Excerpts from the kids journals

It hasn't been too diffiuclt to think of journal topics this year!

As part of their school work, Nate and Kris write in a journal a couple times a week.

I thought I would include a few of their writings (with their permission) to let you have a peek into our life here!

Kris writing about one of the hikes she's gone on with Wilf:

Wed. Sept 24, 2008

"On Tuesday, me and my Dad and Nate went on a hike to a house far up in the mountains. Uncle Nico and Uncle Ken came with us. It took an hour to get to the house. There were only two dogs. That's a little unusual for a house here. But there were lots of chickens and roosters walking around. It was a dirty house. While we were hiking we saw a beautiful house. It was swept and they had a cage for the chickens. I thought it was quite a nice house."

One of Nate's experiences:

Oct. 29, 2008

"We went to a village called Pichal the other day. Me, little Nico, Kristen and Ellen booked it. Well, actually Kristen and Ellen fell behind to where the slow poke Dads were. When we first got there, we couldn't find any thing to do, But later we found a place where there was a straight log that we tried to cross. Every time we fell, everyone laughed. I never fell, only Ellen, Nico and Kristen fell. Soon it was lunch time. They gave us soup with chicken in it. After lunch, me and Nico played we were enemies and we had to try to fight eachother with sticks. It was soon time for the party to begin. It was so packed that we had to sit on the floor. After a long service and some loud music, it was over and we had to eat tamales, except me and Kristen didn't have to eat any. By the time we reached home it was 12:00, so we went right to bed."

Note: the people here have services for all sorts of occasions-new house being built, renovations done, first birthdays... Wilf is going to a service tomorrow to thank the Lord that a lady's husband has been released from jail in the states!

Nate writing about a typical day for him (before they went to school for most of the morning!):

Nov. 14,2008

"I get up at 6:00 every morning. It depends on the weather-if the weather is cold I lay in bed and read. But if it is a warm morning, I get out of bed and start my school. At 7:00 we eat breakfast. It takes us a half an hour to eat and another half an hour to clean up before school starts. After school, Mom starts to make lunch. While Mom is making lunch all the kids play outside-rain or shine. When lunch is over we go outside to play. After an hour of playing, I come inside and have my computer time, grab an apple, and go outside again. Soon Mom calls us in for supper. For supper we have bread or leftovers from lunch. and for dessert we have yogurt. After supper my Dad reads us a story. Then we go to bed."

Kris's description of Cubulco:

Wed. Oct. 22, 2008

"The city that we live in is called Cubulco. We have mountains surrounding us. We have an ice cream store close by us. And instead of grocery stores, we have a market. There are lots of dogs in the market. There are lots of dogs on the streets. People don't have cars so they ride horses. And when we go some where, then people always hop in the back of the truck. We bring them to town, that's why they jump in the back. We have a bread store close to us. We also have a pool close by us. I really like it because I love to swim."

Nate writing about some of our activities here:

March 31, 2009

"Over the week-end our family did some visiting. On Saturday, Kristen, Dad and I went and talked to people. Frist Dad asks if they go to church. If they do, Dad asks them what church they go to and how often they go. We visited 7 houses. Out of those seven houses, 1 person did not go to church and all the rest went to church! On Sunday the whole family went to see Celestino's new house. Dad and Mom talked and read the Bible with them. When we were done, we went to our maid's house becuase my mom had locked us out of our house!! We stayed there for a long time talking and reading the Bible with them. Her house is very small. They have one room where they all sleep, they have a main room and they have a kitchen. We can learn from these visits that we are very blessed."

Kristen writing about Wilf's work here:

Fri. Oct. 10, 1008

"My Dad has lots of jobs here. He has to go on hikes with Uncle Nico and Uncle Ken. Some times, if me or Nate or someone else in our family is lucky, they get to go with him on his hikes. he goes on hikes because he has to preach to people and tell them about Jesus. He also preaches in the church here too. He teaches Sunday school at church to the young people. He makes lots of trips to places to teach people. He goes to the city to buy food and to go to the doctor and other things. I'm happy to have a Dad who likes to preach the gospel."

Nate on the same subject:

March 17, 2008

"My Dad's work here is very interesting. My Dad's job is to preach and he also visits people in the mountains. Somes times I get to go with him. On Saturdays my Dad has a class with some of the ladies from our church. In the church, Dad plays the piano and he sings at the same time. On Dad's visits, he encourages people to come to church and those that do go to church he kind of gives them a Bible study. My Mom does not do as much as my Dad but what she does is still important."

I hope you enjoyed "seeing" our life here through the eyes of our two oldest kids!

Nate (10 years old) and Kris (8 years old) on their way to school. They have to be out of the house before 7:30 every morning! Thankfully they are always eager to go and don't need any nagging :)