Better late than never.... :)

Pastor Mark H. praying for pastors at the morning convention.

Pastor Rudolfo praying with another pastor at the convention.

Juan, Mark H., Pastor Rudolfo, Mark W., and Roger L. together at the alter after the Pastor's convention.

The women of Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yireh VBS 2014! :)

The lovely ladies, Candida and Sandy, serving pollo con arroz (chicken and rice) to the students at the VBS closing ceremony--180 children in all!!

Maddy handing out a school packet (notebooks, pencils, erasers, etc.) to Wilber, a student at VBS.

Phyllis handing out a school packet to another sweet boy from VBS.

Agusto with his two gorgeous twin sons! 

(Agusto is our driver who was saved last year on our first day in San Marcos. He is our driver again this year, and he and his family are still a part of Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yireh.)

Roger L. enjoying a song with the "little guys" at VBS!

Sandy with her helper, Blanca, and some children from their VBS class. 

Hello, family! I apologize for the (very) late post! I hope you all didn't worry about us too much. :) 

Yesterday started out as usual with a devotion and breakfast. Deanna did the devotional for the day. She focused on Romans 15:13:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

She elaborated on the scripture by discussing our need to trust in God. She re-emphasized Kenny's original devotion: "If God brings you to it, He'll get you through it." 

Next, we loaded the bus and left for the Pastor's Conference at Four-Square Church. There were about 30-40 pastors in attendance. After an initial worship time, Pastor Mark Wood discussed the "21 Characteristics of a Leader" according to Paul's life and ministry. He did a wonderful job teaching these essential principles of leadership. Pastor Wood truly shines when he has an open Bible, a mic in hand, and an opportunity to share some of God's wisdom. What a blessing to hear his message! 

After Pastor Wood, Paster Mark Houser spoke on the responsibility of leadership for those accepting the call to be a Pastor. He explained the challenges, the commitments, and the responsibility to the congregation. He likened the position of Pastor to a shepherd that watches over his flock. The sheep know the voice of their shepherd and they follow. It is important that the pastor does not lead the flock astray, and that he takes every measure to ensure the well-being of his congregation. Pastor Mark H. concluded by saying that the ultimate shepherd is not the pastor... and it's not the pastor's church. Jesus Christ is the true Shepherd and it is His church. Again, what an inspiration! Pastor Mark Houser did a wonderful job and was a breath of fresh air for everyone in attendance. 

Following the talks and worship, Pastor Rudolfo lead a time of prayer that may have lasted anywhere from 20, to 30, or 35 minutes. Pastor Rudolfo, Juan Aragon, Mark W., and Mark H. circulated the room, praying for each pastor. Praying for each ministry, each church, each family, and each burden. The whole mission team walked up and surrounded the group of pastors, praying, worshiping, and thanking God as the prayer time continued. It was a beautiful moment, and you can see a bit of what went on in the pictures above. 

The whole team, all of the pastors, and several members of Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire stayed for lunch at the Four Square Church. 

Afterward, we were on our way to the final day of VBS. It was an absolute blessing to be around so many beautiful, shining faces! As we pulled in to VBS, there were smiles and more hugs than we could imagine waiting for our arrival.  To begin the VBS ceremony, Marcos asked a few of the men and a few of the women to come to the front for a dance-off! In case anyone is curious...the women took the gold! :D Maybe next time, gentlemen. Next up was game time with Reyna! She did a great job coordinating a couple of high energy games to entertain the children. In one game, the children were at opposite ends of the room from the volunteer adults (Lisa, Kenny, Roger T., and Sherry). When the music played everyone danced; when the music stopped, the children had to run and jump on (a.k.a. tackle) their partner on the other end. It was an experience, to say the least. A few of our adult volunteers decided it would be wise to remove jewelry and glasses for safety reasons. Sherry and her partner were the victors of that particular game. Great job, Sherry! :)

After worship, dancing, and games, it was time to eat! There were many more children in attendance today than the previous two days. By the time we were done handing out meals, approximately 180 children were served. About 3/4 of the way through serving, the team was worried we may not have enough food. Pastor Mark Wood said we needed 40 more servings. Pastor Mark Houser counted exactly 40 juices left. After serving all of the meals, we only had one bowl of rice left. God is good. God provides.

