Time for an update!

About April- *pant pant*

What a month! It was good, but busy was redefined!!

To start with....

Our whole family attended the sign language class at the Trinidad School of Preaching. It started bright and early at 7:30 am Monday through Friday. It's a bit of a challenge to get 9 people ready to leave at 7:00 am, but we made it! We all really enjoyed the class and have since then had lots of fun with the signing....sheds a whole new light on family 'code talking'!

On a more serious note, we were attending an island wide church function and there were 4 deaf ladies there and I was able to have a little conversation with them- it was very neat! I was a little intimidated, but Naomi and I were together and we really enjoyed it once we got into it! Even if I forgot a simple sign and had to ask Naomi!! You know most deaf people can read lips very well and they could see me asking and they got a big laugh out of that! :)

The second big thing was Dad teaching the Personal Evangelism part 2 class at the school. His part was to take them out and do actual door knocking and studies. Emily, Anna, Nathan and I joined the students of the school for that class every afternoon. It went very well- you really get to know each other working together like that. There can be so much good encouragement and memories from doing field work like that. And of course the people we talked to...we worked in a lower income area and you could feel the different flavour of the people there. Some were willing to talk, others not interested at all. Most times the people are polite, even really nice! But other times it can be a little discouraging! The days went by fast and it was a good experience especially for the students we worked with.

So we had that on top of the usual Sunday worship, (Oh, and Dad is also doing a series of Sunday morning class on Home and Family at the La Romaine congregation!) mid-week Bible class and the usual interaction we have with the folks here. It was good to be busy and focused on something so specific. And we made lots of good memories, I love my family! :)

So that was April! Now it's May and we're back to a more usual routine for us. I'm getting all in gear to do some more sewing, so that'll be coming soon! :)

Have a wonderful month!

This is Kimone, one of the deaf ladies. :)

some thoughts on courage

When you live in the mission field you see and hear all sorts of new things. Some funny and interesting, some terrible and heartbreaking. Yesterday I heard an older sister in the Church here say in refrence to her conversion many years ago, "My husband say I leave you if you get baptized." She didn't say how the story turned out, whether her husband left her or not, but she was baptized, she remains a faithful Christian, raised several faithful children and has faithful grand children now. I don't know anything about the husband....if he was ever converted. But this I know- she had courage.

Do we have that same kind of courage? Would we risk our husband leaving us to obey the gospel? Do we have the courage to stand up for what is right? What about such issues as modesty, purity, discretion, and faithfulness?
Not every courageous act is as heroic sounding as this woman standing up to her husband. Sometimes it is simply standing for the truth as a family; with the knowledge and experience of being alone sometimes. Perhaps its modesty- and not only modest apparel, but modest words and actions.

I'm thinking as I type this out, "Why do we always get on these modesty and propriety speeches?! Let's learn this lesson, girls, let's learn it!!" But then I must remind myself that Satan is out there, he's got the world and he's after us! (to quote Br. Harrub from fb) We've got to be courageous, we've got to stand for the right, because the world will not, and God is depending on us to do the job.

There are times that I'm brought to tears when I see and hear what the brethren do here to be Christians. And I'm both inspired and encouraged to do better, and shamed and rebuked in my failings. I know I can do better; I know we all can.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you may have peace; In the world ye have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Yesterday was Mom's birthday.....I love doing birthdays! It's been fun finding new things to do here in Trinidad- It's been good for us to stretch our minds and find new things....but don't worry, there was still lots of singing and no work for Mom and more singing, and the birthday variations on the piano, and more singing....:) So I baked her a cake, we played a game together and generally had a wonderful time together!

I'm very thankful for my Mom. :) She's a wonderful woman and I'm honored to have her in my life. If you live by your mother go hug her or call her or something! :)

Two Little Girls

I had two funny and neat conversations last week with two little girls. They are both around 10 years of age, from the same congregation and have spent enough time with me to be comfortable enough to talk to me! I can understand their shyness...what would you do if you weren't used to seeing white people except on TV and a whole bunch of them came and were there and...*gasp* talked to you!!! I love talking to the children here- their big brown eyes, peering over their little brown hands, covering their mouths in a gesture of bashfulness....their whispered name and age...:)

Ok, the first conversation was with Precious. Precious is a popular name for girls here! I think it's precious! Teehee...;)

We were sitting on a bed chatting and she was admiring and touching my curly hair.

Precious: "Your hair so pretty! It so soft and curly!"

