Wow. End of November. Life has been totally crazy since we returned from Guatemala in August. I've neglected this blog, and I'm sorry. Most days, I get home from work, and I'm exhausted. Don't even think about posting.
So this is what's new. We are staying with my mom, and helping her get the house and shop ready to sell. She has lost her renter, and therefore she lost half her income. Time to move on is what she's decided. She's lived in the house since 1970. The renter was in my dad's mechanic shop, and after 12 years, has decided to buy himself a building. He got a good deal, and so as of Dec. 1, he's gone.
Bill and I are working. Bill is working for a farmer, and I'm at a school. I do feel I'm making a difference in the school, and it's helping me build ministry with staff and students. We are saving all we can to ensure we have enough money to pay for school in Texas in the fall (tuition for the year is over $5,500, not counting utilities and food). We had a choice between renting an apartment on campus for $380/month plus utilities, or staying in an RV for $120/month plus utilities. We chose the RV route, and have purchased a 22 ft. 5th wheel to live in for a year. For those of you who know us well, you're probably laughing at the thought of the two of us in such a small space. God's grace is all I can say.
I know we've lost some supporters since we've come back to the States. I get that. You want your funds to help with active ministry. Please realize that the support you send to us is being banked for us to pay tuition and living expenses while we're in Texas since we can't work when we're in school. We're not living high on the hog, I promise. No extra goodies are being purchased.
Please continue to pray for us. I have to have surgery in Dec. to remove an overactive parathyroid gland. Bill tells people I'm going in to have my throat cut. Silly. But it will definitely look that way. :) We covet your prayers for us to continue to minister while we are here in the States. We are actively involved with the local CMA as well as doing ministry in the community.
God Bless y'all, and I'll try to do better on posting!!
Lisa
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Wrapping up and moving on....
We made a quick trip to Antigua today, one of the last we'll make. It's always an adventure going to Antigua. Right now they are repairing the road leading out of Antigua back to the Pan-American highway, so it's two way traffic on a very steep and windy road. That's all good, until you get behind someone who is going at or below the posted speed limit of 15 kmh. That's about 9.5 mph, and since the road to Antigua from San Lucas is 9 miles, and the portion that is "doble via" is 6 miles, you can imagine what the trip is like.
We love Antigua, the people and the places. Everything from the farmers' market to the artisan market to Burger King, from mochilleros (backpackers) with dreads and flip flops to ladies with traditional Mayan dress and a huge basket on their heads, to the ruins and buildings that are older than the US has been a country. The church we attend in Antigua is bilingual, and they are on the move. A feeding center to feed 300 children at least 3 times a week is being built, along with houses and water filtration systems.
We've made so many friends here in Guatemala. It'll be hard to say goodbye. I've already lost it a couple of times as we've told people our plans to return to the US and go to ministry/language school. I'm sure I'll cry more in the next 10 days. We have a few more things to pack, a few more to give away, and we'll be physically ready to go. Mentally and emotionally, I am not so sure.
Please, pray for us as we make this transition back to a very different US lifestyle. We need to raise funds for tuition and housing in Texas, so we'll be working. We want to do what we feel God has called us to do, and so we're making the move back to learn more so we can go out again and carry the Good News to all those who haven't heard.
God Bless y'all.
Bill and Lisa
We love Antigua, the people and the places. Everything from the farmers' market to the artisan market to Burger King, from mochilleros (backpackers) with dreads and flip flops to ladies with traditional Mayan dress and a huge basket on their heads, to the ruins and buildings that are older than the US has been a country. The church we attend in Antigua is bilingual, and they are on the move. A feeding center to feed 300 children at least 3 times a week is being built, along with houses and water filtration systems.
We've made so many friends here in Guatemala. It'll be hard to say goodbye. I've already lost it a couple of times as we've told people our plans to return to the US and go to ministry/language school. I'm sure I'll cry more in the next 10 days. We have a few more things to pack, a few more to give away, and we'll be physically ready to go. Mentally and emotionally, I am not so sure.
Please, pray for us as we make this transition back to a very different US lifestyle. We need to raise funds for tuition and housing in Texas, so we'll be working. We want to do what we feel God has called us to do, and so we're making the move back to learn more so we can go out again and carry the Good News to all those who haven't heard.
God Bless y'all.
Bill and Lisa
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Thank you!
We want to thank all of you who are supporting us while we're stateside on furlough. Housing, food, transportation...I can't imagine paying for it all. We are blessed beyond belief at what our friends and family have done for us. We are passing those blessings along wherever and whenever we can.
Three more weeks and we'll be returning to Guatemala for a short while to close out projects and pack up all our gear. Then it's returning to Idaho, and fundraising/working to ensure we have enough funds to pay for our tuition at Rio Grande Bible Institute. We need to raise about $5500 for tuition and books, and the same amount for housing.
We've been told by our mission board that we have 5 different locations that are asking for us to join them just as soon as we finish school in Dec. 2013. We could be working in Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras or Mexico...we'll leave it up to God and our mission board to make the decision.
No matter where we go, we need your prayers and financial support. We receive no salary from our mission, and we have sold almost everything we own. Please consider helping us pay for our schooling so we can go and be even more effective on the field, working with the people of Central or South America.
I know, and I've heard it as recently as last week..."Why can't you do what you do at home rather than in a foreign country?" My response is that God called us to work with the Latin American population, not the North American population. He has called others to work here in the US, and our place is in Central or South America. The estimate is that only 1% of people called actually go and serve on a mission. That means that 99% of the people are "senders", providing resources for those who go.
Will you consider being a "sender" and supporting us, either financially or through prayer. If we were to add 50 people at $25 a month, we'd have our tuition paid for. What is $25 equal to? A dinner for two once a month. A week's worth of small coffees at Starbucks. We're really praying for that extra support, so we can go to school. The Bible Institute will not allow its students to get part time jobs, as the focus is on learning and on ministry with the native people. We will be in class, in ministry, or in the middle of homework. There won't be any loafing around.
Praying for y'all and God bless!
Lisa and Bill
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wooooo! Life changes fast!
Just a short note to let you all know that we have changes upcoming. Yes, we'll still be in missions. Yes, the focus is still Central/South America. Before we go back to the field, we're going to school. A language/ministry school in Edinburg, TX called Rio Grande Bible Institute. Anyone have a travel trailer we can borrow for a year? It'll be much cheaper to live in a trailer for a year than to rent an apartment on campus.
