I don’t know about the United States, but here in Uruguay, Day of the Woman is a big deal. There is a call for women everywhere to not show up to work, to prove that they are an indispensable part of the economy. 
Likewise, every year in school the children learn about the advances women have made just in the last 100 years to go from obscurity to a place where they are just as valuable as men–almost just as valuable anyway, as they also learn about the advances that still need to be made. Continue reading Happy Day of the Woman
Category Archives: Children
A Miscarriage, an Upcoming Marriage and a Spiritual Battle
Much of the daily life of a missionary is the same as the daily life of anyone else, but done in the backdrop of another language and culture. This past Christmas, for our family, was a time that combined the sadness of a miscarriage with joy of celebrating the Incarnation with our much-loved and expanding family.
Continue reading A Miscarriage, an Upcoming Marriage and a Spiritual Battle
Let the Children Come
About 30 minutes into day two of VBS, I looked up to see our big family van pull up to the entrance of the event center where we meet. Ray opened the door and a stream of children came running towards the bounce house we had set up. Continue reading Let the Children Come
First Day of School, Missionary Style
Summer is quickly coming to a close in the Southern Hemisphere. Today was the first day of school all across the city of Montevideo. 
Because our seasons are opposite of the Northern Hemisphere, the school year runs from March through December. Continue reading First Day of School, Missionary Style
Welcome To Our Newest Blessing
It was Saturday, five days after my due date. The baby was coming quickly, though we did not realize it. I had had some occasional but strong contractions off and on, probably for much of the day, but I wasn’t paying too much attention. 
Then I had an hour of intense labor beginning a little after 5:30pm. We called the doula, but when she arrived they had all but stopped. Ray felt like we should go into the hospital but I wanted to wait until I could say they were both regular and strong. I decided to lay down. I had three strong contractions, the last of which included an urge to push and we decided we should go to the hospital, which is just a 10 minute drive from our house. Things got intense as my water broke right before we pulled into the emergency room driveway, and Ray was afraid he might have to deliver this baby in the car (thankfully the doula was driving)! Continue reading Welcome To Our Newest Blessing
My Life as a Missionary Mom
The alarm rings at 7am. We probably don’t need to wake up so early to make it to school at 8:30, but it is our first week, and our first experience with “morning school”. It is March and autumn is beginning in the Southern Hemisphere. I kick myself that I didn’t go to bed earlier—life happens on a later schedule here and I haven’t yet disciplined myself to go to bed early. I wake up the two boys, one in 5th and one in 4th grade, who attend a local school, and move on to my chores, amazed at how productive I can be when the house is quiet. Continue reading My Life as a Missionary Mom
A New School Year
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The long, relaxing summer days are coming to a sudden end. The new school year starts again this Monday. Summer seemed to fly by. It is never long enough. But there is also excitement over new routines and new experiences. In my almost 19 years as a parent, I always saw us as a family of die-hard homeschoolers. But, I am now preparing for our second year in a local, private school. Last year we sent our then 4 and 8 year old children, reasoning that they were young enough to pick up the language. This year we are also sending our 11 year old. It was clear that in order to gain fluency in both the language and culture he had to attend school. Our church plant is small and without any other children, and his weekly lessons weren’t enough. Continue reading A New School Year
Missionary Kids, Transitions and Our Intern Akerra
During our recent team transitions, we have been blessed to have a 2 week missionary intern, Akerra Tarver. She is a student at Pepperdine University and is in the middle of a year abroad program in Buenos Aires. Even though her time with us was short, she was able to give us great help, especially with the children.
Akerra is the oldest child of a large family and is far away from home. We just sent out our oldest daughter far from home to start college. Akerra became a big sister to our teenagers, baking with them, watching shows with them, going out with them and just being a friend. Continue reading Missionary Kids, Transitions and Our Intern Akerra
A New Baby and a New Intern
I have a couple pieces of happy news to deliver. First, we have a new baby on the way! If all is healthy with this tiny, developing life he or she should make an entrance sometime in April. As always, the children are very excited. Several of them have been praying for a new sibling. I am privileged to be carrying this little human being as he gets his start in life. Continue reading A New Baby and a New Intern
Our Missionary Kids
How are your children adjusting to their new life in Uruguay?
This is probably the most common question I hear from our friends and support team back home. And for good reason. We have children of pretty much every age category under our roof, and anyone who has ever moved with children knows that moving is every bit as momentous and stressful for a child as it is for an adult. Continue reading Our Missionary Kids