Canaan and Isaiah with Canaan's teacher.

Canaan and Isaiah graduated from kindergarten and preschool from Colegio de Canaan on December 1st.   We are so proud of them.  We thought it was an added bonus that the school’s name was the same as Canaan!  God is cool like that!

     How we miss you!  We have been here almost 6 months now!  We hear of your new babies, camping trips, holiday reunions and summer fun and our hearts ache to be with you – yet the contentment of living in obedience to the Lord outweighs our feelings. 

PRAISES:
• The Lord is good! He is so patient with us and gently guides us each day!
• Jordan Stone has grown into a healthy 2-month old. So far the Lord has kept him from sickness during this fluctuating winter weather!
• We thank the Lord that the air conditioners in our bedrooms can also blow heat!
• We have enjoyed a 3-week break from school with our boys! We have been able to mix many fun outings with language and culture learning!

PRAYER REQUESTS
• Our biggest prayer request this month is just learning this new language and culture!
o Pray that we will put the Lord first – although we want to learn this language and culture, our ultimate goal needs to be bringing glory to our Savior each day!
o Pray that we will use our time wisely – we have words to learn and memorize, we have people to build relationships with, we have language workbooks to fill out, we have culture assignments to fulfill…not to mention caring for our family and home! Time is a nonrenewable resource and we do not want to waste it!
o Pray that our ears will hear the sounds!
o Pray that our minds will begin to comprehend more and more words when we are talking to people!
o Pray that our mouths can pronounce the correct sounds so that we are able to be understood!

 

We bundled up in several layers of clothes, hopped on a bus and went to see what it was all about!  We walked through the cow barns - they made us think of all our farming friends in Ohio!  We also discovered what a “nelore” is (white animal above)!

We tried new foods!

One food we really liked was called a Brazilian Crepe.   It tasted similar to a waffle on a stick with chocolate inside (left)!  Ever seen anyone wear sock hats at a fair?

Our boys bought personalized keychains from this young man.  No big deal, we’ve all seen those before, right?  Well, here’s the difference: we stood there and watched as he cut out all the letters of the boys’ names, free-hand, using a coping saw.  No stencils, no electricity!   It was fascinating to watch!

On our way out, we saw a big crowd gathered around what appeared to be a small tennis court.  They were watching 4 guys using their feet and heads to get a  volleyball over the low net.  The game name = Piki Voli. 

We had a fun day at the EXPO and learned a bit more about Paraguayan culture! 

PRAYER REQUESTS
• Daily time with the Lord, in His Word and in prayer. We have experienced that when He is not our focus, life goes haywire!
• Canaan – dealing with rough kids at school.
• Isaiah – dealing with hitting others at school when he is wronged.
• Travis and Renee – making our home a secure place for the boys, using the boys’ trials to train them in the ways of the Lord
• Renee – gets anxious when she feels there is too much to do. This only happens when I am not focused on the Lord!
• Finding our security in Christ, not in what others think about us. When we are worried about others’ opinions, our relationships and language learning are hindered!

Why did we name him “Jordan Stone”? 

In Joshua 3:14-17 it is written that the Lord stopped the flow of the JORDAN river, allowing  the Israelites to cross over into the promised land.  In chapter 4:1-24, the Lord told Israel to gather 12 STONES from the midst of the river and use them as a memorial…so that Israel would never forget what He had done for them.   Likewise, we have seen the Lord do amazing things on this journey to Paraguay and since we have arrived and we do not want to forget what He has done!  When we look at JORDAN STONE, we want to be reminded of all that God has done.   

“…That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”  - Joshua 4:24

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for a safe delivery and healthy baby!  Thanks to the Lord for such a beautiful blessing!

Once at the hospital, I labored in 4 different rooms, moving to the different locations as my labor progressed.  I brought a birthing ball (large exercise ball) to help me though contractions but this was a very strange thing to the Paraguayan nurses! 

Travis was a huge help!  At one point he scared me because he almost passed out; this was due to not eating much and being extremely hot from the scrubs he was required to wear!  

We were very thankful to have an English-speaking doctor and he delivered Jordan at 6:18am!  

“Children are a gift from the Lord.  They are a reward from Him!” Psalm 127:3

Prayer Requests
• With Butternut arriving, more changes are coming soon for each one of us.
• Please continue to pray for Isaiah in the morning when we drop him off at school – he is experiencing some separation anxiety.
• Learning a new language and culture can be emotionally and mentally draining. Please pray that we would not grow weary in learning – this is God’s will for us right now!