Blessed Christmas

We pray that you all had as blessed Christmas as we did. It was wonderful to be able to see Christmas through the eyes of our new children. A group in Christ Community Church in Carmichael, CA raised funds to buy all the children and the children of the employees at Rancho Esperanza a set of clothes each and some toys. They were all thrilled with and very thankful for their presents!!!

In our Bible studies we have been learning about the real purpose of celebrating Christmas and what the birth of Christ has meant to the whole world. And as we go on into the New Year learning how His life, ministry, death, and resurrection have changed our world, we will also discover how He affects us and our lives on a more personal level.

We had a young lady, Kathryn Ann, from Tennessee come to join us on the 16th of December, what a joy and blessing she is. I think that she will be with us for about six months. She is working hard on her Spanish and she plans to go to Spanish school in Antigua for a few weeks in the New Year. In the mean time I’m sure she is learning a lot about children with problems and seeking the Lord’s guidance, wisdom, and patience in order to minister to them effectively. I know we are! The children love her and so do we! We are so thankful to have her here.

Two Saturdays ago as I was standing in the living room with my coffee and Oscar called to me from the front door. As I went to turn around and walk toward the door, Danny decided he would grab my feet without warning. Needless to say I went down. It would not have been so bad but I twisted, trying not to fall on Danny, and ended up hurting my back, left wrist, and what bothers me more than anything is my left shoulder. Everything is getting better except my shoulder; I can barely lift my arm to put on my shirt.

I have ceiling fans and lights to install in the unwed mothers’ house (Casa Aulani), and kitchen appliances to move into the church kitchen. I guess if it does not get better soon Karen will make me go get an x-ray. I keep telling her it will be OK but even I am beginning to wonder. Maybe something is torn so it will just take some time to heal.

Speaking of the church kitchen appliances, what great Christmas presents they are!!! The Scrum Group and their supporters in Tennessee bought and shipped all the industrial kitchen appliances and sinks for the feeding program we will be having here at Rancho Esperanza! There are so many of our neighbors’ children who survive on tortillas and salt. They have red streaks in their hair from malnutrition; they lack energy and defenses to illnesses. It is difficult for them to learn at school and at Sunday school. We are so thankful to the Scrum Group and all their supporters who the Lord used to bring this vision to fruition, of feeding children in our community, not only physically but spiritually, and showing them the love of Jesus Christ. God is so faithful to fulfill the visions that He gives us no matter how impossible or overwhelming they seem to us at the time.