Bob and B's Briefs: April 2008

Well, this tri went by so quickly! We have been in the books now for 8 months and have just completed our second trimester. This tri we have learned about the last 8 tenses of verbs, many more then we know what to do with at this time! We are starting to chat at home together in Spanish, which has been exciting to finally get to this level. It continues to be very exciting to be surrounded by students who will be heading all over Latin America as missionaries. Out of the almost 160 students there are only a handful of us in the finishers group,those who are over 50.

Knowing this fact has helped us understand why it has been just a little slower in coming for us! It is a little intimidating being in a class of students young enough to be your children, but God has given us an ability to press on and so we do!

Today Bob spend his day in bed, suffering from the flu, which has been going around down here. We are in our week of vacation between classes and Terri, a friend from Maine, will be joining us! We are so looking forward to seeing her! She will be helping out with a church service in the little church in Linda Vista and then coming to the prison on Saturday with me. We will also be doing a women's 'coffee' in Linda Vista using the 23 Psalm as a teaching tool and making a bracelet following the theme of the 23 Psalm.
Bob has gotten more involved in Linda Vista, working along side Javier, the local pastor. He is going to start helping out in the area of finances. We have had an opportunity to help out some of the families that have run into tough times. One is a young father, Michael, who struggles with a drug addiction, but lately has been trying to support his family. We are going to help him with his schooling so that he can get his high school degree.
The other family are dear friends of ours, Orlando and Betsy.They have two beautiful children, James and Kimberly. They live in a very small home in Linda Vista. Their home does not have a refrigerator and they have to go to their neighbors to store things that need refrigeration. Betsy has nine brothers and sisters! This week, her father after losing the ability to pay his rent had to leave his home and part of the family that had been living there moved in with Betsy. She now has about 12 people living with her! There home has two twin beds and one double. Her sister had her appendix rupture and she is also there recovering. We have taken some food up to them and our helping out with some schooling needs. Please hold this family in your prayers!