RELATIONSHIPS-----That is what is on our minds and what we would like to focus on for this blog update---this year to date we have had some very special visitors from the states---each has loved on us so well and blessed our community and ministry here---and we are very grateful for that gift--
Dave and Sharon Reeves--long time supporters and members of our home church were on the island, rented a car and braved our mountain road to come visit us for a day!!! We loved sitting on our gazebo, looking at our beautiful mountain range and sharing deep conversation with them knowing they would take it all to pray for us. We walked our community so they could see the local neighbors and the church plant here. Just a great day with them!!
In February a small group from our home church, Eastview Christian Church, came for a week---what a blessing they were to us and to the church here!!!
Pastor Jose Miguel described them as "overflowing with Christ's love" and that is what we felt from them as well!
We all shared a meal at Pastor Jose Miguel's family home...
They blessed the local church with worship and teaching from a six week study, Walk, or "Caminar" in Spanish...
And they offered a beautiful prayer over the pastor and church body encouraging them to keep on for the Gospel of Christ here in this community.
This month we had a visit from long time friends, Tim and Jen Thul---they spent a few days with us and got to know our community and ministry and just loved on us!!!
Then we took them to the beach so they could spend a few days and celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary!!! I think we all were very refreshed and renewed by this visit!!
We also had a visit from our Latina friend, Diana, who lives in Florida and has a healing prayer ministry--she ministered in our community of Lajas in December so it was great to see her again on the island and update her on progress in the church here.
And we are grateful for the ongoing relationships we have with other missionaries here on the island-God has always blessed us with great relationships here on the island---we both continue with one-on -one mentoring and Cherry is a part of a weekly women's Bible Study in Santiago.
And here is a sweet new relationship God has graced us with--Chepe and Marta live in the community and are the grandparents of two young people who are a part of the local church here---we always say it is "una iglesia de jovenes"--a church of young people but little by little God is adding more adults to the fellowship---we have all been richly blessed by the grace and wisdom of this Godly couple---keep them in your prayers please.
We want to close by sharing how very special it has been to spend this last year here with Beka as she finishes her senior year in high school--she has truly been a pure joy to us!!!
We have especially LOVED watching her play soccer all through high school and see her team mature in so many ways---the icing on the cake is that they have become very very good soccer players---they finished second in the country in a recent national tournament--what a way to finish her senior year!!
Our "baby" is all grown up now!!! We are so excited to see what God's plans are for her future!
As always we thank you all for your love, encouragement and support in so many ways on this journey. Please look at the right-hand panel for our prayer requests as well as our plans to come stateside in June. We hope to see many of you then.
BY GOD'S GRACE AND FOR HIS GLORY,
THE DAVE SCHWULST FAMILY