Let me introduce you to Jesus...

I can not do justice to the honour I have for this man and the privilege it is to walk through life with him as a friend, brother in the Lord Jesus, partner in ministry and inspiration to many, myself included.

I would like to introduce you to Jesus Giraldo Prieto, although he knows he is not Jesus our lord and saviour the resemblance of Jesus the Christ in and through Jesus' life is remarkable. He is a man of faith, humility, simplicity, prayer, Christ like character, perseverance and obedience. Along with a living legacy of a family of faith that is walking in his footsteps.

I have been blessed in my life already to know many amazing leaders, men and women of faith, however the intimacy and life I have been able to walk with this man over the last 7 years continues to challenge, encourage and inspire me all the time. His faithfulness to God and God's faithfulness to him and his family help me to continue to believe in the value and fruit of faithful obedience in the midst any thing life can throw your way.

I love this man (and his wonderful family) and I look forward to many more days in his presence, living, learning, laughing together as I continue to have the privilege to walk alongside him and share in the work Holy Spirit is asking of us for the sake of God's kingdom come in Spain.

This is a great video as it give you are picture of who Jesus is and what makes him so special to me and many others. However the beauty of this man's (along with his wife Esther's) life is something you need to experience to truly understand and appreciate. Maybe someday you can join me and see for yourself. Till then, pray for them, and us as we continue to walk as faithfully as we can for the sake of our King Jesus.

(mobile user, and HD lovers, will need to click on the Vimeo link below to see the video - sorry)

Jesus Giraldo Prieto:

(video by Luke Liable - http://www.lukeliable.com/ - find it on Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/54195679):

LIFE - my attempt at clarity...

As discussed in our previous post (read it here), we have become convinced that life, becoming authentically human, being made fully alive in Christ, is the end we are called to achieve both in and through our lives. In this post (and the ones to follow) I will try to communicate with you what we are doing with the lives we have been given based in this belief. 

Our hope is that this will help and hopefully give people a greater level of confidence in becoming even more engaged and willing to take significant steps of faith alongside us for the sake of seeing "future kingdom now" take place in one or every area of our lives, depending on your own passions or relationship with us. 

So here goes my attempt at clarity;

There are currently three major ministry endeavors that Ronnie is significantly involved in both locally (Kelowna) and overseas (Spain & England). My percentage of overall engagement in these three ministries would breakdown as follow:

• Overseas Leadership Development, Church Planting & Community Engagement (NLI Network) - 40%
• Local Church Planting & Initiation of Missional Faith Communities (LifeLinks) - 40%
• Initiating, Developing and Participating in a Mentoring Organization(Addressing the issue of Fatherlessness) - 20%

For me the work overseas consist of working in partnership with nationals for the purposes of seeing their communities and nations become a clearer reflection of God's kingdom come. This is happening through leadership development and church planting. My role has been to help facilitate, organize and be a part of the training, as well as, working together with partner churches, national leaders and local planters to see new churches established. My heart and bend in both the training and the church planting is challenging and inspiring churches to engage socially into their communities and see God's kingdom life come in the world and lives they find themselves in relationship with. I also believe that because of that mandate of engaging in their communities one of the specific things I am being called to do is to help with the initiation and development of new and unique church expressions and hopefully finding ways to link these new expression of church with the traditional expressions of church and vice versa.

As outlined above, this specific work happening overseas takes up 40% of my time. However, I believe that 80% of my time is actually devoted to this, as I see the church planting endeavor I am a part of helping initiate in Kelowna is a key component of what God is asking me to do in an overseas context. The local initiation of a network of new and unique expressions of church in my own cultural context is an essential part of my growth, development and ability to help see this take place in an overseas context. I am also engaging with the Network of LifeLinks in the development of their church planting endeavors as a network, which again has continuity for the whole of what I am doing both locally and overseas. 

We believe that all things in the age to come (future kingdom) will be characterized by life, by being fully alive. There will be no more suffering, no more sickness, no more tears, no more death. We believe that this is exactly who Jesus is and the gift God has given the whole world in Jesus,

"So, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, in the same way the son of man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may share in the life of God's new age. This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God's new age." (John 3:14-16 - The Kingdom New Testament)

We are convinced that it is our mandate to live this future kingdom now. We are meant as followers of Jesus, as kingdom people, to be instruments of identifying, sharing, facilitating, embracing, releasing this reality of God's new age. This is an age made possible and characterized wholly and completely by Jesus, his life and his love. 

We believe the lives we live, the life we are being a called to live, the actions we must take to live that life, are all filtered through the grid of the age to come. The life that Jesus offers all, allows each of us to overcoming death, showing us that He is the way that leads to truth, (the truth of who he is, the truth of who we are) and therefore brings us all to life, to becoming authentically human. 

Because of this belief everything we do;

• Taking care of and being a nucleus family
• Loving and caring for our extended family, friends and neighbours 
• Coaching our kids sports teams
• Mentoring fatherless youth
• Starting an organization that is focused on addressing the issues of fatherlessness (one child at a time)
• Initiating faith communities who are focused on the future kingdom come (in the places where life happens)
• Working alongside, coaching, training, loving, supporting and blessing church leaders and church starters in Europe, England & Canada
• Walking and sharing in life with other like minded leaders in city we live in
• Pursuing a masters degree and interacting with a new set of friends and a wonderful and inspiring group of people

is about following the way of Jesus, living the truth of who Jesus is and the truth of who we are in him. It's about pursuing life, the life that Jesus gives us, the life of the age to come, the life of God's future kingdom now.  

What we do, how we are doing it, simply comes from the leading and directions of Holy Sprit and being obedient to the kingdom opportunities God asks us to become a part of and trusting him to make it happen. It comes from knowing that together in partnerships we can do way more then we could on our own (nothing we are doing is being done alone). It comes from seeking first his Kingdom and not trying to build our own. 

We are thankful that at this point and time we can say that God has also been faithful to add everything else to it. We continue to trust and hope for him to do that as we continue to walk in faithfulness to being and bringing life to the world around us with the faith, hope and love that come from the life that Jesus has given us. 

Gratitude and Shalom to you, 

Ronnie +

The glory of God is man made fully alive- St. Irenaeus

Ps. we will be posting a number of blogs over the coming weeks and months giving more details and talking more specifically about each of the things we are a part of here in our city and overseas. If you are interested in anything we are doing or would like to get involved in anyway please send us an email, moldableclay@gmail.com 

LIFE - what it's all about...

