Josue and me with Baby gifts from showers given in the States

Sanctuary columns: The columns were finished last week and turned out very nice (although a cost of almost $1,500 that we were not counting on). Now we can build on the second floor above the sanctuary.

Second floor: This week we will put up the brick walls to enclose the upstairs. In December, we will lay the cement floor and then put up walls for a classroom, dorm, and bathroom.

If you have adopted a child, you might want to send a card and/or small package or a donation for Christmas. Remember it takes about 3 weeks for something to arrive here. (Please put letter or card in an unsealed envelope and mail it in another envelope or tape to the outside of your gift and put that in a mailing package/box; that way I can translate it and give it to your child.) Email me for my mailing address.

If you send a donation to Wordsower, put my name and your child´s name on a post-it note and attach it to the check. It takes me a couple weeks to get the notice and then I have to plan to take the child shopping or buy the gift, so please try to get the donation in by early December. Thanks.

Please email me to let me know to expect either a donation or package. Thanks.

Jonathan and Daniel (Josué´s brothers) have been preparing walls for painting, for when the Nueva Vida group comes in 2 weeks. We had hoped to lay the concrete flooring and brick walls upstairs last week, but due to the land settling, we had to put 2 support columns in the sanctuary to help with the weight of the second story construction, a $1000 unplanned cost. You can see the work that was done this week. The columns are almost hardened. As soon as we receive November´s donations from the matching program, we will begin construction upstairs.

I taught my brother in law Daniel´s elementary class this morning. The lesson was on obedience. The story from Luke 5 was about Peter learning to obey Jesus even when it didn´t make sense. The kids played a game to learn to be obedient and patient. It was a special time.

Last week was busy and productive:

 KITCHEN: We spent $700 on things needed to begin using the ministry kitchen–pots, serving utensils, plastic ware, cleaning supplies, gas for stove, etc.

 CHRISTMAS: With a donation from Nueva Vida Christian Church, we bought Christmas gifts for the kids: English/Spanish dictionaries for the older kids, a 9-in-1 magnetic board game for the elementary kids, puzzles and blocks for the younger children, and baby dolls and balls for the babies. Also hygienic things–a supporter from Southeast church donated toothbrushes and paste, which helped allay costs.

 We are still in need of donations for the Christmas meal, which we traditionally serve to the children and their parents at a special Christmas party, if you would want to help in this way.

MATCHING PROGRAM: I am grateful to all who are giving toward this $10,000 goal. As you know, $2,500 was raised and matched in September and October, and that´s the $5000 we´ve used for the recent purchases, construction work, children´s ministry, and personal budget. We have received another $2,500, so we should have at least $5,000 coming in soon. Actually, for November and December, we are praying for $6000 to 7000 so we can get the most essential of the construction upstairs (one classroom and a dorm) finished before the baby is born mid-January.

CLUB: I gave out candy to the kids in honor of my birthday; they sang to me.The lessons in each class went really well, although numbers were down a little. Pray that the children are faithful to attend so that we can minister to their spirits and help them materially as well.

BABY: I’ve reached the third trimester (27 weeks). I am not nauseous, and the baby is very active; but I´m tired and hot. Buying the purchases, I had to walk for hours in extreme heat. It´s been 90 degrees every day, but some showers did cool things down. Pray for daily rain and that I sleep better.

Thanks for partnering with us.

On October 31, I celebrated 34 years of life outside the womb! Thanks to my parents for giving me life, especially my mom for the sacrifice of pregnancy and birth, not at all as romantic as it seems in novels and movies!

On October 30, Josué threw me a sweet birthday party with family and close friends. He bought pumpkins with candy to give out to the guests and his sister decorated the living room with streamers and spider webs. A special touch especially in a city that doesn´t celebrate Halloween. We don´t “celebrate” Halloween either, but I enjoyed the decorations that made it seem a little more at home. His sister made one of my favorite Peruvian meals, “aji de gallina,” and he bought a coconut cake. He gave me a pretty plant and a flower bouquet. We played a “find the roving balls blindfolded and put one at a time in the bag” game; the boys turned it into a wrestling match which was hilarious. I was especially touched when Josué, with tears in his eyes, shared his gratefulness for our marriage and spoke a blessing over me.