"Surviving August"

Dear Friends & Family,

Winter is half-way over in the southern hemisphere! As you way up north are enjoying your warm, sunny days (or not, if you’re more of a cold-weather lover 😉), our wood-stove is hard at work 24/7 heating the house!

There is a phrase used throughout most of Chile, but especially in the south, about hoping to “survive August”. There was a historical seriousness to this expression (i.e. a very real fear of the elderly or sickly succumbing to a bad winter cold-turned-pneumonia, back before antibiotics became more readily available). But nowadays, it’s mainly just something people say to mean, “let’s plough through this coldest month of the year and move on!” And then once September arrives, it’s celebration time, because they survived! 😊 

Speaking of survival, these past months have been very busy for us as a family: Gus has been gone more than he has been home, primarily working with short-term teams in Melipeuco and making necessary trips to Santiago, and I have been very occupied with the women’s ministry and our kids’ schooling. Part of me wants to just “plough through” this season… but at the same time I don’t want to miss the joys & the blessings (or the challenges) going on right now, just because I’m looking forward to what’s coming next! And though things can be very hard at times, life is beautiful, because GOD IS SO GOOD!

So, here is a more in-depth look at some of what has been happening lately, full of news and photos:

Melipeuco: With the last three short-term teams that have come (from Eastside, FCC in Yuma and The Grove, thank you all!!), there has been a lot of progress in the construction in Melipeuco! Pastor Luis & Andrea’s house is almost finished, and now the church construction is underway:

(In addition to helping with all the construction, Gus has been one of the main chauffers for teams)

(insulating Pastor Luis' & Andrea's house!) 

 

 (Starting on the beams for the church!)

(Getting the beams ready)

(and the crane is here!)

(The guys worked until midnight almost every night this past week... One night they worked til 2 am!)

(The first 9 beams are up in the church; Luis & Andrea's almost-completed house in the background!)

Women’s ministry: Besides weekly Bible studies for the women in Lautaro, as a group we’ve been able to celebrate a few special get-togethers, including a Mexican Dinner with ladies on the short-term team from Yuma, AZ, and a visit to a needy lady in the countryside, to whose family we were able to take a basket full of non-perishables. Also, both couples from Haiti that got married in the Lautaro church last year, plus another couple that arrived after that, all had babies this past month! I’ve been organizing & taking meals to them with different ladies from church!

 (Mexican dinner with ladies from Yuma!)

(Making gifts as a craft in one of our weekly women's meetings)

 (Baby Wilginia with her proud parents!)

(Babies Waldo Nelson & Sonja, with their proud mothers!)

Deepening friendships: As a family, we continue connecting and building friendships with other local families, both those who are part of the church already as well as those who aren’t in this family of believers yet. As just one example, we’ve been able to spend a few evenings sharing in normal life with this family pictured below, having them over to our home as well as going to theirs. Our kids all get along really well!

(Our friends Cristofer & Yenifer, and their boys, Bastian & Alonso)

Kids’ development: The kids all continue to do well in school and have developed good relationships with many people here. It is so fun to see them each interact in different ways with each other as well as with other families and friends, as they are all learning and growing each day!

(Craft time!)

Family Fun: We have been able to have good times as a family in between the busy-ness of teams and other ministry activities, which in the winter usually has meant watching a movie, playing a board-game or going to walk around a mall: 

 (Thankfully, Good beat Evil in this particular Star Wars game... this time at least! 😉)

And, couple months ago on our anniversary (which is also Gus' birthday and this year was on Father's day!), we were blessed with a spontaneous trip to a natural hot-springs on a snowy mountain with extended family, and we all had a BLAST that day!

(Playing in the snow for the first time in their lives!)

(What could be better than building snowmen while in a hot-springs??)

(Celebrating 12 years of wedded bliss!)

(Driving home after that super-fun family day)

August Prayer Requests:

• Please pray with us that our house in Santiago would sell this month! We have a buyer who is just waiting on another property sale to go through, which will allow him to purchase our house! As soon as that happens, we will be able to start the process of building a house on the land we purchased here, just 10 miles outside of Lautaro!

• Wisdom for the work being done in Melipeuco (construction as well as ministry/equipping).

