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Have you ever been without running water for a time? Those stormy days when the pipes freeze, or the sudden panic when the well pump gives out. At those times we store water in any big container we can find, and eek out the smallest amount at a time to do necessary drinking, cooking, and the barest of
cleaning.

What if that’s how water use always was at your house? Imagine purchasing questionably clean water in 5 gallon buckets at prices you knew were too high, only to do it again later in the week.... every week. You’d skimp on washing, flushing, even drinking to make it to the next time you had to buy more. That’s
exactly what having water is like in communities like Villa Margarita – the community MCC partners with in Sucre, Bolivia, through Food for the Hungry.

But things are changing! In the last two years, Food for the Hungry has been able to partner with several other organizations, our church, and the city of Sucre to connect many families and a school to the city water. While the permits and logistical details are figured out by these organizations and city,
our church has supplied some matched money which helps purchase the 5000 liter holding tanks for 3-5 families to share. The families, the local church, and their neighbors then get involved by digging the trenches for the pipes to be laid into and creating a space for the tanks. Now these families will have a
consistent source of water which allows for benefits in health and hygiene in all sorts of ways!

It’s no surprise to these families that water and life are concepts that go hand in hand. In John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that drinking from worldly wells continues to make us thirsty, but His Living Water will, “become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” What a picture of God’s provision; life-giving water that wells up and is consistently present!

Want to be even more involved in this life-giving ministry?! The kids at VBS raised over $800 for another tank to provide water for 3-5 more families! AND stay tuned for more information in August about a possible mission trip to Bolivia in 2023! Come be a part of his Living Water!

  I’ve wanted to be a mother since I was a little girl.  At school though, when asked, I said I wanted to be a veterinarian because it wasn’t acceptable in the 70s to say I wanted to be a mom.  I went to college and got my degree in special education with an emphasis in deaf education, but I planned to stay home if I got married and had a baby. That was a tough conversation for Paul and I since I made more than he did in 1994 at a whopping $20,000 a year, but I was committed.  I wanted to be there for every step of mothering. I didn’t want to miss a thing. 

  When Paul and I got engaged, we talked about having kiddos and agreed on four. Was nine even a number and not too crazy? For two people who met at a summer camp for kiddos with physical disabilities, we thought more than two felt great and made sense. We adored kids.  All kids.  Kids with differences.  Kids with disabilities.  Just loved kids. 

  So, when I was pregnant with our fourth, Paul said he thought we were done and I emotionally fell apart.  By then, we were homeschooling our older two kids and had homeschooled our deaf foster son for a few years and that meant I was around a lot of families with more than four kids. I had shifted to wanting eight or ten, but not Paul.  Poor guy.  In his defense, I wasn’t a natural or even trained homemaker and I had to work super hard to keep it tidy and organized.  Homeschooling two, having a foster son in the public school, a preschooler, and being pregnant looked hard to Paul. And it was.  But I still wanted more kiddos.  

  We both prayed and sought God’s direction… and Esther arrived, our fifth. Then we prayed again and thought the Lord said we were done having children physically, but He actually meant … Paul Louis was arriving.  Paul Louis was my sixth c-section and so after prayer and discussions, we believed I should not have any more children biologically, but I didn’t think we were done adding to our family. 

  My mother died two months before Paul Louis was born. We switched jobs and then camps, which also meant new housing, when he was months old, so while I was praying for adoption, Paul wanted us to be more settled.

  The Lord led us to New Mexico, leaving our family, friends, church home, and community of eighteen years. To a land that was vastly different.  I asked Paul about adoption and he said, “When we own a house and a dog.”

  After renting in Edgewood for over a year, we bought a house in Sandia Park December of 2013.  I waited a week before asking Paul if a plan for a dog counted as the actual dog. Soon we contacted Adoption Assistance Agency to get the adoption ball rolling.  There was a waitlist for a wait list, so we got on it.  

 December of 2014, we were off the waitlist, our home study was completed, our family book was ready, and our names went into the adoptive family pool.  

 Two weeks later, I got a text from a friend of twenty-five years, “I’m pregnant.  I think this is a Brouse.”

  My jaw dropped.  This was a friend who took my job when I stayed home, who came to Thanksgivings and Christmases, who brought gifts to the hospital with each baby I had, and who we loved dearly. 

  After an amazing conversation, we said yes not only to adopting her baby, but to her moving in with us for her pregnancy.  She arrived two weeks later, moving into the bedroom and bathroom that friends helped us renovate so her wheelchair could fit in.  

  The seven months when Sarah lived with us were the most amazing of my life. Loving on a birthmother first hand, twenty-four seven, is … well… It's surreal.  And yet, it felt so so natural. 

And so, when the Lord started putting on my heart and into my dreams that this was a baby girl with Down syndrome…. Of course. 

