"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is the Messiah, the Lord." Luke 2:11

Here in Guatemala, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th at midnight with fireworks and tamales. Our family will wait for Hannah and Matt to arrive on Monday. It works quite nicely...while everyone here is celebrating, we are finishing up our own preparations!

This has been a busy week, first with a Christmas party given in Chiminisijuan for close to 200 children. Our good friend Oralia went to share the story of Jesus' birth in the language and form that they can understand. I loved watching the faces of the children as they listened intently. The story that we are so familiar with is new to many of them and one that they can relate to...a child born into physical circumstances similar to their own, angels appearing to shepherds - which many of them literally are. Our desire of course is that they realize the reason for His coming. We really strive to avoid the temptation to make the celebration look like ours...with gift giving and traditions that our culture brings. So after the story we had them color and glitter a craft to hang in their homes with the text above and then gave away apples... the traditional Christmas treat here. It was quiet and simple...but lots of fun for both the children and the adults.

The next day we invited all the children and staff from the orphanage in San Andres to come for the day. They love to "pasiar" (to leave the Home). We fixed lunch - an enormous amount of it - and everyone ate until it was all gone and then we played. The older kids played volleyball and the younger ones...hours of freeze tag. The Hogar de Vida (Home of Life) has always held a very special place in our hearts and it was wonderful to have everyone here.

Early yesterday morning we recieved a call from our good friends, Rosa and Armando. Armando is a pastor who helps us in the clinics. Rosa gave birth to little Samuel on Tuesday. He struggled for life on a ventilator until he finally died yesterday. Duane flew to Quiche to bring them home with the casket next to Rosa. Pray for them when you can...their faith is strong but their hearts are broken.

We pray that this Christmas brings joy and peace to you!

We have had a long spell of cold weather - well, relatively cold. It gets down into the 40's at night which I know for many of you sounds wonderful right now. But for those of us who have no heat in our homes it is...uncomfortable. Saturday morning it was really cold and I always feel so badly for those who have walked early in the morning to get one of the first numbers for clinic. They begin to form a line at about 4 in the morning so I know that by the time we open the door, they are really cold. So when moms push forward asking for their babies to be seen first, I understand. Saturday when Martina's mom asked to be seen first, I let her in thinking that she was just cold. But when I unwrapped her, I found that she was breathing about 60 times a minute and her color was not good. We started her on some oxygen and asked if we could take her into the hospital - about 2 1/2 hours away. Mom's tearful response was that her husband was traveling from the coast where he had been cutting sugar cane, and that she could not go to the hospital without his permission. So with Tomas's (our translator) help, we finally were able to talk with dad. He thought it better to meet mom at their home in the mountain and then make a decision. Although we did our best to try and convince them that waiting was probably not the best, mom could not - and would not - go against her husband's decision. So we kept them as long as they would stay, gave them all the medications that we could, and we prayed. When mom finally said that she needed to go, that the last car was leaving, I really struggled as I turned off her oxygen. I knew that without a miracle from God, that she would die within a few hours. I wish I could say that I know that the Lord stepped in and healed her...but I don't. I only know that we did all that we could humanly do, that we did all that God asks us to do, and that the only thing left to do was to trust in the sovereignty of God who "gives and takes away." Not always easy..... Please pray with us for this family who has been so heavily on my heart this week.

On a much happier note, yesterday was the Canilla's annual "enduro" motorcycle competition. David and Joseph both helped to set it up and participated in the race which started with a sort of obsticle course involving jumps and crossing a balance beam, and climbing a teeter toter sort of contraption....all of which greatly enhanced my prayer life! Then they raced off up the mountain for a 45 minute race of endurance over difficult terrain. There were riders from several surrounding villages and about twice as many spectators this year. It was fun for everyone!

Luke 14:13 "....when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. And you will be blessed..."

We have been given the great privilege of helping in the local drug and alcohol rehab center, directed by our good friend Victor. He goes out into the streets and the cantinas looking for those whom he can help. It is cold now and the police bring to him those who are passed out in the streets, for a night of warmth and shelter even though they may leave again in the morning to repeat the same behavior. They will not leave without the word of God however. About once a month we take a meal to the men (there are usually between 15 and 20 men) and to encourage Victor. His is a difficult call, taking in men who are as low as they can get, working to sober them, feed them physically and spiritually and many times, only to have them return to the same lifestyle. They do not leave though without having experienced the love of Christ. Often they return time and time again asking for another chance. The temptation is to say no...how many times should we do this? But Victor takes them in, time and time again. And so thankfully, is Jesus with us...forgiving us over and over again. It is an honor to encourage and support him in this work.

Yesterday Duane flew to Santiago to pick up a young couple who are working in an orphanage there. They have recently taken in 5 newborns and their Home is full! For those of you who remember Martina - a young child who lived with us and is physically, emotionally and mentally handicapped- she is in their home and doing well. They came for a night away from the stress and labor of caring for a house full - literally - of young children. Since adoptions out of Guatemala have come to an almost complete stop, there is a flood of babies coming into the system. They are difficult and expensive to care for and most Homes are not accepting anymore infants. Duane flew this young couple into Quiche last week to pick up 3 new newborns - two were found near the river, left to die. And one came from here in Canilla. She has a fractured tailbone from being thrown down to the ground and left to die as well. Please pray for strength and wisdom for this young couple, and for laborers to come to help them.

Much of what we do, in addition to medical outreach, involves encouraging young people who have been called by God to serve. Last night as I looked at our living room filled with young people - from our own, to those who have come briefly to visit, I remembered the word of Malachi 4:5-6, "Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to (their) children and the hearts of children to their fathers." What an honor it is to serve Him in this way!