• For unity in the women’s ministry and an increased desire to serve those who don’t yet know Jesus.

• Continued building & deepening of relationships with families in Lautaro, in the countryside and in Melipeuco.

• For wisdom for Gus and our supervisor as they figure out how best to help a sister-church going through a rough time.

• Good health for all 6 of us for the rest of this winter! Gus had the flu a month ago, but the kids and I haven’t had anything more than a mild cold so far this season, and it would be a blessing to continue that way!

Thank you, partners, so much for faithfully standing in the gap, through your prayers and through your financial support. You encourage us so much, and we hope to be an encouragement to you as well! 

If you or your loved ones have specific prayer requests, please let us know so we can be praying for you too! We encourage you to not go through this life that God has blessed you with, or this current season you find yourself in, just surviving, but actively seek to thrive wherever it is that He has you right now!

With Love from Lautaro,

Gus, Karissa, Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego

(P.S. We’ve realized that we haven’t been keeping in touch with regular, short updates lately. We apologize for that, especially since we know that many of you would like to have updated prayer requests, blessings and photos each week or a couple of times a month. To hopefully remedy this, we are creating a private Facebook ministry/family page, where we will post short notes or photos on a regular basis. We will try to invite those of you we are already Facebook “friends” with, but if for some reason you don’t receive that invitation in the next few days, please let us know! We really want to be better at keeping in touch with you!! And for those that don’t use Facebook: we will continue to send out email updates every month or two!)

As 2017 Draws To A Close…

Dear Partners,

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that this last week of 2017 is a time to remember this year’s blessings!  We are so thankful for all that God blessed us with as a family and in ministry over these past twelve months, and we look forward what He will do in 2018!  

(Beautiful southern Chile)

In addition to countless blessings, there have been very hard circumstances for us as a family over this past year, as there probably have been for your family as well... But through it all we see God’s goodness, love & peace shine through:

(Grandma María visiting us in February of this year… She went to be with Jesus in July)

Updates From Past Prayer Requests:

On his missions trip with Gus to Ecuador back in October, Jeremy really grew a lot, personally and socially. He was able to see a totally different reality of life as well as serve in ways he hadn’t before: helping show other kids songs and games, translating Bible stories for a Sunday school class, trying new foods…. (Stay tuned for more implications of Jeremy's spiritual growth later on in this update!) It was such a great bonding experience for father & son, so thank you so much for your prayers for that: 

(Gus & Jeremy in Ecuador)

Thank you for your prayers for the women’s retreat last month! It was an encouraging and motivating all-day event attended by over 30 ladies! They are all looking forward to another retreat in 2018 where they can invite more of their friends and family members!

(30+ women attended the retreat in November)

(Fun & encouraging times of fellowship)

(Great teaching sessions from Tia Mity from the Oriente church in Santiago)

Jeremy & Liz passed their final exams! They had fun taking their tests last month and were thrilled to find out a couple days ago that they did well on those. Thank you for your prayers for this home-school year and these exams specifically!

(Jeremy & Liz at the school before taking their final exams!)

December Happenings:

Over the past week, Karissa & the kids made 400 cookies to give to friends here in Lautaro (and Gus helped make the plates look fancier 😉)! It was a fun way to serve as a family and bring a smile to lots of friends’ faces:

(Christmas cookie plates ready to be delivered!)

This past Sunday, we had a special Christmas Eve & Baptism service at church! There were over twenty visitors present as 10 people were baptized, including Jeremy!! Besides the amazing, inexplicable blessing of seeing our son get baptized, it was also just such a beautiful and full service, with every available seat taken and a dozen people needing to stand in the back for lack of chairs! May God continue to draw people in this city and region to Himself:

(Gus baptizing Jeremy!)

(The 10 people baptized on Christmas Eve!)

Gus has continued going to Melipeuco once a week to equip and guide the leadership of the daughter-church there as they set goals in ministry for this next year. The church there had a special dinner service last Saturday, and dozens of new people came for that, so the leadership is very encouraged! We also started marriage counseling with one of the leader-couples in Melipeuco, so we hope that progresses in healthy ways over the next months!

