June Newletter

It is incredible that we have been here 5 months and the Huntsville group will be here in one week.  The month started with the first of 5 trips to the dentist in San Salvador for him to work on Charlotte's root canal.  Every trip was really painful and just as the pain was getting better we had to go back for the next visit.  It has now been a week since the final trip and Charlotte said her mouth still hurts some but is gradually getting better.  June 1 was also the day Caleb and Lucky arrived.  We had a great week of visiting with Caleb concluding in our first ever experience of Zip Lining.  Caleb got to see everyone he had hoped to and to spend extra time with special friends like Paulo and Carlos and Linda and Ricardo and Joli.  June also saw an unexpected addition to our family.  We are now the owners of a both sweet and mischievous peek-a-poo (Wicket).  Throughout the month we continued to look for a house in Juayua to move to but as the month ends we have looked at a few but are still no closer to having one.  We have gone back to visit some of the new contacts we made in Ataco when the Franklin group was here and we also got to spend a morning taking Carlos with us to meet some of them.  We want to pretty much turn them over to someone here because we are getting more and more contacts in Juayua and hoping to move there.  We are continuing our studies with Rosaria as often as we can as well as with her step daughter-in-law Natividad.  Those have gone really well and we were so thankful that on one of our trips to San Salvador we were able to find a child's pool that would be usable for a baptism if either of these ladies make the decision, as one cannot walk and the other is fairly afraid of the water.   Wednesday June 17, which is father's day here, we went in the back of a crowded pick-up truck on very bumpy roads to Santa Katrina Massahuat to take part in a special service for fathers in which Cesar did the preaching.  It was quite an experience, but we survived it.  On June 20^th. There was a new physical birth in our Juayua church family as Zuleyma, the daughter of Regina whose home we meet in for services, gave birth to a 9 lb. + baby boy, Danielito.  As of this time mother and baby are doing well.  We did get to provide transport for the family to see the baby the day after he was born and to bring baby and mother home the following day. June 18^th. Cesar and family left for the States to attend a Latin American Bible conference as well as to visit and preach some in Texas.  We have gotten reports that they are having a great time.  They get back on Sunday July 5^th. And our group arrives the next day.  We have been continuing all the Juayua meetings and studies on our own and all is going well though we are bringing in visiting speakers for Sunday services.  We also had more process with immigration this month.  They called on Monday 22^nd. And said we had to come on Tuesday morning even though we were already in San Salvador for Charlotte's dentist visit.  This was our first time to have to go to San Salvador two days in a row and will probably not be our last.  When we went they said that all the interview stuff the lady had done at our home in May had been put with Dwaine's papers and sent to another dept. so the process had to be repeated with Charlotte.  We interviewed in the immigration office for almost two hrs. and the man came to Ataco on Monday June 29 to do the follow-up interviews.  He even wanted to go out and visit where the church here in Ataco meets as well as for us to e-mail him a list of the names of the members.  He kept saying how wonderful it is that we are here and how they want to approve us but it sure has turned out to be quite a process.  Charlotte and Lucky hosted an all night workshop on purity for the teen girls.  With teachers, there were about 25 people in our home.  Charlotte had ordered the Passport2Purity series and packed it full of lessons, crafts, skits and games. The month ended on a super note with our first baptism in Juayua.  Jose Ventura, the husband of sister Rosalidia, was baptized after the Sunday night service on the 28^th.  Two of our English classes students had come to the service as visitors and both attended the baptism which was in the back yard of a large house that Raul takes care of.  Because of the uncertainty of the immigration process we went ahead and got our tickets for our visit back to Huntsville for Aug. 21 to Sept. 22 so that is less than 2 months away with our group coming for a week in July as well as Clifton staying for a month.  The time has flown and the next two months will also so we will be seeing you all soon.

Teachers and Teen Girls at Passport2Purity.

Teen Girls!

Getting ready for a baptism!

Jose Ventura's Baptism!

