End of the year post

We are back in our native state of Mississippi, enjoying the holidays with family and friends. We have left Peru for a season, home again here to visit churches and supporters, raise more support and awareness, and refocus our minds and calling as we prepare to go back to Peru after a time and continue in the work. It is a shock moving between cultures, as we face conflicting emotions; sadness at leaving our friends in Peru, and joy with the happy reunions we find here in the states. But God is good and is helping our transition. We plan on placing our kids in Pearl public schools for the next term, and Dale will be busy making phone calls and lining up visits to churches and other places.....(he hopes to apply to grant institutions and foundations to raise money for the Arevelo hospital construction, please be in prayer about this!)
Here are some photos of our last days in Peru
Caleb's birthday party, Lauren's Christmas program at her school, Dale's last day at the clinic,

Springtime

It's Spring here in Trujillo, but the weather makes it still seem like winter.
We had the annual Spring Parade last week, with baton twirlers from the states here
to march and show their skills, a long-standing tradition I have heard. Rebekah celebrated her 10th birthday last month as you can see in the photo. We have been struggling financially lately, but God has blessed us with sufficient cash to get us
through the end of the year, at which time we will take our furlough. We had hoped to wait until next fall, but we will move it up to get started on more visits and fund-raising back in the states. It will be great for the clinic because next month Marcus and Whitney will be here in Trujillo, and the clinic will be in good hands with Dr. Marcus around. Our church in Arevelo continues to grow and recently we installed a permanent stage and pulpit, more photos to follow, which is a real beauty. All areas of ministry from the men's group to the children's classes are well attended and well taught. We are so glad to see this church maturing and the members bringing visitors and family members along to visit.

Improvements at Arevelo church

A team from Penn. is here now making us a new parking space in front of the Arevelo church where we attend as a family. They are mainly university students, here for two weeks. Rebekah went with me one day to help out, digging up sand and rock.
The clinic has two new interns here now, Daniel Johnston from Jackson, MS and Lydia Rice from Tupelo, MS. They are a big help and are working hard with us in the Wichanzao clinic. Here are some photos.

Fundraiser for Rocio Milagritos

 

Today the family of Milagritos had a "pollada" or grilled chicken sale. For 6 soles you buy your ticket, and they deliver your food for you, a portion of chicken, some potatoes, and beets with lettuce. They sold 200 tickets!
Pictured are Milagritos her sister, and our nurse Cinthia. Keep praying for her as she battles cancer.
And remember to give to our clinic patient fund!

Medical campaings!

 
It's been a busy past few weeks, with a lot going on down here,
Teams coming and going, and much fun visiting with them and ministering the
gospel at the same time. This photo was of a medical campaign in Cajamarca,
I was translating for Dr. Glover, and this nice couple came in, she was
shoeless and only had the use of one eye, and he was doing poorly himself, but they
were nice, and so grateful for the care they received..
Our friends from Kosciusko came and worked, and just yesterday the folks from TPC in
Tuscaloosa left after a week of medical work here in Trujillo, so today I can relax
some and prepare for all the follow up and catch up at the clinic...

Jacob is 12

 
 
Last Friday was Jacob's birthday, and on Saturday we took he and his friends to play paintball,
then came back to our house for pizza, cake and some gifts. And we added to our family a week earlier
by acquiring a kitten, mainly in hopes that one day he can deal with our rat family that lives in our sewage drains, and occasionaly enters our house to munch on our sofa. Jacob named him Levi, in honor of the Levis t shirt Caleb was wearing that day.
Switching subjects, Rocio Milagritos, the girl with cancer, has started her chemo and the oncologist gave her a fairly good prognosis. She has ovarian germ cell cancer, and has just finished her first cycle of treatment.

more shots

 
 
 
Us with Jack Vasquez, our friend and guide, in the treehouse, and later at a waterfall..