In January, Please Pray For:

- Continued growth (in numbers & maturity) for the church here in Lautaro, even over these summer months when small groups take a break and weekend attendance tends to diminish as people are out of town on vacation or at other summer activities.

- A refreshing three-month sabbatical for Pastor Miguel and his family (who for the first time in 17 years is now taking a much-needed extended break from most ministry responsibilities) and good unity for the team of church leaders, made up of Gus and three other men. 

- The leadership team in Melipeuco as they plan and set ministry and family goals for this next year and beyond. 

- A four-day, missions-wide conference (called VIVE) which will be held at the church here in Lautaro at the end of January - beginning of February. The emphasis will be on worship, evangelism & missions (both locally & globally), organized by several of our fellow leaders in Santiago. Pray that God would bring those that need this encouragement & spiritual push, and that this conference would be a blessing to all of those in attendance! 

- Good down times as a family over these next couple months of summer, even in the midst of ministry-planning meetings, teaching, worship, and counseling responsibilities. That God would renew our strength and allow us to be a blessing to each other as a couple, to our children, and to the churches and communities we are serving. 

(In Melipeuco a couple of months ago, helping as a family with ministry activities)

You have probably noticed that we frequently call you Partners, and we mean that very seriously. We would not be able to be here in Lautaro, serving in this way, were it not for your faithful partnership. The Great Commission is about individuals growing in their relationship with God, but also in their relationship with those around them. And we do not take lightly this role of church community and of support for Kingdom work around the world! So, thank you for being essential partners of the ministry in Lautaro!

Wishing you God’s love, hope, wisdom & peace for 2018,

Gustavo & Karissa

Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego

September Happenings

Dear Partners,

September has been a very full month here in Lautaro! Throughout Chile in general it is an important and festive month, as it is when the country’s independence is celebrated, called the "Fiestas Patrias". Every street and home is decorated with flags, traditional music is heard and danced to, and the food…! Well, let’s just say it’s not the best month to start a new diet plan. 😉

(A special “Fiestas Patrias” party at church on September 17^th after the worship service)

The second Saturday of September we drove up to Melipeuco as a family, with several other people from the church here in Lautaro. It was a construction day, working alongside our brothers and sisters to help them with the building of Pastor Luis’ house on the new property in Melipeuco. Gus had gone up a couple weeks before with a short-term team from Riverside, CA, so this local group was able to keep moving along with that project. In the evening there was a kids' movie and a family movie shown in the church with an open invitation to the community, so it was a fun, busy day! Even some of the kids helped out with the construction:

(Jeremy and a friend doing their part to help!)

Continuing with the celebrations, this past Sunday there was a baby dedication in the service (I believe that makes five this year!). These are always such a blessing as extended family and friends who are not believers come for the special event, and we as a church have the opportunity to reach out to them with God’s love! 

(Baby Camila being dedicated… her mother, Claudia, is a believer but her father is not yet)

And this coming Sunday, October 1^st, there will be a double wedding celebrated after the worship service! Two men who immigrated from Haiti have been attending the church here for almost a year now, with one of them getting baptized several months ago, and both of their fiancées will be arriving today! It is a blessing to be a part of a congregation that recognizes the beauty of multi-culturality in God’s Kingdom.

Another exciting thing happening this Sunday is that Gus and Jeremy will be leaving for Ecuador to help a short-term team there with construction and outreach! Jeremy is thrilled to be going on his first official mission trip and is especially stoked that he’ll be going with his daddy! 😊  

In October, Please Pray For:

• Gus as he prepares for and preaches this coming Sunday (yes, the same day as the weddings and the trip!).
• A safe trip for Gus & Jeremy to Ecuador, leaving here October 1^st and returning October 18^th.
• A good 2 ½ weeks for the three younger kids and I here at home while our “men” are gone!
• Continued good weekly women’s Bible study, as we are rotating homes each Tuesday for that meeting.
• Jeremy & Liz as they continue their homeschool studies in preparation for final exams in November.
• Deepening of relationships with local believers, seekers, and their families.
• God’s continued financial provision and wisdom for using our time, energy and finances well.

Thank you for your prayers, for your financial support and for your encouragement! It is a blessing to be in this partnership with you, to further His Kingdom!

