DECEMBER
We wanted to give you a glimpse into what has been keeping us busy this last month. I still can't believe that it is January and 2010. WOW!!! I have posted a few fotos of our activities. Thank you for praying for these events. We would love to tell you that we have seen lots of results from these gatherings. But as is so common here in Spain, we don't see instant results. We continue to trust that God is doing HIS work in the lives of our Spanish friends.
---THANKSGIVING---
As a team, Betsy, Phillipa and ourselves, hosted a Thanksgiving meal for three Spanish families. In the foto above is Phillipa(our teammate), Mari, and Alejandro. We have known this family for over 6 years. Nathaniel is in the same class as their son. This year, Phillipa is giving English classes to Mari and Alejandro (the son). It has been amazing to watch Phillipa's love for Jesus touch the lives of Mari and Alejandro. Pray with us that Phillipa will have opportunities to share more about her relationship with Jesus. 
The couple sitting on the left in this foto is Carmen and Louis, our chestnut friends and MaKayla's classmates parents. We were excited that they could join us for our dinner. It has been fun to see our relationship develop with this family over these last months. We have been able to get together a few times and each time they have more questions about our faith. Keep praying for this family, that they will continue to seek out the truth.---A NIGHT OF CRAFTS WITH THE LADIES---
To kick off the Christmas season, El Puente for the last 3 years has had a Christmas craft night and the ladies have invited their friends. I am so thankful to MariJose who puts this event together. She loves crafts and is always finding something fun for us to do. This year we exploded snowmen in the church.
Maribel and her son Alfonso are friends I have gotten to know through our first teammates in Caceres. Alfonso is now in my English class and Maribel loves coming to church activities. Maribel tells me that she is always encouraged by the time she spends with us in the church.
Silvia (the lady in purple) is the lady that helps me out in our house. There is not a week that goes by that we don't have a spiritual conversation. She is open to understanding our walk with Jesus but does not see any need to make it personal .At the end of the table is Olympia (a neighbor). Olympia says that Christmas is not Christmas without the craft night. She has come for the past 2 years. Olympia struggles with depression and has often saught me out to talk. I pray that the peace she finds in talking to me, she will come to understand as Jesus, the Prince of Peace that longs to dwell in her heart as well.
---ENGLISH CLASS CHRISTMAS PARTY---
These are my 8 OLDER students. Oh how they love to perform. They sang the song "Twelve Days of Christmas".
These are my 8 YOUNGER students. A bit more timid and goofy.
We have found through the years that the way to a Spaniards heart is through relationships. Please pray with us that as I invest in these 16 students this year, that I will also get many opportunities to build relationships with their parents. AND as always that God will shine through all I do.
---EL PUENTE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM---
I invited the parents of my students to come to our house for a Christmas party/performance. It is awesome to have a chance to get to know the parents better. The students performed some songs, shared a few things they have learned (I am pretty sure the parents didn't understand much at all as they are not the ones learning English), and we ate (of course) tons of Christmas cookies and treats.
These are my 8 OLDER students. Oh how they love to perform. They sang the song "Twelve Days of Christmas".
These are my 8 YOUNGER students. A bit more timid and goofy.
We have found through the years that the way to a Spaniards heart is through relationships. Please pray with us that as I invest in these 16 students this year, that I will also get many opportunities to build relationships with their parents. AND as always that God will shine through all I do.---EL PUENTE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM---
Every year the members of El Puente put together a Christmas program in hopes that the real message of Christmas, salvation through Jesus, will be proclaimed loud and clear to friends, family and neighbors that are invited to come. This year we put an invitation to the program in every mailbox of the church's neighbors. I would love to say even just 1 family came to the program. But not I can't. Please keep praying with us that the people in the church's neighborhood. That our witness would be clearly point to Jesus.
In the many years we have held the Christmas program, it has become more and more a very stressful occasion for most of our members. It was the prayer of the leadership of the church that this year we would feel more blessing and less stress. Yeah God, the members of the church worked together, there was unity, peace, and less stress than the norm.
Nathaniel was an angel in the play and Tim was a King. I told Nathaniel that I was so proud of him in the lines he memorised...and in wearing the outfit, especially the head thingy, without complaining. Twas a lot of fluff for a close to teenage boy.
Tim got suckered into being a King...his accent made him very authentic as a King coming from afar. The three kings were the three leaders of the church. I think it was a bonding time for them as they laughed through practices, added parts to the script, and worked together to make the play a hit. Funny what God uses to help build teamwork.
MaKayla did an interprative dance (I will put a picture in the next section...blame it on my blog dumbness). Hannah sang with the Sunday School group. Tim and I were proud of how the kids jumped in to help out and serve.
Around 100 people came to enjoy the program. Many were family members who are not christians and have attended for years. They have heard the gospel explained very clearly. Pray with us that these Spaniards will not just LISTEN to the truth but come to HEAR it with their hearts and believe.
---OPERATION CHRISTMAS COOKIE---
In the many years we have held the Christmas program, it has become more and more a very stressful occasion for most of our members. It was the prayer of the leadership of the church that this year we would feel more blessing and less stress. Yeah God, the members of the church worked together, there was unity, peace, and less stress than the norm.
Nathaniel was an angel in the play and Tim was a King. I told Nathaniel that I was so proud of him in the lines he memorised...and in wearing the outfit, especially the head thingy, without complaining. Twas a lot of fluff for a close to teenage boy.
Tim got suckered into being a King...his accent made him very authentic as a King coming from afar. The three kings were the three leaders of the church. I think it was a bonding time for them as they laughed through practices, added parts to the script, and worked together to make the play a hit. Funny what God uses to help build teamwork.
MaKayla did an interprative dance (I will put a picture in the next section...blame it on my blog dumbness). Hannah sang with the Sunday School group. Tim and I were proud of how the kids jumped in to help out and serve.Around 100 people came to enjoy the program. Many were family members who are not christians and have attended for years. They have heard the gospel explained very clearly. Pray with us that these Spaniards will not just LISTEN to the truth but come to HEAR it with their hearts and believe.
---OPERATION CHRISTMAS COOKIE---
Each Christmas we work together to make cookies, package them up, and give them to friends, neighbors, doctors, store keepers, and teachers. This year we gave out 35 plates of homemade goodies. In Spain it is not typical for your neighbor to bake you something or give you a Christmas treat. So it is always fun to bring smiles to the faces of the Spaniards that we have gotten to know. It is our prayer that these cookie plates will be one more way that we can share Jesus' love. Who knows, God may use a cookie plate to open someones heart to know Him. Please Jesus let this happen.
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