We have been crazy busy as you can all imagine...I was going to post and I thought I'd just add our monthly Email cause it will probably sum up everything I want to say anyway! Just PLEASE pray for us...

Dear Friends and Family,

Once again we find ourselves sending out a one and a half month newsletter.  Sorry!  God has been very good to us in providing us with a new home to sufficiently house our growing family, homeschooling and provide for hospitality and ministry needs as well.  The last two weeks have been spent moving into our new home and out of the old one.  As a result, we have also had our internet connection down during this time as well.

Tessa and Hannah are adjusting very well to living with us.  We have seen great changes in them over the last three weeks, especially in their physical appearance.  There were difficult concerns that came up at the doctor’s office as we found out that Tessa had been abused.  We also started a treatment on Hannah for parasites, and about a week later started seeing 8 inch long worms coming out in her diaper.  To date there have been thirteen that we have seen, which explains why she is so underweight and small for her age. 

PLEASE PRAY!!!!!!!!  We have had quite a few problems with the mother of the girls recently.  Yesterday she arrived at our church during the service with some of her family and the police. She was accusing us of stealing her children and caused quite a scene.  She was very aggressive towards the people that confronted her, but God was so good in providing for Susanna to be escorted away to Larry’s office before she could get to her.  She was able to remain inside as the police did not have a warrant for her, so they did not enter the building.  (Jon was at home with the kids and Susanna was at church playing for the Spanish service.)  Our church family responded so lovingly in having some stay with Susanna, some talking to the police and others coming to get me and the paperwork.  The policemen were very kind and professional through all of the proceedings, and once we produced the paperwork from the lawyer, they were satisfied of the legality of things.  They began to get quite annoyed with the mother as she continued to make accusations of us and was rude to them. It was very difficult for us to hear all of her lies and accusations. Please pray for wisdom in dealing with this situation!  Jon is going to meet with the lawyer today and also get a report from the doctor in regards to his medical examination and opinion of the girls.  We will not be returning to Santa Ana for a little while to try to take some time to figure this out.  It is a dangerous place to begin with, and we cannot chance being there as she is talking/lying to so many about the situation.  They have been searching for us everywhere.  Please pray for the safety of the girls through all of this!  The policemen indicated to the mother that the children could stay with us or go with the government, but based on what has happened, they would never be going back to her.

There is a simple song that our family loves, and it has been on our hearts and we’ve been singing it a lot lately and wanted to share it with you!

GOD IS A GOOD GOD!

HE’S A GREAT GOD!

HE CAN DO ANYTHING BUT FAIL!

HE CAN MOVE SO MANY MOUNTAINS OUT OF OUR WAY!

OH GOD IS A WONDERFUL GOD!

Mexico is wonderful in that there is a two week break from school around Easter. We truly enjoyed having the children home from school, and spending a lot of time together as a new family of seven! Lily and Ian have greatly enjoyed having this time off and it was a good time for them to get used to having new siblings.  Each time Ian prays, he thanks God for his new sisters.  One of the highlights of the weeks off was going to see Chuy and Amy in the home they are serving in five days of the week on the other side of Lake Chapala.  They were able to ride horses, climb rocks, play with dirt, sticks and leaves (Ian’s favorite!).  Lily is becoming more and more the artist of the family. She draws about twenty or more pictures a day for various friends and teachers.  This past month also saw Elijah taking his first steps, and now he is always roaming the house!  He has almost grown into the large Cummings head of his, which has definitely helped with his balance!! And we’re very excited to finally see some hair…which is curly…and red!  He is also talking up a storm…although all in Spanish, which is definitely his preferred language.

Susanna has been very busy adjusting to life with five children and packing and unpacking!  She has many plans for the new house and is looking forward to having the space to set up for homeschooling.  She has also started playing piano again on the worship team and is glad to use her talents again in this way.  She was able to lead the women’s English Bible study this past week and share about joy, and also was able to participate in a bi-monthly women’s breakfast last Saturday.  We are so thankful for these times of encouragement and sharing to build us up and encourage us in our Savior!