  I kept the news to myself for a bit, but then told Paul and Sarah at the nineteen week mark. They both thought I was dramatic, but I knew.  I knew in my heart. 

  When the twenty-two week anatomy scan showed that Sarah was carrying a baby girl, I knew.  Paul said, “You’re only half right.”

  When the scan took a really long time, when they said our appointment would be a bit longer, when they asked to call the doctor… Sarah said, “You’re about to be right.”

And I was.  Our baby was a girl with Down syndrome.

There wasn’t a wet eye in the room.  No tears.  No fear.  No regret. 

Just peace.

  Our story started when Sarah was a fifteen year old with CP at a camp in Texas.  She was a camper while Paul was a counselor. Then, when she was seventeen, she was my counselor in training my first year. A friendship built on the belief that all children are fearfully and wonderfully made, led us to this road. To this ultrasound room.  And ultimately to the operating room where a beautiful baby girl was born on August 3, 2015.

  We named her Jubilee because she was our seventh child, born seven years after our previous, born in the year of Jubilee. Because the year of Jubilee is a celebration for a time of forgiven debts and fresh starts. We wanted Sarah to see her daughter’s birth as a fresh start as well as a celebration and we wanted every single person who ever saw or met this daughter to know she is worth celebrating.  

  Jubilee turned seven a couple of days ago and we all love her more than we ever thought we could. We see her value more and more every day and since we believed her value was priceless before she even was placed in our arms, that’s saying something.  

Adoption is demonstrated by our Lord.  We are His adopted children.

 I couldn’t be more grateful He allowed us to join the example of His story by the adoption of our Jubilee. 

  Summertime isn't over yet, but I know we are all trying to mentally prepare ourselves for the back-to-school frenzy, whether it is trying to gear up for early morning drop offs, packing lunchs, or even homeschool parents placing those last curriculum orders. 

  At Mountain Christian we are praying you find peace this start of the academic season and here are a few great ideas to help ease into the year from Focus on the Family website -

• Paper Chain Count Down

  For four years, my youngest had watched his older siblings make paper loop chains to count down to the first day of school. Each night at bedtime, they got to tear off one loop. When my youngest was ready for kindergarten, he wanted to start counting down before the other two kids even got out of school the previous spring. I think the chain that year had more than 100 loops on it. Then slowly, night by night, he made it to zero loops the evening before his first day of kindergarten.   – Erin Harris

• End-of-Summer Hangouts

  So many priorities compete for my family’s attention: school supply purchases, new bedtime routines and school clothes shopping. All are important, but there is one end-of-summer routine we are more purposeful about. We make a list of close friends and family. Then, we plan get-togethers with them before school is back in session.

  From visiting grandparents and cousins to spending time with friends and neighbors, our get-togethers vary from a meal to a game night to a day at a nearby river. Doing this alerts our kids that we are saying goodbye to summer.                  - Chelsea Strom

• Commission Each Student

  The week before school begins, my husband and I say a commissioning prayer over our three children. We remind them that God has called them to be missionaries in their school. In this way, by being good examples of love, compassion and attentiveness to their teachers and classmates. On the way to school, I pray for them to be good ambassadors of Christ on their mission field.              – Beth Meverden

• Anticipate the Coming Year

  My kids were home-schooled, and most of our curriculum was ordered online. I made a point of allowing each child a few choices in the selection process. Then we made a big production of “unwrapping” the new materials at summer’s end. It was a fun way to start into the school year.     – Cecilia Lynne

• Help Kids Rely on God’s Word

  Before my son, Barry, started seventh grade, we asked him to choose one verse that he could read every night before bed and another verse to read every morning before school. For his shyness, he chose to read Isaiah 41:13 in the morning. “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’ ” For his worry and doubt, he chose James 4:7 as his evening verse: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”      – Julie Dibble

• Find a Wake-Up Routine

  When our oldest daughter started kindergarten, we had to figure out the best way to get our little sleepyhead to wake up. After many frustrating mornings, we set our alarm for a half-hour before we had to start getting ready. When it rang, my husband would carry her from her bed into ours. We’d spend that half-hour snuggling while talking quietly or reading together. Then we all got up together. As her younger siblings have reached school age, they’ve joined the tradition.     – Beth Alsmeyer

• Morning Devotions with Breakfast

  When I realized my children needed help with the discipline of daily devotions, I made room for it in our morning routine. While my middle schoolers ate breakfast, I read the day’s Bible passage and message, and we discussed it. Once they headed off to school, I did the same for my elementary school daughter but with a different, more age-appropriate devotional.       – Kim Leane

• Downtime before Bedtime

  The one thing that helped my children transition to an earlier bedtime for the school year was creating more downtime in the evening. This included encouraging the boys to prepare for the next day, such as choosing an outfit and talking about a school-related activity they were looking forward to. By doing a few of these little things, we found that the boys were not only physically ready to sleep but also excited to go to bed with a clear idea of what tomorrow would bring.       – Courtney Roberts