"Future kingdom now", has become a recent mantra of our small Christ following faith community we have been a part of initiating here in Kelowna. And I think this is a good place to start when we talk about what our lives are all about. You see for me this statement is simple, yet deep. Complex, yet straight forward. 

My view is that the primary characteristic of the future kingdom (or what most bibles call eternity, although the early follower of Jesus and the Jews would not have talked about eternity, but about this age and the age to come. This age to come, or eternity, being when God would rule and reign and all things would be as he originally intended.) is life, life to the full. Life full of faith, hope and love. 

I am convinced that our calling as Christians is not to get people to make a confession to save them from the clutches of hell and eternal punishment of a wrathful God. I believe that God's future kingdom is and will come and that all who refuse to embrace the redemption, restoration, forgiveness, resurrection life and this faith, hope and love that comes from those realities will have no place in this coming kingdom. I also believe that just as Jesus said He is the way to this life, this faith, this hope and this love that it is what he did in defeating death that has brought forth this redemption, restoration, reconciliation and resurrection which is the future kingdom. I guess for me, I think the narrowness of our western evangelical religious traditions, that dominates our Christian thinking, has blinded us from seeing this expression of both the way and ways of Jesus as a holistic lifestyle.

A lifestyle characterized by biblical truth and biblical character as seen in the fullness of what the bible reveals; as a whole story, in the cultural context in which it was written, to those it was intended. Not as a weapon that I pick a part to justify my injustice, intolerance, ignorance, racism, sexism and hatred toward those that think, act or live differently then I do. Recognizing and believing that God has created ALL people in his own image and loves them with a love I can't even fully comprehend, but need to live as best I can, with Holy Spirit's empowering, mercy, grace, understanding, wisdom and love in my life. 

Our purpose, objective, mandate, or calling as Jesus followers is to be carriers of the good news of God’s future kingdom come. Through Jesus’s life, death and resurrection this kingdom come is available to us here and now. To me the clearest reality of the future kingdom that has not fully and completely come to our world, is the fullness of life expressed in the bible and given to us through Jesus. A world where there is no more suffering, no more sickness, no more sadness, no more death in any way, shape, or form. In fact, in doing what Jesus did in his life, death and resurrection from the dead, he overcame death once and for all. He brought forth the kingdom as God intended it from the beginning and enables us to experience it in the here and now, not just forever in God’s future kingdom. That is Good News! That is the good news that we have to share with the world around us, that life has come, death has lost it's power and each of us can become alive in Christ Jesus.

However, we still live in a space and time where the battle for our lives and the reality of death still exists, where the tension of two worlds are still at war with one another. We are not in the future kingdom just yet, it is God’s mercy that allows us to collectively and corporately continue to work out our humanity and liberation from all things that are opposed to this future kingdom. As NT Wright says so beautifully; "we are to become authentically human", our goal as Christ followers is to become fully alive ourselves and to do all that we can and all that God empowers us to do, to allow others to experience this authentic humanity and fullness of life found in the real and authentic love of Jesus, finding life in him who is both the author and perfecter of life itself. 

The beginning of this past year was a difficult one for me personally as we took significant steps of faith to forge into new things. Expanding the breadth and depth of our lives to have the greatest kingdom impact we could. In the last half of 2012 as we communicated our faith filled future, we found that a number of faithful and generous partners who had been with us over the last number of years as we worked with a singular focus of helping to see churches planted in Europe, decided it was time to move on themselves. As we walked a road filled with way less certainty and security, one that was less straight forward and more complex in the way our lives were seeking first His kingdom and justice (Matt 6:33), we were disheartened by the timing of their departures. 

The disengagement of a number of our partners hurt and caused me to wonder why at this junction in our lives, when we believe we are taking the greatest, largest steps of faith trying to initiate a number of kingdom ventures (and thinking personally that we now need these faithful partners more then ever) did those who were part of our foundations and support structure suddenly disengage? 

Clarity and simplicity

Now before I come to my own personal conclusion, I realize that the complexity and reasons for disengagement are complex and varying. However, as I sought answers, had conversations, tried to comprehend the thinking behind some of these decisions that greatly affected our reality and our financial well being, I came to two conclusions: 

1. All that we were doing and why were doing it lacked clarity. We failed to be clear enough in communicating what it is we are all doing and why we feel we are being asked to do these things. We also failed to communicate what it is that bring or binds all these things together in our lives. 
2. We all struggle with complexity and unfortunately I think in someway most if not all Jesus followers struggle with a narrow view of the kingdom (some more narrow then others, but that’s another post for another time, maybe), that causes us to miss the complexities that exist when we truly run after his kingdom and set our own agendas aside. 

I believe we failed to be as clear as we needed to be and failed to bring clarity to the complexity of our lives. But I also think people's lives these days are far to simple and that the diversity and complexity of ours at this point and time is just hard to understand (I don't think we FULLY get it either to be honest), however, we are just trying to walk in obedience and trusting our loving Father is working it all out for His Kingdom's sake, not ours. 

Because of that I am going to try and bring some level of clarity. To try and communicate with you who we are and why we are doing specifically what we are doing with the lives we have been given. That is what I have started above, outlining the overarching belief that shapes and build the foundation on which we place our values, make our decisions and live out our lives. 

I hope you will come and see for yourselves and hopefully be inspired to bring life where there is death, hope where there is despair, faith were there is doubt and love everywhere. May we lead people to the way that is Jesus; enabling us to understand truth and become authentically human and fully alive. 


***please come back next week for part two or this introduction on Life

Thoughts on Gospel - by James V. Brownson

Before I post what it is that shapes our lives, the motivations & beliefs that our foundational to the lives we live, and the way we love others, I wanted to post this article by Brownson as an introduction:

When Jesus speaks about the Gospel, he uses the term primarily to refer to the kingdom of God or the reign of God. When the rest of the New Testament writers speak about the Gospel, they use the term primarily to refer to what God has done in Jesus. There are times, of course, when the New Testament speaks about the Gospel in terms of its saving impact upon this world, but that is not the primary accent in the Biblical materials. The primary emphasis in the use of the term “gospel” is on a narrative that announces what God has done in Christ.

