Pastor Alan Lovelace, from Knoxville, taught the men during the day & also baptized in the river several converts,with 2 Pastors from Waspam who organized everything for the 3-day Crusade & our Pastor Roc, who preached for those 3 nites.

I was privileged to be there with Jeralyn (Pastor Roc's wife) & Ruth (Omar's wife); they spoke to the ladies during the day.

They wore their Sunday best for the evening services.

3 days & nites of teaching, exhorting & meetings; they made this tent specifically for that time & it was very sturdy - every evening it filled to capacity & then some, revealing their hunger & thirst for God, His Word & fellowship!

We went back to Waspam in May, 2013, which may look desolate to you, but where Christianity, at this time, is thriving.

We had a grand time with Pastor Felix & Omar traveling through Alabama, Georgia & TN visiting churchs & teams going to Nicaragua.  The weather worked well for us, although it was very cold for them coming from 110 degree weather. 

ISBC sent a team of  "5 seasoned men" to Nicaragua to construct a new dormitory, bathrooms & more room for Omar & family in their team house in Chinandega. 

Only the LORD Himself could have sent me here - and He did in January.  Pastor Roc, Youth Minister Mark Estepp and Jim Carson led the Pastors from many different areas up & down river in various studies.  My privilege was to teach the women, mostly Pastor's wives, in Methods of Inductive Bible Study & Homiletics.  These women sat for 2 1/2 days on old, old picnic tables.  We went from English to Spanish to Meskito; took me about a 1/2 day to learn to how to do this.  Keith, of course, took care of all the logistics & did an excellent job, if I say so myself.  The LORD is certainly multiplying the seeds sown. 

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Keith, Jim & Omar's fact-finding trip to Waspam, Nicaragua was 'very interesting' - they met with a Mesquite Baptist Church Pastor and congregation and their rendition of 'Onward Christian Soldiers' was something to hear that spoke from their heart language to anyone else who had the same Spirit withing their heart! Wish I could have been there, but no room on the plane. Enjoy the slideshow.

 To my left is Bethany, who did translating for me in teaching the ladies.  She did a great job and I learned much from her.  She works with CrossPoint Ministries in Chinandega, where she lives.  To my right is Madison; her & her husband, Evan, live and work in Corinto with Primera Bautista de Corinto.  They were a delight to work with and helped us much on the house.  Madison attended the Bible Studies and I really enjoyed talking with her. 

 The men did electrical work for the Pastor's home and also did much painting inside and out.

 This is Juana, from Corinto.  One of the Sunday School classes from ISBC supports her in the school there for her uniform & books & tuition.  It is a Christian School at Primera Bautista de Corinto.  Juana has another sister who is 15 and attends the school.  She travels a good distance every day to school on her bicycle.   

 Nicaraguan trip in April 2012 - We had over 20 women from 3 different churches in Corinto who came to learn Homiletics & an Inductive Bible Study for 2 days.  Indian Springs Baptist Church's 3 Sunday School classes provided coffee, cold drinks, cake for a break & a hot lunch each day.  They also provided notebooks & pens for the ladies, which proved a great investment since many did not have this. 

OUR NEW MISSIONS

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AND THE TRAIL GOES ON

Well, the trail in VA does continue, but Keith does not. Due to an infection in his leg, I had to pick him up around Roanoke. With 700 miles under his feet, he is anxious to get back, but 2012 will not be the time. Although his wife, fully supports his endeavor, she will keep the home fires burning, as he dreams & plans for 2013 possibly!

Ready for The Trail

 

4 Months Later

After much prayer & preparation, Keith is pursuing his life-long dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Departure date is Monday, March 7, 2011. His plans are to start at Springer Mtn, GA & travel 3 days to Neels Gap; if he can get up the next day, he will travel again & so forth, until, hopefully, he will make it to Katadin in Maine; just a little over 2200 miles. Plans are to be back by our anniversary date in September & Grant's first b'day. He says he will blog as he goes along, so you can follow him from there and me from here in TN. My plans are to travel to Nicaragua with our church in April for an evangelistic mission trip where we have a partnership with a church/school in Corinto. We are living temporarily in a rented condo in order to be somewhat flexible as to where we may be by the fall or next year. Hope this does not sound as if we were 'flying by the seat of our pants'. Our intention is to be available to what & where the LORD might want us next. This gives me some stability & a good place to 'nest' while Keith is able to do this. He turned 60 in 2010 & we both believe the LORD is giving us this time for a season - I believe it is true that He gives us the desires of our heart.

As of September 9th, we are back in the states & on that date, we also were blessed to have our 4th grand-baby, Grant Franklin Bartley, making it 3 grand boys & 1 grand baby girl in our household coffer. Also, as of September 20th, we have opted to take a leave of absence from the Mission Board and as of this time we are traveling to see & reconnect with family & friends. We are not sure where or what type of ministry the Lord will lead us into, but we are sure that He knows & will let us know at the appropriate time. We would appreciate your prayers with us concerning His leading & direction, that we may hear & obey, which is our heart's desire.

 
Did you know Panama is divided into North & South America? This is the Bridge of the Americas; when you cross it from our side, you are in North America, our side is South America! We now have our driver's license for Panama & our residency; we also receive a senior citizen's discount, on food, lodging, etc; sometimes up to 50% off some things, plus free entrance into Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal!

 
 
 
This last team was from Missouri; we worked in Portobelo, Portolindo & Cacique for 4 days & being right on the beach, it was very hot & humid, plus we fought the mosquitoes & they won, with me anyway. The beauty of the place was marred by the poverty & violence; it was a sad place to work in. We did door-to-door evangelism, open-air preaching & showed movies on Sat & Sun nite.