Christmas Vacation

 It has been a busy week and a half for my parents and I. We left for Alabama on Dec. 20. It took 3 days of driving since mom and dad have a hard time riding for extremely long periods. We spent Christmas with my sister Jacqueline and her husband, my brother Justin and his family, and some friends. We are currently at my brother Josh's house in Tenn. spending a few days with him, his wife and their twins. Tomorrow, we head for my sister Julie's in Iowa for a few days. We will then head to Ohio to spend a few days with my aunt's family and my sister Janna and her family. 

Please pray for safety as we travel since snow and ice are expected across the Midwest.

Tis the Season

 I cannot believe it has been a month since I last posted. Since my last post, my days have been filled with preparing for Thanksgiving, a Christmas Play, and a Christmas trip. Tis the season to be busy.

My parents and I spent Thanksgiving with my sister and her family as well as some of the people from their church. We had so much food and so much fun.

Our kids program has been held on Saturdays, and for the last seven weeks, we have been working on a Christmas play. About four weeks ago, our choir began working on the three main songs, and several families worked on other individual songs. We held the play yesterday, and what a blessing it was. The kids did so well, and the helpers did a great job getting the kids into position.

I am thankful my dad decided to keep our church open. We had a visitor yesterday who has been contemplating suicide. He remembered the church on the hill and came. Please pray that he will continue coming. I believe he is saved, but has strayed from the Lord. We also had one of our kids trust Christa after my dad's message.

This week, we are finishing up Christmas gifts and prepping to go on a trip to visit most of my siblings. This will require a lot of driving and expense, but my parents feel we should do this now as there may not be opportunity to do so again or at least for a long time with the way the country is shaping up. Our governor has again overstepped her role as governor, and no one is holding her in check. Please pray that our legislators will take a stand and reconvene to end the communist measures our governor has implemented which effect freedom and health.

I have been and continue to pray about direction for the future of my helps ministry. So many countries are closed and closing even tighter. Please pray that God will allow me to at least fulfill the journeys I had planned for this year, and that He will show me the door He wants me to go through next.

My mom's health is improving. I plan to give a praise report closer to January. 

Although some of my support has lessened, the five remaining churches continue to send their support. I have been trying not to use any of my support for personal needs while home, so please pray that I can find an online job which does not require a set schedule since my moms health can change without warning.

Please pray for our safety as we travel. Pray for the truth about the election to be found and settled, and that the truth about the covid situation will come out and those responsible for trying to destroy America through fear will be held accountable.

Prepping

 It is already November. Where does time go, and how does it move so quickly? I have begun working with our church kids on our Christmas play. Last week we measured everybody for costumes. The kids are excited, and so am I.

Our governor has again tried to enforce lockdowns, masks... Please pray that our legislators and the people will take a stand. If our governor and others have their way, they will cancel Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers.

I have been praying for truth about the election, covid and other politically fired situations to come out. I hope you will join me in doing the same. I truly believe our country is at the end of our time of freedom to be used by God as a tool to reach the world. Jesus is coming soon.

I am prepping for the worst and hoping and praying for the best.

Enjoying God's Creation

 This past weekend, we spent time in Jackman, Maine with another pastor and his family. It was such an enjoyable time getting to know the family, seeing their ministry, and seeing the beauty of the area. On Friday night, they had 18 young people at a youth meeting. The town has about 800 people, and many have not heard about Jesus or been in church. Right now, the church is meeting in the lower part of the pastor's house. They are praying about getting a piece of property with multiple buildings.

While we were in Jackman, we were able to see 5 moose. I had seen one moose before in Canada, but I was unable to get a picture of it. This time, I was able to get pictures of three moose. The area around Jackman is mountainous with lots of ponds. It was such a beautiful place to visit, and it was a very relaxing time which my family and I needed.

We are gearing up for our Christmas play. I will begin working on music with the kids this week, and I have already assigned all the parts. Please pray that we can have a regular service for the day of the play which will be in early December.

We had our first Sunday school since the shut downs. I am teaching the young ladies. Please pray that they will be faithful to be in Sunday school. Please pray that I can teach them how to take the next step in their Christian walk and that I can teach them how to take the responsibility for their generation and the next.

A Month of Updates

 It has been almost a month since I last updated this blog. Although events seem to be moving slowly, time seems to be speeding by. We have already been in the Autumn season for a month. The leaf change in Maine has been slow due to little rain and warm temps. The last week, the temperatures have cooled dramatically. My Puerto Rico thinned blood has caused me to turn on a small heater in my room most nights. The days have been in mid fifties to seventy. The weather has been beautiful, but we did finally have a couple days of heavy rain. 

