The way He leads

I just want to share a cool "God story" with you.  I love the way He directs and leads and works everything together.. everything!

A couple of nights ago Amy and Borden gave us a cash gift from their church to give to someone who had a great need on the island.  The next morning while laying in bed, I was praying and I asked the Lord what we should do with that money.   I felt prompted to give it to Luis, who had minor surgery on his leg and hasn't been able to work for almost a month.  He has a small family and his wife is pregnant.   I had asked the Lord to prompt me again to call him up and invite him over if it was really from Him.

The day unfolded as it does here:  coffee, soft morning skies, birds cooing, and a slight breeze.   I asked Nancy if she wanted to take a walk along the south shore of Flower's Bay.   We picked up Jeanette on the way and the three of us enjoyed chatting, taking photos and stopping to chat with people who were up early sitting on their little porches.  Flower's Bay is really a beautiful area of the island, it is dotted with colorful wooden homes on stilts that back right onto the sea, the windy road curves along the sea shore, and we are grateful because it is the only area that has a sidewalk.  A small blessing but important since most of the drivers here are quite 'loco' (crazy)

Okay I am diverting from my story.. sorry... anyways,  after stopping at the Sonrise Cafe for fresh cinnamon buns we were greeted by the others at home enthusiastically for such a 'treat'.   Amy and Borden were out on a walk to Lawson Rock so I put theirs aside .    All of a sudden I heard the door open, and naturally I assumed it was Amy coming back but it was Luis standing there!   He said he felt God told him to come to see us today.   I laughed out loud and told him that I had been praying for him last night and I had hoped to see him today.   The Lord had brought him to our door!!  Isn't that like God!   He prompted me in the early hours, He prompted Luis to come over.. He worked the whole thing out!!

Once Amy and Borden came back home,  we decided to present the money to Luis.  He was so surprised and instantly his eyes filled up with tears.   He said he has been praying and fasting for God to provide for him and his family.  Well He did!!   :-)

Isn't that so awesome?  We all joined hands in a circle and poured out our hearts in gratitude for His care over all lives.  He really KNOWS what we need.   He does.   After we finished praying I felt prompted to read Matthew 6 to him.   I have a spanish/english bible and David Marshall (who speaks awesome spanish.. thanks Dave!) read the passage in Spanish to Luis.   I stood and watched them and I could see Luis just 'soaking up' the truth.



"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
 ²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

When David finished reading Luis was so overjoyed because that was the very verse that the Lord has given him as a PROMISE!!  He was holding on to that truth that his Padre knows what he needs and would provide for him and his family.   I just kept saying  "Dios sabe"  which means:  God KNOWS!!!

I love serving Him.  It is a joy to be able to be a part of what He wants to do!  I love how He works all things together for good to those who love Him.

Together lets keep listening and seeking Him and letting Him lead.
Blessings.

xo.

here is a funny little photo to cheer your day~  couldn't resist this photo opportunity since many people know that it is not beneath me to pick up spare plants from the side of the road!  :-)

DON'T STEAL THE PLANTS!!!!!

 

Feeling better ~~ out and about

I am happy to report that last Wednesday I took Dr. Raymond recommendation and went to see the ENT (ears, nose and throat) doctor who is volunteering on the island and he assessed that I have an inner ear issue that was causing the dizziness.  I think it is due to the chest congestive flu that I had.   He put me on prednisone and since then the dizziness has stopped.   The only drawback is that it makes me ravenously hungry and keeps me awake.  Usually I fall asleep on the couch around 8:30 but the past few nights I have been up as late as 1:30 in the morning!!   Oh well I only have about a week left to take this and am grateful to not be dizzy.   Why my blood pressure was so wonky that is a mystery so he suggested I just get it checked once a week for awhile to keep an eye on it.   He also suggested I go to the Mainland to get my ears  tested as I have substantial hearing loss in one ear  and that can also affect balance and cause further dizziness problems.

Since that night was St. Patrick's Day Emily and I went to the Oasis to celebrate with some other island friends.   It was a funny time and we managed to get there safely despite heavy rains.  Walking up the road was challenging due to slippery mud and I almost fell several times.   But we had such a fun time there!

I am really proud of Emily because although she misses her friends and the fun things they do together she is more then willing to hang out with our 'older' friends and make the most of it.  We are thoroughly enjoying having her here.   Sometimes when I walk into the room and see her my heart skips a beat.

March 19th was Father's Day in Honduras so we took Bob out for pizza at Pura Vida in West End.  Don and Jeanette joined us.  We had a wonderful time together:  laughing, taking photos, telling stories and as part of the Cowan tradition affirming the person we were celebrating.  So both Bob and Don were told the many things we love and appreciate about them.
We thank God for Don and Jeanette as they are true island friends here for us and we enjoy our times together!

