Happy Resurrection!

   This time of the year may be my most favorite, I know we need incarnation as part of salvation, but something since my childhood has captured me every time about this season. In New England there used to be a sense of energy this time of year. The dark and snow finally melting away. This is the time when the animals all cooped up in the barn all winter long get to finally come out. I remember even our old milk cow would jump and buck the first time she came out the door. The sheep seemed to skip with all four feet off the ground! The freedom, sun, new green grass all seemed to excite everything! The parallels to Easter are noticeable. Well there is the food also, usually bagels for Easter breakfast with all the toppings bacon, cream cheese, olives, jellies, ham, and more.  Our swollen eyes with sleep still sticking in corners saw the colored eggs all the little ones had painted and dyed looking glorious on the table. We walk slowly our to the front yard to sing and watch the sun rise. Greeting everyone with, "He is Risen" and the replies, "He is Risen indeed."

 The focus is on Christ's action, He has ended the darkness. Conquered death and in the covenant of communion we are unified and remember this. The glory of the world echoes the glory of the Lord. Passion week, the week of suffering is culminated in triumph! He is Risen!

 This year in Bocachica, the earth is still waiting, we are waiting expectantly, creation is anxious. Look at the cereza trees, there are a few little cherries the little boys pick. The ciruelas are green and hard and shriveled. Some of the bushes are sprouting premature leaves. They know it is coming, we heard the little sprinkling of rain on the tin roof the other morning, there are thick clouds now. The fisherman say for sure though the rain comes in Semana Santa. The vegetation will become alive, the ciruelas will fatten and ripen, and new life will be seen across the island. This time we will be at the beach with colored eggs, and fruit, greeting each other with, " He is Risen", and replying, "He is Risen indeed!
   May the Lord Bless you, and may you, "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever." (2 Peter 3:18)

Photo journal of Bocachica

I was thinking of posting a special newsletter for my nieces Josephine (10) and Meredith (8) on what life looks like here on the island. Once I started taking photos, I thought I would share it with you as well.

Please pray for Yoryani. She is a woman who Antioch made a latrine for in January. She was cooking on the carbone cooker and the pan dumped hot oil all over both legs. She has 3rd degree burns down both legs and both feet. Please join me in praying for her. She is in a lot of pain and the Doctor has to scrape the dead skin off daily.

This is the carbone cookers they use to cook with. Most people here on the island don't have stoves. They normally fry everything.

A boy trying to help the family buy selling this mornings catch.

And some even have play station.

Don't let their poverty fool you. Some find it necessary to have Direct T.V.

This is what it looks like to go fishing. A small wooden boat in the open ocean.

This is where we get our boat taxi's to bring us to Cartagena, about 20 minutes away by boat. However, sometimes you have to wait for a hour + for the boat to fill up before it will bring you.

There are no grocery stores here on the island. Just small Mom and Pop type stores. Nate and I call this Wal-Mart. :) Normally once a week Nate and I walk 1/2 mile to this store for a date. We share a coke and enjoy some time talking on the way home.

We share the streets with all types of animals. Cows, chickens, goats, donkeys and of course pigs.

This is the church we go to weekly. The bottom is the church the top is the pastor's house.

Making fried plantianes for breakfast.

Women here work all day making simple shell necklaces that will be sold for .50 cents each.

People waiting for their breakfast to be cooked. Normally fried plantains, meat and juice.

One of the most common things kids play with on the island.

This is how we transport our water in Lattas.

Our garbage truck

The kids here use brooms for horses

A wrap up of our week with Antioch Community Church and friends!

We have been blessed by Antioch Community Church putting together a team of 14 individuals to come down for 8 days. Not only did they provide physical labor and help the community by building 2 latrines and 2 floors, but they provided our family with unconditional love. Words do not adequately express our hearts; but never -the- less we will remember their love towards us.   The actual face to face contact was so meaningful, especially after months of only having contact through Facebook and emails. We also send a big "Thank You" to family and friends who sent items included in the bins of necessary supplies and tools, as well as the comfort foods from home.