Our plans for the rest of this time in the states haven't changed. I borrowed a bike from a friend to ride. It's a Kawasaki Vulcan 900, with super loud pipes. It's for sale, so let me know if you're interested in it. After spending 3 years on a 1500 Vulcan Classic, riding a Vulcan again is like coming home. Now Bill won't have to deal with me falling asleep on the back of his bike. Thank goodness he has armrests, which keeps me from falling out! :)
We leave early Saturday morning (June 30) to ride to Mackay, ID for a bike rodeo. For those of you who have no idea what a bike rodeo is, think street motorcycles in a rodeo (dirt) arena, doing barrel races, slow races, drags, and anything else they can think up. After Mackay, we're headed to Salmon, ID tomorrow night to prepare for a Sunday morning presentation at Calvary Chapel Salmon. Sunday afternoon, we're headed to Twin Falls, ID for a few days with family and friends. Then Thursday, July 5, we'll return to Pocatello, ID. Friday is a trip to Idaho Falls, ID to see a good friend and get some help on installing a trailer hitch on Bill's bike. Sunday, July 8 is presentation day at Calvary Chapel Pocatello, our home church. We'll hang out in Pocatello most of the next week, and on Friday, July 13, we'll head to Price, UT for the CMA Utah state rally. It's time we see our Utah friends. From Price, we'll ride back to Twin Falls, and on Thursday, July 19, we'll head for Boise, ID, and on to Cascade, ID on Friday the 20th to the CMA Idaho rally. Then it's a ride back to Pocatello, where we'll spend the week, attending the 10th annual POW-MIA rally July 27-29. On the 29th, we fly out to Denver to spend a couple of days with my sister, and then it's off to Guatemala on the 31st.
We want to thank you for all your prayers and financial support, and we ask that you pray specifically for an increase in funding to cover the costs of our language/ministry school. If you'd like to make a contribution, or if you want to become a financial partner, please click this LINK and check the field coordinator box, placing "Rileys" in the blank.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Our plans for the rest of this time in the states haven't changed. I borrowed a bike from a friend to ride. It's a Kawasaki Vulcan 900, with super loud pipes. It's for sale, so let me know if you're interested in it. After spending 3 years on a 1500 Vulcan Classic, riding a Vulcan again is like coming home. Now Bill won't have to deal with me falling asleep on the back of his bike. Thank goodness he has armrests, which keeps me from falling out! :)
We leave early Saturday morning (June 30) to ride to Mackay, ID for a bike rodeo. For those of you who have no idea what a bike rodeo is, think street motorcycles in a rodeo (dirt) arena, doing barrel races, slow races, drags, and anything else they can think up. After Mackay, we're headed to Salmon, ID tomorrow night to prepare for a Sunday morning presentation at Calvary Chapel Salmon. Sunday afternoon, we're headed to Twin Falls, ID for a few days with family and friends. Then Thursday, July 5, we'll return to Pocatello, ID. Friday is a trip to Idaho Falls, ID to see a good friend and get some help on installing a trailer hitch on Bill's bike. Sunday, July 8 is presentation day at Calvary Chapel Pocatello, our home church. We'll hang out in Pocatello most of the next week, and on Friday, July 13, we'll head to Price, UT for the CMA Utah state rally. It's time we see our Utah friends. From Price, we'll ride back to Twin Falls, and on Thursday, July 19, we'll head for Boise, ID, and on to Cascade, ID on Friday the 20th to the CMA Idaho rally. Then it's a ride back to Pocatello, where we'll spend the week, attending the 10th annual POW-MIA rally July 27-29. On the 29th, we fly out to Denver to spend a couple of days with my sister, and then it's off to Guatemala on the 31st.
We want to thank you for all your prayers and financial support, and we ask that you pray specifically for an increase in funding to cover the costs of our language/ministry school. If you'd like to make a contribution, or if you want to become a financial partner, please click this LINK and check the field coordinator box, placing "Rileys" in the blank.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Monday, June 11, 2012
three weeks already?
Oh my. Time has really flown since we arrived in the US on May 19. God keeps sending us messages to "slow down" and smell the sagebrush, so we have. The first week we were here, we were delayed by snow. I think we needed to spend more time with our friends Tim and Merg. Besides, I had been complaining about no snow in Guatemala, so God provided it for me!
I also had made a comment about leaving rainy season behind. You know God's sense of humor. He sent the rain to me here (no matter where we are). The sun is finally shining today. Even in Idaho, freezing temps and wind are not extremely common in June.
Our first church visit was at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. What a wonderful group of people! They were warm and welcoming, and made us feel right at home. Pastor Paul Thompson is just amazing. We shared the time Sunday night with a young man who quoted the first five chapters of Romans. I have a hard time memorizing a verse or two...he did FIVE chapters.
We went to Boise just after Memorial Day. We were supposed to be there for 3 days. Hah! New back brakes, a new battery and an electrical malfunction on the bike later, we were back on the road. Frustrating!! Actually, we spent the time seeing friends and family, and so every last minute truly wasn't wasted.
This past week, we spent in Twin Falls with my family. My dad passed away about 18 months ago, so there were chores my mom couldn't do that needed to be done, and my brother (who is busier than we are!) needed help painting his house. It was a great week and lots got accomplished!
We rode to Pocatello on Saturday. Actually, I could say we flew, because we had a COLD 40 mph wind at our backs. That was all well and good, though cold, until we turned south to ride to Malad (40 miles away). Then life got interesting. A side wind of that speed isn't fun to ride in. We spent the weekend with our friends from the Cache Christian Crusaders. They are the CMA'ers from the Logan area. It was so good to sit with good friends, and sing Christian songs around the fire. We were able to provide a good example to those camping on either side of us, as they came over and listened to the music. Yesterday, we did two presentations. One was totally unplanned, but God provides opportunities when we need them. Our first visit was to Victory Baptist Church in Malad. That was the unplanned visit. Then we packed up camp and came back to Pocatello, where we presented at Blazing Grace. Blazing Grace is a "biker" church, and we know lots of people there. It was fun to see the looks of surprise when we walked into the church. We wrapped up last night with a visit to our home church, Calvary Chapel Pocatello. I had to laugh, because no one knew we were coming. It was great to see everyone, and we'll do our formal presentation on July 8 there.
We have a couple of days of just relaxing and running errands, and then we head for Elko. The Elko Jamboree is always a blessing, with lots of opportunities to minister to people. We've decided to rent a car and drive to Elko and then on to CMA Nationals at Hatfield, AR. Bill's shoulder is not any better, and the stress from riding will not be good on it.
Please continue to pray for our safety, and for increased financial support for our ministry. Without you, we wouldn't be on the mission field!
God Bless Y'all!
Lisa and Bill
I also had made a comment about leaving rainy season behind. You know God's sense of humor. He sent the rain to me here (no matter where we are). The sun is finally shining today. Even in Idaho, freezing temps and wind are not extremely common in June.
