What an amazing time we had in Guatemala. We met some wonderful new people who will be friends for a lifetime. God brought a bunch of total strangers together from Canada, NH, PA, DE and TN and we made memories together that will not soon fade from our memories!
We were 11 people who went down to be the representatives for the sponsors all over the world who were not able to be there and hand out the bundles to the children. Just 11 of us for so many children. We were able to meet our sponsored children on Monday. Edwin and Isaiah they are such sweet boys. Edwin wanted to make sure that we knew what he was doing in school, that he won the spelling bee (that they do in English) he is excelling in his Math studies. he is a bright young man. Isaiah was a little more shy, he drove almost 3 hours to see us, and had never been in a car before. He was a bit timid, and was a little nervous when Phil said he was our "son" I think he thought we were going to try to bring him home with us. He has just started school this year and loves it! What a blessing these two boys are to our family!!
We greeted many children who were so thankful for their bundles, and couldn't wait to hug us. Their parents making sure that they said their "thank you's" to us, or should I say gracias.
The parents making sure that they had their picture taken with us. And snapping pictures of us with their child on their cell phones.
We visited 5 projects, most of them were in the city. We went to some pretty tough neighborhoods. Where the only safe haven for those children is the project. They have a small area to play inside the school and loving teachers who are showing them God's love everyday! Teaching them about Jesus and what He has done for them. Caring for these children in ways that their parents are not for whatever reason. The love for the children is so evident when you talk to each and every one of the teachers, they care deeply for all of these children. Their faith in God is so evident as well. It is so overwhelming when you hear testimony after testimony of what God is doing in each life, or in each project.
One of the last projects we went to was in a gang driven area. There is beautiful soccer field just on the outside of the school, and it is unsafe for the children to play there. They are in these walls and love it in there. One little girl (she is pictured to the right of Megan in the picture below)in this project walked up to me and asked me if I knew her sponsor? I told her I didn't, and she looked very sad about that, she then started to tell me that she has never heard from her sponsor. I hugged her and told her that was from her sponsor. It made me realize, we go down and see our children. We just met our new kids this week. But I have never written a letter to them to let them know who we are. That is something I need to do. They have birthday's too, and celebrate Holidays, or just like to get mail. What child doesn't??
So, if you sponsor a child anywhere write to them, let them know you think of them, that you pray for them, encourage them anyway that you can. I know they would appreciate it. I know mine will!!
With this all written I am going to end this with then need to let you know there are MANY unsponsored children in Guatemala, and also where ever AMG has schools. Would you consider taking one for your family? It costs $28 a month and that is for food, clothes, and an education! Pray about it please! Maybe for this Christmas you could even start, what a gift it would be for both you and the child.
Bundles of Love
Heading South!
Phil, Megan and myself are heading to Guatemala on Friday for the annual Bundles of Love trip. We are very excited to be heading down there and share the love of Christ with them! We are going to be handing out the "bundles" to the children at different school projects. What are in the bundles? Well, their uniform for the next school year, and school supplies, shoes, backpacks, candy, sometimes a small toy for the children. Just the basics! They are so excited to receive these gifts. I am sure there will be much excitement from the children (and their parents) as they receive their gifts. But the greatest gift we can give them is the Love of Christ. As we are preparing to go we are praying for their hearts to be open to the gospel that we will be sharing with them. Will you pray that with us as you think of us please? What greater gift is there than the Gift that came as a tiny babe, the Gift that came to die for us, the Gift that gives us an eternal hope in knowing Jesus as our personal savior. That is the gift I want to share with these children, parents and whom ever else we may come into contact with while we are in Guatemala. That is the purpose of our trip, that is the purpose of our desire to serve in Guatemala full time as well. 
Plans...
Next weekend Phil and I are attending the AMG annual banquet in New Holland, PA. We are excited to be able to go this year, we have not been able to attend in the past so this is going to be a new experience. Bob Hastings will be speaking, it is always a joy to hear him speak, and we are looking forward to what he has to share with us while we are there. We are also very excited to be able to spend some time with Pat and Traci Ragan while we are there. And many of the other AMG staff that will be there!
After we get home from that trip, we will be getting things ready for our trip to Guatemala in December. We are going on the Bundles of Love Mission Adventure. We are taking Megan with us. She has not yet been to Guatemala and we would like her to see where it is we will be living and not have it be a complete unknown to her. Phil took Abby and Betsy down with him a few years ago. I am so excited to see what will be happening while we are there. I know that we are going to be blessed beyond measure with the people that we will be ministering to. Humbled and amazed at how God works in lives of people all over the world, no matter what their situation, knowing that God is in control of ALL things.
