Terry and Samantha Stinson

It has been so busy since Christmas I just realized that I have not written a blog since before then.  I honestly can’t believe how time has flown by.  Christmas Eve was wonderful with a house full of kids, getting more gifts than probably ever in their lives.  Clowy and Khayden were overwhelmed with the gifts sent by our family and close friends.  We were able to video chat with them that day.  On Christmas Eve night we invited some of our friends here is the village over for cake and celebration of Jesus’ birthday.  We shared in some food, then read the Christmas story and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.  After all was done, we went caroling through the village in our tank tops and flip flops with some of the kids.  It was a lot of fun.  Terry and I spent Christmas Day alone with Addy cooking dinner.  We connected with our home church Kingsway and listened to their Christmas Service.  We laughed some and cried even more, missing our family and friends on that day.  We are thankful for the opportunity to have spent this year with our Belizean family.  It was very special all on it’s own.

The New Year came in with lots of fire crackers. Terry and I spent that weekend together for some quality time and of course Addy.  She is just growing so much and so quickly.

Terry has spent the first part of 2012 upgrading his workshop.  God provided the funds to be able to put up a larger building with zinc and wood siding.  This work space will be much better for the young men to work and even allow more to come in and learn.  Although it has a roof and sides, there is still no floor so that will wait until God provides as He always does for the work to glorify His kingdom.  He has also completed a couple of building projects.  One big one is my completed kitchen.  I have beautiful cabinets, counter tops, an island, and a bathroom vanity and it is all amazing.  I thank the Lord above for the blessing of Terry Stinson being my husband.  He is so talented and driven to complete his work.  We praise God for all He has done for us in 2011 and look forward to what He will do in 2012.

I began online classes to obtain my Master’s Degree in Nursing with St. Xavier University on the 9th of this month.  I’m still not sure what I was thinking when I applied but I know what God was thinking.  That assurance that this is God’s will is the only thing getting me through.  Already into my second week and I still lack one book.  The professors have been awesome, working with me to make up for that short coming.  Just praying it arrives next Saturday with a team from Alabama.

Addy Grace is 6 months old today.  I think we should have her a 1/2 a year old party.  Any excuse for cake, right!  She is so strong sitting up and moving toward her favorite toys.  She eats cereal from a spoon and loves it.  Now if she would only sleep through the night, I would be set. LOL.  I know we will get there at some point.  She continues to be just the happiest baby, smiling and laughing all the time.  People that meet her are just taken by her and love her immediately.  I know God speaks to people when they see her.  Something about a twinkle in her eye.  This past week, I have been blessed by a couple of great friends that have watched Addy for a few hours so I could work on my school work.  One has already volunteered to do it again next week.  I am very blessed to have such a great network of people to support me.

Well, I did it.  My first blog of 2012.  I can’t believe it took me 19 days to do it.  I would promise to do it more often but I’m afraid I would begin rambling on about nursing theory or health care systems and then you would stop reading the posts!!!!  Anyway, I have to say that we love and appreciate all of you for you prayers for us, support sent to us, and the stories you share about us.  With one united purpose, to glorify God for all the things He does for us.

In just a few days we will be celebrating the birth of our Savior.  We have a busy weekend planned with a Birthday Party for Jesus, then a day full of Skype, cooking, and fellowshiping with visitors.

I have spent the evening posting pictures of the past week.  From distributing shoeboxes to enjoying sometime with great friends.  We have laughed and cried together and at times, just sat in God’s amazing glory and power.  I has been wonderful.

So there is a new album Big John & Terri visit and I added to the Shoebox shipment album.  We also have posted a video to our Facebook page and I am going to try to post it here as well.

We were definitely blessed by all the events of this week.  We first thank God for allowing us to spread His love in this way and then we thank you for spreading the love God has given you in this way.

We love you and wish you a very, very merry Christmas!

Christmas time’s a comin!

Last night was a lot of fun.  Khayden is here for the weekend and we decided to put up the Christmas tree.  I had found some plastic ball ornaments at one of the Chinese stores in red, blue, green, and purple so each child had their own color to put on the tree.  Before we started we sat down and read the story of Jesus’ birth from Luke and talked about the real reason that we celebrate Christmas.

