Highlights--El Salvador Campaign, May 13-18

We just finished a great week with a team from First Baptist Ferguson, St. Louis, Missouri.  They came last May, as well, so we were very happy to see some of them again as well as to meet several new faces.

They arrived in the afternoon on Saturday and since we didn't have a campaign, we took them to the gringo market and to Los Planes for pupusas.  

On Sunday we visited our church in Lourdes and were able to be a part of their Mother's Day celebration, which included being serenaded by a traditional Mariachi singer.  

We had our first family festival on Sunday evening in Nueva Lourdes.

Feliz Dia De La Madre

Happy Mother's Day--it's a bit early for everyone back home--but May 10th is the "day" here in most of Central America.  Several years ago, the government added it as an official holiday so banks, government offices and many businesses are closed so families can celebrate the day.

I thought I'd also take this opportunity to share the most recent projects of the ladies of Hilo, Aguja y Biblia.  Although the group was smaller than usual, almost everyone finished the baby bibs which we started in April.  The reversible bibs have cute cotton fabric on one side, absorbent terry cloth on the other and close with a plastic snap!  They will soon be worn by cute grandchildren or gifted to new mom's in the church.

We also started work on our next project--hanging kitchen towels.  We are going to make 50 of them to give as gifts to attendees at a women's ministry event at our church in Apopa.  Here's a sample of our work.

Visiting California, Part 4

We finished our time in California celebrating as a family.  Saturday night we had dinner together at Fiesta del Mar, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants.  

It's always a special Mother's Day if I can be with my kids and grandkids.  Church on Sunday morning and then a walk at Shoreline Park.  

Mother's Day in Managua

I flew to Nicaragua on Friday afternoon and Rodrigo and Miriam picked me up at the airport. Miriam and I spent the evening practicing the lesson, finishing the decorations and making last minute plans for the first-ever women's event at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, Managua, Campus Los Robles.

We were up early Saturday morning--the event started at 9:30 a.m.  Miriam was so nervous, but everything was perfect.  There were 23 women in attendance (a great start for the first event) and the morning went very well.  They listened and took notes and made it easy for me to share with them.  

Saturday afternoon I went to Felix and Dinora's house so Lorena (their daughter) and I could practice for the event at their campus.  We left the house at 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning and took everything we needed for the day.  After the morning service we had a quick lunch and then set up the room for the 3:00 pm event.

There were a little over 50 women at the event.  The decorations, food and time of worship were awesome.  Lorena did a great job translating everything I said--I added quite a bit as I went along.  I pray that something I shared would make a difference in their lives and in their children's lives.

Prayer Request

I'm flying to Managua, Nicaragua, this afternoon to speak at the Mother's Day event at both of our campuses.  In Nicaragua Mother's Day is celebrated on May 30, so this weekend's events are very timely.  The Los Robles campus event is tomorrow morning and the Bolonia campus event is Sunday afternoon.  I will return early Monday morning.

Here's the title slide for my presentation:

which translate to:  God's Recipe for a Godly Mother.  Unfortunately, my Spanish is not sufficient for me to present this without a translator.  Miriam Diaz, the pastor's wife at Los Robles, will translate for me on Saturday; Lorena Canizales, the pastor's daughter at the Bolonia campus will translate for me on Sunday.  

Please pray for the ladies who will attend; many of them will be invited guests who don't know Jesus as Savior.  Please pray for the ladies to hear God's message through me and that my translator and I will be able to communicate clearly.   

Mother's Day 2014

Spending Mother's Day with my children is something that happens very rarely.  In fact, the last two dates were May 10, 2004, when we were all together for Jon's college graduation, and last year, May 12, 2013, when we were all at Daniel and Shannon's together.  Yes, I'd say every 9 years qualifies as "rarely."

Yesterday it was back to a normal Mother's Day with a Skype call from Daniel and the kids and a phone call from Jon.  So grateful for technology.

Nevertheless, it was a great day which started off at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, Crowne Plaza.

.

Stephen plays the piano for the 9:00 am and 11:30 am service.  In between the services, I usually go for a walk (always trying to get my 10,000 steps in.)  Yesterday, I snapped some pictures of the cloud covered volcano and beautiful flowers around the hotel.

We finished off our our morning at church with this photo.  As I posted on Facebook, Stephen almost always has on running shirts and running shirts have reflective logos.  Therefore, it looks like his heart is emitting a bright light!  I just haven't figured out a way to block it without looking silly!  

We started a new Mother's Day tradition by having friends over for dinner and a movie.  We love spending time with David and Maritza Aguilar and

they had never seen "Nacho Libre."

Of course, we had Mexican food--chicken tortilla soup, guacamole and pineapple/mango salsa.  Perfect ending to a great Mother's Day.