Current Family Blogging

Current family blogging at Selah site (Tia's primary blog spot):  http://selahrest.blogspot.com/

As we cleared the jungle mist....

As we cleared the jungle mist, we saw the airport ahead. Then realizing ….

Thus Kevin began and ended his portion of the blog . Not a bad start, except that instead of jungle mist, we left the Fort Buchanan Army Base dewy darkness—at 4:30am. We returned our rental car (which had served us in excellent fashion) and our gps (which had served us in más o menos fashion) to the Enterprise car rental spot. From there, a van whisked us to the airport where we checked in and then found out that we had to go through the FDA check point first to have all our luggage x-rayed.

Now we find ourselves flying along the eastern edge of Florida at great rates of speed. Reflecting on our visit, Puerto Rico is special because on one hand, the country and culture is foreign, but at the same time, we still feel the comfort of “home.” Using American dollars, being able to switch between languages and not standing out when you do, not having to fill out immigration forms, seeing US postal services and familiar businesses, seeing Old Glory flying next to the Puerto Rican flag—all these give one the sense that, “Yes, I am in the US.”  However, at the same time, distances are in kilometers, gas comes by the liter, signs are in Spanish, housing reflects a more Latino style, and flora and fauna are very tropical. Just a wonderful blend.

Our last full day in Puerto Rico—yesterday—featured our return from the west coast area to San Juan and then a few hours finding some businesses we were curious about. Specifically, we wanted to visit the U.S. Veterans Administration Caribbean Medical Center –basically the Puerto Rican version of the VA Dayton Medical Center. We found it in San Juan, along the route of the elevated metro line.  Being that it serves such a large population (Caribbean region), the center is quite large.  (The VA Caribbean Healthcare System provides services to a population of 150,000 Veterans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.)

We ate there at the canteen (cafeteria), just at their subway shop, and checked out their retail shop (which had everything—even pet food and dresses and electronic equipment—in a very small area. We found the prosthetics department, just to look at—not to visit—and that was about it. A successful discovery.

As I mentioned earlier, for the beginning and end of our journey we stayed at Caney Lodge at Fort Buchanan Army Base. We enjoyed being around the soldiers and their families—mostly Puerto Ricans. On Wednesdays (yesterday), we discovered another benefit. Caney Lodge offers to its residents a complimentary supper—a type of barbecue taco with green salad, potato salad, and fruit salad.  Sweet—literally and figuratively.

Beyond that yummy conclusion, I took a jaunt to the commissary to pick up some souvenir t-shirts for the kids, and a package of Puerto Rican coffee, just to try. 

Overall, an excellent journey and experiment in travel.  To conclude, I will review here my list of random observations on Puerto Rico—edited from the one posted mid-trip.

• Puerto Ricans offer so much help to a newcomer.
• Sand crabs in your bedroom and lizards zipping around.
• Like other LA countries, the lemons are green.
• I had gallo pinto at lunch (with my shrimp mofongo), but without Lizano sauce (native to Costa Rica), gallo pinto has less tang to it. 
• You can drive 2/3s across the country in less than two hours.
• Gas is about $3.40 per gallon, but except for on the army base, you purchase it in liters.
• Hammock hooks on the porch, hurricane shutters on the windows
• Right along with the Puerto Rican flag, flies the United States flag--even over El Morro, a castle fort built in the 1530s.
• Flying back and forth to the mainland--no immigration forms to fill out.
• A lot of people here drive slow in the left lane.
• A high police presence, and they, too, are helpful--I had to ask one for directions.
• Signs in the woods warning against rabid mongoose.
• Speak in English, speak in Spanish--most the time, you get to pick the language.
• I have seen more baseball stadiums than soccer fields.
• You drive down the highway, turn the corner, and there's the ocean. 
• On Sunday, we praised the Lord and prayed with brothers and sisters ...and it reminded us of special days in other places, but mostly it thrilled our souls this very morning (Sunday, 3/23).  We always need to be attentive to the here and now . . . . living in the past robs us of the present.

We sat by the sea six times today...

We sat today by the sea six times.
Watching waves and flows, ebbs and rise,
Water that before touched lives and lands,
Coming here to us today via rock and sands.

Like life of joy and sometimes pain
Tides like days, no two the same.
One still can stand upon the shore
Watching firm in faith, upon the Lord.

