Guatemalan Update #6

Dear Friends and Family,

First off, I want to apologize for for not writing sooner. The last e-mail we sent out was in June. When I look back there was a lot that happened, but not so much that we could not have written. Thank you for your calls, and e-mails but most importantly your prayers for us.

A couple of songs by song writer Robin Mark have really captured the cry of our hearts lately.

Lord Enlarge Our Vision

Lord enlarge our vision and increase our faith May
we stand securely in the words You gaveWe can reach this world and we will win
this landAnd walls will tumble down, walls will tumble down

O Lord there is a price to payI know I have a part to playNo part too small, no price too high We're not satisfied 'til we standIn Your promised land

There's a light that's shining on this western shoreAnd it blazes brighter than it did beforeWe can send Your light through all this landAnd see Your kingdom come, and see Your Kingdom come.

Be Unto Your Name

We are a moment, You are forever Lord of
the Ages, God before time We are a vapor, You are eternal Love everlasting,
reigning on high

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Who
was slain Highest praises, honor and glory Be unto Your name, be unto Your name

We are the broken, You are the healer Jesus, Redeemer, mighty to save
You are the love song we'll sing forever Bowing before You, blessing Your name

Life has really taken on normal feel. (I guess it should after almost 8 months). One thing that we have not been able to shake is the incredible need here for true Christianity, we are still seeking HIM to enlarge our vision. I am sure that you all are wanting an update on more than our favorite songs so here is a brief update on all of us.

Nathanael
There is almost nothing that Nathanael cannot accomplish. He is our earliest walker, has two teeth and is an incredible joy.

Joelle
Joelle is a lot like a flower that never saw the sun. Everyday she is doing better, healing more, and learning what being in a family is all about. I never would have believed the amount of emotional hurt that could be inflicted on a child in 12 months. Praise the Lord that HIS love is breaking through. Her adoption is finally seeming to start moving. We are hoping to be home in October (hopefully 2005).

Abraham
Abraham is turning into one of our biggest talkers. He was slow to start, but is trying to catch up quickly. (He has good example in his Daddy.) He is so helpful and the babies LOVE him. He is growing like a weed and loves being read to.

Abel
One of the funniest things as a parent is that raising your children is almost like raising yourself. I have never met anyone who is more like his Daddy than Abel. We think alike, we like and dislike most of the same things, and we LOVE being together. God has such plans for our children and we are thankful that God is raising Abel up to be a leader. Abel, has an incredible memory and as we have devotions every morning he is learning Ephesians 4 probably faster than any of us.

Betty
Of course, Betty stays VERY VERY busy, but she is the "happy mother of children". Some of you have e-mailed and she keeps trying to get a second to sit down and write those e-mails but that second never comes. I have never loved her more, she is the best friend and best mother that we could have. She has been counselling a friend of ours and the Lord has really used that situation to cause us to strive all the more dilligently to keep our marriage strong and to pour into our relationship with the Lord.

Josh
I have continued to be blessed with work to do. I have started working with CAM International, a missions organization based in Dallas. It has been such a blessing to use the skills God has given me to serve the team there. I went to Dallas for a few days in August and will be going back in several weeks. The bad thing about these trips is that there is no time to visit. I fly in work my head off and fly home (to Guatemala that is). I have been blessed with the opportunity to be able to preach at a church about 45 mins from Antigua. Preaching in Spanish has been a fun experience. I am thankful for all of the doors that God is opening for us.

Well that is a little bit about us here in Guatemala. We are so thankful for our faithful God who can move in our lives here and your lives back home. Our Internet connection has been much better lately and as such my IP phone has been working great. You can call us anytime and it will ring here in Antigua :-) We have also updated the blog with a ton of new pictures. The address is: http://volcanoland.blogspot.com/ I have also uploaded some short video clips to: http://www.resonantmedia.com/downloads/public/FamilyVideos/ I will probably start putting more videos there so if you are interested you can check back for more.

