A year in behind us...
2014 has been a year of lots of ups and downs, many changes, and innumerable adjustments....but it has been a year in which God has shown His faithfulness and grace each day. We rejoice in God's goodness during 2014. (Note: a few of the green words have lines under them; you can click on these words to see pictures.)
January: January started with a bang, literally! Peruvians love to shoot off fireworks at midnight on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The sound of hundreds of fireworks exploding all around your home can only be matched by going up on the roof (it's flat, of course) and watching them explode in all of their glory just a few feet above your head. It's something everyone should do at least once in his or her lifetime! We also enjoyed a visit from Caleb's parents during January. The kids loved spending a few weeks showing Lima to their grandparents.
February: We spent the first week at BMM's missionary camp. It was a blessing to be challenged by preaching (in English!) and to be encouraged from fellowship with our Peru team. February also saw the closing of the church we had been attending. After 12 years of ministry in a small community God made it clear to the church leadership that it was time to relocate to a new area.
March: We spent much of the month sharing a cold virus among our family members. It was a very challenging month but God allowed us to progress in our Spanish studies in spite of the illnesses. And, we got our first Peruvian pet, Shell-E. She's just a turtle, but we enjoy watching her slowly make her way around our home.
April: We made a survey trip to Trujillo. Though we did not make much progress with housing during the trip, the few days away from our studies allowed us necessary time to recharge our batteries.
May: We had a fun field trip with our Spanish school and they graciously allowed our children to come, too. After several months of visiting different churches, God brought us to our new church.
June: Ecko's mom came to visit for a couple of weeks. It was fun to show her our life in Peru and to have our kids get to know her better during her visit. Isabel finished kindergarten, too. And Caleb preached for the first time in Spanish with some understanding of what he was reading/saying.
July: The end of July was also the end of our language training! We enjoyed celebrations with our professors and a graduation ceremony in August. We still have a long way to go, but we received the tools we need to help us press ahead.
August: We have been in Peru for 1 year! When our coworkers had to go back to the States for health reasons, Caleb was asked to serve as our BMM Peru treasurer. It was a challenging process to get adjusted to the new responsibility, but it has been a fun experience. And the finish of language school brought many new ministry opportunities for Caleb. He was able to spend several weeks helping with church work projects and preaching almost every week in August and September.
September: This was a big month for us. Caleb took a trip to Trujillo (where God provided an apartment for us), we made the decision to move almost immediately, and we got our driver's licenses! We also enjoyed hosting the young people from our church in our home one Sunday night.
October: After several frantic days of packing, painting, and cleaning, we left Lima at 6:00 am on October 7. After a very long drive we arrived safely in Trujillo. The month was very full: we had a visit from Caleb's parents and sister and spent lots of time shopping for the stuff we needed in order to live in our new house.
November: We added a new member to our family: Callie. The kids love chasing her around the house and snuggling with her at night. We pressed ahead with homeschooling and getting adjusted to our new lives here. Caleb had opportunities to preach at church and seminary and to teach in several classes at the seminary.
December: The seminary runs on a January-December school schedule, so our graduation is in early December each year. It was a joy to see God enable our graduates to finish and we are excited for what lays ahead for each of them. Caleb went on a short mission trip with the young people to a nearby city. So many people, like Humberto, think that they are righteousness because of their own goodness. They are hopelessly blinded, apart from God's work in their hearts. And with the warmer temperatures come opportunities to get out and enjoy life close to the ocean. The water is cold (usually about 65 degrees), but the sun is warm and we enjoy the time away from our normal responsibilities.
Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 36:5
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