I have begun working on some craft projects which I hope to sell online to make some extra income. I have also prepared some of the pictures I have taken around the world as greeting cards with KJV Bible verses, and I hope to create boxed sets to sell as it is difficult to find cards with KJV. I am still waiting for a reply from an application for online employment, so please pray God will allow me to be accepted for this opportunity.

We had our soulwinning marathon two weeks ago. Two people trusted Christ, and we had several good contacts to follow up. We have had visitors in church quite a few Sundays in the last month. Last week, we had two visitors, and one asked if she could carry our John and Romans packets to hand out. We plan to begin Sunday school classes again this week. The kids program will still be on Saturdays, but I will be teaching a teen/college and career girls class while our adult classes are taking place. The class will be called the Esther class because I believe each person is placed on earth at the time God feels they are needed most. As Mordecai told Esther, we are here for such a time as this. Please pray as I have a burden for these younger generation girls to learn what God's word has to say about a Christian young lady's life and involvement in church. 

I was able to take some of the girls apple picking with my mom. One is from Africa the other from South Korea, and neither had ever been apple picking before. We had a lovely time picking apples, eating donuts, and drinking cider.

My missions travels are still on hold. I am praying that after the election, air travel will be simpler and other countries will open. Please pray that I can fulfill the promised trips to England and Europe sometime next year. 

Please continue to pray for my mom's health. She has been wearing a heart monitor for a month, and hopefully the doctors will be able tell her something after she takes it off on October 21. Please pray for our church ministries as we continue to move towards full reopening. Please pray for our state elections. So many are worried about who will be president and in congress, but it is the state officials who have destroyed their states' economies, violated Constitutions, and broken state laws.

Please pray for missionaries around the world. Those in Guatemala and the Philippines have been feeding their church members and communities. Some have had to change their ministries from urban to country and mountain due to restrictions.  Most if not all missionaries to China are now back in the states, so pray for their ministries and people who are carrying on the work.

Seasons

 Fall weather is here. Autumn is my favorite season. As I look at the leaves changing, I can make so many comparisons to our human existence on this earth. God has given us many seasons over the 200+ years America has existed. We have seen the long winter of the death of tyranny as our forefathers fought to bring freedom to all who come here. We saw the spring of our nation as she was birthed. We saw the summer of our nation as she grew into a bastion of freedom and the autumn that followed as the Civil War loomed in the future. Old ways of life began to die as freedom continued to grow. Winter arrived in the form of the Civil War. The seasons of our nation chased each other through World War 1, the Great Depression, and World War 2. Since World War 2, we have had a long summer of freedom, growth, and prosperity. It seems we are again in an autumn time of dying. We have seen freedom die in just a few short months. In the north, during the fall, there is usually a spell of chilly weather, and then a few weeks of what is called Indian Summer, a short respite of warmth just before the long cold winter sets in. I pray that God will grant America an Indian Summer of freedom for a little while longer. I pray that He will find grace with those who believe in Him as Noah did, or that He will find a good number of righteous who are praying for revival as Abraham prayed for there to be righteous people in Sodom. I do not know how much more time we have before freedom and America as we know are no longer existent. I truly believe Jesus Christ will return in my lifetime. Until He does return, I will keep working to reach people with the Gospel and praying for revival.

I have not posted an update until now due to waiting to see what our governor would do about allowing our state to return to freedom. She did not allow this, but instead has decided to continue to violate Maine and Constitutional laws. Please pray that all the governors, mayors..., who are refusing to report the truth and release their areas of government from their tyranny, will be removed from power whether by God or man.

Our church is doing well. Most members attend on of our two services, but we do have a few who have not yet returned. Our Saturday kids program is going well. The kids enjoy coming and really listen to the lessons. We have three families who bring or send their kids. two of those families are African refugees whose families have been through a lot. One of the older brothers who does not attend church is in the hospital and not doing well. Please pray for Jeffery. 

My mom's health has been up and down over the last few weeks. She has an appointment with her cardiologist on Monday, and she hopes to see a specialist for her specific problem. Please pray that her heart can be healed. All of us have made some health changes in the last couple of months and are seeing good results. Please pray that we can remain healthy and continue God's work here in Maine.

I am still waiting to see what God allows me to do in the future as far as traveling the world to help missionaries. Many countries have tightened restrictions even though covid case numbers and deaths have dropped, and some have been removed due to flu, pneumonia and other death causes having been added in to spike the numbers. Please pray for the missionaries who in many countries are providing food for their churches and communities.

