For these I am thankful (#23)...

HOMESCHOOLIING

I have not always been a fan of homeschooling.  In fact there was a time when I considered myself such a failure at it.  I couldn’t wait to put them in a school while on furlough.  And I resented God a bit for “forcing” into a homeschooling situation.

Wow.

So the fact that that I can honestly say that I am so very thankful to be homeschooling my children is a HUGE testament to God and his faithful patience with me. 

I love spending time with my children.  I love our flexibility.  I love learning with them.  I love bringing up everyday examples to illustrate their lessons.  I love being able to teach to their individual learning styles.  I love that they can go at their own pace.  I love that I get to read to them.  I love that we can all do history and science together.  I love that Jeff can teach Ryan math.  I love that Ginny and Joshua do math on the computer.  I love being able to teach Godly character traits alongside their lessons.  I love hearing my children memorize scripture as part of class.  I love having a daily bible class.   

For these I am thankful (#24)

GOOD BOOKS

In my down time, I really enjoy reading good books whether it is Christian fiction, a biography, a classic children’s book or a homeschool how-to book.  My children are also becoming avid readers and I am so thankful that they can lose themselves in a story.  Ryan and Joshua love mysteries and historical fiction and Ginny loves animal stories.  As a family, we always have a family book we’re reading through.  In November we read through a book of martyrs and now (in December) we’re reading an advent story.  Some of our very favorite family books are missionary biographies.  The Cross and the Switchblade is next on our family reading list.

For these I am thankful (#25)....

MINSTERING as a FAMILY

One thing that I love about life on the mission field is that we can minster as a family.  Our children come with us to mobile clinics, they sit with us at church, they go visiting with us and they spend time praying for the salvation of those we minister to.  I am so thankful that we have “jobs” that we can easily have them tag along.  We have seen their faith grow as we pray together for lives to be saved, people to be healed, friends to come back to church and for our own finances.    Missions is so real for them and I am so thankful.

WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT FRIENDS?

For these I am thankful (#22)...

FRIENDSHIPS

There was a time in my life, before moving to the mission field, when I believed I would shrivel up and die without interaction with friends.  I have since been through many times of just plain loneliness and I have survived...I have been sustained by Jesus.  He should be all I need, after all (oh the great many lessons I have learned on the field!).  Non-the-less, I am extremely thankful for friendships: old and new, near and far, English speaking or something else.   

I am also thankful for the friendships my children have.

For these I am thankful (#21)...

FINANCES

I am thankful for finances that come in monthly.  It has been many many many many month since we first started receiving support.  For those many many many many months our faith has been boasted.  Each month we are in awe of how God provides for us.  It is humbling to know that many are sacrificing so we can be serving in Paraguay.  What a tangible reminder that God wants us here for such a time as this.

OUR TOWN

For these I am thankful (#20).....

the Paraguayans in this little town we call home.

They’ve welcomed us into their community and have made us feel loved and accepted. 

Paraguayans are an incredible example of generosity (Jeff says that you cannot out give these people), creativity (have you see the post on my broom making experience?), and hard-workingness (3AM cow milking, anyone?).

Our Paraguayan friends have invited us to share their daily lives with them – their joys and their sufferings.  Best of all, they have allowed us to share with them our passion for Jesus Christ.  

JEFF'S NEWEST TOY

  For these I am thankful (#19).....

an EKG machine

and all the other wonderful equipment we’re able to provide for the people of rural Paraguay.  Jeff has the only EKG, ultrasound, and basic lab work within an hour’s drive.

I have been reminded again these past couple weeks that medical care here just isn’t the same as in North America. 

Our dear friend’s child has been in the hospital 5 hours away for close to 2 weeks.  The doctors think he has a tumor in his intestines, but because the doctors are all on strike, no one has come in to interpret the CAT scan findings.  Please be praying for him and his family.

Jeff attended to a 3 year old with cerebral edema from diabetic ketoacidosis.  He ended up going unconscious at our house while the grandma was out trying to find a ride to the hospital an hour away.  Our town ambulance has been broken for quite a while now.  They were able to get a ride in a police truck.  We were very worried for him, but he came back home after a few days full of energy.  The family has no idea what tests were run on their child while in the hospital and what any of the results were.  They were sent home with no information, medication, or anything helpful.

The doctor in our town did not renew his contract, so as of this week, Jeff is again the only physician for 3,000 people.  The doctor in the neighboring town (where we have been going weekly) also did not renew his contract.  Several thousand depend on that health post.  We’re praying that the government puts other doctors in their stead, but there is no guarantee.

A 17 year old in her 8^th month of pregnancy came in with really swollen ankles and high blood pressure.  Because of signs of pre-eclampsia, Jeff sent her to Caazapa (an hour away).  A week later we were playing volleyball outside and heard buzzing sound that.  Everyone immediately stopped the game and ran into the street.  Word trickled down to us that the young gal had died.  While the young girl was in Cazaapa, she had received no treatment.  Finally they sent her to Asuncion where they took the baby by c-section.  The following day she went into shock and died.  What we were hearing was the sound of wailing.  Mourning had begun 2 blocks away.  . 

The following day I found myself crying at the burial and hugging the mother tight.  The baby, praise God, is strong and healthy and will be raised by her grandmother.  

WHICH ONE is NOT LIKE the REST?

For these things I am thankful (#18)....

Little things that make me smile.

And there are lots of things that make me smile 'round here.

NOVEMBER VISITORS

For these I am thankful (#17)...

visitors

We really do enjoy having people stay with us whether it is missionaries from Paraguay coming for a weekend or interns or families from North America coming for a month or more.  It is encouraging to have people take an interest in what we are doing. So if you have any inkling....COME VISIT US...you never know what kind of adventures you will have in our neck of the woods!

The first weekend in November, our team mates came for a visit.  The kids had a blast setting off firecrackers together. 

Danielle (a short termer) holding a chicken for the first time!

The 2^nd weekend in November, the Salinas’ (missionary family from Paraguay) came to visit us.  They pruned my trees, worked in my garden, and brought us Dr Pepper.  It was pouring down rain on Sunday when they left.  It took them FIVE hours to drive what takes us 45 minutes to drive on a good day! They got stuck SEVEN times – once they were close enough for Jeff to help them out, once they were pulled by a passing tractor and the other times Gayna and her 13 year old son pushed them out! 

Ginny and their daughter working on Christmas crafts. 

The 3^rd weekend in November, we picked up a medical intern from Canada who will be with us for a month.  She will be shadowing Jeff in the mornings, having classes, doing house calls or visiting with us in the afternoon, and learning how to clip chicken wings in her spare time (photo below).

It doesn’t get more Paraguayan than this – attending a patient in a hammock while drinking terere

The 4^th weekend in November a team mate came out to visit us.  She has been serving in Paraguay for many years, but had never visited us.  We all had a great time.