The Carney Clan's Happenings

The family of Christ is growing!

2010-02-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

Isn't it wonderful to know that one day there will be two young Mexican men with us in heaven because of YOUR prayers and support of our ministry here in Yucatan!

One man is named Jose and he has been involved with the Mormon church for several years. He had been searching for something more, when Jeff and Bob met up with him this past month. After clearly explaining God's plan of salvation to Jose, bowed his head and accepted God's priceless gift.

The other young man's name is Jesus. Jeff, Tori and her friend, Allison, were going door-to-door one Saturday this month, simply inviting people to come to church. Josue answered the door and began chatting with Jeff and the girls...from there, one thing led to another and God used the 3 of them as a witness in the life of Jesus. (Yes, that really IS his name!)

Continue to pray for our family and also the Bob Yeater family as we continue to plan for the new work in Caucel. Our desire is to see many lives changed and to see a solid ministry established for the families of Caucel.

Thank you for your prayers and support. We are excited that one day you
too will meet Jose and Josue.

2010

2010-02-10T11:26:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone! Wow, 2010 is finally here...and I'm only now just getting to our blog...in February! Oh well, better "late" than never, right!

The last time that we posted was in November and so, the following next few posts will be a general overview of the past several months. Happy reading and enjoy following what God has been doing in our lives here in Yucatan.

New Year...New Beginings

2010-02-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

So many times at the start of a new year, we try so hard to maximize the fact that we get to start from fresh once more and are often times eager to shake last year's "dust"off of our feet.

Well, this year is definitely a "fresh start" for our family and our ministry.

On January 31st, we officially completed our last ministering service in the work of Iglesia Bautista Peninsular. Upon our arrival to Merida in 2002, by team ministry, we have since seen a church established and have trained nationals to carry on what we have started. Since they have taken ownership and responsibility for the ministry, it was quite clear that we had accomplished our job! Although it was sad to see such a long and dear chapter of our lives close, we are eagerly looking forward to the ministry opportunities that God has brought into our lives.

With that in mind, we are planning and praying with the Bob Yeater family, to once more establish a new work; however, this time in the city of Caucel. Currently, there is no religious group of any kind there in the city, but that wont be for long! Our desire is to be the first work available to those in Caucel and to make a major impact in their lives for Christ. Please be in prayer for us-particularly this year, as we need to return for furlough, raise additional support for the new work and also plan and establish the foundation of "Project First Impact".

Holiday Blessings

2010-02-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

Does God answer "trivial" things?

It had been so hot here for days in the Yucatan, and we had been (fervently) praying for cooler weather so that we could feel a little more festive for the holidays. About a week before Christmas a cold...very COLD, "norte" blew in over the Peninsula and we have NEVER had a cooler Christmas season!

This year, in particular, both Tori and Tyler really wanted to celebrate the holiday with BOTH sets of grandparents. Well, after they had prayed for quite some time, we received a phone call from my parents (Jeff's already live here) stating that they were coming down to celebrate the holidays with us here in Mexico!

Last but not least...since November, we have been praying for a (great) new home for our dog, Cosmo. After praying for several weeks, God led us to a wonderful family who has adopted him into their home...where he sleeps every night in the bed with his new family-something he NEVER did at our place!

So, yes, God does answer what others might deem "trivial"...but also, He has been busy answering "big stuff" as well in our lives.

Finally, after 7+ years, the church has finally been able to purchase a property and begin its very FIRST BUILDING project!!! We have bought and then had to sell properties, because of loop-holes in the laws that prohibited La Peninsular from building a church property. However, God has allowed us to buy where we have been renting and now can add on to & expand what has already been built and "approved" of by the officials.

It's amazing how God takes such a great interest in our lives and our requests!

Happy 2010 and may your eyes been opened even wider to the amazing God that has created us!

Veterans Day

2009-11-10T11:16:00.001-08:00

"A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

author unknown

As we approach the holiday day, it brings to mind our family and the sacrifices that they have made and are making for our country.

With many soldiers and veterans in our thoughts, we wanted to send a special, public "thank you" to some of our very favorites: our grandfathers, dad, uncles, & brothers. We LOVE you and are grateful for your sacrifices.

Tyler Gets Baptized

2009-10-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last year, shortly after Christmas, Tyler placed his faith in Jesus. For Jeff and I it was such a huge step for him to take, because (Jeff in particular) we had been talking with him about this decision for over a year. His reply always was, "I'd rather wait a bit". We figured with his original hesitancy to become a Christian, there wasn't much need to discuss baptism with him until he was much older. However, surprise of surprises, Tyler approached Jeff, and several times at that, expressing his desire to let others see that he had become a Christian. We were so proud of him and are thankful that God has been at work in his heart. Thank you for your many prayers for our family. Tyler's step of faith and obedience are direct results to you prayers.

Congratulations, Tyler! We love you and are so very proud of you and the little man that you are becoming.

Pictures from the past year

2009-10-11T13:46:00.001-07:00

A Fresh Look

2009-10-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

With our furlough (yea!!) coming around next year, Jeff and I decided that it was time to update our letterhead, prayer card, presentation and blogger. We hope you enjoy to the new look and also the new posts that we've included. Let us know what you think-we always love hearing back from our friends and family.

FINALLY

2009-10-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

After hours of retracing/reliving the past year...I'm finally up to date with our blogger!! For those of you who have patiently checked it month after month after month after...well, you get the point! I apologize-thank you for being so patient with us and for so kindly reminding me...on a monthly basis to get "updated". Enjoy our brief (but up to date :) ) postings!

The Carney Clan

November 08-Dec 08

2009-10-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

This November, Jeff's oldest sister, Julia, and her family have moved to Merida to be a part of the team ministry! Tori and Tyler were thrilled to have more family (we are currently working with Jeff's parents) and just in time for the holiday seasons! We hope that many more people will be reached for Christ with the new addition to our team.

For Christmas my "best" present didn't come wrapped, nor did it fit under the tree....it was my PARENTS! Dad and Mom had some Jewish meetings scheduled here in Merida, and fortunately were able to coincide their business with pleasure! Jeff also was blessed with family this holiday season because his brother and wife were also able to come and briefly visit.

