Dear Family and Friends,
We are asking for your help throughout the month of October! We are launching a fundraising campaign to raise awareness and support for our work with LAM. We are seeking out 50 family and friends that would be willing to donate as low as $10 a month or with a one time gift. You can find our facebook cause page to make a donation or go directly to LAM's website at https://www.lam.org/donate/index.php?donate=Rob+Chaney. Our goal is less about money and more about awareness. Any small donation makes a difference!
Please pass this on to family and friends! Help us make a difference in Latin America. We ask that you reach out to five of your own family and friends to make a small contribution. All of is is tax deductible.
Thank you for supporting us and most importantly for giving voice to fellow brothers and sisters in Latin America!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Happy Traveling
Yet once again I have lagged on the Friday updates. The past month has been a traveling frenzy. Just in the past week and a half I have been in three different time zones. I am finally home and missing Robby terribly. I am counting down the days. Only one more week to go until he comes home for a week. We are looking forward to celebrating our five year anniversary together (even if a week late). Originally we planned on being in San Diego for our anniversary and an opportunity came about that might allow us to spend more time together while Rob is in Miami. We decided it was best for me to explore the opportunity and see what God has in plan for us. More details to come in a couple of weeks.
One of the great personal blessings that has come as a result of Rob being in Miami is an opportunity to work on his health. He has been walking/exercising every day and eating healthy. His doctor has been telling him for years now that more sun, exercise and healthy food can greatly improve his health- but it has taken him Miami to get started. Well, I can't say it is Miami alone that has triggered healthier behavior. We believe that when doing God's work and following his calling things that always seemed overwhelming become possible. It is an uphill battle but we believe in God's healing. One of the items on our to do list while Rob is here is a follow up visit with the heart doctor. Please pray!
Another prayer is for our companionship. We have both been experiencing loneliness in spite our crazy busy schedule.
Thank you once again for your support and prayers!
One of the great personal blessings that has come as a result of Rob being in Miami is an opportunity to work on his health. He has been walking/exercising every day and eating healthy. His doctor has been telling him for years now that more sun, exercise and healthy food can greatly improve his health- but it has taken him Miami to get started. Well, I can't say it is Miami alone that has triggered healthier behavior. We believe that when doing God's work and following his calling things that always seemed overwhelming become possible. It is an uphill battle but we believe in God's healing. One of the items on our to do list while Rob is here is a follow up visit with the heart doctor. Please pray!
Another prayer is for our companionship. We have both been experiencing loneliness in spite our crazy busy schedule.
Thank you once again for your support and prayers!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Changes
Oh how wonderful! My parents made it possible for me to visit Robby in Miami last week. Thank you Mom and Dad! It couldn't have come at a better time. LAM is going through many changes and have hired Robby on to lead the transition alongside my father for the next six months in addition to his support based ministry.
This means that Robby will be spending three out out of the four weeks of the month in Miami. Because he will be spending so much time there my Mom scoured the city to find an efficiency apartment where Rob could live for the next six months. Because of her diligence she found a very comfortable studio only a mile away from their place. This means Robby can commute with my father in the mornings and evenings. It also means he has family close by. It made a very scary situation seem so safe.
The apartment is amazing. You can tell the owner takes pride in the property. It is very Miami. Built in the 1950's with casita style tile floors and freshly painted walls. It is large enough to fit the bed, a table and desk. The kitchen has all the basics and the bathroom is as cute as can be (even if it fits only one in the morning!). It was wonderful being there for the weekend as he settled in. However the cold showers every morning were a bit painful (no hot water yet). We found ourselves cooking in the tiny kitchen and eating at the table enjoying the silence of our quiet conversation (with no TV to distract us). We got to talking about the necessities of life and how few their really are.
Reading my sister in laws blog about the economy/ recession got me thinking about the many changes we have made in our lifestyle over the past year as Rob has entered into ministry. We began to shed all the so called comforts of life and found we are more peaceful than ever. Our greatest commodity is time.
We started the process by eliminating all the so called extras- we decided eating out was one of them. The cost of one dinner out is equal to almost one week's worth of groceries. I started shopping at several stores based on the best price of produce (Sprouts hands down) and toiletries (Fry's). I consider it my mission to walk out of the grocery store having only purchased items on sale. We eliminated items that can kill a budget such as juices. Instead we refrigerate our very own free filtered water. In Spanish when you order water at a restaurant you say aguita de Dios (God's water) so true when you get thinking...
