The Kautz Family

Toss In A Little Trauma...For Good Measure

2009-06-15T13:10:00.002-05:00

We have survived the first day of Missionary Training...and it was only check-in! In all honesty, it was not that big of a deal for Corey and I, but Maggie and Alex got put through the ringer today! I should note that Maggie was already not feeling real well. She had been upset leaving Michigan so quickly after school ending and didn't want to leave her dog behind for three weeks. She ended up sick a good deal of the journey from Michigan to Missouri. Then when we arrived she was very nervous about going to "Bootcamp", the Missionary Kid program for middle schoolers and high schoolers. See, last time we went through this they were in the elementary program, which has lots of adventure but a little less challenge to it. Knowing bits and pieces of what is to come over the next three weeks made her very nervous that she wouldn't be up to it.

We spent the morning encouraging her that everything was going to be fine...then we arrived for check-in where one of the first items of action involved needles! Alex and Maggie had to have blood drawn and TB tests done. We had not even been on campus for 30 minutes before they were sitting nervously waiting their turn. Maggie has quite the history of extreme strength when faced with needles and impressive lungs, but being that she is older now we thought she'd deal much better this time. We were wrong.

I walked into the room with her and Corey stayed behind with Alex. When the nurse began explaining what she was going to do Maggie looked at me very calmly and said, "I need you to get daddy." I switched places with Corey, and it's a good thing I did. She knew she was going to fall apart. She began screaming and pulling her arm away. She was yelling at the nurses "Don't hurt me!" The poor nurses were feeling guilty but trying their best to keep her still. It became quite an ordeal until Corey could finally hold her in place for them to get it done. Alex followed and was fine until he saw Maggie screaming and then he got nervous. Fortunately he was able to keep calm and get through it but he told me Maggie had completely freaked him out.

So we survived the medical process (at least for that day...they have doctor appointments this week) and went on to MK Orientation. The notebook said this would be a meeting for the kids and parents to tell us what's going to be going on during camp...but as the MKs will learn in probably any country they go, things rarely go as planned. They told the "bootcampers" they were going to leave immediately, without their parents, and off they went. They were entered into a crazy bazaar. I will describe this as best as I can and maybe one of the kids can jump on here later and explain more. They said it was a dark room with only blacklights, people dressed as military hauling some of them off to jail, some people begging, some people trying to make them bow down and worship someone...absolute chaos. The point is to help them learn how to cope with culture shock. Given Maggie's already weakened emotional state I was very nervous knowing what she was going into, but both she and Alex left completely excited and happy so they made it through no problem.

As I write this today they are crawling through caves where they've been told there are snakes, bats and all other kinds of creatures that they will have to avoid to get through it. Again Maggie leaves nervous and Alex leaves stoked for the challenge. I have no doubt they will come back tonight proud of their accomplishments and at the end of these three weeks they will be so much stronger for all of the trauma they have been through! :)

Oh, in case you were worried about Corey and I...we're sitting through meetings just facing the challenge of staying awake! Haha...actually we're getting great information it's just not as fun to write about as what Alex and Maggie are up to!

~Tona

Crazy With A Side Order of Chaos

2009-06-13T11:25:00.006-05:00

Can you believe 2009 is almost half-way over? We just passed the year mark since our return to the States. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since we said goodbye to such dear people and left behind a country that has become a second home to us!

This year has been wonderful, however. It's been the first time that Alex and Maggie have lived near grandparents and aunts and uncles. We've had lots of time to enjoy the company of friends and family while we travel through Michigan.

The school year has just come to a close. Alex and Maggie finished school on Friday. After a couple of weekends and weeknights of soccer tournaments, end of the school year field trips, recognition ceremonies - Maggie just finished her last year of elementary school - and goodbye parties, it's time to hit the road! There will be no lazy days of summer here...at least not yet!

As school came to a close on Friday we were busy packing our bags, closing up our house and getting ready to hit the road first thing on Saturday to head to Springfield, Missouri where we will spend the next three weeks in Missionary Training. I'll keep you updated as we go along so you can get a glimpse of what it's like to go through this process. I have to be honest, this is a much more fun adventure for Alex and Maggie than it is for Corey and I, but it's a time for us to get prepared for our time in Colombia and we are grateful to have this time with other missionaries and our leaders.