Prayers Needed

For a few months now, our church has been praying at 8pm for revival. Churches and friends across the country have been joining in. We are praying for personal revival, church revival, and revival for pour country. This past Sunday, a pastor in California was fined $10,000 dollars for holding two services. Other churches in other states have been through similar problems during this attempt of communist, antiGod, antiAmerican takeover. I have been praying that the truth will come out in respect to the covid falsehoods which have been used to create fear and submission, the people behind the falsehoods and division created by the BLM/ANTIFA groups, the politicians, stars, companies... involved in human trafficking, and the traitors who have been selling America out for several decades now. I am asking every person who claims to believe in God to call out to  Him and ask Him to reveal the truth. I believe president Obama was an 8 year warning of what we can expect if we get another antiGod, antiAmerican president. I believe President Trump has been a four year blessing to give America, and especially Christians, time to turn back to God and His Word. I believe the election this year, more than ever before, is a battle not between political parties but between good and evil, proAmerica and antiAmerica. Please join me in praying for our nation. Jesus is coming soon!

The second prayer request I have is for my mom. She has had heart issues for almost two years due to high decibel music played in a building where we lived. A week ago, she was at home on  a Sunday alone when her heart rate dropped dramatically and she became violently ill. She was able to reach me at church, and I had a lady bring me home. By the time I got home, she was much worse, so I called my dad to leave in the middle of preaching. He arrived home, and we called an ambulance. She was in the hospital from Sunday until Tuesday evening. The condition she has cannot be fixed by medicine or surgery as it has to do with the electrical function of the heart in two chambers. Sometimes her heart rate accelerates, and sometimes it drops very low. We have begun several natural health pursuits which we are praying will at least keep these episodes from being frequent. We also hope to see an integrative doctor who specializes in cardiovascular health. The natural pursuits and doctors visits will be quite expensive, so please pray that I am able to find a way to make an income without having to leave my mom alone. 

The third request I have is that God will allow all the shutdowns, travel restrictions, masking... to be removed so that I can fulfill some promised missions help trips to England and Europe. I had postponed my trip to England last year in order to help the school in Puerto Rico, and then I had to leave there early because of the travel issues caused by covid. Please pray also as I have lost two supporting churches.

The fourth request I have is for our church ministry. We want to get back to regular services, but there are still some things standing in the way. Please pray that my dad will have wisdom and courage to do whatever God asks him to do in regards to our ministry.

Last, please pray for my siblings as they are all dealing with some financial difficulties. One sister had damage from the derecho in Iowa, others are dealing with job changes and moves. Pray for wisdom for each.

Waiting

Waiting is not something I'm good at. Waiting to see exactly what God has in store since I returned home has not been easy. I hear of missionaries around the world trying to work in their ministries and help their communities, and I wish that the countries were open so I could go and help. But, God has not allowed this to happen. Even in the US, areas are still under lock downs; churches are under fire with threats of closure, fines, and even jail. So, while I wait, I am looking for opportunities to help in my home church. I am involved in the music, and I hope to be more involved with the young people. I am also helping some of my family with child care due to various circumstances. When I share my ministry, I encourage others, especially young people, to get involved where they are. Help with the behind the scenes work in the church such as cleaning. Help with soulwinning, kids programs...

Please continue praying for my dad. He has recovered well from his oral surgery and is getting used to his new teeth. He preached on Sunday without any issues. He will be preaching in Alabama the end of the month.

I will be traveling with my parents to Alabama, and then I will return to Iowa to care for my sisters kids for a few days.Please pray for my niece Verily. She still needs to have her kidneys tested, and there is only one pediatric urologist in Iowa.

Please pray for and continue to support your missionaries. Many are in dangerous areas, in countries that are still closed, and many are providing for their ministries, their people, and their communities due to the shut downs. Others have had to return to the states on emergency flights which are extremely expensive.

Quick Notes

Since my arrival home from Iowa, things have been slow and lazy. My parents and I have been working around the house and church. We were able to spend a day on a lake boating my sister, her father-in-law, and another preacher and his wife. Several people caught fish, and we saw two eagles. It was a nice relaxing day.

Yesterday, dad, mom, and I went to watch seals. We saw six. On the way home, we stopped at an osprey nest. We were able to imitate the call the mother was making which caused her to leave the nest multiple times. We were just able to see two babies heads. The father flew off to hunt and fish.

Please pray for our children's Saturday ministry. This is the second week the kids haven't come. Both families are from Africa, so the parents understanding of English is limited.

Please pray for my dad. Due to the brain bleed he had a few years ago, the blood supply to his teeth was limited. By the time this was known, his teeth had already begun breaking. He had all his top teeth removed yesterday. Pray his mouth heals quickly and conforms correctly in his denture plate.

