me with a little one in the stroller and scary for several of the others. I encouraged them "You can do this, we'll go together 1, 2, 3 STEP!"

     Funny how little things are all of a sudden scary when they are not part of your normal routine. The Lord has many more of these unfamiliar "steps" for our family as we trust Him in this new and different change in our lives.  I'm thinking of all of you special friends as well.  I am confident that there are plenty of opportunities that the Lord will put you in to stretch you and grow you more and more into His Image.  1, 2, 3, Step!  You can do it!  

    We made it! We boarded the plane for Argentina.  The kids enjoyed having their own personal movie theater right at their fingertips, literally, and I think we all got a little sleep on the trip.  All in all it wasn't torture taking 6 children on a plane ride to South America.  

    As we began our decent I began to think, "Now comes the fun part".  How are we going to get all that luggage out of the baggage claim and through customs? No worries half our stuff was already off the baggage belt when we got there. :) Oh I forgot to mention, the first step getting off the plane is to get into the really long line of immigrations. We had a feeling though we would be directed to the "speed pass" lane.  Sure enough as we stood in line, someone noticed baby in the stroller and we were directed to the short line and were through in a jiffy. :)  That line is labeled "disabled" in Spanish. It made me smile as I read it. :)

    Back to the luggage, turns out I miss counted, we had 49 bags plus our carry-on's and back packs.  The kids got to pet the security dog that was sniffing all our bags.  The police officer was really nice to them.  The Lord brought a nice airport worker who went and got a friend or two of his to help us load all our stuff onto 8-9 carts.  While we were waiting in line I thought now would be a great time for a photo of all our stuff with the kids.  As I am lining the kids up and snapping the picture I hear the dreaded sound of "NO,NO, NO!!!" No photos!  Yikes, I already took the picture.  They were all shaking their heads at me. I felt mortified.  Great way to enter the country. :( But all in all we went through smoothly with no questions about anything.  

    Our friends from Language School who are serving in Buenos Aires met us at the airport along with two other dear friends.  They were on the other side to help transport all of our stuff out to the vans.  The Lord took care of everything.  Out of all those bags we left only 1 and it's on a bus arriving tomorrow here in Chivilcoy. 

    We couldn't have done it without the help of a friend who helped with the kiddos in the midst of all this crazy adventure. 

    I miss you all dearly.  Please keep praying.  I am so glad to be here and yet today was a hard day for me, lots and lots of tears.  We are living out of our bags right now and I feel like I can't find anything.  As I'm finishing this letter to you dear friends I am in good spirits knowing that God is in control, that He cares, that He's got me in the palm of His able hands.  I can rest and give thanks that He is my strength and I can trust Him in all this craziness.  It just may not be easy that's all.  So here I go...1,2,3, Step! 

    

Argentina here we come!

Our send off early Wednesday morning.

We are very thankful for all the love and support we have received these past few months as we have been preparing to head to the mission field in Argentina.  I cannot think of one thing that the Lord did not take care of for us.  I am overwhelmed by the out pouring of generosity and thoughtfulness from our church family and friends.  Many gave of their time,energy and resources to help us get to Argentina fully prepared.  Thank you for giving so freely!!!!

Here are a few photos to help you walk along side us as we headed out on Oct. 1st.

Argentina here we come!

Headed to the airport from the car rental

At the airport in New York

On the plane around 9pm

Just got our luggage in Buenos Aires 

Look at all those bags!!!

And more bags!

It was so nice to catch up with some special friends from Lang. School.  They met us at the airport and helped us get our luggage out and into the vans to head to Chivilcoy. 

Making empanadas for lunch today. Yum!

 James and I went to look at the house we are planning on renting today while Anna took the kids to the park.  Everyone is doing well.  Thank you for praying for us as we continue in the work of the Lord.  We look forward to hearing from all our loved ones.

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” Luke 5:16

               I have been pondering this verse the last few days.  The words “often” and “slip away” stood out to me.  Though, for me, slipping away often looks more like setting the alarm and actually getting up early to “slip away” and “often” would look a lot like discipline, as in daily.  I am always encouraged when the Spirit points things out in the life of Jesus and He reminds me that I can do that too.  Slipping away to the wilderness may not be very practical for me as I am teaching my children to read or while I am preparing dinner, but I can “slip away” in my mind as in being intentional to pray while I am doing the regular mommy things. 

               In our home one of the things that happen often is conversation.  Our children love to talk and share things that are on their mind.  I think one of the ways that I am able to slip away and pray is that after one of them has finished their thought to be intentional to pray specifically for that child.  Prayer was such a part of Jesus life and it must be a major part of my life as well.

I know that many of you pray for us as we prepare to leave for Argentina.  Thank you for your faithfulness and dedication in lifting our family up to the Father.  Please continue to pray for us as we share the ministry with others. 

               We just finished another mission’s conference and were once again encouraged to hear how the Lord is moving in people’s lives all around the world and impressed with the urgent need to make disciples of all nations.  Please pray for more missionaries to be equipped to share the love of Jesus with a lost and dying world.

               Our support level is continuing to rise with the announcement this week that Knox Ridge Baptist and another individual will begin partnering with us in making disciples in Argentina. This brings us up to 67%. Please continue to pray that God would work in the hearts of people to support His ministry through us both as a church and individually and that by God’s grace, we will be in Argentina by September!

Kids Corner

Mom, Grandma Geyer Jaimie and I had the opportunity to go to a young ladies “Hearts for Purity” conference put together by Micaela Wood and Bucks Harbor Baptist Church. The conference was divided up into four sessions. The first session was on the life of Ruth. The second session was called “The Better Half” and dealt with the right type of husband. Session three, and our favorite, was called “The Bold and Unashamed.” It was about how we should share the Gospel with the world. Jaimie and I were impressed to work harder at sharing the good news. The fourth and final session encouraged girls and women to find someone trustworthy with whom you can share your troubles. We were greatly encouraged by this conference.

By: Hannah Morrell