Erin in Tenerife

Every time I sit down to write an update and I have to come up with a title, my first thought is "God is Good". Then, I keep thinking and come up with something more specific. But, you'll notice this time I went with it, although with a modification. I took... ahem, I mean, "borrowed" the title from a memoir my mom wrote last year. I promise I'll not use it again here, though it is fitting to every update I've written in the past and will write in the future because both phrases are unalienable truths. And because BOTH are true, I can always trust God. ‭Isaiah 26:3 NIV‬ You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. A couple of months ago, the Dye family was looking at travel dates for their three-month furlough. Their daughter Angela is graduating from Johnson University the first weekend in May, but they usually don't leave for furlough till June because that's when the school year ends for Miah and ...

Tough times make us relatable Today is my 117th day in Tenerife (don't worry, I'm not keeping track, I just asked Google... hehehe), and I'm happy to say that the shiny newness hasn't worn off yet. That doesn't mean that I'm struggling to find my way, or that I'm not struggling in any way. In fact, I had a tough moment a couple of weeks ago when I got a text from my 10 year old nephew asking me to pray for him because he had Flu A and his nose was bleeding all over the place and it was only 7 am (Missouri time). I wanted to be able to go hug him and pray with him and help him feel better. I know his parents and even grandparents are there for him. But in that moment, I felt the distance to be so far and I may have shed a couple tears as I prayed for more than just his bloody nose.  I'm not going to philosophize or wax poetic about the beauty of the nostalgia of being far from loved ones, but it is a blessing to have loved ones near and far. In fact, ever...

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Kings Day! These past holidays had a definite Venezualan/Canarian/American flavor.  Many people in the church, including the Dyes, are from Venezuela. And you can't celebrate Christmas in Venezuela without "hallacas", which are made of cornmeal dough, like tamales. The filling is made of braised meat (beef, pork, and  chicken) with raisins, capers, and olives. You make it into a little packet tied up in banana leaves and then boil them in a huge pot for an hour or so. Priscila and Mama Emma cooked everything over a couple days and then the ladies from church came over to assemble over 150 of them one day. As the ladies arrived they set up an assembly line. The Venezuelan ladies guided the rest of us as to how to cut, scoop, press, fold, tie, etc. I got assigned the end of the line where I was the only one cutting string. hehehe It was a fun and productive time! The best part was when we enjoyed a late lunch of hallacas all together. ...