I know for many of us 2011 was TOUGH!  And many of us can say HALLELUJAH IT IS OVER!! 

What does 2012 bring for us all?  We heard an awesome sermon on Sunday about challenging ourselves in our walks with the Lord.  If we keep Jesus the priority, if we give him the first and the best of everything then we will have the best year spiritually.  He didn’t say anything about it being an easy year, but the most prosperous SPIRITUALLY!  Isn’t that what we want anyway?  

In light of this I made a list of resolutions for the year. 

I am going to read my Bible everyday.  Cause, honestly, I DON’T!  

I am going to read the Bible with my kids everyday!`  Cause, honestly, I DON’T

I am going to drink water EVERYDAY!  ( thought about giving up coffee, then thought,,NAW!)

I am going to loose 20 more pounds.  I would love to be in a size 14 by May.....can she do it folks?

A couple of days after Christmas I read this

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,  whose hope is in the Lord his God, the maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them THE LORD, who remains faithful forever.  He up holds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.  The Lord sets the prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind.  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.  The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the father less and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  The Lord REIGNS FOREVER!  You God o Zion for ALL generations!  Praise the Lord!!!!                               Psalm 146:5-10

I think that this Psalm is an excellent definition for who God is.  

The maker of heaven and earth 

He remains faithful forever

He upholds the cause of the oppressed 

He feeds the hungry

He sets the prisoners free!  HALLELUJAH!

He gives sight to the blind

He gives us hope and love

He protects and is a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow

He doesn’t put up with whooey from the wicked

Let me leave you with a photo of brookie, it will brighten your day

Moses, sweating and snow storms

As I sit here at 7:30 in the morning sweating, YES THATS RIGHT, sweating.....I am
actually jealous of your 16 inches of snow!!!! The average temperature here has been
roughly 100 to 105 F. BLAH! My daughter Amira and I went to the grocery store the
other day and stuck our heads in a freezer to cool off. Rainy season is coming soon
and we are thrilled. I plan on standing outside and rolling around in the streets for joy.
It hasnʼt rained here in almost 10 months.

Sunday as we were driving home from church I saw something that melted my heart.
Some of you may remember me mentioning Moses? He has been on the streets most
of his life, is totally world weary and is desperate for change, but still the pull of the
streets for him is strong. You can see the tug of war going on in his eyes. Anyway, he
was sitting under a tree with one of the girls who lives on the street. The girl had a baby
and she was trying to calm the baby. Moses had his arm around them both in a
desperate attempt to protect them. He was planting a gentle kiss on the girls head. I
caught a glimpse of his eyes as we drove past and saw a futility in his eyes. If he will
allow it, I will take a picture of him and send it to you so you can pray for him! Moses
caught my heart when we first moved here in ʻ07 and has found a snug place there.
Godʼs hand is on his life. I know when Moses makes the choice to leave his life behind
and begin a new one in Christ awesome things will happen!

How can you pray for the Morales Family?
1. WISDOM! How and when do we move forward?
2. A continued a deep hunger for Godʼs word! We want to use this time God has
us in a holding pattern wisely to stay in his word.
3. Unity in our marriage and family
4. Protection for our kids
5. Finances. Lusaka is an expensive place to live
6. Pray for Moses

We love you all and appreciate all you have done for our family over the years! Please
keep the letters and pictures coming!!!!! We love the connection to home.
How can we pray for you all?
YOU ROCK AND YOU KNOW IT!
Luis, Myranda, Amira, Hannah, Brooklyn Rose and Homer the Dog

If you would like to give to the work you can send a check or money order to
TSC MISSIONS FLOOR 4
1657 Broadway
NYC, NY 10019
Put Morales Family/Zambia in the memo
Or you can go to tscnyc.org, select donate and specify “DONATE TO SOMEONEʼS
TRIP” Put in Morales Family Zambia

a mad fat woman gets real!