Please continue to pray for my niece, Verily. Her VCUG test to check her kidney function is on the 31st. Pray everything is working correctly and that she will not need surgery.

Please pray for my ministry. It is at a stand still for overseas work, so I am working on some other avenues to be an encouragement via the web and possibly here in the states.

Unexpected Events

It has been almost a month since I posted an update. My parents and I took a trip to Missouri  to spend time with family. We were supposed to land in Des Moines, Iowa and stay with my sister a few days then all of us would drive down to MO together. The day we flew to Iowa, my sister took her 6 month old baby, Verily, in for a checkup because she had been having some difficulties. The doctor ran a few tests and told my sister she would call with the results. My sister was on her way to the airport to get us when the doctor called and told her to go straight to the children's hospital in Des Moines.  The baby had an infection, and after several tests in the hospital, it was determined her kidneys had not separated as they should in the womb. She was born with a horseshoe kidney and also has a problem with one ureter. After a week in the hospital, Verily came home on  an antibiotic which she will take to prevent further infections. She has an appointment at the end of July to determine what the next course of action will be for her kidneys. Please pray that surgery will not be necessary.

My parents and I took the two oldest kids to Missouri with us, and we spent time with my sister and brother and their families. We were able to do quite a few activities with kids and spend lots of time catching up. Hopefully in the near future we will all be able to get together again.

We returned to Iowa to drop off the kids, and I decided to stay for a month to help my sister.We have been able to spend time together, and the baby is doing much better, so other than weight check appointments, she has not needed to go back to the doctor. Please pray as I fly back to Maine next week.

Please pray for Maine as we are still dealing with the governor refusing to open the state, refusing to follow the Maine and US Constitutions, and now using police and threats to enforce her unConstitutional measures. I know this is happening in many states, and we need to pray for our country that God will give us a little longer to be a Christian and free influence on this world. I know that God allows good leaders and bad leaders for various reasons.I cannot help but believe the last presidency was a warning. The current presidency has been a time of testing to see if Christians and Americans will stand for what is right and if Christians will do all they can to get the Gospel out. I believe Jesus is coming very soon. There are things in play politically and financially around the world which are leading up to the one world government, one world currency, and the Mark of the Beast. Although I do not doubt that before the return of Christ, we will see more persecution of Christians even in countries that have been relatively free including the US,  those who are saved will not have to fear these things. Those who reject Christ before His return will not have opportunity to receive Him after He has removed the saved from this world. Those who have never heard or who are too young to understand what salvation is will have opportunity to receive Christ. We Christians should be working towards ways of reaching as many people for Christ as possible. We have internet which reaches even to some of the most remote parts of the world. There is no reason the people even in other countries cannot be reached. May we have a sense of urgency to reach the world while we still have freedom to do so.

Please pray for the missionaries around the world who are in countries which are still under lock down and which do not have the medical facilities, medicines... that we have. Many of the missionaries are providing food to their church members and communities.

Family Times

Since my trip to England has been cancelled for now, I am spending time with family. My sister, Janna, and her three kids came and spent a month with us. We stayed at a lake house, visited lighthouses and beaches, looked for moose, and spent time with my other sister, Joy and her family.

Janna left Saturday, and Wednesday, my parents and I flew  to Iowa to visit my sister Julie and her family. Please pray for her 6 month old, Verily. She had a doctor's appt. yesterday which turned into a hospital stay. It appears she has a kidney issue which caused her to be dehydrated. They will be doing more tests to try to find the exact problem. Please pray it is an easy fix and that she can come home today or tomorrow. We are all supposed to go to Missouri to see some of my other siblings for a few days.

Please pray for the state of Maine. Our governor has basically become a dictator, refusing to lift the bans, refusing to allow the legislature to reconvene, trying to mandate things which go against the Constitution, and even lying about numbers of covid cases... all in hopes that she gain the federal aid promised to states that go bankrupt during this time. If she gets the money, the thousands of small businesses owners who have already lost their businesses and the thousands of others still closed which may not reopen will receive no help. Please pray that the lawsuits which have been filed against her, the complaints which have been filed with the president and the US attorney general will bring about her removal as well as the removal of the secretary of the legislature who has the power to reconvene but refuses.

Please pray as I find new ways of serving the Lord while I am home. I truly believe He could come back in my lifetime. The signs for His return are getting stronger and more frequent. Things my family have been told by military and police personnel, the wars and rumors of wars with China, Russia, and the Middle East countries as well as earthquakes, famines, food shortages which are being created on purpose... are all pointing to perilous times to come. While I do not fear these things because the Bible tells us they will happen, I will continue to work to keep America free, and I will continue to work to get the Gospel out while there is time and opportunity.