Please pray for safety of everyone in our group that will be going down. The three of us will be flying from Boston and meeting the rest of the group in Atlanta then flying to Guatemala from there. We will be there from Saturday to Saturday, with a lot of work to be done.
Please pray for the health of all of us in the group going, it is not fun being sick in a different country with out the comforts of home. I know this first hand!
Please pray for unity of the group that we would all be focused on what the Lord would have us do. Be aware of what it is the Lord wants us to say, do, share.
Pray for our families that are at home. I know that we will be leaving 5 members of our family with various people, I am not sure about the rest of the people going down with us.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and see what it is that God is doing in our lives! It is an awesome adventure!!
For Just a Cup of Coffee per Day you can Help Us!
A cup of coffee... something so many of us buy... I have to admit I do enjoy coffee, and I even splurge and go to Dunkin' Donuts on occasion for mine! Ever added up all that change rattling around in your car and thought "I can go get a cup of Joe today!"
Well, here is our challenge to you! "buy" the Wilsons a cup of coffee per day. Put the change into a special mug or set it aside somehow and then send it in to AMG for our monthly support. We are looking for 30 people to be in our 1% club, supporting us for just $60 per month. Would you prayerfully consider being one of our $60 - 1% partners?
You can follow our progress with the thermometers currently on this blog.
Our hearts are to be serving the Lord in Guatemala. Could you help us to get there by sending in the price of a cup of Joe per day???
travels!
Two posts in one month! Are you all shocked? I hope to be back on track with updating this more often, keeping you better apprised as to what is happening in our lives.
So with that...
We are visiting and speaking at several different churches in our area over the next few months. We have our missions conference at our home church Sept. 25-27. I will be speaking at the Ladies Brunch. Please pray for clarity and what I say will be used for His glory. We have another missions conference the weekend of Oct 17 and 18 at Raymond Baptist Church. We are so excited to share with them what it is that God has called us to do!
In November we are going to New Holland, PA for AMG's annual conference! We are looking forward to that weekend, and what God has in store for us while we are there. I am sure that after we get home, I will update about our time there. So, keep checking!
In December...Phil and I have decided to take Megan on the Bundles of Love trip. She has not been to Guatemala yet and we feel that it would be really good for her to see where we will be living before we pack up our family and head there. Please be in prayer for this trip. We are so excited that we are able to go and be with some of the people God has called us to serve!
changes...
We have had quite a summer here in NH. Lots going on family vacations, Vacations Bible School's, missions trips, and so much more. I am not sure how we fit so much into our summer but we did it all! Our summer came to an early end when the children all started school. We decided after much prayer that it was in their best interest to be back in school. We have moved and been so up in the air about things that originally thought home schooling was best for them, and after 2 years we thought it best to enroll them again. We are in a new town which also means a new school! They were used to being all together at school, where they were attending previously was at a small private school that was K-12 and they saw each other during the day, now they are in 3 different schools Anna and Cabot are in the elementary, Megan is in the middle school all by herself, Betsy and Abby are at the high school together. Abby is doing 3 classes at the HS and then home schooling for the rest. Megan is having a hard time adjusting to school. She would really like to be home schooled again, she is all by herself, in middle school. Please pray for her when you think of her. She is playing soccer for the school and very excited about that! Betsy is playing volley ball for her school. They have jumped right in and are trying to get involved with different things in school. Here are a few pictures of the first day of school! oh, and not to be left out. Claire will start kindergarten on Sept. 8 at Jiminy Cricket Kindergarten! she is the last one of our kids to be going there! I can't believe that our time in kindergarten is almost over. 
VBS Son Rock Kids Camp
We had an absolutely wonderful time this past week doing VBS at River of Life Church. The kids were so thrilled to be learning and eager to here about what was being taught!
We did the missions room with them. We taught some songs to the younger kids,(kindergarten and pre-k) teaching them "Be a Missionary" and also simple spanish words, they came into the room saying hola and left saying adios! The older kids we went a little deeper with each class, we watched some missions videos and just had fun with them. Showing them that it really isn't that hard for anyone to be a missionary, you are one everywhere you go!!
The older kids are up in Portland with a group of teens from our home church this week. They are doing Back Yard Bible Clubs all this week! From what I have heard (and not from my own kids) is that they are having a great time. The Word is getting out and being shared. They have 6 different clubs that are meeting during the day. They have gone to a few "tourist" places and are going to a Root Cellar which is a food pantry and they will be helping pass out food. I am so looking forward to seeing how God uses this time in the lives of all the teens that are in ME, and also for the ones that are being taught. I know that they will all learn so much from one another.
