new every morning…

Praise the Lord! In preparation for my Sept 2nd appointment, I called the Jefferson Headache Clinic to confirm that I had all my paperwork in order and was ready to come at a day’s notice in case of cancelations…And they immediately scheduled me in for July 13th, only three weeks away!  I’m thankful, and thank you for your continued prayers as my head seems to hurt worse in these past few days- Good thing God’s mercies are new every morning- Love in Him, Mary

Summer 09 Update!

How about some praise reports from Mexico! 

1.  Our teammates baby has moved into position for a natural birth!

2.  Debbie’s surgery biopsies from face, neck and arm are benign.

3.  The Very Important Papers from their Very Important Country arrived into the hands of our students!  They will pack for a Nov. transition to their field of service.

4.  Thank you for your prayers for students for our missionary training school!  Sunday’s open house found 5 potential candidates surrounded by pastors and family cheering with tears for God’s affirmation.  One girl has not actually applied because of heavy family responsibilities, but an elder in her church has offered to Fully Support her year at our school!  (That is a First!) 

5.  Our beloved Melanie Rissler has arrived for full-time service after years of annual short-term trips with her PA youth group.  She is a corporate computer tech, socially gifted and ready to get to work (and we have Plenty of it!)

Thank you for your prayers…

1.  For just the right house for Melanie to rent; secure, affordable and with great neighbors!

2.  Ed seeks the Lord’s special blessing and help for his aging parents in SC.

3.  For Mary’s appointment at the Headache Clinic to open up asap.

4.  For continued safety and understanding for Will in his special summer internship.

5.  A miracle provision of a new transformer for the camping zone at El Monte. (the extension cord we’re using now just doesn’t have the power we need!)

The Lord has sent the rains we need for the new soccer field!  We’re preparing (bracing ourselves!) for 500 campers in the month of July!  Several denominations will be trying out our limited facilities for the first time to host their summer youth camps.  Ed is praying for those 10,000 souls!

Thank you for your encouragement and faithful support.  We PRAISE the LORD for you!

With much love, Debbie for your Ten Amigos

My BEST DAD

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Top Ten Memories of 2009 BEST DAD winner, Ed Somerville:

#10- When we tried to outsmart Santa’s helpers one Christmas, and I hid the baby monitor in the kitchen where I thought Dad and Mom would be filling our stockings in the middle of the night…sleeping lightly with the hand receiver pressed to my ear to catch the subdued crinkle of candy dropping into socks… waking up suddenly to find an index card pressed between my cheek and the receiver, with words printed on it: “NAUGHTY GIRL! SANTA WILL OVERLOOK THIS TIME, BUT DON”T TRY THIS AGAIN!” I never did… but wasn’t that fun!?!

#9 When we lived in NC, Dad threw a rope high into a tree to make us a rope swing with a small wooden seat for maximum comfort- Fun!  The next day he nailed a 2×4 between two other trees and raked leaves underneath to create a combination balance beam-gladiator fighting zone- Fun-ner!  We learned to have fun with what we had on hand.

#8 When baby Will was choking on a small piece of hard candy, and Mom was holding him upside down and hitting his back, and turned to me and said “Go get Dad” and I ran out of the house and started across the football field to find Dad, and he was already walking across towards me…  We learned God works miracles.

#7 When Dad was combing my long 6 year old hair, and i was complaining because it was tangled and hurting, and he took me into the bathroom and gave me a cute short haircut-  I learned “it could always be worse!”

#6 When Dad gathered all the campers at SMCC around the unlit fire in the twilight (frogs croaking nearby in the lake) and told the stirring account of Elijah and the prophets of Baal… and when it was Elijah’s turn to pray to God to send fire from heaven to consume the soaking wet offering… a quick blaze in a tree nearby illuminated the face of a brave young counselor/helper who lit and let go of a piece of kerosine soaked rag down an almost invisible fishing line right into the heart of the unlit fire, and KABOOM- we learned God answers prayer.

#5 When Dad single-handedly took on whole groups of campers/counselors in the SMCC IRONMAN challenge: Canoe out and around the island in the lake, jump out and swim across from the dock to the lifeguard stand and back, then shake off the lake water and run around the whole lake… He was never beaten!  We learned that Dad can do anything.

#4 When in my teens I would come home from some amazing spiritual event, overflowing with joy and wanting to share- I would come in and sit on the side of Mom and Dad’s bed, in the dark, and tell them everything…Even if Dad was usually still asleep, it was cool to be there, talking for long times without interruptions.  I learned to value listening as a gift.

#3 When for my 18th B-day Dad and my best friend’s dad took us for a fancy dinner at the Grove Park Inn- we were scandalized and delighted when Dad BYO- cheap wine and surreptitiously poured and passed us our first taste of wine- almost cured me of wanting to drink- almost.  But I learned: Dad can be cool.