Jan-Feb 09

2009-10-10T22:50:00.001-07:00

This past January through February we were busy with fund raisers for our teen camp in the summer. Many of the kids don't always have the monies that they need to attend camp, so Jeff organizes various fundraisers (predominately) in the beginning of the year to help with their camp expenses. We sold: pizzas, brownies, cakes, elotes (corn), bolis (frozen fruit juices), cremitas de coco (don't ask...I have NO idea!) and among other things, also flan. (Yes, Bryan, I thought of you the night we sold them!) We encourage the people of our church to donate the ingredients and then the teens "sell" the goods and the earnings are divided up among the campers. Jeff does a great job encouraging the church people to get involved and so far, it's been a successful endeavor.

Also, we have been currently working with 2 couples in the youth ministry: Humberto & Marina, and Virgineo & Iliana. Jeff had the privilege of baptizing Virgineo and we hope to see these couples slowly but surely begin to take on more and more of the ministry's responsibilities.

March-May 09

2009-10-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

Because I'm blogging (approx) 1 year's worth of events under one month, I'm combining several months together...yes, I know you'd rather me keep the blog up-to-date on a monthly basis, but hey, haven't you ever heard of the saying, "Never look a gifted horse in the mouth"? Basically, be thankful for what you get! :)

So, let's see...in March of this year, Jeff and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary! This year, rather than going away we opted to stay at home and visit a few local sights. Mom C. kept the kids for us and we had a great time together. I'm so thankful for the wonderful husband that God has given me. I love you, Jeff! Thank you for being the love of my life and the best father our children could ever have!

Easter, in April of this year, was a special treat for TnT. Since the Miller's have joined our team ministry this past November, TnT now have COUSINS to celebrate the holidays with! After our sunrise service at the church, we had breakfast on the grounds and then went over to Jeff's sister's house to have an Easter meal and egg hunt for the kids. What a blessing to have family here...especially during the holidays!

Speaking of family...my sister and her husband came to visit us shortly after the Easter holiday!! As always, we had a GREAT visit...but like always, it was way too short. I think that we wound up visiting a new cenote every day of their trip-with the exception of Sunday. My brother-in-law LOVES the water and one of his favorite things to do here in Merida is to explore cenotes.

Needless to say, if you ever come for a visit and would like to know where the famous sinkholes of the Yucatan are located...just ask-we probably know most of them!

In May, we were able to finish up our 3rd year of homeschooling-yea-yea! This was the second year that I taught kindergarten and my first year at teaching 2nd grade. Both kids did really well and I was so proud of the efforts that they've made this past year. Now, only one more year of homeschooling to go....

June-July 09

2009-10-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

This past June-July was a VERY busy time for our family. Tyler graduated from K-5, Jeff's younger sister, Janice, moved back to the Ivory Coast with her family and James, another one of Jeff's siblings, was married. To top that off, we drove out and then back in again to Mexico!
While we were back home, God enabled us to pick up another year of homeschooling for the children, see most of BOTH of our families and many of our friends.
We also were able to visit several supporting churches and meet some of the many people who make our ministry possible here in the Yucatan.

On our return trip, we met up with another missionary family who has joined the team ministry here in Merida. Praise the Lord, it was an uneventful trip with the exception of a tropical storm. This family is very dear to us because for years, Jeff and I have prayed that God would send us a family with children for our children. It is through this family that He has answered our request. However, not only did he give our children good friends, He also sent us (Jeff and me) friends through their parents! It's amazing how He gives us what we need...when we don't even realize that we need it! Welcome to Merida, Yeater family!

August 09

2009-10-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that August is a crazy month for us because we celebrate 3 birthdays: Tyler, Tori and Jeff. This year we decided to do something a little different for TnT's birthdays. We went ahead and did a combined party for them at the location of their choice, Picolo Mondo. The kids and their guest all seemed to enjoy the party...and Jeff and I were happy to have the "mess" in someone other place!

Tori's bday was a rather bitter-sweet event for us...she kept saying, "This is my LAST single digit year. Next year I'll have 2 digits for my age!" *Sigh* They just grow up so fast. It's hard to believe that God entrusted her into our care only 9 years ago... and Tyler, has it really already been 7 years??

Thank you for the birthday calls, cards and presents. You have no idea how much it meant to the kids to have you remember their special days!

September 09

2009-10-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Mexican Independence Day is one of our favorite holidays here in the Yucatan. The city is decorated with flags, kids are off from school to participate in parades, and everyone is cooking "comida typica"...how could you NOT love a holiday like that?

This year at our church we did not hire a mariachi nor did we have a "street party" as we did last year; however, we still met the evening of the 15th as a church family for singing, fellowship...and of course...FOOD! The children of the church participated in a costume contest and both Tori and Tyler won a prize this year much to their excitement. We had a great turnout and the spirit of the church was typical of a fiesta. When the evening finished, TnT were already planning next year's costumes...

Viva Mexico!

October 2009

2009-10-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

This month we've celebrated another year at I.B.P...unfortunately, our camera was not working properly and we weren't able to take many pictures of our anniversary Sunday. Nevertheless, we were encouraged to see several new families celebrating our 7th year with us and also so many "old" faces that have been with us from our very first service until present!

This past year has had its "ups and downs" however, God, as always is so good! We've had new families recently join the church, have seen many people make decisions for Christ, and FINALLY after all of this time, it looks like we'll have our OWN property!! Please continue to pray for the ministry here in the Yucatan and thank you for all of your prayers and faithful support. The faces that you see here in these pictures, may not have been lives impacted for Christ, if not for your support in our ministry.

2009...Where is it going...gone?

2009-10-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, for those of you who have voiced their complaints regarding the current status of our blog...well, this is update is for you! Besides, what other blog can you read and see all of the updates for one year under one month's heading? I mean you gotta give it us, it's definitivly a "one-of-a-kind" blog! Happy reading...and please, no more snide comments about our "inactive" status!