Lately the full weight of the decision to move to Africa has been hitting me. All romantic
notions I have ever had about living on the mission field have been burned out of me.
They say that it takes about 2 or 4 years before you can officially be considered a
“missionary” to a particular country. That is because it takes that long to get your feet
under you when you move to a new country. You loose all your bearings and basically
have to re-learn life. Nothing that is normal and consistent to you is available. There
are no Targets or Walmart, you canʼt call 911 if you need help, online bill pay is a thing
of the past, and there are no drive through Wendyʼs or McDonald to take advantage of
when you need a quick fix. When you get pulled over by police you have to do a sort of
mental dance to figure out if they are trying to just get some lunch money out of you or
are they legitimate. Basic things like grocery shopping and going to a park become an
exercise in patience and sometimes insanity. Every thing is negotiable. Everywhere
you go people think that you have all the answers because of you skin color so being
anonymous is a thing of the past. You know when you have those days when all you
want to do is just sit in a quiet place with a good book and not be bothered?
Relationships are also a thing that become effected. It is a strange world a missionary
lives it. You have to maintain friendships in two worlds that are VASTLY different from
each other, yet you feel a deep and profound connection to both. In your home country
peopleʼs lives move on with out you and in your host country people are constantly
coming and going at a rate that makes your head spin. So, as a missionary you feel,
sometimes literally, torn in two. Like a floating amoeba bouncing against the walls. Can
you understand why it is stressful?
The temptation in the face of all this is to shut the door to your house and pray for the
second coming. To allow life to move on an its brisk pace and to try really hard to keep
your sanity. BUT, that isnʼt healthy or good is it?
Why am I writing all of this to you? Would you please pray for us as we re-discover our
African feet? Would you please pray for us as we learn how to walk through the daily
stressors of living here? Consider some of the daily things that we face here
1. Our water gets cut off regularly because it hasnʼt rained in 9 months and it is reaching
100 degrees daily. How is a mom to do laundry?
2. Electricity sometimes gets cut off at dinner time while I am cooking. So I have to
break out the peanut butter and bread.
3. Bad roads
4. Corrupt Police (We were driving home with our kids the other day and got pulled over.
It took us 1 1/2 hours in the HOT sun with NO water to get out of there. Luis came
home and slept all the next day.)
I think you get the point....
We need your prayers!!!!! Pray that we can find healthy ways to release stress and to
live lives that are joy filled and full of peace.

worship when it makes no sense

Today I could feel the devil breathing down my neck.  I could feel the weight of everything piling up and weighing me down so hard that I thought I was going to suffocate from the pressure of it.  “JESUS I AM IN THE STORM AND I CAN’T TAKE MUCH MORE!”  There was a sense that my hearts cry and my burden wasn’t getting past the ceiling, let alone making it to heaven’s ears.  And on top of it, I had to see to my children’s needs.  Not an easy thing to do when you can barely breath or put one foot in front of the other.  

Luis was experiencing the same thing and we finally shut ourselves into a room and began to cry out to Jesus.  You know those times when you get before God and have these gut wrenching, heart wrending prayers?  GOD I WANT TO BELIEVE YOU AND YOUR REPORT BUT I AM REALLY STRUGGLING!!!!  GOD I DON’T WANT TO DOUBT YOU NOW OR COMPLAIN!!!!!  GOD, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CHOICE BUT TO PUT MY EVERYTHING IN YOUR HANDS!!!  I thought of Job sitting on an ash heap with his entire life in ruins PRAISING GOD!  Would you believe the only thing that God told me was that I needed to go to the store and get the ingredients I need to make muffins?  HUH!?  

So, I did it and GUESS WHAT!?  GOD MEET ME IN THE CAR!!!!  He flooded my heart with such peace and such comfort.  It was unbelievable!  I could FEEL the war raging and FELT the victory!  The Lord simply spoke to my heart that it is all going to be ok!  No direct answers, no need to understand, just that it is all going to be ok!  That He is in control!  The lyrics to this song were playing on my Ipod and they really hit home to me....if you don’t have it DOWN LOAD IT!!!  

