Where does the time go? SERIOUSLY! WHERE DOES IT GO?

Cecilia graduated from High School and she and Gabriel are traveling to Colorado to attend Ellerslie Bible School, NEXT WEEK! After Bible school they’ll be working for a month, to make a little money, but also to get some experience. Life experience.

Six months ago, we adopted 4 little ones. SIX MONTHS AGO! WHAT THE WHAT??? After the first week, we didn’t know how we would survive. NO EXAGERATION. But we did survive. And week after week, it got easier (not easy, but easier). We found routines hidden in corners of our lives that have made all the difference. Vonda’s patience and love have no end.

One of my favorite new routines is that Vonda and the four little’s come to sing with us at Bible class every morning. It’s just one song in the morning, but I love it! We can’t believe that God gave us the opportunity to grow 4 new little lives, who know and love Jesus.

Construction is DONE! We now have the entire middle school on the new second level of the academy, which makes room for an expanded computer lab and more tutoring. AND WE HAVE A NEW SOCCER FIELD! It’s kind of like CSU getting a new football stadium on campus! Kind of.

This year we’ll have our first 9th grade graduates. It’s hard to explain how proud I am. Month after month Vonda and I ask ourselves, “Are we raising boys to be men of God?” With confidence we answer, “YES!” We’ve given Luis, Cleverson, Wilmer, Deyquer and Darwin, the tools and confidence to “Seek first the kingdom of God,”

The boys have also received an extraordinary education; a solid foundation for them to go on to high school. They entered our academy at a 3rd or 4th grade level and all five of them will graduate with a grade point average above 90%. “Damn Jackie!”

We raised enough money to build Jose Mario and his family a house. Construction will start in July. This is a big deal and the answer to years of prayers. Thank you for making that possible. Keep an eye out for photos!

On July 12th we’ll celebrate SEVEN YEARS as missionaries. It’s hard to believe that my wife and I have spent 1/3 of our marriage, in Guatemala. It’s weird. In some ways we feel like we’re just getting started. We feel like 2020 is just the beginning.

When a particularly heavy rain is coming, you can actually hear it in the distance. You can hear the rain hitting the leaves of the banana trees, getting louder as the rain approaches. That’s how I feel about 2020. I feel a harvest coming. I don’t know what that means or how this will play out, but remember this post.