The Gospel is first of all about God’s faithfulness, about God’s triumph over death, and about God’s new purposes for the world that are revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. These Biblical patterns distinguish themselves in subtle but important ways from our North American ways of speaking about the Gospel. Whereas we tend to speak about the Gospel in terms of its impact upon our lives, the Bible tends to speak of the Gospel as a revelation of who God is and what God is doing and has done in the world.

The difference envisioned here is substantial. It involves the basic change from viewing salvation as something we receive (or, to use the dominant North American metaphor, something we consume), to viewing salvation as something in which we participate. When the Bible speaks about the Gospel, it speaks primarily about who God is and what God is doing, because salvation in the full Biblical sense means participating in God’s saving purpose for the whole world. First Peter 2:9 expresses this reality succinctly: “But you are a chosen race, aroyal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” The people of God are a chosen race, so that they may proclaim God’s mighty acts, so that they may join the celebration, rejoicing in and announcing to others what God has done in Christ. The Bible does not regard the Church as a vendor of religious services to be received by religious consumers, but as a body of people sent on God’s mission to the world.

In the final analysis, the Biblical understanding of salvation is not merely that our lives and our world finally will be set right again. The Biblical understanding of salvation is that our lives become swept up into something larger and greater than ourselves, into God’s purposes for the world. In other words, the receiving of salvation and the call to mission are not to be conceived sequentially, as if one followed the other (first salvation, then grateful obedience). They are instead to be understood as two sides of the same coin. To receive salvation is to be called into something larger and greater than us, to be invited to participate in God’s saving purpose and plan for the world. That is why the Gospel is primarily about God and only secondarily about us.

But our culture is pernicious in its capacity to twist the Biblical, understanding of the Gospel into a consumerist one. The tragic result has been the proliferation in Canada of passively oriented churches, preoccupied with their own survival and the care of their own members, and struggling to discover a sense of transcendence and the presence of God. By contrast, the Gospel calls into existence churches whose fundamental identity is that of a people called to participate in God’s mission, caught up into a reality greater than themselves, invited to bear witness to the world of a new way of being human in God’s presence.

                                                James V. Brownson of Holland, Michigan

Family Update

Well it's been a while! Really, we have neglected our blog updates for the last 2-3 years. I think that it's time to change that, and to start us back off, I think family is a great and meaningful place to start. 

The first half of 2013 has to have been our busiest one yet! With Janelle doing her masters in nursing at UBCO, Ronnie continuing to assist the churches in England & Spain (coaching church planters, training leaders, working with key leaders in the nation of Spain), as well as taking on the shared initiation of both a local mentoring initiative (addressing the issue of fatherlessness) and missional church planting communities, our lives have been full over the last 6 months. The funny (maybe scary) thing is that amongst all the papers, society applications, building relationships, strategic planning, listen to Holy Spirit, training potential mentors, understanding directorship, charity and mentoring a couple of fatherless youth, relationally connecting with and supporting a number of pastors and leaders in town, caring for our neighbours, and coaching soccer, there have been so many other things we feel we could have been involved in or so many needs around us that we just wish we could help meet. 

We started the year with the Marriot family of 6 living with us in our home. They are the other couple who are initiating the missional church communities with us here in Kelowna. In February, after being with us for 4 months, they found a new place to live in Kelowna as we welcomed Janelle's brother's girlfriend from Boston into our home. However before she moved in we hosted a group of Watoto choir kids and auntie. What a blessing it is to have a home where we can be not only hospitable but give accommodations to those who are needing them. The Marriots were the third friends to stay at our home for a time while they integrated themselves into the city and  they probably won't be the last. 

We are blessed beyond belief by our growing, loving and full-of-life boys! It truly is a joy and delight to love them and help them become the people that God created them to be.

Parenting is not easy, no two ways about it! We are constantly trying to grow in our parenting and better understand how to guide, love and empower our boys to be all they can be. One of the biggest influences on us this past year has been the writing and philosophy of Danny Silk (Family Pastor Bethel Church Reading, California - "Loving our kids on purpose" & "Keep your love on") and an organization that helped shape his philosophy/psychology called Love & Logic (www.loveandlogic.com). We love the new covenant approach and accurate theology (my opinion) that Danny brings to raising our children. We value the fact that heart connection and love are the fundamentals that undergird everything else. We agree with the belief that kids are brilliant and empowering them to make good decisions because of love, out of self control, are fundamental. I think for me personally at least (and I think Jae too) the hardest  part of teaching your kids how to exercise self control and making choices out of love and heart connections in our relationships, is having to do the same things yourself towards them. Praise God for refining us in the fire and safety of family, hopefully allowing us to better love and care for those in our world. Amen for that! I think we can say that that is rejoicing in our suffering or necessary humbling at least. My boys have an innocent and brilliant way of calling me out when I need to be called out, and with brokenness, lovingly, or with a real sense of justice, holding me to account for my behaviour, hypocrisy, or out right failure. For that I am grateful and constantly humbled. 

Caleb, continues to thrive in life and all he does. He is a caring friend, loving brother (most of the time), kind son, hard worker, great thinker, eager learner and creative genius. I have enjoyed watching him work so hard and not let anything hold him back as he  began soccer this year. It was a joy (most of the time- coaching 12 five and six year old boys has it's moments) coaching him and the other boys on his team the past few months. Caleb is a bright boy and is loving learning French. He has been blessed with two wonderful teachers this year who have seen the love and life in Caleb and helped him to excel in school. For that we are grateful. 

Jaden is a passionate, strong and sensitive young man. Sometimes I forget that he is just a young boy, as his sense of justice, bravery, sensitivity and care are well beyond his years (particularly when it involves ladies). Preschool has been so good for Jaden (Have we told you before how amazing Stepping Stones Preschool in Kelowna is!? And how much we appreciate both teacher Carolyn and teacher Nina! They are amazing! We are grateful for them in our boys lives, such a blessing and a treasure they are!) Jaden has loved interacting with his new friends, learning so many interesting things though has occasionally been asked to give a couple of the girls in his class (whom he is most fond of), a little of their own space from time to time. Yes we will need to be careful to help him guard his heart and realize that not every girl is going to care as much about him as he may about them. Oh the joy and challenges of parenting, this is one we will continually appreciate you praying alongside us about. 