#2 When Dad had my name in our Christmas exchange one year, not too long ago, and the best gift was a plain white envelope with a “date with Dad” coupon- valid for one year, but I think it was only a few weeks before I cashed in and remembered that Dad loves me so much.

#1 When I chatted with Dad a few weeks ago and he reminded me that he’s praying for me every day.  I remembered that Dad’s faith is his best gift to us- I treasure my Dad!

"Her children rise and call her blessed" Proverbs 31:28 - U da woman!

"Her children rise and call her blessed" Proverbs 31:28 - U da woman!

World’s Best #1 Mom

Happy Mother’s Day to my own Mommy!!  I’m every day thankful for your love, for your good example, for the kindness that you show to each of us in so many little ways…  Thanks, Mom- you are a treasure to me.

I’m so glad I got’cha!  Love, Mary

CD cover

CD cover art

CD cover art

Hey Family,

Here’s the fresh cover art for the recording project we’ve been working on.

-Will

hiya fellas!

Hi there!

this is the becksternator, gettin’ the blog on!

ooo I can write in cool letters?!! nice!

and bold letters!

and italics!!!

oooo! or I can do all three put together!

Guys this is super-duper. I can’t wait to hear about everyone and fill you all in on my own life adventures! Special Greetings to my Lovely Little Sister! (I’m talking about RACHEL, for those of you who are currently under the spell of the cutie-pie dog we now own!) xoxo-fern.double fern

heard about adoni-zedek?

Hey yall!

Today I got to teach my 2nd grade Bible class.  The highlights include: gettina a hug from Ronnie who races out the class room door to greet me, hearing about how Cornel made soup (complete with chicken, and a little parsley!) for his dad when he was sick, and getting to tell the story of dad getting nearly burned at the stake by his five brothers.  Which tied into my lesson… what would you do if you were the Gibeonites and you were surrounded by Adoni-zedek and his four croneys?  That’s right!  Shout for help and hope the Isrealites come running!  Thankfully for those crafty Gibeonites, not only the Isrealites came running but their Isrealites powerful God worked to win the battle with ice-ball air-raids, and a few extra hours in the day.  (Check it out in Joshua 10)

Moral of the story, God is all powerful, and when we obey whole-heartedly, he is more than able to help us win the battle!

Application of the story in my life?  The Lord can work miracles to help me get all my assingments in on time!  With that said, it’s time to get back to work…!

LOVE YOU ALL FAMILY, ESPECIALLY YOU CHISPA.

Our new dog Chispa!

Hey, everybody!
Here’s what you need to be preparing for when you get back this  way. This little girl is BRAVA! A lot of dog in a little package. She is a sweetie, though, and we’re really enjoying all the laughs
she’s giving us. Blessings to you, each one, and have a great day!

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Walter with Chispa

Daddy

happy sunday

hellllloooooo Family!  Its great to be alive today in West Philly (best Philly, according to some)- some data:

Temp: 90*F

State of the Sun- shining

Sounds I can hear now: siren about five blocks away, back yard neighbors having an argument, kids playing somewhere nearby, several birds catching up on the latest gossip, a dog barking, muffled conversation downstairs, where my host family and their ministry team are meeting briefly before going walking and talking with YOU-know-who around our neighborhood…

Greek Lady: continues to be b-u-s-y as students gear up for finals week this coming week… everyday is a good day for Greek food!  Maria has broncitus, and so we miss her at work, even while we all hope she has a good rest and is better soon.  Last night my Korean friends (a couple and their friend from church) came into the city to attend a concert, and they stopped by GL and had dinner with me :)  meeting and greeting and sharing a quick word of YOU-know-who with each of my co-workers… from Gani (Algeria) to Mamadou (Mauritania) to Reuben (Mexico) to Eleni (Greece) to Olga- the Greek Lady herself! I was glad.

Circle of Hope: my delightful cell group will be multiplying in two weeks, so pray for us as we each pray more committedly for new friends to join us and old friends to get psyched for real life.  Tonight I will accompany four friends over to the Camden congregation, to hear another friend give the main message… a last minute road trip!

Mary: While my contentment in being here now grows, my head hurts worse than “before.”  I will see the Ostheopathic doctor this Friday, and look forward to asking some new questions: (”When will your methods start working?” “What is your long-term plan?” “Do you have other suggestions based on your experience with tension headaches?”) Thank you for praying for me and standing with me- its been a blessing to hear Dad say, “I’m praying that you will wake up one of these days with no headache!”

“My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory”

I love you, each one- and think about you as I walk to work… Special love and greetings to our April BIRTHDAY GIRL- you’re our family treasure, Rachel- we love you so much!

Blessings to each one today, and tomorrow… Mary