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| The Blacklock Epics | September 2010 |
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Greetings,
2010 has been one long journey. We arrived back in Canada June 10 after five months in Guatemala. For all of us it was a hard, fulfilling, challenging, joyful, growing and stretching time. Like being on a roller coaster with all its ups and downs; and it has not stopped yet. Life is exciting; terribly. We are blessed to work and live life with so many great people: fellow Fe Viva staff, teams from all over North and Central America, and especially this season, the staff and children of Casa Esperanza Children's Home. We want to share some of our stories, let you know what is happening next with us and let you know how you can be involved. There are many challenges and rewards living in two different worlds, but God is faithful and walks with us through it all. We thank you for your prayers, emails, encouragement and support.
Matt, Kerry, Abby, Hayley and Liam
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Anew Dance School Guatemala: The First Year
I hope everyone is enjoying this time of year and excited for all opportunities and adventures this fall season holds. I had the amazing privilege of opening a sister dance school in Chiquimulilla, Guatemala. We started with 25 dancers from a children's home in Guatemala. For many of these dancers this was their first time participating in an extra curricular activity. While most of my students were excited, others were shy and nervous to learn to dance. We started with a dance class of 25 students ranging in age from 10 to 19 years old. With diverse abilities and experience we were a very eclectic dance group. I incorporated a fusion of dance styles to help draw out the natural abilities of these budding dancers. We used ballet for balance, strength, grace and poise. We used modern/jazz to discover our diverse creative movement styles and we used breakdance and hip hop for an energetic explosive expression.
Click to meet THE DANCERS
Click to see THE YEAR END DANCE
To teach a class of 25 dancers in my very new second language was a challenge for me. It gifted me with compassion for my dancers because it is difficult to learn new things and we were on journey together. I cannot tell you how much joy dancing brought to the lives of these students and how being their teacher is a delight and is more rewarding than I can express in words. I learned that we can overcome our limitations and fears through coming together in an environment that is centered around love, understanding, laughter and praise. I am so proud of what all these girls accomplished in five months and they even surprised me with an amazing dance performance for our first dance recital. Some of the obstacles these girls had to overcome were abandonment, rejection, neglect, abuse, physical disabilities, emotional wounds and insecurities. Thanks to who gave at the silent auction to this worthy cause. My desire is to continue to strengthen our sister dance school in Guatemala, through your generous support we can make a difference in these beautiful girls lives.Together we can change the world, Casa Esperanza Children's Home Ministry Times
We were privileged to minister in Casa Esperanza Childrens Home this past April/May. (Click here to learn more about Casa Esperanza) We took them through a time of breaking off curses and enacting blessings; first with the Guatemala staff ladies, then the older kids in the home. This was a life changing time for all involved. We saw women and children healed from past abuses and come into freedom. We will continue to work with the home when we return to Guatemala.
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Summer Happenings
When we returned home the kids went right into school for the last few weeks. We were able to get away to southern Alberta for camping and to Kelowna to visit with my (Matt's) parents who just moved there and have a great time in the hot Okanagan sun. All the kids did their first triathalon in June. They all had a fun time and did well. Matt did the Canadian Death Race again. It was the 10th annivesary year. He did it with a few friends. They all did the solo run; 125km through the Rocky Mountains. He finished in 18 hours 22 minutes. Click Here for finishing video
Kerry ran a 1/2 marathon in Canmore in September and beat her time from last year. It was is a really tough course. So adventure abounds in the Blacklock home. Always looking for more. School has started and there are 3 kids in 3 different schools: Grade 6 Abby, Grade 5 Hayley and Grade 3 Liam. Fairly soon we will be handing out drivers licenses. The kids will be in school until Christmas Break and then it is off to Guatemala with Fe Viva in January.
What's Happening Next
We (Matt and Kerry) are heading to Guatemala from October 3-18 to reconnect and minister there. We will be doing more training in Casa Esperanza with the staff and also connecting with the new directors of Casa Alabbanza (Villa Nueva Children's Home). It will be a great ministry time. We will be working with the other missionaries there in prayer, training and prepping for the new year for language class and the Missionary Training School (MTS Feb - May) that we run.(Click Here for MTS info)
This fall we will continue to teach a course called Heroes in the schools in Spruce Grove. This is a character, integrity, dignity building course that is changing youths life all across Canada. We will be using the Heroes course in Guatemala as well. We also have been organizing the Guatemala Orphans Destiny Walk in Spruce Grove. It is happening this week; September 25.
We will continue to share with you as we go. We will keep up the YouTube messages and all the adventures we have. We want to share this with you to invite you to join with us; in prayer, coming on a mission trip, in supporting and finding what God has for you.
God Bless,
You can stay connected with us and see all that is happening though:
Nosotros somos Candadonegro
(We are Blacklock)
The Blacklocks |
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Partner with us
If you are interested in partnering financially with us; click here to find out how you can. You can donate to the Canadian Youth & Community Life Transformation Foundation (CYCTF). This is our charitable organization that we have had since 2000, and it partners with the other organizations mentioned in this letter (Fe Viva, Heroes) to help train the next generation of leaders in Canada and Central America. If you would like more information about CYCTF give us a call or email; we would love to share our vision with you.
31 West Terrace Place Spruce Grove, AB T7X 1T3
Charitable Registration # 891535015RP0001 |
Prayer Requests
1. Wisdom as we train leaders, teach, lead outreaches, give spiritual oversight
2. Grace to learn Spanish
3. Hearing God in all situations
4. Kerry and Matt's time together(can get really busy)
5. Family time
6. Kids schooling
7. Healthy community and love on Fe Viva Base and in Canada
8. Powerful ministry times. God moving!!
9. Financial support
10. Physical protection and grace for travel
Thanks for getting our backs... |
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