Happy New Year!!! Feliz Año Nuevo!!!

We can’t believe we have already started a new year of 2022! We are so grateful to spend Christmas with my (Kendra’s) parents and visit Tulsa to celebrate the new year with Stephen’s parents and siblings. We were a little worried about how it would be traveling with two kids under the age of 2 but thank God with about 8 hours of traveling each way, they did great! Once we arrived in Texas, Stephen left the next day for about a week to meet with potential and current partners in Tennessee and Georgia. Even with the help of my parents, it was a difficult transition for Ezra with his sleep schedule and the fact that he had a minor cold. With time, though, Ezra was sleeping better through the night and his congestion that had lingered from his cold finally had passed. Regardless, Ezra loved being in the arms of so many family members! As for Noah, he had an absolute blast. My parents got him some swim classes and a day to play at a sensory indoor playground. He also went to several local parks/playgrounds. He is so active and absolutely loves the outdoors, so it was great being in Texas since it was warm, and we could go outside almost every day. Also, returning on the 1^st of January allowed us to celebrate Noah’s 2^nd birthday on January 2^nd at home. He especially loved us singing happy birthday to him, his ice cream birthday cake, and blowing out his two candles. We made such sweet and special memories during our trip and even when we returned home too.

As for the ministry side of things, we picked up where we left continuing to search for a property. We have been surprised by the slow response we have received, in general, by sellers. It can be discouraging since we are excited and eager to get things moving along with purchasing the land, and then getting permits to start building the children’s homes. We ask for prayers that the right seller and property come along in God’s perfect timing as well for grace through this whole new process of purchasing a property in a foreign country. Steve and Georgiana will be flying from Costa Rica in February to come see the top 5 properties we’ve narrowed down.
As we have mentioned, they have experience purchasing property in Costa Rica for their single mothers ministry. It is a blessing to have an extra set of eyes and insight from our bosses/parents. Stephen’s grandma, Connie, will also be joining my in-laws since she stays with them for the first three months of the year every year. It will be a short trip for them but very exciting for them to see some potential properties and of course, the grandkids too.  We have also been busy with getting in contact with lawyers and CPAs to make sure the legal and financial side of things are taken care of now that we have our ministry bank account open.

If you do not know, at the end of last year we switched missions organizations. We are no longer with Visions Made Viable and are officially with Cornerstone International. We began the application process with them in the summer and through a series of background checks, psychological evaluations, numerous meetings/interviews, including one with their board, and more, we were approved! We are ecstatic to be a part of a ministry that will provide a wealth of support, knowledge, and resources that will better equip us as missionaries on the foreign field. Our mission to serve children and their families remains the same.  If you are interested in donating, we have included the information right here in this little box.  Please update any giving information if you have not already. 

During the holiday season and new year, one word that keeps coming up is gratitude. I cannot stop thanking God for His unending goodness, even during difficult times. I encourage you to remember there is always something to be grateful for. Acknowledge those things you are grateful for and thank God for them, often. As I mention the word gratitude, we want to take the time to say THANK YOU for all your support whether through prayer, financial, or even just reaching out to say hi, we are grateful for every single one of you.