Rob Mancuso's photo: The team mixing concrete.

Proyecto Libertad photo: Team putting the top on the latrine.

What is the value of short term missions or missionaries in general? It is brothers and sisters physically working, disciplining, and enjoying time with one another. The value is concrete. God in Christ chose to become human alongside us, and this action in eternity gives us value. We imitate this when we go to others in this same manner. We participate with Christ by coming close physically with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and at the same time preach Christ--in a personal manner--to those who don't know Him.

To the team from Antioch: Thank you for the time and money you sacrificed to come here; for blessing the community of Bocachica; and for sharing the gospel with those who don't know it, or are not mature in it. It gives us joy to be part of this work.

To all of our friends and family: Thank you for your encouragement, for your support, and for your prayers. We leave you with this prayer; notice that it is both for us as individuals and also for us as the church, but it is an Action of God toward us! (I know it is a re-run for those of you who were here.)

Ephesians 1: 15-23:

¹⁵ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding^[c] being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

God bless you all,

With love,

Nate, Tara, Valerie, Alicia, Jaiden, Kristen, Nathanael, Patrick and Vincent

Happy birthday 'Than

Best buds!

Happy Birthday Nathanael Quin!

On December 8th we celebrated 'Than's 5th birthday. We had 50+ people here to enjoy the night with us. We had games, a pinata, and of course cake! Everyone had a great time.

'Than is very excited to see what's inside! 

Nathanael means gift from God. Indeed he is!

We are blessed to have him as a son. 

Enjoy the pictures.

The neighborhood joining us in the celebration.

Of course Nate needs to spin the kids prior to the swing!

Ready for action

I thought we'd post a picture of our Christmas tree...Well...at least the kids like it! :)








With love,
The Ariels

Holiday Greetings from Colombia!

The neighborhood kids!

  When I came to Bocachica I thought. "The only thing I can offer the people here is my time." Before I could even do that, I had to learn the language (I am still learning!) I spent some time during my days simply talking to those in the community. I enjoy the people here. I love hearing stories of life here on the island. They love to hear stories of what life was like in the states. I am fond of the children who come here day in and out to play with my kids. This past month spoke to me as they gave back to us!

  This past November was a month full of sickness for our family. Nate, some of the kids, and I had a virus that included fevers. The kids' and mine lasted a couple of days...but Nate, had fever for 20 days. He ended up in the hospital for 6 days. They never came to the conclusion of what caused the fever. One doctor thought it was a tropical illness contracted from a mosquito that they may not have testing for. Whatever caused it, I am thankful it has run it's course, and I am grateful that he is healthy again.

  Most of all I am thankful for relationships. I have been blessed by the island people here while my husband was sick. Whenever I was on the boat people would ask about my husband. On my walk from the boat to the house, neighbors would come out of their houses and offer to help around the house, keep the children, and pray for us. When Nate came home we had days where the house was full of visitors from the community. Our year of getting to know the people here has turned into something that feels familiar to home. Those who love you check on you, help you, and pray for you in a time of need. They take the time out of their day as much as Nate and I have done with them to have a "relationship".

Nate taking the water filter out of the mold.

Prayer requests:
Please pray with us as we work on finishing our first water filter. Nate's sickness has prolonged this process, but we are excited to get this ministry up and running. Please also join us in praying for funding of this project. It is our desire to help those in this community of 12,000 by making clean water available to them.

Please pray for the youth here in the community. As our relationships grow stronger it is hitting closer to our hearts when the young women we know are getting pregnant. We know a 13 year old girl who is 3 months pregnant, a 15 year old having her second child, and a 17 year old who has dropped out of school to have a baby. Please pray the Lord would do a work in this community and help them see this is a cycle that needs to be broken.

Pray that God would be glorified in all we do here!

Thank you all who support us monthly. We could not be here in Bocachica with out your help!
We are currently only at 60% of our funding. If you would like to help support us monthly please contact us by email at Ariel.family.mission@gmail.com. Support checks can be mailed to:
Antioch Community Church
Elon, NC. 27244
Please write Colombia in the memo line
(remember all donations are tax deductible!)