Our first church visit was at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. What a wonderful group of people! They were warm and welcoming, and made us feel right at home. Pastor Paul Thompson is just amazing. We shared the time Sunday night with a young man who quoted the first five chapters of Romans. I have a hard time memorizing a verse or two...he did FIVE chapters.
We went to Boise just after Memorial Day. We were supposed to be there for 3 days. Hah! New back brakes, a new battery and an electrical malfunction on the bike later, we were back on the road. Frustrating!! Actually, we spent the time seeing friends and family, and so every last minute truly wasn't wasted.
This past week, we spent in Twin Falls with my family. My dad passed away about 18 months ago, so there were chores my mom couldn't do that needed to be done, and my brother (who is busier than we are!) needed help painting his house. It was a great week and lots got accomplished!
We rode to Pocatello on Saturday. Actually, I could say we flew, because we had a COLD 40 mph wind at our backs. That was all well and good, though cold, until we turned south to ride to Malad (40 miles away). Then life got interesting. A side wind of that speed isn't fun to ride in. We spent the weekend with our friends from the Cache Christian Crusaders. They are the CMA'ers from the Logan area. It was so good to sit with good friends, and sing Christian songs around the fire. We were able to provide a good example to those camping on either side of us, as they came over and listened to the music. Yesterday, we did two presentations. One was totally unplanned, but God provides opportunities when we need them. Our first visit was to Victory Baptist Church in Malad. That was the unplanned visit. Then we packed up camp and came back to Pocatello, where we presented at Blazing Grace. Blazing Grace is a "biker" church, and we know lots of people there. It was fun to see the looks of surprise when we walked into the church. We wrapped up last night with a visit to our home church, Calvary Chapel Pocatello. I had to laugh, because no one knew we were coming. It was great to see everyone, and we'll do our formal presentation on July 8 there.
We have a couple of days of just relaxing and running errands, and then we head for Elko. The Elko Jamboree is always a blessing, with lots of opportunities to minister to people. We've decided to rent a car and drive to Elko and then on to CMA Nationals at Hatfield, AR. Bill's shoulder is not any better, and the stress from riding will not be good on it.
Please continue to pray for our safety, and for increased financial support for our ministry. Without you, we wouldn't be on the mission field!
God Bless Y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Oh, the adventures we've had in the past couple of weeks! We spent the time up to the day of departure from Guatemala packing, repacking, packing, sorting...trying to get gifts for family and friends, 30 lbs of coffee, and needed clothes and bike gear for 10 weeks was a PAIN! But it was accomplished, and we came back to the US for furlough with 2 computer cases, 2 carry-ons and 3 suitcases. I plan on taking the same amount back.
The day we left Guatemala, our favorite volcano, Fuego, erupted quite violently, and it has continued since. These are pics borrowed from friends in Antigua, about 8 miles from Fuego. Our house in San Lucas is about 20 miles away.
Pretty wild! Along with the rainy season beginning, it seems as though Guatemala is really active right now.
As for us, we are actually sitting still for a day, and it seems so weird. Since we hit the States last Saturday, we haven't slept in the same bed more than 1 time in 8 days. We started with arrival in UT, went to NV to take care of some business, to Twin Falls, ID to see our families, to Pocatello to pick up some of our stuff, to Georgetown to retrieve Bill's motorcycle and that's where we ended up staying for 2 nights because someone told Mother Nature that Memorial weekend was coming and she provided snow for entertainment! We decided that riding over Fish Creek Summit outside Lava Hot Springs wasn't a good idea when it was 34 degrees and snowing. So we put things off for a day, and returned to Pocatello on Friday. Yesterday, we rode in the pouring rain from Pocatello to Twin Falls. It rained hard on us until we hit the I-84/86 split. Boy was I cold!!
We've spent the last 24 hours with friends, and helping my brother while my niece's soccer (futbol) club is in tournament play in Boise. Tonight, we presented to the Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. Pastor Paul Thompson and his church are amazing. We felt right at home there, and spent about 45 minutes sharing with them about our mission and what has happened in the last nine months.
Tuesday, we'll head to Boise to see more families and friends. Then it's back to Eastern Idaho for the weekend and another church presentation. This one is at Blazing Grace in Pocatello. For those of you not familiar with Blazing Grace, it's the "biker" church. Great people, and we can't wait to see them. Then it's back to TF to help my brother paint his house, and Father's Day weekend brings the Elko Jamboree!
Thank you all for believing in us, for praying for us, and for providing support, whether financial, prayer, or just plain love! Without you, this mission wouldn't be possible.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
The day we left Guatemala, our favorite volcano, Fuego, erupted quite violently, and it has continued since. These are pics borrowed from friends in Antigua, about 8 miles from Fuego. Our house in San Lucas is about 20 miles away.
Pretty wild! Along with the rainy season beginning, it seems as though Guatemala is really active right now.
As for us, we are actually sitting still for a day, and it seems so weird. Since we hit the States last Saturday, we haven't slept in the same bed more than 1 time in 8 days. We started with arrival in UT, went to NV to take care of some business, to Twin Falls, ID to see our families, to Pocatello to pick up some of our stuff, to Georgetown to retrieve Bill's motorcycle and that's where we ended up staying for 2 nights because someone told Mother Nature that Memorial weekend was coming and she provided snow for entertainment! We decided that riding over Fish Creek Summit outside Lava Hot Springs wasn't a good idea when it was 34 degrees and snowing. So we put things off for a day, and returned to Pocatello on Friday. Yesterday, we rode in the pouring rain from Pocatello to Twin Falls. It rained hard on us until we hit the I-84/86 split. Boy was I cold!!
We've spent the last 24 hours with friends, and helping my brother while my niece's soccer (futbol) club is in tournament play in Boise. Tonight, we presented to the Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. Pastor Paul Thompson and his church are amazing. We felt right at home there, and spent about 45 minutes sharing with them about our mission and what has happened in the last nine months.
Tuesday, we'll head to Boise to see more families and friends. Then it's back to Eastern Idaho for the weekend and another church presentation. This one is at Blazing Grace in Pocatello. For those of you not familiar with Blazing Grace, it's the "biker" church. Great people, and we can't wait to see them. Then it's back to TF to help my brother paint his house, and Father's Day weekend brings the Elko Jamboree!
Thank you all for believing in us, for praying for us, and for providing support, whether financial, prayer, or just plain love! Without you, this mission wouldn't be possible.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Saturday, May 5, 2012
2 weeks and counting....