Jon has been busy supervising the construction progress on the second classroom, which you can check out at http://www.eirenemexico.org/blog.  We are hoping to have this finished by the beginning of May.  There has also been a lot of work this month in trying to finalize groups and interns for this summer and figure out exactly what their projects are going to be.  Also, because Kristin will be heading back in the fall and will no longer be directing the school, we have been doing a lot of work to prepare for her departure and figure out how the ministry will continue this coming year and in the future.  We have been working with a couple more families in regards to caring for their children.  There are eight children with two sisters as their parents.  The mothers are 18 and 21.  The children have severe problems with malnutrition, but thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be any abuse.  We are working with Chuy, Amy and the parents to have the children live with them for a while and work to help the parents provide an adequate living situation for the kids and themselves.  We are begging for your prayers and support for the many hurting children in Mexico!

ANSWERS TO PRAYER/THANKSGIVING:

1. For Tessa and Hannah being added to our family!
2. For God’s protection of our family and moving the hearts of the policemen who came to the church.
3. For God’s provision of a good, caring lawyer to help us with the legal process.
4. For God’s provision of a new home for us.
5. For the progress in the construction on the second classroom.
6. For a well-done Easter program at the school and a clear presentation of the gospel.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. For the adoption process and the mother of Hannah and Tessa.  Please pray for wisdom in dealing with this situation and for the peace of God to rule in our hearts.  Please pray that we would be able to get the paperwork done quickly and that the girls would be able to stay with us and not have to go to the government.  Above all, please pray that through this God would bring salvation to this family that has lived in darkness and hatred for so long!
2. For a quick settling in period into our new home and for strength for Susanna as all five children will now be home due to Ian and Lily no longer being able to go to the school in Santa Ana.
3. For the planning of the future of the school and the interviews we will be having this month to look for new teachers and a new director.
4. For the families of Santa Ana that God would work in them and they would understand the importance of caring for their children.
5. For Susanna as she participates in the worship team.  Please pray that God would use this ministry to assist the congregation in glorifying Him through music.
6. For Jon as he is taking part in the deacon training being given to the three men elected this past fall.  Please pray for wisdom as we seek to work together, through the deacons and Eirene, to minister to the physical needs of many and that we would be able to encourage many in the church to be involved in reaching out and ministering in this way.
7. For the preparations that are being made for this coming summer.  For the teams that will be coming to serve as they meet and prepare and for us as we develop projects for construction and locations for VBS.
8. That God would provide the funds necessary for us to complete the remodeling of the existing structure we have for the school by the beginning of the next school year.
9. For Jon as he tries to develop internal policies and procedures for Eirene so that we can be good stewards of the human and financial resources that God has blessed us with.
10. Please pray that God would begin to work in the hearts of teachers who would be willing to come and serve in our school and someone to direct an ESL school
11. Please pray for continued healing within Jon’s family that only God can provide and that He would refine and use us for His glory.
12. That God would raise up the men of the church to be leaders, both in their homes and in the church.

Thank you so much for serving with us and being part of our ministry.  It means a lot to know that you’re praying for us, and that we’re laboring together for the Lord.  Thank you for your faithfulness to Him and to us!

Again, we’re praying for you, and may God bless you as you serve Him and proclaim His name – no matter where you are!

In Christ,

Jon, Susanna and our 5 little missionaries:

 Tessa, Lily, Ian, Hannah  & Elijah

The surgery is complete!

Tricia is in ICU...the doctors said that the surgery was difficult yet successful.

PLEASE keep checking Nate's blog and his dad's blog and PLEASE keep praying!

"GOD is a good GOD!  He's a great GOD!

He can do anything but fail!

He can move so many mountains out of our way...Oh GOD is a wonderful GOD!"