Not a still sleeper!

Matthew definitely moves a bit while he sleeps. Here are a couple pics from these last couple of days.

Grandma

We had lunch with chiqui's family a couple weeks ago and I thought you might want to meet her 92 year-0ld grandma. Here we are walking around the restaurant and looking at the caged in animals. This one is a male peacock.

...and he's standing!!!

Look! You can see his tooth.

He is beginning to stand up anywhere and everywhere he can.

December 2011 calendar pose!

The two faces that make my days better.

Look at the fear in his eyes...this is his first time ever standing!

struggling church

We ask for your prayers.

For a couple of years now the members of the church in Ciudad Nueva have been asking to have the service in the morning. We were finally able to do the time change a couple of months ago after confirming that every single member except one wanted the service time in the morning. Since the time change we have drastically dropped down in attendance. After visiting everyone it seems that they didn't really think their decision through and they all want to have the service in the afternoon again.

Moments like these are frustrating but they are helping me to become a better leader. Please pray for the churches in Tacna and for us leaders. Pray that we will be able to come back even stronger than beforehand. Pray that as leaders we will be more sensible to the spirit's guiding whisper.

Also, please pray for Ebel, Brunner, and Maria Jose who are praying about helping us out at the Ciudad Nueva church. They would be a huge answer to our prayers for more support and leaders in such a difficult place to work. Maria is also going to be helping out the children's after-school center next year.

old house/land

we are very excited and praying that this works out, but we leave it in our God's hands.

we found an old place that will need to be torn down, but we can stay there while we build a little place of the land. it is in an older part of town where there is mostly agriculture (Pocollay), but the place is near the plaza of Pocollay.

talked to the owners and over a few conversations we were able to drop the price from $45,000 to $38,000...this afternoon (Tuesday) I will be getting together to talk over the details...one of which could use your prayer and possible help.

we need $30,000 and the banks here charge at least 11% interest rates. Since I don't really have any credit here in Peru it might be higher. I would prefer to get a loan from someone I know and pay a lower interest rate to them so that we both win, but we need to find those "someone's". We have some saved up and praise God my dad is going to help but obviously he can't afford all of it...we will probably need another $20,000.

If anyone is willing and interested in giving us a loan we are willing to pay interest so that we both win (and not the bank!!!). I would much rather pay interest to someone I know that to a rich institution...you all understand.

Thank you all for your support! we pray this goes well.