At this time two weeks from now, we'll be having an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse in Houston with our friends Steve and Launa Barrett. I've missed Roadhouse! Launa also makes fantastic cakes, and I've heard that she is going to have some for us. Woohoo!! I have to say that cakes and pastries definitely are different here in Guatemala. Not bad, just different. You can get some of the best chocolate here though. :)
It looks as though we have firmed up our schedule for furlough. Rather than us try to see all of you, I thought I'd list out the places we're going to be, and hopefully you can come see us! Our intention is to fund/friend raise during our furlough by sharing about our mission work here in Guatemala.
We are arriving in the US on the 19th. On the 21st, we have meetings in NV. We'll return to Twin Falls that night, and then go on to Pocatello. We'll spend the 22nd-25th in Pocatello, returning to Twin the afternoon of the 26th. Friends are throwing a get-together for us that night. Then on Sunday, May 27th, we have two presentations at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. We will be at both the morning and evening services.
We'll be in Twin Falls and Boise through June 14 except for a trip back to Pocatello for a presentation June 3 at Blazing Grace Pocatello. June 15-17 means Father's Day weekend, and our annual trip to the Elko Jamboree. From Elko, we are riding to Mena, Arkansas and the CMA nationals June 19-23. I'm really looking forward to seeing Iron Mountain! We then return to Twin Falls, and our next stop will be June 29-30 at the Mackay Bike Rodeo. July 1 we will be presenting at Calvary Chapel Salmon.
We are returning to Pocatello from Salmon, and we will present at both services at Calvary Chapel Pocatello on July 8. I think we will be in Pocatello most of the week of July 9, and then we will head to Price, UT for the CMA UT rally July 13-15. We will return to Twin Falls when we leave Price, and then go to Cascade for the CMA ID rally July 20-22. One more stop in Twin Falls, and then back to Pocatello for the POW-MIA rally on July 27-29. We will fly to Denver on July 29, spend a day with my sister and brother-in-law in Blackhawk, and fly back to Guatemala on July 31.
If you want to see us, we'll be on FB and Skype. Please message us and let us know how to contact you so we can set up a time.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
It looks as though we have firmed up our schedule for furlough. Rather than us try to see all of you, I thought I'd list out the places we're going to be, and hopefully you can come see us! Our intention is to fund/friend raise during our furlough by sharing about our mission work here in Guatemala.
We are arriving in the US on the 19th. On the 21st, we have meetings in NV. We'll return to Twin Falls that night, and then go on to Pocatello. We'll spend the 22nd-25th in Pocatello, returning to Twin the afternoon of the 26th. Friends are throwing a get-together for us that night. Then on Sunday, May 27th, we have two presentations at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. We will be at both the morning and evening services.
We'll be in Twin Falls and Boise through June 14 except for a trip back to Pocatello for a presentation June 3 at Blazing Grace Pocatello. June 15-17 means Father's Day weekend, and our annual trip to the Elko Jamboree. From Elko, we are riding to Mena, Arkansas and the CMA nationals June 19-23. I'm really looking forward to seeing Iron Mountain! We then return to Twin Falls, and our next stop will be June 29-30 at the Mackay Bike Rodeo. July 1 we will be presenting at Calvary Chapel Salmon.
We are returning to Pocatello from Salmon, and we will present at both services at Calvary Chapel Pocatello on July 8. I think we will be in Pocatello most of the week of July 9, and then we will head to Price, UT for the CMA UT rally July 13-15. We will return to Twin Falls when we leave Price, and then go to Cascade for the CMA ID rally July 20-22. One more stop in Twin Falls, and then back to Pocatello for the POW-MIA rally on July 27-29. We will fly to Denver on July 29, spend a day with my sister and brother-in-law in Blackhawk, and fly back to Guatemala on July 31.
If you want to see us, we'll be on FB and Skype. Please message us and let us know how to contact you so we can set up a time.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Wow....time flies when you're living in Guatemala!
It really has flown, and we're quickly approaching our time to return to the US for furlough. This isn't a vacation furlough, this is a hard work furlough. We have to increase our financial support if we want to stay on the field in Guatemala. So, 4 churches and 6 rallies means every weekend is booked. Time during the week will be spent meeting with people and riding from place to place. We no longer have a vehicle, and so we will ride. Bill's bike and a bike a friend is graciously loaning to me for the summer.
What have we been up to the past couple of weeks? Hmmm....we built a firepit and it was tested last weekend by a youth group from Guatemala City. Great kids who came up for a retreat. It was fun hearing young voices, and watching the pranks they pulled on each other. The weather was beautiful, and so water balloons and dodgeball were a part of their breaks. I think the kids must have spent at least 4 hours by the fire on Saturday night.
The mission house is a wonderful place to rest, relax and reach the Lord. We love it here. We've been doing maintenance before rainy season, with help from our Guatemalan friends. The garage roof was replaced, and then sealed, and the outer walls are being sealed with a waterproof material. This will stop the infiltration of the water through the blocks and keep the whole house healthier!
The driveway between the second and third lots is also under repair. The massive amount of rain we received last year caused several landslides, and the driveway was quickly becoming impassable. After the prolonged waiting period to get a permit to clear and widen the drive, work began in earnest today. One of the lessons we have learned here in Guatemala is that it happens on Guatemalan time, not US time. If someone says they will be a certain place at a certain time in the US, unless there's a major catastrophe, they are usually there. Here in Guatemala, someone might say they'll be there at a certain time and place, but they might not get there for days.
The other issue is not getting your panties in a twist over paperwork delays. The gentleman doing the construction tried for a month to get the permit. He kept returning to the Muni office, but... :) The same goes for our passports. Since we left the country in February, that gave us 90 days as "tourists". After that, you have to go to the Immigration office and get your passport stamped for another 90 days. We took the passports into the city, to the Immigration office, and were told to return in 1 week to pick them up. So....we went back to the city last Friday, and wouldn't you know it, Immigration was closed. Argh! We have to return to the city next Monday, so we'll try to pick them up then. Poco a poco...step by step.
Hopefully, we'll see some of you in the States. If not, keep reading. I'll try to do a weekly blog while we're gone.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
What have we been up to the past couple of weeks? Hmmm....we built a firepit and it was tested last weekend by a youth group from Guatemala City. Great kids who came up for a retreat. It was fun hearing young voices, and watching the pranks they pulled on each other. The weather was beautiful, and so water balloons and dodgeball were a part of their breaks. I think the kids must have spent at least 4 hours by the fire on Saturday night.
The mission house is a wonderful place to rest, relax and reach the Lord. We love it here. We've been doing maintenance before rainy season, with help from our Guatemalan friends. The garage roof was replaced, and then sealed, and the outer walls are being sealed with a waterproof material. This will stop the infiltration of the water through the blocks and keep the whole house healthier!