Two photo albums from our current pitstop (Villas del Mar Hau) and today's traveling. The first shows pictures from our Villa by the Atlantic Ocean. The second shows our Amazing Race detours today (Monday): Isabella and Aguadilla

 .

Pit stop: Parada Villas del Mar Hau (Isabela, PR)

VIA SABANA SECA and LEVITTOWN

OBSERVATIONS
• A sand crab just peaked out from under the dresser... 
• Like other LA countries, the lemons are green.
  
• I had gallo pinto at lunch (with my shrimp mofongo), but without Lizano sauce (native to Costa Rica), gallo pinto has less tang to it. 
• I drove about 2/3s across the country, and it took only an hour and a half at the most. 
• I drove yesterday, and therefore we have fewer pictures today. 
• Geckos, of a variety in color and design.
  
• Gas is about $3.40 per gallon, but except for on the army base, you purchase it in liters.
• Hammock hooks on my porch, hurrican shutters on my windos
• A lot of people here drive slow in the left lane.
• Puerto Ricans are super helpful. 
• A high police presence, and they, too, are helpful--I had to ask one for directions.
• Signs in the woods warning against rabid mongoose.
• Speak in English, speak in Spanish--most the time, you get to pick the language.
• Our Suzuki is reliable and runs well.
• I have seen more baseball stadiums than soccer fields.
• You drive down the highway, turn the corner, and there's the ocean. And you drive a little further (on the weekend), and there are all the people at the beach. Sometimes with really loud music. 
• We praised the Lord and prayed with brothers and sisters ...and it reminded us of special days in other places, but mostly it thrilled our souls this very morning (Sunday, 3/23).  We always need to be attentive to the here and now . . . . living in the past robs us of the present. 
  

The Amazing Race . . . 98 Steps

I climbed 98 steps this afternoon. Up into an observation tower mid-way up the mountain Yunque, the highest peak in Puerto Rico. Kevin waited below and helped tourists get their family photos taken in front of an exquisite view of the valley out to the sea.

A rain forest is just that because of the forest and high quantity of rain, and a tropical rain forest has to be located in the ranges between the Tropicorn of Cancer and the Tropicorn of Capicorn (in other words, near the equator). The difference in rain fall of a temperate rain forest (Pacific Northwest) and a tropical rain forest:  100 inches per year compared to up to 400 inches per year.  El Yunque is one of few tropical rain forests in the USA (some sites say the only, but Hawaii and the Virgin Islands have some, best I see).

El Yunque (or "yunk" as the GPS lady reads it instead of the Spanish "june-kay") was our destination today when we left our hotel at the base. We enjoyed the ride out to the country where most the surrounds remind us of the years we lived in Costa Rica.

"No somos molines. Somos gigantes."  Written on the side of a wall (there's a lot of graffiti here), this quote really caught my attention with its reto (challenge) and its literary allusion. I challenge you, the reader, to write me and tell me what is the translation, allusion, and challenge behind those words.

After that venture, we grabbed our Puerto Rican roadmap (tearproof and waterproof, from National Geographic...but still super hard to fold in the car). I navigated while Kevin drove and we explored the northeast coast of Puerto Rico between San Juan and Loíza ("louisa") and Luqillo. Luquillo was a beautiful short beach with rental cottages all along. When the winds picked up, and rain began to fall, we followed the tsunami evacuation signs back out to the main route. Naturally, it wasn't such a storm, but with those tall palms swaying and bending, I could only imagine.


Next, in Loiza, we found the oldest, continuously-used church in Puerto Rico--not a bit marked, but we found it all on our own discovery with the guidebook and map. Then we drove through Piñones National Forest, which is bordered by mangrove-style and low-growing trees right on sand-duned ridges. With cars parked right at the trees, Puerto Ricans covered the beaches with family and fun. (Oh, the rain had stopped by now.) Colorful wood shacks and advertising tropical fruits and "jueye" meat (crab). Then passed that point, we drive into Carolina, with its very manicured high ways and sparkling high-rises. A whole different world.

Kevin and I realized that neither of us have ever been on such a large island--even if it is only the size of Connecticut.