~Tona

Spring Newsletter

2009-04-21T15:48:00.003-05:00

To read the latest newsletter, click here. You should be receiving a hard copy in your mail soon!
Blessings,
Tona

God's Economy

2009-03-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

It seems that everywhere we turn today we are bombarded with warnings and stories about our failing economy. Many are nervous about losing their houses, jobs or savings as a spirit of fear overwhelms our nation. Several verses come to mind as we walk through these difficult times. The first is James 1:2,3 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (NIV) Becoming a Christian does not exempt us from facing trials, but how we face them is what sets us apart.
As we’ve had the blessing to visit churches and meet pastors we have seen firsthand what happens when congregations choose not to put their faith in what the TV commentators are saying, but rather in God’s promises. God is doing amazing things right here in the US! We’ve seen churches that are growing, not only in attendance but in missions giving; friends that have seen their jobs preserved; generosity poured out to communities from people who are not afraid to share what they have. That brings me to the second verse that’s become a mantra in my life. 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV) It’s time for all of us to stand up against fear, put our trust in God and make wise decisions. We are praying for you, your job, your church and your family that God will bless you and meet all of your needs.
Some have said, “Wow, what a horrible time to be a missionary raising funds!” But as one pastor said recently, “God doesn’t look at the Dow before he makes a decision.” We know that God has not put the Great Commission – to go into all the world and make disciples – on hold until our economy recovers. We are persevering and trusting that God will provide the funding we need to get to Colombia. Souls are at stake and we will not give up and lose hope!

This weekend we had the honor of getting to know the people at Living Hope Assembly of God. Pastor Sanders and his team realized after looking at the numbers that they had been able to triple their missions giving in the last few years. His revelation - "All we did was give!" When we stop depending on what the news is telling us is our future and start depending on God and his promises, we are going to see incredible things happen! I hope today you won't spend your time stressing about the bills you have to pay, but that you'll seek God's will for your finances and find ways to be generous to those around you.

~Tona

A Day Off

2009-03-27T07:21:00.002-05:00

I recently had a conversation with a missionary who told me she was asked the same questions we've been asked - "What do you do when you're stateside? Do you just relax and watch TV and stuff?" Today that might be somewhat true, but most days that is not the case.

Last night Corey and I finished touring the Michigan District through Sectional Councils. What does that mean? We drove to different parts of the state of Michigan on nine afternoons to meet all the pastors in those areas. These councils - from the time we arrived at the venue until the time we left - lasted about five and a half hours each night (plus a drive of anywhere between one to three hours each way). During the business portion of the meetings we were given a two minute window to present our ministry. One of my favorite parts of sectional tours is the time we get to spend with other missionaries and ministry leaders. By the end of the nine nights we all had each others presentations memorized as well as the main presentation. We joked that should anything happen to anyone presenting there were plenty of understudies ready to step in and keep the meetings going!

That's just a portion of what's been going on. March has been incredibly busy for us. Outside of sectional councils we've been speaking in churches on the weekends and Wednesday evenings. Outside of driving and meeting new congregations we spend hours calling pastors trying to book more services, sending out newsletters and follow-up correspondence, etc. I assure you, we are not just sitting around watching TV! Today, however, may be an exception. Today is the only day in an eight day span that we are not adding another 100 plus miles to the car and we have no speaking engagement. We'll do some follow-up, take some time to get the house back in order since it quickly falls apart when we're constantly running in and out and catch up on the paperwork sitting on our desks before the kids get home from a half day of school. Then, we will spend this day relaxing and renewing for a weekend of travel and speaking engagements.
~Tona

Rethinking

2009-03-19T11:52:00.005-05:00

First of all, let me add a few more thank yous to new monthly supporters:
Biker's Church - Mason, MI
Christian Life Church - Chambersburg, PA
Justin Moore
First Assembly of God - Warner Robins

Itineration is going very well. To say we are busy would be a great understatement, but God is blessing us with open doors to share our burden for Colombia and bringing new supporters into our path. We have met so many new missionaries, pastors and people who are so encouraging. We've been blessed to see what God is doing here in the US as new ministries are developing.

