Coming to (and from) America...

Once being a Geography teacher, I have always had a hard time when people refer to the U.S. as just America, when America includes North and South and the region of Central America. In El Salvador, to not use the term, 'Gringa' too much, they would call me the 'Americana', but they too are 'Americanos'!  I couldn't say that I was from North America, because Central America is also included in the continent, because sometimes they would call me the 'Norteamericana'.  So in the end I was 'estadounidense'  which there is not a literal translation in English it would be like saying, United Statesian.

 

Lucas was the only one on the whole
plane studying the safety card!

 
Well after all the stress, sadness and anxiety of leaving our home in Ojos de Agua, we made it safely to the USA. We are thankful to all of you who prayed for us as we traveled...our prayers were answered! We had spent the last couple weeks weighing our luggage to not exceed the 50 lb weight limit. On American Airlines one has to pay an extra $30 for the second checked bag and $150 for the third. We had two pieces of luggage for each of us which included Lucas' car seat. I had one extra piece that I had resigned to pay the $150.  Upon arriving at the airport, we didn't have to wait in any lines, walked right up to the counter, and nice woman working there did not charge me extra for the car seat, so we were still able to make it within our travel budget! The flight was not full, and Lucas was the best behaved child one could ask for. He has been so excited for months to travel in an airplane! Our first stop was Dallas where we had to go through immigration and customs. Since we had a nice long layover, we took our time getting off the plane and again didn't have any lines to wait in at immigration. They went through Camilo's paperwork and we all got through no problem!  To go through customs we had to gather up all of our checked luggage and then re-check it to LA.  We got to the luggage carrousel and there was all of our stuff in a pile, there was no one else waiting for luggage! A very nice man helped us load it all onto one push cart and, still thinking in  Spanish, I told him, 'Gracias'.  

ready to go!



Arriving in LA, oddly, there was no one else picking up their luggage, and all of ours was going round and round on the belt... another answer to prayer, that all of our luggage made it, no problem!
We had to wait a bit for Camilo's dad to pick us up, when he arrived he took us to Jose and Isabel Melgar's home in North Hills where we would stay the night. These are our dear friends from Ojos de Agua that have supported our missionary work and the building project.  They recently helped raise funds with their church (Iglesia de Dios Reseda, CA) to purchase the remaining windows and the doors!!

As we entered their home we were greeted with many smiling faces and a welcome song! They had planned a Welcome Surprise Party for us with the members of their church!  Even though we were tired from traveling, this was just what we needed as we had just had a very sad goodbye.  We are so grateful to the Lord for our brothers and sisters in Reseda.



Arrived into Tulare on December 3rd with the Melgar Family
and Camilo´s father

The next morning, Jose and his family drove us all the way to Tulare, to my mom's home where we will be for a little while. We had a nice time of fellowship with them.

Now that we are here, we have been seeking opportunities to plant a Hispanic church in the area.  Please keep this process in your prayers. We also ask that you would pray for God's provision.

We are happy to be here, especially to spend Christmas with mom, my brother and his family. We will get to meet our niece, Avery for the first time!

Thank you for your support and we also wish you a Merry Christmas!

Here´s Lucas adjusting...

He helped Grandma decorate the tree and quickly invented a violin!

He has his own room at Grandma´s.
Here he´s enjoying a good read!

our luggage made it safely!

Just another reason why I love Salvadorians...

Well the beautiful people of El Salvador welcomed me with loving open arms when I came to the country in August 2003, and now I leave with an entire family, and this is probably the hardest  good-bye that I've had to face...

We've had an emotional month.  Yesterday evening we finished up a tour of visiting/saying good-byes to seven different congregations. The most difficult yet to come, next Sunday in Ojos de Agua. In each place we've visited, we've shared our praises to the Lord for the many ways these brothers and sisters have blessed us and they have expressed their gratitude to us.  All we can do is give God the glory for all He has done and how we have just been His instruments. In every church we've visited, we've been commissioned to our new mission field, with prayers for protection, guidance, and blessing. In almost every service the congregation has recited (traditionally said here for birthdays), Numbers 6:24-26:

“The LORD bless you and keep you;  the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;  the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Currently we are resting at the beach after spending Sunday evening at Camilo's home church here in Puerto de La Libertad. After saying good-byes to some aunts and cousins here, we'll be headed home late afternoon to start our last full week in Ojos de Agua.  The week will include, two 9th grade graduations (Tuesday and Friday), packing, leading our last prayer service on Wednesday, packing, closing up bank accounts, getting this computer cleaned up to leave with the church, packing, cleaning, and more!  After our last service in Ojos de Agua on Sunday the 27th, we'll be clearing out our house Monday morning and in the evening head to San Salvador to spend the last few days in the country supposedly resting....but I imagine we'll fill the time with last good-byes to our family and friends in the city! 