The driveway between the second and third lots is also under repair. The massive amount of rain we received last year caused several landslides, and the driveway was quickly becoming impassable. After the prolonged waiting period to get a permit to clear and widen the drive, work began in earnest today. One of the lessons we have learned here in Guatemala is that it happens on Guatemalan time, not US time. If someone says they will be a certain place at a certain time in the US, unless there's a major catastrophe, they are usually there. Here in Guatemala, someone might say they'll be there at a certain time and place, but they might not get there for days.
The other issue is not getting your panties in a twist over paperwork delays. The gentleman doing the construction tried for a month to get the permit. He kept returning to the Muni office, but... :) The same goes for our passports. Since we left the country in February, that gave us 90 days as "tourists". After that, you have to go to the Immigration office and get your passport stamped for another 90 days. We took the passports into the city, to the Immigration office, and were told to return in 1 week to pick them up. So....we went back to the city last Friday, and wouldn't you know it, Immigration was closed. Argh! We have to return to the city next Monday, so we'll try to pick them up then. Poco a poco...step by step.
Hopefully, we'll see some of you in the States. If not, keep reading. I'll try to do a weekly blog while we're gone.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The dangers in life...
Let's see...in the last two weeks, we've had a bike accident, Spanish lessons five days a week, an adventure in the city, and yesterday we received word that a missionary and her son were killed in Paraguay. I'm not going to rehash the bike accident, other than to say that we are healing well. Bill needs to do more rehab on his shoulder, but he's working on it.
Our Spanish teacher is coming up to the house, rather than us going to Antigua, because of the fuel cost and also the fact that her husband is doing some roof work for us. Yeah, I know. I will say that I am a klutz of the first water (as those of you who love me know) and Bill doesn't do heights. The spans between the beams are about four feet, and I'm not sure that the lamina (corrugated tin) would hold either of us. Cesar is much smaller than we are, and also can use the money!
Julie and Norberto Kurrle worked for Missionary Ventures, International in Paraguay. I wasn't able to meet her before she and her son went to live with Jesus Christ, but from everything I've read, she was a woman of God who touched all who knew her. I have read probably five different blog posts, and several more tributes to Julie's character and love for all. It's really impacting me, especially as I read how the accident happened. In the US, if a vehicle doesn't have taillights, it's ticketed and pulled off the road until it is fixed. In Central and South America, if it's running, it's driveable, whether or not it has lights. We have come across many vehicles who don't have taillights, and may not have brake lights. It's scary. All of a sudden, there's a vehicle in front of you that you didn't realize was there because there were no lights. This is what happened to the Kurrles. The truck in front of them had no taillights. Norberto went to swerve around it as he realized it was there, and a car in the oncoming lane hit Julie's side of the car. Norberto and their newly adopted daughter survived, but Julie and Timmy did not. Please pray for healing, and for peace for Julie's family. They know she and Timmy are in Heaven, and now they will have to rebuild a life without them.
I love you all, and I'm glad you're a part of my life, and I know I don't say that and "thank you" nearly enough!
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Our Spanish teacher is coming up to the house, rather than us going to Antigua, because of the fuel cost and also the fact that her husband is doing some roof work for us. Yeah, I know. I will say that I am a klutz of the first water (as those of you who love me know) and Bill doesn't do heights. The spans between the beams are about four feet, and I'm not sure that the lamina (corrugated tin) would hold either of us. Cesar is much smaller than we are, and also can use the money!
Julie and Norberto Kurrle worked for Missionary Ventures, International in Paraguay. I wasn't able to meet her before she and her son went to live with Jesus Christ, but from everything I've read, she was a woman of God who touched all who knew her. I have read probably five different blog posts, and several more tributes to Julie's character and love for all. It's really impacting me, especially as I read how the accident happened. In the US, if a vehicle doesn't have taillights, it's ticketed and pulled off the road until it is fixed. In Central and South America, if it's running, it's driveable, whether or not it has lights. We have come across many vehicles who don't have taillights, and may not have brake lights. It's scary. All of a sudden, there's a vehicle in front of you that you didn't realize was there because there were no lights. This is what happened to the Kurrles. The truck in front of them had no taillights. Norberto went to swerve around it as he realized it was there, and a car in the oncoming lane hit Julie's side of the car. Norberto and their newly adopted daughter survived, but Julie and Timmy did not. Please pray for healing, and for peace for Julie's family. They know she and Timmy are in Heaven, and now they will have to rebuild a life without them.
I love you all, and I'm glad you're a part of my life, and I know I don't say that and "thank you" nearly enough!
God Bless y'all!
Lisa and Bill
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Accidents happen....
Well, the beginning of Semana Santa (Holy Week) wasn't quite what we expected. Bill and I ride the KLR 650 that belongs to the mission into Antigua (about 8 miles of twisty road) every weekday for Spanish lessons. With gas at almost $5 per gallon, it makes so much more sense to ride than drive.
Yesterday morning, we were in Antigua, and heading down the main street into town. We were in traffic, as always (work starts at 8:30 in most places, and it was 8:10) and this car pulled to the right side of the road, going slowly. Bill moved to the left and just as we approached his rear bumper, the car made a left hand turn in front of us without using his blinker. We were not going fast, (it doesn't pay to go fast on cobblestones) and we started sliding as Bill tried to avoid the car. We went down low side, and slid probably 15 ft. Bill had his left shoulder rolled back as we slid, with his knee dragging the ground. Bill's head just missed the concrete base of the light pole. I was able to avoid everything but the light pole. The bike slid into the side of the car with it's front tire. No, the car didn't try to avoid us. He didn't even slow down, and Bill made eye contact with him as we connected.
Someone helped me get the bike off Bill. I have no idea who it was. Then I grabbed my phone and started making calls. Our director, Randy, was 40 minutes away. I called our pastor's wife, and Mike was there within 10 minutes. He called the insurance company for us, and then called the assistant pastor to come and translate.
Antigua has a group of people called PMT, and they are like reserve officers. They do a lot of traffic detail. Several of them showed up, and soon the "real" traffic cops showed up. The man who caused the accident spent an awful lot of time trying to blame everything on us. The bomberos(EMT) showed up and checked Bill and I over. Bruises on our left hands, Bill's shoulder is strained, and his knee...it looked like a 15 lb shot put by the time we got home. We were able to witness to the bomberos while we waited for the insurance guy to arrive.
We waited, and waited, and waited. Our insurance person arrived, and started to sort the whole thing out. Eventually, we told him to pay the man for the damage to his car (we never did see his insurance person) since it wouldn't raise our rates. The insurance man cut him a check on the spot. The pastor rode the bike to the church and called his mechanic (they both ride KLR 650's as well) to come get it. The damage (gear shift and handlebars replaced, fairing reattached) will cost us approximately $65 to repair.