Noche del Grito

2008-09-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

One thing that I love about Mexico is that they know how to celebrate a holiday! There's always lots of vibrant colors, music and good food. This past holiday was no exception...

For those of you who didn't know, the Mexican day of independence is the 16th of September; however, it's the night before that gets all of the fan-fare. It's called "Noche del Grito" (Shout of Freedom). Among other things, most of the children get dressed up in traditional Mexican clothing from the early 1800's, an important town official rings a bell around 11 p.m. and all shout "Viva Mexico" in honor of Hidalgo and the other conspirators. It's a very important holiday for the people and most every state in Mexico celebrates this event.

Well, this year in our church, we hosted a "block party" with our neighbors and church members to celebrate the holiday. We received permission to close off the street, hired a mariachi to sing, had lots of food, fellowship and contests. The children dressed up and sang while the teens marched with their flag and then led us in salute to their pride.

We had several visitors and neighbors and even old members come and celebrate their independence day with us. All in all, it was a great event and I'm already looking forward to next year's party...!

Christmas in September?

2008-09-17T09:46:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had something so good and so special happen to you that you felt like you were in the Christmas season..yet it wasn't that special time of the year?

Well, I have and it happened to me just this September! It was a visit from my youngest sibling, Christina (aka: my best friend)! She and her husband, Bryan, came for just over a week to see Mexico, our ministry and to spend some quality family time together. It was a wonderful break for our family...that went by too quickly for my taste!

In spite of the heat (and it was sweltering!), the rain storms, Jeff's "short cuts", giant horse flies, and spiders (LOL, C.L.!) we toured something new almost every day that they were visiting with us. We saw several interesting sights, explored various cenotes, celebrated Christina's birthday and enjoyed the local cuisine in the evenings. The only bad thing about their visit was the day they left...Anyway, on a happier note, I've enclosed some favorite pictures from their visit.

Enjoy our memories...

The Carney Family

Swim Classes

2008-08-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Victoria and Tyler have been taking swim lessons for close to 4 months now and have done really well. Tyler has no fear to run and jump into the water (not sure if that's really a "good thing") and swim to the side of the pool; while Tori has been spending the last several classes perfecting her dive. Next week will be the end of their classes and there will be a competition where they will be performing with other children.
We'll try to enclose a few snapshot from their competitions next week; however, with my track record on keeping the blog updated, I thought it would be prudent to go ahead and post these two for you today!

Tori is 8!

2008-08-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Victoria's 8th birthday!

Obviously, it was a much awaited event
in our household. She woke up before sunrise and was waiting on us to "get the show on road".
Mom and Dad C (Nana and Papa) were able to come and celebrate her "party" at our house and at her request, we made (Argentine) milenesas, and "pure de papa". She had a strawberry ice cream cake (with my mom's help) and then grand event of the day...HER PRESENTS! She had a great day and appreciated all of the phone calls and emails/e cards that she received. Thank you for remembering our Tori on her special day. We've posted a few pictures of our growing 8 year old.

Enjoy them...

Tyler turns 6!

2008-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Tyler (finally) celebrated his 6th birthday! For the past several weeks, all that we've been hearing from him is, "Is it my birthday yet?" He was so excited when the "big day" finally arrived.

Originally, we had planned to have a joint party for both Tori and Tyler; however, the children are currently at that stage where they fight over everything. In regrads to a birthday party, Tyler said no girls could come to "his part of the party" and Tori said that she would tease and annoy any of Tyler's "amigos" that happened to come to the party. After listening to days of teasing/fighting over it, I took action and said, "No party for either one of you". ( I know, you're thinking what a mean mom I am, but YOU were not hearing all the bickering for days on end....) Anyway, that settled any problems and I've promised them (if they can be mature enough to get along with both sexes) then next year they can have a joint party to celebrate their special days.

This year Tyler chose to eat out at a pizza place and then Mom and Dad Carney came to our house for birthday cake and presents. All in all, I think he had a great day. To those of you who called to wish him happy birthday, thank you!

Enjoy our new six year old Tyler!

Carney Updates...all at once

2008-08-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how slowly time went by for us when we were children? I can remember waiting "FOREVER" for my birthday, recesses, summer breaks, holiday seasons, etc...Time seemed to slowly drag its feet. However, now that I'm older (I won't say how much!) it goes by so fast that I actually wonder where the weeks, months and years have gone! Is that crazy or what?

After receiving several replies for an updated blog, (You know who you are!) I decided to go online and see when the last update took place... and wound up checking it twice! I could hardly believe that it's been 4 (very short) months since I last sent out an update!! I apologize and greatly appreciate you kindly "reminding" me to update our blogger. I have tried to include the "highlights" from the past several months along with pictures.

So, to those of you that have been waiting for the Carney Clan's updates....here's to you!

Vacation Bible School

2008-08-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

At the end of July, the church had their summer VBS. However, this time they met in the homes of various church members . The members that hosted the VBS clubs were responsible for the children in their perspective neighborhoods.
We have never before had a VBS in people's homes; nevertheless, it seemed to be a successful venture.

Mom Carney organized all of the ladies responsible for hosting the clubs in their homes and all of their team members....it was a tough job! Anyway, all of the hard work paid off at the end of the week and we were able to see great results. Several children were saved and the members of the church really got involved and took their responsibility quite seriously.

Victoria and Tyler were excited to participate this year with their friends and were even able to bring a couple of visitors with them to the club. It was a great experience, in more than one way and I'm thankful that we were able to participate with the children this year.

Back To School

2008-08-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well, even though it's "July" the kids are starting back up to school on the 3d week of the month. We are planning to have several "interruptions" throughout the school year and if we start a couple of weeks early, then we should still finish up right on time. Anyway, they're still too young to realize that they are supposed to be on summer break; so, I'm taking advantage of their innocence....

Please pray that Tori will do well in 2nd grade and that Tyler will do well in Kindergarten. Likewise that their teacher (me!) will have patience, wisdom and kindness to help them succeed this school year.

Family Vacations!

