Today is the first day where it is just our family of 4, alone in our home, since we left in May. We have been on the road, in multiple states and countries, and had so many people in our home, which is so beautiful, but we are excited to have a few days with just our small family. Whenever we think back over this summer, the words that come to mind are “Beautiful chaos” and “Craziness.”
The summer started off with our Texas Tour where we were able to visit many of our close friends, supporters, and family. We won’t take too much time talking about the 5 weeks of wonder, as we were able to visit most of the people who read this monthly update. But we did want to share our appreciation for being so well received and loved on. We had 6 families open up their homes to us and many more offer theirs. We had so many people who were willing to go deep and allow us to share our hearts and dreams. We ate so much good food, especially Tex-Mex!!! And even though we were extremely tired after the 5 weeks, our hearts were so incredibly blessed and full. So thank you to each one of you that took the time to minister to us! Although we did realize that we took more pictures of the kids than with all of you!!!
As our time in Texas was coming to a close, Ximena took off to Ecuador to lead a missions trip of high school students to the jungle in Ecuador, visit our kids, and even one of our missionary families in Quito. It was a 3-week trip, but I felt like it was so incredibly short to be able to see everyone that I wanted to! The first week with the high school students was great! The ability to serve again at the same ministry (Jungle Kids for Christ) that we worked with for so many years was such a beautiful experience. To guide and watch these high schoolers fall in love with the culture and the kids was truly a blessing. And I was able to spend some time with one of our kids, Inti, who we’ve missed so much. Even one God-moment that I had was to be at a woman’s prayer meeting in the middle of the jungle at night, started by a friend from Quito, surrounded by Inti’s birth mom who has now given herself to Christ, the pastor’s wife of a ministry in the jungle, and the woman who helped babysit my kids when they were babies. It was mind-blowing to be able to see how God moves! I am so extremely thankful that Briarcrest Christian School was able to give me this opportunity and allow me to serve in this way.
The next two weeks felt like a roller-coaster as there was so much to get done! One of the girls, Vale, who I had discipled when we lived in Quito had waited until I was going to be in Ecuador to have her wedding. It was so amazing to see her in her wedding dress for the first time and how excited she was to see me. I was also able to spend some time with close friends who were a part of our community in Ecuador who I hadn’t been able to see in 2 years. I even ended up taking a few of the wedding pictures for Vale!
Right after the wedding, I was able to visit with Gina Weston, one of our missionaries and friends, for a quick lunch and then able to see my grandmother. Then, I was off to Manta, which is the city I grew up in on the coast, to visit 2 of our kids, Mayumi and Erick. The time with them was worth the whole trip! We were able to spend 4 full days together and just go deep. Being able to fall asleep next to my daughter after she talked for hours on end was something that is worth more than anything. Mayumi and Erick had been having sibling issues before that we had just recently been able to work through with them over phone calls, but with me being there, they were able to leave that behind and just be kids for a while. It helped so much with their relationship!
As Ximena was heading home, She realized that she had slept in 12 different beds in 7 weeks and was so ready to be home! Meanwhile in Memphis, Richard was juggling watching Santi and Lani and having some fun time with them, interviewing a new potential addition to the Member Care department at Orphanos, and even building a pergola in the backyard during tropical storm Barry with his dad, Austin (previous intern), and Smith (a close neighborhood friend) as a surprise present for Ximena. So never a dull moment! But one of the most coolest things was having two of our best friends in Memphis (the Hopkins and Sullivans!) love on our family again by leaving goodies, stocking the fridge, and cleaning the house. And the Pennels and Austin watching our dog and making sure the house didn't burn down!
The day after Ximena arrived back home in Memphis, we received 2 beautiful ladies into our home. Anita and Amber are two missionary ladies who were a part of our ministry at It’s About Kids in Ecuador. Amber actually took over one of the positions that Richard left behind whenever we moved to Tennessee. And Anita was one of the girls who was with us the last night we were in Ecuador, cleaning our house with us and loving on us. So they are both very special to our hearts! We were initially planning on having Anita visit for vacation, but then she informed us that both her and Amber had quit their jobs to dedicate themselves to full-time ministry on the coastal town of Coaque that had been devastated by the earthquake a few years ago. The visit then turned into a full-blown “Let’s help these baby missionaries take their first steps!” They stayed with us for 3 weeks and we went deep fast! We scheduled for them to visit with 6 different ministries to get a taste for what ministry looks like. We went through the books “Peacemakers” and “The God Ask,” which are both very dense books. And we had countless conversations about God, ministry, and life. They are just starting on this ministry journey to build Man of Peace from a monthly outreach that our previous ministry director (Ron Stiff) had started to a full-time ministry completely in their hands. We are so excited to see how God will bless the desires of their hearts! Please join us in praying for them as they begin raising support as well!
There is so much more life that happened between these lines! So many precious conversations and deep relationships that God has blessed us with that we don’t have the time to share. But we know it is even more beautiful to God than we can even imagine. So thank you!!! Each one of you play such a vital role in our ministry and we are blessed to be a part of the body of Christ.
Prayer Requests:
1. Yes…we are tired! But we are happy! We are trying to rest the next few weeks, even though our minds our traveling a thousand miles a minute. We are imagining all of our friends in Georgetown just shaking your heads at this craziness! So please pray for our focus on rest and family time over the next few weeks.
2. Santiago has started to have some sensory issues again over the past few weeks since being back in Memphis. Please pray for wisdom and patience as we work with him on dealing with his body.
3. That we would have positive attitudes, especially with our kids, even when we are exhausted.
4. For all of our kids (Gus, Mayumi, Erick, Nico, Inti, Santi, and Lani) as they are working, studying, and saving for our family mission/vacation trip in December to Mexico. They all have a lot on their plates right now!
I am in awe after reading your newsletter. I know you are exhausted but so thankful for your willingness to serve such an awesome God and how you bless so many.
I was so sorry I did not get to visit with you but James was so excited that you visited him while he was at dialysis. It made his day! Continue to keep him in your prayers. Some days are better than other.
Yes we will continue to pray for you and your family. Praying also for Gus and his return to a loving God and a loving family.