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Newsletters
Jun 2010 |
Newsletters - Dec 2004Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua Dear Friends, While the date on the heading says December as I’m writing this I’ve got a turkey roasting in the oven and giblets cooking on the stove. It’s about 90 degrees in the kitchen but there are just some traditions that are difficult to let go of. Yes, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving. Today we’re joining our church family for a potluck Thanksgiving celebration at the church so we’ll be joined by 100 or more good friends as we enjoy many traditional and probably several untraditional Thanksgiving dishes. Dinner will be followed by… no, not a football game, but a time of praise and worship and some sharing of some of the things for which we are all so thankful. We would like to share some of those things with you, too. This is a good time to reflect on the year behind us and to concentrate, especially, on some of those things that often get overlooked when we always seem so intent on sharing just the big successes or important prayer needs. We’ll start with some of the little things for which we are thankful…
While we face many challenges, big and small, down here in our day to day living we also have the privilege of sharing many joys, as well. This month we are looking forward to celebrating the marriage of Amanda and Thomás. Amanda, as most of you know, has been living with us for the past 10 months and is partnering with us in the development of the sports center. She and Thomás will tie the knot on December 18th in a mixed-tradition wedding in their church here in Managua. The ceremony will be followed by a reception here at our home and sports center. It’s going to be a grand affair and we’re looking forward to hosting her family and friends here in our home for the week prior to the wedding. Counting our blessings wouldn’t be complete without counting YOU – our incredible friends and supporters. A day never goes by that we don’t think of you and give thanks for you in numerous ways. We are thankful for those of you who remember us with an occasional email message of encouragement or humor – we feel blessed to be remembered and our spirits are lifted through your messages. We are thankful for those of you who keep us posted on many day to day items of life that are going on where you live. You keep us feeling connected to our life beyond Nicaragua and abreast of the happenings in your lives as well. We are so thankful for those of you who remember us in your prayers. Often after sending out a newsletter we receive responses of assurance of prayer and we are always blessed to see God respond to your prayers in our lives down here. While prayer isn’t a magical fix-all to some of the struggles we face it always brings a response from God which provides that assurance of His presence here with us, guiding, guarding and loving us through good times and bad. Thank you so much for praying for us. And, finally, we are so thankful for those of you who are able to support us financially. All of your gifts that are directed to a specific project are always used in the manner you request and it’s with these type of gifts that we are able to continue the feeding program twice a week, cover the cost of operating and maintaining of the ministry center, and purchase special supplies for the preschool program. Many of you have given to sports center projects and those gifts have allowed us to purchase some of the materials needed for fencing and stadium repairs. We recognize daily that without support – both financial and prayer, we would not be able to live and minister here. We are so thankful for you. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, Serving Together, Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua. Eastside Development |
