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NsP News and Reminders |
7/22/2008 |
Chad Scruggs Preaching
Chad Scruggs will be preaching in the worship service this Sunday morning. Chad is the RUF Campus Minister at SMU. He and his wife, Jada, and their son John Randall are members of NSP. Chad is in the process of completing his ordination requirements and anticipates doing so at the August meeting of the North Texas Presbytery. We are grateful to have him in our pulpit this week.
Newborn Announcements
Kyle and Karla Rotenberry welcomed baby girl, Lucinda Mae. She is 6 lbs, 12 oz. They are at Baylor, Johnson building room 723. Please join the Rotenberrys in thanking the Lord for this new daughter.
Austin and Amber Fatherlee welcomed baby boy, Clisby Austin- he will go by Cib. He was born on July 15th. He weighed 8 lbs and 13 ounces. They are very thankful.
They have been visiting NsP this summer and plan to join us in the fall. Providing meals will be a great way to get acquainted with them. If you are able to help, please sign up at this link. We have their address and phone number at the church office. www.mysignup.com/fatherleemeals
Ladies Summer Study
The ladies summer book study will conclude next Tuesday, July 29 at 10:30 am at the Peters’ home (6806 Hyde Park Drive, 75231).
Podcast for NSP Sermons
For those of you who utilize the podcast function of our website to listen to our pastors sermons, there has been a change made that may require you to update your subscription. We changed the server that the sermons are stored on in order to gain more storage space. You may find that you will need to re-subscribe to the podcast feed in order to get the latest sermons. If that is the case, please go to http://newstpeters.org/sermons.aspx and simply click on the iTunes logo on the bottom right hand of the webpage. If you are still having troubles, you can email Mark Van Vessem at mark@minditonline.com for assistance.
Men’s Prayer Meeting
All men are invited to come to the church office (6116 N. Central Expwy #1060) for prayer each Tuesday morning at 7:00 am.
Reminder about Worship Training/Nursery
Team 4 serves this Sunday.
Please arrive by 9:00 am and if you cannot serve, please find a substitute!
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Update from the Bartons |
5/13/2008 |
Dear friends and family,
It has been an interesting few months since I (Paul) have last written. Most notable is that we recently had a sonogram of the baby and it's a boy! Oh, by the way, we are pregnant with our 4th for those of you who don't know. I have my doubts as I looked at the sono and interpreted it myself thinking that the "parts" in question were actually umbilical cord; but what do I know...I'm just an anesthesiologist!
Right now we are looking forward to a visit from Kim's parents - they arrive tonight. During their visit we will have a MTW mini-retreat with our teammates here in Ecuador, giving the grandparents and grandsons some quality time together. We also hope to see some Quito sights and even get out of the city for a few days. It will be great to have them here for Josiah's second birthday, as well. After they leave, our time in Quito will wrap up quickly.
We have have completed our seven months of Spanish training as of a couple weeks ago. Personally, I can see the big picture of the language but still need lots of practice to be where I want to be. Hopefully that will come as I begin working in the hospital. Our plan from here is to pack up our belongings here in Quito, put them in temporary storage while we spend 3 weeks in June in the States before moving to our new house in Shell, Ecuador. In Shell, I will begin working in the hospital almost from our first days there the first week of July. Lord willing, we will have the baby in Shell.
We have added some new blog entries and pictures to our website, www.drsbarton.com, so check it out. We are trying to add things every week or two, so check back frequently.
Thanks so much for your prayers. There are so many that God has answered in amazing ways and we are excited to be moving onto the next stage of this journey and begin using our Spanish and ministering at the hospital in Shell. We praise God for his provision to this point and pray for smooth travel and transitions this summer and for the continued health of Kim and our baby boy in utero.