This year will be different for Terry and I because it will be our first Christmas away from family in Virginia and with our family here in Belize.  We are excited to be able to share in this holiday with them.  They are truly like family and seem very excited that we will be here as well.  We are planning to celebrate Jesus’ birthday on Christmas Eve and have a little party.

In a little over a week we will be going out to distribute the shoe boxes that have been sent.  We are planning to visit with those receiving the boxes and reading the story of Jesus’ birth to them.  Above all other things we want to remind everyone that the reason for getting the boxes of treats is representing the greatest gift that was ever given to us in Jesus.  That the wise men offered gifts to Jesus as He was the Lord and Savior and anything we receive as a gift should remind us of what was given to us and how we should also give.

Terry has been working with a team from North Carolina at a nearby camp in Camelote Village.  They have almost completed a house for fellow missionaries that work with the camp.  It has been a week full of hard work and fellowship with servants of our great God.

We do ask that you pray for us specifically in this season.  Also for our families as it will be hard for them as well.  Pray for the shoe boxes and the children and families that will receive them and for us as we talk with them about Jesus.  Your prayers are felt each day and cover and protect us from so much.  We love each of you and again thank you for you love and support for the work that God has chosen us for.

Sitting on a rainy Sunday afternoon, thankful for this life.  God has chosen Terry and I to be here in Belize during this time.  To care for children that are not ours, but He has given us the chance to be there for them.  Khayden’s mother got back on her feet and felt she was ready to care for him again.  He is missed daily and we pray for him and his family each day as well.  We are thankful God gave us the short amount of time we had, to teach him all we could.

We watch Addy grow and learn new things.  She is now 4 months old and it is just amazing how God creates a life and doesn’t stop there.  She does something new all the time and I wonder how she learns.  I know that our awesome God has put instincts in each of us that I didn’t necessarily realize or understand until I watch this baby grow.  We are so blessed and thankful for this opportunity.  Please continue to keep the paperwork in your prayers.  For some reason it feels as if it is at a stand still and we honestly have no way of knowing when it will be complete.  I also ask you remember the McAmis family as they stand through this trial.  They want so bad to have this beautiful baby made just for them and the devil is doing everything to hinder God’s plan.  I praise God that we have victory in Him and He will soon crush satan under our heel.

Tomorrow we plan to go to the port in Belize City and pick up the shipment of Christmas Shoeboxes and personal items.  We are so excited to be able to hand out the love of Jesus to these kids and share the reason for Christmas.  We will post pictures of all the happenings by Christmas.  We were blessed to find out that friends from Texas will be coming the week before Christmas with a few people and will be able to help us hand out the gifts.  We ask that you pray for the shoeboxes and for us as we distribute them.  We have folks in mind to send them to but also know that some of these are going to folks that God will just show us.

Terry has been very busy the past few weeks.  Helping many other ministries complete construction projects and just being available to help when needed.  He has wired a preschool in More Tomorrow Village, as well as, installing two bathrooms in behind the church.  He was able to help a fellow missionary with some personal wiring needed to secure his property.  He had the opportunity to help Hearts of Christ pick up a huge shipment.  God will bless many lives through the donations made to that ministry.

We have begun to expand our property, laying block columns to be able to eventually enclose for additional bedrooms.  Also, we received a donation from Yalbac Lumber to be able to expand the workshop.  We are currently saving money to be able to put a zinc roof on and need to pour a concrete floor.  Joaquin, a local Belizean, continues to work and build out of the workshop teaching one full time young man and a second one that comes part time.

Next week Terry will be working with a mission team from North Carolina, helping build a house at a nearby mission.  He will also be in Valley of Peace Village to work on a building that was damaged in Hurricane Richard last year.  He is hoping to begin work on the kitchen cabinets for our home.  You all know Terry and know that he likes to keep a full plate and get as much done as possible.  We will be celebrating Thanksgiving with our friends and fellow missionaries on Friday evening.

As the Christmas season approaches it is bittersweet.  We are excited to be able to spend Christmas with our new family and friends here in Belize but will terribly miss our family and friends in the Tri-Cities.  I have already started preparing the house to set up decorations and talking to Clowy about the reason we celebrate Christmas.  We plan to have Jesus a birthday party and remind as many as we can the reason for the season, maybe starting a tradition for Belizeans.  Please pray for us and our families back home as we spend this holiday apart.