2008-08-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

With everything that has been going on this summer, I never imagined that we'd be able to slip away for a few days and enjoy some quiet family time together.
Nevertheless, Jeff was able to take some time away from his studies, the youth house/ministry and everything else that he has going on and take us away for a small break.

It was wonderful!

What a blessing it was to have a few days to swim, play, make some memories and reconnect together as a family. We've enclosed a few of our favorite shots for you to enjoy. We hope that you enjoy seeing our memories as much as we have enjoyed living them!

Having fun in the sun,

The Carney Family

Fund Raiser-Baazar

2008-08-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

Our first fundraiser was a HUGE success! Thank you for praying for us-we would have never had such a great day without you.

Because I was so busy, I regret to say that I didn't have much opportunity to take pictures
during the event. However, I did take some "before pictures" that I've posted for you. In the pictures, you can see the murals that we've had painted on the walls as well as the tables with the items we were able to sale.

As a result of the sale and also with the help of churches and individuals, we have been able to purchase a ping-pong table, TV, A/C unit, weight bench, Wii and a few games to go with the console, repair electrical work, paint additional murals on the walls, and do numerous small projects-plumbing, lights, etc. We still have a long, long way to go to complete the project. We would like to buy Christian books and curriculum for the library. For the game room, we'd love to see it furbished with a few small tables, board games, speakers, stereo system, etc. The weight room also needs few small things as well. Please continue to be in prayer and if you would like to get involved in this project, you can email us at
TheCarneyClan@gmail.com or you can also contact our mission board, BIMI.

Once more, please keep us in your prayers-we need them.

Jeff & Elisabeth Carney

July-La Isla Part B

2008-08-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it's taken us about a month but we are finally beginning to see a dream
come true in the form of "La Isla"!

I am not much of "manual labor" type girl, but Jeff had me helping him paint ceilings, "cutting in" and rolling walls in the teen house! (I feel like I could open my own painting business now...Jim Miller, look out-here I come!) On most days, the kids stayed busy squashing bugs for us while we worked in the house. Although Tori, Tyler and I only went over a few times for the big clean up projects, Jeff has pretty much been over there every day working most of the day. He's so committed to giving the youth a place of their own.

The house itself was very (VERY) rough... however, after weeks of scrubbing, painting, electrical work, de-roaching, plumbing, landscaping, planning, and cleaning, and painting, and cleaning, and painting (did I mention "cleaning" and painting??) the doors of La Isla are FINALLY opened to the public! We still have a long way to go, but we are thrilled to see things slowly falling into place.

As I mentioned in a previous blog update we have a vision for each room in the house; however, in order to see the house completed, it will take finances that we don't currently have in our budget. To help with these expenses, Jeff and I are organizing a large bazaar-yard sale. We have been collecting goodies for weeks and finally have it all organized, priced and ready to be sold. Please be in prayer as we attempt our first "big" fundraiser for youth house. We'll keep you posted on how it goes for us.

July 2008-Independence Day!

2008-08-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

Finally, after two months, Mom and Dad Carney have returned to Mexico! We always miss them when they're gone and even more so when there is a state-side holiday.

So, on this 4th of July it was a
real treat for the kids to have their grandparents back "home" with them to celebrate the holiday.

I thought rather than telling you all about our celebration of America, I'd fall back on a familiar line..."A picture is worth a thousand words".

Enjoy the snap shots and happy holiday to you!

The Carney Family
Merida, Mexico

La Isla-Part A

2008-08-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

God is so faithful to answer our prayers! For a little over a month now, we've been praying and asking God for a larger place for our youth group. Finally, we have the keys to an ENTIRE home that is literally right ACROSS the street from our church! It's amazing how quickly and sufficiently He as has answered our prayers. Thank you for interceding for us!
We have decided to name the house, "La Isla" (The Island) and our main goal is to meet 3 core needs in our youth's lives:
1.) Discipleship
2.) Develop solid friendships
3.) Physical fitness

Amazingly enough, the house is actually equipped with 4 main rooms! The largest room will be our meeting room. Then with the 3 smaller ones we would like to use....

Room #1: for the smaller youth (ages 11-14) so that we could finally divide our current youth group. Also, we would like to make that room into a library where the kids could borrow good Christian materials. Throughout the week we will use the room for discipleship lessons and Bible studies.

Room #2: Is where we'd like to set up a game room. We would love to buy a video game system, board games and maybe a ping-pong table for the kids to use as they make friends with each other. It also has a closet that goes about the length of the wall which will a great place for storage.

And finally, Room #3: Would be the room that we use for personal fitness. We would like to install a weight bench, free weights, pull-up bar, etc for the kids who are concerned about their image.

We truly believe that "La Isla" will give the youth a place where they can grow spiritually and also have good, clean fun. We know that God is going to us this house to change many young peoples lives for the best.

The house does need a lot of work (cleaning, painting, electrical, etc...) and I will look forward to posting pictures of it's renovation. Please, please keep us in your prayers as we seek to develop a new branch in the ministry that God has given us.

Targeting Youth,

Jeff, Elisabeth, and children

Teen House-June 2008

2008-08-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

For over a year now, we've been meeting in an individual's house on Sunday evenings to have our youth outreach program. Because of the size of our group, we meet outside in their garden/patio area. Our kids are great about never complaining about the accommodations...even in the rainy season!

However, we have outgrown our space and we need to find another location within walking distance from the church. Please be in prayer with us that the Lord will provide another place where we can continue to grow and reach out to the youth in our area.

Targeting Youth in Central America,

The Jeff Carney Family

June 2008-Father's Day

2008-08-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day

This year for Father's Day, the primary children in our church performed a skit abut Noah's ark. they memorized portions of Scripture and a song to go along with the theme. Tyler loved being a lion and although Tori was bashful about being a puppy dog, she too seemed to enjoy being a part of the program.

On this special day in June, I am once more reminded of how blessed I am to have a loving, godly father. ( I love you, Dad. Happy father's day!) Likewise, that God has also blessed my two children with a wonderful father in Jeff-I love you, Sweetheart! Thanks for being a fantastic dad to our children.

