October Update

Update from Robby:

This month’s newsletter is a little different because Lori and I decided to each give an update on what has been happening this past month. It has been a little crazy with all the moving around but during this past month I was able to attend Hand Pump Repair Training with Edge Outreach located here in Louisville. Many of you may remember me attending training with Edge back in July on the water purification systems. The Hand Pump Training was an intense three days of hands on training where we were taught how to identify, diagnose, and repair problems on four different types of wells and hand pumps. The hand pumps that we worked with are located around the world. During the training I learned that it is estimated that about 70% of the existing wells are not functioning. These same wells and hand pumps are located throughout Guatemala. I am looking forward to getting started repairing these broken pumps and also being able to teach the people how to repair and maintain the wells and hand pumps themselves. But more importantly I look forward to developing relationships with the people that are in need of clean and safe drinking water.

I thought this summed up what I hope to share with the people of Guatemala:

Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, stream of living water will flow from within him.” By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. John 7:37-39 (NIV)

Update from Lori:

Yesterday as we were leaving the mall, Cohen asked where we were going and Robby answered that we were going home. Cohen’s response: “Which home?” Sounds like a silly question, but as I think back over the past few months I realize this wasn’t such a strange question for him to ask. At the beginning of June we moved from our house to a friend’s house for a few weeks. Then the kids and I stayed for a few weeks at my mom’s house while Robby stayed in Louisville to work. We went back to our friend’s house for a few weeks and then went on vacation. When we returned from vacation we stayed at Robby’s parents’ house for a few weeks. Finally, in September we moved into an apartment where we plan to be until we move to Guatemala.

If it sounds exhausting to you, let me tell you that it was! I must admit that all this moving and uncertainty was not my favorite. There were plenty of days when I should have been thanking God for providing a place for my family to stay that instead I was grumbling about all of the inconveniences I had to deal with. I know God was not punishing me, but instead preparing me – preparing me for a new and crazy life in a third-world country.

Today Psalm 119:71, 75-76 really spoke to me:

“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees….I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort.”

It was good that I went through that disruption because it brought me closer to God. He allowed that craziness because He knew I needed it to prepare me for living in Guatemala. And with His faithfulness and love He brought me through it. I know that He will continue to be faithful.

Financial Update:

We have currently raised 65% of our monthly budget. We were excited to meet with Springdale Community Church again this month and hear that they will be partnering with us. They are currently working on their budget for next year so we do not have any exact amount but their support will begin in January of 2011!

Also, this month we were happy to meet with the pastor of Williamstown Christian Church to make plans for us to return on November 14th. We will be sharing with both morning services as well as a Sunday School Class more about ourselves and the work we will be doing. The goal of this Missions Sunday is to get the congregation excited about missions and invite individuals and families to partner with our ministry.

Randy Gordon, the missions minister from our home church has told us that Northeast will be partnering with us and will have a proposal to us by the end of this week! We are looking forward to meeting with Randy sometime this week.


Prayer Requests:

We ask that you pray for us as we continue our language learning.
We ask you to pray for our funding to come together so that we may move to Guatemala at the beginning of January.
Please continue to keep the girls at Mimi’s House in your prayers.
Pray that our family will have a smooth transition in our move.
Thank God for how He has blessed us as we have made these changes in our lives.
Thank God for Edgar who is the Guatemalan missionary that we will be working with.
Thank God for our friends and family who have continued to give us support and encouragement.