• Back to School With Purpose

  Moving from a summer schedule to a school-year routine is a time of transition for families. To help children make this change for back to school 2022, parents can meet with their children’s teachers, take a tour of the school, set earlier bedtimes the week before and practice the morning routine days before school starts. Also, here are four ways I’ve helped my child ease into the new school-year schedule:

  Picture calendar. My son and I create a picture calendar that helps him visually understand when he will go to school and when he will stay home. A different picture is pasted on home days than on school days. The vagueness of going to school sometimes is replaced by a concrete way to understand his schedule.

  Mini-missions. As my child goes off to school, I send him with a “mission.” For example, I might ask him to tell a friend one kind thing today. (“You are my friend.” “Thank you for playing with me at recess.”) or invite someone who doesn’t have many friends to sit with him at lunch. These mini-missions help teach my child to focus on and encourage others.

  Goodbye ritual. When I drop my son off at school, I want to give him a focused perspective about who God calls him to be. So I have taught him that integrity means doing what is right, even when no one is watching. I ask, “How will you return to me?” when I drop him off. He responds, “With integrity, Mom!” Our goodbye ritual is the same every day. By emphasizing this character quality each day, I’m helping my son connect who he is at school with who he is at home.       – Lauren Osborne

1. Focus on the Family - Various Authors "Easy Ideas for a Better Back to School" July 2022, accessed July 28th 2022. https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/easy-ideas-for-a-better-back-to-school/

We recently recieved a thank you note for our participation in Operation Christmas Child in December. Reading it, it really stood as a reminder of the impact of OCC and the ministry of shoeboxes to children at Christmas.

"Thank you so much for your church's participation in this last year's collection of shoebox gifts with Operation Christmas Child.

We are so priviledged to be part of this year's 10.5 million shoeboxes that will bring the good news of Jesus to so many children in over 100 countries. Every 60 minutes, 163 children invite Jesus into their hearts. 1.6 million children have gone on to be part of the 12 - lesson discipleship classes called "The Greatest Journey" Amazing impacts around the world are happening.

Thank you again!"

- Central NM OCC

The rest of my time with the Lord that morning was sweet. He was washing me again with the truths of my call as a man, and the grace of His commission. I was in no hurry to leave this tender oasis of joy, reading, prayer and writing.

As people continued to stream by, I even witnessed a glimpse of pure goodness. An older sister - maybe 14 - was leading a younger sister through the crowds by the hand. And as they picked their way across the hotel lobby / food court / gambling hall / porn shop / distractaganza, they were talking and smiling together. It
was like another defiant assertion that truth and beauty refused to be snuffed out of this realm.

A short while later, I left my table mount, and made my way outside to place a phone call to my bride.

While I was there on the street at the strip, crowds were already milling about in the Saturday mid-morning. I was delighted to talk with her, catch up on what was happening back home, and share with each other about the Lord’s goodness.

About halfway through the call, there came the sound of a marching band, and I said, “I think that there’s some kind of parade coming.” Indeed, there was.

It turned out to be no more than a few instrumentalists; but they were followed by quite a spectacle. Women in high-feathered headdresses, and little else, were high-stepping behind them, waving their arms as they made their way through the sidewalk throngs. It was an advertisement for the evening’s performance with these showgirls, no doubt.

I saw the glitter and bright smiles on their faces; but honestly, I just couldn’t believe them. Deep down, they didn’t look like they were very happy.

I described the scene to Molly, and thinking of me, with sincerity she said, “I’m sorry.”

“No; it’s not a problem,” I responded, shaking my head. I am so sad for them. This is really terribly unattractive and tragic right now. My heart is broken for them.” I could only imagine what their life must be like, and what hardships they had known that very day, underneath all of the makeup.

By the time our conversation ended, I was in tears. Partly out of empathy, and partly out of joy for the goodness of the Lord.

Today, right now, somewhere in the world there are precious women who suffer terribly in service of the lies that our post-sexual-revolution world has foisted upon them. And right now, somewhere, there are men who are the objects of God’s affections, but who are sacrificing their wives, their children, and their very lives, searching for hope.

And right now, somewhere, there are also men who are risking their lives for a radical counter-cultural call of the Lord, to give themselves for their wives, their children, and their brethren in the gospel.

May we see as the Lord sees, from right here, right now - and be counted among them.

Oh dear friends; He answers the prayer of His children! His grace is full and sufficient for their daily needs. Be encouraged by His ready mercies!

And as for us brothers, I think that maybe the old KJV might have the expression that says it best. It’s found in 1 Corinthians 16:13 -

...quit yourselves like men.