Josh, Courtney, Althea & Baby On The Way

We are truly proud of our beautiful daughter, Courtney, who along with husband Josh, has chosen to pass up the luxury and convenience of living in the U.S. in order to serve children in the Third World. Both of them graduated summa cum laude, and Courtney later earned a masters degree. They could have been successful at almost anything they tried, but they chose a less traveled way. Maybe it’s in the genes: Jerry’s parents were homesteaders among Mormons in rural Utah (1918-1932), Gloria and Jerry started a camp for delinquent boys in remote, rural, Eastern Kentucky in 1964, and Courtney’s oldest sister, Robin, spent 21 years in Colombia. Soon Courtney will experience a new challenge—giving birth to their second child in early November in Guatemala. We pray daily that our eighth grandchild will be bright, healthy, strong, and a faithful servant of the Lord.

Josh, Courtney, Althea, and their Great Dane, Leroy reside in a small house located on the side of a mountain overlooking San Marcos. A masonry wall and strong, steel security gate help provide protection along with the big bass bark from Leroy.
No one can accuse them of “living high on the hog.” They have no car, TV, nor appliances other than a propane cook stove. The latter might be considered a luxury in Guatemala, as most people cook on wood. Because they have no refrigerator, they eat little meat, and their milk is purchased in off-the-shelf cartons. The home has two bedrooms, a multi-purpose room, a real bathroom, and a veranda with a fabulous view of Lake Atitlan. One night we were with them when a storm was brewing over the lake. What a view we had of the lighting dancing between three volcanoes in the distance. Our walks to their home were infrequent, as climbing to their house involved negotiating dozens of steep steps straight up the mountain (see Gloria resting afterward in the hammock). Since our cottage was conveniently located adjacent to their school, they came to us.

Josh and Courtney are totally focused on the school (see previous post) they have founded. If you would like to contribute to that cause in order to provide scholarships for sweet, low-income children in San Marcos, we can let you know how to do that, and you will qualify for an income tax deduction. It costs about $950 per year to educate each child. Josh’s parents are sponsoring a fund-raising event on May 15, and Josh, Courtney, and Althea will be returning to Northern Virginia for that important event. To learn more about the school, please visit: http://www.escuelacaracol.org/ or http://www.atitlaneducationproject.org/ationproject.org/

Six-year-old Althea, with her winning smile and gift of gab, gets her share of attention from her parents and nearly everyone else in San Marcos. Like her parents, she speaks fluent Spanish, but English is also taught in Escuela Caracol, her school. She loves to be a helper, and upon entering nearly every restaurant, she heads for the kitchen, where she is well known by all the employees. Soon she emerges with order form in hand; when the meal is prepared, she often helps serve. No one seems to mind. We nearly lost her last fall when a branch broke in a Jocote tree she was climbing. She fell 15-20 feet, striking her head on a rock. Although she was in critical condition with a fractured skull, she seems in great shape now. She is quite athletic and even stands on her head, but the big scar is still clearly visible. God does answer fervent prayers!

We arrived back home in Texas yesterday with wonderful memories of Guatemala. We are eager to return there in November when the new baby arrives. Beginning on April 11, we will again be on the road with our Airstream until the end of October. Stay tuned for news updates as we travel from East Coast to West Coast, including some time in Canada.