July 17

Hi everyone. Let me share a couple of lines. Mary and I are well...finally. Mary in late June was sick two weeks with COVID (4th time) and dengue at the same time. That is behind her now. COVID has been running rampant all across the island. Three Sundays ago we had nine families out due to sickness caused by COVID or some flu variant. Things are settling down finally. Our church attendance is climbing back up. Frequently we have visitors. It is encouraging.

A couple of Saturdays ago we had an excursion for all who wished to go. Aibonito, a mountain town on the east side of the island, hosts an annual flower festival. Thirty-one of us endured a 7 hour trip in a school bus. (We all about died! 😀) . We ate too much, and bought plants we didn't need and a few of us fell asleep on the trip back to Aguadilla in spite of the bouncing and joggling of the school bus.

                                                                

Next week is a two day VBS. Like last year, Kendra and Paul Jones and their son Eli from Robinson, IL will be in charge of the event. We will provide snacks and lunches at the end of the two hour, two day event.  Our children are excited and we hope all turns out well for everyone involved. 

Everything is flowing smoothly. Our teaching and preaching schedule shared by several is working well. Last Sunday, one of our sound men (who was a Christian DJ for ten years and now a university professor), preached. He did a beautiful job. His wife (also a professor) sang a solo that touched so many of us.  The song leader grew up in our church. (He is a medical doctor and beginning his second year of residency. His wife, a sweetie, recently graduated from college (Summa Cum Laude). He did a wonderful job leading us to worship from the heart. It was quite a service. I am very proud of the accomplishments of so many in our church. We are blessed with many gifted, committed people. What about me? What did I do that Sunday? I played the guitar and did the announcements and did my best to love people as best as I could. You may think..."That's it?" I couldn't be happier. Everyday I pray that the Lord will bring in new people; families with babies/children...(would be especially nice 😁) and leaders that would replace me when He is ready. 

Well, I am going to stop. I don't like long blogs. Short and sweet is best. Blessings to each of you.  

Johnathan and Mary

Click to enlarge the photos

African tulip tree seeds

(God never ceases to amaze me)

Codfish fritters
(Bacalaitos)

June 11, 2024

"They clean up pretty good!"

Greetings from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. This has been a busy week so far but there is always time to write to our friends of so many years… you. Hope you are well and enjoy serving the Lord. Mary and I certainly do. As time passes, we want, more and more, to put Him in the center of our lives so that all things revolve around that relationship.  

 I think I last wrote just after Mother's Day. We had a good crowd that Sunday and the following Sunday as well. Then the following two Sundays the church was emptier than I had expected. It is the annual ebb and flow of church attendance almost everywhere. We always fluctuate in the summer. I counted five families traveling off island to VA, PA, TX, the Dominican Republic and throughout the Caribbean on a cruise. At the same time, four families were out due to sickness. It seems like soooo many are sick with flu, colds, and a variety of viruses. How Mary and I have escaped is a mystery. Fingers crossed! These "ups and downs" do take away my smile but I know it is temporary. Honestly, we have been blessed with several visitors. A daily prayer of mine is that the Lord would bring people to our congregation, especially families with little ones.  Jesus said we will not be heard for our many words. However, He also taught we are to never give up praying for specifics. "Always keep asking". So, we pray on. 

Freshly painted church building

Let's get to some particulars. At the end of May the church celebrated the graduates, from kinder, grade school, intermediate, high school, college, and even post-graduate. Each one received a gift and we celebrated everyone's accomplishments with a cake after the service.  

During the following week we were very busy getting the church building ready to paint. I cannot recall for sure when we last painted although it seems it was after Hurricane Maria, in the spring/summer of 2018. As like last time, our church bought all the paint and supplies but a team of seven from the Highland Church of Christ, Robinson, IL painted the building from top to bottom. The entire church was delighted with the end results. It was a wonderful gift. I suppose they saved the church $2,000.00 in labor costs. We will remember, for a long time, their kindness and generosity.

Painters from Highland Church of Christ

That was last week and this week we are gearing up for Father's Day--I'll let Mary fill you in. Greetings from HOT Puerto Rico!! Yesterday the heat index was 112 F.  Father's Day is this Sunday, and the church is busy getting ready. We have assigned the ladies food to bring, and the presents have been bought. On Saturday, the decoration committee decorates the tables, getting ready for the meal on Sunday, after the service. All is under control as far as I know!

A little family news: Our granddaughter graduated with honors last Friday night. She was also the student of the year at her school. We are very proud of her and can’t believe that in August she starts college!!!! (We are getting older by the day!) We were thrilled that our son Ben, and his wife Tiffany were able to come for Nicole's graduation. It was great to have all the family together for such a wonderful event.

Well, we have used up our space of one page. Blessings!

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Family down for our granddaughter's
graduation from high school

Orchid from our flower garden

Awarded by her school, 
"Student of the year"