This blog has been a center of prayer for me lately. My original intention was to open up our lives so that others could see firsthand what it's like to be a missionary and our supporters could keep up with what God is doing with the resources they are sending in on our behalf. I found myself letting large gaps appear here because I felt like there wasn't much to tell, but God's been laying it on my heart that it's not just the events that I should be writing about but also the day to day works he's doing in our lives and those around us. So my intention is to share with you a little bit of what is happening every day, not just on the outside, but on the inside in each of us as well. I welcome your questions, insights or thoughts on what you read and hopefully this will just all the more help connect you to missions!

~Tona

Thank You!

2009-02-03T15:29:00.002-05:00

We are making great progress in our itineration and fundraising! We want to thank the following individuals and churches for joining our monthly support team!

Faith Assembly of God - Orlando, FL
First ASsembly of God - Athens, GA
Harvest Assembly of God - Cleveland, GA
Trinity Temple Assembly of God - Columbus, GA
Christ Community Church - Cumming, GA
J.D. & Denise Moor
Josalyn Spivey
First Assembly of God - Griffin, GA
Radiant Life Assembly of God - Marietta, GA
Christian Life Center - Moultrie, GA
Patricia Green
Roswell Assembly of God - Roswell, GA
Trinity Fellowship Assembly of God - Sharpsburg, GA
Faith Assembly of God - Valdosta, GA
Josi Martinez
Cindy Truesdail
Mount Hope Church - Lansing, MI
John & Beverly Porter
Brandi Bucci
Brian & Brenda Johnson

Thank you for your prayers and your support. We are praying that God multiplies your giving through blessings for you and your families.
~Tona

Our Southern Homecoming!

2009-01-27T14:45:00.001-05:00

In June of 2005 the kids and I said our goodbyes to dear friends in Atlanta. Since then, some moved to Florida, some to Minnesota and other parts of the state. Our home church has changed its entire pastoral staff and the kids who were once in our children's church are now in youth and all taller than me ~ I know, that's not saying a lot, but still! We had an incredible week visiting our old stomping grounds, getting to know our new pastors and seeing familiar faces once again. We also had the honor of seeing a dear friend get married and, because of the wedding, those scattered friends were all in town, too.

Itineration has officially kicked off, the traveling, speaking, etc. and it's so exciting to go back to the places who have been at our side for years before we were even called to be missionaries and have kept up with us along the way.

Here are just a few pictures of our adventure.
~Tona

Wonders of Winter

2009-01-11T00:00:00.002-05:00

The wheels are moving as we fully begin our itineration. Corey and I spend most days calling pastors, setting up appointments, meeting with pastors and preparing for sermons and presentations. For our prayer partners, right now our most specific prayer is that doors will be opened to speak in churches and hearts will be moved to support us. We are reminded daily that God is in control and that he will supply our needs.

Apart from the "business" side of things, it's definitely been an interesting time being with family and living in Michigan. As predicted, after a few weeks of winter the kids are getting a little tired of being cold all the time! However, we had a beautiful white Christmas and that was wonderful!

I've posted a few pictures to show you some of what's going on in our daily lives. Alex and Maggie both decided to jump all in and get involved in school activities. In the pictures above you will see that Alex is in the 7th grade band, following his cousin's footsteps into percussion. It worked out that his cousin, David, who is in a specialized high school band, played together with the middle schoolers in a special winter concert. We got a 2-for-1 special watching both boys play!

Alex and Maggie both took part in school plays. Maggie's was a fun musical about pirates. It was very silly and cute. Alex's took another direction and did a scene from The Diary of Anne Frank. To be honest, we all kind of left depressed, but Alex did an excellent job and had me near tears. He had a lot of emotion in his role. It's always incredible to see them step out of "normal" and show sides we don't always see at home! Alex is also in student council this year.

