Quick Trip to Atlanta

Perhaps the toughest aspect for those of us called to serve internationally is the distance it puts between us and our kids and grandchildren.
Our fourth grandson was born November 4th, and Grace is "holding down the fort" at nca.edu.ni/matagalpa while I spend six days with Kara, Eddie and Win!

As a bonus, Tim & Anna flew up from Orlando for the weekend and we took time out of the fun to snap this picture on one of our walks around town.

The NCA Matagalpa Class of 2019

I fly back to Managua this afternoon to wrap up the 2019 school year... graduation is November 30th!!

Big News!

My Firstborn announces the birth of hers...
          last night (November 4th) around 11 p.m.!!
Edwin "Win" Kelly IV tipped the scales at:

7 lbs. 15 oz.

                ...and measures 21.75" as of right now.

Proud parents and cute son are doing well... and are most thankful for your prayers and well-wishes as the former join the wonderful world of parenting!

Proud grandfather "Pops" will fly up from Nicaragua to spend time with them next week!! ;-)

The Rest of the Story

It's been more than a year since the last time I made an entry in this blog... Grace does such a great job with our monthly newsletters.  There is more to one of the stories she shared this month, so I thought I'd share here.
Wilbert Martínez is one of our eight guards; Grace shared this photo of him standing in front of the home that he shares with his common law wife and two daughters.  He has been growing in his faith through our bi-weekly devotionals with the security team, in spite of the fact that he is just now learning to read and write (he says growing up in the country he never had the opportunity to have any formal schooling... even first grade).

A week ago last Sunday, he took his family to a church in his neighborhood, and when the pastor invited anyone who was ready to accept Jesus as Personal Savior and Lord, his seven-year-old daughter tugged on his arm and whispered that if she were old enough, she'd go forward.  The Holy Spirit used her to prick his heart and lead him to take that step of faith!

As I make this entry, Wilbert is traveling to his hometown to renew his citizenship papers, so that he can surprise the mother of his children by legally making her his wife, and pledging before God and his church family to love and cherish her for as long as they both shall live... and to be the father to their daughters that God intends.

May God continue to bless and guide this family!