Happy Independence Day!

June Happenings

 

Always a project going on!

Lately we have been enjoying an expansion in our cultural awareness, each day holds something new!  Today we went to the big city to shop for the things we can't get in our small stores (peanut butter, Prego Spaghetti Sauce, Gatorade, spray PAM, mozzarella cheese, etc.) because sometimes a few comfort foods and familiar tastes are worth a 3 hour shopping and traveling adventure. 

This month we went to Maria's house. We put together a box of basic grocery items such as rice, beans, oil, and sugar.  We also included a few special items that are a real treat in rural Costa Rica like spaghetti noodles & tomato paste, tuna, and of course coffee! She and her husband do not have electricity or running water. They haul their water from their neighbor’s house and they go to the bathroom out in the bushes. They have a one room house so she cooks outside on an open fire with a grate over it. She welcomed us today with tears in her eyes as she did not have rice for dinner that night. I love how God prompts us to act and even tells us who to go see!

 "There will always be a reason why you meet people.
 Either you need them to change your life or you're the one that will change theirs."

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Does anyone remember Chinese Jump rope??

We are trying to find new fresh ways to go into homes and spend time with people, build relationships, and encourage conversation about Jesus.  Time spent together laughing and talking is the first step to building trust.  God has been giving us some creative ways to reach out and, to our delight, is has been well received! Exercising is a good excuse to get together with people and do something productive and healthy. We had a great time going to the house of some new friends where Cailene lead some exercises. We turned on some fun, up-beat Christian music and worked out together.

Cat's Cradle is a new favorite

Uno!

Cornelio continues to be the coach of a girl’s soccer team.  We are finding out that simple activities like playing cards, sports, and games like Cats Cradle are attracting all ages and relationships are being built in a healthy environment. Many times as we are playing cards with others, we are able to share about the influence of music, going against the norm, and having a personal relationship with Jesus instead of a religion. There are so many ways to share God’s love and we are finding that casual activities such as teaching and playing games creates a relaxed environment where people are willing to share and open up.

"If you can't fly, then run
If you can't run, then walk
If you can't walk, then crawl,
but whatever you do keep moving forward." Martin Luther King Jr.

Influenced by others

             I have a short reminder story...it was a skit at a missions conference. There was a long line of people all dressed up in a different outfits. This man started at the front of the line  and walked up to each person and shook their hand. Each person said who they were in his life and said "God bless you" He then walked down the whole line shaking each hand then saying thank you....the first people were dressed as his parents, the next person represented his Sunday school teacher, he then walked to the next person who was dressed as his friend, then Pastor, neighbor, small group leader, worship leader, 6 people from his youth group jumping and cheering, camp counselor, teacher, leader of the summer mission trips, random words of encouragement shared by people and speakers he hardly knew and  the list goes on and on. The point is that it takes so many people to develop one person to follow Jesus and to stay walking in His light. Where ever you fall in that place of our life we want to thank you for believing in us, encouraging us and praying for us.  You have given us strength and when we have felt like we could not go on. We love and appreciate each one of you and treasure your prayers.

iphone search

I need to get an iphone 4 in order to stay connected to family and friends better. Our home internet is temperamental and often doesn't work. Having a skype app would solve my communication void. Anyone selling a iphone 4 please let me know. My Uncle is coming in 2 weeks and could get it to me. Thanks so much!!

This Fragile Life

I have struggled to find words to begin this, so here goes....

The good news is, Mom and I (Bonnie) are fine. The bad news is, we were in a car accident. If you read nothing else, just know this...we are alive!!!!  We are feeling Gods protection and praising Him for the helpful and skilled medical personnel who helped us.

 The Short Story

Mom and I were driving in Oregon when we were T-boned on Mom's side of the car.  She had to be cut out of the car and we were both put on backboards and transported to the hospital. The details remain a blur, but all I know is that we both came out alive and we now have an amazing story to add to our testimonies. God's hands were on us through the entire ordeal and I now have a new understanding of who God is in my life.

I am fine, just bruised with some strained muscles and a few neck and back things going on.

Mom, however, did not do as well. She has 3 fractured ribs and a C2 fracture in her neck. Major bummer! She feels fine when she is laying down, but when she sits she is in a lot of pain. She isn't letting it get her down though!  She is using this time as a testimony to all of the hospital staff who come to help her.  She is the best Jesus testimony and such an example to me. Everyone wants to take her home with them because she is so positive in the midst of all this pain.

Please pray for her and praise God with us that we both have our lives, we are claiming through Christ that we will soon be fine!

