Well, a month into a new house we’re getting settled. Tim still hasn’t had the heart to unpack his books and stick them on the bookshelves, knowing (and hoping) that we’ll be getting into someplace permanent in the not-too-distant future. Or maybe he’s just lazy. Barbara-Lee has done a great job of making our place homey. It’s been good to be in the neighborhood. It makes going to the public school convenient (a two minute bike ride) and, oh how we missed the roosters at 5:30 AM and the many dogs barking, not to mention the loud parties Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until 2 AM. Ok, that was a bit sarcastic, but also a bit for real as well. Those are all things that say “home” in their own unique way, and we’re thankful to be here. And, this house has a pretty good view. Tim’s been tracking the northward course of the sunrise in the mornings. The shadow of an 18,000 foot mountain on the horizon at sunrise is impressive–especially when it changes directions in the course of a few days as the sun comes up on a different side of the mountain. “In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:4-6. Just a word of encouragement to you northerners who don’t get to see it run its course very often: it’s still there!

School time
The computer classes have been going well. Tim has been teaching Word, PowerPoint and basic typing to the second, fifth and sixth grades, 10-15 students at a time, about 160 kids in all. The plan is for the second graders to start to learn their way around a keyboard (internet typing games!) and for the fifth and sixth graders to do a PowerPoint presentation that tells about themselves. It’s interesting as kids write about themselves, the ways they open up. There’s a need for so much more than computers in their lives! As Tim works on the relationship with the school and builds credibility, we hope to be able to start a basketball club on Saturdays, and maybe a martial arts club. Those things are in the works as we talk to people who can provide them and with the school to arrange use of the facilities. Barbara-Lee recently met a lady at a retreat who gives sexual abuse workshops. This may be something we can offer at the school. There are lots of good opportunities right now.

Projects in Pueblo Nuevo
God spent a good bit of time teaching us patience over our previous term. We will never learn that lesson perfectly, I’m sure, just like we never learn humility perfectly, but patience, realizing that things take time and being willing to wait on them is critical here and I think we’re better at it than we used to be, by God’s grace. All that’s to say that working on a partnership between us and the local government and the university has gone slowly. But Tim is meeting Monday with the president and the project coordinator at the university to discuss a tree-planting project in the parks. Lord willing, this will open doors for a fruitful relationship and maybe even give us ideas for what you can do when you come down (hint, hint). We really hope to learn from this and be able to use that knowledge to serve the neighborhood and build contacts.

Election Alert!
Don’t forget to vote April 24th! No, actually, don’t forget to pray! The Junta Auxiliar Ignacio Romero Vargas (that’s the formal name for Pueblo Nuevo) will elect a new president that day. Yes, that’s Easter Sunday! We’re praying that whoever takes office will be as open and accessible as the current president. For our work here, that’s a very important relationship and we need the Lord’s favor in being able to continue to serve here.

Small group
Due to all sorts of issues–mostly health related–the small group went almost a month-and-a-half between meetings. So it’s been a bit slow, but we’re still moving forward getting to know them. It’s a good group. Now that we are in the neighborhood we hope to be able to serve as “substitute” hosts when needed. The host family has a sewing business, and about three weeks ago someone broke into their shop and stole ten of their machines. That’s been hard, and they are still reeling. We’re just getting to know them, but their business really seems to be a ministry as well, as they care for and witness to the seamstresses. Please pray for the Munoz family, and if God puts it on your heart to think about helping them somehow, please let us know. We’d love to encourage them in some tangible way.

Help Wanted
One of the possible things we’d like to be involved with in Pueblo Nuevo is sports ministry. In June we have the opportunity to work with a sports ministry that trains new churches to do sports ministry. While we don’t anticipate having a new church at that early date, we think sports are a great way to reach out in this area and hope to participate. If sports ministry interests you and you have abilities in this area, let’s talk!