This is Rosita's two burners for her stove.!
Rosita!
A typical dish from the jungles, but it is cooked in the ground and covered with rocks to cook for several hours!
Trust me, it's DELISH!Saturday, February 20, 2010
Pachamanca
A typical Peruvian dish I ate at Rosita's house. It actually tasted delicious. Just wanted to show you what it looks like and how Rosita prepared it - notice her stove.
This is Rosita's two burners for her stove.!
Rosita!
A typical dish from the jungles, but it is cooked in the ground and covered with rocks to cook for several hours!
Trust me, it's DELISH!
This is Rosita's two burners for her stove.!Rosita!
A typical dish from the jungles, but it is cooked in the ground and covered with rocks to cook for several hours! Trust me, it's DELISH!
Christmas Ministry Party
Before Christmas, we hosted a party for the church leaders in Oasis, in our home. They live in such extreme poverty and we wanted to give them an afternoon of blessings, food, fellowship, fun and free from problems. I cooked deserts for 2 days and we had typical Peruvian food (made by my friend). During the party, we gave out presents to all the little kids, stuffed their bellies, played a game, and had a sweet time of praise. Everyone kept saying what a blessing it was to be here. Some of our neighbors were appalled that we would have "poor" people in our home and they were concerned about their stuff getting stolen. Of course, nothing happened and all went well. This was one of the sweetest days we have had in ministry since we got here. I will remember it for the rest of my life. I hope they will, too!
Some time of Praise!!!
Alberto - the man who will be the Pastor of the church plant - worshipping the Lord!
John giving a devotion and leading a time of worship!
All the kids getting ready to receive their presents!
We played a game where we had to "sing a song" with animal noises. I think we were cats and we were singing song going "meow" and the others had to guess the song.
Enjoying some food!
The leaders of the church loading up their bellies! NO - NONE of them speak English!!
Our entire group (except for John) since he was taking the picture!
2nd try!
Hanging out in the back patio! Fun times!
Some time of Praise!!!
Alberto - the man who will be the Pastor of the church plant - worshipping the Lord!
John giving a devotion and leading a time of worship!
All the kids getting ready to receive their presents!
We played a game where we had to "sing a song" with animal noises. I think we were cats and we were singing song going "meow" and the others had to guess the song.
Enjoying some food!
The leaders of the church loading up their bellies! NO - NONE of them speak English!!
Our entire group (except for John) since he was taking the picture!
2nd try!
Hanging out in the back patio! Fun times!Better LATE than NEVER - Thanksgiving Party with our neighbors
John and I have been blessed with some great neighbors - Canadians, Mexicans and Peruvians. We all celebrated Thanksgiving the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Everyone brought a dish, we put up our ministry tent and chipped in $30 a family for a bounce house. It was one of the most memorable and special Thanksgivings we have ever had - even though we weren't speaking our native tongue, with our family or even in America. You can see how awesome the day was just by the pictures!
Tent and bounce house!
Every family had their own table and we brought our own dishes!
The bounce house also came with a trampoline. We had sprint races on the bounce house and also a bobbing for apple contest. Yep, I won! :)
The neighbors and all the kids!
One table of yummy food! Thanksgiving ROCKED!The kids seeing their Papa Dean and Nana for the first time in 2 years - Arizona
2 days before Christmas, my dad and Step-mom flew out to Arizona so that they could see the kids since they hadn't seen them in 2 years. Although I took the baby to Florida, they weren't going to get a chance to see the other kids. They just couldn't resist hopping on a play to see their grandkids, and us, for 48 hours. What a tremendous two days we had. One of God's greatest blessings is definitely grandparents.
Avery and her Papa (my dad)!
Nana (my step-mom of over 25 years) with Miles and Jaxson at a yummy Mexican Restaurant.
Now you know where I get my maturity from! :)
All of us at the zoo! I was SOOO sick this day thanks to greasy Chic-Fil-A! John was not with us as he was visiting his sisters.
Nana and her Avery. Avery didn't miss a beat. It was us as if she sees them every single day.
Me with the world's greatest dad!
Papa Dean and 4 of his grandkids.
My dad took this picture of us at the zoo!
Nana and Miles on Christmas Eve at Cracker Barrell!
Miles getting lots of loving from his Papa Dean!
Avery and her Papa (my dad)!
Nana (my step-mom of over 25 years) with Miles and Jaxson at a yummy Mexican Restaurant.
Now you know where I get my maturity from! :)
All of us at the zoo! I was SOOO sick this day thanks to greasy Chic-Fil-A! John was not with us as he was visiting his sisters.