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers who read our blogger.

Victoria, Elisabeth, and Tyler

May 2008

2008-08-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

"April showers....spring May flowers..."

I don't know where you live, but here in the Yucatan, there are very little flowers in May! May is actually one of the hottest months of the year and we always cringe at the thought of its approach. Not only will our house be hot but also our schedules will be smoking...at least that's what it will be if we are to stay on top of things summer!

Jeff's parents have taken off on a short furlough and while they are gone, we will continue to work with the youth and also (try to!) fill in for dad's absence. Jeff has gone back to school and is in a dual enrollment program and has been very busy with church, teens, school, and family. Nevertheless, this month we were able to take some time out of our "smoking" schedule and take the kids to the zoo. We thought you'd enjoy a few pictures from our family activity...

Tahdzibichen

2008-04-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

In our first term of ministry, Jeff was able to help establish a youth fellowship with several local churches. They meet once a month or once every 6 weeks to discuss events and to plan upcoming activities. Typically, there are 5 churches represented and usually Jeff is the only "gringo" present! He has found that many times their idea of planning and our idea of planning is completely different! Nevertheless, each church has an opportunity to plan and host various events throughout the year for the youth in their churches and communities.

This past Saturday, we went to a pueblo named Tahdzibichen, which is located just outside of the city of Merida.

A Yucatecan pastor from the fellowship had planned the event with the purpose of getting the kids from our fellowship excited

about the upcoming camp this July. Although it was hot (very, VERY hot), we played games, sang songs, studied the Bible and of course...had food to eat. We had just under 60 present and the kids seemed to really enjoy their selves.

Jeff encouraged the kids to begin saving for camp and to place priority on things that matter. While a national pastor encouraged them not to waste the what little resources they have.

It is our prayer that we'll be able to take a good sized group of young people to camp this summer from Merida. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we aim to reach young people for Christ.

The Jeff Carney Family
Merida, Mexico
Yucatan

Tori Gets Baptized!

2008-04-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you who were not aware, last year Victoria received God's gift of salvation. She has been asking for some time now to be baptized and after Jeff counseling her on various occasions, this month she was baptized! She was SO EXCITED! The week before she was to be baptized, it was ALL that she talked about. We are so thankful to be gifted with a little girl who loves God.

We've enclosed several pictures of the baptism service...enjoy them!

Easter-March 2008

2008-04-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

This year it was odd that Easter fell in the month of March. Nevertheless, we tried to help the kids celebrate the holiday as "American" as possible. The Saturday before, we colored hard boiled eggs and then on Easter morning we had baskets waiting for them.

In our church we had a "sunrise" service. Actually, we didn't quite make sunrise....but we started shortly thereafter. There was a great crowd-especially for being so early in the morning. After the morning worship, we served breakfast. The people seemed to enjoy the service and many stayed to fellowship after the meal. In the evening, we met once more and were happily surprised with the faithful members who once more returned to celebrate Resurrection Sunday.

The church appears to have new life and we are consistently having new faces come to visit our services.

Please pray as we continue to look for a teen outreach building -it's desperately needed! Likewise, please pray for issue regarding our church property. We need more space for our people. Thank you and enjoy the Easter pictures.

P.S. The little girl in the bottom picture is named Paulina and YES, she IS as CUTE as she looks!

March 2008

2008-04-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

This past March, Jeff and I celebrated 11 years of marriage! (It's hard to believe that it's been 11 years.) We had a nice, quite day thanks to Dad and Mom Carney keeping the children for us. With the babysitting in mind, we were wondering if it's possible to have an anniversary every month....

Also, this March, John, Jeff's younger brother, was able to come for a final visit before shipping off to Iraq . We had a great visit. John is always a lot of fun and of course, it's great to have family come for a visit. As you think of our family, please be sure to pray for John as he'll be deploying in just a few short weeks-sometime mid April. He will be gone for several months and we would appreciate you praying for his safety (physically and likewise spiritually) and also that he would be able to return home to the United States by Christmas time. We are proud of the sacrifice he is willing to make for our country and also our freedoms.

Thank you for your prayers and for your friendship,

The Jeff Carney family

Spring Time

2008-03-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that spring is here...well, officially I know that it "arrives" on the 20th of this month. However, here in Merida, the flowers are blooming and the weather has been so nice!

With Easter occurring on the 23d, we knew the beaches would be packed out due to "Semana Santa". So, last week, although it was too cool for wading, we took the kids and Xena (one of our dogs) down to the port near our house. We had a great time walking the beach, bike riding, collecting sea shells and spending time together as a family.

Enjoy the pictures....

The Carney Clan

Youth Rally

2008-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday night we had an American group visiting with us here in Merida. When groups come to visit, we always try to expose them to as much as the ministry as possible. Some groups are able to be more involved than others; nevertheless, almost ALL groups help with some special project. This previous group was no exception.

They were all senior citizens from Keystone Heights, Florida and hardly spoke ANY Spanish. To top it all off, they come without a host and managed to rent a van while here for transportation! I was really impressed with their gumption!

Anyway, we had a youth rally Sunday evening in a local park near our church. We played volley ball, Jeff delivered a salvation message, and then we ate pizza. There were 8 new visitors and almost 40 in attendance! All in all, it was a great success and the teens seemed to enjoy it.

Thanks to all of Keystone Height's great people for all of their help in making the event a large success!

Targeting the Youth of Central America,

Jeff, Elisabeth, TnT Carney

IBP's First Mission Conference

2008-02-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

On January 13th of this year, we were so excited

to host our first mission conference!

My father, missionary Peter Ard, was our guest speaker and we had a great attendance on both days of our conference.

We started out on Saturday evening with an international supper...it was so weird to be eating food from other countries prepared by the Mexican ladies in our church! There were Honduran, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Costa Rican, and also American dishes to just name a few of the countries represented at the buffet line. Besides someone making Lasagna with peas (YUCK!), all in all, the dishes were pretty good.

Sunday we had a mission emphasis in both the morning and also the evening service. There was special music, of course our guest speaker, and we even had several visitors! The people in our church-some for the first time ever, are participating in faith promise!