I Lift My Hands lyrics

Songwriters: Christopher Tomlin;Matt Maher;Louie Giglio

Be still, there is a healer

His love is deeper than the sea

His mercy, it is unfailing

His arms are fortress for the weak

I lift my hands to believe again

You are my refuge, You are my strength

As I pour out my heart

These things, I remember

You are faithful, God, forever

Be still, there is a river

That flows from Calvary's tree

A fountain for the thirsty

Pure grace that washes over me

I lift my hands to believe again

You are my refuge, You are my strength

As I pour out my heart

These things, I remember

You are faithful, God, forever

Maybe God puts us in these hard valleys to test how we are going to react.  Do we shut down and pout (which is usually what I do), or do we worship the King of heaven and earth NO MATTER WHAT!?  He didn’t change our situation, BUT he flooded me and Luis with PEACE!!!  And the FAITH TO WORSHIP!!!!  Peace that is beyond any comprehension.  It makes no sense, and guess what!?  It doesn’t have to.  

Sometimes we like to talk about “going deeper in Jesus”, but maybe all that means is letting go and allowing Him to be Lord no matter what.  Maybe that means that we can have the ability to worship the one who shed his blood for our sins EVEN when things are going on that make no sense.  

CLING to Jesus!  STAY at the cross!  and DON’T LET GO!!!!  

PEACE PEACE!!!

Do you ever feel as if you are going in the wrong direction?  Do you ever feel as if everything you are setting your hands to do is coming up as worm eaten and worthless?  The condemnation rings so loudly in your ears you could swear others can hear it as clearly.  It is written all over your face “YOU ARE WORTHLESS!  THE MISTAKES YOU HAVE MADE IN THE PAST ARE FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH YOU!  WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PROVE AND WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?”  It rings on and on until you think you are going to suffocate from the weight of it.  You read the promises of God and think HOW CAN I CLAIM THAT PROMISE WHEN I KNOW WHAT IT IS MY HEART!?

We have been fighting that battle HARD this week!  Funny enough the Bible study I (Myranda) am working on is focusing on peace this week! 

Yesterday part of the reading came out of Matthew 14:22-23.  It is the account of when Jesus commanded the disciples to go across the lake while he went on a mountainside to pray.  They found themselves in the middle of a storm and were fighting for their lives.  All the while Jesus is sitting on the mountainside praying!  I don’t know about you but the first thing that pops into my mind when I read that was “Why didn’t he stop the storm?  He TOLD them to go across the lake, they were simply obeying the command.”   That is a point I noted, they were obeying God and found themselves in the storm.  Just because we obey Jesus, it doesn’t mean that everything is going to go smoothly all the time!   Just as Jesus had it all under control when the disciples were in the storm, he is the same God that has it under control today!  Isn’t that COMFORTING!?  

Please consider this quote:

Christ didn’t change His circumstances to make them bearable,  He mastered them a the peak of their impossibility.  Yes, Christ had perfect peace in the storm.”  Beth Moore

I wonder if the disciples had resigned themselves to certain death right before Jesus came to their rescue?  I wonder if the disciples could see Jesus sitting on the mountainside praying while they were fighting for their lives? Jesus isn’t going to change our circumstances for us to make it more bearable, he is going to ride out the storm WITH us!  He wants us to keep our focus on Him and walk in PEACE!  Then and only then will we be able to walk on water and the peaks of impossibility! 

We have shared with you all our hearts to reach out to the street children of Lusaka and how God has lead us, with the blessing of Times Square Church, to change ministries.  While we have been seeking God and praying about how and when to reach out to the kids, they keep showing up at our door.  God is bringing the kids to us!  There is one boy, his name is Moses.  He is 18, has been on the streets his entire life and knows nothing else.  He is desperate for change, but isn’t quit ready to give up the freedom of the streets.  Can anyone relate?  There is John who lives with his Grandma and shows up periodically because he knows that he will always get a hug and a plate of food.  Then there is an adorable 8 year old boy who calls himself Mr. Mwansa.  I just want to put him in my pocket he is so cute!  There is his beautiful sister Mary who is out there with him watching over him.  Just the other day as I was driving to take a dinner to someone and I found a group of boys on the side of the road and fell in love.  They looked like a group of puppies just tumbling all over each other.  Gave them a loaf of bread I made that morning.....