Nana and her Avery. Avery didn't miss a beat. It was us as if she sees them every single day.
Me with the world's greatest dad!
Papa Dean and 4 of his grandkids.
My dad took this picture of us at the zoo!
Nana and Miles on Christmas Eve at Cracker Barrell!
Miles getting lots of loving from his Papa Dean!Friday, February 19, 2010
a book I would LOVE to get my hands on
http://www.amazon.com/Hole-Our-Gospel-expect-Changed/dp/0785229183/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266639818&sr=8-1-catcorr#noop
Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
A perfect book for missionaries working with the poor.
Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
A perfect book for missionaries working with the poor.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Avery Brooke, Avery Brooke - all it took was just one look!
4 years ago today (actually at 12:05 a.m., which would've already passed), I gave birth to one of God's sweetest creations, Avery Brooke Pham. We celebrate her life and the joy that she brings to our family and home EVERY single day!
Avery has her own little song that I made for her when she was a few days old. It goes like this:
Our 4 year-old princess!
Almost 4 years old! :)
3 years old! Running through the park with a pretty dress on and a skateboard helmet! Can we say "Tomboy!"
2 years-old!
1 years-old!
6 months old!
3-4 days old!
An hour old
Just minutes old - born at home!
Avery has her own little song that I made for her when she was a few days old. It goes like this:
Avery Brooke, Avery Brooke, all it took was just one look
for me to know it's a joy to watch you grow
can't you see you mean the world to me
Avery Brooke, Avery Brooke, all it took was just one look!
Our 4 year-old princess!
Almost 4 years old! :)
3 years old! Running through the park with a pretty dress on and a skateboard helmet! Can we say "Tomboy!"
2 years-old!
1 years-old!
6 months old!
3-4 days old!
An hour old
Just minutes old - born at home!Words to describe Avery:
JOYFUL
OUTGOING
SPUNKY
DIVA
FRIENDLY
GIVING
SMILEY
INTELLIGENT
SENSITIVE
TALKATIVE
KIND
PRINCESS
Monday, February 15, 2010
2 blogs for the price of one
First blog: The team meeting today was EXCELLENT! We topped it off with a fun trip to Chili's. Yummy! To sum it all up: in 3 years, when it is time to ship off to a new location, we have the option to learn a new language and go to Asia, Europe, Africa or to any UPG (unreached people group) that we feel God is calling us to. Or, we can stay in Central or South America and go live in a VERY rural area, learn a new language (tribal) and work with indigenous people groups. Fortunately, we have plenty of time to see where God is leading us and what He has in store for us. Either way, we will be moving and learning another language. We do feel called to Columbia and there are some UPG's in Columbia. So, we do have the option of taking our Stateside assigment until January and then when we get back we could decide that we are ready to go to any of the above locations, and then pack up and go. It is all very flexible. Our boss told us today that we will not be missionaries that stay in one place for 10 years and that missionary work is "mobile." Boy, God has such a sense of humor to give me five kids and then send us all over the world with all kinds of crazy foods, exotic languages and interesting cultures. I guess I never have to worry about my kids being 1 dimensional or uncultured. Instead, I'll need to make sure they know how to settle down in one place and get grounded and rooted. There is a reason they are called Third Culture Kids (TCK'S). They are 2 cultures mixed together, that make a third culture. But in our situation, they could end up being 5Ck's or 6Ck's. As they grow up, they will never be short on stories, I'm sure.
2nd blog: Met with the kid's teachers today. The school is hyper-conservative (and I mean that as a positive) and exceptionally strict. So strict in fact, that Jaxson was in tears as I read him the new handbook. He's not that crazy about rules. ;) The girls have to wear long skirts or dresses everyday (LOVE IT), and the boys have to be neatly manicured as well. The only kids who attend the school, are children of missionaries and English speaking children. There are about 30 kids in the school and I could not be more pleased with it. Here is the rundown:
Jaxson and Ally will share a teacher. She is young (early 20's) and SUGARY sweet. Jaxson is in First Grade and he will have one other boy in his class.
Ally will be in 2nd grade and she will have 2 other, very kind and gentle spirited girls (like herself), in her class. So there will be 1 teacher, 2 grades and 5 kids. I had the opportunity to look over the curriculums, and after a week or 2 of review, my kids should be flying high and easily on grade level with ZERO problems. I think the maturity level of all the kids and that class, will help Jaxson to mature a little bit as well (this is a good thing).
