DEAR FRIENDS,

Thank you for journeying alongside the Saavedra family throughout 2011, blessing our work with HCJB Global and the Alliance Academy International (AAI) with your prayers and financial support. Your partnership makes possible the following encouraging stories:

Thumbs up from Luke

1.    As part of their study about missionary work, Dave assigns the students in his Acts course a project in which they research and design their our mission trip. This year's group was particularly enthusiastic about the project and several young people expressed interest in making their hypothetical trips a reality. One of these is an Ecuadorian young lady who wants to travel to Brasil to work with street kids there. How exciting to see the passion for service being passed on to the next generation.

2.  Another one of Dave's students recently shared in chapel about the wonderful works God did during her summer trip Zambia. Dave had actively fundraised for her mission trip in his classes, so many of his students felt an investment in her service. It's great for them to hear some of the results of giving up their pocket money for their classmate.

3.  While on the school campus one day, I (Beth) was stopped by a teacher who wanted to share a story about Dave. She needed to do a classroom observation of a fellow teacher and the high school principal recommended that she watch Dave. Though the teacher was only required to observe for 10 minutes, she told me the class was so engaging that she stayed the whole hour. She appreciated the warmth and openness of the atmosphere and the good rapport Dave has with students.

We know very well that such a positive response is the fruit of your prayers for us and the students at the AAI, and we thank you with our whole hearts for serving along with us.

Merry Christmas from our family
to you!

END OF THE YEAR GIVING

The work we are part of in Ecuador is a joint endeavor with you. We want to let you know about some of our current financial needs.

• Health care premiums are going up $100/month for us in January. 
• Dave's much-repaired work laptop finally died completely, necessitating the purchase of a new one for just under $700.
• While driving up a steep mountain pass, the radiator casing of our 1995 Trooper cracked. Fortunately, we were able to coast downhill to a mechanic and eventually get it repaired for just $200. We're grateful labor is so inexpensive here. 

If you are willing and able to help out with any of these costs, we would be greatly blessed. All donations to HCJB Global are tax-deductible and should include account #110518. Check out bottom of this page for more information. Thanks so much for considering giving!

END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATIONS IN ECUADOR

In November we celebrated Levi's 7th and
Lina's 2nd birthday.

December 6 is the celebration of the founding of Quito.
We took in an exhibit of statues of Ecuador's famous
hummingbirds at a nearby park.

Christmas came early when Dave's brother Steve visited
with his family over Thanksgiving

Our boys represented at the church Christmas program...

...playing Joseph, a shepherd, and a cat.

And a Happy New Year!