Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus! If you'd like to read this e-Mailer with photos, or see a past issue, click on "Ministry" at www.jonesjournal.org. This includes updates on ministry, family, praise and prayer.

Panamá is in the middle of Carnival, known as Mardi Gras in the US. It lasts from Saturday to next Tuesday. The overt purpose is to let loose before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lent begin ("Lent" is the 40 day period for repentance and reflection before Resurrection Sunday). To give you a better idea of Carnival, let me repeat what we heard in the sermon this morning: Panamá reports a marked increase in the birthrate 9 months after Carnival.

Many of our AG churches take this time for spiritual retreats or evangelistic crusades. We are taking advantage of everything being closed to rest and relax as a family. We'd appreciate your prayers for release of ministry by our churches and binding the spirit of loose living all across the nation.

We're close to being settled into the house and routine of school, sports, ministry meetings and church services. Chloe is playing basketball on the High School varsity team. Only 7 girls went out for all of the 7th - 12th grade secondary school, so that's the team. It's been a challenge for her to be in a building mode when she had been on such strong teams before.

Anthony and three classmates won the first (and perhaps only) gold medal for Crossroads Christian Academy in the 440 relay event. It was in a 3-school track and field day. I'll try get the video up and running on the Media section, if you'd like to see that as well as this photo.

Gracie has enjoyed her 3 hours of "escuela" every day. It's a Spanish-intensive program for gringo kids to learn. About once a week the teacher tells us the latest that Gracie has done to make her laugh.

Yvonne has plugged into another ladies Bible study. She really enjoys the fellowship and the spiritual nourishment.

In ministry, I tag-teamed with our assistant Director, Manuel Miranda (hopefully you remember meeting him via our Power Point slides) to do the closing service for a VBS with Pastor Robinson Avila.

• Plans for the Citywide Parade by Children's Ministry Committee for Panamá's 100th anniversary on 27 April.
  
• Our secretary Dallis Quiñones is a cancer survivor, but has heard troubling reports of a potential recurrence. We're believing for confirmation of a complete healing.
  
• I've been asked to teach World Religions in the new final year Bible school program. This new level is significant because it will allow students to receive a diploma recognized by the government's Ministry of Education. I'd like your prayer because it will require a lot of prep in a short time.