To conclude the program, all children received a packet of school supplies or an infant package (with milk, cereal, etc.). All of the packets were distributed. It was estimated that with 180 children served, this could potentially impact anywhere from 250-350 parents (depending on the family). It is Iglesia Bautista's hope to maintain at least 100 of those children through Sunday school classes and outreach. 

After an exciting day, we returned to Skylark, ate, and crashed. It was a wonderful day and we were so blessed to be a part of God's plan. 

As always, we absolutely adore our 28, our church family of families, and the prayers that are so deeply felt throughout each and every day. 

Another post coming this evening at the normal time (10 pm-1 am). :)

We love you all! God bless! 

1 Corinthians 13:13

A day in the life--Home visits & VBS

Vacation Bible School, Day 2

(Teaching: Phyllis, Larry, and Roger T.)

Lisa, Reyna, and Maddy with some of the students and volunteers of VBS.

Wilbur, Reyna, and Reyna's son David enjoying the puppets!

Temple Challenge in Nicaragua!!! (Stacy--mark it down for Lisa, Roger T., Kenny, Maddy, and Mere :)

Several of the children from VBS. You can see a few of the kids here with their new glasses. :)

A few of us after the home visits this morning.

(Larry, Tony, Sandy, Erika, Maddy, Meredith, and Phyllis)

One home visit where the matron of the home (pictured above) accepted Christ!

Kenny is driving in Nicaragua! ... but he was passed on the inside by a van and passed on the outside by a bicycle. He may be losing his touch. :)

Oto, Kenny, Juan, and Roger during a home visit. 

Sandy, Phyllis, and Larry during a home visit.

Some beautiful ladies dressed up for the day! :)

(Phyllis, Deanna, Sandy, and Sherry)

Hello, family! Today was an awesome day filled with too many amazing moments to mention here. I will do my best to hit some highlights. 

Our day started with a devotion by Roger T. He did an amazing job. He reflected on his own spiritual journey--people who made an impact in his life, family, friends, mentors, and "God moments." He quoted Philippians 2:1-2:

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

What a great couple of verses and excellent advice for the Church today. Roger T. explained he feels this verse reflects his experience in Nicaragua so far--the unity, the love, and the joy that has been present during this trip and in our family of families at home. 

After breakfast and devotion time, we set off for our home visits. During home visits, we separated into small groups and visited 1-3 homes each. The families we visited were families that have attended "cell groups" or "small groups" but have not attended church or have not yet accepted Christ. During the home visits today five individuals were saved as each one accepted Christ into their hearts and lives. One of the five returned to the church after the home visit. She did not accept Christ during the home visit... however, after the team departed, she learned that her nephew had just attempted suicide. She returned to the church seeking help, comfort, and prayer for her nephew and family. After praying with some church members and Pastor Rudolfo, she accepted Christ and seemed to carry a sense of peace. If you would like to pray for her, her nephew, and her family, feel free to pray for Gladys. 

We also learned today that God knows when and how to use each of us. Today, Sherry stepped up and shared a powerful witness during her home visit. Her awareness of God's direction and her powerful word encouraged a young man to agree to attend church this Wednesday evening. Prayers that God he will be moved by the sermon and, more importantly, by the Spirit at church Wednesday night. 

In any event, God was with us all today, and He was surely with those who accepted His good news and grace. 

Following an emotional and exciting morning, we met for lunch at Skylark. At 1:40 we left for another day of Vacation Bible School. Today we had even more children in attendance. I don't currently have exact numbers, but I do know we gained at least 15-20 more VBS students. The teachers did an awesome job! We had a puppet show, a lesson, and more crafts and snacks. 

