Good morning!

My dear friends.

It has been so long since I have written, and I have a lot of news for you. May God be my strength and help to get my newsletter out to you and get on the roll.

Today, is Wednesday, and we are nearing the end of January. This month has been full of many exciting things, amidst camp for the PKs, seeing them renew their lives and feeling an exciting direction from God myself. It encourages me to pray more for the pastor's kids when I begin to see and understand what they suffer. Many do not understand these things.

We had a national emergency on January 8th, the first day of our pastor's kids camp, as a 6.5 earthquake shook our grounds, but the Lord faithfully protected us at the campgrounds in Sarapiqui, although we were quite close to the source of the earthquake. I have never felt something so powerful or incredible in my life, and I was reminded of the power of God.

Incredible damage was done and relief groups are still being sent to help re-build homes for the 2000 people who were misplaced. The work is going well, and God is providing.

This month has been so full of things, so that time seemed to go slow in a wierd way. Yet, one finds it difficult to get everything done. One of my favorite children, from the children's home that I visit in Cartago, is getting a home with her 3 other siblings and I am so glad for her!!! They will be going to stay with her uncle. I see the difficult things these children have struggled with and please remember to pray for Nicole, (11 going on 15), Alison (3), Marcos 8, and Michael (?). They are precious kids, but this transition will not be easy for them. It is so much better that they are in a loving home where they have two parents. Pray for wisdom for their adoptive parents who are actually their uncles, and pray that they would be well cared for. They have been children who were living on the streets and suffering the hardship of life on the street before PANI (child protection here in Costa Rica) took them to this children's home.
I am going to miss them, but I am so happy for them.

We are full fledged into the project of Jon's book. I am working on surveys for him. The Dahlager kids are getting big and they are so precious.

This month I have begun working on developing the plans I have for future ministry. I am constantly seeking God for his direction and guidance, and I have been working with a friend in the area of evangelism. Right now, we are asking everyone to pray for these two guys we have recently gotten acquainted with who are interested in the word of God but feel bound by sin. Pray for freedom, and that they will feel the love of Jesus. My friend and I are seeking the Lord for a greater compassion and that God would give us grace as we minister.

I have a meeting this Friday with one of the English teachers from the PIEDAD schools here, and we will be discussing the English program. I hope that I can continue to be of service to them.

God has strengthened my faith over this past month, as I have struggled with some basic issues of our theology. It is interesting how things that you have always believed so firmly can be challenged, and in one moment you can have a shift in your whole view on things, but then God just took those moments and used them to strengthen my faith and cause me to come back stronger. I have been diving deeper into his Word these days and enjoying knowing Him more.

There are too many things I could tell you, my readers about. Too many dreams, hopes, and risks that I am beginning to take to even tell you all about them.

May my life be all about him and all about making his name known to the ends of the earth!!! Jesus is my rock. My dreams could die, my hopes could vanish away,

but my Jesus is the best friend I have, for He has given me the only thing that really matters: and that is a restored relationship with the Heavenly Father. It is for the matchless love of a Father and His Son that have given me reason to shout, reason to be a missionary.

This is all I want. That the world may know him. However possible!!!

"and to all who received Him, to those who believed on his name, to them he gave the power to become children of God. These were not born by blood, nor by human desire or will, rather they were born of God." John 1:12-13