In His Love,

The Guevaras

7 Blessings in 7/2017

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings once again from South America! We hope you all had a wonderful July! It was a huge blessing being able to see many of you in person, albeit a very short visit! Here are seven specific blessings from this past month:

1. Getting to be at Gus’ sister Lori’s wedding! We had thought we wouldn’t be able to make it because of not having the finances, but God provided the way through some dear family friends purchasing all of our tickets! We are so grateful to have been a part of that celebration and are so grateful to all those who housed and fed our large family over that five-week trip! (And to a supporting church in California that allowed us to borrow a vehicle for the whole time there and drive across four states!)

(with the newlyweds, Lori & Daniel!)

2. Gus traveling back for his Grandma’s funeral. As soon as we wrote the update about Grandma Maria’s passing and explaining that we wouldn’t be able to go to her service, the same church that lent us the car insisted on purchasing Gus a plane ticket to go back to Chile for the funeral. In the midst of the sadness, that generosity was a special comfort, allowing Gus to be there with his biological aunts and cousins for a couple of very significant days for the family...

(grateful for these sweet memories with Grandma Maria from this past February)

3. Seeing extended family and good friends! It had been two years since we were last in the U.S., which means that family and friends there hadn’t even met Diego face-to-face yet or seen Jeremy, Liz and Cristina’s growth over these couple of years. It was fantastic to catch up in person and enjoy a little bit of time together!

(a fun outing to a children's museum with Uncle Erik & Aunt Beth!)

4. Making new friends! It is always fun to meet new people with a passion to see God’s Kingdom grow and get to know them a bit better, and there was a lot of that happening on this trip, even though each visit was sadly too short and time seemed to fly by!  We look forward to seeing how God deepens those new friendships over time and uses each of us to sharpen and encourage each other to continue pressing on in His ways.

(visiting some new friends on their farm: Diego loved the turkeys!)

5. Escape to Summer!!! OK, for those of you annoyed at this point by the heat, just put yourself in our shoes: winter in Lautaro is loooong, so escaping the cold for a month of swimming pools, hot-tubs, shorts, t-shirts and flipflops was a welcome change for all of us (well, except for Gus who definitely prefers winter. 😉)!

(lots of excellent park days!)

6. Baptisms in Lautaro:  On the last weekend in July (while we were still in the U.S.), there was a baptismal service at the church in Lautaro that had been planned from back in February, and six people were baptized!! Remember how we started this year with strategy meetings with the leadership team, defining the vision and goals of the church? God is bringing Kingdom fruit out of all of that work! He is so good and His Family keeps growing!! We look forward to the next few months of ministry, which will culminate in another baptismal service in December, Lord willing! So, stay tuned! 😊

 (Special baptism Sunday on July 30th!)

7. ALL of our past Credit Debt is GONE!!!  It seems unbelievable to finally be able to type that! Honestly, we have seen God’s constant provision for our family on a month-by-month basis, we’ve seen His leading in ministry, we’ve seen the amazing things He is doing around the world… But after almost 4 years of this huge debt hanging over our heads, it feels unreal that it is gone! And yet, it's true!! There have been several people and churches who have given significant one-time gifts over the past couple of years and others who have upped their regular monthly support to help us get through and make ends meet… and then, this past month someone insisted on covering the remaining debt amount, just like that!! We have no words, except “Thank you” to all who have given generously, “Thank you” to those who continue to support us financially and through prayer on a monthly basis (our being here depends on your partnership!), and “Thank You” to our Father who provides so completely through His people…

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Because of His Love,

Gustavo & Karissa,

Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder…

Dear Partners,

We hope you all had a blessed Easter Sunday! Our Lord is Risen!!! The hope that truth brings us is unlike anything in the world, isn’t it? And our desire is to take the hope purchased on Good Friday and consummated on Easter Sunday to those that don’t yet know here in Lautaro, and through them, to the rest of this region, and to ends of the earth!

Today there is a nationwide census being carried out throughout all of Chile. Government employees are going house to house filling out a questionnaire about every person in that residence. The last census was taken five years ago, so it will be interesting to see what has changed between then and now!