We'll be back on the bike as soon as it's repaired. God blessed us in innumerable ways yesterday. He is good all the time. Most accidents don't turn out nearly this well. It's obvious to us that God had His hands all over us yesterday.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Yesterday morning, we were in Antigua, and heading down the main street into town. We were in traffic, as always (work starts at 8:30 in most places, and it was 8:10) and this car pulled to the right side of the road, going slowly. Bill moved to the left and just as we approached his rear bumper, the car made a left hand turn in front of us without using his blinker. We were not going fast, (it doesn't pay to go fast on cobblestones) and we started sliding as Bill tried to avoid the car. We went down low side, and slid probably 15 ft. Bill had his left shoulder rolled back as we slid, with his knee dragging the ground. Bill's head just missed the concrete base of the light pole. I was able to avoid everything but the light pole. The bike slid into the side of the car with it's front tire. No, the car didn't try to avoid us. He didn't even slow down, and Bill made eye contact with him as we connected.
Someone helped me get the bike off Bill. I have no idea who it was. Then I grabbed my phone and started making calls. Our director, Randy, was 40 minutes away. I called our pastor's wife, and Mike was there within 10 minutes. He called the insurance company for us, and then called the assistant pastor to come and translate.
Antigua has a group of people called PMT, and they are like reserve officers. They do a lot of traffic detail. Several of them showed up, and soon the "real" traffic cops showed up. The man who caused the accident spent an awful lot of time trying to blame everything on us. The bomberos(EMT) showed up and checked Bill and I over. Bruises on our left hands, Bill's shoulder is strained, and his knee...it looked like a 15 lb shot put by the time we got home. We were able to witness to the bomberos while we waited for the insurance guy to arrive.
We waited, and waited, and waited. Our insurance person arrived, and started to sort the whole thing out. Eventually, we told him to pay the man for the damage to his car (we never did see his insurance person) since it wouldn't raise our rates. The insurance man cut him a check on the spot. The pastor rode the bike to the church and called his mechanic (they both ride KLR 650's as well) to come get it. The damage (gear shift and handlebars replaced, fairing reattached) will cost us approximately $65 to repair.
We'll be back on the bike as soon as it's repaired. God blessed us in innumerable ways yesterday. He is good all the time. Most accidents don't turn out nearly this well. It's obvious to us that God had His hands all over us yesterday.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Friday, March 16, 2012
Solar lights and more....
Oh what a great week! Even though I started out with a migraine on Monday (darn cold front!) we packed a ton into 4 days. The gym, a trip to the city, Spanish lessons every day, and to top it off, we installed two solar bottle lights.
The solar bottle lights are so ingenious. A two-liter bottle, filled with filtered water and a splash of bleach (to keep the water fresh); a piece of corrugated tin (called lamina here), silicone, tin snips, and a power drill with a hole saw is all it takes. The drill isn't necessary, but lots easier!
Many of the houses the Guatemaltecos live in are made of corrugated tin. Walls and roofs both are lamina. Construction is done piece meal as funds are available. Many of the houses don't have windows because believe it or not, even at 15 degrees latitude North, it gets down close to freezing. I think we saw 35 degrees this year.
If you don't have windows, then you don't have light in your house. Electricity is dangerous, expensive, and not always available in Guatemala. But...you do what you have to. In the typical Guatemalan house, the idea of an electrical code is an imaginary, fleeting thought.
This week, we installed two solar bottle lights in our friends' house. They have 1 window and it's not in the kitchen/bath. So...we made a difference for them. It'll save them money, and I won't spend my nights worrying about their safety. Check out the pics below!
The solar bottle lights are so ingenious. A two-liter bottle, filled with filtered water and a splash of bleach (to keep the water fresh); a piece of corrugated tin (called lamina here), silicone, tin snips, and a power drill with a hole saw is all it takes. The drill isn't necessary, but lots easier!
Many of the houses the Guatemaltecos live in are made of corrugated tin. Walls and roofs both are lamina. Construction is done piece meal as funds are available. Many of the houses don't have windows because believe it or not, even at 15 degrees latitude North, it gets down close to freezing. I think we saw 35 degrees this year.
If you don't have windows, then you don't have light in your house. Electricity is dangerous, expensive, and not always available in Guatemala. But...you do what you have to. In the typical Guatemalan house, the idea of an electrical code is an imaginary, fleeting thought.
This week, we installed two solar bottle lights in our friends' house. They have 1 window and it's not in the kitchen/bath. So...we made a difference for them. It'll save them money, and I won't spend my nights worrying about their safety. Check out the pics below!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Never boring....
Whee! Since my last post, we've taken 18 more days of Spanish lessons, ridden the KLR 650 15 of those days (plus a couple of extra trips) and felt like the wind was going to blow us away more than once. We have trees that are well over 50 ft. tall all around us, and they sway like there is nothing to stop them from falling over. In some cases, they do fall. On the way home from church today (we had the mission pickup, as the wind was gusting well over 40 mph) we came around a curve to cars stopped in the road. A tree had fallen onto the power lines and snapped a power pole in two. The tree, the power lines and the pole were all in the road. One lane was completely blocked, and the other was partially blocked. As we were waiting to take our turn at skirting the debris, the lines arced together and exploded, not once, but twice. The vehicle that was two places ahead of us hit reverse in a hurry! We cautiously skirted the debris, and saw the police arriving as we went around the next curve in the road. Had it been any longer, we might not have gotten through for several hours.
I know we've described the power situation here many times...but it is flat scary! They pull the lines by hand, and if a new meter is installed, the line is just strung along all the others, and across, and on top of....so entertaining. Power outages are common here...I wonder why! :) The power was out when we got home today from the tree falling...even though that happened several miles away.
We are busy with our Spanish lessons. No one ever told me learning a new language in my forties was going to be this hard! We are both making good progress though. Vocabulary is more a case of memorization, and the structure? Don't get me started. I will learn it though. I have to in order to do the work God has called us to do here in Guatemala.
I think I hear the oven calling me...chicken enchiladas tonight. YUM! I'm gathering typical recipes from Guatemala now...look out...you may find that I ask you to buy a cookbook! :)
God Bless y'all! Keep us in your prayers, and if you are able to contribute financially to the work we are doing here in Guatemala, please go to www.mvi.org/donations fill in the appropriate information, and then click the field coordinator box and write in "Rileys" in the blank.
We love and miss y'all bunches!