Love,
Paul, Kim, Samuel, Nathan and Josiah
Contact Info:
email: drsbarton@gmail.com
website: www.drsbarton.com
US Mail:
Kim and Paul Barton
c/o Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141
(cards and letters sent to this address will be forwarded to us in Ecuador)
Ecuadorian mail:
Paul and Kim Barton
Casilla 17-08-8403
Quito, ECUADOR
(our Ecuadorian address for cards, letters, and packages less than 4 pounds)
Vonage US phone number (works just like a Houston number): 713-589-3233
Ecuadorian phone number (as dialed from a US phone): 011-593-2-225-2198
Donations address (please reference our account #010737)
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284
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Update from the Bartons |
4/1/2008 |
Dear friends,
This update is organized around our prayer request and praises. First, praise God for a healthy pregnancy for Kim up to this point! Yes, we are expecting Baby Barton #4 in the middle of August. So far all seems to be normal and we are so thankful. If everything continues well, we plan to deliver in Shell about 6 weeks after our move there this summer. Please do pray that things would continue to go smoothly and that the baby would develop normally.
We are also tremendously thankful for the car that we have purchased. God provided just what we were looking for in our price range and we made the purchase in early February. We have tested it's four-wheel drive capabilities on several occasions. We anticipate this coming in handy even more once we move to Shell. Please pray that Kim would be able to obtain her Ecuadorian driving license as smoothly as Paul did.
At this season, with Easter just behind us, we are grateful for God's gift of the Resurrection. It was interesting to celebrate Easter in a country that focuses on Good Friday as the main holiday and as the culmination of Holy Week. Although we are certainly thankful for the death of Jesus on the cross, it loses all meaning without the Resurrection. We enjoyed a very special Easter Sunday starting with a breakfast cooked by the men of our church followed by lunch with another family and a dinner party with our entire MTW (Mission to the World) team. We were glad that our worries about Easter feeling like any other day were in vain. We also enjoyed our family traditions of dying Easter eggs and Easter egg hunts with the help of some American supplies. Kim did have to remember to buy white eggs, since the standard ones here are brown.
Please pray for all of the Ecuadorians that have been affected by recent natural disasters. You may have heard about the volcano Tungurahua which has erupted recently and continues to be threatening. Many have been displaced from their homes and crops have been destroyed. There has also been widespread flooding in the coastal plains with rainfall greatly exceeding the norm. Many have lost everything and again, crops are affected. This in turn affects others, especially the poor, as food prices rise. Furthermore, April is typically the rainiest month, although we have enjoyed some sunshine here in Quito recently. There is a video on youtube regarding flood relief efforts by HCJB (who also runs the hospital in Shell.) Search for "HCJB" on www.youtube.com and several videos will come up, including "Ecuador Floods 2008."
We are at a somewhat unique point, starting to feel more settled in Quito, but knowing that we are only here for 2 1/2 more months. Please be praying for our upcoming transition to Shell this summer. There are many things we are looking forward to as well as things we will miss about living in Quito. The boys have good friends here in Quito whom they will miss. Also, be praying that all the logistics will go smoothly. We have been able to buy many things for the house from a missionary family that is leaving Shell, so we just have our many trunks and a few large items to move.
Finally, join us in prayer for the people of Shell and for our ministry there. We are thankful to have had this time dedicated to language study, but we are anxious to start working! Pray that our medical skills will return quickly and that God will equip us for the challenges of practicing in a developing world. Pray also that we will find a balance of work and family life, especially for Kim's part-time schedule with four children. Finally, we are praying for solid relationships with Ecuadorians, which will be a challenge since we will be living on the hospital compound.
We are thankful for all of you and your interest and support of what we are doing. However, if you would like to "opt out" of our e-mail updates, just let us know. We have posted some pictures from our time here on our website, www.drsbarton.com and hope to post more frequent mini-updates in blog style. Check it out! Finally, if any of you medical folks are interested in a short-term trip here, we know of an opportunity this summer.
Blessings,
Paul, Kim, Samuel, Nathan, Josiah and new baby Barton.
