what we have been up to!

Since our last post, we have not had a chance to post but we have had many memorable experiences! Thank you for praying for us! I do not have as much time this time as last so I will not be able to recap the last few days but some of the things that we have been able to do or experience are the following:
-Visit House of Refuge - a rehibilitation center for men with addictions. Our team helped with bringing the men off the streets, and participated in the service and then helped serve the meal.
-Participate in the Casa Esperanza devotion time in the evening - singing songs with the kids and Chris gave the devotional message before their bedtime.
- Help clean up around the home of one of the sponsor families, Maria - a family from the area we have been able to spend time with - the extreme conditions of the home have reminded us again of how much we have - this widow has 6 children she supports.
- Chris, Sam, Brad, and Barb visited the prision in the area where FeViva has set up a bible school on the property. They were able to visit with inmates and hear their amazing life stories.}
- Tracy and Angela, Mackenzie, and Lukas were able to spend time with the younger kids at Casa Esperanza doing crafts and playing with them while the other team members visited the prision.
- We all attended the Saturday and Sunday evening services at Maranatha church. Saturday evening we brought part of the service with the CasaKids doing the music that we had taught them during the week as well as Barb brought the message that evening and Tracy and Chris provided a special song. Sunday, the team was asked "impromteu" to speak and share while the boys were with the kids in their SundaySchool. (the services were both over 3 hours long! very active and wonderful participation and music! it was such a blessing and a great reminder of heaven!)
- On our half day off, we as a team went with our hosts, to a Safari! It was a wonderful experience - we saw animals like lions, giraffes, hippos, and monkeys. After a good lunch and amazing icecream, we were able to go swimming.
- Sunday afternoon, we went swimming with the CasaKids. By now we know their names and we had great fun playing with them in the water. It was one of our first opportunities to see Steve and Patricia hanging out with their kids - and their love and passion for them was so amazing and beautiful to watch.

There have been more experiences but it is hard to try to remember everything with such a short time to write. We are being stretched in huge ways and feel so thankful to be able to spend time with these people and know more about another culture.

We only have one more full day here at FeViva before we will head to Antigua for our day of sight-seeing before heading home.

Please continue to pray for us.
-Different team members have been struggling with stomache issues as well as two members have back pain.
-Our hearts are doing well and we are not feeling so "useless" as the first days we were here as we began to settle in.
-We have also been able to get to know a few of the staff members in our short time here and please pray that we will be a blessing as we listen and hear their hearts. Ministry can be a lonely place at time, and we are seeing how they need encouragement to persevere and simply have people truly hear their hearts.
-For Mackenzie and Lukas and their health and safety and for Sam to enjoy this experience. It has been so good to see the boys relax and respond to the people we meet and be free to be themselves.
-For all of us to continue to have strength and energy for these last days.
-For safety in travel and all those details that need to be worked out as we head home.

Thank you for the comments you have left! We have needed your support in this journey and are thankful that we have not gone alone. We love you and continue to pray for you.

-Angela for the team

If we have another chance, we will post pictures next time...they tell a story that we would love to share.