Here are a few pictures of our precious grandson, Ioan Micheal Lewis! Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay in posting this week. I had started a post yesterday morning and our power went out, so that was the end of that! :-)
Today is Ashley's birthday! It is hard for me to believe that 23 years have past since I gave birth to her! We are so thankful for her and the wonderful Christian lady she has become.
We had a great week-end. Our Saturday night teacher training series is progressing. We have had great participation throughout. This coming week will be our final meeting. We are having the meeting on Sunday evening this week, because 16 of the ladies from church are going to be attending a Ladies Retreat in Santo Domingo. We are so happy that so many of them are able to go! The ladies are very excited about this.
We had a "full house" on Sunday. I really have no idea what the count was as I forgot to ask, those doing the counting. But there were few chairs empty. :-)
It has been exciting to see how the people are growing and taking on more responsibilities for the ministry. Sunday evening, we had our first meeting of a new "leadership council" that Tony has formed. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for this new group.
Last week our plans were approved by the city and the permits were all granted. This morning, Tony is meeting with our architect as we prepare to break ground for our building!
Thank you for your prayers!
Joy
Today is Ashley's birthday! It is hard for me to believe that 23 years have past since I gave birth to her! We are so thankful for her and the wonderful Christian lady she has become.
We had a great week-end. Our Saturday night teacher training series is progressing. We have had great participation throughout. This coming week will be our final meeting. We are having the meeting on Sunday evening this week, because 16 of the ladies from church are going to be attending a Ladies Retreat in Santo Domingo. We are so happy that so many of them are able to go! The ladies are very excited about this.
We had a "full house" on Sunday. I really have no idea what the count was as I forgot to ask, those doing the counting. But there were few chairs empty. :-)
It has been exciting to see how the people are growing and taking on more responsibilities for the ministry. Sunday evening, we had our first meeting of a new "leadership council" that Tony has formed. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for this new group.
Last week our plans were approved by the city and the permits were all granted. This morning, Tony is meeting with our architect as we prepare to break ground for our building!
Thank you for your prayers!
Joy
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Home Sweet Home!
We arrived back home to Manta, Friday evening. The week at camp went great. Tony's messages came together, and he felt that he got a good response from the teens. One boy that we know of accepted Christ and that was certianly exciting! The camp was outside of Cuenca in the mountians. It was a beautiful setting and for these 3 "manabitas" extremely cold! We are sure that the temps got down in the low 40s at night, and we just don't own the kind of clothes to wear for that kind of weather! LOL Fortunately, Sarah had brought extra blankets for us and we were able to keep warm, at night, wearing multiple layers and huddling under 2 wool blankets!
It was a nice time to fellowship and get to know Yuri and Sarah Alfaro along with their two boys, Samuel and Jared.
Yesterday afternoon, 15 ladies attended the monthly ladies meeting. They all had a great time of fellowship and encouraging one another.
Last night was our 3rd session of the teacher training classes. It has been encouraging to me to see the interest and work that everyone is putting into these classes. Thank you for your prayers for me. It was very exciting today, to see the teachers putting into practice what they have been learning!
This morning we had 81 in church. After Sunday School, Janneth, one of the children's teachers came up to me, along with one of her students and told me that he had accepted Christ this morning in class! Later on when Maria Jose came upstairs she was excited and wanted to make sure that I knew that one of their boys had been saved. What a blessing to see them so excited about know that they are putting into practice the lessons we have had about how to lead child to Christ!
The ladies at church are very excited about the upcoming retreat in Santo Domingo. At this time we have 13 ladies signed up to go. There is a possiblity of 2 more, and I should know for sure by tomorrow.
We also heard today that the Proaño's will be returning to Manta on Tuesday. The news at this time, is that the treatments in Quito went really well. Please continue to keep this precious family in your prayers.
Please keep the ministry here in Manta in your prayers. We are excited to see God working in so many people's lives. It is also a great blessing to see so many people getting involved in the work. We now have 3 ladies working with me in our ladies minstry here. They each have a group of ladies that they are keeping track of... calling when they absent, praying for them, etc. Also Wilda and Lupe are working with me, taking turns teaching the ladies Sunday School class.
We just started our 3rd quarter in our Children's Sunday School. Cecila and Javier are teaching our younger children's class... 3 years old through 1st grade, and Mariá Jose and Janneth are teaching the older children's class... 2nd through 6th grade. It will certianly be nice when we have the room to divide the classes up more, but we are thankful at this time, that we can at least have 2 classes and not try to put all the children 3 to 12 in one class! (that was the case at one time!)
