La Bici - The Bike

Yesterday, (finally!!) I got out on my bike with Abigail and Eden and did some errands. They both did great. Eden loved it! We took some books back to the library and I picked up a couple of things from the store. It was really fun being outside, getting a bit of exercise, and doing errands all at once. The picture is of me with Isa in front. Getting going is the hardest part, and once there's a bit of momentum, it's not too hard. Hopefully now that we know it can be done, we'll be able to get out a bit more before it gets REALLY COLD.


Ayer, (por fin!) monte la bici con Abi y Eden para hacer unos recados. A ellas les encanto! Fuimos a la biblioteca y al supermercado. Me diverti mucho estar fuera, hacer un poco de ejercicio y hacer recados todo a la vez. El video es con Isa en la cesta porque ella queria hacer una vuelta tambien. Empezar a ir es la parte mas dificil, pero al coger un poco de monentum, no esta muy mal. Espero que ahora yo se que lo puedo hacer, salre en bici un par de veces antes de que llegue EL SUPER FRIO.

Another Move- otra mudanza

Hoy estamos mudando del piso de iTeams a nuestra casa en Hoffman Estates. Estoy animada, estresada, y lista para esta mudanza. Aun estan embaladas las cosas que hemos enviado desde Espana. Estoy lista para deshacerlas y tener un solo lugar para la familia y sentir como "nosotros" otra vez.

Today we are moving from our apartment at iTeams to our house in Hoffman Estates. Iam excited, stressed and ready for this move. Our boxes that we shipped from Spain are still packed. I'm ready to un-pack and settle in and feel like "us" again.

BICOS

I blog a ton

No, really, I do. Or at least I come up with tons of great posts while I am running. Once I get into a groove and my body isn't protesting so much that I have to will myself just to put one foot in front of the other, then my mind starts to wander a bit. I don't know how many times my mind has mulled over a great quote or an issue or a verse, and I've been so sure that it would be the best post for this blog, only to return, shower, and get sucked back into daily life where my great post fizzles out. I have done some of my best blogging while out jogging.

I also am able to pray while I'm jogging. During the day my mind is so distracted that quiet moments to pray are rare. But while I'm out running, the hard work and rhythm of the breathing and footfalls allow my mind to focus. Friends in need, things in my life God is trying to work out, our marriage, our kids, our world, things I'm thankful for, things I'm repenting of. . . it's easy to sink into it and forget how far I've run, or how long I've been praying for.

I used to pray and think a lot in the pool, too. Something about distracting my body with something challenging and repetitive really allows my mind to dig in - whether it is some yet-to-be-typed blog post or talking to Jesus. Good thing for me that prayer works nothing like blogger - no logging in, passwords, or computers required!

The Move - La Mudanza

Oh the boxes! I will be so glad when the shippers come and take them away! Ay las cajas! Estaré tan feliz cuando llegan los transportistas para quitarmelas!

Swains Moving

Once again the city is filling up with Pilgrims and the slick wet winter plazas have dried and are now filled with sunshine and café tables as the rains give way to summer. This year, the first in a long time, we are not putting out out tables at Terra Nova.

Answered Prayer- With only one day left to spare in February (whew) we signed over the cafe to its new owners. This was a HUGE blessing. From the sale of the cafe we have been able to cover both the debt that we had to IT as well as pay back team members the personal finances that each of us had put into the cafe. This was an answer to many prayers and we praise the Lord for his faithfulness.

Time of Listening- As we mentioned in our last newsletter, Lori and I have been spending time praying about whether we should stay in Spain or move on to something else. We spent some time meeting with and talking to friends in ministry all around Spain. We prayed about ministries in Sevilla, Barcelona, La Coruña, Madrid, and of course staying here in Santiago. While we saw many worthwhile opportunities here, we both feel that it is time for us to return to the USA. This has been a long and difficult decision, but the more that we have thought and prayed about it the more that we believe it is the right thing for our family at this time. Right now is a crazy and bittersweet time for us as we are anticipating the things God has for us back in the US, but we are also grieving what we are leaving here. We tell our friends here that a part of our heart will always be in Santiago in the friendships and the life we have lived here.