That same night I was invited to the Colonia to go to a Campanga (evangelistic campaign)  It was a wonderful evening!!   There was alot of hearty singing, and many moving testimonies of what the Lord had done in people's lives.  I was very blessed to be there.   It is interesting how God works because while we were singing I had a strong sense to share my testimony so I just prayed, "well Lord if you want me to do that then could you please just put it on the heart of someone on the stage to call me up?"   After the song was over I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and point to the stage where Liliana was standing calling me up.  I went to her and she said, Debi do you want to say something...  It was so cool to give my testimony there.   Speaking to the Spanish is different then speaking in our culture.   Truthfully it is alot for fun because they are so expressive, passionate and love to proclaim His truth loudly.  It was a wonderful evening and I am glad that I went.

Good News!!   Maria, our cleaner, had her baby on Saturday, March 20th.   A son named
David Alexander.   He is sweet little fella...so peaceful and quiet.

Well this is turning into an epistle.. sorry this is so long but it`s been a while since I wrote.
We are just heading out for a lovely snorkel this afternoon.   Tomorrow we are excited to see our friends from  Canada who will be staying with us for the week.

Thanks again for your prayers for us.  We appreciate that more then you can imagine!!

island remedies

for the past week or so i have had bouts of dizziness, and headaches.  i thought it was a flu so i just kept enduring it.  one of my nurse friends from canada recommended i go get my blood pressure checked.   i went to see dr. raymond last friday night at around 6:30 while we were waiting for our pizza.  his office is open late so that worked great. i was sitting in a narrow hallway just off the main street in coxen hole waiting feeling woosy and dizzy.   there was all sorts of activity on the streets, people walking around, taxis zooming by, people heading home from work.  all of a sudden there is this guy standing there who sometimes washes our car at plaza mar.  he stopped, stooped down low, and hollered, 'da you mam?'  i hollered back (because that is the way we do things here)  "ya dat me!"    he came sauntering towards me and plopped himself down.  "you seeing dr. raymond?"  i nod.  (not too much because the up and down motion just made me dizzy).   "so what be wrong wid cha?"   "i dunno. i been dizzy lately"  he sat up real straight, got real serious and began to give me the solution to my dizziness.

"okay dis what you do!  you know da naked tree?"

"you mean the gumbalimba tree?"

"ya dat's da one.  you gets a machete, and gets some bark from da back of da tree"

"da back, why da back.. why not from da front of da tree?"

"well you don't want to be wrecking no tree mam!!"

"oh yeah, okay"

"so once you gots da bark, you take it home an' boil it an' makes a tea an' you drink it all up.  your dizziness be gone right quick."

"really?   okay but I think i will just see what dr. raymond has to say"

"well i knows another ting for ya.  you takes a goose egg, maybe even two and puts em in a glass and drink it"

"are you kidding?!  i ain't drinking no goose egg!!.  that be bad!"

"that ain't bad.  that be good. if you don't gots no goose egg den ya use a chicken egg"

"ughhh...  so do i mix it up with juice?"

"no, you don't be mixin' it.  you just take it straight up"

*nb*  you will note that i speak just like them.. not to make fun of them 

but they don't understand good english.  seriously!  *nb*

i told him i would just see what dr. raymond says.  then he looked at me and said, "he be tellin' ya the same ting as me, i bet"

i bet NOT!  :-)  

as it turned out, my pressure was high 145/95 so he recommended i get a bunch of tests:  blood, cholesteral, and urine to see if there was something causing the pressure to go so high.  in the meantime he gave me some meds for the dizziness and told me to take it easy.

what?  no gumbalimba?  no goose egg?   well i guess because that isn't for high blood pressure .. it for the dizziness!!

i have been a good girl.  taking it easy.  i am missing snorkeling.  i admit.   when i told dr. raymond that i was a bit dizzy while snorkeling i wish i could have had a photo of the expression on his face.  it was priceless.  he looked at me with sheer horror in his eyes.   then he told me NO snorkeling until he sees me on monday.

today bob and i went to look at an apartment that we are going to rent for our friends from canada in west end.  i wanted some pineapple so we went to one of the fruit trucks.  the guy asked me how i was so i said, 'mas o menos'  which means more or less.   he looked real concerned and asked what was wrong.  then he said, (in spanish) that i needed oho (garlic) in the morning and in the evening. and then my blood pressure would be perfecto!   i had to laugh when he said that dr. raymond told him that. it was as if he was reading my mind as i was thinking.. i wonder if dr. raymond would tell me that??!

i laughed so hard once in the car.

and um.. yes.. i did have a big clove of garlic with my lunch.

