Hello all,

Hope that everyone one back home in snowy Ohio is doing well. Things are good here. Bobby and I have been very busy preparing for the team that is arriving tomorrow. There are 22 team members, 15 of which are between the ages of 15 and 19. Initially, Bobby and I were pretty frustrated because we were told us yesterday by one of the founders that we were not allowed to have our youth night on any Saturdays that the teams are here. We were so upset because that basically meant no more youth night for the rest of the summer. Yeah, there would be a few weeks here and there, but not much. Then, today, I talked with another one of the founders and he said that he wanted us to have the youth night when the teams were here because most of the teams were teenagers. So, long story short, we are having the youth night now! Yeah!!

I know that this is going to come as a shock to you all, but Bobby and I are seriously contemplating going to language school in Guatemala this August. For those of you that know Bobby well, you know that this whole studying spanish thing is not his "thing." But, several weeks ago the Benner's suggested that we possibly go to language school in Antigua, Guatemala to study spanish. They have recently made it a requirement that all missionaries who are going to serve here for more than one year have to attend a language school for at least 3 months. They weren't going to make us, as we were kind of "grandfathered" into the rule (and the fact that we are the only missionaries here too, so if we left, they wouldn't have any help). Anyway, there was supposed to be a new missionary arriving here in 2 weeks but they are making her go to language school first instead. We thought that she would totally flip when they told her that she would have to go, and she did, but then she gave into the idea and has decided to go. After watching her reaction to the situation, we have seriously been thinking about it. It is the Christian Spanish Academy in Antigua and it actually sounds like a good school. You study spanish for 20 hours a week and you live with host families. Bobby and I have really enjoyed staying with families on past mission trips and we think that this might be a good experience for us. In addition to learning spanish, you are also given the opportunity to serve with some different organizations in the community.


So, as you might be guessing, the decision to go to language school is basically a decision to stay on the mission field longer than a year. Bobby and I have been strongly feeling like God is calling us into the mission field beyond a year, but we don't know what He wants us to do. We don't necessarily think that we are supposed to stay here, but we know that He wants us here right now. We think that he has some tough lessons for us that we need to learn first here before He sends us out further.

I am posting a picture of one of the teenage girls named Estella. She is 15 years old and she has an older brother named William who lives here as well. I love Estella because she is always happy and wearing a smile. Yesterday after dinner I was talking with her for a long time and she pulled a picture out of her back pocket of her and her brother, it was one of the few times that I have ever seen her sad. She says that she carries the picture with her always and that she is sad and worried because her brother only has one year left here at the Home before he leaves, and then she will be alone. What a scary thought, to be all alone in this world. Yeah, she is surrounded by people here, but we have all experienced what it is like to be surrounded by people yet feel alone. In the picture I have posted today she is with a team member from a team that came in January. She, like all of the kids here, needs a lot of prayer for God's protection and comfort in her life.

Well, I must go for now, always work to do!

Love you and miss you all!
Britney