Finally, it was time to find our next hotel--San Miguel Plaza Hotel. We had not wanted to move yet, but somehow a mix-up of dates had occurred and we were forced to. It's not easy to find a hotel the night before in Puerto Rico--at least not on a middle class budget. Furthermore, when we arrived here in Bayamon, we were further discouraged when the elevator from the parking garage didn't work, and we had to climb a stairway--with luggage--to the lobby. Following that difficulty, we discovered that the advertised restaurant was closed.

I mentally prepared to write a scathing review of the hotel--which proudly displayed its awards from 2007, 2008, and 2010--on the three or four hotel sites I have become very familar with lately. However, in the fifteen minutes of rest that we gathered before venturing out for supper, the hotel had fixed the elevator. And Kevin is happy with the air conditioning, so I'm holding off for a bit. We'll see how this goes.

Having large, Puerto Rican style lunches, we usually eat supper at more familiar haunts. Tonight was Subway, a block or so down the road. In the first half hour we were there, just as many people came in for small coffees (and cookies sometimes) as they did for sandwiches. By 5:30, the sandwich line picked up more.

We have also learned today that the "amarillo" ("yellow" in Spanish) 

means "banana" (as opposed to a plaintain), 

and "china" means "orange" (as in, the fruit). 

The Amazing Race trolleys into the past

Kevin and Tia set out this morning aiming for Puerto Rico's famous fort "El Morro," built over 400 years ago. Basically Old San Juan, where the fort stands guard, is the oldest city in the USA if one counts the territories.  Our challenge ("speed bump," if you will) was the fact that we knew that to get to the fort, a tourist must walk at least 1/4 of a mile--not good for our disability.

But we set forth anyway (after a continental breakfast at the hotel), with prayers and hoping. We got ourselves into Old San Juan, and found a parking garage near the site. On the internet, Tia had researched a free trolley system running around Old San Juan, and when one appeared, we grabbed the opportunity for a ride around the town. What a pure delight (and answer to prayer) when we discovered that the trolley drives right up to the entrance of the fort. Our speed bump was conquered, and we enjoyed the history of Spain-meets-the-USA.

For the rest, I will let you peruse the photos....

Tia and Kevin's Amazing Race 2013: the first pitstops

When we set out for San Juan yesterday, we were looking forward to having a get-away and getting back to tasting Latin American culture.  Once landed, we discovered a few other treasures and adventures, and immediately, this became our version of the "Amazing Race."

Being that Kevin is no longer able to walk long distances, we do take wheelchair transportation through airports. When we arrived at the Luis Muños Marin Airport in San Juan, we realized that this had greater benefit than just physical aid.  A young man with a wheelchair started out with, "English or Spanish?" And we eagerly went with "We need to practice Spanish please," and thus our escort began a whisking through the airport with such a welcoming spirit. He helped us through a myriad of walkways, hallways, and elevators, right to our luggage area. He helped get the baggage off the carousel, and took us all the way to the Enterprise van, speaking with the driver so that the van was most accessible. And all the while, we practiced Spanish. Yes, we tipped the young man, but our appreciation went well beyond the material value.

Puerto Rico reminds us a lot of Costa Rica, except that the buildings are taller and many seem newer. The Enterprise shuttle took us to the company and after signing off on a little red Suzuki Vitari, Tia gets to drive out into the city -- oh, wee.  In most of our travels and adventures, Kevin has been driver, Tia the navigator. However, no vehicles fit Kevin's prosthethic leg needs because of those consoles put between the two front seats.  Trucks are good, but that is not an option here. So Tia gets to drive.  That certainly elevated the trip to the "Amazing Race" status for me.

So I got out on those "Island of Enchantment" highways and followed the voice of the GPS as she tried to pronounce Spanish names in English pronunciation.  Suddenly "calle" ("street," pronounced kai-yeah) became "call." So it went. We aimed for the army base, Fort Buchanan, where we intend to stay at Caney Lodge the first few days. Many of you know how it is to drive around areas unknown to you, following directions and dodging city traffic as you get on and off exits that you didn't even know were there. Needless to say (but I will have to admit it here), I did miss a turn here or there, but eventually the GPS and the Suzuki led us to the gate we were headed for.

As another "many of you" know, getting to the gate of an army base does not guarantee access.  Bases have dozens of gates sometimes, and in this case, we arrived at a working gate, but its hours of operation did not match up with our arrival.  A sign indicated that when the gate was closed, entrants were to pass to the gate at PR28.  Which, of course, meant nothing to us.