There is much going on this week! Our building plans and permits were approved last week! That means we can start work on the building soon. Tony has various appointments for discipleship classes this week. Also Bible Institute class is Thursday evening. Teddy and I will get back into school. We will be starting week 4. I also will be meeting with a couple ladies this week, along with preparing this coming weeks lessons for the traing class on Saturday.
Thank you for your prayers. God bless you as you serve Him this week!
Joy
It was a nice time to fellowship and get to know Yuri and Sarah Alfaro along with their two boys, Samuel and Jared.
Yesterday afternoon, 15 ladies attended the monthly ladies meeting. They all had a great time of fellowship and encouraging one another.
Last night was our 3rd session of the teacher training classes. It has been encouraging to me to see the interest and work that everyone is putting into these classes. Thank you for your prayers for me. It was very exciting today, to see the teachers putting into practice what they have been learning!
This morning we had 81 in church. After Sunday School, Janneth, one of the children's teachers came up to me, along with one of her students and told me that he had accepted Christ this morning in class! Later on when Maria Jose came upstairs she was excited and wanted to make sure that I knew that one of their boys had been saved. What a blessing to see them so excited about know that they are putting into practice the lessons we have had about how to lead child to Christ!
The ladies at church are very excited about the upcoming retreat in Santo Domingo. At this time we have 13 ladies signed up to go. There is a possiblity of 2 more, and I should know for sure by tomorrow.
We also heard today that the Proaño's will be returning to Manta on Tuesday. The news at this time, is that the treatments in Quito went really well. Please continue to keep this precious family in your prayers.
Please keep the ministry here in Manta in your prayers. We are excited to see God working in so many people's lives. It is also a great blessing to see so many people getting involved in the work. We now have 3 ladies working with me in our ladies minstry here. They each have a group of ladies that they are keeping track of... calling when they absent, praying for them, etc. Also Wilda and Lupe are working with me, taking turns teaching the ladies Sunday School class.
We just started our 3rd quarter in our Children's Sunday School. Cecila and Javier are teaching our younger children's class... 3 years old through 1st grade, and Mariá Jose and Janneth are teaching the older children's class... 2nd through 6th grade. It will certianly be nice when we have the room to divide the classes up more, but we are thankful at this time, that we can at least have 2 classes and not try to put all the children 3 to 12 in one class! (that was the case at one time!)
There is much going on this week! Our building plans and permits were approved last week! That means we can start work on the building soon. Tony has various appointments for discipleship classes this week. Also Bible Institute class is Thursday evening. Teddy and I will get back into school. We will be starting week 4. I also will be meeting with a couple ladies this week, along with preparing this coming weeks lessons for the traing class on Saturday.
Thank you for your prayers. God bless you as you serve Him this week!
Joy
Saturday, August 9, 2008
A glass of iced tea, anyone?
It has been hot here in Manta! If you were able to drop by and sit in my kitchen these days, I think we would opt for a tall glass of iced tea! Maybe I should change the name of my blog to "A glass of Tea with Joy" :-)
Well, even if things have been hot around here, it hasn't slowed anyone down. The last week, was just as busy, or maybe more so than the week before... and since we had a group here the week before that is saying alot! I will try to give you a little "sample" of our week...
Monday we all got haircuts, and tried to get our cell phones straightened out...didn't happen, and although Tony has made several trips to the phone company and to the bank, there are still some papers to be signed, etc. :-)
Tuesday, more of the same, and we went to Porto Viejo, and had lunch with Tignors. This was the first time we were able to visit with them since we returned, and they are getting ready to leave for their furlough, so it was "now or never". We had a nice afternoon with them. Then that evening, María José came over and we worked some more on getting the Sunday School material for this quarter ready to be copied. Tony also had a discipleship class.
Wednesday, more of the same, and we tried to meet a new couple from church to have discipleship with them, but that didn't work out... We had prayer meeting at the church in the evening.
Thursday, internet guys were suppose to come and check out our stuff, but they finally called late in the afternoon, and said they weren't going to be able to come until the next day.... More with the bank and cell phones... Tony had Bible Institute Class in the evening. Everyone has been so excited because we finally got the books we needed, and have been waiting on for months! Also we had the opportunity to have lunch with another missionary couple, and really enjoyed that. Teddy had a great time playing with their children!
