Why not?

Normal life around here isn't as exciting as some missionaries, we get that.  We have even been told by some in our travels "Oh, you teach, you're not real missionaries."  (And we nicely smiled and moved on.)  But what we do is really important too.  We recently were discussing the importance of hope in someone's life in our Sunday school class and one of the other members sent us a note the next day.  In it she thanked us for bringing hope to our students every day. We help them discover gifts and talents they never knew they had, and challenge them to do their best and to use those gifts and talents to not only glorify God but to make the world better.  I often say to parents "your child was born to do" xyz, and this is what we were born to do.  So, to all of you who believe in the importance of our ministry here - thank you.  (For those of you who have no idea what we do, or why we need money all the time, see the links on the right of the screen.)

I feel it is important to remind you readers who send us financial or prayer support, that when we talk about "our" ministry we are including you in that.  We could not be here to do what we do without you.  You are working in this crazy world of Guatemala with us!

 We have often been asked by people why we do any of this, and my typical response is "why not?"  We have been given everything, we have been immensely blessed, we have the gift of salvation, God loved us enough to humble himself and come to earth as a baby to be born in a nasty stinky cattle stall - in light of that "why not?" After a while, when you live in a community like this, you say yes to things without a second thought that most people would think are crazy.  Yup, that's us.  We have lots of opportunities to do "crazy" things but are normally too busy, so we do them during our vacation weeks. Here is a snapshot of what we (and you) are going to do today.

We have friends here whose children are all part of the Creative Arts Program, and immensely talented.  (I honestly think all of them could have a future in theater if they choose to.)  These friends have been some of our biggest encouragers over the last two years.  We know that our working with their kids is part of what allows them to do the things that they do every day.  Those things fit the "normal missionary" mold much better than our teaching.  So, when they asked us (yesterday) if we want to go with them today to help in their ministry, I had one of those say yes without thinking moments.  This was not an uniformed decision, I know exactly what their ministry is, but I think you should know too.

Please....read this blog post to find out more about them.  The rest of our day won't make any sense to you if you don't.







Did you read it?  I mean it?  It might challenge you, and it should.  Please if you didn't read it, go back and do so.  And I highly suggest reading everything my lovely British friend writes, she's brilliant and honest.

If you read any other of her posts you would see that there is going to be a big party.  That's right, a party for prostitutes and their children.  Women who have a life that I would guess all of our readers could only imagine.  Children who spend their day locked up in their house so Mom can work.  And why are we going to do this, you ask?  Because it is EXACTLY what Jesus would have done.  It turns out Jesus wasn't known for hanging out with people who had it all together, people who gave lots of money to the church, people who were accepted by society.  If that is what you think of when you think of Jesus, then please read or reread the gospels.  If you call yourself a Christ follower and that is all you do, then please rethink what it means to actually follow Christ.  Find opportunities near you this season to serve the people Christ would have chosen to serve.

I am really proud to know Natalie and Shawn, and be part of supporting their ministry.  I am really excited to go and see that first hand today.  I am also really excited to be taking my sister-in-law and niece with me.  I am proud to have family that are willing to lay down their ability to sleep in on vacation, and go and do things like this with a willing heart.  I am proud to be able to be a little more like Jesus today, and allow our supporters to do the same.

(If we have opportunity to take pictures today, I will post them later...)

Recent Events

Wow - I just realized that we've had a lot of stuff going on recently. All good stuff, mind you...

Cast of Peter Pan (2015)

Many of you follow us on Facebook so you've likely seen recent posts about this little event we just completed in November, called "Peter Pan, the Musical" - yeah - it was a tonne of work, oh, and it was worth it!

It started as just Joy and Abigail (Michael), however, as usual it was a whole family affair in the end. Poor Sara didn't make it to the end at all.

Oh, but what an awesome event! We're so proud of everyone.



Right in the middle of Peter Pan was Sara's 5th birthday. Our little girl is growing up! As is tradition in our family when the 5th birthday comes we allow them to get their ears pierced. We did not know what sort of ordeal this was going to be.

So, when plan A for the piercing fell through we had to go with plan B - "The Doctor." He really was awesome - Sara was not so excited. But in the end she was a real trooper and now has awesome cross earrings in!

