is it already november...

Dara and KayaFamily

As we close in towards the end of the year, our family is smiling.  It's been a rough year, but God's favor continues to shine on us.  The kids are thriving in school.  Both PJ and Isaac are playing basketball after school and have made some good friends.  Hannah has had some bumps but is adjusting well to the big new world of Kindergarten.  Both she and Kaya are beginning to speak Spanish beautifully.  Both Dara and I have grown in the relationships God has given us here.  God has given us both some precious friendships.  We have also realized the blessing God has given us through this trial, as we have watched our family grow closer to Him and to one another through it all.  Even still, we are looking forward to being back in the States for couple weeks for Christmas and starting off the year afresh.

This week the boys dressed up for their school's festival day.  PJ was a flip-flop and Isaac was a trash can with a person upside down who had been dunked by a bully.  Hannah was an infermera.  You can see these and some other recent photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/peter.desoto/07HarvestCostumeParade

ENLACE

God is working through ENLACE.  More than ever, I feel so honored to be a part of this work and organization.  Over the last year our team has grown immensely.  I love the community that we have as a group, and the deapening friendships we have with the pastors and leaders we serve in El Salvador.  We just hosted a pastors/leaders retreat last month where there were 11 churches in attendance.  The stories that were shared only affirmed that God's heart is to use His body (the church) to restore the world.   Countless testimonies showed how these humble churches were shining admist instense challenges.  One of the things I love most about the work down here is the high frequency of laughter.  You would think that there would be a somber tone over most of our meetings because of the major challenges that face the churches.  Yet, instead there is laughter, rejoicing, and celebration.  Only in the body of Christ can there be authentic celebration admist struggle.  One of my highlights was playing "steal the bacon" with the group.  Ron, our executive director, threw the ball into the sky as he called all of the names.  Rushing towards the middle were people from all walks of life, rich, poor, country folk, and city folk.  In these moments, our earthly positions are traded in for our eternal ones and we find the community of saints that the Bible describes. For photos and some more stories please visit: www.enlaceonline.org.

Pray for 2008.  We are trying to serve more churches, manage more mission teams, and support more initiatives. Specifically, pray for our team, that we can be the light God wants us to be as we serve.  Also, pray for the water project in Las Delicias.  We have made some progress, but still need to raise close to $1 million to provide water to about 2,000 families. To get an update, please visit  http://www.enlaceonline.org/las-delicias-water-project

RECOVERY

closing up the cabin
In September, I returned to California to get away alone.  I retreated to a cabin in Lake Tahoe where I was able to get alone with the Lord. I intend to write up more about the experience at a later time, but for now all I can say is that it was such a valuable time.  The first couple days were euphoric, being free from roles and responsibility.  But for a good part of the week I struggled through my times with God, reconnecting with the emotions of this last year.  I recognized that the shooting had taken much more of a toll on me than I ever thought.  I felt strong emotions of fear, anger, isolation, even though I was in my favorite place in the world.  Yet, after seven days I left the mountain feeling a nearness to Christ.  God is working through this trial to connect me to my deapest need which is to be in His presence.  The vulnerability I've experienced has made me aware of how much I desperately need and want to abide in God.  Through this God is bringing healing.

In terms of my voice, there have been small improvements.  I still have a ways to go, but I'm trusting God to continue to restore it in His time. I was able to see a doctor from USC in September who confirmed that I have some permanent nerve damage due to the shooting.  But, out of all that could have happened to me, I am so grateful that this is it. 

I got a chance to speak a few times during my visit to the States.  It was a joy to share what God has done this year and what He continues to do in His church.  One of the places I spoke was at the Master's College in Santa Clarita, CA.  If you would like to download the message you can save the following file and listen: Master's College Message Sept. 19th.

Happy 11th Anniversary Dara...I love you!

Dara, tomorrow is our 11^th wedding anniversary and the first time we are ever apart when celebrating this amazing day. You are in Guatemala studying Spanish because you are following the call that God has put in your heart to follow Him wherever He leads you. Eleven years tomorrow that same call led you to become my partner, my lover, and my lifelong companion. We both know that it was our heavenly Father that brought us together, and I thank Him for the amazing gift He has given me in you.

Letters of the heart are often private, meant for an audience of one. Yet, tonight I want to give you the public adoration you deserve. Our wedding was public intended to seal a commitment in front of our closest friends and family. I want to reaffirm that same commitment to you tonight, hoping that this is only the beginning of our lives together. Earlier this year, we almost separated, me for heaven and you remaining on earth. We got a glimpse of what living apart would mean, and it almost broke our hearts. God has woven us together as one, three chords binding us with the love, hope, and strength of the beautiful spirit of Christ himself. This chord has been tested and has proven itself strong by the grace of our Lord.

You are my hero. I have watched you grow into a woman I can only hope my daughters will strive to become. Yesterday, Hannah said out of nowhere, “When I grow up I want to be just like my mommy and daddy.” It was a quote I will always treasure. Her aspiration is noble, because your humble endurance is a quality rare in this world today. You walk in complete authenticity even when it often causes insecurity. Like a woman going directly to the well to drink, you draw your strength directly from Jesus. You pray with the faith of a child, and as a result I have watched God respond to your requests. I can almost see His face smile each time you go before Him and cry out your heart. Your trust in Him only grows, and you allow Him to mold you into His image. Your heart for others continues to deepen as a result.

Yet, more than anything I am simply in love with you, Dara, the girl I met in college who boldly asked me out to our first lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Newport Beach. You walk with a style that others follow. Your quiet confidence puts us all at ease, and your beauty radiates from the inside out. You melt us all with your smile and the sincerity of your words. Everything you do is beautiful, and all who know you adore you.