Yesterday morning the internet guys came and said, everything was fine, and they really didn't know why we kept having problems with the server cutting out... maybe we if called them the next time it happened... In the afternoon, we had some guys come and fumigate our house... we have had an ant invasion, while we were gone... we aren't sure how well it worked, but it did seem some better today! :-) In the early evening, I met with a couple ladies, who are going to be working with me in our Ladies Ministry here at the church. I have divided the ladies up into 3 groups, with each of these ladies as a "group leader". Their main job is to maintain contact with the ladies in the group... check on them when they are absent and pray for them. They will also help with planning activities for the ladies in the future. Please pray for Wilda, Mirian and Aday, as they take on this new responsibility.
Tonight we had the 2nd session in our Teacher Training program. 21 of the 25 showed up and all but 3 had their homework completed! It was such a blessing to see how much time and effort they put into their projects... They were to make something to use with children, along the lines of the "wordless book". It didn't have to be a book, in fact I encouraged them to be creative and come up with different ideas, and they certianly did that. We had worms... hearts... I stuffed clowned, a present, a mobile, little boxes, with a "surprise" inside... bracelets, and many others.
Please pray for these that have made the committment to be part of this program. Pray that they will follow through with what they have started.
In between all the "activities", Teddy and I finished up our 3 week of school. I also worked on the material for the teacher training classes. Tony worked on his messages for the Youth camp, along with outlines to put in a booklet for the campers.
Tomorrow morning, Tony, Teddy and I will be flying to Cuenca, via Quito. Tony will be preaching at a Youth Camp there, I will be helping out as needed, and Teddy will be making new friends. Please pray that we have a safe trip and pray for Tony as he preaches this week. He will be teaching every morning, and preaching every night. We are suppose to fly home on Friday evening.
Please pray for the services at the church here in Manta tomorrow.
Please continue to pray for David and Monica and their two little girls. They took them to the HCJB hospital Voz Andes on Monday. We haven't heard any news since they left. Also please continue to pray for Zonia... she seems to be doing better these days. Pray for continued strength and healing if that is God's will.
Praying God's blessings on you, this coming week!
Joy
Well, even if things have been hot around here, it hasn't slowed anyone down. The last week, was just as busy, or maybe more so than the week before... and since we had a group here the week before that is saying alot! I will try to give you a little "sample" of our week...
Monday we all got haircuts, and tried to get our cell phones straightened out...didn't happen, and although Tony has made several trips to the phone company and to the bank, there are still some papers to be signed, etc. :-)
Tuesday, more of the same, and we went to Porto Viejo, and had lunch with Tignors. This was the first time we were able to visit with them since we returned, and they are getting ready to leave for their furlough, so it was "now or never". We had a nice afternoon with them. Then that evening, María José came over and we worked some more on getting the Sunday School material for this quarter ready to be copied. Tony also had a discipleship class.
Wednesday, more of the same, and we tried to meet a new couple from church to have discipleship with them, but that didn't work out... We had prayer meeting at the church in the evening.
Thursday, internet guys were suppose to come and check out our stuff, but they finally called late in the afternoon, and said they weren't going to be able to come until the next day.... More with the bank and cell phones... Tony had Bible Institute Class in the evening. Everyone has been so excited because we finally got the books we needed, and have been waiting on for months! Also we had the opportunity to have lunch with another missionary couple, and really enjoyed that. Teddy had a great time playing with their children!
Yesterday morning the internet guys came and said, everything was fine, and they really didn't know why we kept having problems with the server cutting out... maybe we if called them the next time it happened... In the afternoon, we had some guys come and fumigate our house... we have had an ant invasion, while we were gone... we aren't sure how well it worked, but it did seem some better today! :-) In the early evening, I met with a couple ladies, who are going to be working with me in our Ladies Ministry here at the church. I have divided the ladies up into 3 groups, with each of these ladies as a "group leader". Their main job is to maintain contact with the ladies in the group... check on them when they are absent and pray for them. They will also help with planning activities for the ladies in the future. Please pray for Wilda, Mirian and Aday, as they take on this new responsibility.
Tonight we had the 2nd session in our Teacher Training program. 21 of the 25 showed up and all but 3 had their homework completed! It was such a blessing to see how much time and effort they put into their projects... They were to make something to use with children, along the lines of the "wordless book". It didn't have to be a book, in fact I encouraged them to be creative and come up with different ideas, and they certianly did that. We had worms... hearts... I stuffed clowned, a present, a mobile, little boxes, with a "surprise" inside... bracelets, and many others.
Please pray for these that have made the committment to be part of this program. Pray that they will follow through with what they have started.
