What's New with the Newlyweds!

Spain...

We kicked off the new year in Spain which was surreal and wonderful. We spent most of our time in Granada, but took a few days to visit Almeria, Malaga, and Madrid as well. We were blessed to meet with some brothers and sisters there who are doing the Lord's work and we were so humbled to see their heart to serve and put faith into action. It stirred our excitement for the ways in which our church might be called to serve there in the future.

What a beautiful country and what a unique culture! Our days rarely started before noon and rarely ended before 2 AM. We ate dinner close to 9 or 10 PM and enjoyed the mid-day siesta when everything and everyone slows down, closes shop and rests. (We need to bring that to the states!)

We even saw a bit of North African influence in the Teterias, or Moroccan Tea Houses, that we visited nearly every day. We often ended our days in those dimly lit, narrow shops, sitting at small round tables on hand-woven cushions with our own personal Moroccan-style tea pot. We sipped sweet tea, pouring a little at a time into tiny glasses, like tiny tea shots. What a departure from the life we live here in the US!

We also managed to find a Dunkin Doughnuts in Malaga so that Greg didn't go into complete withdrawl...

Morocco....

After enjoying Spain, we ventured into Morocco. While Greg's amazing Spanish skills kept us more than afloat in Spain, French and Moroccan Arabic were two very unfamiliar languages to both of us. Thankfully, we stayed with our dear friends Chris and Kenza and Kenza's wonderful family in Rabat. It made all the difference in the world knowing someone who could help us get around!

Staying with friends made our adventures that much more fun! We were treated like guests of honor as Kenza's family filled our bellies with good, rich, flavorful, food every morning, noon, and night. We must have gained a few pounds! We ate Tajine together, drank authentic Moroccan tea, tried our hand at a few French and Arabic words, and explored the city with Kenza and her brother Rachid, who were gracious enough to guide and translate (praise the Lord!).

Again, we were awed by the beautiful country and culture there. To hear the Imam's give a call to worship Allah over giant loudspeakers blasted from the city Mosques several times a day-- even in the middle of the night-- was somewhat daunting to foreign ears. But what an insightful thing to be able to visit this part of the world! We were so blessed by everyone's hospitality there, the amazing food, the beautiful sites, and of course, the company!

Kenza and Rachid dressed us up in traditional Moroccan garb

Home Again...

Since our trip, we've been enjoying being home for a while and keeping busy here. Greg introduced me to the sport of road biking and, although this spring has been windy, we've enjoyed exploring the city that way. Greg, after much prayer, decided to pursue a PHD in Philosophy and Apologetics and has begun his program through Whitefield Theological Seminary. I am also going back to school for a MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Creative Writing through a school in Ohio called Ashland University. Both of our programs are "low-residency" so that we can still work and serve here while doing school. I have continued to teach music and am growing a small business with that, and Greg is serving faithfully in ministry to youth and families. We are both excited to pursue further education together at this unique time in life that the Lord has allowed us.
We're both preparing for a lot of travel this summer, to Mexico, Guatemala, New York...etc. And will have more updates in August!

Snapshots...

Early morning balloon ride over the city

Sailing over the Rio Grande

Go-Go Girls at the Tate wedding


In rare form...

Lovely Spring Picnic!

Jammin'

Uncle Greg and Lillian

Life Together

Married Life

Since June 29, we can honestly say that "married life," in all of its joys and trials, has been wonderfully sanctifying, hilarious, humbling, mystifying, nerdy, adventurous, and the most amazing "best-friendship" we have ever known! We still have much to learn, of course, and by God's grace he will continue to grow us closer to Him and to each other--teaching us how to love & serve one another better!

What Have We Been Up To?

At the end of July, beginning of August, we traveled to San Miguel, Guatemala with a small team from our church to learn more about what God is doing in the lives our our church family there. We met local missionaries who have dedicated their lives to living and serving there, learning the native Achi language and working with the people of San Miguel to translate the New Testament into Achi. We shared meals together, listened to and gave testimony, met and prayed for people in need in the community, played "futbol" with kids and participated in worship at local gatherings with our brothers and sisters there. Greg was our only fluent translator the whole two weeks. He taught every day, sometimes twice, and translated every conversation we had, not to mention, he was the primary leader of the entire trip, in charge of every detail! By God's grace the trip was indeed a success and such a blessing to us!