Please pray for Iglesia Bautista Peninsular as she strives to move forward as a church and also for God's continued blessing upon our mission program.

January 2008

2008-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Well, I don't know about you, but I sure started off my new year in the best possible way-my parents came to visit for a few weeks! (I guess you can tell that Jeff is NOT typing this section of our blog....)

Dad had several Jewish emphasis meetings here in the city and he was also the guest speaker of the first mission's conference in our church, Iglesia Bautista Peninsular. So, God wonderfully worked out a visit with my parents for me!

Unfortunately, dad sprained his ankle while he was here so, that cut into our sight seeing adventures.

Nevertheless, mom and I got some serious shopping done and even made it out for coffee one morning.

School started back up on the 6th of January (much to the kid's dismay). It's always hard to get back into a routine after vacation, but so far, they've been doing pretty well.

Please keep us in your prayers as we try to finish up the school year by the first part of April.

We pray that this year will bring many blessings your way and we'd LOVE to have you visit with us this year! Keep us posted and we'll try to do our part of keeping you updated on the happenings in our clan.

Jeff, Beth, Tori and Tyler

Christmas 2007

2008-02-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas we were able to enjoy a visit from Josh and Joanna and also Jeff's youngest brother, John. It is always a blessing to be able to share the holidays together with family.

Because of our trip to Argentina, Tori and Tyler only took off a few days of school during the Christmas season (they were trying to get caught up on their school work). However, the time that they did take off from school was very appreciated...by students and teacher!

Iglesia Bautista Peninsular "produced" a nativity drama and all of the primary aged children in the church were angles (We wont disclose what CATEGORY of angels!). They sang several songs and did a great job of looking adorable.

Christmas day we celebrated the advent with Jeff's family. We were so thankful that it wasn't overly hot. (For those who aren't familiar with the heat here in Merida, every Christmas we pray for a cool, cloudy day.) Actually, it was such nice weather, that we were able to sit outside and enjoy our meal. Of course, that morning TnT were able to open their Christmas gifts up and then Jeff and I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to put them all together and get them working for the kids! All in all, we had a nice holiday.

For those that sent cards, gifts, and made telephone calls...THANK YOU! You helped to make our holiday season a little extra special.

Behind...again!

2008-02-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

I never knew having a blog would involve so much work...I can NOT believe that I'm behind two months...again! After several emails and phone calls from our friends, it's been brought to our attention that the blog is in need of updating. So, here we go...hopefully, we can bring you up to speed on what's been happening down here in Merida!

ARGENTINA!

2007-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

After 7 years, I finally made it back "home"

to my childhood city, Buenos Aires!

What a trip down memory lane...the sights, the food, the people...it was fantastic! The kids and I went to visit with my mom and dad for just about two weeks this past November, while Jeff took care of some business in the United States.

We had so much fun! TnT and I arrived in time to celebrate dad's birthday with him and then spend a little bit of one-on-one time with them before my sister and her husband and my older brother arrived. From the time my siblings arrived it was go...go...go! We visited with old friends, toured downtown, rode subways, horses and tractors, visited shrines, admired tango experts, spent a day with the gauchos (Argentine cowboys), shopped, crossed the world's largest avenue, exercised our taste palettes (with gusto!), and enjoyed each other's company.
It was great to go back home and visit with my family. Everyone who prayed for our safe trip there and back, THANK YOU! The whole experience was wonderful.

We hope you enjoy the family pixs...

Congratulations, Jonny!

2007-12-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

We are proud to congratulate our brother, Jonathan, upon the completion of army boot camp this past October-

Hooah, Juani!

In the middle of this coming January, he'll complete his final occupational training and from there he will receive his first official orders of service. We are proud of the brother, the husband, the father, the friend, and the solider that he is to our country.

We love you, Jonny! You'll always be our (my) "little brother".

Birthdays...and surgeons!

2007-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

For those that don't know, my birthday is near the end of October. Although, I'm not officially a "Halloween baby", I still get a lot of teasing about being a ghoul or some other "flattering" creature. However, this year I really DID look like I could've been a candidate for Frankenstein's bride!

I had made an appointment with my dermatologist for what was supposed to be a simple consultation and wound up walking out from his office with stitches on my face and also my neck! (I'm still in the dark as to how it all transpired...let's just say that I'm definitely looking for a new doctor!) However, thank God, all the stitches have healed and only minimal scarring is left.

(For those left wondering...no, I'm no longer a candidate for Frankenstine's bride...and
NO-I'm NOT saying how old I am this year!)

Catching up from...October-November 2007

2007-12-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

It's amazing that it's already Christmas time...and here I am trying to catch everyone up from our fall activities. Wow! Talk about a whirlwind of activities-I don't know where to start!

Hmm...let's see, to keep it as sane as possible for everyone, I've created several postings that are under different headings. This way you can individually catch up on the family's happenings.

Happy Reading,

The Carney Clan

Victoria's Seasonal Changes!

2007-10-09T17:57:00.000-07:00

This fall, poor little Tori took a fall!

She was dancing in her bedroom when she tumbled over and accidentally fractured the growth plate in her foot. So, bless her heart, she's in a cast for the next five weeks. Through it all, she's been a great trooper! She gets along fairly well with her crutches, but when she's tired of them, she hops along on one foot.

Not only has she temporary lost the use of her foot/leg...
but she also lost another tooth and is in the process of losing her first top tooth as well! She was so excited to find out that the "tooth fairy" knew she had moved to Mexico.

She has been working hard these past several weeks to bring her math and phonics grades up a few points.

I'm proud to say that she did WONDERFUL
on her weekly test!

Her reading is also coming along well. Sometimes it's hard for me to know just what to expect from her (I am so NOT a teacher...Anne, Joanna, Julie, Rachel, Nancy...etc!). However, I am very pleased with her progress. She is doing excellent with counting by 2's, memorizing math families, counting American money, learning special phonic sounds and spelling. On top of that she learns poetry and also Bible verses.