We were blessed with some pretty amazing Christmas presents this year. Corey's mom took me, Maggie, Corey's sister and her two girls to Chicago for a weekend to visit American Girl Place. We took the train from Flint to Chicago and spent the weekend in the city. Winter hit in full force, but we had an amazing time both at the store and just getting to know the city.

Dear friends of ours took us to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert which was incredible. We had great seats and it was Alex and Maggie's first time to a real stadium concert. We had so much fun! If you look way back in this blog, one of the last things we did before going to Costa Rica was go to the TSO concert and we were so excited to have another opportunity to experience a powerful Christmas show!

We are definitely very blessed. We've been able to have cookie nights with both grandmas, special dinners with everyone, time to sit by the fire and just have relaxing time together. It's a real treat to be around family for the holidays!

So there's a glimpse into what's new for you. Soon I'll begin to post our progress as we raise funds. Again, please add this to your prayer list. We need as many intercessors as possible to pray for all the pieces to come together in this process of fundraising. We are anxious to get back to Colombia!

God bless you.
~Tona

This Must Be a Hurdles Race

2008-11-20T15:30:00.002-05:00

The race is on! You may have read a couple of weeks ago that we have received our official approval as Candidate Missionaries. We're on the phone setting up meetings and services to raise our budget as quickly as possible so we can get back to the field. However, it seems this may be a race with lots of hurdles.

The last night with the tour I became very ill. Fortunately Danny, the speaker, is a doctor and gave me some medication to help me feel better, but as I traveled home and once I got back I continued to be sick. It turns out I've got gall stones and the doctor wants to remove my pesky little gall bladder next week to take care of this problem once and for all. I'm doing pretty well right now. The pain subsided and I'm being very careful about what I eat so that it stays away but a meeting with the surgeon confirmed that it must be taken out.

A few months ago we began work on the house we are currently living in. My mom bought it so that we could fix it up and rent it while we were here. The inside work is all pretty much done, but an inspector was not happy with some things on the outside, so Corey now has the wonderful task of residing the house. Did I mention we're in Michigan so it's between 20 - 30 degrees and snowing most days? If you know Corey you know he's a work horse and he does everything with precision and perfection.

So between those two things my plans of us both sitting on the phone all day booking services and getting our year lined out hasn't come together quite so easily. This week I'm feeling a bit better and am back to calling pastors. I drag Corey in on occassion to make some calls, but I know he won't be able to focus until he gets the current task finished so I try to just let him work as much as possible so when he's done he can take on the bulk of the calls.

Unexpected things have crept into our schedules but I know this is a long race and we must stay focused on the ultimate goal of getting back to the field. I have no doubt that more hurdles will come our way but I trust that God will help us to overcome all of them and get back to Colombia ASAP!!
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ The End

2008-11-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

Well, they are off and on their way back to El Salvador. Many tears were shed today as the time drew near for the kids to get on their plane. Never a dull moment we took them to Cinnabon to grab a little snack before taking off. While eating they began to goof off and sing. I was amused and recorded a few minutes of their "performance". When I turned around I realized people were gathering outside of Cinnabon to listen to them! Never very shy, they went on to sing a little more before we headed for the gateway.

Hugs goodbye were heartbreaking as they began to cry. I don't know what lies ahead for them in life, but I hope this trip has been impacting to them in many ways. They have learned what it is to be in ministry, to share their dreams and to have hope for what God can do in their lives. Please pray for them as they go home and return hopefully with new strength to the challenges that await them.

And with that, I will end here the journey of the LACC California Choir Tour featuring the El Salvador Choir.
Blessings,
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Ten

2008-11-10T23:45:00.000-05:00

Today was the last full day for the kids to be in the U.S. My three girls were eager to get up early and take advantage of the swimming pool! They had lots of fun swimming in the morning and then we took off to drive about four hours back to Southern California. I should put a little commercial in here. Our director was able to secure some of the best hotel rooms for incredibly low prices through Priceline. They kids were able to stay in places like the Holiday Inn and the Hilton for around $50 a night! After our drive we arrived at the Hilton. We went out for a last dinner at Carl's Jr.

