Tuesday, December 31, 2013

What happened to 2013?

I know this is a time to look back at what happened in 2013, and let me tell you - it was a year filled with a whole lot! Not only stuff with our ministry, but personally as well.  At one point, looking back at just the last 6 months I felt that if A&E was going to drop Duck Dynasty, they should consider heading down to Honduras and for us to be the next reality show - that is the ONLY way the last 6 months could actually have happened - someone must have scripted our ministry/lives as a reality show...there just is no other way...on that note:

January - School supply distribution to over 500 kids; planted our first church; started prepping the clinic to open next month.

February - grand opening of The Clinic of the Tree of Life in Armenia Bonito.  A 5 1/2 year dream of mine.  After having weekly mobile clinics, this was a blessed relief!  My dad was visiting and had the opportunity to be there at the grand opening.  Clinic open four days a week.  We also hosted two short-term teams in February, one was the first medical brigade in the clinic - after a few tweeks, it proved to be quite successful.

March - established an inventory system in the clinic, started electronic patient data information, and internet came to Armenia!  We are the only customers with our sattelite on top of the clinic, but it works!

April - Started my Masters Class through Loma Linda University - Public Health Population Medicine.  This is a quarter system, and am taking one class at a time.  As it is a 54 unit degree, I have a long path ahead of me.

May - both Mike and I made separate support raising trips to the U.S.

June - Beginning of short term mission trip season.  Through the next 2 months we hosted 10 additional teams for a total of 127 missionaries for the year.  Madison also graduated Honduran High School.  We also started another church plant.

July - Our team mates, The Clows, are foster parents for a little 2 1/2 year old Honduran boy (Elias) and were unable to get a visa for him to go with them on furlough, so we started taking care of this little guy.  Yes, it's been a very long time since we have had diapers and a hyper little toddler around the house, and doing all this while still hosting teams was a bit challenging, but Madison helped out in a BIG way being the big sister she never had a chance to be.

August - we continued with short term teams

Setember - Another trip for Mike to the U.S. and we hosted a party for Day of the Child - had 120 kids come for food, a gospel message, and a gift.

October - this month we established an additional church plant, and the women of Team Honduras went on a retreat.  My sweet friend Mindy came to visit and worked alongside me at clinic.

November - Mike had another trip to the U.S., then a trip to the Dominican Republic, and Dr. Roger took a trip to the U.S. to work alongside some doctors who had come on a short term trip here.  My dad was also able to be with us over the Thanksgiving holiday.

December - Christmas party for the Kids of Kids Club, and we officially turned over this 5 1/2 year ministry to the church plant with Pastor Jesus.  We established our fourth church plant, hired staff for the high school in Armenia that will be opening in February, offered an etrance exam for kids wishing to start in the high school, and was the 1 year anniversary with Dr. Roger working with us.  We also saw the return of the Clow family and with a bittersweet heart we turned little Elias back over to them.  And during that time we dealt with house break-ins, dog stealings (not ours, one we were watching), and another dog who became severely ill and almost died (not ours, a different one we were caring for).  There was a motorcycle accident in front of our house, and we were first responders to that, and well...a whole lot more.  But...if you have made it this far, then I applaud you and will finish up with a huge well wishes for a Happy New Year - I pray you will listen to the  Lord's will for you this year and come down and see us some time! 

Or...you could wait until July 2014 when we go on furlough....but there is so much more happening between now and then that just seems like a lifetime away!

Chao! 


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