Correction. I did recognize it as a route, but where was this route and on which direction do we go when we find it. You get the picture.  Again, very "Amazing Race."

So as soon as we could, we stopped a gentleman at a restaurant called "Fiesta" and asked directions. Oh, yes, he was glad to help us. He knew just what we were looking for. "English or Spanish?"  "Spanish."  So he began to direct us.  At first, no problem; we could follow everything he said. But by the time I got to his fifth or sixth turn and road description, I knew there was no way we could remember all these directions. He continued on, and then asked if we understood.  "Oh, sí, sí, sí." Understanding was not the problem.  Remembering would be the problem.  His last comment:  "If you do it wrong, you'll end up back here again."  Major foreshadowing.  

So we left him, started following the directions, saw a Denny's and decided to have lunch.

We enjoyed lunch, but decided to call the Caney Lodge and get directions from someone there.  I had to borrow a pen (can you believe I didn't pack a pen--even in my personal bag!?), and we were on the phone for probably 20 minutes getting directions--in English--from someone who knew where we were at (or so she thought). We scribbled the directions down on a napkin, and using those directions, two different GPSs, and reading signs (that are not continuous in their direction), we wandered around the area for another hour or so.  The directions given were just not working.  Finally, we stopped at a Dunkin Donuts (just for coffee, bathroom, and directions), and another young man was called over to help us.  "English or Spanish," he asked.  "English this time," I replied.

WIth this young man's directions, we discovered that our original napkin directions were not quite complete, but now we were at least on the correct path. We were no longer passing the Fiesta. We still had another "detour," but on the return from that last missed turn, we finally saw a sign for Route 28!

Exhausted and excited, we were happy to see some of the landmarks (the federal prison, for instance) that the first gentleman had indicated.

Once on base, all the napkin directions worked just fine, and we arrived at the day's final pit stop: "El Caney Lodge." ("Caney" is the indigenous tribal word for the house of a chief).  Once settled, we explored the base some and then ate barbecue on an outside patio. Nice breezes, birds singing, a bit of humidity, but not too bad.

Tia and Kevin's Amazing Race 2013

“Los exploradores.” – Missing the cultures and language that we grew to love over the years lived in South and Central America, Kevin and I decided to explore the one spot in the US that still holds strong its Latin legacy and lore—and even nationality.  Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since 1898, and advocates for statehood constantly confront those loyal to maintaining commonwealth status in order to guard culture and history.  

As for the Reillys, we desire to visit and explore this spot in the world because it is a taste of our old home within the fronteras of our new home.  In actuality, when we decided to take this vacation some months ago, we began our exploration with a tour book. Through the Midwest evenings of late winter through spring, we have read of the history, language, fauna, culture, food, and places.  

This morning, we boarded a Airtrans jet (business class!) and flew to Baltimore, and now on Southwest (not in business class) we’re headed four hours south to San Juan, Puerto Rico.  And for all those who always thought that when we lived in Costa Rica we were living on an island, this time we are going to an island.  Puerto Rico is part of the Antilles, between Hispaniola (Dominican Republic/Haiti) and the Virgin Islands.

Goals for this trip:  see palm trees, listen to the ocean, check out the army base and VA medical center, PRACTICE SPANISH, visit a local church . . . . 

And when we arrived in San Juan (our first "pit stop" in this Amazing Race), the Spanish flowing full and free from voices all around me almost made me tear up.

Tomorrow I will tell you why this trip is now called our "Amazing Race."

Another Library Missions Trip -- New opportunity in leadership!

¡Qué emoción!  How exciting—our first foreign library ministry opportunity.  Well, yes, the other library trips have certainly been in foreign countries, cultures, and languages, but this year’s library project branches our ministry into our first Spanish-speaking seminary library.

To date, retired Cedarville University professor Dr. Beverly Monroe has taken over twenty trips to English-speaking, Bible-teaching seminaries and schools around the world to assist in cleaning, organizing, and cataloging online campus libraries.  I have had the privilege to work on three of those projects with her and her colleagues—first in Costa Rica, where we worked at Sojourn Academy (elementary and high school), and then two trips to Santiago Christian Academy in Chile.