Our contact information:
email: drsbarton@gmail.com (We no longer use the juno accounts!)
website: www.drsbarton.com
US Mail:
Kim and Paul Barton
c/o Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141
(cards and letters sent to this address will be forwarded to us in Ecuador)
Ecuadorian mail:
Paul and Kim Barton
Casilla 17-08-8403
Quito, ECUADOR
(our Ecuadorian address for cards, letters, and packages less than 4 pounds)
Vonage US phone number (works just like a Houston number): 713-589-3233
Ecuadorian phone number (as dialed from a US phone): 011-593-2-225-2198
Donations address (please reference our account #010737)
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284
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Update from the Barton's |
1/25/2008 |
Dear friends and prayer partners,
In Quito, New Year's is not celebrated with Baby New Year nor by watching the Times Square ball drop. The tradition here is that the old year is a man who dies at midnight on 12/31 and the new year is his wife, who is left a widow. People celebrate at midnight by burning large straw dolls representing the old year. Throughout the afternoon of New Year's Eve, men dressed as women (the widow New Year) rope off streets and collect coins in exchange for passage due to their newly widowed state. It's all for fun - sort of a grown-up version of "trick-or-treat." Although we didn't participate in these traditions, we did think back over 2007.
It was quite a year. Last January we had just started raising our financial support to come here. God graciously provided for our needs quickly, we completed five weeks of training, traveled within nine states visiting people, Kim recertified in pediatrics a week before our move and we made it through the hectic months of August and September filled with packing, storing our furniture, visiting family, studying and keeping track of our boys to move here Oct 1. I will never forget the lady we passed in the airport as we pushed a stroller loaded with bags and three boys running around in the vicinity who said "You look like you are moving!" in a joking tone. Of course, we told her not only were we moving, but we were moving internationally!
In the midst of all of this, Josiah learned to walk, Nathan learned to write his name and Sammy started reading. Here in Quito Sammy had his first day of kindergarten and Nathan started at a Spanish-speaking school and Josiah learned that "hi" and "hola" are interchangeable. We had our first visitors (Kim's parents), a bilingual Thanksgiving and our first Christmas away from our families. We kept up our Christmas cookie party tradition and the boys' Ecuadorian classmates thought it was pretty neat. Cut-out decorated Christmas cookies are definitely foreign! For Mom and Dad, it was a chance to interact with other parents using our beginning stages of Spanish. Our Christmas cards have had further to travel to reach us this year, but we have enjoyed every one and love seeing pictures and hearing updates from all of you.
With the turn of the New Year, we are looking ahead to our next move this summer. Although we aren't quite half-way through our language school time, our attention is turning to the upcoming transitions. We have many decisions to make regarding where to live, how to furnish our new house and the logistics of our move. Although it was not easy to move here from the US, our experiences so far have demonstrated that everything is a bit more complicated here in Ecuador. So we expect some kinks and glitches along the way. We are also both beginning to think about medicine again. Paul is going to Shell for a few days tomorrow to help them out. Kim recently connected with a pediatrician at Hospital Vozandes here in Quito (sister hospital to the one where we will work in Shell.) She also had the opportunity to help screen patients for a team of US doctors that come yearly to Quito to do cleft lip and palate surgery and even had her picture in the Quito paper! (see attached)
Meanwhile, we continue with our language study and learn a bit more about Ecuadorian culture daily. At times we are overwhelmed by all the verb tenses in Spanish (14!) We are often caught off guard by the culture as well. Ecuadorians find it impolite to say "I don't know" and thus when asked for directions, they will make up something if needed. Kim recently asked her teacher how you know whether you have correct directions. She said if three people give you the same directions, they are probably correct! There is also a need to save face in this culture. Paul was recently talking to a plumber who was doing some work in the house we are living in. The man said, "I can't!" in Spanish and abruptly hung up. After talking to a long-term missionary here, Paul decided that the plumber didn't know how to express his inabilities and just hung up. Paul was planning to call someone else when the plumber showed up at our gate the next day and explained that he was riding a bus and his cell phone cut off. He was trying to say, "I can't talk - I'm about to go through a tunnel." So much for cultural sensitivity and acuity!
We appreciate your prayers, friendship and love over the past year. There are so many ways that this would be impossible without you. We hope to improve our communication with you through our web site. Paul has been wrestling with this for a while now and would welcome any technical assistance. We are thankful that Paul has an honest-to-goodness Ecuadorian driver's license now, that the children are adjusting well and that plans are coming together for our move to Shell. Please pray with us that we would make wise decisions regarding the purchase of a car, safety for Paul's travel to Shell this coming week, wisdom in resuming his practice of anesthesiology, and for Kim's peace of mind while he is gone. We look forward to what God is planning for us in 2008 and especially to beginning our ministry in Shell.
