Off to Peru...

On Tuesday evening, Danny Canaviri and I will be taking a bus to La Paz, Bolivia's capital. From there, we will take another bus to the border with Peru and after crossing the border, we'll catch another bus to Cuzco. We hope to arrive in Cuzco sometime on New Year's day.

On Saturday, Jan 3, we will join a tour group and hike the Inca Trail. The four-day trek includes stops at several Inca ruins and ends at the well-known Inca site, Machu Picchu. We'll then stay there for a day and head back to Cuzco for our trip back to Santa Cruz. If all goes as planned, we'll be back home between Jan 8 and 10.

I'm praying this will be a great time away to get rested up for the next semester of ministry. I'm hoping it's also a great opportunity to hang out with Danny and also visit our missionaries in Peru as well as visit some amazing historic places. Please pray with me that we will have protection, fun and maybe even some rest!

AFTER THE BREAK...

School starts back up on the 12th along with all of the normal youth ministry activities. In addition to the weekly events, I will be facilitating a class on EVERY YOUNG MAN, GOD'S MAN for the 11th and 12th grade boys. This will be a three-week, daily "class" for discussion and study. Please pray with me that each of the students will be involved, attentive and ready to allow God to work in their lives.

Immediately following this class will be our junior high camp, Feb 4-6, followed by high school camp, Feb 9-13. Pray with me that things will fall in to place and preparations will come together. Pray also that the students will be ready for what the Lord has in store for each of them spiritually.

Merry Christmas!

Please enjoy an incredibly beautiful day of celebration with your family. May God's peace fill your hearts and lives!~ Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center Class of 2010 ~

Are the holidays a busy time?...

These last few weeks before the school break were incredibly full, but we were able to have a great end to a good semester at school.

During these weeks I was involved in finishing picture packets for those who ordered school portraits of their children. It's a fun, but tedious process that just takes some time.

We were able to finish up the Bible study series from Max Lucado's book, It's Not About Me. Those last three studies went very well and I believe it was a great series for where we are as a youth group.

On December 12th and 13th, I was also in charge of our bi-annual "garage sale" at school. We had more than forty vendors set up their treasures and several hundred shoppers filled the gymnasium looking for the best deals.

During finals week at school, we also had all the closing events for junior high and high school. Monday evening, the high school gathered for our last Bible study of the semester. On Wednesday afternoon, we had an end-of-semester youth group with the junior high, which included food, swimming and a brief challenge. On Thursday afternoon, we did the same with the high school students.On Wednesday evening, I had the junior class over for Christmas dinner and then I hosted the senior class on Thursday evening. It's been fun working with both classes as co-sponsor this year and I look forward to another semester with them.

Since school let for the holiday break, I've been working at the house trying to get caught up and even ahead. I still have a ways to go, but I'm making progress.

Coming up early in second semester, I'll be teaching a three-week portion of the 11th and 12th grade Bible class to the boys. We're going over the books Every Young Man's Battle and Every Young Man, God's Man. I'm looking forward to this time with these 17 young men.

Immediately following this series, we'll be going straight into our junior high and high school youth camps. Gary Hansen, SCCLC graduate of 2000, will be returning to Bolivia to speak at these events. I'm excited to have Gary back in this capacity and look forward to these opportunities to be challenged and challenge the youth spiritually.

In addition to these special events, I'll be resuming and continuing the regular youth activities. Please pray with me that during the break from classes, both the youth and I can be ready for the new semester.

Blessings on you and your family for Christmas and throughout the holidays. I won't be with my immediate family, but I'll be enjoying this special day with my missionary family.

John 1:14