This new chance to minister to evangelical seminary professors and students is the first time our team has ventured into a second-language library.  As the team-leader this time, my responsibilities include putting together a team and budget, investigating the library’s inventory and needs ahead of time, arranging room and board, transport, budget, and project supply preparation. 

I am excited to see how the Lord is leading this project.  Already since starting communications with the library, I have seen the following blessings:

• The seminary business manager is someone with whom I worked closely during our ministry years in the country
• The team has come together almost automatically from the very beginning: two long-time, fellow-Spanish-speaking friends have been wanting to help with the library ministry
• I was able to chaperone a high school missions trip to this same area and had the opportunity to see the library and its needs first-hand
• …which meant that two of us were able to meet with the administration and already have set processes in motion so that the project this summer will be further along and ready for us to get more deeply into the project.
• The seminary has offered to provide food and housing for us so that we can concentrate on transportation (flight, etc.) and material costs. 

With the goal of updating and providing better student and professor access to materials, the teams bring along and render days and weeks of work to help these schools and seminaries better operate for God’s glory and in His kingdom. 

We also have opportunities to visit churches, encourage missionaries and students who attend the school.  All of the team, too, looks forward to using abilities in both library services and in the Spanish language.   

A right-of-passage:  Galen's first Young's Run!  September 18, 2011.

March 12, 2011

We have been busy—but good busy. Kevin has a good job with the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) at the Dayton Veteran’s Association Medical Center. As a service officer, he helps fellow veterans complete and follow up on paper work for claims and such. He really does a good job at it.

I have been teaching at Xenia Christian High School. Last year I taught Spanish at the Xenia Nazarene Christian school in Spanish, but I needed a fulltime job, and Nazarene did not have anything to offer. So now I work at a nearby, larger Christian school working with kids who need tutoring and intervention services. I would never have picked it out myself, but the Lord knew what I needed and He got me the spot via a friend who I’ve worked with in master’s courses at Cedarville University these past few summers. It’s a good fit and I’m learning loads.

Sean is in Afghanistan, while Christina and baby are in Clarksville, TN, at Fort Campbell. Just after Sean was deployed, Christina found a good church that she likes—a Christian Missionary and Alliance church. Plus she has joined a group of women who exercise together, and that helps her along. Please pray for her. I’m sure it’ll be a long year for her.

Katy attends a local college. She’s in her second year and just got a letter stating that she is the top scholar in her class. She will have an award ceremony –along with other honorees—in April. She studies secondary education and literature.

Colleen is a senior and Tara is a junior—both at the school where I teach. Next year will be the last year that my kids tag along to work with me. Man, I’ll miss that. I better enjoy every minute of these last two years. Colleen looks forward to being done, and she’ll probably go on to study teaching like Katy. Tara’s not sure what she’ll do yet, but she’s a good student, and I am sure she will do well in college.

Colleen just began a relationship with a young man in our church. His name is Ben, and we’ll see how this goes.

Both the “little” girls did cheerleading over the winter, and now life has slowed down as that is over. Now Colleen has to focus on getting a job and getting into college. Tara needs to focus on getting her driver’s license and maybe getting a summer job.

At church, Kevin and I are on the missions committee (can’t imagine why they asked us J), and I sing in the choir. I also play the piano for two singing groups at school. I had asked the Lord to find me a place to use the piano playing again, and about a week later, the choir director at school asked if I would help. I love it.

This summer I will take another missions trip to Chile to help work on organizing a Christian school library. The group of library ladies with whom I’ve worked were supposed to go to Cameroon, Africa, to do something similar, but that trip fell through. I prefer going to Spanish-speaking places anyway.

Mid-January 2011

Basketball has been a big part of life these days....

The "little girls" are cheerleaders for Xenia Christian, so Kevin and I try to get to as many of those games as possible. I've recently been trying to go to Kevin wheelchair basketball tournaments whenever possible—and they usually cover a whole weekend in various places (Wright State, Detroit, Louisville, Cleveland, etc.—of those, I’m just doing the first two) 

Everyone’s good. The master’s work is very slow. Hard to get interviews. 

Kevin just got a job down at the VA medical center, working as a service officer for the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). It really seems to be a God-provided fit: he helps veteran’s with the paperwork that he’s been doing for himself these past 20-plus years. Plus he is able to go to all his doctor appointments there without a problem. So far (two weeks), so good.