Return Date- Lori and I have purchased tickets to return to the Chicago area on July 8th. We will be spending some time at International Teams in Elgin for a time of debriefing that they offer for returning missionaries. We hope to spend some time in Ohio with friends and family, but have not finalized all of our travel plans yet. We will do so as soon as we can.

Finances- As always, we want to say thank you for supporting us in this ministry financially. Since transitioning from one country to another is one of the most costly parts of overseas ministry, International Teams allows for returning missionaries to have three months severance pay to relocate and resettle. We would ask those who have committed to supporting this ministry to maintain their current level of support through September.

International Teams- We have loved working with International Teams and cannot express what a joy it has been working with this organization and seeing how God is working in and through people all around the world. We have learned so much about the world refugee crisis, inner-city needs, and so many other ways in which to be a witness of the Gospel in a cross-cultural context. We praise God for ministry organizations like IT and pray for God's continued blessings on their work!

Looking Back- As we think back over the six and a half years that we have spent in Spain, we can't help but praise God for the ways that he has worked in our lives. We are so thankful for all of the wonderful people that have been part of this ministry. THANK YOU to those of you who have supported us financially and through prayer, to those of you who have worked along side us both on our team and in short term experiences and GRACIAS especially to our Spanish friends who allowed us to share our lives and our faith with them. Each of these people have encouraged us and given us a deeper understanding of Christ and his love for us.

As more of our relocation plans finalize, we will be sure to get the word out. It's been a while since our last visit stateside and we are really looking forward to re-connecting with our friends and family there. For those of you in the Lancaster area, when we come to Ohio, we will be planning a time where we can get together at First Presbyterian to personally thank you and share the story of God's work in Santiago and Terra Nova. If you have any questions feel free to drop us an e-mail.

We love you all and appreciate your prayers,

Matt & Lori

"We must become holy not because we want to feel holy but
because Christ must be able to live his life fully in us."

- Mother Teresa

New (Cheap!!) Glasses

It was time for new glasses - not only had my prescription changed, but one of the girls had snapped off an ear piece of my older glasses, so I was only wearing (dangling) them at night at home. However, I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg like you can at some eyeglass places. With frames and everything the cheapest pair I could find at a store in town here in Santiago was going to cost me well over $100. I kept putting it off until Matt saw this post on Boing Boing describing a blogger who had found inexpensive yet quality eyeglass dealers online. I decided it was worth the risk.

So I went to the Glassy Eyes blog and chose a store. I decided on Optical 4 Less and above you have the result. For $66, I purchased two pairs of glasses, and was very pleased. This included shipping as well. I probably won't buy glasses in a store again.

Carnaval

This Tuesday is Carnaval, and since they don't go back to school till Wednesday, all the kids at school dressed up Friday afternoon to celebrate. Abigail was Sleeping Beauty and wore her flower girl dress from Eric and Jenni's wedding. In this picture she's hugging her friend Julia(in blue). Julia's younger sister, Sofia is in the orange, and Dahiala, Betty's daughter is wearing the pink mask. I think they are all such cuties!

Veggie Time!

Last night Eden ate her first ever vegetable - zucchini - and she loved it. So here are a few photos of her first experience of going green:

Wow, were we sick

I got away from the blog a bit because our whole team was hit (and the Baileys are still recovering!) with a nasty virus. And even worse it coincided with a visit from our friends the Hansens. So, the first two days Matt and I were the world's worst hosts - "Here, take a map and go enjoy the city while we stay inside and lay on the couch." We even cancelled Isa's birthday party on Saturday. Finally by Sunday we were able to hang out with them some more. Yesterday we were almost normal except that I now have no voice. What horrible timing!

You know you have three girls when. . .

. . . you can do an entire load of laundry and every item in the load is pink.