We look forward to the plans that God has for us and are thankful that you are a part of that.  Without you we could not keep this up.  We need your support and prayers to keep us going.  We pray blessings on each of you.

Another month is almost gone and I can’t hardly believe where the time goes.  Everyone is growing each day and learning new things.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers concerning Hurricane Rina.  We all need to praise the Lord because I know He answered many prayers.  One being that Belize would not be in the path of the hurricane but also that the strength of the hurricane would decrease, both of which, happened.  It was incredible to track a storm that was aimed directly for us turn North and after such fear of it’s strength, God calmed it back down and now is almost back to a Tropical Storm.  I am so amazed and thankful for the Lord and His power.

I have some exciting and scary news all at once.  I have been accepted into an online Master’s program in nursing.  Going back to school is not something I thought I would ever do, but being here makes me realize the need for further education.  The main reason for pursuing this is that I can one day attain a Nurse Practitioner license.  I will have to take a few more classes and complete my clinical hours but this is the start.  In addition, I can, with just four additional classes, become a Nursing School Instructor.  That could be used here or there, where ever the Lord leads.  So there is the exciting news, now for the scary part.  I’M GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!!!!  I am scared, not only because it has been awhile since I have been in school but, not having as many resources here or friends to lean on for help.  Not to mention the tuition.  I am now looking into scholarships and grants to help pay for it.  If not we may have to go into debt to pay for it.  But, I am calmed by God’s promise that He will not leave me and I have prayed about this and I truly feel this is where He is leading me.  Oh yeah, and I have four kids!  That is scary too but I know that I do have folks to watch them while I do school work and Terry is there for me as well.  Ok, so there you go, my news for the month.

Terry has been hard at work all month working still with Gaither Evangelistic Ministries.  Today he is in a village called More Tomorrow putting bathrooms in at a preschool and church.  He continues to take young men along side of him to teach and set an example for.  He is such a strong leader in hard work and making the decisions God would have us make.  I was just noticing this week that God gives these young men a desire to work with Terry.  They want to see what he is doing and learn from him.  Starting there and building a trusting relationship that eventually turns into asking for advice and then making changes to their own lives to follow Christ.  It is a blessing to be apart of God’s work in this way.

We are looking forward to November.  Lots of stuff going on.  Here in Belize they celebrate “harvest” which is a time to give thanks to God for His blessing on each of us.  This usually includes each church having a harvest service where the members will bring in fresh fruits and vegetables or baked goods, to symbolically give back to God and then they share with everyone in the congregation.

Another big reason we are looking forward to November is the shipment you all have been working on.  We are so excited to get the shoeboxes and distribute them.  These children will be so blessed by this gift and even more as we share God’s love and the story of Jesus with them.  We could never do what we do here without the help from you.

We praise God for all He is doing here and for allowing us to be a part of it.  We are looking forward to continuing to partner with other ministries and build more and deeper relationships with those around us.

Love to all.

The month of October has brought more rain and cooler temperatures at night.  Usually a severe or heavy rain storm comes in the evenings and drenches everyone and everything around.  There are quite a few places in the village where the road floods out completely and is impassable so depending on the weather we take different routes to get out of the village.

Family life goes on, fighting and playing.  Fixing lunch and supper, laundry and dishes, snotty noses and coughs, etc.  We are truly thankful for the opportunity to impact these kids lives in this way.  To hear them pray before meals and bedtime, to have them remind us of our manners and saying “yes sir or yes ma’am”.  Learning animal sounds and shapes and Spanish from Diego and Dora.  It is amazing to watch as they learn and grow each day.  

Addy is a greater blessing each day.  Smiling and laughing more and more.  Please be in prayer for her family in Nickelsville, Virginia.  The McAmis family is an amazing family that God has made just to raise and love Addy Grace.  Right now there are a lot of things up in the air about the paperwork on both sides and the devil is trying his hardest to discourage them and bring them down.  We know that God is bigger that any piece of paper and can and will do whatever He wants with the situation.  My prayer is for peace for all of us.

