The Hendersons ~ On a Journey 4 Him Weblog...

Happy Easter!

Our trip with the George Greene Baptist Association was blessed. It was wonderful for me to be able to assist a team again! I didn't even dread going back to the beautiful Canta, where I was on our last journey and broke my leg/tore my tendon.

This time of the year, it is extremely gorgeous there. The mountains are a luscious green, and flowers are blooming everwhere. In dry season, everything is brown, dead, and consists of only dirt, BUT the beauty of the mountains never cease! 

It was wonderful to see the sweet people, and it was sweet to have the children remember me, and the adults asking how I am. It seemed like many of the people around the mountain range had been praying for my recovery. I had some come up to me and tell me they were at the baptism the day I fell. 

The team worked well together! Of course, it was encouraging to work with our "home folk" from the Lucedale/Leakesville area, and to know families had spared members to come work with the unreached Quechua peoples of Peru.

Our kids finished their achievement testing, and they thoroughly enjoyed taking off from school and working with the children in the villages. They seemed to make friends fast, and although language could have been a barrier, it wasn't! I noticed Skylar and Diego making hand signs and motions to communicate. A company here in Lima donated shoes to all of the children in each village. It was sweet to see the joy on their faces as they received a new pair of shoes!

Before I left on the trip, my blood's INR was almost a 4 (very, very, very thin!!), and when I returned to Lima, it had thickened up as the doctor said it would to a 3.25!!  I am continuing to take my regular dosage to work on the 3 remaining clots in my leg. Continue to pray for the clots to be dissolved completely.

On Thursday, two of our Peruvian family/translators stepped forward in their commitment to publicly proclaim Christ as their Savior, and they were baptized by Brian. AMEN!!!  Gloria a Dios!

Now, we are currently gathering ideas and materials for my next trip with a group back to Canta. There will not be much translation (unless it is for me or Jim), but instead, they will be the sole M's, sharing their testimony to the villagers. I am anxious to work alongside nationals to see them in action.

Here in Peru, Easter bunnies and eggs are not part of the culture. However, many Peruvians celebrate Semana Santa (Holy Week). Last Sunday, as we were walking the streets in Miraflores, people were selling palms, which are then taken to the priest to be blessed. Then, one hangs the palms in their house. In parts of the city this weekend, there have been processionals, where large statues/images are carried. There is much partying, traveling, and celebration during this Holy Week.

I praise God for sending His Son to die for my sins! He is the ultimate sacrifice, my precious Lamb. I am so thankful that I do not have to earn His love or salvation. His gift is free to all who will have faith to receive it! We cannot even imagine the pain that He took because of you and me. Remember, He is a perfect God, and He was also a Perfect Human. He felt the pain and the things that we feel. I praise Him that He is alive; He is alive!!! 

God is my Rock!

Psalm 18:2-3

1I love you, O Lord, my strength.

2The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I am saved from my enemies.

Tonight, I write to offer up a praise to God, who is my Rock!! Today, I went to get my 4th echo gram done. Thankfully, it was the same doctor who did it last time. She is very thorough in her exam. As she ran the scan, she was quiet for the first minutes. Brian finally broke the silence and asked her how it looked. We see all the pulsating reds and blues, and then pictures of grays and blacks. She said it looked much better than last time. The blood is channeling through the vein. She continued to scan and when she finished she showed me 3 small areas that still have some clotting:  my lower stomach, mid-leg between my knee and hip, and my calf area. (I remember the 2nd doctor telling me I had blockage from my lower stomach to my knee area and telling me I needed to get to Dr. Talledo because he'd want to see me soon!)  So, only 3 small areas is GREAT news....what a great PRAISE to lift to Him. Thanks to all of you faithful prayer warriors out there who have diligently been praying for my recuperation.

My ankle is flexing much, much more than before. That's another PRAISE!!  The obvious limp/hobbling has minimized because my foot is actually able to move more in my step's second phase. I have actually went to the mall on two occasions (to meet teams) and entered into the grocery store several times. It feels good to be able to get around better!  My physical therapist, who I see twice a week, has advanced me to several new exercises which are making me flex even more than before. I still am not all there, but I AM thankful for what He has given me back!  I have noticed the last several times that I have walked down stairs, I am wanting to not "one step" it (right leg down, bring left foot beside it, right leg down, and so on), but I am wanting to skip putting the left foot beside it and move it to the next step. MISTAKE. I almost fell today at the hospital. So, this afternoon, when I mentioned this to my PT, she and I went outdoors to the steps, and I showed her what I was doing. She made me realize that I can climb UP the stairs normally, but I still must "one step" it down because my ankle still lacks the flexibility it needs to come down the "normal" way. So, please continue to pray for me to regain full flexibility. Next week, the plan is for us to head to Canta to work in the villages that George Greene has adopted. I haven't been since I broke my leg in November. Please pray for stability on the uneven, rocky ground.

The kids are taking SAT's this week. Continue to pray for them to remain focused and do recall the things they need to know to do their very best on the tests.  It has cooled down some here (currently, the Lima therm. is showing 66 degrees F), so they are now back into "regular" dress code. Sydney is wearing dresses, and Skylar is wearing pants and tucking his shirt. During the days, especially in La Molina, it does get warm.

Today, Brian headed to Canta with one of our friends/translators, J.P.  J.P. has been such a blessing to us. He shows up at most of our doctor's appointments just in case we need him. Today, he went with us, and  he also helped us pick up some supplies for the overnight trip. A team is in Canta working, so they rode up to help. Pray for the team's safety as they work on the side of a mountain doing God's work. Pray for Brian and J.P. as they return back to Lima tomorrow evening.

A moment ago, I opened up my agenda and looked at the months ahead. The pages are still blank. We are waiting for Him to reveal His perfect plan for our future. He's told us to wait, so we are.Please pray for our wisdom, clarity, and discernment for His perfect will and plan for our lives.   

The George Greene team will be arriving in 3 nights!!!!!  Please be praying for each of them (Bro. Jimmy, Meg, Leah, Ben, Bro. Ralph, and Melanie) as they prepare to travel. Pray for God to do a great work in and through them while they are in beautiful Peru. Pray for the people that they will share God's love with!  Our family and several members of our Peruvian family (Juan, J.P., J.B., Ara, and Janeth) will be travelling with the George Greene team. Please pray for health, safety, clarity, and surrender to how He will use each of us while we are there!

 

April Prayer Newsletter

Thanks for your continued faithfulness in praying for our family!!

Please click here for our review of March's events:  Download April 2011 .

Brief overview of prayer requests for this week mentioned on the newsletter:

Sydney and Skylar will be taking standardized achievment tests each morning this week at school; please pray they will remain focused and do their very best, recalling what they need to do well.

Felicia gets a new echogram (to check on the blood clot) on Tuesday, and sees her cardiologist on Friday; pray for good results and for the doctor's knowlege in caring for Felicia.

George Greene Baptist Association team (Bro. Jimmy Holcomb, Meg Hodges, Leah Brewer, Ben Harris, and Bro. Ralph and Melanie Williams), who will be arriving in Lima late Friday night, and traveling with our family to the four villages on the 10th.  Pray for safe travels, good health, blessed communications and sharing with the people, and for clear communication through the translators (Ara, Janeth, JB, and JP).

The Hendersons this week--as we gather items for next week's trip, finish up schoolwork and seminary classes, and prepare for a week of traveling.