1. We're thankful that the church ministry is still going SO strong, even after our good friends and original church planters Jason and Nadia left this past June. They should be proud of the way God's people are carrying on the work that they began 10 years ago. We still miss them, though!
2. We're thankful for the outreach focus of the church. We love that they have a bus that picks up 30-40 kids each Sunday for Sunday School, and 10-20 teens and adults for church. We love that they have a focus on missions. Even as they are supported themselves, our congregation here supports the work of missionaries in Honduras and Panama. And for the first time in its history, our church spent a day in rural Nicaragua, doing their own day-long missions trip, led by our teenagers. Awesome to see God's love bearing fruit in so many ways.
3. We're thankful to see people's lives changed as they dedicate themselves to God. A baptism today and last Sunday are visible signs of God at work in our congregation.
4. Our kids are now less resistant to going to church in Spanish. It isn't easy for them (the language and the length of our mornings), but we are thankful they no longer (typically!) complain, appear more engaged in worship, and interact with other kids in their Sunday School classes.
5. I'm thankful for the "dedicated but few" church lay people that give so much of their lives to serving the church. Our church is full of humble servants who gladly give up 3 nights a week to serve the church. You see the same faces leading worship, cooking for a church meal, teaching Sunday School, and helping with the youth group! It is humbling to see how dedicated our church members are to the ministry of Jesus in their community.
6. We are thankful for the kindness and care shown to us by the members of the church. The people of IBE have welcomed us in, even though it is hard at times for us to communicate! We praise God for this loving, caring group of which we now feel a part.
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