Right now, as many of you know, Terry is in Bristol.  Because of the question of the paperwork getting done for the adoption, we are unsure if we will be able to make a trip in for Christmas.  So, God provided an opportunity and help with a plane ticket to get back and work on a few things.  First being the shipment that is coming down.  Mostly shoe boxes to be given out to the children here as we share the gospel with them.  In addition, we are going to send more of our personal things and stuff for Christmas down.  He, as well, needed to get more tools sent down to continue to teach and help the young men working with him.

We love you all and are so thankful for the contribution you have made to the work God brought us to Belize to do.  Your prayers and love and the greatest gift we could get.  Much love.

I just mistakenly had typed in 2001 for the date, must be thinking of my wedding day.  10 years ago today I walked down the aisle to become Mrs. Terry Stinson and what a ride the last 10 years have been.  Our relationship began on the foundations of Christ and in 10 years we have walked closely and far away from Him.  I am blessed and thankful that today we walk together, firmly planted in Christ and what He intended marriage to be.  I am so thankful for a husband that exemplifies unconditional love to me and is the Godly man this family needs.  In the past few months, God has given me the opportunity to see him has “daddy” as well.  I have heard it said the anyone can be a father but only some men are Dad.  I have one of those Dad’s myself and love watching my husband being a Dad to the children God has placed in our home.  I love you Terry, more than words can express and I thank you for standing beside of me in all of the good times but especially the bad.  I cannot wait to see what in next year holds and where God will take us, together.

Today is Independence Day for Belize and we celebrated with the rest of the country last night at the Christian parade and fireworks.  This year was quite a different experience from last year.  With a 2 month old, 2 three year olds, and a 16 year old we had to plan a bit different.  If you remember last year we actually participated in the parade by doing a float with Body and Soul and Faith Baptist Church.  This year, we snuck in to a good parking spot to watch the parade go by, went back home for supper and put the baby to sleep and then back out, just me and Clowy for the fireworks.  It really was great, to watch her face as the fireworks shot up and the lit up the sky, she was amazed.  It was some good girl time just for us.

We are making plans for a trip back in December.  Please pray with us as we would like for the kids to come as well.  I ask for prayer because knowing it is God’s will relieves worries of financial strain and paperwork.  This trip depends on the adoption process for Addy Grace, but if God can bring a dead frog back to life, He can get this paperwork done by December. LOL.  I need to share that story, don’t I?

The McAmis Family, that is adopting Miss Addy is an amazing family or faith and love.  A few weeks ago, the son in the family Austin, had had a frog for a long time named Mr. Froggy and he was found dead, floating in his water upside down one morning.  Kathy, his mom, dreaded telling him when he got home from school because he really loved the frog but she moved the cage out into the garage so that later on they could have a little funeral, just as they did for the rest of their animals that had passed.  So about a week later, Kathy went out into the garage and saw that cage, with the dead frog still floating in the water, she had told Austin he had died but had totally forgotten about doing the funeral, school had started that same week and just a lot was going on.  So when Austin got home from school she told him she had forgotten to bury his frog and that she was sorry.  He forgave her and went out to get him to bury.  When Austin got to the garage he looked in the cage and saw Mr. Froggy sitting in the dirty water, alive.  He hollared back and said “Mom, Mr. Froggy isn’t dead.”  Kathey thought he was kidding but when she got to the garage she saw it with her own eyes.  There he was, just as alive as could be.  Then she remembered a phone conversation she had had with a friend.  They were discussing Addy’s paper getting done quickly and Kathy had made the comment “I think we have  a better chance of Mr. Froggy coming back to life than that paperwork getting done quick.”  So there is was, God’s promise that He could do both.  Bring a frog back to life and get paperwork done for Addy’s adoption.  How many times to we show faith for the big stuff and then forsake that God is in the details and is faithful in the small stuff too.  I guess we kinda of thought, well God has fulfilled His promise of Addy Grace, she is here and now He is done and the rest is up to us to get done.  Nope, not our God, He is in it all, even bringing a frog back to life.  LOL, Noah got a rainbow for a promise, the McAmis family have a frog.

So, that is all the time I have to blog for today, kids playing, baby cooing and smiling.  Husband outside working in his shop with a man from the village.  Life is great and I am blessed.  Have a great day people.  Love to all.