Traeton is his own person, no doubt about that. He is comical, energetic, tough (and he needs to be with two older brother) and absolutely loving in his own way. One of my favourite things about Trae right now (and probably one that annoys Janelle the most) is how when we are reading stories before bed at night and he says 'neckie', grabs me around the neck and gives me a big hug and a kiss (that's not the part that annoys Jae, this part is), then the next thing he will proceed to do is lick my face as many times as he can while I am trying to read a story to the boys. While Janelle gets annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this, I have learnt that, although this only exacerbates Trae's actions, when I lick his face a number of times in return we both think it is a fun game that could go on for hours, I mean minutes, well anyways he thinks its hilarious. 
Trae is cherished and loved beyond belief by everyone in his life, his mom and dad, his brothers (although him and Jaden can have their moments for sure) and pretty much daily by his Nana Zerr who spends many many hours loving our boys as Jae & I do all the things we believe we are meant to be doing in this season. 

Nana Zerr is a blessing to us as care giver (and excellent house cleaner) bringing so much love and stability to Caleb, Jaden and Traeton allowing us to do what we do with confidence and joy in knowing our boys are always being loved and well taken care of. This new season for both of us, (especially Jae) has been conflicting at times in regards to our kids, if we are truly honest. Although the balance we have achieved and the awesome grandparents and friends we have in our lives, along with the commitment we have as a family to do life (especially starting our church communities) together, as a whole family, has allowed us to spend as much time as possible together in meaningful relationship, and for this we are grateful. 

We are blessed and we are grateful for so much, especially each other. 

Much love, 

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & Traeton +

Prayer Request - With Continued Gratitude

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful for all the wonderful people in our lives who faithfully stand with us to see God's kingdom come in our lives and through our lives. We have listed some prayer requests that we have at this time. Over the next few months our updates are going to be profiling the work in Spain that Ronnie is leading with NLI in partnership with the Salem church of Spain. If you would like to receive our updates please send me an email at ron.zerr@nlieurope.com

Thanks again for your commitment and love. We look forward to hearing from you.


Please Pray for:

• The church planters in Spain. That Holy Spirit would continue to give them vision, wisdom, hope, love and Spirit led, and empowered encounters in their communities.

• The NLI Emerge women's leadership development team who will be taking part in a conference in Spain on the weekend of May 20-22. Please pray that they would be a blessing to the women of Spain as they are inspired, challenged and refreshed through NLI Emerge's ministry.

• Finances that are needed for the work in Spain. Ronnie is still needing to raise $20,000 CND to cover the committed cost for the work NLI is doing in Spain in 2011.

• Janelle as she applies for her master program in nursing. That she would find favour and know what area is best for her to pursue. That God would provide financially for that to take place.

• Caleb, Jaden & Trae, that they would continue to grow in love and bond together as brothers. That they would continue to build friendships and relationships in the community.

• Ronnie, that he would have God's heart and wisdom as he leads NLI's partnership with the Salem church in Spain and continues to engage leaders and churches in Kelowna.


Many Blessings & Much Gratitude

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & Trea †

Treasured Sacrifice

Dear Friends,

We just wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming response and love sent our way at the birth of our little (big) Traeton Wyatt. We are delighted by him and so grateful for his safe birth and good health. He is a sweet little guy who has completely recovered from his fluid on his lungs. Traeton and Jae came home from the hospital on Thursday and we are enjoying being home as a family of 5. Janelle's parent's have been a huge blessing and the church down the street (Kelowna Gospel Fellowship) that we have been to a few of times (of which the Pastor's family are our neighbors... and becoming friends) are blessings us with some meals. So we are very grateful and blessed by Jae's parents and the church.

MEANING OF TRAETON WYATT

We had a few questions about the meaning of his name or where did it come from so here it is:

TRAETON - village near the trees - Trae (Trey means third) - Spiritual connotation - Treasured (Traeton) Sacrifice (Trae)

WYATT - little warrior - Spiritual connotation - Immovable

Our Reason for the Name:

The significance behind the name for us was the journey we have walked this last year. As you may or may not know, Traeton was not planned. In fact our plans, especially Janelle's, were looking very different as we moved back from England to Kelowna. Our plan was to be back in Canada to be closer to family and allow Janelle to re-engage in her nursing career, as she was approaching the time she had to re-engage nursing without loosing her license to nurse. Well, Traeton changed all that for us, especially for Janelle.

Just like when we began this journey 4 1/2 years ago in England and had plans to have Janelle nurse in the UK and be a large part of our income to cover our cost of living, we once again entered into life in Canada thinking and making decisions based on Janelle working. But just like when we started on this journey of faith God has taken us down a different, unexpected and I am sure, a wonderful road. Janelle has had to loose her nursing credentials for the time being (she will have to take a couple semesters of school and do a practicum to be re-certified), we have lost the income we were trusting would enable us to afford to live where we are, Janelle has lost the sense of freedom she was discovering as the boys became more and more independent.

So Traeton Wyatt is our Treasured Sacrifice, especially for Jae. Janelle has had to make many sacrifices and even shift her focus to being an amazing, nurturing and loving mother to an infant once again, instead of re-engaging her career and discovering a new sense of freedom. As well, we know that because of the financial reality this has created for us there will be sacrifice we will have to make, however we will treasure them, knowing there is a new blessing in our lives.

We are so blessed and do treasure Traeton more than words can say. Thanks for walking this journey with us and being a part of our lives, it is people like you who have made what we do possible. We are glad to share with you in all that we put our lives to so that other's may know Jesus' love, forgiveness, grace, freedom and transformation in their lives.

With much gratitude.

Ronnie & Janelle †

Traeton Wyatt Zerr

Hello Friends,

here is our newest addition Traeton Wyatt Zerr. He was born at 8:23am and weighed 8lbs exactly. He had some fluids on his lungs and has spent the day so far in the NICU. He is recovering very well and hopefully will be able to come to see mom in an hour or two to start feeding. Jae is doing great just really wanting to spend sometime with her new boy!!!!

I have been able to spend much time with him in the NICU and he has had some family visiting already. He is a big boy with good sized feet and hands. Looks like we may have 3 boys the same size in no time. Caleb was really excited to meet his new brother and has been so great with him already. Jaden has to wait till tomorrow as he was not allowed to go into the NICU.

Thanks for all you prayers!!! Please keep praying for Janelle & Traeton's fast recoveries.