What we need from you guys is PRAYER!  We need direction and we need to make sure that we hear CLEARLY from the Lord the steps we are to take.  Do we get a bus and drive around to do outreaches?  Do we rent a store front in town?  Do we simply walk around with sandwiches in our bags?  

Would you also pray about how you can get involved?  How would the Lord want you to use your resources to help advance the work here....Do you send your money?  Do you volunteer in the missions office and stuff envelopes?  Do you get on a plane and come over with a team?  We believe firmly that a missionary is only as effective as the team of people behind them.  We need you!!!!!!!!! 

Prayer Points:

Pray for the kids that we mentioned above.  They need to know the love of God desperately!  

Pray for wisdom as we step out and help.  We don’t want our helping to hurt!  

Pray that God will bring Zambian workers to join in.

Pray for the finances to be available

Pray for our marriage and our family unity

As always, PLEASE keep us updated on your families!  We love to hear from you and what is going on in your lives!  

Many Blessings, 

Myranda, Luis, Amira, Hannah, Brooklyn Rose and Homer the dog

If you would like to give to the work you can send a check or money order to 

TSC MISSIONS FLOOR 4 

1657 Broadway

NYC, NY   10019

Put Morales Family/Zambia in the memo

Or you can go to tscnyc.org, select donate and specify “DONATE TO SOMEONE’S TRIP”  Put in Morales Family Zambia

a mad fat white woman gets some peace

We have been in Zambia for almost a month now and our heads are spinning with how fast life has moved!  One minute we were with you all in the States and BLINK  here we are back in Zambia!  WOW!  We had SUCH a wonderful time of relaxing and enjoyed reconnecting with so many of you and wish that the time had been stretched to see so many more of you! 


The other day I attended a ladies bible study.  Currently we are doing a Beth Moore bible study on the fruit of the Spirit.  One of the ideas that was discussed was this "JUST BECAUSE IT IS HARD DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T THE LORD AND JUST BECAUSE IT IS EASY DOESN'T MEAN IT IS THE LORD!"   I needed that so badly because the enemy has been telling us that we are insane for coming back to Zambia, that our kids are going to suffer, blah blah blah....One thing that was said really stuck with me

                                     NEVER MISTAKE EASE FOR PEACE!!!!!

 I know that we aren't supposed to walk around with our heads hung low and our shoulders stooped all the time, but lets be honest here, some days it is harder than others.  It is a simple comfort to know that even though it is hard, Jesus is going to give us what we need when we need it!  AMEN!!!  I hope that you can take as much comfort from that as I have! 

Our kids are adjusting back to life beautifully.  They have started school and have been able to reconnect with their old friends and seem to enjoy the school schedule.  ( I KNOW THAT WE DO!!!)  Amira is thriving in art, Hannah is turning out to be quit the Jane Austin and Brooklyn....well we think she is going to run for president in the next zambian elections.

The Lord had laid it on our hearts to pour more of our attentions into the lives of the street kids.  Do we open a store front for them?  Do we have a bus ministry?  Would you please pray for us as we seek God's will for this?  We don't want to get ahead of the Lord and start something that will just turn out to be Luis and Myranda's good efforts for the street kids and not God's perfect plan for their lives.  Our leadership at home and here has told us to just simply wait on God....so that we is what we do....doesn't the Bible have some pretty good things to say on the subject of waiting?

Would you also pray about how the Lord would want you to get involved?  How does the Lord want you to use your resources to help?  Do you give your time? Do you give your finances?  Do you go on a trip?  (Praying is a given) A missionary is only as effective as the people supporting them and standing with them...WE NEED YOU! 

