Returning Refreshment

Fantasy or reality? You wake up to find yourself in this fantasy scene––enjoying the sounds and sights of nature. Relaxed and refreshed. Is it a dream? 

You see the waterfall. The flow of the water trickles across the rocks and bubbles into the lake––a soothing sound. The condor flaps its wings in the gentle wind as the setting sun warms your face before it is gone for the night. You pick a yellow daffodil, and your nostrils inhale the delightful fragrance. Then you reach out and touch the sweet lamb. His soft white wool caresses your hands, and he gently tickles your fingers with his kisses. You bend down and catch a glimpse of your reflection in the crystal blue water.  A sip of the sweet water quenches your thirst. You are refreshed!

A friend can do just that for you––refresh you. A note from a friend says I love you, and I'm thinking of you. Someones says, "I'm praying for you." A child hands you a flower and your heart melts. A sincere thank you for an unselfish act you performed gives you the warm fuzzies. 

 Proverbs 11:25b "he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." It's reality!

Faithful Feathers

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and your rampart.

(Psalms 91:3-5 NIV)

I was standing at the kitchen window washing dishes. I'd just arrived home from the clinic and hadn't slept but a fews hours the night before. I could have used a nap, but instead I started  to make a pizza.

Chuck was improving in the clinic and finally had an appetite. I decided to surprise him with a pizza when I returned to visit that evening. While working at the window, I lifted my eyes to the mountain behind our house. Two birds sat perched on the rocks almost at the top of the mountain. They were huge. They had to be condors I thought, and ran to get the binoculars. There on the rocks sat two condors sunning themselves. What an unusual and majestic sighting! Even more unusual to see two condors together.

 As I stood there in amazement of the beautiful birds, they spread their wings. They must have had a wing span of at least ten feet. It turned into an awesome site. They stood with their wings spread for at least 3 minutes. It was a spectacular show that was straight from God. He was saying to me,"I have you covered with my feathers." And He even sent two condors, one for each of us; as if to say, "I have you both covered."

I looked up the mountain at just the right time. No, it was God's perfect timing to have those birds there for me just then. Yes, His timing is perfect.

Even though this is a difficult time for us, with sickness and political problems, we see God. He shows himself to us. He used His awesome condors to say to me, "Here I am, and I have you covered with my feathers and you have refuge under my wings." His faithfulness will get us through the hard times and be our shield and our rampart. We are covered with His feathers and under His wings. What a restful and safe place to be! He sent me huge birds to remind me of His Faithful Feathers and Protective Wings.

Birthday Blessings

'Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!' (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)

I was upstairs at my computer this morning, deep in my thoughts when I heard something strange downstairs. Chuck sat at his computer preparing a lesson in Spanish. "What's that noise?" "I guess it's Juan," he answered.

Juan called from downstairs and we told him to come upstairs. No one came. I heard whispering and called again. Then the Rumi Rancho staff  jumped out from the stairway to surprise me––shouting Happy Birthday.

Juan, Amelia, Pablo and Nathaly and the kids, surprised me with a cake, gifts, and their presence on my birthday. I had calls and emails, I was blessed by all.

It's a wonderful thing to know you are loved. Best of all, I know God loves me and gave me the best gift of all..."but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Happy Horse

Rocky didn't know it, but he was about to lose his wonderful home in the mountains of Bolivia. We were looking for a pony for our ministry with kids. God brought us together, and God spared Rocky from whatever happens to a Bolivian horse who isn't wanted anymore.

I'm so thankful we found a horse who could have been lost forever. He's brought smiles to faces of many kids. There is something tranquilizing about the beauty of a horse––petting him, smelling his scent, and feeling his brisk mane. And oh, those snorts, so calming to the soul.

When I am so busy I think I can't do one more thing––I do one more thing. I take a walk, see Rocky, and my soul rejoices. God's beautiful creation reminds me of His love and power. His love, because He thought to create a beautiful animal to give us pleasure––He thought of us. His power because He speaks and creates life––His power to do anything.

Rocky doesn't have to worry about his next meal, if he has water, or if he has a warm coat to wear in the winter. We take care of him, he has a wonderful life free of worry and stress. By the way, he knows it.

When I'm so busy and I find a rope, I go looking for my horse––he's not lost, he's just waiting for me to come find him. He misses me when I am too busy for him.

God misses us when we are too busy to spend time with Him. He sends us a rope to remind us to look for Him. When God sends you a rope, go look for Him––He's waiting. He's never too busy for you.

When I find a rope, I go look for my lonely (not lost) horse
––and there I find God waiting!

