Happy Birthday Bella!

Our Sweet Isabella turns 7 today!  Its hard to believe how quickly 7 years can go by.  Happy Birthday to the sweetest, most intelligent and funniest daughter ever!  You are amazing!

Teachers Needed

TEACHER and PRINCIPAL NEEDED!
Nate Saint Memorial School, a small K-8 school for missionaries’ children in Shell, Ecuador, needs a teacher and a principal for the 2012-2013 school year.
We typically have a staff of five teachers and average 25-35 students.
Each teacher is responsible for all course work for two grades. We require that our teachers are credentialed, and raise their own support.
We would prefer that the principal position be filled by someone with a teaching background and they would also need to raise their own support.

If you feel called to serve missionary children please contact Margie Grant at rgrant@maf.org for more information.

Prayer Request

View from our New Years Eve Getaway

Believe or not, it's been more than 2 1/2 years since we left for Ecuador and I still don't have my medical license.  The process is often a long one and I'm embarking on the last part - my rural year.  When medical students graduate from medical school here in Ecuador, they must complete a 'rural year' before they can move on to residencies or start practicing.  For some, this can take place in an isolated jungle community (far from any help) or in a large urban center.  Fortunately, past missionaries have been able to complete their rural year here in the hospital without having to move.  With an agreement between the hospital and the Ministry of Health, the salary that I'd receive would go into a fund that would be used to pay for care given to patients that come from Puyo (the capital of the province).

In the past, this all took place with a 'handshake' agreement. Recently, there has been a lot of turn over in the staff at the Ministry of Health  and now the road is bumpier. I have spent the last 3 days in multiple government offices trying to get things to work out.  Please pray that a solution can soon be found and that I can remain faithful especially when the path doesn't seem logical.  His grace has seen us this far and I'm certain that it will remain until the end.  Once I'm approved for my rural year and have completed it, the last step will be to get my name written in the "Book".  We will keep you updated.

Dressing Up

Once again this year our children got together to dress up for that very controversial American holiday that shall not be named. They went to each other's houses and one family even gave out "good American candy." Isabella was a vetrinarian.

Isabella as a vetrinarian.

Sebastiao as a serious chef

First Months of School

This was my sweet class on the first day of school. I started off with 6 students and now have 7 and hopefully will have 8 for the second semester. Aren't they cute!



We all dressed as secret agents to discover more about each other.












This is our class photo taken a few weeks ago. We are standing outside of the Nate Saint House.

Just One of the Guys

One of the great things about serving in Shell is being surrounded by a great group of believers that share in your hardships and joys. Recently a few of us got together to take a picture highlighting the joy that is to be hairless and have a goat-tee. On my left are Matt Kappen, Mike Tacheny, and Dan Benedick. Mike and Dan naturally were blessed with smooth scalps as I am so Matt decided that he would have to shave his head so he wouldn't be left out - 'reverse peer pressure'. He also grew a goat-tee. You can only imagine what a supportive wife Matt has to allow him to do this. His young daughter Lily wasn't too happy, though. Sadly, Matt's conversion "didn't take" and he's back to having to use hair gel.


Here, I'm sitting next to Mattias Egberth (one of our surgeons who is from Sweden), Dan and Matt. Since this picture was taken, Dan has moved back to the US and will be teaching residents in the Pacific Northwest. He will be sorely missed (more on that later). Please pray for our plucky group, as well as Dan, as he and his family start a new chapter in their lives.

Just a Few Months Late

Yes, I know.... school started over 3 months ago, but as most of you know, i haven't blogged much lately. Joe has taken over since I went back to work full time. I am teaching 1st and 2nd grade in the morning and then 5th through 7th grade sciences in the afternoon. Here are a few pictures from our first day of school way back in August. Thanks to my big sister who asked me to write a little more often... love you Lori!

Getting Ready for the First Day!


Mom needs a little, Ok a LOT of caffeine
to start the day.