Kids Club

Damaris, Keidy, Sairy

I've been doing Kids Club since summer teams left and wanted to do things a little different; to make it more of a "club", and engage the kids in some deeper thinking.  So - I started the children's catechism.  I'm taking it slow.  I want the kids to get a deep understanding of each question and each bible verse.  So - I'm taking 1 - 2 weeks per question, and 1 week for the bible verse memorization.  So - we just started week 7 and question number 3.  It is SO exciting to have 35+ kids all reciting the answer to the questions and all knowing the bible verses week after week.  I review each question and each bible verse EACH week - to keep things fresh and in the front of their memory, so they can hide Gods word in their heart.  I also have bible verse and catechism question cards to take home - many have told me they are putting them on their walls to remind themselves.  I also am sending home a take home sheet to share with their parents.  It goes over what they learned that day, verses to study, ways to apply the lesson to their lives, and a prayer to say each night.  The kids love this too - it's a way to share with their parents what they are doing and a great way of parent participation.

As for a craft today, we made an Advent Calendar.  You know - paper rings you all made as a kid as garland for your tree.  The kids absolutely LOVED it! Of  course cutting out 25 pieces of paper per kid and wrapping each up in ribbon took a LONG time last night!  Whew!  But when I explained that each day in December they should tear off a ring to count down the days until Christmas they were horrified!!!!  They all wanted them as decoration for their rooms - I doubt a single kid will tear off their rings.  Ah well - they all got the idea and were all so meticulous in making each ring perfect.

Because of the way I am structuring Kids Club, I am easily averaging 35 - 40 kids each week.  This is the most amount of consistent kids I think we've had!  And we are getting some new kids too - that are coming each week!  Praise God in the teachings they are receiving!

School Supply Drive

School Supplies for Armenia Bonito

We would like you to prayerfully consider providing school supplies for the children in Armenia Bonito.  Please purchase school supplies, have a school supply drive at your church, or have the children all bring in school supplies for the children in Armenia Bonito and mail them to this address by December 31st:

Mike & Erin Pettengill
P.O. Box 1090
La Ceiba, Atlantida
Honduras
Centeral America

Let us know if you would rather send money and Team Honduras can purchase supplies in Honduras.

Video from last years school supply drive:

Thanksgiving

Enjoying the feast

So...life goes on...the world keeps on turning...who wudda thunk?  Yeah, I know - stupid to think that God would stop time like he has in the past, for me to catch up with the world.  I'm doing "okay".  Honestly, as long as I don't think too hard, I can get through difficult times.  It's not that I ignore the difficult things, it's just a way of coping.  You know - take things in a little at a time rather than be totally overwhelmed all at once.  So - that's what I'm doing.  On that note, yesterday, as most of you did - we celebrated Thanksgiving!  It was interesting to think of the similarities that we had with the first Thanksgiving meal.  Foreigners in a strange land, relying upon the provisions that were around them, and not the ones they were used to in their country of origin.  We found (or had shipped/or brought from the States) most of the things you would consider a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  It was a true group effort. All of Team Honduras, and a few other missionaries that are in and around La Ceiba, and Madison's best buddy - Rudy (a Honduran) all in all 19 people joined in the festivities.  We arrived at noon, and didn't leave until almost 8pm that night.  We ate, played games, talked, sang, hung out and just had a GREAT time.

Rudy and Madison filling up their plates

The "Kid" table

Thank you God for the blessings of friendship, great food, and fellowship!

Sorrow

Jesus wept.  Two of the most profound words in the bible.  The least verse in the bible, but inferior to none.  "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those that weep." (Romans 12:15).  God knew there would be much sorrow in the lives of His people.  He longs for us to cling to Him and through His Son understands the sorrow and so understands us.   We can be amazed and in awe of a creator who cares so much for His creation that he weeps along with us.  And I believe the choice of the words is no accident.  Wept, not cried.  The depth of the sorrow is expressed in the choice of the word.  Thank you God.  Thank you for loving me, caring for me, weeping with me.  You are my refuge and my strength.  And so tonight...I wept.  I wept great tears of grief and loss.  I mourn for the mother I will never see again.  My heart is heavy with the tears yet unshed.  I understand the sacrifice of being on the mission field and know that there will be times I am away from family.  This was the most difficult thing I've had to do.  I had the privilege of being able to spend some sweet time with my mother in her last days, if not her last hours.  I return to California to be with my dad and mourn together.  My small little family just got smaller, and this is a part that cannot be replaced.  I love you sweet mom...thank you for the life you gave to me, the memories that will forever remain with me....and so I weep...yet again.

Soaring Oaks Missions Conference

Had a lot of fun reconnecting with people, and hanging out with friends! The missions conference was a lot of fun - I had the opportunity to speak a thoroughly enjoyed it.  Today my friends are hosting a "baby shower" for me so I can bring back things for the prenatal classes I am teaching.  It's been a great trip, spending time with my mom and dad, my friends, and eating some yummy food.  However, I look forward to being back home with my husband and sweet girl :-).

Back in California...

...but this time it is a scheduled trip.  I'm speaking at Soaring Oaks Presbyterian Church's missions conference this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I came early to visit with friends and family, and just catch up with people.  Will be returning Sunday to Honduras, and as far as we know, that is the last scheduled trip we have to the States for a long time.

My mother has made vast improvements!  After being in the ICU for over 3 weeks, she has "graduated" to a step-down unit.  She still is on a lot of medical support, so there is no immediate plans as to when she will actually be able to leave the hospital for a sub-acute hospital (medically speaking - it's a facility that is somewhere between a skilled nursing facility and a hospital).  As she will always have a trach (the tube in her neck), and only partial ventilator support, she will need to be in some sort of medical facility always, unless something can ultimately be arranged to get her home with 24-hour nursing care (this is what we are praying for).

Making Bread

not the green back type, but the yeast type.

Raisin / cinnamon bread

For Christmas my dad got me a book called The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.  This is a 640 page book.  I realize that Christmas is still 2 months away, but since I went to California last week, my dad gave me my Christmas gifts early.  And...since I was spending 8+ hours at my moms bedside, it was a great opportunity to read this great book.  I know that reading a recipe book isn't normally what one does, but it is FULL of incredible information - from the science to what makes bread bread, to tricks of the trade, and even pointers for success.  So, the day after I got back from California I started...

So far I have made:

White sandwich bread
baguettes
raisin / cinnamon bread
beer bread
mushroom bread
sourdough starter (waiting for it to fully ferment)

Beer bread - look at all those airy holes!  Yum!

So far my favorite has been the beer bread.  It has such a rich flavor, it's light, and SO amazing!  What I didn't know/realize about bread - good bread that is - is it's quite complex.  There is pre-fermentation (sponge, poolish, or biga), resting, rise, mold then rise again, ice cubes in the oven, pre-heating for 1 hour, etc.  In other words, GREAT bread can take from 8 hours to 3 days (baguettes).  Whew!  Can't wait to see what else I can make.