Jose & Charlie

June 30, 2015

Corona group.  The group from Corona, California arrived in El Salvador yesterday and today was their first day of door knocking.  Since we are preparing lunch for our group for 4 days next week and her UTI was still not gone, Charlotte decided to work at home this morning.  She said it made her really sad not to be able to go with the group.  She cooked a large pot of her cream cheese corn that everyone raved about as usual and when I came back home to get it at 11:30 she said she had not sat down once all morning.  That made me feel pretty bad because I had mostly been sitting down in people’s homes.  The door knocking was not far from our house and Lucky and I walked up to that area about 9.  The group arrived about 10 minutes later and we were divided up into teams and interpreters.  We had so many Spanish speakers we were able to have several small teams.  I was with just one man and a teen girl.  We only ended up visiting about 5 homes because everyone let us come in and sit and talk and study and pray with them.  The last lady said she had 6 kids from ages 7 to 24 but she was home alone because they were all in school or working and she did not have much to do so we just stayed and talked and studied and prayed until time to go back for lunch.  Her house was at the end of the road and when we came out the entire group was standing in outside.  Bro. Noé from Turin was there and he said he would not be back in the afternoon and would really like to see Charlotte so I told him to come on by.  When he got there he said he was not going to get to go to lunch at Hector’s so Charlotte fed him.  They were visiting as I headed out.  I thought I was running late but as I arrived in Apaneca the two vans were just turning off the highway.  In the afternoon half the group went with Hector to the school in front of our house.  That left us with a few folks and only 3 interpreters.  I got a group of about 4 teens and ended up doing most of the talking.  We visited a few homes but not too much happening in afternoon.  When the men started setting up the canopies for the service there was still about 1 ½ hrs left so I invited all the girl and ladies to our house to rest and the teens practiced their skits.  We had a good visit and then Charlotte and all the rest of us walked back up for the evening service.  About 5 Edgardo called me to the back and said that Milton, a teen brother in the Ataco church, had a brother who had fallen off his roof today and broken several bones and was in the hospital in Santa Ana and that he needed someone to go with him to pick up family members who were at the hospital and bring them home.  Bro. Fernando said he could go with us since I am still not very familiar with Santa Ana and it was also getting dark.  We made it ok, though it rained on us off and on in both directions and there was a fair amount of water in the road in a few places.  When we got there Bro. Fernando and I sat in the car and talked and waited while the young brother went in.  He came back in about 45 min. and his mother and sister-in-law were with him.  They said the man who fell was in really bad condition and were not sure how he was going to do.  The only slightly funny parts of the trip were that I hit one speed bump at about 50 miles per hr. because I didn’t see it and when we got into Ahuachapan Bro. Fernando said well we made it.  He lived there but the rest of us still had to go back to Ataco on very curvy roads at night.   But we did make it, I dropped everyone off in Rosaria near their house and got home about 9.  After a late dinner that I sure was thankful to get I went on to bed pretty early.  One late night development.  When Lucky and I returned home, I discovered a stink bug in the dish drainer.  I used almost a half a can of deet on it.  You see, Chega’s disease is caused by a species of stink bugs.  I don’t think this was the one, but I sure didn’t want it in the house!  Maybe we should be using that insect net we have?

Restroom break for the group from California.

Practicing skits.

Short visit.

Crafts are ready.

Ready to head out.

Looks like rain.

Children's activities.

Parachute time!

Is it or is it not.....the kissing bug?

(Twilight Zone music......)

June 29, 2015

Rainy days and Mondays and an unexpected visitor.  The man who had interviewed Charlotte at immigration said he would come this week.  We expected he might call today to set up a day and time.  He did call.  At 8:30 he called to say he was already in Ataco and trying to find our house.  Talk about scrambling.  Fortunately, we did not really have any morning plans.  He arrived and talked at the house for about another hour.  He asked for any kinds of receipts we had where we had bought things here.  We were able to find only a few.  We told Caleb we bet he could have found a receipt for everything he had bought since he got here.  He said he still had them!!  Then the man wanted to go to see the building where the Ataco church meets.  Fortunately Bro. Faustus who has the key and lives nearby was home.  He let us in and the man took some pictures.  Then Bro. Faustus took about half an hour telling the history of how that building was built and the street in front of it.  Then the man from immigration took even more time telling his life story.  He did get all the interview sheets we had asked people to write as well as doing one on Bro. Faustus.  He had said he wanted to interview some of the members himself but after all the time with Bro. Faustus he said he had to go on to another interview. He did request that we e-mail him a list of the names of the Ataco members.  We don't have a clue why since he will know none of them but with Carlos' help we sent that this morning.   We went back home and had lunch and rested some.  It started raining before noon and rained till about 3.  We had planned to go to Juayua to study with Raul and Anita but did not want to drive in the rain for just one study.  Fortunately, it stopped and cleared some and we decided to go on.  We only picked up Pedrito since Regina was at her grandbaby's house, wonder why.  Anyway, we went to the door where they usually let us into the neighborhood but no one came.  Charlotte tried to call Anita but got no answer.  About 5:10 we decided to drive around to the entrance gate and the man let us right in so we drove up to their house and they were home and expecting us.  Charlotte studied with Anita and Pedrito and I studied with Raul.  Both studies went well then we went by Selectos and headed home.  It had looked stormy again at 5 but cleared off and we had a smooth ride back.  Charlotte did say her mouth hurt all day.  We joked that it knew it was Monday since she has gone to the dentist the past 4 Mondays in a row.  We hope it is better soon.  Her UTI is still bothering her but as usual she just keeps on going. 