We eliminated the extra gym/yoga memberships. Instead I attend the free yoga in the park on weekends. We don't have any of the cable/phone extras that we once considered necessary. Redbox is a treat ($1 movies a night). Where as in the past if we needed clothing it was a shopping trip to the mall, now I find deals at Marshall's (Juicy dress pants for Rob for only $12). We limit driving and plan out our week to save gas.
I started hand washing dry clean only clothes (yes- you can actually do this!). Air conditioning only when we are home. Lights always off if not in use. Washing the car at the do it yourself for a quarter places.
Coffee oh coffee how I love thee...a major budget killer unless you have stock in Starbucks. Instead I found that Folgers has individual serving instant coffee that makes an amazing espresso with a little bit of water or a latte when added directly to hot milk...all for less than 25 cents.
I feel like I could go one for a while more but truth be told it becomes a way of life. It becomes fun- something Rob and I get to do together...finding joy in the small things that cost no money at all...the evening walks, swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's or movie nights at home.
I listen to the news on the so called recession- if we only knew. All we have to do is talk to our grandparents to understand the true nature of a recession. While it has hit harder for those most in need the rest of us that still have food on the table and a roof over our head can be challanged to shift our perpective back to relationships, love and nature.
This means that Robby will be spending three out out of the four weeks of the month in Miami. Because he will be spending so much time there my Mom scoured the city to find an efficiency apartment where Rob could live for the next six months. Because of her diligence she found a very comfortable studio only a mile away from their place. This means Robby can commute with my father in the mornings and evenings. It also means he has family close by. It made a very scary situation seem so safe.
The apartment is amazing. You can tell the owner takes pride in the property. It is very Miami. Built in the 1950's with casita style tile floors and freshly painted walls. It is large enough to fit the bed, a table and desk. The kitchen has all the basics and the bathroom is as cute as can be (even if it fits only one in the morning!). It was wonderful being there for the weekend as he settled in. However the cold showers every morning were a bit painful (no hot water yet). We found ourselves cooking in the tiny kitchen and eating at the table enjoying the silence of our quiet conversation (with no TV to distract us). We got to talking about the necessities of life and how few their really are.
Reading my sister in laws blog about the economy/ recession got me thinking about the many changes we have made in our lifestyle over the past year as Rob has entered into ministry. We began to shed all the so called comforts of life and found we are more peaceful than ever. Our greatest commodity is time.
We started the process by eliminating all the so called extras- we decided eating out was one of them. The cost of one dinner out is equal to almost one week's worth of groceries. I started shopping at several stores based on the best price of produce (Sprouts hands down) and toiletries (Fry's). I consider it my mission to walk out of the grocery store having only purchased items on sale. We eliminated items that can kill a budget such as juices. Instead we refrigerate our very own free filtered water. In Spanish when you order water at a restaurant you say aguita de Dios (God's water) so true when you get thinking...
We eliminated the extra gym/yoga memberships. Instead I attend the free yoga in the park on weekends. We don't have any of the cable/phone extras that we once considered necessary. Redbox is a treat ($1 movies a night). Where as in the past if we needed clothing it was a shopping trip to the mall, now I find deals at Marshall's (Juicy dress pants for Rob for only $12). We limit driving and plan out our week to save gas.
I started hand washing dry clean only clothes (yes- you can actually do this!). Air conditioning only when we are home. Lights always off if not in use. Washing the car at the do it yourself for a quarter places.
Coffee oh coffee how I love thee...a major budget killer unless you have stock in Starbucks. Instead I found that Folgers has individual serving instant coffee that makes an amazing espresso with a little bit of water or a latte when added directly to hot milk...all for less than 25 cents.
I feel like I could go one for a while more but truth be told it becomes a way of life. It becomes fun- something Rob and I get to do together...finding joy in the small things that cost no money at all...the evening walks, swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's or movie nights at home.
I listen to the news on the so called recession- if we only knew. All we have to do is talk to our grandparents to understand the true nature of a recession. While it has hit harder for those most in need the rest of us that still have food on the table and a roof over our head can be challanged to shift our perpective back to relationships, love and nature.
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