Proud dad,

Ronnie †

Life & Ministry Update

Dear Friends,

What a year this has been so far for us as a family. We have had numerous transitions, many days apart, hard goodbyes, a chance to spend time with great friends on the roads traveled, and many new ones beginning. So far things have been such a whirlwind of life that we are still trying to understand what life is like and will be like living in Canada and ministering in both Europe and Canada. We know that 2011 will bring much more clarity and a more realistic balance to what we have experienced in these last 11 months.

Well for us the journey these last eleven months has been full on, but filled with many wonderful joys and excitements along the way. One of those is coming to join our family this Tuesday (at the latest), as Janelle is scheduled for her third c-section on Tuesday, November 23rd to give birth to our third son. We are delighted to have him join us and become part of our family. We are blessed!

Please pray for Janelle and baby Z as they take on the next few days and either go into labour or have the c-section on Tuesday, we truly covet your prayers on their behalf. Please also pray for Caleb & Jaden as they welcome the new baby into the family and adjust to having another brother.

Ronnie is thankfully back in Canada now until the end of January, we are all delighted to be together and have time to be a family as we learn, adjust and embrace our new realities. We will let you all know when baby Z comes and joins us.


Romania

Ronnie has recently returned from his last trip of 2010 where he joined with around 40 others in Romania to celebrate the success of the church planting project he has overseen in the South East corner of Romania for the last 3 years. Ronnie has learnt much from this experience and has really enjoyed having an opportunity to work with some amazing people. From the church planters who have sacrificed so much and allowed themselves to be stretched in so many ways, to the trainers who have shared with such wisdom and experience, to the staff in Romania who have done an amazing job and become good friends along the way.


In the last 3 years we have seen 11 churches established and one mother church rescued from collapse, 30 missions teams mobilized into Romania to work with and support the church plants, increase in leadership of all the church planters as they have received high level training during 12 weekends over the 3 years. We have seen lives changed by coming to faith in Jesus and people being healed and set free along the way. How awesome is that?!



Ronnie is so thankful for everyone of you who have joined with us in partnering with the church plants in Romania, without you partnering with us Ronnie would not be able to do what he does. You are an essential part of making this happen! So THANK YOU!!!

Here are some of the comments from the church planters during the graduation:

• "NLI stepped in at just the right time, they were God's timely blessing for the work in Negra Voda. The team from Canada was instrumental and we still talk about them today, their impact was extra ordinary" - Dorel Toma, Negra Voda church plant

• "There is a great battle in the old city of Constanta for the young gypsy people, with the work we were doing in the church plant there you could see that something clicked in the children" - Matthew Duru, Old City Constanta church plant

• "NLI taught us to go out and meet people where they are at. We have seen people filled with Holy Spirit and giving their lives to follow Jesus" - Ionel Druga, Lumina church plant

• "We were challenged to go out and meet the people, with your help we were able to enter people's homes with the Gospel. We saw that people were welcoming and open to God's word, we have experienced amazing things" - Sami Bobocea, Culdalbi church plant

• "NLI has been a gift from God and the timing of their partnership was perfect for enabling us to plant the church" - Nelu Chirita,Galati church plant

• "You helped us when it was hard and enabled us to carry on the work in Babadag" - Paul Benko, Babadag mother church

Ronnie had an opportunity to congratulate all the leaders in the church plants for getting this far, thank them for the opportunity to be a part of their journeys of faith and encouraged them to allow Jesus to continue to build the churches in a real, relevant and replicable way. For Ronnie it has been an honor and a privilege to serve the church in Romania and see God use him to assist, challenge and encourage the church planters and see lives changed through the church in Romania.


Spain
Ronnie was a part of a team that spent 10 days in Spain at the end of September to pray with the church planters and mother church leaders in this nation. NLI is currently assisting the Salem church movement in Spain to see 3 churches planted in the cities of Alcala, Aviles & Toledo. There were 7 individuals from Canada who came to join Ronnie and Jesus (one of the Spanish leaders of the Salem movement) to visit both the locations and the leaders of the church plants and the leaders of the mother churches in Madrid and Bilbao.

Barb Shram from CLF in Warman was asked by Ronnie to lead the team as we prayed for the people of Spain. Barb did an amazing job hearing from God, leading us to seek repentance for the people of Spain and pray blessings over the cities. Barb and the whole team were instrumental in allowing God to speak through them to release many prophetic words over the leaders in Spain. It was exciting to hear and see God touch, inspire, challenge and reignite so much in those wonderful leaders. We look forward to seeing all that God has done and hearing of the impact that this team has made on the spiritual reality that exists in Spain.

Thank you to each of those people who gave of their time, money and lives to come and be a blessing to the church planters and church in Spain. Thank you!


Ronnie will be concentrating even more on the work in Spain and that region of Western Europe come 2011 as he transition out of leadership in Romania. Our hearts are to invest our time and efforts into seeing the church expanded and movements created in the countries of Western Europe. Thank you to all of you who so faithfully join us in prayer and financial partnership we could not continue to do the work God has given us in Europe without you!!!!


Prayer Requests

• Janelle and baby Z, that everything would go well with delivery if it is before the scheduled c-section or during. That baby Z would be healthy and that he would take to feeding really well. As well that Janelle's birth surgery and recover would be as pain free as possible as well as quick and complete.

• Caleb & Jaden as they work through welcoming and embracing the new addition to the family.

• All of us as we adjust to 3 boys and the realities of having a new born in the home again. That Ronnie would be able to take care of Janelle, Caleb & Jaden and help with the baby as much as possible.

• The church plants in Romania, that they would continue to allow Jesus to lead and guide them. That all they have learnt and experienced over the last 3 years as a part of the NLI project would help them in establishing a genuine Jesus following community that would bring his love and transformation to their cities.

• The church and leaders in Spain, that they would be able to build off of all that God has done through the prayer team that was recently there. That God would ignite their hearts and give them renewed vision to bring his transformational grace, love and truth to the nation of Spain.

Huge blessings and many thanks!!!!!

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & baby Z †

Spain Mission - Please Pray

Dear Friends,

As many of you may or may not know, we have begun a prayer mission in Spain today with the teams from Canada's arrival. We will be spending the next 7 days praying for this nation as well as the church leaders and church planters NLI is working with in Spain. If you could please remember to pray for us during the next week that would be greatly appreciated.

