Happy 2011

On January 1, you hear people ask, "Where did the year go?" This year, for the first time, I can look back on 113 blog posts and see "where the year went." Even so, it is still surprising to see what a difference a year makes. Last January, Stephen was in his 29th year at the bank and I was traveling all over the country for Blackboard. We were also wrestling with the life-changing decision to leave everything behind and move to El Salvador. Of course, the question of whether to go arose many, many months earlier and we had already been on a survey trip and were working with a Spanish tutor by that time. It would be another month or so before we had our "final answer."

Looking back it is so much easier to see God's plan--don't we wish we could fast forward several months/years into the future before we make a decision just to see if it's going to work out! We can tell you unequivocally that God knew what he was doing and we are so glad we followed! If you've kept up with the blog (or my Facebook page), read our newsletters and/or prayed for us this year, you've been a part of our lives and our ministry. We recently read the year-end newsletter prepared by Steve Kern (missionary and senior pastor at Vida Nueva Baptist Church in San Salvador) and his wife, Pam, which indicated that in 2010 more than 11,000 individuals made professions of faith through the ministry in Central America. How blessed we are to be a very small part of the work.

What's up for 2011? We wrap up our time in the States and fly back to El Salvador on Tuesday. Saturday, January 8, a team arrives for our first mission trip of 2011. On January 15, we will fly to Costa Rica for a 6-week intensive Spanish course at the Spanish Language Institute. Please pray for us as we make "Spanish" our only priority. We will be living with a Costa Rican family recommended by the Institute--it will be complete immersion! We spent a week in Costa Rica in November and had the opportunity to work with Vida Nueva Baptist Church, San Jose, and get to know Pastor Rodolfo and his wife, Rocio, his daughter and son-in-law, Natalia and Roger, as well as others members of the church, so we are looking forward to making it our "home church" for six weeks.

There's even more to come in 2011--mission trips back to Nicaragua and Costa Rica before April, the arrival of a new grandbaby in June, a trip to California in July and a new school year at New Life Christian School in August--so stay "tuned."

I'm committed to keeping the blog going because next January 1, I want to be able to look back over the year and see just how far God has taken us! Please continue to pray for us and the people of Central America, and thank you so much for your willingness to come along with us on this exciting adventure.