Wednesday, February 24

"Unless the Lord builds the  house, the work of the builders is wasted."  Psalm 127:1

We came here not to build houses, but to build homes.  As we worked together with families to build their homes, and as we spent time with their children in VBS this week, we built relationships.

Today was dedication day.  We divided into two teams and each team was able to spend time with six families.  A local pastor led each team, sharing God's love, praying together, singing a song and leaving a house-warming gift.  The absolute highlight for many of us on our team was when three members of one family gave their lives to Jesus.

After returning to the mission house, we toured the coffee plantation surrounding it.  It produces some of the highest quality coffee in the world and it was fascinating to watch how the coffee beans are processed.

We give praise to God not only for a great day, but for a great week.

Mary Jo Vis



Regardless of our stage of life, whether married with kids, empty-nester, or a high school or college student it seems we all have a soft spot for small children.  On Tuesday a group of us were blessed to go back to the orphanage to finish our wood cutting and splitting and to play and visit with our friends there.  It is extremely difficult to walk into a space filled with kids and not feel God tugging on your heart.  These helpless and abandoned little ones, who Christ would call to Him were He here, looked up at us with their big dark eyes and beautiful smiles and we melted.  Ryan and I sat on the grass and the 3 and 4 year old boys and girls cautiously came to check us out.  Before we knew it we were acting as human jungle gyms and laughing louder and longer than even the kids.  What a blessing to be able to spend an hour loving on these little blessings.  I picked out 2 I wanted to take home but unfortunately God's plan for them is elsewhere.  Pray with us that our friends at the orphanage, especially the kids, are blessed, provided for and kept close to Jesus as they grow!

Jamie DeVries (Becky's husband)




Wow!  What an amazing day.  Emotions go from one extreme to another.  When we got to the village this morning I couldn't wait to see a special person that I made a connection with.  Her name is Marcia, she approached me as soon as we got to the village on Saturday morning.  The connection was instant.  It started with her asking me to her home to show me her coffee plants, to teaching me how to make tortillas and salsa.  She then asked me to help her pick coffee.  When I got to the village this morning and I found that she wasn't there my emotions went to sadness that I would not get to say goodbye.  We did all the house dedications and were passing out pictures and we saw each other.  We could not get to each other quickly enough.  We hugged and cried!  She has made such an impact on me in this very brief meeting that we had.  After saying good bye I was crying and she was worried about me, she asked me to come back to her.  I went over with the Juan Marcos (the gentlemen that does our translating for us) and she wanted to know if why I was crying, did she hurt me?  I asked Juan to explain to her that she touched my heart.  Her and her family would be in my prayers and that I would never forget her.  She said she felt the same way.  God is amazing.  This experience has changed me.

Irene Voss