We were talking to the kids and guessing how many had packed on a few extra pounds. When one of the leaders asked the boy who always eats double, "Why do you eat so much?" He said, "Teacher, I never get to eat pizza or burgers. I come from a very poor family and we don't always have food." It brought back the reality of just how difficult the lives of these children are. Many of them have told me their stories whether it's living in a horrible area, dangerous places, homes where there is abuse, alchoholism or extreme poverty, they have all come through so much.

Once we returned to the hotel it was time for one last shot at pool fun! The kids all swam until it was almost time to close.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Nine

2008-11-09T23:02:00.000-05:00

Today was the last day of performances. The kids did an excellent job finishing up the tour. We started in Watsonville this morning and then drove a couple of hours to Winton, near Modesto. The service in Winton was a great way to end. It was a small service with incredibly kind people. The kids, because of encore requests, were able to sing every song they had and finish in the midst of a very loving crowd. One sweet man gave us money to buy dinner for everyone so the kids enjoyed In-N-Out Burger one last time. After dinner we drove to Fresno where I now sit writing this while my three girls are enjoying some coffee and cartoons after a long day. I may regret the whole coffee thing a few hours from now, but they're just so cute, how can I say no?? :)

The girls are happy to be done, but the boys were chanting "otro mes" or "one more month" while we were in the car. I think they would be happy to do this forever! We were laughing today as we looked at their pictures from just before they came to now and some of those boys have put away loads of food and now carry it proudly in their waistlines!

I was sad to watch their last performance, but I am so proud of each and every one of these children. They have done an amazing job. Tonight before the service we talked to them about putting all their strength into this last performance and the purpose of their ministry. Some of them teared up while we discussed the many ways that God has used them to raise up sponsors for their friends back in school but also how they have touched the lives of so many people. The pastor this morning said it well when he said that LACC was started to touch the lives of children in Latin America and now here they stood touching the lives of those in America. The relationships we've made along this journey have left imprints in the lives of the children and the lives of the congregations. It has truly been a blessing to have been part of this experience.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Eight

2008-11-08T17:55:00.004-05:00

Today we had the day to spend with our host families. Ours took us to Moss Beach where the girls enjoyed playing in the freezing cold rough waters!! We experienced a very smelly but pleasant surprise as we were walking to a restaurant when we came upon a dock full of sea lions! It was quite a sight to see!

Tonight the kids performed at the Green Valley Christian Center. We'll stay another night with host families and they will perform at the church again in the morning before we move on to another part of California.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Seven

2008-11-07T21:40:00.001-05:00

Today the kids performed for the chapel of the Christian School in Watsonville, CA. At the end of their performance the kids cheered so much the principal asked them to do one more song. I was pleasantly surprised when they did a song I hadn’t seen yet that was interactive with the crowd and got everyone moving again.

After the presentation the kids grabbed some lunch, looked around a Target store and then headed for a park. I made the mistake of pushing two of the girls on the tire swing and suddenly I became the designated pusher! I definitely got my exercise! We had a lot of fun at the park.

We returned to the church because for the next two days we are broken into four groups staying with families from the church. I am with three of the girls and we’re staying with a couple and their nine year old daughter. We had a good time playing Life. I had no idea how much translation is required to play Life! As I write the girls are creating jewelry masterpieces and will soon be off to bed.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Six

2008-11-06T22:25:00.003-05:00

There's not a lot to write today. We had a long journey today from Long Beach to Watsonville, but we all made it safe and sound. The kids are enjoying the hotel pool and a ton of pizza right now. This is a nice evening for them to rest before a very busy weekend!
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Five

2008-11-05T23:02:00.001-05:00

I woke up at 2am this morning so incredibly sick! Fortunately today the leaders were given the morning off until 3pm to rest up for tomorrow when we will be driving all day to Northern California. I had great plans for my day, like going to see the Queen Mary that is within walking distance from our hotel, but all of that changed at 2am. I ended up in bed all day in misery unable to eat or move. Fortunately by about 10am the worst had subsided, but I stayed in bed feeling weak and achy. As 3pm drew near I got up and began to get ready. As I went to meet the van I ran into Danny, our speaker, and he, too, had been up all night super sick. My part in the presentation is to translate for Danny as he gives his testimony so we were both hoping that neither of us got sick on the platform or collapsed from weakness! Praise God, we made it through! I know many of you were praying for us and I am so grateful for that.