However, for some reason, this time there is no question in the census regarding religious affiliations or beliefs whatsoever! It seems strange to not want to take note of that in a country where both animistic and catholic(-ish) beliefs have been strong for centuries, but apparently knowing those numbers is not a priority for the current government. But we know that our belief systems are not secondary to God, but rather much more important than details like where we were born or how many years of school we finished: Our entire eternity rests on whether or not we accept the Passover Lamb’s sacrifice in place of our sins and give our lives to His will. And when the "roll is called up yonder", I’ll be there… and so will you… and so will many more that are coming to Him through His Spirit’s work being carried out through His Church around the world!

(New background at the front of the church meeting room)

In our last, short prayer update we mentioned that there are several new friends we would be sharing about soon, so we wanted to tell you a little bit about some of them today:

• Óscar and Mónica: Mónica is Pastor Miguel’s youngest sister, and she and her boyfriend Óscar just moved to Lautaro from Santiago a few months ago with their baby girl. Óscar is from Colombia and the only evangelicals he knew there were basically sect-like in their way of life, so this is a first for him to see Jesus followers who are actually serving the community and yet still striving to live by Jesus’ standards. We’ve had them over for dinner as a couple, and Gus has been able to share with Óscar personally many times: They’ve worked side-by-side at the jobsites on multiple occasions and now Gus is also teaching him drums once a week and has been using that time together as an opportunity to share more about God’s truth with Óscar.

• Ricardo and Fabiola: this young couple just moved into the little apartment next door to us. Her family lives in the countryside and has attended the church here several times, while Ricardo is from Brazil. They have both heard the gospel, but are not currently living according to Jesus’ way. Ricardo started coming to our new home group on Friday nights, and has been encouraged in that setting. Fabiola is resistant right now, but Ricardo hopes that she will want to join in too in the near future.

• Violeta and Daniela: both of these women have been attending the Bible study that I (Karissa) have been teaching the past few weeks. Violeta the mother of one of the ladies from church (Tita) and Daniela is Tita’s coworker and good friend. Violeta was a Catholic (into saint worship and no real relationship with God) but has seen through Tita’s example that she needs something different in her life. And Daniela says she has never believed in anything, but knows that something needs to change in her life. I have had good conversations with both of them after our Bible study times and good talks with Tita as she encourages them to continue seeking the Truth.

So, we had wanted to tell you about those friends last week, but ended up postponing our more detailed update until this week... Well, on Easter Sunday, Óscar, Ricardo, Violeta and Daniela all raised their hands saying that they had prayed to accept His forgiveness and give their lives to Jesus!! We know that this is not the “end” but rather a first step in a whole new direction for each of these friends, so we ask for your prayers for each of them, for us and for the rest of the church as we encourage them in their new growth! We are thankful for what God is doing in each area of ministry in the church right now, and pray that He would continue to lead us all in the direction He wants us to go.

(Easter Sunday Service, with over 90 people in attendance!)

This week, please pray for:

• Gus’ adoptive family, the Kallestads and specifically his dad, as Doug’s brother Steve passed away on Monday, after an unexpected heart attack/stroke last Thursday. This sudden loss has shocked the family; Uncle Steve’s immediate family members are not believers. Please pray that God would use Doug and Kyle (Gus’ brother) to shine His peace, hope, love and truth in the midst of this tragedy.

• Spontaneous Trip: Gus is traveling to Ecuador this Friday for 10 days! It was a last-minute decision, but he will be attending our mission organization’s board meetings there and communicating how ministry is going here in southern Chile. Please pray for a safe trip for him as well as a good week and a half for the kids and myself here at home, as we continue with homeschool assignments, as I lead two home-group meetings in Gus’ absence and continue teaching the weekly women’s Bible study.  Pray for grace and energy, and for opportunities for both Gus and I to share the hope of Jesus with those God has put around us!

• Financial needs, as we continue raising money for the "new to us" used car we are purchasing as well as continue paying off the credit debt from 3 years ago. We are so grateful for the faithful support of those who give on a monthly basis as well as the generosity of the one-time gifts to help with special needs!

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow…. Because He lives, all fear is gone…. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

That is the truth: His death AND resurrection changed everything! Our deepest desire is that our lives would help draw others to this resurrected Lord who changes lives and fills them with Eternal Hope! Thank you for being a foundational part of this missions work. God bless you!