Lisa
I know we've described the power situation here many times...but it is flat scary! They pull the lines by hand, and if a new meter is installed, the line is just strung along all the others, and across, and on top of....so entertaining. Power outages are common here...I wonder why! :) The power was out when we got home today from the tree falling...even though that happened several miles away.
We are busy with our Spanish lessons. No one ever told me learning a new language in my forties was going to be this hard! We are both making good progress though. Vocabulary is more a case of memorization, and the structure? Don't get me started. I will learn it though. I have to in order to do the work God has called us to do here in Guatemala.
I think I hear the oven calling me...chicken enchiladas tonight. YUM! I'm gathering typical recipes from Guatemala now...look out...you may find that I ask you to buy a cookbook! :)
God Bless y'all! Keep us in your prayers, and if you are able to contribute financially to the work we are doing here in Guatemala, please go to www.mvi.org/donations fill in the appropriate information, and then click the field coordinator box and write in "Rileys" in the blank.
We love and miss y'all bunches!
Lisa
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Drama in Guatemala!
Have you ever started a year out thinking it was going to be great, and then things decided to go sour? Thank goodness we have a God who is bigger than all these issues Satan keeps throwing in our path! I started the year in a cast on my wrist. If you've never broken a bone, you simply can't imagine what a pain in the neck it is to do anything you would normally do without thinking. I found myself washing dishes a whole lot less (I dislike doing them anyway!) fixing things to eat that didn't require the motion of rolling my wrist, and showering with a trash bag on my arm. Oooh...do you know how hard it is to put deodorant on without using both hands? Drove me crazy!
So we were muddling along with my cast, and I had about 7 days to go before it came off. We had been working with our immigration lawyer to get our residence visa applications complete and in process before our 90 day stamp expired. In Guatemala, and I'm sure in other countries too, you come in on a tourist visa and you get a certain length of time. For Guatemala, it's 90 days. Before that 90 days expires, you have to go to Migracion and get a second stamp for another 90 days. Before that second stamp expires, you either have your visa application filed with Migracion, or...you leave the country. We thought everything was a go. Background checks, (fingerprints were $110 a piece!) marriage license, birth certificates, the application, translations, the works. This is a process that had we known what we were walking into, we would have gotten all the paperwork from the States before we left! Mainly because the paperwork has to be certified by the State you are from, as well as the nearest Guatemalan consulate. Yeah. The applications go to Migracion, and 5 days before our stamp expires, I got an email. Seems that Migracion took exception to a misdemeanor Bill got 22 years ago. Didn't matter that he hadn't been in any kind of trouble since...they saw the word guilty on it, and refused his application. The lawyer told us that since the application wasn't accepted, we needed to leave Guatemala for at least 48 hours. We started scrambling. Checked out flights, bus trips, you name it. Because we don't own a vehicle here, we couldn't drive to Mexico or Belize. We had to go another way. Bill is totally not a fan of long bus rides, and it looked like the shortest trip was at least 12 hours. So we bought tickets to Orlando, FL. No Disney, no Universal, just us going to Orlando to get out of the country. Did I tell you that AC is virtually non existent in Panama? Hot, humid Panama? Yes, we went to Orlando by way of Panama! We didn't have time to leave the airport and sightsee, but what I saw from the plane showed that Panama is a beautiful country!
We spent 4 days in Orlando. While we were there, we met with staff at Missionary Ventures, our sending organization; we went to a CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Assn.) meeting, went to a missions fair at First Baptist Orlando, had dinner with MVI friends twice, and went to church in Tampa. All in all, a fast and furious 4 days. We are back, and settling back into the routine of school every morning and studying every afternoon. I will get this, I swear I will!
Now we need to find a lawyer to help us get Bill's misdemeanor expunged from his record. He is eligible, and since it's been 22 years, it shouldn't be an issue. But in order for that to happen, papers have to be filed, and the courts recommend that a lawyer do that to ensure it's all done correctly the first time. Time is important in this case!
We are trying to raise funds to pay for Spanish school at this time. Any and all donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated. You can go here and make an online donation. Fill in your information, click the box for "field coordinator" and put "the Rileys" in the blank. If you want to mail a donation, send it to: Missionary Ventures, International, 5144 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32809. Put a note in saying that your donation is preferenced for the ministry of the Rileys.
God Bless y'all, and please keep praying for us!
Lisa
So we were muddling along with my cast, and I had about 7 days to go before it came off. We had been working with our immigration lawyer to get our residence visa applications complete and in process before our 90 day stamp expired. In Guatemala, and I'm sure in other countries too, you come in on a tourist visa and you get a certain length of time. For Guatemala, it's 90 days. Before that 90 days expires, you have to go to Migracion and get a second stamp for another 90 days. Before that second stamp expires, you either have your visa application filed with Migracion, or...you leave the country. We thought everything was a go. Background checks, (fingerprints were $110 a piece!) marriage license, birth certificates, the application, translations, the works. This is a process that had we known what we were walking into, we would have gotten all the paperwork from the States before we left! Mainly because the paperwork has to be certified by the State you are from, as well as the nearest Guatemalan consulate. Yeah. The applications go to Migracion, and 5 days before our stamp expires, I got an email. Seems that Migracion took exception to a misdemeanor Bill got 22 years ago. Didn't matter that he hadn't been in any kind of trouble since...they saw the word guilty on it, and refused his application. The lawyer told us that since the application wasn't accepted, we needed to leave Guatemala for at least 48 hours. We started scrambling. Checked out flights, bus trips, you name it. Because we don't own a vehicle here, we couldn't drive to Mexico or Belize. We had to go another way. Bill is totally not a fan of long bus rides, and it looked like the shortest trip was at least 12 hours. So we bought tickets to Orlando, FL. No Disney, no Universal, just us going to Orlando to get out of the country. Did I tell you that AC is virtually non existent in Panama? Hot, humid Panama? Yes, we went to Orlando by way of Panama! We didn't have time to leave the airport and sightsee, but what I saw from the plane showed that Panama is a beautiful country!
We spent 4 days in Orlando. While we were there, we met with staff at Missionary Ventures, our sending organization; we went to a CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Assn.) meeting, went to a missions fair at First Baptist Orlando, had dinner with MVI friends twice, and went to church in Tampa. All in all, a fast and furious 4 days. We are back, and settling back into the routine of school every morning and studying every afternoon. I will get this, I swear I will!
Now we need to find a lawyer to help us get Bill's misdemeanor expunged from his record. He is eligible, and since it's been 22 years, it shouldn't be an issue. But in order for that to happen, papers have to be filed, and the courts recommend that a lawyer do that to ensure it's all done correctly the first time. Time is important in this case!
