An Orchestra Made of Garbage

These kids from Cateura, Paraguay (a vast landfill outside Paraguay's capital of Asuncion, Paraguay) have a passion for music, but no money for instruments. So they made them out of trash! The world's only Landfill-harmonic orchestra sounds like a million bucks!

Merry Christmas!

We pray that you and your family have a blessed Christmas! In the poem called "The Innkeeper" by John Piper, he tries to imagine what might have happened when the soldiers came from Herod to find the birthplace of Jesus. And what Jesus might have said if he showed up 30 years later to talk to the innkeeper about it. It’s fiction. But its aim is truth and hope and joy.

Prayer Needed: Major Flooding Today near Asuncion, Paraguay

Please keep the people of Asuncion, Paraguay and surrounding cities (including Lambaré) in your prayers.  They have had major flooding happening this morning.

More videos and images:

This video shows two cars getting washed away.

This picture below is where the red car from the above video ended up.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151172020558723&set=a.400254958722.179454.48880688722&type=1&relevant_count=1

This is video taken from the window of a bus.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151171816513723&set=a.400254958722.179454.48880688722&type=1&relevant_count=1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151171732633723&set=a.400254958722.179454.48880688722&type=1

Give Thanks

We pray that you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving celebration.   We are truly blessed!

"Lord, I miss my dad."

I ran across these 2 items today that were very helpful to me.  I wanted to share them with you....

The latest blog entry on The Mission Society's blog is very good.  (http://themissionsocietyblog.com/?p=1969)   It is an article written by The Mission Society's President from the latest issue of their magazine.

Also, in the same issue of that magazine, a friend of ours named Hannah shared her story of when her dad passed away several years ago. 

They have the audio from the article on their website here:  http://themissionsociety.org/learn/multimedia/medialib/media-templ/article/48461
Or you can read the article here:  http://themissionsociety.org/learn/multimedia/unfinished/issue-templ/mag-templ/article/92705

Jonathan's dad (Danny Killen) is with the Lord now

Dad is with the Lord now.  He passed so gently.  We cried, we sang praise songs, we laughed, we were surrounded with family and friends.  It happened about 6:08 PM.  Thanks to all those who have been praying for him.  We are overwhelmed with the love that you have shown us.

Please pray for Jonathan's Dad

My dad, Danny, has been in the hospital with double Pneumonia for a week and 3 days. Yesterday (Father's Day) they moved him to the CCU to monitor him more closely.  This morning his doctor decided to move him to Birmingham (UAB -- which is an answer to prayers).  He made a little headway in the CCU yesterday with his oxygen levels, but not enough to satisfy their concerns. They will also be performing a biopsy at UAB to determine exactly what is going on with his lungs.  A room just opened up in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at UAB, and they will be flying him by helicopter sometime tonight.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

God is in Control!
Jonathan

Our "Vision Trip" was awesome!

We just returned from our 10 day "vision trip" in Paraguay.  We got to see what day-to-day life is like there by hanging out with missionaries (and field leaders) Christian & Angelica Dickson.  We also had the chance to eat a meal with some of our Paraguay friends we had met on our previous trips.   Our visit to the daycare in Santa Rosa went very well, also.  The kids were so excited and showed us their Paraguay dances.  Even though the weather was unusually cold (as low as -2 degrees Celsius on one night), it was a great trip.  Our boys had a great time and were actually a little sad when it came time to leave.

We are still tired from all the traveling, but we hope to share some more stories and pictures soon.

Continue to keep us and the people of Paraguay in your prayers!

Pray for the Luis Palau events in Paraguay

Please pray for an upcoming event that will be happening in Paraguay.  On April 27-28, evengelist Luis Palau will be having an event in the cities of Ciudad del Este and Asunción.

http://www.palau.org/news/story/luis_and_andrew_palau_to_share_the_gospel_in_paraguay_with_massive_events_in_two_cities_373

Good Friday = Redemption

. . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree . . . —1 Peter 2:24

Remember what Christ did for on this day.  Remember the reason we call this day "good".  He made it possible for us to be forgiven from our sins.  As my devotional mentioned today, "The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much."

Here are my two favorite videos about Good Friday:
"Why I Call It Good Friday"


"Sunday's Comin' "