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

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

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