Misión Compartida - Part II and Misc.

I've taken the opportunity to stop by the HCJB radio station facility a couple of times today and it's been exciting to see all the people arrive to visit the station, meet our radio staff and make donations. Santi is working long hours today and tomorrow providing technical support for the staff taking phone calls.

I just talked to Santi who is on his way home and he said that up until the station has received close to $74,000 in donations and pledges! What an exciting way to end the day! They are half-way to their goal of $150,000.

He also shared a story with me that brought tears to both of us about an elderly man who came to HCJB today who had just received his retirement check - it was for $200 which is probably all he will receive for his retirement after working many years (let's just say that Ecuador's social security is way worse than the US social security). He wanted to turn it all in to HCJB as a donation! Amazing to hear stories of how people sacrifice to give toward a ministry that blesses them every day. And it's inspiring to keep helping and serving!

I finally broke down and called the doctor today because I just can't shake this cold that I have and it's probably to the point of a sinus infection. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and I'm sure that I will soon be breathing much easier! Thanks for praying!

Misión Compartida - Shared Mission

Every year in December, HCJB Global radio hosts an open house and radio share-a-thon in Quito. The name for the three days is “Misión Compartida” which means Shared Mission in English. The share-a-thon is being held this week - December 13, 14, and 15.

The goal is to raise $150,000 toward the annual operating expenses of Latin American Radio and to also call people to join us in our mission to reach Latin America and the world by way of Christian radio and health care.

We hope many people will come visit the HCJB Radio facility and that we can strengthen relationships with our listeners. It’s always exciting to receive the listeners to the radio station and have a chance to hear first-hand of how HCJB Global’s radio station in Quito has made a difference in their lives.

The visitors also have the opportunity to visit various booths on the HCJB facility represented by our other ministries such as Hospital Vozandes, the Christian Center of Comunications, and the Spotlight Listener’s Clubs.

Santi will be helping by providing technical support during the three days as the radio staff receives phone calls and visits from listeners for financial pledges as well as commitments to pray for HCJB Global! Pray along with us!

Hogar Betania photos

This past Sunday we had our regular service at the Hogar de Ancianos Betania (Bethany Home for the elderly). I had my camera along and couldn't resist taking some photos. We also had our usual group of volunteers together so we took a group photo. We are looking for some new helpers in 2008 as Roger & Lois Reimer will be in the states for a year. So pray that we will find some other volunteers.

It was also a blessing to have our good friends Sam & Karen Pedersen visiting with us as well. They lived here in Ecuador for many years and probably have spent the most time helping at the Hogar. What a treat to have them here for a couple of weeks to visit!

We hope you enjoy these photos of the dear people at the Hogar!

Baby Update

Yesterday we had our regular appointment with our doctor. We also had the opportunity to have a tour of the maternity section at the Metropolitan Hospital here in Quito where we plan on having Baby Nathan. We were very impressed with the friendliness of the staff as well as their professionalism. Santi was glad that I will have a soothing, calming place to go through labor and birth.

To truly understand and appreciate his statement, you would have to see the usual options here in Quito which include the Social Security hospitals and clinics and the government-run maternity hospital. All of which require you to go out to a pharmacy and purchase all the supplies and meds that you will need for your procedure and let's just say that the service at these hospitals/clinics is less than desireable.

We are very grateful that we have the opportunity and option to go to a nice place like Metropolitan Hospital.

The doctor gave us a good report and told us to basically "be happy and not worry" . . . . that all is fine. I do still have swelling in my hands and feet, but he has come to the conclusion that since I don't have "preeclempsia face" (his literal words), he's not terribly concerned about the swelling at this point (although its getting annoying to me!). He did send us to have an ultrasound as he was concerned that the baby is getting quite big! So we had the joy of seeing Baby Nathan once again on the ultrasound screen. According to the doctor who did the ultrasound, Nathan is at about 6 1/2 pounds at the moment and he predicts that our due date is closer to Jan. 3. So we will see when Baby Nathan will finally come!

Anyone want to take any guesses as to when he'll actually come!?!?!?

We are grateful for the good report from the doctor and will continue patiently waiting. Pray that I will get over this bad cold that I have. It seems to be part of a virus that is going around here and hopefully will not turn into a sinus infection!

Thanks so much for all your emails and encouragement these days! We do appreciate it!

