Merry Christmas 2014

A year of blessing, a year of joy.  A year of growth, a year of learning.  A year of change, a year of opportunity.  God has been ESPECIALLY GOOD to us in 2014, and we can't wait to share some exciting news with you.  (and NO!  It's not another baby!)

But first...here's the update on what has happened in our family this year:

Jared is fourteen and has officially earned the right to say he is taller than his mother!  He plays the trumpet in the Woodland Junior High band and is excelling in 8th grade.  According to the state of Arkansas, he is now old enough to start driving (GULP!), so he will be taking the test to receive his permit soon.  Over the summer, Jared helped organize a soccer tournament in Haiti, and made us so proud as he fearlessly shared the Gospel with many children on the soccer field.

Julie graduated from elementary school and is thriving in 6th grade at McNair Middle School.  She is a hard worker and takes academics very seriously.  In the spring, Julie was selected to be a member of the archery team at school, and together, they earned the honor of competing at the National level.  Most recently, Julie has become a volunteer at the local animal shelter, and especially loves socializing with the cats!  Julie also traveled with us to Haiti over the summer, and has become an expert in making balloon animals for the children at the orphanage.

Lizzy turned ten in June and is now in the 4th grade at Vandergriff Elementary.  It seems that Lizzy has been singing since the time she could talk, and this year, she had many opportunities to share her gift on the stage, both at church and school.  Because Lizzy still struggles with hearing loss, she has chosen to have surgery to receive a BAHA (bone anchored hearing aide) just before Christmas.  She is excited and a little bit nervous, and we are all very thankful that God has provided a way for her hearing to be fully restored.

Sweet Sam is nine years old and is in 3rd grade at Vandergriff Elementary. Over the winter, he played basketball with the Upward league at church, and enjoyed having his dad and big brother as the coaches of his team!  In September, Sam had the privilege of serving as the ring bearer in his Aunt Emily's wedding.  Sam loves to be a friend to people, and is looking forward to his first trip to Haiti in 2015.  

Little Miss Leah is seven years old and is in 1st grade.  Leah loves to read and write, and works hard at school.  She enjoyed being a cheerleader for the Upward league at our church, and has also joined the kids choir, XLR8.  The highlight of Leah's year was asking Jesus to be the boss of her life!  

Elena is five and went to KINDERGARTEN this year!!  Mom really wasn't ready for that, but she was super duper ready to go!  Elena is a funny, feisty, independent girl, and can hold her own with any of her siblings.  In May, Elena had surgery to repair an issue with her kidneys and bladder, and spent four days at Arkansas Children's Hospital.  We are so thankful that everything went smoothly and the surgery was a success.  

As for mom and dad... the direction of our lives has been changed forever by our experiences in Haiti.  This year, we each spent four weeks serving at the ministry of the JoyHouse in the city of Gressier.  We are both fiercely committed to that ministry and have a deep, deep love for the people of Haiti.  Jeremy is using his business knowledge to assist several Haitian people to build their own small business.  Five people are now making income selling grocery staples out of their home, managing a chicken coop and selling the eggs at market, and growing vegetables through an aquaponics system.  This ministry has already been quite fruitful and we are excited to see how God is helping it grow.  My passion is in working with the women of the church.  In October, my heart was filled to the brim with joy as we saw the dream of a women's conference come to fruition.  Over 350 women spent three days learning about the names of God, and our love for each other grew stronger through that experience we shared.  We are planning several more trips in 2015, and God willing, four of the kids will be coming with us in the summer.  

And now for our exciting news:  out of obedience to the work that God is calling us to do, we are in the process of forming a non-profit organization, called Leve Kanpe, which means "Rise Up" in Haitian Creole.  Together with the JoyHouse, we pray that Leve Kanpe will bring much glory to God and will be an avenue for our personal ministry in Haiti to continue to grow.  You can learn more about the mission and vision of Leve Kanpe at www.levekanpe.com.  We are so thankful for all those who have supported us on this journey through prayers and giving--and we would LOVE to have you join us on a trip to Haiti in the future!  

The Bible tells us that "God chose Jesus as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days." (1 Peter 1:20)  From the beginning of Creation, God prepared a Deliverer for us, knowing that we would desperately need a Savior.  He sent this gift to us in the most unexpected way:  a newborn baby boy.  We celebrate King Jesus this Christmas season, and pray that you know Him ever deeper.  Please enjoy this simple Christmas message from our family to you:  http://youtu.be/IXyUhYBX97o

May this season be full of joy as we celebrate Emmanuel, God with us!  

Many blessings in 2015,

Jeremy, Katie, Jared, Julie, Lizzy, Sam, Leah & Elena Beehn