Meet Our Family

We recently took a 3 week vacation in the US. For the first time since 1998, I experienced spring! It was beautiful. We were able to spend time with our college age son and our parents. Andrew, our 17 year old son, visited some universities to help with his decisions about his future. We saw many friends, spent hours shopping for things we can't buy in Ecuador. We came home relaxed and refreshed.

We spent Easter Sunday with my mother, Ollie Wilson, in Reeves, Louisiana. In the photo, you can see her with our 3 children. John Mark is 21 and has just finished his junior year at the University of New Orleans. His major is International Studies with a concentration in Diplomacy. He is the president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on campus and leads a weekly Bible study. Andrew is 17, and will graduate from high school in 2010. He plays bass in the church praise band. He loves animals and is planning to study Wildlife Conservation. Hannah is 15 and is finishing her freshman year in high school. She loves to help people and works with the children on Wednesday nights at church. Both Andrew and Hannah study through NorthStar Academy, an online acredited high school.

We also enjoyed time with Johnny's parents, John and Betty Maust, in south Alabama. Johnny's great-aunt Freda Maust was visiting them, also, and our children loved getting to know her.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Psalm 127:4

Our Daughter's Quinceañera

In Latin America, a young girl's 15th birthday marks her passage from child to young woman. She becomes a señorita. Our daughter, Hannah, and two friends from church, Jennifer and Deysi, turned 15 this spring and we celebrated with a special church service. A quinceañera is a very important event in this culture.




Hannah's quinceañera blended tradition with Christian meanings. Hannah, Jennifer, and Deysi wore identical pink dresses. The women of the church did a wonderful job decorating the church. They used an arch, fresh roses, balloons, ribbons, and more, all pink, of course. A man from the church served as chauffer to bring the girls to the church, although we only live 3 blocks away. Each mother escorted her daughter down the aisle. The service included verses dedicated to the girls by their friends and family, a Bible presentation, a prayer of dedication, a devotional and special music by the church praise group. One of the girls, Deysi, is the only Christian in her family. Her mother is a widow. Their guests were not believers and heard the message of salvation that night.

Following tradition, Hannah, Jennifer and Deysi entered the church in flat shoes. During the service, the fathers (or a father substitute) changed their shoes to heels. Johnny shared the hope that these young women's feet would be used to spread the Gospel. Johnny had not practiced much, and had some trouble with the straps on Hannah's shoes. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7


After the service, we served a meal to the guests and played games.

It was a beautiful, special event, and we are blessed that God has given us a daughter that loves and wants to serve Him.

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.1 Timothy 4:12