In His Love,

Gus, Karissa, Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego

February Blessings

Dear Partners,

We hope you and your families are doing well!  Here are a couple of updates on the prayer requests from our last email, well as some additional news:

• There are now only four non-contained wildfires remaining in the central regions of Chile, which is a significant improvement from the 70 fires that were raging at one point. Please continue to pray for those affected and for those continuing to battle fires.

• Gus’ trip up to Santiago at the beginning of the month was short & sweet, as he was able to accomplish all he needed to and return safely! The kids and I had a good time, despite Daddy being gone. (smile)

This past weekend we had the blessing of family visiting us! Specifically, Gus’ aunt, cousin, and Grandma Maria! It was such a special time with them, especially Grandma, who doctors had said wouldn't make it to 2017. Yet, here she was visiting us, and everyone had lots of fun:

(Great-Grandma Maria with Diego)

(Great-Grandma loved watching the kids play in the pool)

(Gus & his Grandma who raised him)

Gus had the blessing of leading worship this past Sunday, and I got to sing with him too! Most of the worship team members are out-of-town on vacation, so the gap in available musicians gave us this fun opportunity as a couple:

(Sunday morning worship)

Our next-door neighbor moved out last week in order to be closer to her work across town, so the rental agency asked us if we wanted to rent that little apartment that connects directly to our kitchen! We don’t have “extra” funds for that, but realized that if Gus teaches private drum classes three times a week, that would pay the rent of that place (and anything beyond that would help toward our monthly deficit)! So, we said “yes” and are setting one room up as Gus’ personal office/music production space and the other main room with instruments for music classes! One of Gus’ friends from church is so excited about the opportunity to record his own songs, as well as help teach music classes in order to reach out to the community! We know that this space will be a huge blessing in many different ways:

(Gus’ new office / music production room)

(New music classroom almost ready for use!)

This month, please pray for:

• A meeting that I (Karissa) will have tomorrow (Thursday) night with the group of single young women from church, who seem to have unresolved personal issues among themselves that affect the dynamic and potential for growth of this group. Please pray for wisdom, openness and reconciliation.

• On Friday, there is a short-term team arriving from the Seattle area! They will be working on a construction project for the school, go visit the church in Melipeuco, and the women will bring a craft and message of hope to share with our local ladies! Please pray for blessing and protection on their trip and work, as well as that they would be an encouragement to believers and seekers here in Lautaro.

• A nice, relaxing week of “stay-cation” for us as a family the first week of March, before all of the normal weekly ministry activities and responsibilities start up as summer comes to an end.

• Continued provision as we seek to be good stewards of the time, energy, finances and opportunities God has given. He is always good and always provides in His perfect time!

Thank you so much, as always, for your faithful support, 

your prayers and your words of encouragement! 

Your generosity is such a blessing to our family and a huge part of the ministry here in Lautaro... Blessings on you and yours!

In His Love,

Gustavo & Karissa,

Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego

(After a special Valentine’s Day lunch date!)

2016 in Review

Dear Friends & Family,

As 2016 draws to a close, we consider all of the blessings we have received as a family this year:

• Moving four hundred miles south from Santiago to this city of Lautaro in February with our family of six: Maybe moving with children doesn’t sound like a blessing, but in this case, knowing that we are doing what God is calling us to, it definitely has been! We do miss family and friends in Santiago, but continue to be excited about the things that God is doing here and how He desires to use us in this vision as a part of this team, to reach this region of Chile and beyond, for His glory and the furthering of His Kingdom!

(there are dozens of indigenous Mapuche communities surrounding Lautaro)

• Getting plugged into church and project responsibilities right away, including: hosting & working with the many short-term teams that have come down this past year, helping to restructure the sound & worship ministries, being an active part of a home group on a weekly basis, teaching a marriage seminar, participating in the women’s group and teaching the women's Bible study, setting an example of practical service through food preparation & cleaning before and after church activities…. This past month, Gus was asked to design the new sign for the church building, which was put up two weeks ago!  

(new official sign on the church building)

 (Gus translating the sermon for Kevin, a short-term team members from Canyon Hills)

(good times learning different food preparations & encouraging the women's group)

(switching it up a bit by playing electric guitar instead of drums during Sunday worship!)

