Bumpy roads

I would like to say Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all our ministering saints of the LORD Jesus Christ. Thank you for being so close to our Saviour that you hear his desires and help on His behalf as the Spirit has led. It has been a long and bumpy road this year, but many blessing came out of the battles. Souls saved and baptized, church buildings built, new places evangelized, the seed of future churches sprouting and new children accepted into the Children‘s Lighthouse.
My wife and I went out for our traditional Chinese meal for our 29^th wedding anniversary yesterday (started because this was the only place open on Christmas eve 29 years ago). It is the only time all year we are able to go out for an hour or so just by our selves. What did we do for dessert? Go to a very poor neighborhood vbs one of our preacher’s wives was doing and hand out a few toys and shoot the candy cannon. Then hear children squeal in excitement, amen. On the way home we visit a few more living in mud homes or shacks from scraps and bring smiles in a similar way. Another Amen. Lisa is in high gear trying to ready for the wedding of our son Jr. Bakeingglueingsewingprinting it is a blur to me…I am having a hard time just staying out of the way . The LORD has provided and the wedding is on track despite a major financial fault. Money is always a hindrance here but it never seems to stop what the LORD wants done. The church in the mountain is ready for the roof now, but the funds we were banking on for did not materialize as planned either. Was not in our control to make it all happen. Like all the other times we just wait on the LORD. Need $12-1500 in materials to roof the church. Must be done before the rains come back in Feb else we end up with a really big baptistery pool instead of a church.
Went up the mountain Sat for another church outing and with 30 people in the kia it broke a fan belt. No tools, no cell service, thankfully there was a little shade. The starter was bad from a few days earlier and was not even in the kia but at the electric shop. We have been push starting it. A passer by picked up most of folks to head to the church a short time later a second picked up the rest to head to the meeting. We then walked till we found a signal then no one would answer. Finally got a hold of Blanca and she offered to come out and rescue us but her car was not good for the mountain. So I got the kia turned put in neutral and began a rollercoaster ride back down, no breaks, no engine, no power steering letting it roll as fast as we dared for as long as we dared till I would catch the last momentum of the roll start it for 15-20 seconds just enough to cross the next rise and continue coasting. After 20 minutes, a few airborne moments and people walking along the road covered in dust... presto back down at the highway ready to be towed. Found a belt, got it changed and the folks picked back up. The next morning Sunday picked up folks for church only to have it overheat again because the belts were loose. Tighten them up during services then after church Lisa drives it to town and picks up needed food and supplies. Monday morning I use it and it breaks down again shredding the belts. Found a bolt was broken on the alternator mount, fix bolt, replace belts…again on Christmas eve morning. Thankfully many busnesses are in homes and you can catch someone "home" even if the shop is closed. Then take Lisa out for lunch, and you now know a little of the effort it takes to do the sweet story above. And during this time we also had a baby in the hospital being cared for and the 20+ children in the Lighthouse being cared for…And and an american visitor who brought a well specalist who dropped a camera down our well to examine it and offered to fix our unfinished well situation, that is big amen. Just like juggling, as long as you can keep the balls in the air you can hold more than you can carry, just have to keep throwing higher and higher with more and more strength. Ps 18:2 Merry Christmas. Now it is time to go spend time with the 20 something children this Christmas morning…for such is the kingdom of heaven…amen. Why do we do what we do?… Wweeell this note is my only Christmas present I received this year. I was handed it this morning from one of our children here named Patricia a true orphan…it was sufficient. Nothing you could buy could top this… Merry Christmas…