Seriously, last night I washed a load of the girls' clothes that was all pink. I now have four piles whe I sort laundry: whites, darks, lights, and PINK.

Wow.

Latte Art

Chris, a barista from Arizona is here to help us out till the end of February, and he has introduced me to the world of latte art. In trying to find a page on how exactly to do this kind of thing with my café con leche, I found these very cool pics by tonx on flickr. Definitely worth a look. If I come up with anything worth a photo, don't worry, I'll post it.

Healthy Communication

Just read an interesting blurb on Time.com that talks about how in people who use two or more languages regularly throughout adulthood, the onset of dementia is delayed by 4.1 years. Perhaps we should rethink having a second official language in the states . . .

You can check out the article here.

Fight Terror? End Poverty.

In this three part Canadian interview, Jeffrey Sachs discusses his ideas in his book, The End of Poverty.

Part 2

Part 3

The End of Poverty

For just about all of Christmas break, I avoided this book. Before they left Jacob and Tania had lent it to us encouraging us to read it, and usually I dive right into a good read. This time, I walked the other way every time I saw it on the shelf. I think I expected either a guilt trip or a real downer or both. Instead, what I've been reading is fresh, inspiring, and hopeful.

Jeffrey Sachs in The End of Poverty describes how within our generation we can eradicate extreme poverty (a term he defines as those who live with less than $1 a day). Not relative poverty, but extreme poverty - people who live with out access to clean water, adequate nutrition, education, or health care. He proposes that we as a global community can end this not with handouts, but through investments in simple yet life-changing things such as paved roads, anti-malarial bed nets, community health workers, and fertilizer.

Besides, making me want to go back to school and get my PhD in development economics, reading this book is making me rethink other issues - such as how things like vaccines, wells, and high yield grains are just as much weapons we can use to fight the"war on terror" as smart bombs are. And to accomplish this all we have to do is adhere to our current commitments.

In 2002, the U.S. and other developed nations pledged .7% of each developed country's GNP as official development assitsance in the Monterrey Consensus. Five years later our nation is still only contributing .14% of GNP. Every year we put off meeting our pledge, millions of people remain stuck in an ever worsening cycle of poverty. We only need to get them to what Sachs describes as the first rung on the development ladder, and then they'll be able to climb on their own. But for so many, there remains no ladder in sight.

Go Bucks!

Healthful Eating

I've started a new blog, called Healthful Eating. Many of you may know that Matt was diagnosed with high cholesterol right around when Eden was born and since then we've been eating "heart-healthy." His cholesterol is significantly lower (as is his weight!) than when we began and I've come across a number of great-tasting new recipes. Since meal planning and cooking is a significant part of what I do, I thought I would start a blog to record some of my new findings as I'm learning to cook all over again.

San Pelayo Christmas Program

Yea! I finally figured out how to get video out of our analog camera, into our computer and out again to YouTube! For all of you who heard so much about the Christmas Program at the girls' pre-school, you can now watch it online here. And for all of you who didn't, the whole family was involved: Abigail danced and had some lines (yes, in Spanish!), Isa was an angel, Eden was Baby Jesus and because of a shortage this year of 3-5 year-old boys, Matt ended up (largely, this was my fault) being Gaspar, one of the Three Kings. I hid up onstage behind an inn in case Eden needed to be rescued, but she did great!! It's in 5 parts, so if you want to see more (and the Kings don't come in till later!) click where it says "more from this user."

Abigail and Isa loved being part of the play, the only disappointment was for Isa who after it was all over said, "But Mama, I wanted to dance!" Next year, sweetie.

Christmas Program Part 2

Abigail starts this one off.

Christmas Program Part 3

Christmas Program Part 4 "The Kings"

Click here to see part 4.
Matt does make for a very handsome King. By the way, in Spain, the Three Kings traditionally have names: Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar. Matt got to be Gaspar.

Christmas Program Part 5 "Jingle Bells"