Me: "Thank you, Precious! I think your hair is pretty too! I like your cane rows!"

Precious: *blush and plays with barrets on her plats*

Second conversation is with Sharice, a few minutes later. (she didn't hear the previous conversation)

Sharice: "When de las time you go to de beauty shoppe?!"

Me: "Oh, I just do my hair myself!"

Sharice: "Oh! You need to go real bad! Your hair lookin real shabby!"

Me: "Well, I kinda like it this way!"

Sharice: "It need plated- maybe even a wig!"

Me: *bursting with laughter inside* Oh really?! Well, I don't know! I think I'll just keep it this way!"

Isn't it funny, how the way you are raised influences your thinking? I smile at these girls...they're cute, they have a fresh perspective and they're funny. :) And they have beautiful little heads of black hair in cane rows and plates with little colorful barrets. <3

"Conscience of benefit received"

All this week I've been thinking about how blessed I am. It's so easy to get carried away with stuff and forget.

Tomorrow is the Memorial service of a dear sister in Christ. Her name is Shauna and she went Home last Saturday and I've been thinking about her family all week. About her sisters, about the family she left behind. I can break down and weep with just the thought of losing one of my sisters; I can't imagine the pain of the actual event. The power of influence is far reaching and I've been influenced by this strong Christian woman and her family. It makes you think. It makes you count your blessings.

Sometimes it's good to write them down, to meditate on them and truly thank God for all you have in your life.

So here is my list:

*Salvation through Christ. The ultimate sacrifice of Jesus giving His perfect life for the world of sinners.

* My family- Both of my parents are living, I have three wonderful brother still living at home, I have my three best sisters sharing a room with me, I have a great oldest brother and sister-in-law and baby on the way! Part B of this is a wonderful relationship with each member of my family. :)

* Since I live in Trinidad, I'm very thankful for modern technology to keep up with people all over the world.

* My friends, extended family and Christian family- all over the world as they are.

* I have a safe place to rest. A snug roof over my head and mosquito netting for my bed. I know people who have neither.

* Good water

* Good food

* Shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet

......you can see how the list goes on. This is just the tip of the ice burg so to speak. I'm blessed beyond measure!

So I encourage you to count your blessing and also pray for the Heck and Morton families. Especially tomorrow.

The Importance of being Ernest

Tonight Dad and Mom had an engagement so we kids had a fun evening together.

It went something like this....

It started out with breakfast for supper. Biscuits, gravy, bacony eggs and peach jam. Simple but very tasty. We all love a good breakfast for supper!

Next, Anna got some music going and we did the dishes. Some might call dishes a chore, but when we're all in the kitchen, working together and singing together...it's fun! You should try it sometime!

Oh and don't forget the part where Naomi plays the annoying part of the Netherfield Ball from Pride and Prejudice...Starting with "My mother bids me bind my hair...." and ending with a brilliant rendition of the Turkish Rondo! How does she manage that?!

"Let's play a game!!" And whist was the choice- yeah, that's a new one we've learned! It takes an even number of people and there are only seven of us. So. We have a problem, Houston! *drum roll please* Nathan to the rescue! *dum ta dum!!* He'll just split his amazing personality and be two people at once! (I helped him with the name) So Anna, Miles, Naomi and Nathan were on one team and Emily, Silas, myself and Ernest were on the second! We all sat at the table and had a blast! Let me just insert that Nathan's team and Ernest's team both won! What's with that?! ;)

(I wish you could have seen him hopping up, trotting to one chair to be Nathan, then running back around to be Ernest!! Hehe...he's cute!)

So then we watched a move and had a nice relaxing evening together. :) I know we're crazy but I love my family and I'm so thankful we can have so much fun and good times together!!

"Bingo!!" "Scrabble!" -You would have had to have been there!!! ;)

A facelift...

I did something new last weekend! I've always been interested in recovering chairs....just never tried it! The chairs that were here when we moved have quite a story...It started back in the 1960's when one of the first missionaries to Trinidad moved here and set up housekeeping, which included a 6 piece dining room set. That same table and chairs passed down through at least three missionary couples and now us. Dad did some shoring up work, inserting pegs and glue- and we girls recovered them. I think that's kinda neat...all that history in a set of chairs...anyway! It was very easy and quite a bit of fun...I love working with my sisters! :)

Here is the original chair....

Just pull out the staples....

Staple on the new!

Tada! Doesn't it look good? Mom found this material...I think it looks real nice.

:)