Sara, waiting for the Doctor

End Results

Emma Baptism

On November 29th we were proud to witness Emma making her public profession of her believe in Christ and what He has done for her. We're thankful for Pastor Conner and Union Church of Guatemala for everything they did for us!

After Thanksgiving, and some rest time, we realized that Christmas is pretty much right around the corner. What does that mean for a musician and a sound guy? Concerts - that's right!

For the second year in a row the C.A.G. Band and Choir went to play a live concert at the San Kris mall. It was another great experience. We, again, are so very proud of the students in the band and the choir - they did a fantastic job!

This coming weekend the annual Christmas concert will be held (Friday) and then on Saturday the choir will be performing at a nursing home in Antigua ...

In other recent and relevant news Volcan de Fuego, a very active volcano near Antigua (roughly 44 km from where we live), has been at it again... Please continue to pray for safety for us. 

Volcan de Fuego

We thank everyone for their continued prayer and financial support! We cannot be here serving the Lord without your help! Merry Christmas to one and all!

-knm/jr/ac/eb/sje

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we come to the season traditionally thought of as the "season of thanks" our family pauses to recognize that we cannot be here doing this without all of you. With that thought in mind we want to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to all of those who continue to (and have previously) supported us - both with financial gifts and with endless prayers.

With Christmas just around the corner we would also like to get a jump start on wishing everyone a Christ-filled merry Christmas and, of course, a happy and safe new year!

-The Eisner Family

E.I.G. Update

Greetings and salutations!

A lot has happened since our last post. School has started and both Joy and I have made short trips to the US.

This year marks a new chapter for C.A.G. We started the year with complete new administration and a lot of new teachers. Teacher turnover is nothing new for an M.K. school but a new administration - that is a different story.

Our former principal did a lot for C.A.G. - and only in his moving on do we see just how much. Mark was, and still is, a great friend and a terrific principal - he left huge shoes to fill. There were challenges but our team got the job done. Many things were learned and we'll be all the stronger the next time around.

Both Joy and I are teaching this year. Joy continues with her normal course load: general music K4 through 5th. Plus high school choir. Plus AP Music Theory. Plus the musical (Peter Pan.) Plus private piano lessons. This year I have added an "Intro to Computer Sciences" course. I _never_ knew how much work it was going to be. Lesson plans, grading, teaching...*sigh*

Abigail is in middle school and learning it is quite a bit different than elementary. She has made a new friend, Julia, who has been a tremendous support for her. Actually, I think it is mutual. Her and Julia are the only girls in the 6th grade until Claire returns in January.

Emma is settling in to her new grade (the 3rd.) She is learning that new teacher means things need to get done a bit different. There wasn't a lot of change in the make up of her class so most of the class dynamics are the same. She has two awesome friends: Catherine and Eve - and they get along really well.

Sara started K4 with her very best friend, Sterling. To our surprise this talkative combination has apparently not caused many disruptions in class. Sara has been a lot more tired at nights - this has been good for us :0)

Bambi & Loren (2012) Panajachel

On August 22nd, a very close family friend, Bambi Schanck, went to be with the Lord. Her passing was sudden and unexpected. Like many others, the news hit our family hard. We were blessed to be able to send Joy there for the memorial service. I was able to come up to spend the past week with Loren. We served with Bambi for at least nine years in various church capacities. Bambi had been to Guatemala to visit us twice. Bambi leaves a legacy of being a dedicated and loving wife, friend, and mentor. Everything she did was done with love and the heart of a true Christ-like servant. Though she leaves huge shoes to fill, she did a tremendous job preparing and training us all to step up and fill them. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Loren and his whole family. We ask you to join us in praying for them as well.

Well, that about sums it up. We thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support. It has been most helpful and truly appreciated.

-knme

Back!

It is good to be home.

Panama City, Panama is a nice place to visit. After seven and a half hours I was ready to leave, however.

It is good to be home. Let the summer continue.

We do have a prayer request - our car needs some work. We have to replace the tires and rear brakes. Cost is going to be around $450. Please join with us as we pray about this upcoming expense.

Many thanks.

Neighbors!