Love,
the Bartons
Our contact information:
Please note that our Juno e-mail accounts are no longer in service. Please use this e-mail address.
Kim and Paul Barton
c/o Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141
(cards and letters sent to this address will be forwarded to us in Ecuador)
Paul and Kim Barton
Casilla 17-08-8403
Quito, ECUADOR
(our Ecuadorian "P.O. Box" for cards, letters, and small packages (less than 4 pounds)
Vonage phone number (this is a local call for Houston -- really, just pick up the phone and call us -- it works!): 713-589-3233
Ecuadorian phone number (as dialed from a US phone): 011-593-2-225-2198
Web address: www.drsbarton.com (Check it out, any design input can only help!) :-)
Donations address (please reference our account #010737)
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284 |
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Update from the Barton's |
12/10/2007 |
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All,
Today (December 6) is Quito Day here in Ecuador. Yesterday we took Nathan to school (in his sweats and t-shirt) and saw that the boys (yes, 3 and 4 year olds) were wearing tuxes (tails included!) and the girls had on frilly fancy dresses. I guess we missed the note since we were returning from Shell on Monday. Yesterday we also found ourselves scrambling to buy a Quito flag to avoid a possible $12 fine if we did not display it today! The boys had a great time marching around saying, "Viva Quito!" Needless to say, Quito Day is a BIG deal here. There have been random firecrackers going off the past week and the bullfights have been in town. Quito also hosts the world championships of the card game "Forty" this week. Apparently the Ecuador team always wins. Paul and I learned to play this in language school on Thursday. Even the professors teaching it to us took the game very seriously! We forgot to include our contact information in our last update and would love to get your Christmas cards at the MTW address below. Small packages in Tyvec or padded mailing envelopes (marked "no commercial value") can be sent directly to Ecuador at the Casilla address below. We also have a vonage phone line with a Houston phone number, if you feel like calling us. You dial it just like you would dial any other Houston number. We had a great Thanksgiving with Kim's parents. A picture collage is attached. Paul's driver's license issues aren't quite resolved and apparently he will have to take a written test in Spanish! Please pray that he passes this. Happy Quito Day!
Love,
Kim, Paul, Sammy, Nathan and Josiah Barton
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Update from the Barton's |
11/21/2007 |
Dear friends and family,
It's hard to believe we've been here over a month. Little by little, our Spanish is getting better. All three boys are saying some Spanish words as well, with Sammy surprising us at the things he knows. Nathan started a pre-school three mornings a week and loves it. He seems to be learning some Spanish and getting some much needed play time with other children. Josiah is especially happy to see him when he returns home.
Although we have moments of homesickness, we are settling in here and enjoying the city of Quito. We rode a gondola to an altitude of 12,500 feet to see a wonderful view of the city. We have been bowling - quite an American experience. We have also discovered the Parque Metropoliano - a large park with playgrounds, hiking and beautiful views of the city of Quito and the suburban valley just outside of Quito. Our language school visits a different museum each week, so we are also learning about the rich history and culture of this unique country.
As some of you know, shortly after our arrival, Kim and Josiah returned to the States for the funeral of her Uncle Lavigne. Uncle Lavigne was the ultimate uncle to his 20+ nieces and nephews and his sudden death leaves a void. However, it was a blessing to celebrate his life with his extended family. During the brief trip, Kim and Josiah were also able to connect with Paul's extended family during a 90th birthday celebration for one of his great-aunts. What a joy it was to introduce Josiah to both sides of our extended family. Paul managed to hold down the fort in Quito with sick kids and fighting a cold himself.
This Thanksgiving season seems to be an appropriate time to talk about food here in Ecuador. Thanksgiving is not celebrated here, of course, but families do have a big turkey dinner at midnight on Christmas Eve. Ecuadorian food is typically not spicy and varies depending on the region (the Sierras, the jungle and the coast). Lunch is typically a three course affair with soup, main course (meat and rice or potatoes and beans) and dessert. There are many ethnic restaurants in Quito as well. It is truly a multicultural city. We do miss Tex Mex food, but have found some authentic Mexican food. At home, we eat mostly American style meals, but enjoy exploring some of the tropical fruits available here. Kim is slowly figuring out how to bake at 9,000 feet!
