What's happening overview:

This is an email that we just sent out. If you are not on our email list and would like to be - email me at: eamohagen@yahoo.com and I"ll add you!

God Bless!

I was realizing this morning that it's been quite awhile since I've let everyone know what's been going on with us. So here's a bit of an update. I know it's long but there's lots to share!

Things are going great! We've had company straight since June 15th (and some in May) and we have felt so blessed to have so many people in our home and working along side us with what we are doing here. It's been fun to share our life! We've gotten a lot done this summer thanks to all the help, but it has been much more hectic :). 

Sigel is doing great! He's picking up more and more English words. Last night in the car we were talking and I leaned over to translate for Sigel and he said - "oh I know what you're talking about." So maybe he even knows more than we think he does. :) He has school every morning with 2 of our ministry girls and they do a great job! He's almost caught up with all his dentistry and eye appointments that he needed. Please continue to pray for Sigel and his emotions - he is very emotional and cries at least once a day for something that shouldn't be affecting him like that. 

Tristan is doing good - busy organizing and continuing to work on the mission house and being the fix-it man for all the missionaries we work with. He's always being called over to fix a washing machine, listen to the brakes of a car, or put in a curtain rod. He's so generous with his time! Last week he had a terrible fever and strep throat - but he's recovered finally! He's continuing to learn the ins and outs of construction down here and how to interact and have relationships with the construction guys he works with. He's also taken 2 young men under his wing and is spending lots of time with Santos & Jorge - working, loving, and bible study. Sigel is loving having a loving father figure in his life - a new concept for him!

I  (Beth) feel like I"m running a mile a minute trying to keep ahead of Sigel & Tristan, my house & organizing our visitors time while they're here. One of my current projects is putting together adoption information packets for Seeds of Change. God has blessed us with great connections with Child Protective Services so my heart strings are being pulled as they keep telling us of children that need adoptive homes. So I'm working on figuring out the process to share with the families that we're recruiting to adopt these children. God has also put some people in my life that I know I'm supposed to minister to - there have been some divine appointments with some young women who grew up as orphans and I'm praying about how I can minister to them on a regular basis. I'm really enjoying my involvement with women's bible study, cooking for 90 kids once a week, and hanging out with the girls we minister to.  

The political situation is still not ideal here but it does not affect our daily life besides avoiding protests in the city. Recently the ex-president supporters (only 10% of the country!) have burned cars, buses, broken lots of windows, and even burned down a fast food restaurant! Amazing how such a small percentage of the country can cause so much trouble for the rest! Please continue to pray for those involved in the new government -- for wisdom and that it would be shaped in a way that pleases God!

We are coming home to the States for 5 weeks - August 28th - October 5th. We'll be in Oregon, California, and Colorado - visiting friends and family, churches, and 2 weddings. We'd love to see as many people as possible while we're home.  Please be praying for us these last 1 1/2 weeks that we're here - that we can get as much done as possible and leaving everything in order. Sigel will be staying with the other staff in our absence.  Our cell phone that we will have while we're in the states is: (510) 691-6206 - feel free to call :). 

The disciple John give us a lot of wisdom about the character of our God.  In his books the verses 3:16 are powerful, most know John 3:16 which shows us just how much our Father loves as and at what cost he gave us a second chance.  God has opened my eyes to 1 John 3:16 which says: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay own our live four our brothers."  God has been opening my eyes to what this means, even before he gave me the scripture.  But how do we lay down our lives as a daily practice? Jesus only did it once.  The John continues in verse 18: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." We are to "lay down our life" (die) daily through our ACTIONS and how we interact with the rest of Gods kids.  God has really brought this concept to the forefront of our lives here, we came down with the idea and phrase of "Words in action" not knowing what that would mean.  It means that we speak things and then must put it into action, you tell someone that God is faithful, and will take care of their needs and then he uses you to meet their needs.  God supplies everything in abundance and he wants us to live in it but God also uses us to feed, clothe, and love His kingdom.  Learning to walk under His will and guidance is such a blessing and a trial.  Thanks for your prayers as we continue to discover everyday what God has in store for us, may this thought bless you. ( from Tristan)

We love you! Love, Beth, Tristan, & Sigel