Hello hello!
Alejandra is in her 36th week of pregnancy and she's doing great.
I'm so proud of her, and we're both really excited to make it to the end of this month to see and hold our sweet baby boy.
One of the things that's amazing to me about this process is how delicate it is, yet how supportive our friends and family are in the midst of it.
To be honest, sometimes I feel like I'm the one that's the most clueless as to how to help my better half, so I really need to get after it, and start cramming for the big day.
Alejandra and I have gone to a few classes together where we've received valuable teaching about how to navigate this awesome adventure.
And our friends have been so generous in equipping us with all sorts of useful baby stuff as well as super cute baby clothes.
Even though everyone who affirms us and prays for us and gives us all this amazing stuff feels like it's no big deal, they don't know how encouraging it is, and how excited it makes us feel for the birth of our child.
Spending time with other couples who are also expecting, has likewise helped and motivated us.
In a similar way, Alejandra and I are working as missionaries in Colombia and Venezuela in hopes of seeing others experience new birth in Christ... Every financial gift, prayer, word of affirmation, and accompaniment with other Christians in the process is very well received. Thank you to everyone who cares for us and cares about what we're doing. You don't know how powerful your love and generosity is in our lives and the lives of those we're ministering to.
In our most recent baby shower* (I mean waterfall), Alejandra and I loved seeing how friends from various denominations and churches (and probably even political persuasions) all got together to encourage us as we anticipate the birth of our boy... That's the way I think it should work also, when we're talking about sharing the gospel (John 17:20-23)... The spiritual birth and life of a new Chrisitan is too valuable to care about our differences... Could you imagine a bunch of people inside a delivery room, with a mother in labor, squabbling over the next president?
Missiologist Ken Fleming once said that missionaries are like mid-wives, who assist in the process of people and churches coming to new life in Christ. Their purpose is to train, encourage, explain, relieve, and accompany, but not to control or manipulate... I like that.
One of our friends in Venezuela (Gino) has shown signs of Holy Spirit moving in his heart... please pray that one day he will be born again.
Another one of our friends and his family - Frank - is adjusting to life in the States, and a few solid Christian deacons from a church in Illinois are going way above and beyond in walking with him through every step of the process. Please pray for him too.
Please also pray for Alejandra's mom who seems to have a serious resurfacing of tumors in her lungs... As happy as we are for the upcoming birth of our child - it breaks our heart to think that our mom might have to go through cancer treatment again... It's like along with the blessing comes an equal and opposite curse.
Notwithstanding, God is so faithful and good, and we keep speaking of Him everywhere we go.
-Sam and Alejandra
Missionary Profile:
Zelle:
I'm so proud of her, and we're both really excited to make it to the end of this month to see and hold our sweet baby boy.
One of the things that's amazing to me about this process is how delicate it is, yet how supportive our friends and family are in the midst of it.
To be honest, sometimes I feel like I'm the one that's the most clueless as to how to help my better half, so I really need to get after it, and start cramming for the big day.
Alejandra and I have gone to a few classes together where we've received valuable teaching about how to navigate this awesome adventure.
And our friends have been so generous in equipping us with all sorts of useful baby stuff as well as super cute baby clothes.