The kids performed at Arleta Assembly of God. Again, they did a great job. This church has a wonderful heart for missions and 13 more children now have new sponsors!

I will ask you to keep the kids in your prayers. Some of the girls, especially, are beginning to get homesick. They return to El Salvador on Tuesday, so we are in the final leg, but I think they're all getting a bit tired and when one started to cry it had a trickling effect through the rest of them. They've having a great time but they've been here now four weeks and I think they're all missing mom and dad a bit.

One of the girls, Raquel, had her birthday today. We wanted to celebrate so after the service we headed to Baskin Robbins to buy an ice cream cake. The plan was to take the kids in for a snack and celebration all in one, but when we went to get the cake the lady inside said she was closing the store and we couldn't stay inside to eat it. This became one of those silly scenes that I'm sure Raquel will never forget. We took the cake back to a bench in front of where the vans were parked. We had the cake and some plates. We quickly realized that we didn't have a knife or silverware. Lee, the director, found something like a Swiss Army Knife and used it to cut the pieces. It was quite a sight to see a group of 18 standing on the sidewalk of the streets of LA eating an ice cream cake with thier hands. I'm glad it happened that way, though. It was one of those times that although the situation was just crazy, we were all laughing about it and I'm sure it will be one of my fondest moments of this trip.
~Tona

It's Official!!

2008-11-04T23:22:00.002-05:00

Let me take a moment here to break away from all the LACC updates and give you exciting news! Today Corey received the call that we have passed all the screening and application process and are officially Candidate Missionaries! Although to most it may seem just a change in title, to us it is much more and we are very proud to have made it to this milestone and look forward to this new chapter in our missions journey.

I should note - we are officially approved to return to Colombia at the end of our itineration!! Corey and I, as well as Alex and Maggie, are thrilled and anxious to raise our funds and get back to the country we so dearly love! Please keep us in your prayers as we begin filling our schedule with services and seeking supporters to help us get back to the field. Let us know if you'd like us to visit your church or if you'd like more information on becoming a support partner with us.

Blessings,
Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Four

2008-11-04T22:54:00.003-05:00

Today the kids had a chance to perform for a Christian school's chapel. The best word I can use to describe today's performance is electric! There were 320 kids clapping and cheering! Of course the choir did another excellent job. It was great to see the school kids humming the songs and completely energized as they walked out of the auditorium.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Three

2008-11-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

Today the kids were invited to perform at Carson Street Elementary School. They were supposed to perform for one fifth grade class. The teacher had been at church on Sunday and invited them, but when we arrived all of the fifth grade classes wanted to take part, so the presentation was moved to the auditorium. Again, the children did an excellent job and Danny shared how his faith in God helped him become a doctor.

In the afternoon it was time for some relaxation! We headed for Newport Beach where the water was a bit chilly but that didn't stop the kids from diving in! They took advantage of every minute available to play. As the sun set and they began to freeze we loaded up and headed back to base.
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day Two

2008-11-02T22:39:00.004-05:00

This morning I watched the choir perform at Christian Life Church here in Long Beach, California. They were amazing! Here's one of their songs ...

Danny Gonzalez also shared his testimony. He was a student in Costa Rica who has fulfilled his dream of becoming a doctor. Here is his testimony ...

After the service several members of the church took us all out for pizza. This church has been amazingly generous and allowed the kids to stay at the church throughout their time here in California when have been in this area. Not wanting to interrupt events going on at the church during the afternoon we found ourselves searching for things to do to keep the kids occupied. We came upon a shopping center that had almost every store that various ones were requesting to visit.