We are so thankful for your prayers and concern for all of us.

Because of Jesus,

Josh, Betty, Abel, Abraham, Joelle, and Nathanael

P.S. Please forward this to anyone you feel would like to get an update from us. Since I have been here I have lost some e-mail addresses due to some computer problems. If you know anybody who would like to be added to the list please simply have them shoot us an e-mail. Thanks.

Market Day. A little bit of everything from black beans to Scott toilet paper :-)

Our boys make friends fast.

Looking down on Guatemala City as we head back from El Salavador. We had to renew our papers again.

Our friends Garang and Lisandra Athiang. Soon to be missionaries from Guatemala to New Sudan.

After a bit Abel told me he was "Ready for the jumps".

Even Joelle got a turn. She is going to be a horse lover I think.

Abraham could be the Lone Ranger. He LOVES riding horses.

Abel horse back riding for the first time at La Azotea.

Yes we know that that is a rhubarb plant back there. We were watching to make sure that Joelle did not take a big bite.

Not bad for looking out your backyard.

Joelle loves being outside. Just like a flower she is blooming more everyday.

Nathanael hardly crawls anymore. Walking is much faster.

We serve a big God. Joelle is starting to pull up on EVERYTHING.

The partners in crime. Our friends from Above Rubies would be proud of all of the "Living" food our two babies get.

Yes it is true. Nathanael is not only walking at 10 months, but he has two of cutest little teeth.

One of the markets in town that sell typical fabrics and tourist junk.

Need Pizza? Call Dominos and a friendly guy on a moped will buzz on over to your house. Actually almost all of the restaurants offer delivery.

He is supposed to be *watching* the cars.

Yes this is a McDonalds. Saturdays are our eat breakfast at McDonalds day. The boys love the playground and the garden.

Look at all of the fields. The produce goes from here to our market. Outside of Ciudad Vieja.

Abel is our big boy. He loves the new park we found.

Look at that smile.

When in Rome.... play as the Guatemalans do.

Getting ready to head out. The buddies - Joelle and Nathanael.

Learning how to stand up is a difficult part of life. Especially learning WHERE to stand up - inside the stool is not the place.

Abraham enjoys his chocolate cake. :-) (And bumps on his head.)

For those of you who wonder where we park.

For those who wonder where we live. Our little house. (And I do mean little.)

For those of you that wonder where we wash clothes (our very dirty clothes) - here it is.

One of our last times with Melissa and Ruthie (I mean Megan, I mean Lydia, I mean Allie) Well I think we are stuck on Allie. (I am not sure what spelling they decided on.) In any case she has got to be one of the cutest little sister a guy could have.

An ancient fan - undeniable proof that the Mayan people had electricity. Actually this picture is taken from underneath one of the pyramids. Each generation built on top of the pyramids of the previous. The tunnels were escavated to show this progression.

Me and my constantly happy Nathanael. What a big blessing he is to us.

Behind the covered area, is the game court. What a game - if you lost you were killed, if won you were sacrificed.

My beautiful photographer. Notice each of these rocks hewn by hand.

On top of one of the temple pyramids. What bondage to gods who cannot save.

With our *faithful* guide Tony.

Some ruins from our trip to Copan, Honduras. We had to leave Guatemala to renew our tourist papers and took the opportunity to visit these famous ruins.

Aunt Sara and our boys.

Betty, Aunt Ann, and Andrea.

One of the highlights of our time here. Betty's Grandma Dappen, Aunt Ann, Aunt Sara, and cousin Andrea came to visit Antigua. The trip had been planned way before we got here.

My little artist.

Joelle at Pollo Campero, our *favorite* hangout.

In Guatemala they tell me it is a "sin" not to buy your wife roses. A dozen roses cost less than $3.00

At the zoo. My matching girls - Joelle is asking, "Mama is this ok???"

Father's Day - Daddy and his 4 best friends at the zoo looking at the bears.