2nd Opinion Results

Hello Dear Friends and Family, We went for a second opinion today because we were strongly encouraged by two doctor friends of ours.  Anyhow, to cut the long story short, Warren will be going in for surgury on Thursday morning.  He will be addmitted tomorrow afternoon and will come out Friday.  We have total peace about this decision and believe God will do wonders in this situation.  The story that kept coming to my mind today everything was sinking in was that of the three Hebrew boys.  I've been praying to see total healing of Warren's leg without medical help.  Of course, the report today contradicts my prayer but not my faith.  I am saying like those boys, "O great King, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  But even if he doesn't, we will still not bow to your image." This image to me right now can be anxiety, doubt and unbelief, worry, dissapointment, fear.  All these feeling that will want to rise up and debilitate our thinking.  We stand up and say, even if God chooses to have us go into this fire, we will not bow.  Of course, to the boys amazement, the saw Jesus in that fire.  What I would give to see Him in that hospital room on Thursday!!  I'm so excited because the God we serve is able to do what He wants when He wants and how He wants.  Would you all believe with us as we expect to see Jesus more on Thursday because He's already shown up. We love you all! Vicky and the Carrpool

My Redeemer Lives

This is a powerful statement made by a man who had something to complain about who chose instead to bless the Lord His God.  This old sage had his character attacked, then his property and children taken and if that's not enough, a physical attack.  In the midst of all of this, plus friends who were to be a source of strength but turned out to be prolonging of the pain, he shouts for I know my redeemer lives... I concur with Job's position because some of these attacks are real especially when hearing and obeying the voice of God for your life.  However, it does not become a reality until you are faced with the same kinds of tests.  In times like these, God the maker of all things, creator of the universe and more specifically ME, helps me to see Him in a new dimension. Where are you, character being destroyed, loosing you property and/ or children, body being rack with pain, or experiencing a season of grace and peace?  No matter where you are, we can, like Job declare, FOR I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES!  Not only that but that GOD CAN...! Jesus rose on that morning and is seated on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens.  And guess what?  He is coming again!

The Journey

Day 1 crack Day 2 pack Day 3 on my back Day 4 feeling no lack Day 5 under attack I can go on and on but what really sums it up for me are the lyrics to the bridge on the song, TRADING MY SORROWS I am pressed but not crushed, Persecuted, not abandoned Struck down, but not destroyed. I am blessed beyond the curse, For His promise will endure His joy's gonna be my strength. Though sorrow may last for a night JOY comes in the morning!

Hit and Run, Prayers and Praises!

 

Hello Everyone!

Well, we've been in Zambia almost three and a half years and for the most part have not had too many major visits to the hospital.  Yesterday afternoon changed things a bit for our family.  Warren was riding to church on one of our friend's motorcycle, I had the car, as he was approaching a bend in the road, a car was coming and turning without stopping.  The guy ran him off the road and kept going although he saw him fall off the bike.  Thank God Warren was alert and remembered his phone and called me because he could not get up as his leg was badly hurt.  I was just about a minute away from him, totally GOD!  I was able to get him right away, drop the children off at a friend's house and rush to the hospital.

On our way, I was in a daze and he and I started worshiping and it was like God was just carrying us through this valley.  We arrived at the hospital and the Doctor saw his leg and said it that a bone or two had broken and we needed to take him to get xrays done elsewhere because their machine was down.  We waited a bit and then got in the ambulance and drove around to our surprise trying to find a hospital with a working xray machine.  We went to a few and made some phone calls to what seemed like no avail.  We ended up going to UTH, a local hospital that we've frequented a lot with the boys.  I felt like one of the people then, not separated by nationality or culture.  They had a very new xray machice and it didn't take long to do. Of course, the technitian who took the xrays almost made me loose my religion because he was just BRUTAL handling my husband's hurt leg.  I tell you ALL my Spanish blood came out but GOD!  It was not just me the nurse who came with us nearly slapped the guy upside the head!! 

The bright side of the visit there was that, as the boys, Pastor Dorcas, a few others from the ministry and Chibuta were on their way home from church, they came and prayed with us.  It was a refreshing and encouraging surprise! 

At the hospital again we met with the Doctor who looked at the xray and saw that it was the tibia, near his ankle that had broken.  He said it was a very common fracture and should heal well.  We had to wait till 6am to set a soft cast because his leg was very swollen.  The night was long but God was faithful.

The Doctor came at 6 and took him into theater and I was left alone in the room.  I was afraid but so encouraged as I opened my Bible to read in Psalms.  I usually read Psalm by the date, so because today is the 21st, I read Psalms 21, 41, 51 and so on until the end.  Psalms 41:1-3 says, "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.  The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth;  You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.  The Lord will strengthen him him on his bed if ILLNESS; You will sustain him on his sickbed."  Awesome word for our family and so I prayed believing that God's promise is Yes and Amen in Jesus.

We would really appreciate your prayers during this time.  Warren will be in a long cast from his foot to mid thigh for 6-8 weeks.  We live in a two story house with our bedroom upstairs. 

Prayer points:

* Quick healing and recovery

* Strength for all of as we enter this long recovery process

* Finances for the medical bills

* Joy in the midst of the storm

* Strength to quiet the lies of the enemy in our minds

We love you all and pray God will shower you with His grace today and He has us!!  We are so very grateful to God becuase He still sees fit to love and protect us because it could've been much, much worse.