**We appreciate your prayers as we travel and good health as we finish up these last few days here.

Here are some photos of some of our church visits:

We also visited the following churches, not mentioned below:  Esmirna Church, MCA, Portrero Sula, Nueva Concepción and Betel Church, Nueva Concepeción

"Welcome to your home missionaries" reads the sign behind us at Faro de Luz Church, MCA in Las Pavas

They were finishing up celebrating a week of missions.

After we had a time of sharing, the church elders prayed for us.

Sending off prayer at Brisas del Edén Church, MCA Ayutuxtepeque

Sharing at Betania Church, MCA Las Cañas, Nueva Concepción

Special presentation by children of Beerseba Church, MCA, Santa Rosa Ciudad Arce

Commissioning prayer with church leaders and special visitors, missionary, Nahun Martinez and his father

Beerseba Church blessed us with gifts for the cold weather, Lucas couldn't wait to model his very Salvadorian hat and scarf!

More special moments...

Camilo's last sermon
Sunday, October 30, Camilo gave his last sermon at Ojos de Agua Community Church.  It was an emotional service, and not even our last one yet!  He spoke on Paul's words of thanks to the Phillipians 1:3-11.  
A special moment during the service was when our little friend, Oscar sang his first solo. He is one that we have been trying to help for sometime and it has been an extra special blessing from the Lord to see how God has worked in his life.

Oscar singing a solo

Pre-teen group singing with Diego's debut on the guitar

Pastors' Wives and Children Retreat: November 1-2
A group of about 13 of us arrived from the Chalatenango region at the Mission Home for a special retreat for Pastors' wives and their children. It was a special time for relaxing, listening to one another and to special teachings from God's word. The children (majority adolescents) had a special time together. This was a much needed time for the family as sometimes we feel isolated where we serve and it was refreshing to share our praises and burdens with one another. At the end of the retreat, the women said a special good-bye to me. I am thankful for the time with these ladies and their children. 

 

Saying some good-byes already!

During the first week of November we had our last Pastors and wives meeting for the region of Chalatenango. We met at a local park in Nueva Concepción where Lucas could get some swimming in. They served a nice lunch, words of thanks, and a few tears. We were then invited by three pastors to visit their churches this coming week! The November calendar is full, and we appreciate your prayers for safety as we travel quite a bit this month visiting various congregations.

Pastors of churches in Chalatenango region

Lucas with his friend Luis

Lucas and Josué

Receiving a special recognition from Nueva Jerusalen Church, Coyolito

A special note from the wives group

Pastors' wives group

visa here!

Yesterday we went and picked up Camilo's passport with visa!  Our flight is scheduled for December 2. In November we plan on visiting four different churches to 'say good-bye'. Keep us in your prayers as we make this tough transition out of El Salvador.

It's time...

Good News...
This month of October has been filled with lots of rain, sleepless nights, and just waiting.  Finally, last Thursday Camilo received a call from the U.S. Embassy saying that they approved the visa!  It is in the mail now and we plan to pick it up this coming Thursday.  We are so thankful for this answer to prayer and thank you to everyone for your support during this process!

Our travel plans are to leave El Salvador by the end of November.  We'll keep you all posted.  Please pray for this last month here, and our transition time.

still waiting

As we are in transition to leave the mission field, we wait and wait for the Embassy's response. I don't understand how they work, one week they allow the second interviews and the next, when it's Camilo's turn, no second interviews for anyone.  The law says I do not have to travel before him, but with him, and obviously that's what we want to do. After sending in documentation to the Embassy, we haven't heard anything. I sent the same information via email in pdf files, and they just told me that they passed it on to the Immigration Visa Unit.

I need to call to find out, but have been avoiding this because it is about $3/ minute to call them!

Meanwhile...

Lucas shows his patriotism on El Salvador's Independence Day, Sept. 15

"Every cloud has a silver lining", in this case a rainbow!  Lucas spotted this first, "mira mami, un arcoiris!"

Have never seen anything like this before, a cloud rainbow! This was taken from my front porch.