will keep you posted on what dr. raymond says later today.
i am feeling pretty good.  someone pass me that garlic please!!   :-)

so here is the update:  dr. raymond doesn't feel that i should be dizzy with high blood pressure and since there is a nose, ear and throat doctor from the states at the clinic he wants me to go see him tomorrow.  i told him i have had vertigo in the past and i don't get the spinning sensation but still he thinks i should see him.  i left his office somewhat frustrated.

this morning i came to the place of recognizing that i need to lay myself before the Lord. He is the only One who can help me.. truly.   have i been dizzy today?  yes but am i more at peace in the midst of it?
yes.   did i take some garlic??   sure.. why not?!   :-)

i would appreciate prayers as this really is limiting to what i do.  i tire easily and the dizziness is scary.. especially while driving and snorkeling (which i really miss doing on these hot afternoons)

thanks for standing with me in this.
xo

Meeting the needs

There are so many needs on this island that at times it is heart breaking to see.   We are grateful that we are able to help.  We are grateful for those of you who have begun to see the vision of living beyond yourselves and choosing to help those less fortunate.  This is an account of the way we used some of the money that we received from our dear Canadian friends.  I am choosing to keep their names anonymus so as not to rob them of the blessing they will indeed receive from God.  :-)

 please click on the collages to make them large so 

you can read the write ups by the photos

What is the main need on the island?   Food.  Plain and simple.   So I got together with Zenola and asked her to tell me what a family of 6 would need to buy for 2 weeks.    Here is the list:

rice

flour

sugar

lard

red beans

milk powder

eggs

toilet paper

soap

We were looking to give to people who had desperate needs:  either they were very ill, a single mom with many children, no employment due to illness, or disabled.   After much thought, consideration and prayer we came up with 10 families that we would give approximately 2 weeks of food to.    One family who has 11 children received double the portion of the other due to the size of their family.

We are blessed to have Jeanette and Laura come over one day to help us put the food into 10 lb. bags.  We had quite the little assembly line happening and in no time it was done.   The only problem with having the food at our house is that it didn't take long for the people of the colonia to 'hear' that we had all this food in our food and people started to come by looking for food.  It broke my heart to say no.  I was able to explain to Carlos, our gardener, in very broken spanish that this food was for the desperate and those in extreme needs.  Everyone has need on the island but I explained that we weren't going to randomly hand on small packets of food in the colonia but instead wanted to provide some "relief" to these other families and hopefully take the pressure off their lives.   He understood.  I feel pretty confident he went up to the colonia and told them that because we didn't have any more coming to our door.   Thanks Lord for that!!

The other component to this project was that one night the Lord reminded me that food was only temporal and they needed the Words of Life to sustain them.  So I was prepared to share the good news of Christ with them as well.  I am grateful that Zenola was available to help translate into spanish.   Many hearts were touched and although no one received Christ at the time I know that they heard and know that He longs not only to forgive, help, provide for them here but also to provide an eternal place with no sickness or pain.

I must say that at times it was very difficult to witness that level of poverty and it almost threatened to break my heart.  We are prepared to do this again as we still have money left over (imagine getting 400 lbs of food plus other essentials for just over 300 dollars... !) 

this was taken out at hottest sparrow.

we left food for three families out there and we are trusting that

the pastor will distribute as needed.

the man in the striped shirt is the local pastor in that area.

i think it is important to work along side the churches in the area.

as I said to the people we gave food to:

this food isn't from us,

it isn't from our Canadian friends.

it is a gift from the Lord to remind you that

He hasn't forgotten about you in your difficult time.

Thanks again to those of you who gave to make

this project happen.

Lord bless you deeply and profoundly!  

xo

baby shower

 

after my surgery i needed help

and maria came to the house

to clean, sweep, wash windows and floors without

a murmur and with such a sweet spirit.

over the months i have grown very fond of maria.

as her time to deliver drew near i knew that i should

bless her with a baby shower

it was a wonderful evening together.

i encouraged maria to invite her friends to make the evening more special

i was glad that she took me up on it.

we had a house full!

i have to say this about the spanish:

they are sooo enthusiastic, and outgoing.

i had planned some baby games and they had so much fun 

unscrambling words,

and playing a memory game.

i had prizes for the winners and you'd think

they had won the lottery instead of body wash!

their gratitude for small things is so infectious.

 when it was time for maria to open the gifts they all began

chanting in spanish:

open, open open you presents!!!

i thought wow i haven't ever been to a shower like that before!

chanting, clapping, cheering!!

maria didn't stop smiling throughout the whole evening.

she is typically very shy and soft spoken.

i was so proud of her when she thanked us all and testified to the Lord's presence

and help in her life.

she has been a believer for about a half a year 

and i have seen her grow so much.

we had a wonderful time of prayer together,

so powerful.

such a blessed night all in all!