I went with a group of girls and we had a blast in a Payless Shoe store! I think each girl tried on about 15 pairs of shoes and we started a shoe fashion shoe in the middle of the store! They were so funny, posing and rushing to get out of one pair and try on another. I should note they were wonderful about putting each pair back where it belonged before pulling out another. As we left the store to meet everyone for dinner they were laughing and chattering about their photo shoot and the poor boys were overwhelmed with five girls all at once trying to tell them about it. One boy said, "Talk slower. I have no idea what you're saying!" which really just led them to start over and talk all over each other again.

It was another great day. Tomorrow they have been invited to sing in a public school. Thank you for your prayers!
~Tona

LACC Choir Tour ~ Day One

2008-11-01T23:19:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 4 o'clock this morning and made my way out the door to start a very long and exciting day. I hopped on a plane to Atlanta and from there one to Los Angeles. It was just before noon when I landed in LA thanks to a three hour time difference. After a quick run to drop my bags at the hotel and something to eat I made my way to Disneyland to meet up with the LACC choir who is here from El Salvador.

They are 12 amazing kids from El Salvador and their three chaperones. They arrived in Southern California three weeks ago on a mission to use music and testimonies to share what God is doing throughout Latin America in their schools and to seek new sponsors.

Thanks to the very generous Christian Life Church they were given a day of Disney bliss and they had a blast! The girls were thrilled to see all the princesses and the boys couldn't get enough of the thrill rides. We were blessed with a perfect day not only because of nice weather but also because we went the day after Halloween and it seems everyone else was either too tired after a night of trick-or-treating or just too sick from candy to go to Disneyland, so the lines were short and the kids were able to do everything they wanted to.

My favorite part of the day, or I guess night, was watching them watch the fireworks show and listening to their oohs and ahhs. It was the perfect end to a long but wonderful day. As I write this it is now 11PM in California which means I have been on the run for 22 hours. I'm tired but so excited about the next 10 days that I get to spend with these amazing kids as they close out the tour and head back to El
Salvador. Please keep them in your prayers as they finish out these last weeks.
~Tona

Reborn

2008-09-07T20:39:00.002-05:00

Today was such a special day! Alex and Maggie were baptized today and we as parents are so proud of the relationship we see each of them forming with Christ. Someone this morning asked me if I knew what the age limit was for baptism. I said I didn't and she asked me how I decided when they could be baptized. I told her it was when they came to me and asked to be baptized. Both Alex and Maggie asked Jesus into their hearts a few years ago now but it wasn't until now that they have truly understood the meaning of baptism. When the pastor a few weeks ago announced there would be a baptismal service, Alex leaned over and whispered to me that he'd like to get baptized. While talking with him one evening about what that meant and making sure he truly understood Maggie listened too and said she also wanted to be baptized. We've spent the last few weeks reinforcing their desire to be baptized by talking about their decision.

If you read this and are wondering about why we baptize them now instead of as infants, let me explain. We believe baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It is how we declare our Christianity in a physical way after accepting Jesus as our Savior and the Son of God. We believe that baptism represents a death and rebirth - as your body goes under the water it is a burial of the "old self", the part of us that seeks to primarily please ourselves. When you are brought back out of the water it represents our new birth in Christ, the new person who has committed themselves to live for God.

The service today was incredible! I think Pastor John said something like 15 people signed up to be baptized, but at the end of the group that had signed up he said that if anyone who had heard his sermon, which was on baptism, and had accepted Christ as their Savior, desired to be baptized that they could come forward. A couple of people came up to the front. As they were being baptized a few more came up and the line was continuously refilled with more and more people wanting to make that declaration. Some were brand new to the church within the last month and said they had found Jesus just recently. Others had been away for some time and were recommitting their lives to Christ and starting new. When Alex and Maggie went up they were the only children who went up, but several kids their age went up during the service wanting to be baptized.