Yes, I have today off, but I have to do some returns at the Fairfield Commons area, and I have to do some teaching prep. January is a very busy month at XCS; they do a J-Term block scheduling, so the classes I teach are totally different—more challenging and a lot more grading and prep. But I like it.

Galen has celebrated his first birthday. Both the Stanfields and Kevin and I had the privilege of attending.

Sean leaves for Afghanistan in early February. The Lord answered this prayer regarding a mature, reliable roommate, so we are grateful for that. Please pray for Christina as she will be “alone” with toddler Galen for a year.  We’re going to go down to see them at the end of January. 

December 2010

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me.

Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

          Psalm 16:6-8 

Living 'tween cornfields in quaint village style,

My work is no longer as close as a mile.

  But so thankful we are for the job God provide

  From Tia so flows love and joy from inside.

  She teaches and tutors and listens and plans

  to find just the fit for where each student stands.

Kevin's health program still demands and still steers
toward nurses and doctors and biomedical engineers.
Again, we are thankful for the wealth of the care
That to many veterans the VA offers a share.
                                    Kevin waits and watches for just that thing
                                    That to his community God wants him to bring.

Son Sean lives away with Christina and son;
To visit them now takes a five-hour run.
But they're doing quite well, in spite of the plan
That Sean will soon have to go to Afghanistan.

Katy works double--she has college and a job
Both are a blessing, she loves what she does.
To her friends she bestows lots of love, hugs and more,
And weekly she leads them in a study from the Word.

Colleen and Tara switched schools with their mom

And again in this gym they each reach for a pom

At basketball games they plan a great cheer

Not so much for the homework that comes with the year.

While Tara continues studying violin songs
Colleen works on photography all weekend long
Tara dabbles in Irving and art's fine line,
While Colleen relishes MacBeth and other design.
At church, they help with the two's and the three's
And at the end of the day, they take happy "zzzz's."

     So like in years past, when our kids were quite small,
Or even when children we had none at all,
Or like recent times, all growing up together,
This year, too, our prayers with you gather.
As God guides us and blesses, no matter what we see,
We pray the same for you and yours--in His will to be.

   With faith in Him,  

    Kevin and Tia

Ps&Ps September 2010

Dear Friends,

As our official time with ABWE runs to an end, we are sad and excited at the same time. The sad because it is a type of “goodbye,” and excited because we look forward to God’s next adventure in ministry for us. And even though we will no longer be in that one spot that He had for us before, we have been so blessed by that experience—and that blessing never goes away. –He blessed us through our team families, through our Paraguayan and Costa Rican coworkers and friends, through the preaching and teaching and directing that He taught us and worked through. What a treasure! And we know that God gives those treasures of work/ministry experiences no matter what country we are in—any and all of His workers can expect it if they are looking for His place for them.

In particular, we are excited already about a few possibilities. We praise the Lord that just over this past weekend, He led in a special way to provide a full-time employment for Tia at a Christian school not too far away. It was not exactly what she was looking for, but once again, God had a surprise for her in ministry—and she has already begun.

Praise, too, as all our belongings from Costa Rica arrived safe and sound this Labor Day weekend--so we labored. The 67 boxes are certainly not all yet unpacked, but some are, and the rest have been stored around the inside edges of the garage. 

Please continue to pray for Kevin. He has had some difficulties again with his prosthesis this week (two weeks ago the bioengineers/doctors worked on the same problem), which causes pain and sometimes sores. We are waiting on the Lord, too, for Him to show us just the right ministry/job for Kevin. He has his application in several places, and one particular position interests him.

Pray for the three girls, please. Katy has started her second year in college, and still has an excellent job taking care of a home-bound lady with Downs Syndrome and other serious disabilities.

Colleen and Tara will be coming to school with Mom, so they have a new school year ahead in more than one way. 

The last weeks before school started, Colleen, Tara and Tia have been busy helping with our church’s kindergarten readiness program. Each pre-kinder student has their own teacher all morning to help with readiness skills. A very well developed program!

Galen at 8 mos.

Sean with JoAnne Kendall

Sean just finished up his army training on September 2, so we have all enjoyed a great time this past week visiting with him again (the first time since early July and the second time since April, and the third time since February)--but probably not as much as Christina has. She and Galen are doing very well. Sean will be here three weeks and then be stationed down at Fort Campbell, KY.

