Thank you so much for praying with us, we are seeing God's response!



Colonia Derqui



As you know, we've been partnering with Juan and Ramona to lead evangelical Bible studies in the small settlement of Colonia Derqui for several months now. But, our connection to Derqui goes back years. Dave helped out with a medical outreach there and as there was no evangelical church presence, the contact names were given to us to follow up. We made several trips to begin establishing relationships, but it was slow going. This is a very small settlement of fishermen with their families and they are extremely suspicious of strangers. Then, last year, we were approached by a couple we trained several years ago, Jaun and Ramona who had a burden to begin a work in Colonia Derqui, where Ramona

Eli with Juan & a surubi

grew up. This was the exciting open door we'd ALL been praying about! Last November, we hosted a communitiy wide outdoor movie night and there we met Luisa and her son Rana. While many of the people at the movie said they'd like to meet for Bible study, only Luisa opened her home to us. Weekly meetings have given many opportunities to learn more about this family as well as well as the community. The practice of witchcraft is very prevelant as is homosexuality and a flourishing drug trade.

The past couple of weeks have been discouraging because Luisa has been sick and it looked as if they were going to discontinue the meetings. Last Thursday, the team went out to visit and found Luisa home but very ill. The Criollo culture is an OUTDOOR culture, meaning that guests are entertained in the front yard rather than indoors. This cultural fact has been important for our team's witness as Rana is deeply involved in many of the seedier aspects of life. However, this week, Ramona went inside to pray with Luisa and had the chance to talk about many things: Rana's lifestyle, Luisa's visits to the local witchdoctor, the apparitions they see in the house at night, the infection in her body.... to name just a few.

After awhile, Juan went inside to look for Ramona while Dave stayed outside listening to Rana talk about how he plans to seek revenge - even murder on people who've offended or mistreated him. When Juan came out, he walked right up to Rana and said - "There's a spirit of vengance in your house. If you ever want peace, you are GOING TO HAVE TO FORGIVE." (there was no way Juan could have overheard the things Rana had been saying to David) So far, Rana's not buying it.

However, Ramona shared with David that Luisa prayed to receive Christ!

(For those of you counting, that's 20 months from first contact to first conversion - it's all on God's time table, not ours!)

Please keep praying for the people of Derqui - Luisa and Rana specifically and most definitely for David, Juan and Ramona as they seek to be light and salt in Colonia Derqui.

Pastor Hector & wife, Betty

This weekend Dave is down in Esquina teaching leaders from the Jesus, Light to the Nations Evangelical Church how to lead small group Bible studies. Friday night they had their first meeting with about 15 in attendance. Saturday morning, he was interviewed on a local radio station! Saturday, the Bible studies continue with Dave's leadership. It's very exciting to see these opportunities and be a part of God's work of reconciliation.



Nico - accidentally on purpose!



In adoption news, the social worker agrees with the psychologist's findings and is in favor of moving forward! However, she made her recommendation of the next step without reading the entire file (which is sort of understandable because the file is HUGE) and what she wants us to do has already been done! The attorney's suggestion was to make a list of all the "usual" paperwork for adoption and give it's location in our file (b/c all of the "usual" stuff has been completed since before Christmas), turn that in to the judge along with a request that she move forward with the sentencing - which will be the official signing of the guardianship papers. We submitted those requests this past Monday and hope to have the judge's response this Monday (May 23).

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galations 6:9

As you pray for us this week:

* Pray that the judge finds all of the paperwork in order and is willing to set a date to officially sign Nico's guardianship paperwork.

* Pray for Luisa as she begins her new life in Christ. Pray that she seeks and recognizes God's peace and comfort.

* Pray for Pastor Hector and the leadership at Jesus, Light to the Nations Evangelical Church as they determine where God is leading them to open new outreach groups.

* Pray for David as he works hard to finish this term well, it is important to help our national partners recognize their abilities and "equippedness" to carry on in our absence.

*Pray for Pastor Hector and the leaders of Jesus, Light to the Nations Evangelical church as they process the information David is teaching them and begin their new small groups.

* Pray for Eli as he prepares for this transition to the States, he has a lot of expectations. We want to help him make this as successful as possible.

* Pray that we will be sensitive to God's leadership as we follow Him.

Thank you so very much for walking with us on this journey!

Because He Calls,

Alisha,David, Eli & Nico





NEWS!