I would imagine that most of you reading this have neighbors.  You can see their houses right now, their cars parked out front, their lights turn out as they go to bed.  Goodness, you can see into their homes.  You need to appreciate your neighbors - I mean it, truly.

I didn't realize how much I missed having neighbors until we moved into our new neighborhood, really until tonight.  Before we moved here we lived next to a great family, we could hang out on the porch and talk together and still see our kids playing in our own yard.  The family before them, also great, we used to leave the baby monitor on in one house and go sit in the other house and have adult conversation - the houses were that close.  I lost all of that when we moved here, and man I have missed out.

Our last neighborhood here was all walls.  We lived there for five years and did not ever learn the names of the people who lived next door to us.  We have no idea what their house looks like - on the outside.  The only time the other neighbors spoke to us was to ask us to move our car, and it wasn't even really us it was the people who were house sitting for us that week.  So, I guess we never spoke to them.  We do know that there was only one other family that was caucasian that lived in the neighborhood - but we never even spoke to them in the neighborhood.  For a relational culture there was just no relating.

It turns out I like to be around people.  Sure, I have my times when I like a little alone time and privacy.  But, I really get refreshed by sitting with people and laughing together, crying together, talking together, plotting world domination together, etc...  For six years I have missed out on having neighbors.  It's not that I never am around people, not even close, but I really had no neighbors.  I had people that lived in houses near me, behind their high wall with barbed wire, but I didn't have anyone I could run to for a cup of sugar, or a cry when my kids were making me crazy.

For years we said we would never move into the neighborhood where we live now, it was filled with too many Americans and we would never have any privacy.  I feel like an idiot for that.  Tonight I had one of the most refreshing nights ever.  The girls were watching this ridiculously stupid Disney movie, my neighbors girls were watching the same thing, and all the moms were bemoaning it on facebook.  So, we decided to go sit in one of our garages.  (It was only 50 feet from my house, if even, so do not be worried that I abandoned the children.)  We called it the "Moms against Teen Beach Movies" support group.  SO REFRESHING!  We sat and talked, and laughed, and laughed until we cried, and cried a little, and grew a little closer as women.  I walked away with a smile on my face, knowing that moving into this neighborhood is one of the best decisions we have made since leaving North America.

I remember my Mom and the next door neighbor meeting at the fence to give each other missing baking ingredients.  I especially remember the day us kids got too much for Mom and she ran away - at least that is what my brothers told me.  In reality she had just gone next door to Mrs. C's house for a little break from us.  It is so freeing to me that now I can do the same thing, I walked over to the neighbors for a cup of water for my rice the other day when our jug of water ran out on me.  In our old house I would have had to scrap the rice.  So, please get out there and appreciate your neighbors, throw a block party, play kick the can - and love it!

Thank you to all the neighbors I had in North America, for so many years, and thank you to my new neighbors.  You all have had a part in shaping my life.  I appreciate you!  (And feel free to call me anytime you run out of butter - we can meet at the fence.)

Back from the West - Success!

First - Happy Canada Day!

What an adventure!

An unexpected trip to Dulles International, sprint to the gate at O'Hare, and two quick interviews.

My itinerary west was supposed to be Boston - Chicago - Seattle. But when I printed my boarding passes I got a free trip to Dulles. Sweet. I feel like half of the trip from Boston to Chicago was spent taxiing on the runway at O'Hare. Sprinted from terminal C to B to make it in time. Still arrived on time in Seattle Sunday night.

Gretchen and I arrived early to the 8:00 a.m. appointment. We were admitted at 8:10 a.m. and were out by 8:30 a.m. Approved. Done. Unbelievable! The oath ceremony was about 75 minutes and was really quite nice.

I enjoyed my time with Gretchen and her parents. They are amazing people. I'll say this too - Seattle-Tacoma International airport is a quite nice airport too.

I flew back Tuesday. Another sprint in O'Hare and then on to Boston.

This morning I had an 8:00 a.m. appointment at the Portsmouth Passport Center. We arrived early and were in and out by 8:02 a.m.

My return ticket to Guatemala has been secured - 22 July. The end is in sight.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed with our family during this long process. We are very grateful for all of you.

-knme