A tearful reunion

Check out this picture!  What you cannot see are the many tears that we cried as we met again with our Guatemalan family.  It was an amazingly sweet and holy time. As we waited outside the church building for the family to finish their Sunday School classes, we searched each face walking by to see if we recognized them. (The children have grown so much so we were hoping that we would recognize them).  Mindy came walking up the ramp and when she saw Mitch she ran and bear hugged him weeping.  The tears started to flow.  Mitch introduced Courtney and she also got a tearful bear hug from Mindy. Mindy and Courtney were inseparable from then on.  After church we spent time (with an interpreter) catching up on their lives and praying.  How sad and scary to find out that our family had to leave their home because of the dangerous gang violence that has increased in their neighborhood.  In fact, a person was killed just outside their home and they were given an ultimatum, "Tell us who killed this woman and you can stay in your home, otherwise you have 8 days to leave or else"  They did not know who killed the woman and were afraid for their lives, so they moved.  They are renting a home in another neighborhood and what is sad is that now they have to pay rent when they owned their home outright.  Miriam, the mother, has had to return to work to make ends meet.  Both Edgar and Miriam really want Miriam to be able to stay home with the children but it is not possible right now.  What a sweet time of prayer we had for each member of the family!  Courtney prayed for the girls, Tanner for the boys, me for the mother and Mitch for Edgar.  Then Edgar prayed for our family and our country.  I'm telling you, the Holy Spirit was there!  How amazing to know that our families shared so much even though we live in different countries and speak different languages!  These children are awesome!  It is obvious that the parents really care for them!
You will notice in this picture that Mindy does not show her teeth when she smiles, that is because she fell and knocked out a tooth and has a big gap in her mouth.  She is embarrassed by it and wanted us to pray about it.  Shalom Foundation stepped up and she is being seen this week by a dentist to start the process of getting her a new tooth!
Prayer for our family:
1.  Miriam is having headaches and sore places on her body.  2. Edgar hopes to start his own business in the future, making clothing, but right now he is working for a brother at the church and it is going well.  3.  Mindy's teeth to be fixed  4.  Mindy, Kimberly, Herbert and Bryan to do well in their studies.
Here are the ages of the family members:  Edgar is 37,  Miriam 35, Mindy is 16 years old, Bryan is 14 years old, Herbert is 11 years old and Kimberly is 7 years old.