Still Remembering

These are old pictures, but it reminds us of the bond that Edson and Abuela had. When he was a baby he would sit still for an hour listening to Abuela pray in Guarani. I wonder how much he understood? Edson was her last grandson and she called him her "tesoro"...treasure. What fun times we had with Abuela...Gracias, Señor!

One Year Ago...

This picture was taken one year ago on my mother-in-law's birthday, October 7th, 2008.
Just a few days ago we were planning this year's birthday reunion. (Last year there were more than 70, including: brothers, sisters, grandkids and great-grandkids.)
We decided to meet on her birthday, anyway, this year for a memorial reunion and family time.
Thanks for your beautiful comments on the earlier blog and your prayers for our family.

Oscar's Mom, Sergia Acuña

Some of you may have already been informed, if so, sorry for the repeated details...
This past weekend we rushed to San Pedro (a four hour drive) after hearing that my mother-in-law, Sergia Acuña, was hospitalized. She was visiting her son, Friday evening, and after arriving back home, crumpled over, barely breathing. Oscar went right away that night, the kids and I went in the morning. The doctors put her on oxygen the whole night and she slowly recovered her skin color and seemed alert. When we got there, Saturday morning, she recognized all of us and even asked Edson to sing to her his song. We were with her most of the day, and the other brothers and sisters (ten of the eleven were there) were also arriving and taking turns by her side at the hospital. She died at 11 pm after a prayer. She repeated “Gracias, Señor, Gracias, Señor” and “fell asleep”.
In Paraguay things happen fast. The burial has to be within 24 hours. Oscar and his brothers started working on the paperwork and otherdetails…at midnight! Calling hours or viewing is usually at the person’s own home, and the death is announced on the local radio. As soon as the body is taken home, people start coming to be with the family. She was buried at 4 pm on Sunday.
Please pray especially for Oscar and the rest of his brothers and sisters. Only four are Christians, even though most of them have gone to church most of their lives. It’s a hard time for all of us to go through, but we are thankful that she went in peace with her Savior.
She became a Christian 18 years ago. Four years earlier she sent Oscar from her home because he "changed religions". After seeing Oscar's radical changes and faith, she also desired the happiness and peace that she saw in him. The Lord transformed her her life, full of bitterness and resentment from being abandoned by her husband after the last baby was born, and the Holy Spirit started helping her understand the way of salvation and new life in Christ. She didn’t know how to read, but enjoyed a prayer ministry with all of herbrothers and sisters in the Lord and many of her neighbors. She couldn’t read the Word to her neighbors, but showed them Christ’s love through good works and a strong faith. She would walk for miles just to visit a good friend and say a prayer with them. Everyone could see Christ shining in her transformed life.She will be greatly missed by all of us!
Thanks for your constant prayers...in times like these we need them the most!

Bañado

At school this year the 12th graders (along with their homeroom teacher) organized an institutional project in the area of our church in Bañado. Money for the project was raised on Mission Night at school. Their plan was to work with the people in this community involving every subject and teacher in their program this year. In several visits the moms, as well as some of our missionary visitors, went to wash hair, comb out lice, braid hair, and clean and cut nails. The students asked some dentists to go...they pulled teeth! (Oscar told me later that there was a half a bucket of pulled teeth after that visit!)

I went with the group last week . They served breakfast, had 4 different workshops and presented a bible-related puppet show.

Lily, Maci, and Oscar

My sister called last night. It reminded us of Oscar's visit to her house in July/August. Here are some cute pictures.

I love to wake up some mornings and find these tiny, but beautiful flowers peaking out of our grass. I sadly have to step on them while I hang up my clothes. They are just weeds - insignificant beauty! Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. Matthew 6.28,29 (NLT)

Orchids

Every year they are so much more beautiful. Isn't this amazing?