Here are somethings you can pray for:

• Some of the (4 people) have not yet received their luggage, please pray that the airline finds it first off, and that it is delivered as soon as possible.
• For the teams health, well being and safety as we venture through these communities in Spain. That Holy Spirit would lead us and that he would be our protector and defender, that God would go before us and allow us to be a blessing to the leaders and people we meet in Spain.
• That Holy Spirit would give us His gifts to share with the church leader and people we meet in Spain. That we would have the gift of the spirit that they are needing (desire the greatest gift) at that time and place and that it would be planted in their hearts and bare much fruit.
• For our families and loved ones who are still in Canada, that God would watch over them and protect them as they release us to be here in Spain asking Jesus to bless and liberate this nation with his power and love.

Thank you so much for taking time to read this and pray for us. We greatly appreciate it!!!!!

I will try and update our blog as much as I can (www.moldableclay.blogspot.com)

Many Blessings and much Gratitude.

Ronnie Zerr †

Family & Ministry Update

Dear Friends,

We hope this email finds you all enjoying your summer and hopefully getting a chance to take some holidays and get some good sun to refresh you for the journey ahead.

We have been on a fairly full on journey ourselves the first half of this year, from intense ministry time in England, Romania and Spain in February. Then saying good bye to so many great friends, wonderful life memories and our journey in England, to reengaging back into Canadian culture in March. Heading back to Saskatoon and taking time to reconnect with many of you. Thank you to all of you who took time to be with us while we were in Saskatchewan, we were grateful to see so many of you. For those of you who we did not have a chance to catch up with please come and see us in Kelowna, we would be glad to have you. As well for the rest of you we would love to see you come and visit us in Kelowna and enjoy the realities of one of Canada's nicest cities!!!

Ronnie had two trips in the spring to Europe, one in May to England for the NLI HR week in the international office with many great people who were considering joining NLI in the work that Jesus is doing in Europe. Ronnie's other trip was in June to both Romania and Spain. In Romania we had one of our 4 Church Planter trainings, while in Spain we had some Holy Spirit inspired and empowered Advanced Leaders Training. It was great to have Holy Spirit join us in each of these places to see something imparted and released to the heroes in Romania and Spain who are giving their lives to see their nation transformed by Jesus' love and the truth of God's Kingdom.

Then in July we had a great friend's wedding that both Janelle and Ronnie were a part of her wedding party. It was a great day and wonderful privilege to stand beside her and celebrate this great joy of marriage with her and her husband. After the wedding we packed our house up in Saskatoon and then headed off to Kelowna. We were blessed by so many of you who helped us get through this part of the journey, from helping pack, to loading the trailer, to being lent a couple of trailers and a truck, to pushing us through the tough hours when we felt overwhelmed or even driving the truck and trailers to Kelowna. Thank you to all those who helped get us to Kelowna, we couldn't have done it without you.

Since arriving in Kelowna on July 8th it has been full on, we have had a full house a few times over and many things that we have had to take care of to begin to settle into life in Kelowna, BC. We have been blessed to have family around, friends around and a great house that is a real blessing to us and others already.

Ronnie has been working to keep up with all the things taking place in both Romania and Spain while trying to help us as a family settle into life in Canada. Although it has not been easy with all the things that needed to get done in Europe and Canada, by the grace of God we have been able to get through this season and are looking forward to being established in Canada and being able to concentrate and focus on what Jesus is continually calling us to in Europe.

As a family we headed off to Europe at the end of August to be with Ronnie's family in Copenhagen, Denmark. We had the privilege of going to Denmark to be with Ronnie's sister Mandy and her danish fiancee Rasmus as they joined their lives together in marriage. This was a great celebration for us as a family and was completely redemptive in my sister's life and ours as a family. We were so blessed by the great time we had, the amazing wedding that was put on and we are overjoyed with the love and joy that Mandy and Rasmus have for each other.

From Denmark we have headed to England to be with the NLI team at the international office in Coventry, UK to be together for our In House Week. NLI In House Week is a time where all NLI staff are together to meet, train, strategize, pray and inspire one another for the work in Europe. This is a strategic time for Ronnie and all the NLI team to focus themselves on the work that is taking place in Spain and for Ronnie to work with the team involved in Romania as he transitions out of the work in this nation.

We are also blessed by our time in the UK as we have the chance to connect with so many of our great friends that we have made over the last four years living in England. It has been great to see so many of you again!!! We will be heading to Enfield (London) as a family this coming weekend to be with some friends and join them and their church on the Sunday, September 19th. Ronnie will also be sharing with the church they are leading in the community of Enfield.

Then on Wednesday, September Ronnie will be parting ways with Janelle, Caleb & Jaden for a few week. The family will be heading back to Canada with my mom who is meeting them in London to fly back to Canada, while Ronnie heads off to Romania with Thomas (NLI Canada Director) to visit some of the church plants and be a part of the NLI Training taking place in this nation.

On Sunday, September 26th Ronnie will travel to Spain from Romania for the purpose of meeting with the Spanish leaders and to be a part of a prayer team that is going to be traveling through Spain from Sept 28th to Oct 6th. The team will be visiting some of the church leaders and church planters

Thank you to all of you who continue to partner with us financial, in friendship and mostly in prayer. We are so grateful for your faithfulness, generosity and friendship, we would not be able to do what we are doing for Jesus in Europe without each of you.

Please Pray For:

Janelle as she continues to carry our new baby boy in pregnancy. Please pray for her and the babies health & safety. That she would be able to continue to support the work we are a part of in Europe by doing such a great job raising and looking after our amazing boys Caleb & Jaden. That she would have the energy needed to do this well and with much strength and grace.
The prayer team traveling to Spain from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, that Jesus would protect us, lead us and guide us as we call on him to see the spiritually reality in Spain transformed. There are 9 of us (Jesus, Barb, Erin, Kevin, Al, Dorothy, Esther, Sara & Ronnie) traveling throughout Spain to visit the leaders and cities where we are working to see churches planted in Spain. We covet your prayers as we pray for this nation.
The church planter training and church plants in Romania. That God would impart something supernatural into them through training taking place and that as we move toward the completion of the church planting project in Romania that God would establish the churches and for all of them to be both self-sustaining and eternally impacting.
Us as a family as we settle into life in Kelowna that we would be able to do all we are needing to do to prepare for the new baby, figure out life in Kelowna and continue to empower our Europe family to transform, equip and expand the church in Europe.

