Friday, August 19, 2005
August 19th, 2005
What have the Larimers been up to lately?
The Crossroads Youth Group is in full swing meeting every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9pm. We started out with only 4, and now we have upwards of 10 teens and pre-teens attending weekly. The ages range from 11 to 16 years. While most of the teens are permanent residents of La Paz, we have had the pleasure of having Eilene and Fidel’s 2 grandchildren who are visiting them from New York. Claudio (16) and Dominga (13) have been with us since July, but we are sad to be seeing them off next week as they return to the states.
We are trying to involve the teens in service projects which takes the focus off of themselves and allows them the opportunity to help other people. Although there are opportunities around every corner, our 2 main projects have been the seminary and the construction of Mary and Raul’s house. Some like the work more than others, and at times it’s challenging for us as leaders to show them the importance of serving God through serving others. Overall, it’s been exciting, and we are seeing God’s hands at work.
Mark has been busy, busy, busy at the seminary with David working to complete the library. It looks great as it has been painted, ceiling lights have been added, electrical outlets are in place, and the floor has been completely cleaned out. Once the floor tile is set and the ceiling fans are in place, the books and the computers will be added making it a fully functioning library! It’s exciting to watch it all come together. It’s also very exciting to take a walk down memory lane and to remember the different groups that have all put their skills and energy into building it.
In addition to eating, sleeping, eating, and sleeping, I have been leading the Women’s Bible Study on Tuesday mornings. We began the book “Women of the Bible” by Ann Spangler & Jean E. Syswerda. This is a book I have used before while studying with 2 of my FBC Bethlehem students. It covers 1 woman from the Bible every week. So far we’ve studied Eve, Sarah, and Hagar. Next week, we take a look at Lot’s Wife. Although I’m still developing my “teaching” skills, I have enjoyed the weekly gatherings and times of study with this group of women.
In Baby News. . . Emma is doing well. She’s moving all the time now. The other morning I got up and my whole belly was lopsided. I had a big lump on my left side, but nothing on my right side. It’s very exciting. My next appointment is September 1st. We did have the opportunity to tour the hospital I will be delivering in. We were very pleased with the friendly staff, the cleanliness of the facility, and the beautiful rooms – Mark even gets a leather couch to sleep on in my room! All we have to do is wait now!
We hope all is going well with you! Keep the e-mails and the comments coming!
The Crossroads Youth Group is in full swing meeting every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9pm. We started out with only 4, and now we have upwards of 10 teens and pre-teens attending weekly. The ages range from 11 to 16 years. While most of the teens are permanent residents of La Paz, we have had the pleasure of having Eilene and Fidel’s 2 grandchildren who are visiting them from New York. Claudio (16) and Dominga (13) have been with us since July, but we are sad to be seeing them off next week as they return to the states.
We are trying to involve the teens in service projects which takes the focus off of themselves and allows them the opportunity to help other people. Although there are opportunities around every corner, our 2 main projects have been the seminary and the construction of Mary and Raul’s house. Some like the work more than others, and at times it’s challenging for us as leaders to show them the importance of serving God through serving others. Overall, it’s been exciting, and we are seeing God’s hands at work.
Mark has been busy, busy, busy at the seminary with David working to complete the library. It looks great as it has been painted, ceiling lights have been added, electrical outlets are in place, and the floor has been completely cleaned out. Once the floor tile is set and the ceiling fans are in place, the books and the computers will be added making it a fully functioning library! It’s exciting to watch it all come together. It’s also very exciting to take a walk down memory lane and to remember the different groups that have all put their skills and energy into building it.
In addition to eating, sleeping, eating, and sleeping, I have been leading the Women’s Bible Study on Tuesday mornings. We began the book “Women of the Bible” by Ann Spangler & Jean E. Syswerda. This is a book I have used before while studying with 2 of my FBC Bethlehem students. It covers 1 woman from the Bible every week. So far we’ve studied Eve, Sarah, and Hagar. Next week, we take a look at Lot’s Wife. Although I’m still developing my “teaching” skills, I have enjoyed the weekly gatherings and times of study with this group of women.
In Baby News. . . Emma is doing well. She’s moving all the time now. The other morning I got up and my whole belly was lopsided. I had a big lump on my left side, but nothing on my right side. It’s very exciting. My next appointment is September 1st. We did have the opportunity to tour the hospital I will be delivering in. We were very pleased with the friendly staff, the cleanliness of the facility, and the beautiful rooms – Mark even gets a leather couch to sleep on in my room! All we have to do is wait now!
We hope all is going well with you! Keep the e-mails and the comments coming!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Okay, so we caved! We went to the doctors today for our 5 month check-up, and we told the doctor we wanted to know if the baby is a boy or a girl. He laughed and said, “I thought you would want to know”. So. . . . . After another ultrasound, measurements, and some looking around, we discovered with 90% certainty that we’re having a GIRL!!! We are so excited! He will tell us with 99% certainty at next month’s check-up. Little Emma is due December 20th, and she looks very healthy. Her heart rate is good, everything looks strong, and we even counted her 10 little toes! We shared the good news with our parents via computer phones this afternoon. Everyone is very excited, but still won’t believe it until she’s actually here. I can’t believe it’s a GIRL!
I also want to share with you all how thrilled I was with your emails from our last entry. It was so wonderful to hear about your own personal pregnancy and delivery experiences. We each have unique stories of how our little blessings came to be. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!
Other exciting news. . . Tomorrow we are starting construction on Mary and Raul’s new house! Mary and Raul and their 3 children have become very special to us and to many others at First Baptist Church Bethlehem since we met them 4 years ago. They have also become a special part of the lives of the Crossroads community – our English speaking congregation here in La Paz. I think I shared a bit about them in an earlier e-mail, but their home was basically eliminated earlier in the year in order to make room for a road to be widened. They have been renting a home in their same neighborhood with the hopes of one day rebuilding. At a business meeting 2 weeks ago, Crossroads voted to give their mission budget to help Mary and Raul begin to build their home. Raul is a very talented man who works very hard to support his family. He is so artistic and resourceful, it’s amazing to watch him work and to see the finished product – it’s always perfect. Mary has been helping us with our Spanish and is always a blessing to be around. This couple’s love for the Lord is evident in everything they do. We are so excited to have the opportunity to help them in such a big way. We will be doing construction mainly in the evening so Raul can continue to work his other jobs because it is so much cooler in the evening. Raul has the plans for his house all ready to go. We challenged him to be the “Jefe” or boss for the project since it is his house. He had a very hard time accepting that role. One thing about Raul and Mary is that they are very humble people, and Raul feels that the one supplying the money (the “patron”) should be the one with the “Jefe” title. He has reluctantly accepted the title with the understanding that it’s God’s money and God’s house for Mary and Raul to use. We are so excited to begin this project – and it will be ongoing over the months to come.
Some new pictures have finally been added to our blog site, so check them out when you get a chance! http://www.missionlapaz.blogspot.com/
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