Vicky and the Carrpool

Simeon's Birthday Party

Carr Family March Update - Zambia

My, my, what a time to be alive in the universe!  What a time to know and have the treasures of heaven resident within!  What a time to be involved in the work of the Lord! Back in the late 1980's and early 1990's there was this major thrust to pray for and be willing to lay ones life down to serve in what is know as the 10/40 window of countries absolutely closed to the Gospel of Jesus.  Here we are today, and from within in several of these countries there is revolution taking place; not only a revolution for freedom from autocratic rule, but also freedom to receive the gospel many have given their lives to bring to such a needy group.  We pray that as countries start shaking from the inside there will be openness to the person of Jesus Christ and what He did for humankind.  What a time to be in service of the Kingdom! For the Carr Family, it is truly a time to celebrate the goodness of Jesus, as our son Simeon has celebrated his fifth birthday on the Missionary field.            This time is very exciting for him because now he is a big boy; more so, it seems his energy level has exploded.  I see why many of the boys especially in the US are on ridlin or some other psychotic drug.  They are off the hook.  We love him dearly and are proud of his efforts in school to read, learn his numbers and work on puzzles.  His favorite pass time is slashing the grass and working in the gardens.  Nevertheless, keeps his eye open for any opportunity to sneak off with dad to the farm or on errands. Miss Salome, aka SaSa, is loved by everybody and knows it; she uses this position to manipulate getting her way in everything.  Recently, she has really come of age in school especially, writing stories, reading incessantly computing and completing assignments on time.  If given her way, she would complete her mathematics all in one day.  Coloring books do not stand a chance with her because she is the "Artist" and will color an entire coloring book in one sitting.           The first picture says it all.  Those two make the perfect Latina, absolutely connected at the hip.  She is a great kid!               Everyone thinks Genesis and Amber Leigh are twins, but they are not.  However, they can't help doing the same things activities wise.  GEM and Amber are doing well.  Pictures really do say a thousand words.  These are photos our two eldest at their first swim meet and it is a milestone for them, having started swimming when they were three and two shows how far they have gone in their swimming.  This meet was in a 25-meter pool, but the following day GEM was invited to swim in a gala in a 50-meter pool.  She swam breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke.  Amber also swims the breaststroke as well as, freestyle.  They are also making steady progress in their music training. The proud parents of these great kids are thanking God everyday of life, health, breath and strength to continue following His plan and His leading.  In fact, when you read this update Vicky will be celebrating her birthday.  That day is a national holiday in the Carr household.  It is hoped that the Dominican cake is just the way she likes it and that the love and gifts from the children will make being a mother, wife and friend worth the 12 years of her labor and love.  Please join our family in wishing the one we love and depend on so much a very happy birthday.                  At the farm, Kakabalika Child Foundation, the Ministry of Education has just inspected the facilities built last year for school and has given the okay to begin school as we put together the exhaustive school registration application.  We are still in need of constructing boys and girls water closets close to the school; as well as, purchase furniture and materials but we are certain that this is the time and everything will fall into its proper place.  It also turns out that of the three teachers selected, two were approved to begin and this is definitely a step in the right direction because teacher scrutiny is quite high so we were privilege to get two out of three.  The ones was looking forward to the change are the boys who currently clock about five miles roundtrip to the current school they attend.  This change will also enable the care team to manage the boy's time more effectively, planning activities and various schedules that have been previously dictated by the morning and afternoon public school system.                    The construction of a pig run has also been completed to assist the work in becoming self-sufficient.  In addition to adding pigs, the workers on the ground hope to start raising chickens again for sale and for consumption in the homes.  The tractor donated by the Cork Church in Ireland has been a true blessing to the ministry in providing plowing and disking to the KCF farm but has also served as an income generating tool in plowing and disking many of the neighbor farms.  Right now Maize and string beans are on the ground as we have come off six months or more of providing tomatoes to hotels, grocery stores and marketers.  God truly has blessed this work in many ways and it is a blessing for our family to be able to help in some small way.  To God be the glory.      PRAYER NEEDS Provision of funds that our family will be able to take furlough after 2.5 years on the field Continued health and safety of our families Provision of donors to the KCF work:  church, private, business, NGO's and Government God to raise new supports for the Carr family Wisdom, creativity and favor with God and man Thank you for your notes and updates, we are grateful in being part of your lives as you ours.

Communion

        Today I was reminded of what Jesus said in 1 Cor. 11    .  We are to
have communion as often as we can remembering Jesus.  This morning while I was
giving the children some grape juice in the middle of school,  Genesis looked at
me and said, "Mommy, this is communion juice.  We need to have communion!"  She
proceeded to call the others into the kitchen so we could have proper
communion.  She asked if I can cut some bread and then pray.  Right there in the
middle of my kitchen!!.  We prayed and had communion.  It was so awesome to see
such childlike behavior toward what I thought would be just a snack.  To them,
they were not just having a snack but remembering Jesus.  They saw the juice and
remembered the significance and love for their savior.  A simple everyday snack
in my eyes turned into a teaching moment for ME!  I was reminded that communion
does not have to wait for the Pastor's assigned Sunday service but it can be
done anywhere, anytime; in remembrance of Him who saved me and loves me so much.
I pray you too would look at everyday life and remember Jesus.  Take a moment to
enjoy Him and tell others about His great salvation.

Vicky