We recently had a visit from Tia’s sister Shelly, with all her family. That was a terrific opportunity to visit. And right after that, a nephew of Kevin’s got married out in NJ, so we traveled out there and were able to visit with most of his siblings and his mother.

Tia’s almost finished with her masters—she just has the research project to do, and she has a good start on that. Please pray for diligence and time.

With faith in Him,

Kevin and Tia Reilly

Praises and Prayer Requests (Ps&Ps) August 2010

• PRAISE for: 
• Colleen's safe and profitable mission trip to Costa Rica -- more info and pictures here.
•  The first steps of getting our belongings from Costa Rica to Ohio is done--the items are packed up by professional movers, supervised by fellow ABWE missionary Cam Woolford, to whom we are most grateful.
• All the items we are not bringing were sold to coworkers in a short amount of time.
• Our home in Costa Rica is sold to another family in the ministry--we are very pleased with that--it's a great home for fellowship and get-togethers.

• PRAYER please: 
• that this transition time continues to go smoothly, and that we see clearly what the Lord wants us to do next.
• for safety in the coming weekend to travel to a wedding in New Jersey.
• for the girls and Tia as they work with our church kindergarten readiness program.

We're enjoying visits this week from Katy's friends from Costa Rica and Honduras, and then Tia's sister and family. We continue to be involved with volunteer work, with appointments at the Veteran's medical center, spending time with our girls and grandbaby.... and with looking for employment where we can continue to carry on the work of the Kingdom.

With faith in Him,

Kevin and Tia

Ps&Ps July 2010

Dear Praying Family,

We appreciate so much the many notes of encouragement that we have received in the last few weeks—via email, blog responses, or regular post. Thank you for your continued prayers and love and care.

We do need help with some prayer requests and praises:

•   Today (July 22) Colleen flies back from Costa Rica, after spending a month there working at Sojourn Academy’s summer camp program. All went very well there!
•   Tomorrow (July 23), movers are to go into our house in Costa Rica and pack up the belongings that we still have there. (For those of you who remember the misadventure we had in shipping our belongings to Costa Rica, you know how helpful prayer will be at this point.) We thank the Lord for

o   a quick sell of our home in Costa Rica.

o   a quick sell and dispersion of all our big furniture and appliances.

o   A missionary coworker who is willing to help with supervising the huge task of having our items packed up and shipped back to us.

o   And all of this means that we do not need to physically return to Costa Rica to do this ourselves. That would have been complicated due to a number of life-situations.

•   We still need jobs, as well. We’re expecting God to provide just the right place where we can reflect His glory and work toward His kingdom goals.
•   We praise the Lord for the time we get to spend with Christina and grandbaby Galen; Sean continues in helicopter repair training until he graduates on September 2. They do not know yet where they will be stationed.

 Kevin and Tia Reilly

Another Beginning

We have enjoyed an excellent but difficult last six months. Our visits with many supporting church families have encouraged our souls. The hugs and smiles, the concern for Kevin’s health, the love expressed for the kids (and grandkid), the gifts towards our support—they have all been a great blessing. And for those we have not seen in person, many of you have written your encouragement. We thank you.

However, we have also been struggling these last six months—wanting, and moving toward, a return to the field, but it has been an unsettled drive. We have been reluctant, in spite of improve­ments in Kevin’s physical situation, to admit that going back overseas would not be best for his health. Due to chronic pain and due to maintaining the prosthesis, Kevin does not have the stamina to manage full-time ministry overseas. After conversations with administrators and with our pastor about various options, and after much prayer, we have tendered with sadness our resignation with ABWE as of August 31, 2010.

Ñanduti lace from Paraguay

This certainly will not be the end of ministry in our life, but it does mean that for these years in front of us, we will not be returning to the field. 

Costa Rica oxcart wheel

We love the ministries in which we have been involved in Paraguay and in Costa Rica. We enjoy fellowship and working alongside our ABWE colleagues. God has tremendously enriched and blessed our entire family since we joined ABWE in 1993. We know He will bless the next steps we take, and as well He will bless the steps of our ABWE coworkers in Costa Rica.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at reilly@hisnet.net.

With faith in Him, Kevin and Tia, Colleen and Tara