Our Kids Having Fun

Out There with the Beams - August 2009

Dear friends and family,

Hi to all! I cannot believe the summer has come and gone and we have been back in Bolivia for three weeks. We had a super fun time in the US seeing some of you and being with our families. I would like to say that I am humbled by the Lord when I see the way people have helped us in so many ways! Either by lending us vehicles, hosting us, or giving us haircuts. Even surprising us by paying for our supper!! We have felt loved and well taken care of and I am so happy to belong to a community of believers who live like Christ. I think for me the highlight of the summer was of course to spend time with my dear friends and to be near water a bunch!!! I even got to drive a jet ski for the first time!!

Luciana and Isaiah are again attending school at the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (SCCLC) and Nathaniel is doing school at home and working with his dad. It is such a blessing to see our three kids playing and sharing life together again! The other day as I did a little gardening, Isaiah and Nathaniel just laid on the grass laughing at something and I just loved it. Thank you Jesus. Luciana is back to playing soccer and as a ninth grader (I know, I still can’t believe it!) she has a lot of homework every day.

Being back in Bolivia is both great and sad. It has been sad because we really miss all our friends and family back in the States and I really miss the beautiful dustless and organized roads!

Living as a missionary family can be very weird sometimes, as people we love come and go and we have to say good bye to our friends all the time. So I would like to ask for your prayers for our family in that area as both Luciana and Isaiah had to say good bye to some really good friends lately and for all of us as we learn to live this way.

The transition home is going well. We had three girls until last weekend but now we are back to two. It seems like our place is not for everyone but for those who really care about their future and want to let Jesus rebuild their lives. The two that are with us now are doing great, their names are Betty and Paula, they are both attending college at the moment. Betty is studying tourism and hotel management. This is her first year and she has a scholarship for half of her tuition costs. She is attending counselling at the Centro de Vida, and she is applying for a job at a grocery store. Please pray about this. Paula is in her third year of college. She is studying environmental engineering at the public university here in Santa Cruz and works weekends for a company that does survey work. Both girls have come a long way emotionally and both now know the Lord Jesus Christ. We needed a lot of prayer for both of them to win the spiritual battle they both are in right now as they try to follow Jesus and not look back as well as for their physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Please help us pray for individual supporters for each girl so that we will be able to help them with their studies and medical costs; as well as supporters for the Casa de Apoyo Ruth y Noemi ( that is what we have named the transition house). We welcome financial and prayer supporters as well as visitors!

Danny is out of town today looking at a community near Pailon (a town close by) that needs a well. He has been busy trying to meet with everyone on his well drilling team and is excited that Nathaniel is here to help him. We really appreciate your continual prayers for his safety and good results with his work.

Please know that we think of you often, we miss you and you are in our heart. And thank you for sharing life with us just by reading our letters!

May Jesus bless you in a huge way today!

Vanessa (for all the Beams)