That is the short version. After the shock of all this has subsided I will be happy to share details with you, but for now I will write this while the emotions are still so raw and real.

The Long Story

We were T-boned on  moms side of the car. Thankfully the air bags worked but we were trapped for a while. The EMT, fire department, police, and ambulance were there quickly. The first thing I remember was pushing the air bags down and reaching over to undo moms seat belt so I could get her arm out.  When the police arrived they told me not to move her and that they would help her.  They skillfully took over and helped me out of my side of the car. They had to cut mom out of the car while one person held her neck to keep it stable. They covered her and the EMT who stayed by her side with a tarp so they could safely cut her out of the car. They quickly put us on a back boards and had me in one ambulance and mom in another. We were then taken to the hospital. I was asked if I was fond of my shirt and jacket because they needed to be cut off! While they were talking, my light jacket and shirt were cut off and I was put into in a hospital gown. I was wearing baggy pants so they were able to slip them off me. Mom was going through the same thing in the next room. They were good at keeping us informed at how the other one was doing and worked as a team to get us both cat scanned.

I have nothing broken, just some bruises and strains, a very sore neck and back, and tender ribs where the seat belt crossed......Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometime after midnight when all of that was finished I was released to go home. Home?!? I looked at the doctor and said, "My cloths were cut off me, my van is totaled, all my belongings are in the van, I am from out of state, it is after midnight, and my mom is still in the emergency  room..what am I suppose to do?" He said that those issues were not his department but that something could be worked out.  There was a moment of helplessness, a bit of hopelessness, and then I closed my eyes and just prayed. I was filled with a peace and just knew I needed to stay strong for mom. The nurse showed up with a t-shirt and I was able to get dressed. Mom went to the ICU so I spent the night there with her on the couch in the room. Day one done.

Day two and three have been in the trauma wing. She is getting stronger but her pain is still high so they are trying some different medications. She will be transported to Richland Eagle Rehab when the pain is managed better, probably sometime this week. She likes it at Eagle since that is where she went for her hip recovery. She likes all the OT and PTs there.

Through this entire ordeal, God came through for us again and again.  My sister's friend Maggie, who happens to be from the area, came to pray with us and made herself available if we needed anything. I had not met her before she came into the hospital room.  My son Tylan and his girlfriend Kasey had just moved to Oregon and they came to to be with us several times to read a devotional and have some great conversations.

I called the towing place to see about getting our personal things out of the van. The lady  was a bit harsh and said we only had 15 minutes to gather our things. I was dreading this trip. Maggie just said, "Let me do all the talking and just keep praying"  Before we went in, she and I prayed for peace, for more time to gather everything, to not be overwhelmed with emotion at seeing the totaled van, and for the person at the front desk to be nice to us.

Simple prayer...right?

We walked in and there was a black man at the desk, not the grumpy lady I talked to. He asked if he could help and Maggie said we were here to get our things from the van that was in the lot. He said he was sorry for the accident and asked if everyone was okay, and then told us that he prays for all of the people who might have been hurt in the cars in his lot.  We got very excited and told him we had prayed someone would make this easy for us. It turns out that he is the boss and is rarely at the front desk since he is usually upstairs doing paperwork.  Coincidence? I think not!

The roof of the van was cut completely off and laying on the seats. He held up the roof so we could shake the glass off everything and try to reach our things. He helped us pull things out of the car and was giving God the glory for us being alive. We ended up hugging him and thanked him for his concern and prayers. He was such a dynamic and on-fire man so we said he should be a preacher. I asked him if he felt comfortable praying for my mom on my phone, and he said "Bring it on, of course!" My mom received the prayer with joyful tears and I am sure she will listen to it on her phone many times during this recovery period.

I called him back the next day to thank him for the prayer and tell him how much it blessed and encouraged my mother. He said he was just listening to a sermon that said, "All we  have that really matters is our character.  We have one shot in life to make a change and impact someones life. To touch someones life and see Jesus in us."

That is going to be my new word for the year.... impact.  Now that I know a new level of the word impact, that is what I want to do in the lives of others.  I want to really impact them with the love of Jesus by just caring and being willing to really put myself out there for Him.

 

Please feel the peace that we are feeling.  Rejoice in the fact we are comfortable and being taken care of, and rest in the fact we will soon be back in the Tri Cities and that God will contine to use this seemingly horrible experience to His glory. Continued prayers would be greatly appreciated. We are experiencing the power of prayer and walking in faith that a complete healing will come soon. Thank you for your prayers my friends!

Bonnie