Like a silly school boy, tonight I want to confess my love for you as we celebrate our anniversary apart. I want you to know how special I think you are and how I long to be with you for the rest of my life. I feel it stronger than I did eleven years ago, because then it was only a hope of the future, but today my love is based upon eleven years of heaven with you.

So for the next 50 years, I pray the following: I want to listen more than I talk (which seems to be much easier now without a voice).  I want to hold your hand more. I want to look into your eyes more. I want to pray together more. I want to laugh more and cry more. I want to dream more and reflect more on the abundant lives God has given us. More than anything, I want to be the partner that God fashioned me to be. I want to encourage you to become the person God had in mind when He gave you to all of us. I want you to be full of joy because you profoundly experience God’s love for you, and I want to be the main instrument of that love.

Happy anniversary my love! I pray that your time in Guatemala is full of adventure and that you continue to experience the sweet taste of God’s love for you. You are not alone. I can’t wait to be with you soon, but please know that although we are apart we are closer than ever because we sit squarely in the will of our Lord as one. I love you.

Pete

Back in El Salvador

On Saturday night we boarded a plane with bags packed, portable DVD players ready, and snacks on stand bye. I downed two red bulls and two starbucks’ espresso-n-creams to get ready for our red-eye through Houston to get back to El Salvador. My parents and Dara’s parents took us to the airport, and honestly this was the hardest good bye we’ve had yet.

We enjoyed some rich time with both our families over our trip to Cali. We celebrated Easter with a host of family members who carted in the growing herd of the next generation, who scurried to find painted eggs in my parents’ back yard. I loved preaching in my dad’s church on that Sunday. The Lord really ministered to all of us through the story of Christ agonizing in the garden before His death, and the way He identifies with the pain we experience. I felt privileged to be able to proclaim the gospel after going through the trials of the last few months.
family easter pic

The kids were able to reconnect with a host of friends on this trip. They played their hearts out in Lake Havasu with all their buddies from Copperhill Church. They loved not having to try to speak Spanish, and feeling like just one of the crew. Even Hannah and Kaya realized the difference of being back in California and in their own words expressed their love for the place, and their connection to our family. Dara and I loved being with so many of you. We were so encouraged by the outpouring of love and generosity. We only wish we could have spent time with more of you, and had more time with those of you we saw. Thank you all for the way you made us feel at home. We received such restoration through the community God has given us in So Cal. Specifically, we want to thank Copperhill Church for being such an amazing home to us. You all made our trip home possible.

So, returning to El Salvador was not easy. We have felt the cost our the decision to live in El Salvador in a tangible way. The shooting made us all realize that following Christ does not guarantee all will be smooth. In fact, our family has come to realize how fragile life really is. Yet, this is why we must live our lives out to the fullest, putting our whole trust in God. I watched the tragedy of the shootings in Virginia on Monday, and was reminded about the false sense of security we often feel in the U.S. None of those students woke up thinking they would meet their maker later that day. Sadly, horrible things can happen anywhere.

I had the privilege to share my testimony a number of times during the trip. I shared openly about the evident miracles that occurred to save my life, but I also shared about the struggle I’ve had to understand the tremendous suffering other people regularly experience. I shared about the way God comforted me with the message of the gospel, the message that Christ has promised to always be with those of us who love Him. I’m beginning to believe that the core of the gospel is this notion of Jesus’ actual presence in our lives, the amazing phenomena that occurs when we trust Him and fall in love with Him. This is a gospel that promises that He will walk us through any trial and that He will celebrate with us during times of joy. To trust in Jesus is a decision to never be alone, from now through eternity. As I shared this, a number of people approached me who have endured tough trials in their lives. They were encouraged by this message. They, like me, struggled with the “why” question regarding pain, tragedy, and God’s decision to rescue some and not others. The only comfort they felt during their tragedies was the real, tangible peace that they encountered through their relationship with Jesus. Time and time again, I heard stories about Jesus being very real to people in their time of trial. Their stories encouraged me to continue to trust Jesus deeper, and to follow Him further.

Dara and I continue to seek God about our time here. As much as we love So. Cal, we want more than anything to be where God has us. For now, He has us in El Salvador, and we are honored be here. It is a real privilege. God is doing tremendous work through ENLACE, and through the churches we work with. Tomorrow, I get a chance to go to back to Abelines for the first time since the shooting. I’m a bit nervous, but Dara and I both feel good about me going. The whole community is coming together to celebrate the opening of the medical clinic expansion. To God’s glory, the shooting has not deterred the work of the church, but only strengthened it. I want to celebrate with our staff and with the people of Abelines.

update on my voice…

While in the U.S, I was able to visit a wonderful voice specialist from our church who works at USC. I went in three times, and even in that time we experienced improvement in the quality of my voice. The good news is that he was very hopeful that my voice has a great chance to return to 90-95%. The challenge is that it could take anywhere from 3 months to a year. So, I’m trying to be faithful with my therapy and to guard my voice. This is a challenge for me, but it’s so minimal compared to what could have happened to me.

prayer requests

• that our family can readjust to life in El Salvador
• for Pete’s voice to recover 100%
• that we will find opportunities to serve effectively in El Salvador
• that God will protect the ministry of ENLACE and use our team to support more churches in El Salvador

updated pics

We just updated pictures from the trip. you can visit them here.

Peter and Dara's video interview about the shooting

Last week, David Mcgee, our good friend and fellow missionary at ENLACE took the time to ask Dara and me some questions about the last six weeks. What we intended to be a short ten minute video, turned into forty minutes broken into four parts. Yet through the video, you hopefully will see the amazing hand of God over our lives through this trial. We hope you are encouraged.

To see the videos follow the following link: peter and dara's interview