Change is in the future

Karen painting in the bathroom

Marcy painting int he kitchen

Marcy cleaning plywood of staples and nails

Nina raking the yard of stick thorns from the "thorn tree"

     When we were in training in Colorado trwo years ago, we were told that if we can be sure of one thing on the mission field, it is change. That will always be part of what we face and we can accept it or reject it but either way, it will be part of life. We have seen that first hand several times since arriving and this spring is no different. We are now getting the new building ready to move Genesis into in April and so that is where I have been spending most of my time over the last month and a half. Lots of work outside as well as inside. Karen and Janae and Marcy have been doing a lot of painting. I have been working mainly outside and adding walls and doors inside. It has been fun working there as a family and getting the girls involved in the process as well.
   We are looking forward to a visit from some family friends in Middlebury the first week in April then the following week, our sending church, Shore Mennonite, is sending 8 people down to do some concrete flat work as well as some work in three of the classrooms. putting closet doors on, adding shelves, adjusting some current bookshelves to fit in a different place and things like that. As a bonus treat for our family, my dad and our oldest son Greg will be part of that work team. We are especially excited about that. Greg will then be staying a few days extra after the rest of the team goes back.
     Another change on that same project is that part of the move from one site to another is raising funds for the renovations and additions. Part of our rental agreement was that we would rent for 5 years with the first option for another 5 years. we also had to put one years rent up front. So $15,000 was an estemated cost of the move including the first years rent. I had decided early on that I wanted to try to get most, if not all of that from local businesses and individuals here in Jarabaoca. So far the idea has been "well received", but not so much in dollars coming in. I still have faith that it will happen but it seems to be a new idea to most of the people here. You can pray for us in that way. That we will get the funds needed for the move and that the local people will be open to this new idea of  "helping in the community that they live in".
      Another change is that after the move in April, and the school closes between the spring and summer sessions, I will be moving to head up the construction site that Student Internations runs. I have agreed to that role for the summer, as they needed someone to run the summer teams at that site. I am looking forward to that type of work but not looking forward to no longer being at Genesis with Karen, the teachers and the kids there. I have enjoyed that more that I thought I would and it will be hard to not be part of that anymore. There is talk of some other role changes in the fall yet but I am going to concentrate on the summer for right now.
     Life continues to go well for us here as we feel so blessed. I am currently on our front porch writing this blog in 90+ degree weather while those in our home community are experiencing school delays, closings, ice, church closings and all else that goes with Indiana winters, I have to admit that I have missed the change of season some but I will also say that I dont have much company in that way. Karen and the girls are not missing it at all :)