Please continue to pray for us as we are seeking out the people that God has called to be our ministry partners. We are having a great time meeting new people and sharing with them what it is that God has called us to do. Each time we share what it is that we are doing, it makes our hearts long even more to be there!
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and to see where we are and what we are doing!
where to start?
Yes, it has been quite some time since this blog was updated! There have been so many things that have been going on, I really don't know where to start! It's been one of those months where when you look back over it you know that the only way that you were able to get through it is with God's help.
We continue to wait on Him day to day for our needs, it is very encouraging to see how He is providing for us daily! I could write a book about that. We have been blessed with clothes for our children by so many people, even ones we don't know!!! As Anna so sweetly said it to one of her friends "Thank you for all the clothes, my drawers are overflowing!" and that they are! Clothes, food, and everything else, we are being cared for! Thank you to all of you who have blessed us so abundantly!
We have been to Maine for some time with Phil's whole family (well most of them) We were there during rainy season maybe not rainy season really but we have had some substantial rain this month. I think the record was 3 weeks with only one day that was not raining! We are very thankful for all the rain though. Our summer has started much like our winter with so much snow...
We are heading into our VBS at our home church this week. We are very excited to see what God will do in the lives of the children (and parents) that attend this week, the younger kids canvased the neighborhood today with invitations. They are very excited about this coming week.
We are involved in another VBS in 2 weeks up in Amherst NH at River of Life. We will be the missionaries for the week there. We worked with them last year also, and made some great friends through it!
The older girls are heading up to Maine again at the end of the month. They are going on a Missions trip with a group from our church. They are all geared up for that and can't wait for it!
Reading all of this I think that you get the VBS thing this month. Please pray for the children that will be attending these that they would be receptive to hear what is being taught to them. And for the workers that they would be able to clearly share with the children what we have all be working on to teach them.
Well, I hope that this little update shows you where we are in our lives these days!
Thank you for reading this and for praying with us as we seek to do God's will in our lives.
Out of His Infinite Riches....
What? Why is she taking a picture of food? Is that what you are wondering at this point? Is she trying to come up with something clever to write about? And, many other questions I am sure. The picture is to show you what was put in Phil's car yesterday when he was working on a friends tractor over at a church nearby. For some reason (?) the local food bank had given the food to this little church instead of the local Catholic church which normally gets the food. I had just been on the phone with Phil about grocery shopping, and wondering where the money was going to come for the food. 6 weeks not working and still no unemployment check. Let's just say things have been a little tight!! Well, the Pastor and someone else put all this food in Phil's little car, we are not really sure how it all fit in there. Well, God had the grocery's already bought and in the car! Imagine that!
We are always so amazed and humbled, that He does these things for us, wretched sinners who deserve NOTHING. Yet in His perfect will He provides so much for us! What a joyful day!
Just thought I would share this blessing with you and maybe it will be a blessing to someone else!
Finally our Newsletter!
We just had our very first official newsletter sent out last week. If you did not receive one we would be happy to send one via e-mail. If you would like to sign up for that please let us know by sending us an e-mail at pwforester@juno.com in the subject line please put "newsletter updates".
A little news on the home front, we received the last of the passports today! Everyone has one now! We wanted to make sure we got the kids before it turned into a longer process of passports due to all the new laws about traveling.
We are still learning so much about God's provisions, and are so overwhelmed and left speechless so often. Phil has been unemployed for over a month now and his unemployment checks still have not started, BUT we have plenty of food!! I shared with a friend last week, it is like the loaves and the fish, our pantry and refrigerator just keep staying filled! and it is ALL God!
Thanks for checking the blog even though we are not that faithful in updating it as often as we would like to be!
Thank you for your prayer as we continue to seek to do God's will!
God's Provisions
We are at the beginning of April, where is the time going? So many things have happened over the past month. The biggest change in the Wilson home is that Phil was laid-off on Wednesday (March 25). We are not worried, lots of other people are doing that for us. We were actually excited! Phil has taken deputation on as his full time job and God is taking care of our daily needs! What could be better? God knows what we need better than we know.
The amazingly beautiful and destructive ice storm that we had here in December has brought in some work for Phil. God has brought some wonderful people into our lives that are walking this Faith Walk with us, and praying along with us as we are living each day and working on getting to Guatemala.
Our support is coming in even with new partners this past week. What a blessing each and every one is! God knows exactly what we need when we need it, and is control of all things!
Funny how even the smallest things He is in control over, I received a letter from my friend who has moved to Asia. It arrived on a day that I was longing to talk to her about things. Funny...she mailed it a week earlier from the states. Abby's birthday card was sent the same day from the same place and she received it the normal 2 days later! God is even in control of the post office! :)
Please keep praying along with us that our support will come in, in God's time not our time!
