Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!  We are looking back on a year of blessings and thankfulness. In one year we graduated from DTS in Thailand, moved four times, received jobs for 7 months and learned/are learning Spanish.  I nannied 2 of the cutest kids over the summer. David learned about constructing houses and (in the words of Jacob Graudin) “learned how to dig holes and then fill them back up.” We walked through dry seasons and arrived into new seasons in faith journey with God. 2012 was a learning year. God loves to provide in every way possible.  We learned that despite our circumstances our decisions can’t be made based on fear.  We are so blessed to be encouraged by our old and new friends. As for the New Year, it has been said by some that 2013 will be the year of “missions and for missionaries to be called forth.” Yep, we receive that one and a whole lot more!

Some of our dreams/goals for 2013:

1. To continue a season of generosity and hospitality. We have seen over the past year seeds being sown in God’s economy. We have personally seen and experienced the rewards of being generous to others and want to keep at it.

2. We want to be granted Peruvian residency (the equivalent of a “US Green Card” in Peru). Yes, we can assure that we will still be full US citizens; however with a Peruvian residency one is allowed to live and work in the country as “non-Catholic missionaries” and receives the same benefits as Peruvians would (ex. you can have bills in your name, open accounts, drive, own a car, ect.)

3. We want to live out worship and prayer in Cusco. We want to staff and help establish a YWAM Cusco base (help raise a property or location to house classes and students for long-term), and this includes a Discipleship Training School (DTS) for youth of all ages to receive missionary training and to send them out.

4. We want outreaches for God to encounter every type of people in Cusco: the backpackers and tourists, the Quechua people, Peruvians/Cusquenas. We want to maintain and build relationship with other missionaries, local churches and programs while at the same time building our base.

5. We want God to dream over us this year. When our dreams and plans become aligned with His, good stuff happens. We look in joyful anticipation to 2013. Here’s to the New Year!

our DTS class

we got to spend lots of time at Camp St. Christopher (again!)

David and Hadrian Hobbs participated in their 1st Sprint triathlon

we found community (in US and in Peru)

and got to spend lots of time with family and friends.

Thank you 2012, goodbye. Hello 2013.