Trip Cancelled

Today, I found out my trip to England has been cancelled with no hope of a near future flight. Please pray as I seek God's will for the future of my ministry. For now, I will be working with my dad in Maine. I will continue to blog at least every two weeks to keep you up to date on any progress for my ministry.

Pray, Wait, Work, Play

Due to the virus and shutdowns, I have been waiting to see what the travel situations would be in Europe. England is letting up some on their shutdown, but some of the other countries have not. I still have a ticket booked for the end of June, but I may change it depending on travel allowances and restrictions after traveling... Please pray that God opens the doors I am to go through and closes those I should not go through. I am not worried about getting sick, but safety in countries that remain locked down could be a problem, or having to quarrentine two weeks every time I enter a country may be a bigger problem than blessing to those I am to help.

While I have been home, I have been helping my dad with video recording our church services. We have only closed three Sundays, but we have not had any Wednesday services. We are meeting in small groups, and last week we had three services with a total of 33 people. Many of our older folks are staying home, but we do have three older ladies who would rather be in church than be worried at home. We have had several families who have worked with us for music, video recording, cleaning and sanitizing... Please pray as we continue to function as a church that we will not have any issues from the local or state government.

Please pray also that someone can step in and remove our governor's powers which she has abused the entire shutdown. Her goal is to collect federal money for bankruptcy. This would not be necessary if she would simply allow businesses to reopen. If she receives this money, the small business owners will never receive any help. There have been about 30 business across the state that have closed, but there may be more which have not been announced. Suicides have occurred due to lobster fishermen losing everything because they were told they couldn't fish, and in Portland, 15 people per shift overdose on heroine. The lack of work and lack of interaction with family and friends is the cause of the rise in drug use, suicide, depression, and anxiety.

My mom and I flew to Indiana last week and picked up my sister and her three kids then flew back. It was a fun day as they kids had never flown. One pilot allowed them in the cockpit and let them sit in his seat. The following Monday, we went to my other sister's house. She was due with her 5th baby, and went in for a regular check up. She ended up delivering a beautiful healthy baby girl. Please pray for her and her family as they adjust to the new baby.

Today, we took my sister and her kids to the beach. They loved running into the freezing water. I stayed clear of it. I still can't swim in the northern Atlantic at any time of year. Give me the 85 degree waters of Puerto Rico. We collected shells, found some crab shells, and one of the boys found a lobster head. it was a nice relaxing day.

Please pray that I can gain some more supporting churches. I have had one church which had to pause in their giving due to some financial set backs last year, and now with the shutdown, one other church has paused in their giving. Please also pray for the ministry in Puerto Rico as the earthquakes early in the year and the shutdown have caused a difficult financial situation for the ministry and for the teachers who depend on that salary to make ends meet. Pray also for Guatemala as the people there are struggling to even get enough food. People hang white cloths on their homes to indicate they need food. I am sure it is this way in much of the world. The death toll from the virus will be far less than that of those who die from hunger, suicide... because of the shutdowns.

Living on Borrowed Time

The longer the nation is shutdown, the more I forget what day it is. Time has moved by quickly since I last posted. Much is happening in our world and nation which tells me that Jesus is coming soon. I recently learned that Israel has been performing what they call mock Passover sacrifices for nine years in Jerusalem. This year, they requested to perform the ceremony on the Temple Mount. I had been told they received the permission and held the ceremony, but after much searching on the web, I could not find an indication  that they had completed the ceremony. God is allowing man and nature to push the world towards the return of Jesus, the rapture of the Christians, and the tribulation of the world. I truly believe Jesus could come in my time.

Our church and many churches have tried to follow the precautions for the coronavirus, but churches across the nation are finally realizing that politicians are using the virus to achieve evil against Christians and against America. Small business owners and other workers who have been out of work are also fed up with the lies and deceit being used to keep control of people. After two churches in Mississippi stood up for being allowed to have services, had the fines, which the mayor had imposed on all of them, dropped, Michigan marched in their capitol. Over the next few days other churches and states began marching, and this past Monday, we along with many pastors and business owners marched in our state capitol. If you were to believe the news reports, they say we only had 200 people, but that would be the minimum  which stood on the street. There were hundreds of cars with at least two people, and most with whole families in them as well as a few large vans with 8-10 people in them. These cars created a motorcade which circled the governors house. The very least amount of people that could have been present was 400, but I would guess there was quite a few more than that. My prayer for the effects of these marches across the nation is that they will encourage all Americans to stand up to protect our freedom which has been stripped away over night, and that Christians will wake up and realize that we have a very limited window of time in which to reach people with the Gospel. If we lose our freedom to practice religion as we believe, it will hamper us in getting the Gospel out.