Because of her broken foot, she has had to drop out of her swim classes...much to her dismay. At the time when her foot was broken, she had learned to swim under water and to stroke. (Before she started classes she would have NEVER dreamed of immersing her head under water...baptism was definitely out of the question for her!)

The other day she told me, "Mom, I want to have a real job when I get big." "Really", I replied. "What are you thinking about?" "Well, I want to be a veterinarian" "Oh, why is that?" I asked.

(It surprised me because although she loves animals, she HATES blood and we've explained that in that profession, she would be exposed at some time in her career to something open and bloody.)

"Oh, that's easy! Cuz I want to have one of those cool white coats to wear!"

Hmmm, not the response I was looking for. She definitely is showing signs of being "all girl'!

We love the fact that God has given us
such a wonderful gift in Tori.

What a blessing the children
are in our lives!

The Autumn Colors of I.B.P.

2007-10-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, October 7th, we celebrated 5 years of ministry in Iglesia Bautista Peninsular (Peninsular Baptist Church)! Wow! It's hard to believe that we've been ministering together with Jeff's family for five years now. We've seen many lives changed and families restored. It was amazing to see new families that have been added to the congregration within the past year...and even more encouraging to see families who were present with us from our first service back in 2002 and have thus far remained faithful!

We rented a lovely quinta (a building for a formal/party event) and had a special guest speaker, Doctor Shoemaker, head up our commemorative services.

The church members helped to provide the food, special music...and of course, many friends and family members.
Dr. Shoemaker delivered his messages in English with James as his translator. As a special surprise, Jeff put together a power point presentation of I.B.P from it's birth to its present state. It was fun to watch the people get excited as their pictures flashed over the screen.

The rain did nothing to dampen the people's excitement as we celebrated another year of growth together as a church family. It was a wonderful service that we wish you too could have shared with us. Start making your plans to be in Merida for our 6th anniversary next October. Trust me, you wont want to miss it!

Thank you for supporting the ministries of I.B.P. Because of you, there is a church that is being established.

Slowly but steadily we are growing and experiencing the glorious colors of an autumn harvest!

The Jeff Carney family

Tyler's Changing Colors!

2007-10-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Tyler has been growing by leaps and bounds this fall season!

Throughout his K-4 schooling, he has been learning to read blends, recognize and count numbers, and memorize scripture and poetry. By the while, he has also been practicing the fine art of skateboarding!

Likewise, this fall he has begun helping with chores around the house...from helping mom cook (he'd like to take chef lessons) to learning how to set the table and empty trash cans.
Now we're not going to lie to you...his attitude while preforming these various chores at times, well quite frankly, yea, it's pretty bad! Nevertheless, we've seen great improvement in his personal development.

As a matter of fact, the other day at dinner time I heard him tell Jeff, "No, Dad. Let me get the ice for the cups. You just sit down." I thought to myself, "Wow! He's becoming more mature about his chores!" Then I heard him mumble under his breath, "I really want a BIG allowance this week!" *Sigh* We've definitely got our work cut out with him-but we're loving every minute of it!

In September he started up with swim lessons and has been doing excellent with them. He really enjoys jumping/diving into the water and has been working hard to develop a stroke pattern. With it being so hot here, it's an added benefit for him to get to go swimming several times a week. He says he wants to be a: "firefighter, navy seal, police man, chef, soldier, ninja, helicopter pilot, astronaut, Nascar driver"...and the list goes on and on...!

It's a joy watching him grow and become the individual that God created him to be.

"Highlights"

2007-10-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

September has been a great month for the youth ministry!

We've seen Samuel, the young man who made a decision for Christ, grow and mature in the Lord with his weekly Bible studies. He's never missed one...so far! As a matter of fact, he was baptized this last Sunday.

For the past several months we've been encouraging a young couple, Humberto and Marina, to come along side of us and help us with the youth. Well, this coming Sunday evening they've committed to helping us with our teen program. They didn't say how much they would be willing to commit too; however, they are willing to at least "see" what it's all about on the 14th! Please be in prayer that God will continue to work in young couple's hearts regarding youth work.

Because of the rains that we've been receiving, Jeff's weekly soccer matches have been put on indefinite hold. Nevertheless, last Tuesday (his "official" soccer day of the week) the sky was clear and he headed over to the courts with little hope of a decent group due to the inconsistencies of the rain. Much to his surprise, he said there were at least 30 or more present ready to play...many of them being un-churched, local community kids!

With the help of James, one of Jeff's younger brothers, the teens have become more unified as a group and there seems to be a better spirit among them. (Thanks, James...you really are a help and and encouragement to us!)

We've been averaging a solid, core group of 15 or so. What's so special about these kids is that they are coming on their own to church (we don't pick them up or take them home), they are paying for their activities, and many of them are coming without their parents. They're at church because they WANT to be there! We are still working with them to be consistent with daily Bible reading and prayer. They have a long way to go...but we are seeing them slowly mature. Several of them are involved in positions of leadership in the church as well. It's exciting to see God at work in their lives.

The changing colors of our ministry are bright and captivating! Please continue to keep us in your prayers this fall season.

The Carney Clan
Merida, Mexico

September 2007

2007-10-09T13:31:00.001-07:00

September has come and gone and now we are officially into our fall season of the year when the leaves are beginning t change and the air is more crisp and cooler...Well, if you don't live in the Yucatan you are probably enjoying some of these changes!

The other day I unpacked our fall decorations and Tyler asked me, “Mom, what’s up with all of the orange, brown and red stuff?” “Well,” I replied, “We decorate with these colors because they remind us of the changing leaves and also of the changes taking place in nature. It’s called the autumn season.” He ran over to our sliding glass door and observed the emerald green grass (thanks to our dog’s economical fertilizing system) and the bright, waxy green leaves of our recently planted Ficus tree and said, “Uh, Mom. I think you got your fall colors messed up!”

Although our weather has only slightly changed
(Observe the inserted picture for proof of our "fall" weather!), our ministry and family have been constantly evolving. Because there are so many highlights and “lowlights” to share with you, we’ve decided that it would be too many to post for one “blog” entry. Therefore, you’ll see several postings listed from events that occurred in September. Then we’ve also posted our church’s 5^th anniversary here on the mission field that just took place last Sunday!

