Welcome 2018

Somewhere in the middle of 2017 I felt like I "ran out of words" and decided to stop blogging.  Now that 2018 is here, I think it may be time to return to the blog. I want to try to make it less about what we are doing in the ministry and more of what we are becoming in the ministry.  I don't know what it's going to look like or how long this phase will last, but I hope I enjoy the process.

The last three months of 2017 were especially difficult, with a variety of trials/ challenges/frustrating events and more.  I've not made it a habit to share the hard things, but I'm thinking that perhaps my failure to acknowledge that things do not always go perfectly, might be unwise.  I've never wanted to look like I'm complaining or dwell on negative things, but hardships/trails are one of God's most powerful teaching tools.    

The difficult season started with a series of problems with things, i.e. broken refrigerator, broken truck, flat tire, broken van window and more.  It's so easy to complain and feel "put upon" when things happen, especially when this type of problem comes with a price tag. We tried to keep a positive attitude, knowing that "things" can be replaced, however, in the middle of those issues, we came a series of family health problems:

• My niece, LIz, fully rejected her transplanted kidney and went back on dialysis. She had complications and ended up in the hospital for a week in October.  
• My brother, Ron, had a mild heart attack while working out of town
• Stephen's mom had several falls and her overall health continued to decline

Things have stabilized for my niece, although she will need surgery in January to repair a problem with her diaphragm.  Praise the Lord, my brother has very little, if any, damage to his heart and did not need any stints or by-pass.

Stephen's mom went to the hospital earlier in December and after a three-day stay was moved to a skilled nursing facility.  Her 30-day stay ends on January 5 and his dad is planning to take her home, against the advice of her doctors and the counsel of her children.  Our New Year's Eve party was a family conference call (3 brothers together, 2 other siblings on the phone) to determine what course of action needs to be taken in the situation.  At the end of the evening, we decided not to fight them, but rather allow them to return home and provide support through in-home care--at least in the short-term.

There are no easy answers as we move through this phase of life.  Thankfully, my dad, who celebrated his 92 birthday in October, is still in good health and is able to live alone. He is beginning to consider a move to a maintenance-free apartment, so we may be handing a move for him in the near future.

Although we have more than 12 mission trips per year, they are not equally spaced out through the year.  In fact, there are months when there are no scheduled mission trips, for example mid-January through February, April and September. During 2018, we've decided, as the schedule allows, to spend more time in the states to be of help to our parents and support our siblings.   

We are flying to Bogota, Colombia on Friday for the first campaign of 2018, but will be returning to Kansas City instead of El Salvador.  Our plan is to return to San Salvador on March 1 when the 2018 campaign season really gets going--three campaigns in a row during the month.

We know that God has a plan and that he is always faithful, but we covet your prayers for Stephen's parents and siblings as we all navigate this difficult time. In addition, please pray for us as we balance family and ministry--it's hard to be away from our regular ministry obligations with Vida Nueva.