Please pray that we are able to share effectively when we speak at church's what God has laid on our hearts to do.
Please pray for our neighborhood Bible Study, it is such a joy and a blessing to us watching these new creatures in Christ devour God's Word!
Please pray for our co-laborers in Guatemala, safety for their families since the violence has recently escalated.
our friends are moving!
Are you wondering who is moving? We made some wonderful friends while we were at CIT, as we have mentioned before. We were all at different levels of support. Some of us are in the low end of support and others were at the almost there 95%. Since then we have had friends leave for pretty much every area of the world. God is working in amazing ways around the globe.
We have shared in the joys of getting a call or e-mail that our friends have made it to 100% in their support. The way God has brought in the money for them is always amazing and in wonderful and different ways! God is SO GOOD! Everyone of our friends who are on the field have such amazing and different stories of how God has used people to get them there. The latest one to Asia is just another one of those "Only God" stories! She was getting much too close to the point of when she needed to leave to start language school. She had a meeting with a family on Thursday, who has an adopted from Asia, point blank they asked her what she needed to get on the field and she told them $450 more a month. Later that day they called her and said they were committing to support her for $450 a month for two years. GOD IS SO GOOD!! This was her final confirmation after almost 10 years of responding to Gods call to Asia!
Please lift up our friends with us as they are all embarking on their new lives, new lands, new homes, new ministries in the different countries that God has called them to. There are so many different ministries that they will all be working with,all for the same purpose. To share the gospel with others and Lord willing have an opportunity to see them come to Christ! I would love to share names with you so you could pray for them by name. Many are in unsecured countries so I am not able to share names with you on here so please contact me and I will share with you! God knows who they are when you lift them up!
God is GOOD all the time; All the time God is GOOD!
Where are we...
So, I have been asked that questions many times in the past few weeks. Where are we? In terms of our Sundays we have been visiting a lot of churches. We have not had the opportunity to speak at any churches lately but we have been speaking at small groups or with individuals. Setting up speaking arrangements and making contacts...that is key!
Where are we in terms of our support? We are at 25% on paper at this point. We have had many people commit to supporting us but they are wondering when to start. Well, the time is now! Between our one time costs for moving and getting our monthly support level where it needs to be we need people to join the ministry with us! Asking for support is not always the easiest thing to do, but that is the only way that we will be able to get to the field and minister there. We can't do it without you. If you feel that God has placed it on your heart to help with this ministry whether it is a one time gift or a monthly commitment. We know the Lord has already provided our supporters, we need to do our part to be faithful to contact them. So here we are.
To make it easy all you need to do is click here if you would like to donate online, if not please feel free to contact us and ask us what you need to mail it in. Please make sure that you put Phil and Jen Wilson in the comment box so that the money goes into our account.
Abby Briggs
Please pray for this beautiful little girl and read her story. She is on the cover of a magazine this month. The link is located right above our praise and prayer requests!
Abby is from Guatemala and was adopted by a wonderful family. She is 4 years old and has leukemia. Her family has blogs, facebooks and myspace pages for her. If you get a chance to read her story please do! But more than anything pray for this little girl that God would give a miracle to this little girl and heal her.
God's Time
We are starting up a Bible Study tomorrow night for the neighborhood. What an exciting time that is. This is our pre-term for Guatemala I guess. God knows when we will be in Guatemala, right now He has us here. So, we will faithfully be making our contacts, praying about what He has for us, and throw another log on the fire.
One thing I have learned over the past several years is that God has us right where He wants us and it isn't good to try to hurry up and get to the next thing before He is ready for us to be there.
Happy New Year!
As I sit here, thinking of the clever things I could be posting here today to give you a "quick" update on things that were wonderfully glorious, as well as the saddest moments that took place, all I can really think of is how wonderful and faithful our Lord is to take care of us in ways that we could never imagine!
The ways that He provided for us this past year still bring me to tears as I think of the past year we had. How many changes that He brought us through, and we are smiling at the end of it all. Praising God at the end of the day and able to thank Him for what He and He alone is doing for us!
We can look back over the past year and see all the diffcult things that happened, but see how God's hand was in everything we did. Guiding and directing us every step of the way.
the words for the old hymn "He Leadeth Me" come to mind right now as I am writing this.
What a wonderfully blessed year we had and look forward to another year of what He has prepared for us!
Here are the words to the hymn I hope they touch you as they do me!
He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
Refrain
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me;
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
2
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
by waters still, o'er troubled sea,
still 'tis his hand that leadeth me.
3
Lord, I would place my hand in thine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since 'tis my God that leadeth me.
4
And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace the victory's won,
e'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.