We hope that you enjoy reading about the changing colors of our family and ministry.

The Jeff Carney Family

Hurricanes, Rain and Fruit

2007-08-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of having a "dry spell" in the middle of a hurricane? We sure have and let me tell you all about it!

Thanks to hurricane Dean, our climate has been rainy, muggy, buggy, sticky, stinky, (well, I'm sure you've got the picture now) while our weather spiritually has been in a mini drought. We've been faithful, but just haven't been seeing great results...until recently! (It's amazing how much you appreciate your fruit when you haven't been seeing much of it.)

This past week a teen boy, Samuel, placed his faith in Jesus. On Monday, Eddi, a young man with whom Jeff had previously shared a salvation Bible study, finally accepted Jesus as his Saviour. Then it just keeps getting better....Oso, a young adult in our youth group asked us to pray about possibly being involved in full time Christian service! It's awesome to see God at work in lives here in the Yucatan.

James, one of Jeff's younger brothers has been staying with us for the past several weeks and has been a big encouragement to us. Likewise, he was present for both Bible studies given to the young men.

In our off time, we've taken him to see a local cenote (sink hole) (see picture above), tour a Mayan museum and "see" some pyramids...

Be sure to ask him about the presence of horses there in Dzibilchaltun and the guards on bikes. Hey, come to think of it, he even knows the best spots to change after swimming in the sink holes! LOL

Keep us in your prayers as we continue to keep the ministry going in Dad Carney's absence.

Targeting Youth in Central American,

The Jeff Carney family

Birthdays

2007-08-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

August is the month of
birthdays in our home.

Victoria celebrated her 7th birthday, Tyler turned 5 and Jeff...well, let's just say that I want to stay happily married.

Therefore, I will not be divulging his age! With so many birthdays, home school, ministry, and just life in general it seems like this month has been a whirl wind of activities. Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed their own special day, complete with decorations, the meal of their choice and their own birthday cake...I am so tired of making cake this month!

Thanks for the phone calls, the birthday gifts and all of the cards. We are so thankful for wonderful families and friends.

Until next August....

The Party Animals!

Ooh Rah

2007-08-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

This August, the youngest of Jeff's siblings, John, graduated from marine boot camp!
He is now in the second phase of his training and was just recently promoted as a squad leader.

I'm sure that he has "no regrets..."

Ooh Rah, Booch! We're proud of you.

Tyler learns to share?

2007-08-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

Thought you all would appreciate this little window into our daily lives...

The other day I overheard Tyler telling his older sister that she could have his G.I. Joe toys. Well, if you know anything about Tyler, he LOVES his army men and isn't very keen on even sharing them...much less has he ever given one away!

As my heart began to swell with motherly pride (Yea, I know pride is a sin...not to worry, God quickly brought me back down to my humble state!) over my child's "generous spirit" as I overheard him say, "I don't want to pick 'em all up, Tori. You can have them all and since they're yours now, put 'em all away in my room where they belong"!!

*Sigh* I think we've got to work not only on the sharing principle but also on the laziness as well!

Summer Part B

2007-08-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

Towards the end of July, Victoria graduated from her ballet class. She participated in a recital which was held in a nice theater and done up in Mexican style! If you've never been to a Mexican "obra del teatro", I encourage you to go when the opportunity arises-you'll never forget it! Nonetheless, Tori did excellent and we were very proud of her achievements. Her classes will begin again in September; likewise, Tyler will continue with his Moo-du-kwan studies in September as well.

Speaking of classes...both kids started up home schooling in July. It's been pretty tough balancing the two different routines, but it's been coming together. Thanks to our friends: Matt and Debbie and Peter and Natalie, we were able to get our "home schooling station" established. (Thanks, guys! We really appreciated your help!)

Tomorrow will be our 25th day of clasess...and counting! They both seem to enjoy "video school"; however, Tyler does seem to struggle a little more with the "attention detail". (LOL...Are we really surprised at that??)

Enjoy the 1st day of "school" pictures!

Summer Part A

2007-08-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

Where do we start? Wow! There's so much to tell you to bring you up to speed....
Hmm....well, let's start with our group in July.

We had a youth group come and stay with us for just about 2 weeks the first part of July. This was our second time to host them here in Merida and as before they are always so much fun! The pastor and his wife have become dear friends of ours and as you see from the pictures...Jeff feels quite comfortable with them! Not only did we help to build the church family through children and youth programs, but also we were spiritually enriched by the good friends that God sent our way. Peter and Natalie-we love you guys! Thanks for the awesome memories!

Summer Time

2007-08-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

This summer has been busy, busy busy! Whatever happened to those long lazy days when it seemed like the sun never set? I can not believe how much time has passed since we've last updated our blog. I'm sorry for the tardiness; however, you should find some neat stories that we've accumulated to bring you up to speed on our "happenings".

Happy reading!

Tournaments...and Water!

2007-06-27T15:29:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday was a pretty exciting day. Jeff hosted a soccer tournament as an outreach ministry for unsaved teen boys. There were probably 12-15 teen boys and young men from our church in attendance and the the other 50-60 present were all visitors!

It was very, very hot (not unusual for the Yucatan) and Jeff had appointed me "store keeper" for the duration of the tournament. My job was to sell bottled water, chips, cokes, etc. (We were thinking that it would be a great way to recoup some of our expenses from the tournament.)

Well, everything was going great until the players came up and started asking me to GIVE them the coke or bottles of water! (Of course, what's the purpose of running a store if no one wants to buy?)

Shortly after explaining to the boys that it was only for sale, a grandmotherly type woman approached me. She was irate and thoroughly scolded me. She felt that her grandsons should given free drinks I mean after all, they were HER grandsons...not just any ol' grandchildren. Her main point... "water is a "free" natural resource". (Sure it is , if you want to drink it from the tap!!)

So, what did I learn from last Saturday...? Just buy bags of ice and cups and let the nationals drink like nationals!