My dad found a way for us to have small groups in our church services, and we had the first two on Sunday. We may have to do  small groups again this week, but hopefully the governor will get the message that our state needs to reopen, and we will be able to quickly get back to normal. Throughout all of this closure, my dad has encouraged those who are older, immunocompromised... to stay home to protect themselves from getting sick.

I have been helping dad with video services. We are not quite ready for livestream due to some sound issues we have been trying to work out. I am learning a lot about how to trim, merge, and split videos as well as a lot about sound systems. Please pray that we can get everything worked out so our members, who can't be with us even in normal times, can enjoy the services.

Please pray for Pastor Martinez, his family, and their ministry in Puerto Rico.  The school parents were already struggling to pay school bills due to the island being closed after the earthquakes we had in January. Now with this lengthy closure which began in the middle of March, they are struggling again. The government has asked private schools to give a discount,  so please pray that God will provide the means to meet all the needs of the ministry.

Please pray for the children#should home in Nepal where I helped a couple years ago. They are still in the midst of their building project for a larger school and dormitory building. They have been OK during the shutdown as far as health, and put I  their own well in order to provide water for the home.

I still have my plane ticket booked to England for late June. Please pray that the world will settle down by then so that I can travel without any problems.

Please pray for my sister Joy who is due in June. Pray for my family to stay well. Pray for our church as we move forward that the visitors who were coming before all this happened will return, and that our members will be faithful.

Jesus is coming soon!

The signs of the times are becoming more and more evident: more earthquakes in various places. multitudes hearing the Gospel via internet, illnesses of all kinds, extreme measures being taken in the name of health which I thought would take a military coup to produce. I truly believe Jesus could come in my lifetime.

Due to the Corona virus, the lock downs, limited travel... Pastor Martinez felt it would be wise for me to leave Puerto Rico earlier than planned. I had asked God to show me whether I should stay to finish out the school year, and He did so by having school close for two more weeks, and now for the month of April. I returned home last Sunday night.

So far the rainy, cold weather has kept me mostly indoors, but I was able to go shopping for the first time in two weeks on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, we had our last church service for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, my dad will see how the land lies. Hopefully, the governor will allow churches to meet within the guidelines of the limited numbers without an issue, but if not, my dad plans to petition to open as he feels church is a necessity for people in times of trial. please pray that God allows the church doors to be open.

My plane ticket to England is still reserved for mid-June. Please pray that the doors for travel abroad will be open by then. Please pray also that God continues to keep me healthy. In all the places I have traveled, I have never been extremely sick just simple colds due to weather changes. I take high doses of vitamin C especially when teaching school, so I believe that is what helps keep me healthy along with the prayers of my supporters, friends and family.

Please pray for several missionaries who are dealing with different issues with this virus. I know of two in Thailand who have it, also a preacher from Texas. One of my friends in Brazil lost a cousin to it. A pastor's wife in Guatemala has cancer and isn't doing well. Due to the virus, they sent her home from the hospital. Missionaries and the people of Venezuela have already been through a lot with the political and economic situation, and now the virus and low oil prices have caused them more economic problems. According to the news, the Philippines is taking drastic measures which you would find in a communist land instead of a free one.  Please pray for all the missionaries around the world for health and finances as I am sure support will suffer due to churches being closed. Many people do not understand that the tithes and offerings are still needed even if the building isn't open.

Please pray for my finances as well. Two different situations have occurred which could be a hindrance later. Please pray that God will continue to supply for me to help get the Gospel around the world. Even with these two situations, I have had someone decide to support me as a family, and two older ladies have provided small gifts even though they are on fixed incomes. It amazes me how God continues to use even the smallest gifts to show me that He wants me to continue as I have for  the last 5 years.