It was just incredible the response. At least the people who had signed up had come ready in clothes with towels and clothes to change into, but the people who were moved to that decision during service came up in their street clothes. It was an amazing sight as people were recycling towels and pulling blankets out of the nursery and anywhere they could find them to help the people dry off afterwards. My words cannot explain the excitement and awe of God's power in that service today. The only word I can think of to describe the whole morning is powerful! As Wendy, the pastor's wife, said, "This is one of those services we'll be talking about for a long time...and then we'll get to heaven and talk about it some more!"
~Tona

A New Season

2008-09-02T12:46:00.006-05:00

Today Alex and Maggie boarded the big yellow twinkies for their first day of school. At this point the first day of school shouldn't be that big of a deal with Alex being in 7th and Maggie in 5th but Alex especially is about to experience a brand new culture! Coming out of a small school with a class of 14 into a huge building with something like 1200 students, well, let's just say he was a little nervous about finding his first class! We did a lot of practice run throughs and highlighted maps to help him find his way. I know, what a mom thing to do to make her kid look like a dork, but truth be told, he appreciated it and we did things in a clandestine way so that no one should know how much effort he put into seeming normal in this giant school!

I've gotten a few emails about not blogging and for that I truly apologize! I felt that my last blog was kind of a bookend and I wasn't sure how to start the next story of our lives. But here I am. Summer is over. The kids had an incredible 13 1/2 week summer vacation - I'm pretty sure the longest in history! So in honor of school starting I thought I'd write a "What I did over summer vacation" blog for you!

Since coming back we had great times with family. We were home in time for Corey's family reunion which is always such a treat. With my mom, stepdad and sister we took a vacation to Florida for a little relaxation after a couple of weeks of readjustment. I won't write the whole story here, but we had a really cool experience this summer. My sister owns a time share and so when you stay in the condo you have to sit through the little spiel about buying a time share. I know everyone dreads this part, but God placed an amazing young man in our path who was seeking a new relationship with God and it turned out to be a really cool match up as we answered questions, talked about raising children in Christian home, etc. It's just a reminder that any situation can be an opportunity for a God connection. Let me say this, too, the Orlando and Tampa area have some great churches that are on fire for God!

Corey and I took a road trip to Springfield, Missouri. We are in an exciting process of transitioning from our position of Missionary Associates - a kind of apprentice position - to Fully Appointed Missionaries. We went to Springfield for medical and personality testing and interview. It was also a great time to meet with our Latin America Childcare leaders and get a feel for our new positions.

Let me explain that a little bit. We will be working fully with Latin America Childcare. Corey will be working with the construction side throughout Latin America. He'll be coordinating teams from churches - maybe yours - to help build schools throughout the many countries of Latin America. I, Tona, will be working with the various Latin America Childcare Choirs as they prepare and visit churches throughout the United States to bring awareness to the many children who still need sponsors. I look forward to expanding on this a bit more once we really get rolling and should have tour pictures coming up soon since the first tour will begin in October!

Besides those main events we have had time as a family to rediscover American candy, reconnect with family and have many adventures in our new surroundings. So the new season begins, our season of fundraising, transitioning in position and sharing with our dear supporters all that we have done. We hope to see you soon!
~Tona

Broken Hearted Goodbyes

2008-07-31T10:53:00.001-05:00

It has been a whirlwind of a month. I'll be honest, it was so hard for me to sit down and write this blog because my emotions were just running too high to write without my heart breaking all over again. We are back stateside for our year of furlough after an amazing term in Colombia. Since our last post about the earthquake I don't think we had a single day without youth staying with us as we prepared to return to the States. I have to be honest, in all the advice and encouragement we've received from veteran missionaries, no one prepared us for how hard it would be to step into an airplane and leave a country that has become home and has stolen our hearts! In our last weeks we were given a bunch of farewells in services, in dinners, parties, etc. We left feeling so incredibly honored to have worked with the precious people who have become like family.

I've posted some pictures of those last few weeks. There is much work ahead for the future and we are in the process now of getting the details set to share with you soon of our next endeavor. We ask that you continue to pray for our family as we transition through a time of missing what we've left behind but rejoicing at the same time for a little bit of time with family and friends. We'll keep you updated on all that is coming as we are so excited about the ministry God is placing in our hands!
~Tona