We are happy to announce that we have moved into our new home!! Our feelings are hard to explain—joy at finally having a place to call our own and sorrow at leaving the house where we started our ministry. It is beyond wonderful to live next door to the church. We stand amazed at how God allowed what we dreamed of to become a reality.
We celebrated our seven-year anniversary as a church in October. Each year we take time to reflect back to the beginning days. What we only imagined those first few weeks has come to pass—the church has grown, our family has grown, souls have been saved, we have a building, we have a house, and, most importantly, we have nationals serving with us. Each year we have so much for which to thank God. His blessings to us inspire us to keep serving Him. We would like to encourage anyone who may be struggling; maybe we cannot always see how God will work things out, but we have learned that His timing is always better than what we could have imagined. Stay faithful, and the end result will be worth it. At our anniversary service we had a sweet time of fellowship and great preaching from Pastor Rosalio Campa, who was our guest speaker. It was a joy to see teenagers serving in church, the children singing, and new people walking through the doors.
The month of December is packed full of Christmas activities and outreach programs. We normally have a Christmas dinner and invite the community to come out and celebrate the birth of our Saviour. Every child is given a toy, we eat delicious food, and the Gospel is presented to all. Our teenagers have put together a drama to remind us of the true meaning of Christ’s birth. Please pray that many visitors would attend this special service and that many would trust Christ as a result. We also have a Ladies’ Banquet planned for December. Pray that new ladies might come and receive Christ.
Our sweet Isabella will be celebrating her one-year birthday on December 16. This third princess of ours has brought us much delight and laughter. We came to Belize when our Alyssa was just three months old. Our girls know Belize is their home since they have grown up here. The two older girls can speak English and Spanish and have picked up a bit of Creole as well. The ability children have to learn languages is amazing. Now, if only it were as easy for adults!!
I have continued to preach at the jail twice a month. Every other Wednesday I preach to the same group of inmates. This has allowed me to befriend some of the regulars. New inmates come each week as well. We covet your continued prayers for this ministry. Specifically you can pray for the messages to move the hearts of the inmates.
Thank you for keeping our family and ministry in your prayers. It is our prayer and desire that you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year. May God’s blessings be ever evident in your ministry.
In Christ,
The Alvarez Family