Kids Club Christmas

Last week Wednesday was the Christmas party for the Kids Club children! As you can see from the photos, they had a great time. I especially wanted to include the photo of the MOMS CLUB who had so much fun decorating sugar cookies (we now have 6 moms regularly attending the Moms' Club - isn't that exciting!)!

I haven't been able to go out to the dump for the Kids Club due to my pregnancy and I really miss it. Thanks to my friend, Teri, I get to see it via her photos! I did make the sugar cookies for the occasion which helped me to feel a part of the Christmas party!

We also want to thank the children at the Tri-county Bible Church AWANA group (Rensalear, IN) for collecting and donating the beanie babies that we gave out in the children's Christmas bags. They brought lots of smiles to their faces!!!

Dump Christmas Party - Dec 1, 2007

Last Saturday was the 11th annual dump christmas party. We had a record attendance of 3,300 people who came to play games, have their photo taken with Santa, listen to live music, and have a good time together as a family.

Santi coordinated the entrance with about 12 other volunteers - we enjoyed seeing the people come in and be so excited about a Christmas party. We saw many of the families from the regular Wednesday afternoon Kids Club as well as families from the Day Care Center.

The day care children sang some Christmas songs from the stage and their mother's performed a folklore dance. There was a film tent set up with Christian videos being shown. There was a huge craft center set up where everyone had a chance to make a Christmas ornament and color and use glitter (one of their favorite things). Other tables were set up for face-painting and nail painting.

The evangelistic team was able to share with people throughout the day on a one-on-one basis and many people were open to hear about Jesus - the real reason that we celebrate this season! Over 170 people accepted Christ as their Saviour during the party, sixty of those being regular dump workers. Pastor Jose (our director of the dump ministry) will be following up with these new Christians!

The day ended when all 3,300 people lined up to receive their gifts - a 10 lb. bag of staple food items for the adults and a gift bag with beanie babies and other small items for the children. It never ceases to amaze us how excited the party attendees get over such a simple gift.

Please pray for those who accepted Christ as their Saviour during the party and for Jose and his wife Teresa as they continue with follow-up - especially with the 60 dump workers. . . . may God use this outreach in a mighty way!

Catching up!

I know I promised photos from the Christmas party week, but I've gotten delayed by a few things - one of them being that I have gotten a bad cold this week! I never knew how miserable a cold can be when you can't take the normal cold meds! Thank goodness for Tylenol, which I am able to take. Everyone around seems to have a cold - so I'm sure it's just something I picked up!

Some other noteworthy news:
1) My niece Cris returned to the US on Monday. Her six weeks here flew by and we miss her! We wish her well as she continues with the application process to Physician Assistant's schools. We are proud of her as she now has 4 interviews set up in the next few weeks.

2) The team of 55 people who came from the US and Canada to help with the week-long Christmas parties left on Tuesday morning. The ER staff have been been busy cleaning up and recuperating from the very busy week.

3) Our next doctor's appt is on Tuesday, Dec. 11. We will also be having a tour of the maternity section at Hospital Metropolitano where we plan on having Nathan. It'll be good for us to have an idea of where to head when the big day comes! And we still have no idea when that day might be!

4) We have three Christmas parties in the next week - one on Sunday with the HCJB missionaries, another one on Monday with the Extreme Response staff and I have one on Weds with our high school group! A full month of celebrations!

5) Santi will be busy next week setting up the last minute technical preparations for HCJB's Annual Radio Sharathon - called "Misión Compartida" (Shared Mission). He is part of the technical support staff for this sharathon to be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday - pray for him as he will be working long hours. We are grateful for the many HCJB radio listeners who will be responding and giving sacrificially so that HCJB Radio can continue on the air in 2008!

Many of the people come to the open house on the HCJB Radio compound to see their favorite radio announcers, watch live radio programs as they air, share testimonies and prayer requests as well as donate money for radio operations. It's an exciting time!

6) This Sunday we will be having the service at the Nursing Home (Hogar Betania) and also on Dec. 23. Pray that we can be an encouragement to these dear elderly people who have so little. We're also looking for ideas of something that we can give them as a gift on Dec. 23. We'd like to do something special for them in honor of Jesus' birth.

Good night for now - I hope to post a report of the Christmas parties as well as include some photos! I will let you know that more than 8,000 people showed up for the various parties held in five days time (we had planned for 6,000)! We were amazed at how God multiplied the supplies and gifts that we had prepared and made it possible for everyone to receive something! It felt like the feeding of the 5,000!