We are trying to raise funds to pay for Spanish school at this time. Any and all donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated. You can go here and make an online donation. Fill in your information, click the box for "field coordinator" and put "the Rileys" in the blank. If you want to mail a donation, send it to: Missionary Ventures, International, 5144 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32809. Put a note in saying that your donation is preferenced for the ministry of the Rileys.
God Bless y'all, and please keep praying for us!
Lisa
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Hope this isn't the start...
of something ugly. Honestly, I believe it's just an indication of my ability to coordinate my brain and my body. :) The last time I broke a bone, it was January 1, 1999. I ended up with a compound spiral tib/fib break, which kept me from walking on it for 4.5 months, and in a cast for 6.5 months. This one should be much easier...a break in the big bone in my wrist. My right wrist, of course, and I'm right handed. It's supposed to be in a cast for a month. It isn't slowing me down too much, except for sleep. That appears to be the time when my hand swells the most and aches. So I toss and turn. Here's a pic of me sporting my new decoration...
Yep, it's been an interesting week. I broke my wrist Monday evening, and we started language school on Wednesday. That's another thing...we spent the money we had put aside for language classes this month on my accident. FRUSTRATING! We will figure it out somehow, because I believe that the Lord wants us here and I know He will provide. If you would like to contribute to our mission, please go to this link www.mvi.org/donations and fill in the information. Make sure you scroll down to the space marked "field coordinator", click that and write Rileys in the blank! It's tax deductible, and MVI will send you a receipt.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Yep, it's been an interesting week. I broke my wrist Monday evening, and we started language school on Wednesday. That's another thing...we spent the money we had put aside for language classes this month on my accident. FRUSTRATING! We will figure it out somehow, because I believe that the Lord wants us here and I know He will provide. If you would like to contribute to our mission, please go to this link www.mvi.org/donations and fill in the information. Make sure you scroll down to the space marked "field coordinator", click that and write Rileys in the blank! It's tax deductible, and MVI will send you a receipt.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
Monday, January 9, 2012
Visas in process...and language school to start!
Wow...it's been a busy week. We had a team come in last Thursday night from Austin, TX. What a great bunch of people. They went northwest to Huehuetenango, where they are doing construction work. They'll be back on Wednesday night, and we'll house them overnight and send them on their way home to Texas. This team is the first we've seen since November, and they brought us mail! (Ok, so imagine that you only get mail once a month....that's where we are!) In the mail was the last piece of documentation that we needed to start our residential visas for Guatemala. This is an expensive process. All together, our costs are over $1000. That's a huge chunk of money...but necessary for staying here. Otherwise, every 180 days you have to leave the country for 72 hours.
In the meantime, we start language school this week. This too is necessary to survive down here. If we don't know the language, how are we going to minister to the people? We have managed to use broken English and very broken Spanish to get by so far, but we are feeling like we can't go any farther, nor can we be a success at our jobs without Spanish. Rosetta Stone was mentioned, but the Guatemalteco dialects use words that aren't the same as Mexican Spanish. Language school looks like it is going to to cost us about $3,300. That is a huge amount of money, and we need to raise it in the next three months.
Our next team will arrive on the 21st. They'll stay overnight, and head for Nebaj. What a beautiful place! They'll be up there just over a week, and then come back to spend a few nights with us before heading home. This team is working with MV Canada.
The next team after that is due in February 5....love having teams here and being able to serve them! Truly, I can't imagine being anywhere but here, doing what we are doing!
Vaya con Dios, amigos!
Lisa
In the meantime, we start language school this week. This too is necessary to survive down here. If we don't know the language, how are we going to minister to the people? We have managed to use broken English and very broken Spanish to get by so far, but we are feeling like we can't go any farther, nor can we be a success at our jobs without Spanish. Rosetta Stone was mentioned, but the Guatemalteco dialects use words that aren't the same as Mexican Spanish. Language school looks like it is going to to cost us about $3,300. That is a huge amount of money, and we need to raise it in the next three months.
Our next team will arrive on the 21st. They'll stay overnight, and head for Nebaj. What a beautiful place! They'll be up there just over a week, and then come back to spend a few nights with us before heading home. This team is working with MV Canada.
The next team after that is due in February 5....love having teams here and being able to serve them! Truly, I can't imagine being anywhere but here, doing what we are doing!
Vaya con Dios, amigos!
Lisa
Monday, January 2, 2012
Assistance needed....
I have to go on record and say this has to be my least favorite kind of post. But...that being said, we need your help. Our mission is insisting that we attend language school so that we can speak to the people of Guatemala and do our job well. Our job is hosting teams here at the mission house. It's hard to do when you can't speak the language and you have to interact with people on a daily basis.
We have signed up to begin language school in Antigua next Monday. We will go every single weekday, from 8-12. The cost is $140 per person per week, or $1,120 per month. Where does your assistance come in? I wish I could say we have enough support coming in to cover it, but we don't. Being here strictly on support, with no guaranteed income, is faith-stretching to say the least.
Would you please prayerfully consider contributing to the cost of our language school? The people who attend such schools are saying that we should be at a good level in about 3 months. Therefore, we will need to raise $3,360 to pay for the language school. We know that no one is well-off, but you would not believe what a difference even $25 per month makes. If you cannot contribute to us, would you please pray for the provision to come in? Prayers are equally important in supporting a missionary.
You can click this link: www.mvi.org/donations and complete the online donation form. Please click the box next to "Field Coordinator" and fill in "Rileys" in the blank. Or you can send a check or money order to Missionary Ventures, International, P.O. Box 593550 , Orlando, FL 32859. Please enclose a note saying that your donation is preferenced to the ministry of the Rileys.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
We have signed up to begin language school in Antigua next Monday. We will go every single weekday, from 8-12. The cost is $140 per person per week, or $1,120 per month. Where does your assistance come in? I wish I could say we have enough support coming in to cover it, but we don't. Being here strictly on support, with no guaranteed income, is faith-stretching to say the least.
Would you please prayerfully consider contributing to the cost of our language school? The people who attend such schools are saying that we should be at a good level in about 3 months. Therefore, we will need to raise $3,360 to pay for the language school. We know that no one is well-off, but you would not believe what a difference even $25 per month makes. If you cannot contribute to us, would you please pray for the provision to come in? Prayers are equally important in supporting a missionary.
You can click this link: www.mvi.org/donations and complete the online donation form. Please click the box next to "Field Coordinator" and fill in "Rileys" in the blank. Or you can send a check or money order to Missionary Ventures, International, P.O. Box 593550 , Orlando, FL 32859. Please enclose a note saying that your donation is preferenced to the ministry of the Rileys.
God Bless y'all!
Lisa
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