My last prayer is for our nation. I never thought that the American people would allow fear to bring them to the point we are at today. Although martial law has not officially been declared, that is basically what we are living under. The Constitution is being trampled in the name of health. I do not deny there is an illness, nor do I deny that people are dying, but I know from friends who work in the medical world, family who have been through the virus and recovered, and reading from doctors and nurses who believe in telling the truth, that those who hate our nation are using it to bring our nation closer to a socialistic, communistic ideal. We have seen our nation go from some of its greatest economic highs to a very low low. We have seen the lowest unemployment rates in years suddenly be very high due to the closure of businesses. We have seen our congress give themselves a 25 million dollar raise while barely giving the people who pay their salaries a minimum wage check, and in most places less than minimum wage. While many say this is to protect us from illness, spreading illness... They do not realize the impact it will have in the future. The door has been opened, and I fear it will always be slightly ajar, and much easier to open the next time we have people, who hate what America was built on, in office. I am praying for a few more years to continue to get the Gospel across America and around the world. Time is getting short. Perhaps God will not answer this prayer as I would like. Perhaps He is ready to allow persecution in America so that Christians will hurry to get the Gospel out, but I pray that He will give us more time. I also pray that Christians and Americans will wake up and realize that our freedom of religion, pursuit of happiness, and even life are very near to being taken away.

Revival begins with God's people. I am in need of a revival. Our churches are in need of revival, and America is in need of revival. May we all pray for it. I pray it does not come out of persecution, but out of thankful hearts because we are given more time.

Cabin Fever!

Here in Puerto Rico we have been on lock down since Monday. They are allowing only one person per family in a vehicle, and they have to have a good reason to be out. My cousin's barbershop has been closed by Ohio's governor. Churches are being told no more than 10 people while stores have lines of way more than 10. None of this makes sense. I can only say that I'm glad God is in control, because if all this were just left to man, I think we'd all be in a terrible state.

I am not fearful of being sick. What causes me alarm is how easy it has been for the government to take full control of our daily lives without even enacting martial law, which I hope does not happen. I am alarmed to think that forced testing and vaccines may be the next step. My prayer is that we have a few more years of freedom as we know it in America. I truly believe this is a warning from God to Americans and to the world. Time is getting short., I believe Jesus could come in my lifetime. While I would be glad to leave this messed up world, there are still so many who do not know Christ.

So far I have remained relatively healthy even with many of my kids having been sick in January and February. Please pray that God continues to give me good health so that I can continue to serve Him and people around the world. Please also pray that my flight home in May and my flight to England in June will not have any issues.

I have many friends and relatives who have been effected financially by the closures of business. Please pray that this illness will end, and life can get back to normal. Pray also for those who are ill.
Pray for churches as they minister to those who will come seeking help and answers.

Please pray for some serious unspoken requests. Also, please pray that the ban is lifted for travel around the island so I can get out of the house. :-)

About to enter the 4th Quarter

Another month gone as well as the third quarter of school. I'm just about two months from finishing the year here in Puerto Rico, and it seems like I just arrived. My students are working on a special parent appreciation day, and while we will show of some of the things they learned, we also have some skits planned. I'm looking forward to watching these kids use some of their hidden talents. One of my students can do a pretty good impression of President Trump, so I may have to post the video when He does his performance.

This past weekend, I was able to spend time with my aunt, uncle, cousin and her family. My cousin and I are like sisters, and I hadn't seen her in about four years. I also met her twin boys for the first time. These boys are miracles for whom we prayed for seven years. They are now two years old. This was my first real break since returning from Christmas, and it was a much needed one.

Crunch time is coming. With tax preparation, yearbook, grades, and end of the year planning, my plate is very full. On top of that, I am finalizing my plans for England and Europe. please pray as I make travel decisions. Also pray for more open doors to other countries. As of right now, I will be in two places in Romania, and one place in Poland. With all the illness and wars happening in the world, please pray that I stay healthy and safe.

Please continue to pray for the reconstruction. There will be another meeting in June to hopefully have a final decision about the continuation of the building. Right now, we need to raise the money to put on the roof to protect the completed portion against the elements. The cost is about $7,000.

I have some unspoken requests which need to be answered soon.

Thanks for the prayers, and for those who support me financially. God continues to bless as you pray and give and I go.

How fast a month can go.

I cannot believe it has been a month since I last blogged. I apologize for not keeping you up to date. Since returning from Christmas break, All but two of my students have been very sick either with flu or walking pneumonia or both. So far, I have been spared from any illness. Please pray that continues to be the case.

Earthquakes continue to shake the island; although most are 2-3 on the Richter scale, there have been a few between 4 and 5. Those quakes I can feel a little. Many public schools even in our area remained closed throughout January and the first part of February due to safety concerns. Our building were inspected in January and cleared as being safe. We began having mini earthquake drills in our classrooms, and last week, we had the emergency management come out and do a practice which including walking to a safe area down the road. The students did well in behavior as wells as in having a sense of urgency which impressed the officials. We pray we never have to utilize what we have learned and practiced in a real setting, but at least we know that we are as prepared as we can be.

