We have a lot to learn about love!

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  –I Corinthians 13 This week during 6th grade Bible class, we read these verses and were talking about what true love is according to God and the Bible. It was a fitting passage as it seems like everyday I hear about something unkind being said. That night I got a voice message from the mother of one of my students. She said her son was really struggling with being jealous of his brother and sisters. He had a very tough morning before school but when he came home and walked through the door he told his mom, “If I didn’t believe in God before I sure do now.”  He went on to tell her about reading verse 4, “Love is not jealous” and how God’s Word spoke to his heart.

Many days can be discouraging for me because my students can be so mean to each other. I have had several difficult parent emails and meetings recently as well. So hearing how God is working in the life of one of my students reminded me again that I need to remain faithful to God. During a recent discussion about heaven, another student asked me how he can know that he is going to heaven. This student has a hard heart but I was able to share with him. Please pray that God will continue to work in his heart and the hearts of my entire class! Scott continues teaching Hebrew 3 times a week. It keeps him busy preparing, teaching, grading and answering many questions. Pray that his students remain faithful with their studies. Also pray for Scott as he prepares each week.

Outside of ministry, our lives have been extra busy. We are working on renewing our Ecuadorian identification cards (similar to a social security card). First of all it required a trip to the South side of Quito. Thankfully we now have a subway that makes the trip in about 30 minutes instead of an hour or more. But we were told that when we received our residential visas about 20 years ago the entire family was given the same number on our visas. Now the system requires us to each have our own number. That’s where it has started to get complicated. Right now we are waiting for a notarized and apostilled letter from Avant in Kansas City in order to continue. Please pray for this process to go smoothly.

During our time in the states in December, Scott started feeling better than he had in months and was able to eat almost normal. Returning to Quito, it seemed as if the high altitude started affecting him and making it worse again. Slowly he began to feel better, still not able to eat too much fiber. But now the past month it has hit hard again and he is eating a super bland diet and trying to recover again. This week he saw a new doctor who is having him go through some more tests. Pray that we can find some new answers for Scott. Pray for our family: David and Shelby are waiting for the birth of their 3rd baby. Shelby has had a rough pregnancy having morning sickness the entire time. The Dr. is watching some complications with the baby very carefully as well. Now Shelby is on modified bed rest because of high blood pressure. They are hoping to get the baby to 37 weeks at which point they plan to induce, less than 2 weeks from now.

Joel and Jaden have been working towards fostering to adopt for the past couple of years. In March they had 2 sisters placed into their home who are 10 and 12. Next fall, after 6 months, they will be able to adopt these girls. We got to meet them for a short time right before we flew back to Quito in January. Of course, Joel and Jaden’s lives have been turned upside down. They are thrilled to be parents but often overwhelmed as well. Pray for their family in all of these changes and that the girls will feel loved, safe and secure in their new home. Luke and Chase are off on a mission trip this week to Guatemala. Luke is teaching Spanish at a small Christian school in Vermont. This school has had a tradition of going to help in a Christian school in Guatemala. They along with 2 other adults and 8 students will be gone for 10 days. I’m sure Luke and Chase are going to thrive in a Latin culture and will love being able to speak Spanish again. Pray for the entire group during this trip!

And Lindsey is finishing up her 2nd year at John Brown University in a few weeks. Pray for her with all of the end of the year projects and exams. Also pray for a summer job for her as well as some internship hours. It’s a big challenge to live up to the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. We’re thankful that Jesus did it perfectly! Let’s celebrate that this Easter!