2023 has been a year our family will never forget! We started out the year in Siloam Springs, AR. Kara was running a co-op 3 days a week and assisting YWAM with a variety of projects. Bruce continued to excel in his photography abilities and was YWAM Oak Haven’s main photographer. The kids excelled in the co-op. Esperanza led the youth in songs and actions. Gryphin pushed himself physically at the Ninja Gym. Amara learned to read and Zoe continued to be her sweet loving self. 

Then in May our family put everything in storage (and a friends AirBNB). We proceeded to live out of suitcases for the next five months. For a five weeks we were in Guatemala. We helped the YWAM bases there with photography and videography needs. A few weeks into our trip two families from Arkansas came to join us on a family mission trip. Our children performed dances, shared their testimony and served the Guatemala community. 

We were to then go to India but a few weeks before our flight the trip got canceled due to health issues from our friends we were to serve in India. However, as we prayed the Lord miraculously opened the door for us to go to Belize City to serve a ministry downtown called Water Walkers. We were in Belize for eight and a half weeks. This was very stretching but powerful time of ministry. We built their website from scratch, helped run two kid camps, Kara preached multiple times, we worked with their teens and connected this ministry to YWAM Belize.

From Belize we headed to Mexico. Our friends own a ranch and host Family Discipleship Training Schools. We came for two weeks to help with run their kids debrief (families had just come back from outreach from the Philippines, the Middle East and Mexico). Bruce also took multiple photos for their website/newsletters and captured testimonials from those that were on outreach.

After Mexico we were blessed to be able to go back to Washington for two nieces weddings. It was so lovely to see family and friends we had not seen in years. It was also so fun to see Zoe and Amara as flower girls and to witness two beautiful weddings.

Our tour ended September 26th when we headed back to Arkansas. We were blessed to come back to our friends AirBNB where all of our furniture was stored while we were gone. We are now in full swing of assisting the YWAM campus in Siloam Springs and getting ready for the new YWAM Discipleship Training School that will start in February. 

Our year was full and we were so blessed to be able to see so many lives touched by the love of Christ, even our own. 

May the Lord richly bless and pour out His peace on you this next year. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years,

The Sanders