A story from VBS you might enjoy... I (Meredith) was helping with the 2-6 year-old group. A little girl of about 3 or 4 years old, Stefani, was coloring a picture of Peter from the book of Acts. I meant to ask her in Spanish, "who is he," but I accidentally asked her, "where is he?" Assuming the man in the picture was Jesus, she put her hand over her heart and said, "En mi corazon (in my heart)." What a humbling experience... I think my own heart melted in that moment. Amen. 

Following VBS, we returned to Skylark for the evening. A few of the "dedicated" Temple Challenge participants worked out before dinner. Some walked, some ran, some did both, and others even did some ab exercises and yoga! Your body is a temple! :) 

After dinner, we had a time of reflection where we shared the events of the day--in general and also on a more personal level. It's amazing to hear how God worked in and through each person. He is good. 

Now, we are a bit tired, but ever-so-thankful for such an awesome day! We pray God was glorified through it all. As always, we are so appreciative of our 28 and our prayerful family of families at home. We love you all so dearly and we can feel the power of your prayer here. Tomorrow will be a day in need of even more prayer as we conduct a clinic for local pastors and participate in the final day of VBS. 

Blessings and love from all of us! :)

***Note: In the previous post one of Pastor Mark's lifelong dreams was finally fulfilled--he was referred to as kenny, the famous race car/Nicaraguan bus driver. Kenny was also very pleased to know he was mistaken for one who is "muy guapo!" :) My apologies for the mistaken identity in the previous post's pictures. 

1 Cor. 13:13

"God's Plan is simple.... " -Pastor M. Wood

Vacation Bible School Day 1

A happy recipient of a new pair of glasses! :)

Glasses being distributed after the church service.

Maddy, the amazing Bible School teacher!

Roger T. and Kenny praying with Mark Wood before his sermon.

Mark Wood delivering the sermon--translated by our new friend, Melvin.

Pastor Mark Houser with Erika Padilla at the dedication of her baby boy, Nikael (2 months old).

Roger L. and "little" Rodolfo playing it cool. 

Hello, again, from San Marcos! We had a busy day today. We started our day today with a devotional from Meredith (me). She spoke about "God moments" and how He speaks to us daily if we will only seek him first.

Following breakfast and devotional we went to Bible School at Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire. It was fun-filled day with puppets shows, music, dancing, singing, Bible studies, and crafts. Approximately 100 students between the ages of 3-15 showed up to learn about Jesus and His love for each of them. Praise God! 

Then, it was back to Skylark for lunch with the Bonilla-Giovanetti missionary family, Marlon, and Agusto. We enjoyed their company so much! It is always a blessing to spend time with those who dedicate their lives to serving God. We also received great news! The Bonilla-Giovanetti family will be visiting us in West Virginia sometime in August (around Labor Day). So be prepared to welcome new family members at LCBC! :)

Following lunch, we went back to the church for an evening service. Pastor Mark Wood did an amazing job delivering the sermon. He spoke on the "simplicity of the Gospel." He emphasized that we cannot achieve salvation, but can only receive it through Jesus Christ. Following his sermon, two lives were dedicated to Christ. Pastor Rodolfo affirmed that if these two lives were the only product of this mission trip, then it was well worth the sacrifices and cost. 

Tonight was also a special night for our great friend, Erika Padilla, and her husband, Salvador, as they dedicated their newborn baby at the end of the service. It was wonderful to be a part of such a touching ceremony. 

We ended the night in food, fellowship, and reflection. We look forward to another day of Bible school tomorrow. We will also be doing home visits in small groups. More to come on that tomorrow night. 

As always, God bless you all! We are so very thankful for our 28 and for our church family that is praying for us so faithfully in Lubeck and Oak Hill, WV. Your prayers are surely felt! :)

Love you, goodnight, and God bless!

Day 1: Miracles do happen!

Hello, family! We had a busy first day in San Marcos. We started out with breakfast and a devotional by kenny. He did a wonderful job and spoke on God's ability to bring us through life's trials and tribulations referencing 2 Corinthians 12:9. His main idea was, "if God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it." 