This coming month we look forward to some travel around Ecuador. We are expecting Kim's parents for Thanksgiving and look forward to exploring the nearby market town of Otavalo with them. Later, we hope to visit Shell, which will be our home beginning in June.
Praise God with us that Paul was able to get and inter-American driving permit (with some help from Pop). This allows him to postpone the difficult Ecuadorian driving license test until his Spanish is better. We are also thankful for our smooth transition and for the boy’s enthusiasm for Spanish. The hospital in Shell has several interested American and Ecuadorian doctors - a real answer to prayer.
Please pray for our travel in the next month, our Spanish study and the hospital in Shell as it anticipates a major transition next summer with many doctors leaving and arriving.
Thank you for your friendship and prayers.
The Bartons - Paul, Kim, Samuel, Nathan and Josiah
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Update from the Barton's |
10/9/2007 |
Dear friends and family,
Hola from Quito, Ecuador. We arrived here safely late Monday night and
have spent the past week unpacking and getting to know our way
around. It is a relief to be here after the increasingly hectic days
prior to our departure. We are so thankful for all that many of you did
to help us get on the plane Monday afternoon. There is no way we could
have made it without your help and prayers.
We are slowly settling into a routine for the next eight months of language
school. Samuel started kindergarten last Thursday. He was so excited
the night before that he couldn't sleep! One of the other MTW kids
(Karis) is in his class and they have become fast friends. I'm attaching
a picture of Sammy and Karis with their teacher on Sammy's first
day. Nathan is a little confused about why he doesn't go to school with
Sammy. We are glad that they will both be able to participate in the
AWANA program starting this week. Nathan misses his friends, cousins and
our house "with the white door" in Dallas. But today he told us
that carrot in Spanish is "siete" (which actually means seven!)
Josiah is fascinated with the dog that lives here in the house we are
house-sitting for fellow MTW missionaries on furlough. He walks around
the house constantly asking about the "doggie." He loves
watching her as long as it's from a distance. Paul and I started language
school today. We will each meet one-on-one with a tutor for four hours a
day. It's been some time since we've used our brains this intensely, but
we are blessed to have this opportunity to study Spanish here in the same
country where we will be serving.
Quito is a beautiful city that is long and narrow, situated at about 9000
feet altitude between mountain peaks. We have been pleasantly surprised
by the weather which varies between 50 and 75 degrees. Many afternoons
bring thundershowers, but the mornings have been sunny and warm. Although
we want to experience the Ecuadorian culture, it is helpful during this time of
transition to realize that many of the things we are used to in the
US are available here.
Thank you all so much for partnering with us in this adventure. Please
let us know how we can pray for you. Keep us posted on any e-mail address
changes that you would like to make to this mailing list. We miss you and
love you.
Paul, Kim, Samuel, Nathan, and Josiah Barton
Praise God
1) that we have a family renting our house in Dallas
2) that Kim recovered quickly from some initial altitude sickness and
Josiah seems to be over a cold that affected him this weekend
3) that we were able to navigate the various hurdles that cropped up
as we packed up our house and made the move here. The climax was three
hours at the airport with five different airline supervisors trying to figure
out the exact rules regarding excess baggage on planes to Ecuador. When
the final interpretation was not in our favor, we really saw the body of Christ
spring into action and ultimately all our bags arrived on the same plane with
us.
Continue to pray
1) for family practice doctors and teachers for the ministries in
Shell and for a speech therapist for the school here in Quito
2) for all five of us as we attempt to learn Spanish
3) for relationships among Ecuadorians that will give us a glimpse
into the culture here
Contact Information:
(First Class mail to this address will be sent to us in Quito)
Paul and Kim Barton
c/o Mission to the World
1600 North Brown Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141
Donations address (please reference our account #010737)
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284
An EFT form is attached
our Ecuadorian phone number (as dialed from a US phone)
011-593-2-225-2198
stay tuned for a US number to reach us here in Quito
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