Marcela (adoption attorney) texted me this morning.  She saw on the internet this morning that our file will be published on Monday!!Basically, what this means is that the social worker has given her opinion on the psychologist´s official findings regarding Nico's birthmom, judge has read it and it is officially a legal part of our file.  On Monday, Marcela will go to the courthouse and read the social worker's report and then file a motion asking the judge to act on whatever the SW says.  Our deepest desire is that the social worker is FINALLY (21 months later) satisfied that everyone involved (bio family as well as ourselves) has Nico's best interests at heart and she is recommending that we move forward with the permanent guardianship. 

It will be hard to wait until Monday.  I'm hopeful that the report says what I want it to, but I'm prepared for her to ask for something else.  This particular SW has been incredibly nitpicky from the beginning.  Marcela says that she honestly can't think of anything else they could possibly request....but, we've thought that before. 

Dave's way down south this weekend.  The Bible study went well last night, good fellowship.  Antonio, the fella Dave is working with in Goya has found another family that wants to meet as well - on Saturday nights.  It is really neat to see God working through Antonio.  He's had a very rough couple of years and we're happy to see him holding tighter to God rather than turning away from Him.

This afternoon, David will meet with Pastor Hector in Esquina - about an hour away from Goya where Antonio lives.  Hector pastors the Jesus, Light to the Nations Evangelical Church in Esquina and has a deep burden to reach the lost; reaching out especially to men and their families.

Prayer Update

This week we did have some new developments in Nico's adoption paperwork, but not as definitive as we'd hoped.  There are two social workers who have to give their opinions to the judge and only one has responded.  Her response was favorable.  The file has gone back to the second social worker and when our attorney visited her this week to see how long she'll need to get her report back to the judge, she replied it would take at least a day or two.  We thank God for Marcela, our attorney.  She continues to be such an amazing blessing in our lives and without her, our dream of being a four person family would never come true. 

We've had some encouraging news from Esquina, Pastor Hector has some new plans and hopes for the work of reaching the Criollo in Corrientes.  Dave will be traveling down there today to talk with him about evangelism, new outreach groups and summer plans.  On this trip he'll also be in Goya and meeting with the new outreach groups there. 

Colonia Derqui is a very small settlement where the people are closely knit and fairly closed off to newcomers.  Jaun and Ramona are partnering with us there trying to reach out and literally bring the light of Christ into this very spiritually dark area.  Ramona grew up there, so that gives us an entrance and helps to find people willing to listen to the Good News.  Criollo people live very much "in the moment" and making solid plans or creating routines is not a part of everyday life.  So, while someone may be truly interested in Bible study, it isn't uncommon for them not to remember to come to a meeting simply because something else came up.  As you can imagine, this can become very frustrating for small group leaders!

We've officially begun the purging process that comes with moving out of a house you've lived in for 5 years...where does all this junk come from?  We're still hoping to leave Argentina on June 29, even though the adoption paperwork process doesn't seem promising at the moment.  We believe God will be faithful to complete this good work as He is in all other things, so on with cleaning, sorting, packing and selling!

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. -  1 Peter 2:9  

As you pray for us this week, please keep in mind:

* Ibrid Benitez, the social worker in charge of ensuring Nico's best interests are met.  Pray that she finds herself working well and making progress in all of her cases.  Pray that she has discernment as she makes important decisions about the lives of so many children.  Pray that she sees  how completely Nico has become part of our family and all of her concerns for him are satisfied.  Pray that she is able to get her favorable opinion sooner rather than later.

* Thank God with us for Marcela Navarro, our friend and adoption attorney.  Please pray for her continued health.  She's expecting their third child and first son in just a few months.  Pray for her as she represents her clients in so many important family aspects.  Pray she can continue to be a faithful witness of Christ's love to all of her clients.

*  Pray for Eli as he senses our excitement as well as the tension involved in preparing for our transition back to the States.

* Pray for Dave's travel safety as he goes to Goya and Esquina this weekend.  Pray for him to communicate well God's great love for all of us as he leads evangelical Bible studies with his national partners.  Pray that he will have the appropriate words of encouragement and discipleship as he visits with the young men he is discipling.

*  Pray for Juan & Ramona, Antonio, Federico, Pastor Hector and Alicia who are our national partners.  Pray that God blesses them in their finances, families and time management as together we seek to " to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for us—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted." Among the Criollo people here in Corrientes, Argentina.

Because He Calls,

Alisha, David, Eli & Nico

Argentina doesn't celebrate Mother's Day until October.  And, because we're in Argentina in May and will be in the U.S. in October, I'll not get to celebrate Mother's Day with everyone else...but that doesn't keep my fellas from celebrating me!  I'm SO BLESED!

Pretty, sparkly flowers!

Words of love!

My Beautiful Blue Eyed Boy!

My Curly Headed Happiness!

Bling!

Happy Mother's Day!