Next, we were blessed by a visit from our San Marcos family, Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire and our missionary friends, Carlos, Mayra, Alberto, Carolina, and Daniela Bonilla-Giovanetti. We spent a fairly emotional 2 hours reuniting and reflecting on what God has done for each of us, our family, and the church over the past year. The uniting themes of the meeting were a sense of love we felt for one another and the joy of sharing company once again. 

Following the meeting we witnessed a true miracle--and on day one!! Kenny was really struggling through lunch. We noticed he seemed distressed and anxious. He avoided eye contact and seemed somewhat agitated. We were worried about his stress level as he left to refill his third glass of water. Upon his return something truly miraculous happened--Kenny ate a tomato. 

Why is this a miracle, you ask? Well, kenny is not an adventurous eater by any means, but in Nicaragua he spreads his wings and tries new things! Daniela Bonilla-Giovenetti challenged Kenny to a "man vs. food" challenge! Daniela (once again) was triumphant as she cleaned her plate. The loser (Kenny) had to then hold up his end of the deal and stomach an entire, gigantic slice of tomato. You can see above in the pictures he was not excited about the endeavor. However, he did receive a good hug and kiss (in sportsmanship) from the winner, Daniela. 

Following the miracle, we left for Sports Ministry Day. We played futbol (soccer), basketball, cornhole, and the young children enjoyed the parachute with Lisa and Maddy. Unfortunately our U.S. basketball team did not bring home a championship trophy, but our Nicaraguan winners accepted the trophy graciously, referring to us as brothers and sisters in their acceptance speech. Our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters will also be playing in a semi-professional soccer match tomorrow at 3:00 pm. We wish them good luck and are cheering them on for a win! 

Following the games and fun, I (Meredith) gave my testimony. It was a witness of my own life experience of how God will reveal Himself. 

We made it back to Skylard, once again, to a wonderful meal, good fellowship, and preparation for tomorrow. Tomorrow we will be leading VBS and attending church at Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire where Pastor Mark Wood will be delivering the sermon. 

More to come tomorrow! As always, thank you (genuinely) for your prayers, love, and support! We love our 28 and our church family as you are supporting us and lifting us up during our week here! 

Blessings! :) 

In case you haven't heard... we made it! :)

Hello, family! We are so sorry that you aren't getting a blog update until just now. Unfortunately, we have had a few issues with the internet, but it is up and running today. :) This is just a short, "hello!" to let you know we are here, safe, well-loved, and enjoying our time with our family from Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire and the wonderful missionary family Carlos and Mayra Bonilla-Giovanetti and their lovely children, Alberto, Carolina, and Daniela. 

(Pending internet availability) Another update will be posted tonight between 10 pm and 1 am. 

Thank you for your support and prayers! All our love! :) 

God bless!

"Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn..."

The dust swirls through the air completely neglecting your allergies or need for oxygen. The sun beats hot (and you forgot sunscreen...again). You feel hungry, dehydrated, and exhausted from the day before. But you keep your gaze steady--to serve. You keep your hands busy--offering handshakes and hugs; offering a spirit of love. 

This is mission: to deny your own needs, wants, and worries to serve one another in Christ's love [wherever you may be].

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 13:34-35      

This is what we hope to do two weeks from now in San Marcos, Nicaragua.  We'll be serving alongside our brothers and sisters from Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yire in a spirit of mission; in a spirit of Christ's love. 

Feel free to subscribe to this blog. It will be updated at the end of each day (usually between 10:30 pm - 1:00 am) during the trip (Feb. 14-21). I hope you'll enjoy this journey with us because whether you're in Nicaragua or praying for the group at home, you are a crucial part of this mission: 

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Cor. 12:27

We love you all! See you in Nicaragua! Vamos! :)

If you have 4-5 minutes to spare, this is a video of several mission trips from this blog (including San Marcos, Nicaragua). Also (and most importantly), this is an effort to say thank you to the amazing men and women who support service in mission--home or abroad. You are an amazing, irreplaceable part of the "body of Christ." {1 Cor. 12:27}

Peace & God bless!