Fair Family Journey

*Whew* I feel like we've just come skidding into the new school year after the roller coaster ride we've just gotten off of! The last time I posted, the Phase 3 (or third year SST student program) was about to kick off. Now the students have come and gone, we've been on vacation and come back to start school the very next Monday. Wow.

The Phase 3 program went so much better than we anticipated and Nathan said it was his favorite year yet that we have worked with SST's. The students that came were third year students, meaning they had previously been through our first year SST and second year Phase 2 programs. Many of these students remembered us from their outreaches to Reynosa 2 years ago! Working with older, and in many ways, more mature students was a blessing and it was a joy to watch them unfold before God during the three weeks they were here.

Nathan was in "go-mode" constantly  as we were short on staff, but in the end it was all worth it. Unfortunately I contracted a strain of Typhoid and was on serious antibiotics and somewhat "out of comission" the first week of the school. Not fun. I am feeling better now and will be doing a follow up blood test to make sure it has left my system.

The boys had a great time with the students and got to go with Daddy on many adventures, including a hike into the mountain village of La Pila to meet with an indigenous church plant there. If you skip over to our Photo Gallery I have posted a ton of new pics and you can see the Phase 3 in pictures. As I look through them again I am astounded at the beauty of this place and so thankful to be living here!

Deacon has six teeth now...all in the matter of a few weeks. He made sure not to let me get too much sleep when I had Typhoid Such is the spiritual warfare when we work with SST. Every year something or the other seems to happen to me, or the kids, or our car, or any number of things that would keep us focused on our circumstances rather than on the Lord and ministering to these students. It was hard for me not to have a big pity party and I admit I fell into that trap for a few days, but God is always faithful to allow me to see it for what it is in the end.

Now that the summer is over, we are back in full swing with homeschooling and carrying on a more typical work-day. Nathan is back in the office working on staff fundraising newsletters and organizing and communicating with potential short term teams. He will start back up at the prison next week and we will be going back to the orphanage. It was such a joy this summer to be able to paint for the orphanage and give them some children's books. It was only a small drop in the bucket of what we would like to do there, but it was a great start. I want to say thank you to the Krol family for their donation of books and Bibles for the boys and to Michelle LaMountain for her donation as well as others who have asked to remain anonymous. I can't wait to give these boys a little library with plenty of books to go around, plastic mattress covers for the beds, sheets, and new socks and shoes if possible. It is just plain FUN to have the opportunity to bless these little guys and I am so grateful for each of you who have given towards that goal. Don't forget to go browse our pictures! Until next time....

Because of Him,   Amey