Back in the 505...

When "real life" had to set back in after a couple of whirlwind months of major back to back events such as graduation, moving, planning and having our wedding, honeymooning and taking the Guatemala trip, we finally settled into life in Albuquerque at home together. Caitelen started a new job and Greg got to work on finishing his masters degree. He scheduled one entire week writing his 100 page thesis on Reforming Ministry to Youth in the Postmodern Context. Whew! Caitelen utilized a bit of her degree in English to proofread the paper and thus gain some insight into her husbands hard work, studies, and philosophical ponderings.

Greg in the midst of that intense thesis writing week...

More World Traveling...

In October, Greg and a few men from our church ventured to Southern Spain and Morocco for two weeks to scope out future missions opportunities there. It was our first time apart from each other! Time difference and the busy agenda of the trip made for conversations that were brief, few, and very guarded (sometimes in "code" to conceal the nature of their trip), but we talked whenever we could, and prayed for each other when we couldn't talk . The guys made successful contact with several working missionaries in Spain and covertly ventured into Morocco, not knowing any of the languages and knowing that in Morocco it is illegal to be a Christian, to convert to Christianity, or to convert others. There, they met with with some missionaries and "underground" Christians also. Greg and the guys came home with many questions answered, and still many new ones raised. But the call to pursue opportunities for future mission work out there is clear and we will both be in prayer as to our possible future role in that exciting opportunity!

Greg and Caitelen in "The Worlds Largets Underpants"
...why not...

Caitelen...

Since the fall, Caitelen has sought opportunities to work and serve in the world and the church, working for a while as a wedding coordinator, teaching music lessons, serving in the women's ministry at church, helping lead worship, serving with Greg in ministry to youth, enjoying her adorable niece and nephew, writing whenever she can, and praying about future vocational opportunities.

Greg...

Having finished his masters, Greg has begun to pray about continuing on to get a PHD in Philosophy of Religion and Apologetics. He continues the exciting and challenging work at our church as a Minister to Youth and Parents. He, along with those in leadership here, have sought to turn the vision of "youth ministry" into one that calls parents (who are the "primary pastoral contacts" in the lives of their children), to really lead out in ministry. They long to see that a segregated "youth service" would cease to be, and that in its place families would attend the main service together and youth and family gatherings on Sunday would be more of an interactive class in which they learn, grow and serve together. Greg spends time investing in the lives of students as often as he can and continues to employ his "skate ministry" method whenever possible as well.

Borrowing from cousin Genny's portfolio...the beautiful
Sandia Mountains are dusted with snow this season...

So What's Next?

We are both preparing to make our own personal trip to Spain and Morocco for two weeks, leaving the day after Christmas. We will spend most of our time in Granada, Spain and will then be staying with friends in Northern Morocco for a few days in January. Although this trip is primarily for our vacation, we do intend, by God's grace, to continue a bit of the work started on the scout trip in October. We hope to at least meet with some of the people Greg and the guys met, build those relationships, seek ways to serve while there, and continue in conversation about mission opportunities.

Prayer Requests
God is so good! We have much to be thankful for and yet much to be in prayer about as well. Here are a few things we would love you to pray for!

*Pray for our safe travels in Spain and Morocco. For health and opportunities to learn and serve while we're there.

* Pray for our brothers and sisters in San Miguel, Guatemala. Specifically for Hector, Irma, Carol and Roderigo, and the ministries there.

* Pray for our church here and the "Parent Student Ministry" we serve in. Pray that the Lord would show us how to impart this new "vision" to our students and families. Pray for us as we discern how to best serve in this ministry and that God would raise up more parents and young adults who are eager to help lead.

*Pray for us as we both consider future opportunities--for Greg, in the possibility of continued education, for Caitelen, vocational calling, and for both of us, in marriage and ministry together wherever the Lord leads us.

~ A Few More Pictures ~

Tim & Cynthia Schneeberger. Caitelen's new wonderful family-in-law!

Greg's new family-in-law, the Anderson's!
Greg, Caite, Mike, Kristen, Levi, Steve, Lillian, Debbie and Bill.

Merry Christmas!