Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends! If you've been reading Cyndi's blog, you already know that we are in Panama City, Panama. We had an uneventful flight (Praise God!) and are in the process of settling into our new environment. We have met some people who are very important to us already, Raul and Betty Alvarado. He is a local native minister and they have three beautiful children. They are both from Panama and went to Harding, built a ministry in California for several years before moving back to Panama. They have been back here for around ten years. They have been helping us get settled in and showing us around. This isn't easy when you consider that Christmas is so near. The Alvarados have graciously invited us to spend Christmas with them. So we will get the pleasure of experiencing the holiday in another culture. That will be really welcome, because being by ourselves would be difficult since we won't be with our families this year.

We are living in the Carters apartment while they are home in Florida for the holidays. We were able to meet Lisa before she left. While they are in Florida, we are hoping to find a place of our own. No success so far. Please pray that we will find something close to the university where we will be reading with students. Housing is very expensive here and we also want to find something reasonable so we can stay for nine months, like we agreed.

We have a difficult road ahead of us. We started learning Spanish when we arrived, but have A LOT to learn before we can even take care of our own needs, let alone carry on a conversation. So please pray that we will be quick students. I think a genuine miracle will be required for that one, but I believe God can do amazing things as we have already seen.

After the New Year's holiday, we will be moving out to a small town called Cheppo. There we plan on spending two weeks doing LST work with the people there. We may be staying in the church there. We may be out of internet contact while there, but will surely fill you in on all of the details once our time in Cheppo is through. We look forward to this challenge.

Thank you for your interest in our lives and how God is using us. Thank you so much for all of you who have given us support and prayers. Just reading our blogs is a gift to us. A special thanks to everyone who leaves comments, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't know that anyone was reading our blogs. Thanks to our families for giving us up for one year, we miss you, especially now. Thanks to our friends who have offered to do whatever we need them to do. The time to ask for favors may be near.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! God bless you!