Parker will have a nice, young teacher as well. She has 3rd and 4th grade. I looked over the 4th grade math curriculum and I about fainted. NO WAY could he do that kind of stuff. It is Abeka math and I promise you it is like 5th grade stuff - fractions, long division, long multiplication. It is all WAY above his head. All the rest of the stuff he is easily in 4th grade, but he would completely be so lost in the math. And if you skip these fundamentals or rush through them, he could struggle with math for the rest of his life. So.....we are allowing him to go into 3rd grade, which is the grade he would be in if he was in an American school. He is going to have a very easy year, except for math, and will be able to sharpen some of his fundamental writing and spelling skills. I am very happy for him because he gets easily frustrated. We think this is the very best decision for him. It's not like he is dropping a grade level or anything, he just won't be doing what we were doing at home, which was probably way too hard for him anyway. He took the news very well. His 3rd grade class will have 4 kids in it in total. The 4th grade class has 5. So, his class will be on the larger side with a combined total of 9. Isn't that funny? That's still a tiny class.
All 3 kids cried tonight at one time or another about starting school or some school related issue - the first of many tears I am sure. I have an incredible peace that this is the right school for us right now and that we are making the best choice. However, I know that this is going to be a bit of a challenge for the kids at first, but once they get into the groove, they will love it and excel. I think they will be challenged spiritually, academically and socially. I am going to be super hands on and involved in everything. I never thought I would feel so excited about a school before, but I truly am. If it was any other school, I might not feel this way.
Well, it was an information packed day and I just wanted to let you guys know what is going on in our lives. John starts his "research" tomorrow. Please keep his safety on the forefront of your -prayers.
2nd blog: Met with the kid's teachers today. The school is hyper-conservative (and I mean that as a positive) and exceptionally strict. So strict in fact, that Jaxson was in tears as I read him the new handbook. He's not that crazy about rules. ;) The girls have to wear long skirts or dresses everyday (LOVE IT), and the boys have to be neatly manicured as well. The only kids who attend the school, are children of missionaries and English speaking children. There are about 30 kids in the school and I could not be more pleased with it. Here is the rundown:
Jaxson and Ally will share a teacher. She is young (early 20's) and SUGARY sweet. Jaxson is in First Grade and he will have one other boy in his class.
Ally will be in 2nd grade and she will have 2 other, very kind and gentle spirited girls (like herself), in her class. So there will be 1 teacher, 2 grades and 5 kids. I had the opportunity to look over the curriculums, and after a week or 2 of review, my kids should be flying high and easily on grade level with ZERO problems. I think the maturity level of all the kids and that class, will help Jaxson to mature a little bit as well (this is a good thing).
Parker will have a nice, young teacher as well. She has 3rd and 4th grade. I looked over the 4th grade math curriculum and I about fainted. NO WAY could he do that kind of stuff. It is Abeka math and I promise you it is like 5th grade stuff - fractions, long division, long multiplication. It is all WAY above his head. All the rest of the stuff he is easily in 4th grade, but he would completely be so lost in the math. And if you skip these fundamentals or rush through them, he could struggle with math for the rest of his life. So.....we are allowing him to go into 3rd grade, which is the grade he would be in if he was in an American school. He is going to have a very easy year, except for math, and will be able to sharpen some of his fundamental writing and spelling skills. I am very happy for him because he gets easily frustrated. We think this is the very best decision for him. It's not like he is dropping a grade level or anything, he just won't be doing what we were doing at home, which was probably way too hard for him anyway. He took the news very well. His 3rd grade class will have 4 kids in it in total. The 4th grade class has 5. So, his class will be on the larger side with a combined total of 9. Isn't that funny? That's still a tiny class.
All 3 kids cried tonight at one time or another about starting school or some school related issue - the first of many tears I am sure. I have an incredible peace that this is the right school for us right now and that we are making the best choice. However, I know that this is going to be a bit of a challenge for the kids at first, but once they get into the groove, they will love it and excel. I think they will be challenged spiritually, academically and socially. I am going to be super hands on and involved in everything. I never thought I would feel so excited about a school before, but I truly am. If it was any other school, I might not feel this way.
Well, it was an information packed day and I just wanted to let you guys know what is going on in our lives. John starts his "research" tomorrow. Please keep his safety on the forefront of your -prayers.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Prayer Requests
Sunday night when I can't sleep, due to a VERY heavy heart, seems like a great time to post some prayer requests:
My brother's wife suffered a miscarriage last night. She was at the end of her first trimester. They were SUPER excited about the baby, their first, and have been married for about 9 months. Please pray for them. The entire situation is very sad.
