We are going back to Peru!

Dear friends and family

 The time is here.  We are going back to Peru!  The RCA gave us permission to return even though we are only 50+% funded; thank goodness because Albino received his US citizenship, and we have to go to comply with the immigration law (See previous posts for more explanation).

 

Tuesday, October 8, is D-Day for us.  Planning and packing are in progress; piles are everywhere around our place.  Goodbyes are happening.  And, we are looking forward to the “hellos” as well.  In Peru we will visit with friends in Lima for a few days before heading home to Cusco.  In Cusco we will stay at a friends’ home until we find our own rental apartment or house.  A last minute added blessing is my mom’s offer to helps us make the transition to Peru; she will be coming with us to help watch Doriana and give an extra look at potential places to live.  We are very grateful for her generosity.

Bittersweet is the best way to describe how we are feeling now.  We covet your prayers as we head back into ministry full time, continue to raise funds from a distance, make the transition to a “new” country, take our toddler daughter with us, and everything else you can imagine.  Thank you for your continued support.

We’ll do our best to continue to keep you updated on the Rodriguez family’s transition.

Blessings,

Albino, Sandy, Doriana, and Baby Rodriguez

When are you going back to Peru?

This is the question we are asked on at least a weekly basis.  It’s a good and valid question.  The answer is… we don’t know.  We don’t have a date.  Our goal is by the end of 2013.  Several things have to happen before we can go.

1. We must have 100% of our financial support pledged by churches and individual donors.   Check out our Mr. Potato Head to see how far along we are in the process. If you would like to know how to participate in our ministry in this way, please see   .  There is also an explication of what we mean by “pledges” vs. donations.

2.  Albino must receive his U.S. citizenship.  All of the paperwork has been filed.  Now it is up to the U.S. government to determine the timing.  He must have his biometric appointment, which we needed to reschedule due to our travels in April, before he receives his interview and civics exam date.  After that, we have to wait for the swearing-in ceremony.  According to the USCIS website, it is about a five month process.

We are praying that these two things occur simultaneously.  We don’t want to wait around for one or the other.  In the end, we can only say that we are doing our part, the rest is in God’s hands and His timing.  

Speaking

In the last month we have had two formal speaking engagements to share about our ministry.  The first one was at College Baptist Church in Hillsdale, MI; Sandy called this church, home for her college years.  It was incredibly fun to see old friends and meet some new ones.  The second was during a Sunday School class at our home church here in Holland. The more we talk about our plans, the more excited we are. The passion we have seems to spill out, and we see others interest rise, and they, too, begin to dream about how they may get involved.  As many people that have expressed interest in visiting us, we’ll have a stream of visitors in no time at all.  Will you be one?  J
It’s been a few dream-filled years.  Now it feels like we are really moving forward.  The few meetings that we had with youth in Cusco, before we came to the US, have continued thanks to our faithful Board of Directors.  Our financial support is slowly but surely coming in.  Dreams are being put on paper and spoken aloud for others to hear.  We’re forming partnerships and talking about others.  We’re even more anxious to get back.

18 Months

Here we are, 18 months into our stay in the US.  We came for Albino’s US green card.  That’s taken care of, thank goodness.  We can come in and out of the US without a problem.  That is a huge relief for us.  Now on to the citizenship step in this crazy process of working with US immigration.

We came to spend time with my family.  Done, but never enough.  We have seen my brother and sister multiple times in the last year, which is quite a feat for us considering we are regularly stationed in Mexico, Peru, and Massachusetts.  The best part has been having the first grandbaby in the house with my parents.  They often say that their day is not complete if they do not see Doriana.  What a joy it is to see our daughter “run” to give her abuelitos a hug and a kiss when they come in the door from work.

We came so that Albino could learn more about US culture and become fluent in English.  Albino started with minimal vocab in English; he can now discuss events in the daily life, politics and religion.  I no longer have to translate for every conversation :)  We have covered a good portion of US territory: from the Rocky Mountains to the cornfields of Iowa, visited cities of Chicago and Boston, cheered at professional and college football and baseball games, learned US history in Washington DC, and touched the Atlantic Ocean. 

We came to find a new sending organization.  Though we had an excellent relationship with Wycliffe Associates and ATEK, we knew that God was calling us to a new ministry with La Casa del Maestro (www.casadelmaestro.org).  It led to a mutual parting of ways with WA.  We have now been accepted by the Reformed Church in America (www.rca.org) who will be our partner for the next three years at least.  God is good.

Summary

Snapshot of our life and ministry right now (check out other tabs for more details)

Doriana Grace - born in November, likes to smile, coo, cry, sleep and eat. She is the joy of our life (see Photos/Fotos)

Albino - learning English at the public school adult education classes and independent study, involved in BandOfBrothers (BoB Bible study), of course takes care of Doriana, and working on ATEK publications of discipleship manuals and Bible dictionary (see Ministry/Ministerio)

Sandy - stay-at-home, working mom. changes diapers, nurses and plays with Doriana, and tries to keep on top of housework and family needs. writing Sunday School curriculum for Quechua children (see Ministry/Ministerio).

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Time really has passed quickly these last six months that we have been in the U.S. I, Sandy, personally feel like just now we are able to settle into "normal" home life--whatever that is for us. Albino is enrolled in English classes four days a week at the public school. We received a great welcome at my parents' church. An outpouring of love and generosity has been betstowed upon us. We are so thankful for the community that surrounds us; we look forward to getting to know people better and continue our involvement. Albino and I are both involved in men's and women's Bible studies. I am also enjoying teaching second and third grade Sunday School. It's nice to teach again and not just write the curriculum.

The highlights of the last few months have been family events and having Doriana Grace (our two month old) here to share it with us. Being spread out, it is special to have family around. All the Wisners came together twice since September from Mexico, Michigan, and Massachusetts. The Rodriguez family has been able to watch Doriana grow from day one in the hospital via modern technology; the family put internet in the house just days before she was born. We truly thank God for Skype video. Abuelita Teodora is able to see her newest grandbaby on a regular basis. Here in Michigan we appreciate the ability to keep in touch with family who is so far away, being able to wish everyone a Merry Christmas "in person" or be together to celebrate birthdays. It closes the distance as much as possible.

Albino and I are working on making a "home." Home cannot be a location or a specific place for us. It is the presence of each other, Doriana, and whoever we are with at the moment. Knowing always that our true home is in heaven with our Lord. Whether we are in snowy Holland, Michigan or in the highlands of Peru we must find the secret of being content and appreciating the opportunities and ministry that God blesses us with in each location and the people we are with.

USA

Personalize a picture slideshow

So, we're here, in the good ole US of A.  We spent a month in Colorado Springs, Colorado, visiting my friends and home church and meeting new people.  It was a wonderful month catching up with people and being refreshed.  But, now it is nice to be "home" in Holland, Michigan.  We are with my parents for the foreseeable future.  Between household projects, visa paperwork, and general settling in activities, we've been busy. 

Of course, we have also continued to support ATEK on our home assignmentwith Wycliffe Associates.  Please pray for us as we go through this transition to working at home and long-distance with our Peruvian colleagues.