We pray you and your families have a blessed Christmas!

With Love,
The Ariels

Pictures of God's creation

Big sky view in the morning

Parrot visiting next door.

Butterflies

 

View of the distant mountains from the house.

A Piggy with a target on his heiny.

Life on the island

You know you have lived on a tropical island for a year when... 
you wake up and it's 77 degrees out and everyone in your family is desperately searching for long sleeve clothing. Your seven year old tells you she can not wear pants cause they are to restricting.
and  your three year old thinks socks are the best thing ever. (he doesn't remember ever having to wear them)

House update: We have officially moved into our house! Typing this to you cannot accurately express my excitement. I am thankful to have the majority of the work done, and look forward to the honey-do list of small jobs we still have to tackle.


October 30th marks one year of living in Bocachica. As I reflect on all the memories I have, I thank the Lord for all he has taught me! I have seen my family grow in so many ways. We could not be here with out your help! Please know we are very thankful for each one of you who support us monthly, and for all of you who continue to lift our family up in prayers! We remember you all in our prayers often.

I am please to let you know Guillermo, (in the blue) our friend, has accepted the Lord into his life. We are excited
to see seeds that have been planted grow.

Please pray as he learns how to be a Godly leader of his
family and they too would give their lives to the Lord.

Please continue to pray for our friend Jaime. He asks many questions about becoming a Christian, however has not taking the step to do so! I am thankful for his honesty & openness, but I pray he will see the light and desire to become one of His.

Exciting news here on the island. Nate has researched a certain type of water filter for a couple of years now. It's a BioSand  water filter. Nate had this water filter made in Bogota that is now done and is here in Bocachica. We are hoping to assemble one in the next coming weeks. In Bocachica most people do not drink purified water. Most locals here can not afford a filter or the replacement it needs every 3-6 months.  This BioSand filter system uses mainly natural materials, is affordable easily reproduced, and doesn't use any energy and it can last as long as 10 years. This is a huge need here on the island. Parasites is one of the most common treated illnesses here on the island. Think in the year 2012 and people here are getting sick from something as simple to the lack of pure water. If you would like to donate to this project please let us know!

We were thrilled to have our friends Nathan and Julie Heafner from our church visit us on Oct 8th. They took a cruise which had a stop in Cartagena for 6 hours. They choose to spend that time visiting us! Top it off all of their luggage they brought was goodies for the islanders and our family. It is always hard to say goodbye, but the time was so special! 

I thought we would share with you what our days look like here on the island.

We are constantly busy! From Nate doing maintenance at the mission to helping out the locals with work on their houses. Electrical and plumbing seem to be the top requests.

I have started school with the kids. Many times I think to myself I am blessed to have this quality time with them!

We also are cooking up a storm here on the island. Adults to children love to cook with us.  They enjoy looking at our cookbooks and trying new things. Most common requests are pizzas, cakes and cookies. The families buy/ or pay for the ingredients and we all assemble together. Most people here on the island only have stove tops or charcoal cookers. Ovens are not common here in Bocachica. Another interest of ours is to make brick ovens here on the island. Not only will this help save cost on the charcoal they buy weekly, but this will also allow for healthier eating as well. People here fry, fry, fry.

We are also busy with English classes at our house for the locals.

Nate has had some opportunities to preach at the local community bible study held at the mission Thursday nights. He has enjoyed this time and we pray more opportunities come for him to do more.

One of my favorite things to do here in Bocachica is to fellowship with the locals. Weather we are walking down the street and being invited in to someones home or opening our house up to the many visitors who come to see us. This time I cherish. I am thankful for and love to see how our relationships with the locals here are enriched.

Prayer needs:
Please pray for us as we get our water filter system up and running and funding to help support this
project.
Our house as we get things organized.
The kids and their school work.
The electrical would get finalized at our house. 

How can you help support us? 
You can make tax deductible checks payable to:
Antioch Community Church
P.O. Box 40
Elon, NC. 27244
(write Colombia in the memo line)

Blessings to you all,
With love,
The Ariels