Please pray for another family member who was once a strong Bible believing, Jesus-loving Christian who no longer believes that Jesus is the "way, the truth and the life" and is searching for Truth, but doesn't believe it comes from the Bible.
And now you know why I can't sleep!!!! :( :(
Also, please pray for:
John this week as he will be doing 3 days of research in some very dangerous areas that are new to him. He is taking 2 nationals with him, but it is still dangerous none the less. He is scoping out what areas need evangelical churches and Christian witnesses as we are about to start "planting" in other areas.
I found out that we will be at an IMB "debriefing" conference in Richmond, VA the entire week and day of Mile's first birthday. There is absolutely NO way around this and it has me a little bit down. I can't imagine him being in day care on his first birthday. It just doesn't seem right.
Please pray for, Alberto, who is the man that John has been training up to be the Pastor at the Oasis church. John was set to pull out in March, but some "serious" theological issues/beliefs (ie., losing and earning your salvation) have come up recently and now we are deciding what is best. John is continuing to meet with Alberto and they are discussing at length these issues.
Tomorrow we have a team meeting with our boss from Ecuador. Please pray that if there is any "new" stuff sprung on me (trust me, it happens), that I will handle it with grace and love and dignity. Sometimes I get really stressed at changes that effect our family a lot. But hopefully this meeting won't be like that, but one never knows.
Please pray for my mom. She has some serious addictions and health problems. She is unsightly skinny (5'7" 110 lbs) really needs deliverance on many different levels. I am extremely concerned about her well-being.
Pray for the people that we work with here in Peru that the scales would fall off their eyes and they would come to know and love Christ and Christ alone.
Pray for Parker, Ally and Jaxson as they prepare to start school next Monday.
Last but not least, please pray for my Spanish. It is seriously getting worse by the day.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, but more importantly for praying.
My brother's wife suffered a miscarriage last night. She was at the end of her first trimester. They were SUPER excited about the baby, their first, and have been married for about 9 months. Please pray for them. The entire situation is very sad.
Please pray for another family member who was once a strong Bible believing, Jesus-loving Christian who no longer believes that Jesus is the "way, the truth and the life" and is searching for Truth, but doesn't believe it comes from the Bible.
And now you know why I can't sleep!!!! :( :(
Also, please pray for:
John this week as he will be doing 3 days of research in some very dangerous areas that are new to him. He is taking 2 nationals with him, but it is still dangerous none the less. He is scoping out what areas need evangelical churches and Christian witnesses as we are about to start "planting" in other areas.
I found out that we will be at an IMB "debriefing" conference in Richmond, VA the entire week and day of Mile's first birthday. There is absolutely NO way around this and it has me a little bit down. I can't imagine him being in day care on his first birthday. It just doesn't seem right.
Please pray for, Alberto, who is the man that John has been training up to be the Pastor at the Oasis church. John was set to pull out in March, but some "serious" theological issues/beliefs (ie., losing and earning your salvation) have come up recently and now we are deciding what is best. John is continuing to meet with Alberto and they are discussing at length these issues.
Tomorrow we have a team meeting with our boss from Ecuador. Please pray that if there is any "new" stuff sprung on me (trust me, it happens), that I will handle it with grace and love and dignity. Sometimes I get really stressed at changes that effect our family a lot. But hopefully this meeting won't be like that, but one never knows.
Please pray for my mom. She has some serious addictions and health problems. She is unsightly skinny (5'7" 110 lbs) really needs deliverance on many different levels. I am extremely concerned about her well-being.
Pray for the people that we work with here in Peru that the scales would fall off their eyes and they would come to know and love Christ and Christ alone.
Pray for Parker, Ally and Jaxson as they prepare to start school next Monday.
Last but not least, please pray for my Spanish. It is seriously getting worse by the day.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, but more importantly for praying.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
the cutest kids who won't all smile at the same time
I have about 4 months of pictures that I am behind on. So, as time permits, I will be uploading slideshows. That is the easiest way to share a bunch of pictures at one time.
How does a family with 5 kids get a cute picture of everyone? Well, here you have it....take 100 pictures. I'm sure there has to be at least 1 that is good of EVERYONE. Which is your favorite?
How does a family with 5 kids get a cute picture of everyone? Well, here you have it....take 100 pictures. I'm sure there has to be at least 1 that is good of EVERYONE. Which is your favorite?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Baby's first trip to the Beach (last week)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