Deuteronomy 4:29 "But from there you will seek the Lord your God, 

you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Big Kids and Old Kids

 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; 

I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18

Monday nights here in Rumi Rancho are nights of laughs, lessons and love with our "Big Kids". Our ministry is dedicated to kids, teaching practical skills and Bible to underprivileged kids in the rural area where we live. But at what age do we stop teaching those who need Christ and help for their daily lives? Our vision is to never stop teaching those who need the Savior––no matter what the age of the "kids". Our age limit is birth to death.

God burdened us for a group of young couples here in the area. These young marrieds grew up with us. Most of them were in our computer classes and our youth group here in the church. The girls, now young ladies, were in my baking classes. As time marched on they married, had babies, and grew away from church and us.

In recent years, we have seen divorce rates begin to go up in Bolivia. They are not at 50% as in other parts of the world, but the trend is beginning here too. We know the time is now to begin teaching and helping these couples, before they reach a point of no return in their marriage. They are still kids to us!

It is never too late to save a marriage. We know all things are possible with God. Some of these couples are already working on problems and recommitting their lives to the Lord. Others are close to accepting Christ as Savior.

They are our "Big Kids" now, and we are the "Old Kids" teaching them. But we are all God's Kids, daily needing His help to have a marriage that will glorify Him. It isn't easy, but it is possible! For those of us blessed to have a spouse, let's work at our marriage every day, so we can grow old together, and cuddle under a quilt with each other, not alone.

 "And now abideth faith, hope and love, these three;

 but the greatest of these is love." First Corinthians 13:13

Holding Up Our Hands

"But Moses hands were heavy;" Exodus 17:12a

If you've called our office, sent a check, or inquired about our well-being, you've been helped by our treasure/bookkeeper, or talked to our secretary. They are behind the scenes, but out in front for God.

So who are these dear saints? Jim is my brother––aka the brother in That's My Sister book, and Sharon is his lovely wife. Someday, I'll have to write the book––That's My Brother: who is blessed with a super wife. Often the people behind the scenes think their part in the ministry is minimal. I want to squash that myth––they are vital.

"And Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side;" Exodus 17:12c
If it weren't for those holding up our hands, there wouldn't be a ministry here. How much more vital could you get! Jim and Sharon wouldn't be needed if it weren't for all those who pray and give to keep our hands held up in Bolivia. So many acts of kindness and sacrifice help to hold us up.

"and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Exodus 17:12d
Because of all the Aarons and Hurs on our sides, our hands are steady daily until the sun goes down––and even later most days:). We know they are with us until the sun goes down permanently in our earthly bodies; and we will be with them forever in heaven someday, where the Son will shine through eternity.

Thank you Jim and Sharon, and all of our Aarons and Hurs! God is using you to add to the Kingdom.

Penelope (Lopia) and Rylee's parents, our nephew Jay and his wife, Bonnie

What a beautiful family! We love showing off our family in the Sunshine State! We can tell from the pictures Pappap Jim and Grammy Sharon enjoyed their visit.

Earthquake Epicenter

"He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;" 
Job 9:6







Our day started out yesterday with great news that the paperwork for our land had arrived from La Paz. Anxious to proceed to the next step to finish the process, we decided to ignore the threats of blockades and go to town.

All went well with the paperwork, and we were able to drop it at our lawyers office and continue on to do our errands. We encountered our first blockade in the center of the city, but we managed to get around it and drive to another part of the city to get out of the main area of blockades, or so we thought.

We soon ran into blockades all over the city and decided to head home without doing our errands. What should have been a 45 minute trip took an hour and a half. Thankfully, we made it home and weren't delayed in blockades for hours on end. We thought that was the stressful part of our day. But later in the day we experienced a shocking jolt.

We were both upstairs working on several projects when with no warning, we heard and felt what we thought was a loud explosion and our house began to shake and sway. It felt and sounded as if a large aircraft had crashed into the mountain behind our house.

I saw the house swaying and screamed, "Let's go," as I picked up our 18 year old Shih Zsu, Kelsey, and ran down the steps, Chuck right behind me. We were stunned by the noise; we had never heard such a bang. Even though we had experienced earthquakes before, this didn't seem like an earthquake because of the noise. When we got outside it became evident it was an earthquake because the ground was still moving.

The epicenter was right where we live, in Cochabamba, and although it was just a 4.3 magnitude, it rocked our city. People panicked all over the city, some damage was evident, but nothing devastating. Bleachers collapsed in a school, and children had minor injuries. A factory burned to the ground, and some buildings had broken windows. Certainly, it was a blessing that it was not higher on the Richter Scale, especially since we were at the epicenter.

The earth shook out of its place, and the foundation pillars of our house trembled, but we are still standing––so is our house. We are thankful all is well. We felt the power of an earthquake, but we know who controls that power. Just as Job realized the power of God, so did we yesterday. We're thankful to be in the Hands that control all things. And, we are thankful to have a house today and be safe in those Hands.