Along with sick students, many of our church members suffered with the flu. Even with the number of regular attenders who were out, we ran 40-50. When everyone is well, we run 50-60. We have had several new visitors over the last month.

I now have my plane ticket to go home as well as my plane ticket to go to England. I also have a mid-July date set to be in Poland, and will be working on Romania as soon as I finalize my travel details to Poland. God is continuing to open doors and provide funds. Please pray that He will give me wisdom me as I continue to follow Him.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Many singles are unhappy on this day, but I had a very fun day with my students and the teens. My students had a water fight as part of their class party, and last night I held a game night for the teens. I plan to have at least two more teen get-togethers, so please pray God can use these times to encourage the teens and allow them to become closer to God and each other.

Earthquakes in Divers Places

I arrived back in Puerto Rico, Monday, Jan. 6. I was exhausted due to illness and traveling. I took something to help me sleep. I remember waking up in the middle of the night, but I didn't know what woke me. When I awoke the next morning, the pastor told me we had an earthquake. Puerto Rico has had

• 37 earthquakes in the past 24 hours-Most of these have been between 2-3 magnitude, and many have been over 4- 5 with a few above 5.
• 488 earthquakes in the past 7 days
• 1,778 earthquakes in the past 30 day
• You can track the quakes using Puerto Rico earthquake tracker online.

I can feel the tremors when the quakes are at 3.5, and the ones over 4 can give a pretty good shake. Our area so far has been safe, and school reopened this week, but the west side of the island needs prayers. Many people are living in tents due to fear that their houses may collapse. Schools, hospitals, churches have been damaged as well. We have also had a lot of rain, so I am sure living conditions are even more miserable in the tents. Please continue to pray for God's protection and help for this island.

I was able to use the earthquakes as a tool for witnessing to my students. I talked about how Paul and Silas were in prison, and God sent an earthquake. Even though all the prisoners could have escaped, none did. Paul was then able to lead the jailer to Christ. After talking about this story and the earthquakes here, I asked the students to bow their heads. I then asked if there was anyone who did not know for sure that they had received Jesus as their Saviour. One boy, who has heard me teach about salvation and heard it preached in chapel, raised his hand. Pastor Martinez spoke with him a little later in the day, and he trusted Christ. This my 4th student who has trusted Christ this year.

Please keep my nephew Emmett Croy in prayer. He was very sick as a baby, but has been doing well for a couple of years. Now, he has developed some lumps on his back, and had a full body scan today. Please pray that he does not have anything serious. Please also pray for China. Some of my friends have been asked to leave. Even though Trump is making headway with a trade deal, the government is quietly cracking down on foreigners, Christianity... Pray especially for the national leaders and their members safety.

I was able to purchase my plane ticket to England, and God blessed me with a very good deal. Please pray as I begin making travel plans with missionaries in Europe.

A new Year!

I decided to wait until all the festivities were over to recap my adventures while home for Christmas. The week before Christmas was busy as my mom and I prepared for company, shopped for food and present for our ladies' Christmas party, and spent time together. We were both sick, and eventually, my mom got so sick, that she ended up missing the ladies' Christmas party and Christmas Sunday. I handled the party without her, and although mom was missed, the ladies said they all enjoyed the party. At the end of the party, I gave a short challenge based on the lives of the women in Jesus lineage. So many were liars, some were harlots, Leah was unloved... yet God chose to have all these women be in His son's lineage. I believe He did this so we could see that God can use anyone no matter how bad they may be or the trials they have faced.

Christmas Sunday was a fun day. We had five nationalities represented in the service. The kids and a few church members presented special music with the Christmas story narrated by my dad. After church, we had a dinner and an early service where we shared blessing and testimonies.

My sister and her kids came down to spend the first three days of the week with us as well as Christmas morning. We had a good time opening simple gifts, reading the Christmas story, and eating dinner. Christmas night, I left for Boston. On the 26th, I flew out to Chicago and then took a bus to Iowa to surprise my sister who just had a new baby. I spent a week with her and her 6 kids. My brother-in-law was able to repair my laptop which was a huge blessing.

I arrived home again last night. On the plane, I was able to witness to a young lady named Megan. She did not get saved, but a seed was planted. Please pray that God will continue to draw her to him.

I leave for Puerto Rico again on Monday. I will finish out the school year there. Please pray as I still have not found tickets to England at a decent price. I try to be very careful of the funds entrusted to me by my supporting churches, so I always look for the lowest price possible. Please pray that I can recover from the sickness I've had.

Continue to pray for the reconstruction in Puerto Rico. There will be some decisions made in February. Pray that God's will be done so the work can be finished.