(the ladies surprised me with an early birthday cake & gift at our last Bible study meeting!)

• Ever-growing opportunities to serve, share with others, and fellowship outside of our “assigned” responsibilities: We are blessed through the deepening friendships with local families and the opportunity to share important moments together. Just a few examples from this past month: I was asked to share a special song at a baby shower for two church members, Gus shared his testimony with a trainer at the gym he just joined, we have mourned with several church members who have lost loved ones recently, and celebrated birthdays and other special occasions with local friends…

 (sharing "Mary, Did You Know?" in Spanish at a baby shower)

 (Cristina's 4th birthday party!)

 (having too much fun at a friend's birthday party!)

• Missions & Training: As plans move forward towards setting up the missions-training center here in Lautaro, we continue to teach others in different areas of ministry as well as receive more training ourselves! Gus was blessed to travel to Ecuador on a great missions trip in September, as well as attend the excellent missions-wide conference in Santiago last month. The speakers at the conference were very encouraging, the material was uplifting & practical, and we are excited about being able to implement these new tools in our personal lives and ministry! 

 (great time of fellowship and learning at the conference)

(Gus helped out with percussion during one of the days' worship time)

• A good homeschool year: Jeremy took his final exams a few weeks ago (we are waiting to hear back the official results next week), and we are very proud of the progress he and his siblings have all made this year, in adapting to a different house, church, city, while becoming more fluent in the language! I, as their teacher, continue to learn through trial and error what is the best way to teach each of them, but the great thing is that it’s all adaptable to our current reality and family needs! 

(The school where Jeremy took his exams: We're so proud of his hard work & focus this year!)

• A productive year of studies for Gus as well: After working hard all year on the assignments and class projects, Gus finished up his music teaching degree, and the graduation ceremony was last Saturday! He was even chosen to be the spokesperson for his class, giving the closing speech! 

 (getting his diploma from the owner & director of the Academy, Don Guido)

 ("We did it!!" There was even a nun in Gus' class! )

(So proud of my guy's hard work and accomplishments this year!)

• A couple of good visits with Gus’ Grandma María since she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in August. María is still enjoying life and happy for each new day: She always says that the first thing she does each morning after waking up is get a drink of water and thank God for another day of life! 

(a short visit with Grandma Maria in November before the conference)

• Continued faithful monthly support and special one-time gifts: We have been sooooo blessed by generous financial gifts that have helped us so much over these past few months, as well as being ever grateful for those who give faithfully month after month to support our family and ministry. Thank you all so much!!! Last month the kids also received a special early Christmas gift of new tennis shoes from a couple of close friends here. Here's a picture of all the kids with new footwear, accompanied by our friend, Marisol: 

This Month Please Pray For:

• This Sunday as Gus preaches his first sermon here in Lautaro (now that we’ve almost finished our first year here, he will be on the preaching rotation about every 6 weeks).
• This next Friday the 23^rd as we drive up to Santiago to spend Christmas and New Year’s with extended family there as well as to process Diego’s U.S. citizenship at the Embassy there, for a safe drive and a good visit with loved ones!
• Time to relax and replenish as a family before starting off the next year of ministry mid-January.
• Wisdom and unity for the leadership team here in Lautaro as we all start organizing and planning priorities, focuses, and special events for the church in 2017.
• God’s leading in the things that we do and say, that He would be glorified through our lives, service and example, both in public and in private.
• God’s blessing on our health & wellness, as we are taking new steps to become healthier as a couple and as a family.
• Continued financial provision for family & ministry needs.

Thank you for your generosity, your prayers, your words of encouragement, your willingness to come serve on short-term teams, and your desire to see God’s Kingdom continue to expand, that all may hear and come to a saving knowledge of His Love & Truth! This Christmas Season, in the midst of the busyness, the shopping, the cooking, the end-of-the-year parties, may you always embrace the Joy & Peace brought to us by our Emmanuel, God with us.   

A Very Merry Christmas & Happy 2017, From Our Family To Yours!!

Because His Birth Changed Everything,

Gustavo, Karissa, Jeremy, Elizabeth, Cristina & Diego