January Newsletter

<>
Hello all below is our update for January. These past few months we've been joyously overwhelmed by His goodness shown through so many of you. We are trying to create a newsletter that we can send via email with pictures and words but have found it difficult thus far. Hopefully in coming months we'll work something out. For now, please check our blogspot: jakenrenee.blogspot.com for updates with photos coming soon.

We have now been in Charlotte for about 2 weeks (depending on when you read this) and have felt at home from the beginning. The warmness and joy shown us upon our arrival has only grown. We continue to experience the reality that a Christ follower has family wherever there are other Christ followers.

This week we began our work at the Medical Clinic. Renee jumped right in helping in administrative roles, meeting with patients to connect them to other services (in Spanish), and even offering some of her wisdom for a grant they are in the process of writing. Jake gets to roam the waiting room of the clinic talking with patients and praying for them if they want. No one has said no. He even was able to pray for a woman from India (most patients are fully Spanish speaking) - her husband was extremely curious after this about the ways of Christianity. He continues to see how simple it is to love people. He is working on developing a way for others from the church to volunteer in this capacity in the future.

Gracie gets to be a little Mexican girl (guerita - pronounced 'wedita') most mornings at the home of a lady connected to the church named Lucia. She eats food they serve and is spoken to fully in Spanish. Lucia has told Renee that when Gracie is there, she is 100% Mexican. We laugh with joy at the fact that Gracie is so able to adapt and fit in to a culture much like she will know in Guatemala.

God provided a mother-in-law home for us a few days after being here. As it turns out the couple who is renting it to us (for a very good price) had just prayed a couple days prior for God to fill it with a missionary couple! We live farther away from church as we anticipated and the public transportation isn't what we thought so we are currently borrowing a car from a generous family in the church who was looking to sell it but is glad to allow us to borrow it for a couple weeks as we figure out what to do.

We look forward to our Guatemala trip February 24th. We've bought our tickets and are now doing some pre-work to set up appointments with the US Embassy, Housing agents, Doctors, and friends (Mario Xona - former CASS student at Reedley College). We will be traveling down with two other people from Charlotte connected to World Reach as we all do necessary work for the vision God has placed on our hearts for the town of Jocotillo, Guatemala.

As all this newness comes our way we do our best to 'remain in Jesus', for only in Him do we find strength. Our circumstances are unfamiliar, Renee and Gracie haven't been feeling the best, we are still on the learning curve of Spanish - but we know that God works out everything for our good. We must rest in Him.

We hope and pray that this finds you enjoying the love of our gracious God no matter your circumstance. Thank you again for your love and support! May you be encouraged and strengthened today in the goodness and faithfulness of our wonderful, personal Jesus.

Que Dios les Bendiga!
May God bless you all!

Love,
Jake, Renee, Gracie, and the bun in the oven.

Mailing Address:
Camino del Rey
133 Stetson Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28262

Email: jakenrenee@gmail.com
Website: jakenrenee.blogspot.com
Telephone: 559-372-3519