Time for a break.

June 28, 2015.

New Brother!!!!     Charlotte spent a long night in pain.  She had started with another UTI on Saturday.  At 8 when the pharmacy opened I got her some medicine for pain and some antibiotics but she decided she should stay home for the morning.  I think she still spent the morning cutting out stuff to get ready to teach the children's class in Juayua.  Lucky and I went to the Shucutitian service and Charlotte still sent the food for the teen girls which she had gotten up and fixed, even as bad as she felt.  Of course everyone I spoke to asked about her, they are just not accustomed to seeing me without her.  She completes me.  Eva was visiting from Ahuachapan and that was good because I got to talk with her about helping when our group gets here.  I came home pretty quickly after service because Clifton had said the group that was coming might call during their meeting.  They didn't call but I think things are pretty well worked out on both ends.  We are still expecting it to be a learning experience and are thankful that the group is smaller for our first time.  About 4 we headed out for Juayua because we had to stop by Rachel's on the way to leave a table we had been borrowing and get some items for Charlotte to prepare a dish for the group from California.  Regina had a good report on Danielito.  All his blood work came back good and he just needs to get some morning sun every day to help with is jaundice. We had two brothers, one with his wife and 2 children, visiting from Santa Ana to preach and lead the singing.  The service was great and two of our English students came-Nelson who brings his 3 yr. old daughter and has come a couple of times before, and Carlos came for his first time by bus from Apaneca. We were excited about that, and then at the end of the service Jose Ventura who is the husband of sister Rosalidia said he wanted to be baptized.  His wife and two children are regulars and he has come a lot lately but it was still a surprise to everyone.  When I (Charlotte) rounded the corner, Anita just about fell into my arms in tears.  She wants to be baptized, but some personal issues and some health issues are holding her back.  While we are working on some of these things, I think she will decide very soon.  There was talk of trying to go to Apaneca to the home of Regina's mother but Raul said there was a place behind one of the houses he takes care of and that was just across the way.  We all walked up, even Carlos and Nelson went.  He showed us a pila where they wash clothes and we decided it was too small and then a round inflatable children's pool which I thought would be ok but was also decided against.  Then we went next door where there was a large half curve fountain that worked out great.  We joked that we had found our baptistry since this was the first baptism we had in Juayua since getting here.  It was a wonderful time and it was great that Carlos and Nelson got to see it all.  It was thundering and lightening after the baptism but we made it home without any rain.  It started soon after we got home and rained pretty heavily for about an hour.  We gave Carlos a ride back to Apaneca on our way home.  We dropped him off at the end of a road and he said he still had about a 40 minute walk.  Regina and her husband Pedro had been adamant that we not go down the road Carlos lived on.  They said it would be very dangerous at night.  At the end of the road where we stopped there were several people and one of them was clearly drunk.  We felt bad but he said he was used to it. 

Headed out for a baptism.

Well, decided this was too small.

Cut a rose bush way back to enter this fountain for the baptism.

Our English students, Nelson in striped shirt, and Carlos, to the right, came to the 

service and baptism.

Waiting for the fountain to fill.

Sharing some thoughts.

Jose Ventura to the left

Prayer

Last instructions.

What a sight:)!

The old is gone and the new is come!

