By now many of you have received our latest newsletter about all the drama going on here (if not and you would like to be on our newsletter list, let me know!).  The biggest thing that has happened was a major gas explosion in our house.  Mark did a good job summarizing it in the newsletter but I'll give you my take.  Pretty much everything we have here is gas - water tanks, heater (not central because they don't have that here, just one to heat a room), dryer, and of course the stove/oven.   So about a week and a half ago I put some potatoes in the oven to roast and then headed into the den to read to the kiddos.  We're not exactly sure what happened but we think that the oven was lit (most stoves here you have to do that manually) but that when I closed the oven door, the light went out.  Now in the States (I've learned) there's a safety mechanism for that - no heat = no gas.  But here (I've learned), not so much.  So Reide and I retuned about 15 minutes later to check the potatoes.  I was kneeling down in front of the stove and flipped the light on.  Next thing I knew I was 8ft back and facing the other way (still with Reide in my arms thankfully).  The explosion was strong - strong enough to knock locks off the upstairs windows - and glass was everywhere.  Writing this now it almost seems like a surreal experience.  We praise the Lord for His incredible protection.  All the other children were outside with Mark stacking firewood.  It scared them to see Mama and Reide but we had a sweet time rejoicing in God's goodness and treasuring each other as we sat outside waiting for the gas to clear.  Every now and then Abe still looks at my chin (as it got pretty busted up by something) and says, "Mama, I'm sorry you got hurted."  We praise the Lord again that Reide came away virtually unscathed minus a little singed hair.  My chin and mouth got pretty banged up so our prayer request now is that it will heal well and specifically that I won't have to have a root canal - doesn't sound fun for any reason but would be especially bad news because I would likely have to fly somewhere else to have it done.  Again, the Lord has been more than gracious to us so we trust Him with whatever comes to be.

And now for the emotional side of things:  I kept waiting that first night to have feelings of wanting to go home or questioning our decision to be here but they never came.  If anything this whole experience has increased our faith and has confirmed our call to be in Cusco.  This is not to say that this time has been carefree and easy.  Particularly at night for some reason I have struggled intensely with feelings of guilt (Did I do something wrong?  Why did I have Reide with me???) and the oh-so-famous what-ifs - What if I had waited longer to check on the food?  What if I had sent Hannah in the kitchen to check?  What if a burner on the stove had been on - the list could go on and on:(  But God is giving me victory and peace over this and I'm sleeping much better now.  Why does God allow such trials?  I don't pretend to understand all of His ways but I do know that we are never safer than when we are with our Father even if "bad" (in our limited perspective) things do happen.  I don't know who all reads this blog (other than grandparents who I have probably freaked out now) but I pray that you will know God in deeper and sweeter ways in the midst of whatever your trials are, whether it is real physical or emotional struggles or even just the desperate attempts to be content in the midst of changing diapers and getting dinner on the table.  










Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
                                                                                                              Revelation 5:13