In between all the "activities", Teddy and I finished up our 3 week of school. I also worked on the material for the teacher training classes. Tony worked on his messages for the Youth camp, along with outlines to put in a booklet for the campers.
Tomorrow morning, Tony, Teddy and I will be flying to Cuenca, via Quito. Tony will be preaching at a Youth Camp there, I will be helping out as needed, and Teddy will be making new friends. Please pray that we have a safe trip and pray for Tony as he preaches this week. He will be teaching every morning, and preaching every night. We are suppose to fly home on Friday evening.
Please pray for the services at the church here in Manta tomorrow.
Please continue to pray for David and Monica and their two little girls. They took them to the HCJB hospital Voz Andes on Monday. We haven't heard any news since they left. Also please continue to pray for Zonia... she seems to be doing better these days. Pray for continued strength and healing if that is God's will.
Praying God's blessings on you, this coming week!
Joy
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Growing...
It is certianly exciting to be a part of a growing, vibrant church. To be surrounded by young Christians who are excited and hungry to learn all they can about God and his word! Last night we had our first class in a 5 week Teacher Training series. There are 25 people participating in this program!!!!! Last night I taught on "Explaining Salvation to Children". What a blessing it was to see so many people excited and wanting to learn all they can inorder to be able to minister to children.
This morning we had 95 in our worship service. There were 5 first time visitors. After the morning service we had a baptism service and Tony baptized 8!!!! Yes we had a GREAT day. What a blessing it was to gather at the beach and to listen to the testimonies of they young Christians. To hear how God was working and changing each one of them.
The group for Capital City Baptist Church, in Michigan returned home yesterday. They were a blessing to Tony and I, but also to our people. They were able to make us 6 tables to use in our children's classes. The teachers were thrilled to have them this morning. They also made 2 cabinets that we will be able to use to store our Sunday School Supplies and they will lock, so we can to to keep things from "walking off". :-)
Please continue to pray for me as I work on the next lessons for the Teacher Training classes. Pray for Tony as he prepares messages for a youth camp he will be preaching at next week in Cuenca. Friday afternoon, I am suppose to meet with 3 of our ladies here, to form a team work together in our Ladies Ministry. Pray for Wilda as she prepares to teach the Ladies Class the next two weeks. Pray that I will have wisdom to approach the Ladies that God has to work in a rotation with me in teaching these Sunday classes.
I have a special request... We got a call this morning from Monica and David Proaño. Both of their daughters are in the hospital. They are about 7 and 5. Their oldest daughter, Michela, has been having some stomach problems for about a week. They were taking care of her at home, and then last night, their youngest, Isabella, somehow was burned with boiling water, and is now suffering with 2nd degree burns on her head and shoulder. Please pray for these precious little girls and for their Mom and Dad.
Thank you for your prayers for us, those that we minister too, and work going on here in Manta.
I pray that you have wonderful week as you serve the Lord!
Joy
This morning we had 95 in our worship service. There were 5 first time visitors. After the morning service we had a baptism service and Tony baptized 8!!!! Yes we had a GREAT day. What a blessing it was to gather at the beach and to listen to the testimonies of they young Christians. To hear how God was working and changing each one of them.
The group for Capital City Baptist Church, in Michigan returned home yesterday. They were a blessing to Tony and I, but also to our people. They were able to make us 6 tables to use in our children's classes. The teachers were thrilled to have them this morning. They also made 2 cabinets that we will be able to use to store our Sunday School Supplies and they will lock, so we can to to keep things from "walking off". :-)
Please continue to pray for me as I work on the next lessons for the Teacher Training classes. Pray for Tony as he prepares messages for a youth camp he will be preaching at next week in Cuenca. Friday afternoon, I am suppose to meet with 3 of our ladies here, to form a team work together in our Ladies Ministry. Pray for Wilda as she prepares to teach the Ladies Class the next two weeks. Pray that I will have wisdom to approach the Ladies that God has to work in a rotation with me in teaching these Sunday classes.
I have a special request... We got a call this morning from Monica and David Proaño. Both of their daughters are in the hospital. They are about 7 and 5. Their oldest daughter, Michela, has been having some stomach problems for about a week. They were taking care of her at home, and then last night, their youngest, Isabella, somehow was burned with boiling water, and is now suffering with 2nd degree burns on her head and shoulder. Please pray for these precious little girls and for their Mom and Dad.
Thank you for your prayers for us, those that we minister too, and work going on here in Manta.
I pray that you have wonderful week as you serve the Lord!
Joy
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