What a blessed day this has been.  Had a great service at church this morning.  Had a wonderful lunch where we saw many of our fellow missionaries and friends.  Then came home to take a wonderful nap!!!!  LOL.  I know it’s the small things that make me happy.

I have been thanking and praising our awesome God for the blessing He has given Terry and I.  Just enjoying holding this beautiful Addy Grace this afternoon as she drank her bottle and seeing how comfortable she is with me.  I know that God made me for this job.  He created a special bond between Addy Grace and I that I cannot explain.  Without His intervention and creation of this bond I would not be able to do this.  Then lying in bed with two 3 year olds as they love on you and snuggle up to you.  Again, not blood family but a family God has created, special.  Their laughter and fighting fills the house.  Then on to looking forward to a day out with Rianna, the 16 year old, tomorrow.  School is about to start and we are headed to buy her things.  She has saved some money and is so looking forward to it.

As this time progresses and Terry prepares for his upcoming work with the cadet/reform school and also beginning some pre-marital counseling tomorrow evening.   We are excited for what the future holds, mostly because we know Who holds the future.

In Bible study this week we talked about the sermon on the mount and how Jesus was trying to explain that it’s not about the rules of religion but about our relationship with the Savior.  If we do our best to keep that relationship right all the rest doesn’t matter.  This really hit me because we get caught up in “doing” things and lose sight of that close intimate relationship.  We are deserving of nothing, death really, but God wants different for us.  None of this is coming out the way I have it in my head but hopefully God is translating.

Example, the Canaanite woman.  She sought Jesus to heal her daughter of demon possession.  At first, He put her off, saying, am I not here to feed my sheep first.  Then the disciples wanted her to be put out.  She was persistent and told Jesus the even if it was just crumbs from the table of the Master, that would be sufficient.  Are we happy with crumbs?  Are we humble enough to realize that we are the lowest of the low and not worthy of anything?  Honestly not even the crumbs, and then when we get crumbs, do we complain or rejoice and savor them.  I’m afraid I have a tendency to complain.  Jesus saw this woman with “Great Faith.”  Does He see me with great faith?  I hope so and maybe we are not meant to know.  I believe that when we think our faith is great that is when we are in the most trouble!  I have just really been evaluating myself and my motivation for everything and my faith the past few days.  I wasn’t even going to put any of this in here but I guess God knew one of you reading needed to hear something.

We are blessed by God through all of you and so very thankful for your continued attentiveness to what is going on in our lives.  As Addy Grace gets bigger and bigger and continues to sleep better and better, I plan to write and blog more of the everyday things that go on.  I pray you too feel God grace and blessing all around you and continue to grow in Christ.

I just got off the phone with Terry and realized that I had not yet shared what he has been up to this week.  Conveniently while I am up all night doing feedings and diaper changes he got to go camping.  LOL.

No, last week some of the boys from youth group were talking about a trip they were taking with an organization called YFF (Youth For a Future).  They are taken into the “bush” and camp, like hardcore camping.  Bring everything with you, bath in the creek, sleep in a tent, in the “bush” in Belize.  Crazy but sooooo Terry.  The boys asked Terry if he would go with them, so he made some calls and got in contact with the leader to see if there was space for him.  Well, just to show you how God works, not only was there space but they asked him to help lead and do some devotions for the group.

He has had to climb a mountain to get any kind of cell service but I have talked to him twice.  Once on Monday and again today.  On Monday, Terry was kinda of in shock.  He has been so used to working with Christian organizations or minsitries that the secularism of the camp.  He has literally been a light in the dark this whole week.

I just talked to him a few minutes ago and he was very happy and shared with me that a young man had been saved last night and 3 of the youth had come forward to ask for prayer relating to rape incidents.  He said God was doing some amazing things and he was so grateful to be a part of it.  He has also been asked to help with teaching a woodworking class they do for the youth close to Belize City.

I praise God for His work this week.  It has been one filled with so many blessings.  I ask you to continue to pray for Terry as he finishes the week and for wisdom to know how to take part for the future.  Terry will be back Saturday and I cannot wait to have him back, and also hear more about his week.  Look for a blog sharing more details.

Love to all.