What are some specific ways you can pray for us? 
1. pray for our kids as they adjust back into lives as missionary kids......that isn't an easy life!
2. pray for us as we seek God's will for the street kids
3. pray for the resources to be available
4. pray for our marriage....pray that our decisions are unified and that we stay as one mind

How can we pray for you?  We LOVE it when you guys let us know the goings and comings in your lives!  We pray often for you all carry you in our hearts! 

ROCK ON!!!!
Myranda, Luis, Amira, Hannah, Brooklyn Rose and Homer the Dog


If you would like to give a donation to the work here you can send a check, cash or money order to
Times Square Church
Missions Floor 4
1657 Broadway
NYC, NY 10019
Please remember to include MORALES FAM/ZAM  in the memo

Or you can go to tscnyc.org and click on GIVE, choose GIVE TO SOMEONE'S TRIP and follow the instructions given. 

a mad fat white woman gets some peace

We have been in Zambia for almost a month now and our heads are spinning with how fast life has moved!  One minute we were with you all in the States and BLINK  here we are back in Zambia!  WOW!  We had SUCH a wonderful time of relaxing and enjoyed reconnecting with so many of you and wish that the time had been stretched to see so many more of you! 


The other day I attended a ladies bible study.  Currently we are doing a Beth Moore bible study on the fruit of the Spirit.  One of the ideas that was discussed was this "JUST BECAUSE IT IS HARD DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T THE LORD AND JUST BECAUSE IT IS EASY DOESN'T MEAN IT IS THE LORD!"   I needed that so badly because the enemy has been telling us that we are insane for coming back to Zambia, that our kids are going to suffer, blah blah blah....One thing that was said really stuck with me

                                     NEVER MISTAKE EASE FOR PEACE!!!!!

 I know that we aren't supposed to walk around with our heads hung low and our shoulders stooped all the time, but lets be honest here, some days it is harder than others.  It is a simple comfort to know that even though it is hard, Jesus is going to give us what we need when we need it!  AMEN!!!  I hope that you can take as much comfort from that as I have! 

Our kids are adjusting back to life beautifully.  They have started school and have been able to reconnect with their old friends and seem to enjoy the school schedule.  ( I KNOW THAT WE DO!!!)  Amira is thriving in art, Hannah is turning out to be quit the Jane Austin and Brooklyn....well we think she is going to run for president in the next zambian elections.

The Lord had laid it on our hearts to pour more of our attentions into the lives of the street kids.  Do we open a store front for them?  Do we have a bus ministry?  Would you please pray for us as we seek God's will for this?  We don't want to get ahead of the Lord and start something that will just turn out to be Luis and Myranda's good efforts for the street kids and not God's perfect plan for their lives.  Our leadership at home and here has told us to just simply wait on God....so that we is what we do....doesn't the Bible have some pretty good things to say on the subject of waiting?

Would you also pray about how the Lord would want you to get involved?  How does the Lord want you to use your resources to help?  Do you give your time? Do you give your finances?  Do you go on a trip?  (Praying is a given) A missionary is only as effective as the people supporting them and standing with them...WE NEED YOU! 

What are some specific ways you can pray for us? 
1. pray for our kids as they adjust back into lives as missionary kids......that isn't an easy life!
2. pray for us as we seek God's will for the street kids
3. pray for the resources to be available
4. pray for our marriage....pray that our decisions are unified and that we stay as one mind

How can we pray for you?  We LOVE it when you guys let us know the goings and comings in your lives!  We pray often for you all carry you in our hearts! 

ROCK ON!!!!
Myranda, Luis, Amira, Hannah, Brooklyn Rose and Homer the Dog


If you would like to give a donation to the work here you can send a check, cash or money order to
Times Square Church
Missions Floor 4
1657 Broadway
NYC, NY 10019
Please remember to include MORALES FAM/ZAM  in the memo

Or you can go to tscnyc.org and click on GIVE, choose GIVE TO SOMEONE'S TRIP and follow the instructions given.