Thanks again,

Many Blessings

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & Baby Z †

Our 2010!!! Hope we see you along the way!

Dear Friends,

We hope this letter finds you in a place of faith and hope. Our prayer is that all God has put on your heart will bring fruit and life.

During the beginning of February all the NLI staff gathered at our new international office in Coventry and had a chance to share, plan and strategize about the work God has for us this coming year. We were also able to mail out our annual NLI Dream Magazine, we hope that the dream magazine challenges, inspires and informs the reader about all that NLI is doing here in Europe. We are privileged to be a part of this great work and being ambassadors of Jesus to the nations and people of Europe.

If you would like to make sure you receive your own copy of the NLI Dream magazine send me your mailing address and I will make sure we send you one.

We are currently asking Jesus to help us as we walk through this busy season of our lives. As you may know we are in preparation for our move back to Canada in March. We are excited about the move but sad to be leaving our friends and colleagues that we have grown to love and cherish here in the UK & Europe. We are glad that God is still calling us to this continent and we will have a chance to stay connect with them.

We just want to thank you for all you have invested in us to make the work that we are a part of possible. We are so grateful for all the relationships God has given us and we know we could not do this eternal work alone. Thank you for sharing in the eternal fruits of our labour as we journey together.



Here is an outline of what we have in store for 2010. We are trusting Jesus to make it as fruitful and focused as it can be with all that is going on in the next 11 months.

February:

Ronnie will be in Romania (Feb 11-15) to visit the church plants and be a part of the training taking place on Feb. 12 & 13.

Ronnie will be in Spain to meet with the national leaders and church planters of the Salem church movement from Feb. 18-23.

Ronnie will be in London to take part in a conference and meet with a church movement in the UK that is instrumental in bringing faith into communities through schools, social work and community involvement on Feb. 26-28.

March:

Whole family will be moving back to Canada arriving into Saskatoon very late in the evening of March 10.

Whole family will travel to the Moose Jaw area sometime in the 3rd week of March or 3rd week of April for strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

Whole family will be traveling to Calgary areas around March 19-23 for strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

April:

Ronnie and Janelle will be traveling to the Edmonton area at the beginning of April for strategic meetings, reconnecting with friends and picking up some guests traveling from England.

The whole family will be in the Kelowna/Vancouver area the last week of April/first week of May for strategic meetings, reconnecting with friends and determining future living arrangements.

May:

Ronnie will be in Edmonton from May 10-14 for the annual general conference of the PAOC.

Ronnie will most likely be in England from May 22-30 for NLI Connection week.

June:

Ronnie will be in Romania (June 14-22) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planter training taking place on June 18 & 19.

Ronnie will be in Spain (June 22-28) visiting with the national leaders, the church planters and being a part of the Advanced Leaders Training that will take place on June 24-27.

July/August:

The whole family will be moving from Saskatoon to Kelowna the first week of July to settle in Kelowna.

The whole family will be in Saskatoon the last week of July/first week of August for a wedding, strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

September:

Ronnie and Janelle are looking to be in Europe and England from around September 6-20 for NLI in house week (Sept. 14-17).

Ronnie will be in Romania (Sept. 22-27) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planter training taking place on Sept. 24 & 25.

Ronnie will be in Spain (Sept 27-Oct 6) leading a prayer team (email me if you are interested) visiting the church planters and church plants in Spain.

October:

Ronnie will be in Vancouver for a few days to have strategic meetings and work with the NLI Canada director.

November/December:

Ronnie will be in England and Spain during November and/or December for 10-12 days to reconnect with the NLI UK team, as well as to meet with the national leaders and church planters in Spain.

Ronnie will be in Romania (Nov. 24-29) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planting graduation, taking place on Nov. 27.



Thank you again for joining with us on this journey. We look forward to seeing many of you during the next few months. Please continue to pray with us for all that God has in store.

Many Blessings

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb & Jaden †

More of Jaden James

Jaden's early days

(To view entire web album click on photo.)

Here are more photos of Jaden James settling into our family!

Jaden James Zerr

Let me introduce you to the second Champ in the Zerr house. His name is Jaden James Zerr and he was born on April 24th @ 21:04. He weighed in at 5pds 14ounces. He has already eaten a couple of time and is doing well, as is mom.



An emergency C-Section was needed again, just like his big brother. There was fluctuation in his heart rate during a contaction and then fluctuation after that. Which meant to the doctor that a C-section was needed.

Everything from there went great!!!!
Jaden is Hebrew in origin and means "God has heard", James means "supplanter" or to take another place.

Enjoy the pics!

We look forward to having a chance for Jaden to meet you sooner or later.

More pics to follow in the coming days!

Blessings and Love,
Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb & Jaden +

2 Days in my Life - England to Romania

I have just finished a full day in Romania. This is a trip that I have to admit in many ways I was not looking forward to...

It all begins with the current global financial reality and the increase in the Euro and decrease in Canadian Dollar and British Pound. In our Romania Church Planting project the money that is coming out to Romania to enable these courageous men and women to make disciples and work with Jesus so he can plant His church was committed in Euros. However the vast majority of our partner churches in this project come from Canada & the UK (in fact all but 1 church comes from a country who's currency has declined against the Euro). So we have had to make decisions that will affect the church planters here in Romania, not by choice, but out of necessity. The first reason I was not looking forward to this trip was this was my responsibility to explain this to the church planters and regional leadership team. Something I was not looking forward to as I would love to have another story to tell them. One about amazing provision and increased support, but that one is still in the making at this time. IN JESUS NAME!!!

Reason 2 is the simple fact that it is not easy leaving Janelle & Caleb for any period of time, but 9 full days is a long time to be away, especially with Janelle being 8 months pregnant :(

Reason 3 is the fact that the airline I was flying on Wednesday had changed my flight from leaving out of Birmingham @ 10am to 6am. Meaning I had to leave my house at 4:40 in the morning. Not fun!!!!

Reason 4 was because of this flight change I would either have to wait in Bucharest for about 4 hours in the train station, just to catch a 5 hour train ride. So this meant I had to take the dreaded bus for 3:30 hours. You see the train takes longer, but is so much more comfortable, no need to smell everyone else (like it is on the bus) and much easier to work on or watch a movie. Anyway, just another thing that I was not looking forward to.
So I guess my attitude was not really good to begin with?!

