A quick review of 2014 in numbers:

6 Visiting American Teams

– Women’s Field Hockey Team from Gordon College (Field Hockey camp for youth girls)

-Maine/NH ladies (Instructed our women in making personal hygiene packets.  See daysforgirls.org  for more information.)

–Valley Church (Lead youth girls’ camp and did various maintenance projects such as painting buildings.)

-Renew Community Church (Constructed a four family bathroom)

–First Baptist Maryville (Baseball camp for 7-18 year-old boys)

-Doris Stump Memorial Group (Constructed our fourth open-air building)

2 Incredible Long-Term Summer Interns – Jessica Terpstra and Rebekah Cline

15 (or so) Volunteers from IBI  (International Baptist Church)

9 Women from Cercadillo helped with Summer Programming

187 Children and Youth Involved in our Summer Programming

48 Sunday Worship Experiences throughout the year

33 Days of Study/Sewing and Crafting  with Women

654 tubes of toothpaste & approximately 1000 toothbrushes distributed

And on a personal note:

2 brain surgeries Mom endured after a fall in my home in early January

7 weeks spent with her in ICU’s, three hospitals and finally in a nursing home in our hometown

1 horrific case of chikungunya virus beginning in June

1 thyroidectomy in August

1 diagnosis of Follicular Thyroid Cancer, Stage 3 in Sept

100 mlc of radioactive iodine swallowed with the hopes of eliminating the remaining cancer  (Six months of waiting to see if it worked.)

9+ weeks of recuperating, during which my time in the village was very limited.

0 = Number of times I have felt abandoned.

Impossible to Count = Those who have encouraged, prayed, shared tears and met various physical needs.

How thankful I am for all of your support during this most unusual year!

$11,626 USD – Amount of 2014 budget we have not raised as of the beginning of December.   If you would like to help with this shortfall, there are three tax-deductible ways to do so.  

1. By sending a check in the mail. Please write #4126 in the memo section of your check, make the check payable to Shepherd’s Staff, and mail it to:

(See more at: http://ssmfi.org/donate)

 May God bless each of you with a wonderful New Year!

The Cercadillo Advisory Team met in Ashburn, Virginia November 7-8, 2014.   I am so thankful for this group of people who support me personally and give leadership to The Cercadillo Project.   As anyone who has ever spoken to me knows, I have more dreams for our village than can be accomplished in several lifetimes.  This team helps to ground me as we develop realistic goals for the coming year.

From left to right these fine folk who volunteer their time are:

Ed Allen, Virginia;      Tony Stec, Iowa;      Joan Asker, Massachusetts;      Maurine Masters, Florida;     Dave Flumbaum, Maryland;   Jan Zachariasse, Virginia