Rejoicing!

Charlie and Jose

Heading home.

Last look at God's handiwork in the skies.....rejoicing in the heavens.

June 27, 2015

Sleepless night.  Charlotte said she laid down for about one hour.  I had gone over to Carlos and Linda's house with Ricardo at about 9:30.  We had stayed upstairs at our house and all the teen girl activities had been down stairs.  Ricardo was working on the presentation for Joli on computer. When we got to Carlos they had a bed ready in a separate bedroom for me and a mat on the floor for Ricardo.  We talked til about midnight and finally tried to go to bed.  The bed I had was really hard but also the mattress sunk down in the middle-good luck with that.  Carlos had to go to Santa Ana by bus so he left at 5:00 am.  The room I was in was dark and Linda was really quiet with the kids so I did not know what time it was and did not get up until 7 even though I was lying there awake for hrs.  When I got home at 7 the girls had already finished breakfast but there was lots left.  After I ate I took 8 of the girls in the car back close to their homes and let them off.  When I got home we all rested til about 11 and then got ready to go to Juayua. Just before we left, Charlotte went to get beans to cook for the girls and when she got back, she said there had been an explosion and a big fire.  The street was blocked, but I headed out with the camera.  The street was open and a truck was completely charred.  The man who had been in the vehicle had burns and was taken to the hospital.  In Juayua we had our core 5 students and class went well.  Then we had our study with Kelly and her two children.  Jose was at a community meeting that we passed on the way.  The 5:00 study at Regina's went pretty well but it was so hot all afternoon that all the studies seemed somewhat subdued.  Regina had gone with Danielito and the baby's father to the Dr. in Sonsonate by ambulance because the baby had some jaundice.  We still did not know if they had seen a doctor when we left to head back to Ataco.

Charred Pick-up Truck

Second View

Approaching Party for a 16 Year Birthday Party

June 26, 2015

Time has arrived!  Friday was work day to get ready for the Passport 2 Purity for the teen girls. There was so much cooking, cleaning and preparing to do.  Everyone pitched in and we were ready at 4 p.m.  We were uncertain how many we might have, but were expecting 19 for sure. We were excited that we had some visitors and all total there were 24 for the evening.  Well, that was counting Dwaine and Ricardo, who stayed for dinner.  Afterwards they went to Carlos and Linda’s house for the night.  We had five speakers and everyone was prepared!  There were power points, skits, videos, illustrations, posters, games, demonstrations and crafts!  The girls were so eager to learn and participate.  Many comments were made and many lessons given.  Of course, through the night, we had great fellowship among the teachers and girls.  It was funny, we had one girl that came as a visitor and she did not realize that her sister had come with another girl.  Also, two came from Juayua, Elizabeth and Kenia.  I am indebted to all the teachers, Rachel, Bessy, Lucky and Joli.  Isabel also came and helped me with cooking.  There is nothing I can say that expresses the debt I owe to all who helped.  What an amazing team!  This is where one day blends to the next.  We stayed up doing straight lessons until 4 a.m.  Ricardo picked up Joli while it was still dark. Some had to leave just after 5 so we headed to bed to get our one hour of sleep.  Once one person was up at 5, everyone got up.  So, breakfast was in order.  Dwaine arrived back about 7.  He said Carlos had to leave at 5:30 to go teach in El Refugio at the Bible Institute.  When Dwaine arrived home, he ate a quick bite and then loaded about 10 girls in the car to take them the Shucutitian.  What a great night!

First Arrivals!

Starting on a craft.

Now how do we do this?

Getting started.

The chair is a picture stand.

Games!

Life without the Bible to guide us is like putting together

a puzzle without a picture.

Hard at work.

This is for everyone.

This one was really hard!

Ready for a lesson.

Great turn-out.

Girls with teachers.

More games....it's a balancing act.

Go Joli!

Everyone has the right idea.

Bessy did a WOW job in her presentation.

Working on the picture frames.

Sara's completed project.

Go Karla.

Creative Tatyana.

Recess

Finished pictures.

Fabulous job Lucky!

Skit time:)

Gift-giving.

What lessons!  Joli!

Second skit!

Isabel worked hard all night, keeping the food coming and helping with her 

granddaughter, Valentina.

Breakfast!