Isn't it great how God uses those situations to totally blow us away when we are obedient to doing what he asks of us. I think it is.

So I finally arrived in Constanta close to 7pm, where I was greeted by my good friend and our project director Traian. I have to admit that seeing Traian and listening to his English when I first arrive is always a treat for me. He is a great brother with a huge heart and so much love. The English part is that he always seems to start my trips with broken English (as he only really learned to speak it 15 months ago at the start of the project) and ends them speaking in full sentences like he has done it for years. He is so brave to translate for me with a number of the church planters. I love him.

Traian and I are able to meet for an hour and talk about the project, the church plants and what is happening on this trip while we wait at their church office (Traian is the pastor of a church in Constanta, mother church of the church plant in the Old City - Turkish/Gypsy area of Constanta) for a truck full of Crocs, Car Seats and Beans to arrive from Canada.



I was able to join with about 20 other people from their church for the next hour or two unloading these goods that will be used for the church and a great ministry they have here called Heart to Heart.

It was really fun and rewarding to be able to do this with them and to see how grateful they were for these gifts. In fact it was humbling to see how excited they were that each of the young guys who helped out was able to take home 3 cans of beans each. They were totally blessed by that.

Then it was off to Traian's for a late unplanned dinner. The cool thing was because it was unplanned, I had to have a traditional Romanian meal. Which was excellent! Tasty homemade chicken noodle soup followed by the Romanian version of Pork & Beans (which I have to admit is much better then the Canadian kids staple meal).

So after dinner it was off to the missions school where I am staying and the training is taking place on Friday & Saturday. Got to talk to my family on Skype, send a few emails and off to bed. Made it through the travel day that started at 4:40 in the morning and was looking forward to meeting with a number of church planters tomorrow.

My attitude had already began to change and I was feeling blessed to be in Romania.

Day 2 was going to be a long day, I knew that. But what was going to happen in the meetings was nothing you can ever really prepare for. You see meeting with these amazing people and seeing what they are sacrificing, asking, believing and needing Jesus to do is truly humbling. Seriously.

You see we spent 12 hours today visiting 5 church planters and having one meeting with a mother church leader of a church plant that is unfortunately not able to be part of the project anymore. But it was so encouraging that I am sitting in my room here in Romania at 1am writing this article to tell you all about it.

Matthew from the old city was the first church planter we met with. We joined him in the Old City to have breakfast and talk about what is happening in this poor, spiritually deprived, moffia driven area of Constanta. You know, God is working in the lives of these Turkish/Gypsy people. Kids are committed to the club they run and use to teach them about Jesus and help them make better choices, stay in school, get better grades and realize there is someone who loves them more then they could understand. But because they have recently lost the use of the building they were meeting in and the prices of rentals in this area are so high and moffia owned they are at a place where they are desperately needing Jesus to find them a place where they can continue meeting. They have started an alpha coarse in a house owned by family who has been saved this past year and Matthew has invested so much time into. However just recently the son has left his wife and kids and moved to Germany with another lady; devastating this family and attacking their faith.

We also met with the two Gabi's. These young men have been trying to plant a church in Eforie Sud, but it has not been easy. You see there is a small group of older believers in this place and when they began last year they wanted to work with them and were invited by one of them to use their house to begin meeting. However this lady was not very open to new people coming and the group was only committed to prayer. As valuable as that is, it was not going into Eforie and sharing the love and truth of Jesus with the people there. So they knew they needed a new place to meet. Praise Jesus, at the beginning of this year they were finally able to find an old, run down pub to rent and renovate. This is the start they have been needing and are very excited about all the ways that God is going to be able to use this building to create community and allow them an opportunity to share the truth and love of Jesus. However the renovations have been even more than they had anticipated with a large section of the ceiling being damaged by rain and all the electricity in the place needing to be redone. They are ready to clean things up and begin the work again with the building they have finished, but this is just a shame as they do not have the £1000/$2000 needed to complete the renovations. However they press on and continue to believe Jesus and are committed to remaining faithful to the work he is calling them to do in Eforie Sud, to make disciples and watch Him build his church in this city.


The last couple I want to share with you is one that has gripped and touched my heart in a really powerful way. You see in many ways the season of life they are in is just like mine. Irenel & Christina are a younger couple (late 20s, early 30) and they have a 2 year old son, Sammy. This couple has planted a church in Lumina of about 20 adults, 10 kids and 10 youth. They are faithful, growing and have faith that really challenges mine. You see they are not really getting by, they live in a home with his mother & step-father and have just enough money to pay their utility bills. Irenel is unable to work as he has only the use of one of his arms and it very much limits the things he can do. Christina works part time, but is only able to do that so that Irenel has some time to invest in the church, while they share the duties of watching Sammy. You see their living situation is not as good as it may sound. Irenel's step-dad is an alcoholic and the environment that is created when he is there is not good for any of them. They are unable to have guests and notice a real difference in themselves and especially Sammy when he is around. I say when he is around as both Irenel's mom and step-dad go away to (Germany & Italy) work from time to time. During this time their family thrives, they are able to enjoy the house, each other and open their home to others as they so desperately desire to do. But the problem is the parents are on their last trip as they are getting to old to go work abroad and will be coming back to Lumina for good. Irenel, Christina and Sammy just don't have the money to rent their own place and that is a real shame and detriment to the work they are trying to do with Jesus in Lumina.

So you see I come back to my room tonight, not thinking the same way I did before I left. Not looking at life the same, not wishing I wasn't here. But feeling humbled to be a part of these peoples live, being able to encourage them in the work they are doing, pray with them and believing with them for God to show up and work things out.

I consider it an honor and a privilege to come alongside these courageous men and women who are living sold out lives for Jesus, trusting Him to meet their needs when it doesn't even seem possible. All just to see other come to an understand of how much Jesus loves them and wants to change their lives with His amazing love. How great is that!!! How great is my life!!! How blessed am I to be here!!!

It doesn't mean I am not missing my family loads, cause I am. But really it does make the sacrifices we each have to make as a family worth it. That is why we do what we do, that is why we are willing to make those sacrifices. Because people just like Matthew, Gabi, Gabi, Irenel & Christina. Thank you for them Jesus, they are heroes of our faith and examples to us all!!!