Good morning everyone!
After months of being AWOL, I am FINALLY sending you an update! Woo hoo! Hope you didn’t faint! Several have asked me, “Steve, are you okay? We haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“I’m Alive!”
The short answer is, I’m okay now. But I ran into a buzzsaw that I should have seen coming! That buzzsaw has a name. It’s called a “Kitchen Remodel.” It started innocently enough. I took January off to do a little “kitchen remodel” for Nola that I figured would take me just a few weeks to accomplish. Certainly I’d be done before I went to Guatemala in February. But when February came, I still wasn’t done. So I paused the construction to do the Guatemala project with Ray Gurney (pastor of Cross Creek Baptist in Oak Grove, Missouri) and Caleb Miles (a new rancher friend from near Valentine, Nebraska).
On our last trip to Guatemala we met with several new mayors to talk about our ongoing evangelist soccer tournaments as well as various cowboy related projects. Pictured here from left to right are me, Ray Gurney, mayor Juan Jose Davila of Santa Rosa de Lima, Cesar Gonzales, and Caleb Miles.
We had a great trip with great things to share, but when I got home there were several things that had to be done on the house immediately or our finishing schedule would be in jeopardy. (What’s crazy is that now I can’t even remember what those pressing things were!) So I went back to work on the kitchen and put off writing about our fantastic trip. Then Nola and I did a spring break in March with our kids and grandkids. By Easter, the kitchen project revealed major problems in our electrical where sometimes lights would work and sometimes not! (It turns out that mice had eaten into our wiring in several strategic areas of the house!) In addition, we decided to do the flooring in the kitchen and all the traffic areas of the whole house. (What were we thinking?!) Bottom line: the kitchen project bled into nearly every part of the house.
Writer’s Block
Along with that, and probably more significant than the house stuff, by now I developed one big case of writer’s block. I just couldn’t seem to sit down at my computer to write anything. I tried a couple of times and couldn’t produce anything. I was stuck. I continued to do ministry things, but I just couldn’t make myself write about it. Also during this time I was helping Dad with smaller projects to be able to care for Mom at their house. Top that off with a couple of jobs helping friends with painting and handyman stuff on their houses, and time got away from me.
So me writing this short blurb is my breaking the chains of my inhibition that has had a hold on me for several months. And as I’m doing it, I’m remembering anew my passion for sharing with you about the wonderful things God continues to do with our friends in mission endeavors both here and in other places in the world. Thank you for your love and your patience with me.
Catching Up
Perhaps in the near future, I’ll write about the February Guatemala trip I alluded to above. For now, I’d like to highlight a few things Bill Burrows and Cesar Gonzalez have been up to. Then at the end I’ll do a quick synopsis of what is coming up.
Bill Burrows
While I have been in my construction mode, Bill has been as well. He and Joyce are about to move into a house in the North Kansas City area. It will put them in much closer proximity to two of their sons, daughters-in-law, and especially their two grandsons. This long-anticipated move has involved a complete remodel of the “new” house as well as preparing their current house to rent. But they are close to being ready to move in by June 30th.
In Bill’s case, he has been more balanced than I have in life and ministry. He has continued to coach church leaders and work at one-on-one/group discipleship at RiverPark Church in Parkville, MO. He has been really encouraged by participating in the “Lifestyle Leadership” training from Leadership Edge Inc..
Cesar Gonzalez
In Guatemala, Cesar Gonzalez is doing well and is continuing to disciple soccer players at his house just about every day of the week. He has also continued to help our Kekchi friends who are starting churches in the jungle, and he has visited them twice since we were with him in February. In the past year we have asked you to pray for Cesar’s wife, Elba, and her health. Currently she is in need of cataract surgery on both eyes so she can see clearly again. Please keep her in your prayers.
Coming Up
This next week, June 1-7, Bill and I will be in Colome, South Dakota, for Calvary Chapel’s annual Vacation Bible School. I’ll be the missionary for the week, and Bill will speak to the congregation on Sunday. Then Saturday, June 8, we will be in Burwell, NE, for the Sandhills Center for Christian Leadership workshop to do a breakout session, “Troubleshooting Small Groups.” Finally, on Sunday, June 9th, we’ll be at Burwell Baptist to worship with them and share with them during the Sunday morning service.
10:02 PRAYER
(Pray Luke 10:2 each day at 10:02 am or pm that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into His harvest fields.)
For our trip to Nebraska and South Dakota - that Bill and I would be able to cheer them on in making a difference in their necks of the woods
Cesar and Elba and their health
Bill and Joyce in their move
That disciples would continue to be made and developed in all of our projects
ENGAGE
If you are in northern Nebraska or near our friends in Colome, South Dakota, come see us this next week while we enjoy their June weather!
Also note that we have a sports-related mission trip planned August 6-13 in Guatemala. Lenexa Baptist and Carry the Cross Ministries will be partnering with us. Let us know if you are interested in sliding into that group.
INVEST
Thank you so much for your continued generosity to this ministry. Your giving the past few months in spite of my lack of communication has kept us going and especially made a difference in our Guatemala connections.
You can give through the link below, or checks can be sent to:
Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210
Thanks again for your support. Please let us know about any of your prayer needs.
Love y’all!
Steve
P.S. Below you can see before and after pics of one corner of the kitchen!
This “before” pic of the kitchen is after gutting everything and rewiring when we realized mice had gnawed on some of the wiring behind our walls, exposing some bare wires.
Our “new kitchen” now in use!