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Happy New Year, friends!   Some good news...Madalyn (previous post; whom many of you have been praying for) was able to leave the hospital in December and be with her family for Christmas!  She is hopefully out of that hospital for good!  She still gets bad headaches (sadly, especially when laughing),  tires easily, and struggles with anxiety after that ordeal.  But...

A quick prayer request, friends.  Many recognize sweet Madalyn Risser from several of our DVDs.  Kids all over the world who watch our DVDs often ask about her and just love her spunk and joy. We just love her--so does everyone who knows her!  Madalyn has been struggling with a condition in her brain known as a Chiari Malformation (difficult to describe--google it).  Most...

It seems like most of these traveling experiences are so fast- moving, its like a rushing river of images and emotions--and what I catch of it is a teeny sliver.  How I wish everyone could experience what I did when I took a trip to Mexico last year with Operation Christmas Child. My mind was blown and my faith was expanded! Our family has been packing Christmas shoe boxes for Operation...

Alayra is a name from the Philippines--Ron's dad was named Bayani (passed away over 30 years ago now). People in the Philippines recognize the name Bayani, but "Alayra" ---not so much.  But there is a little town on a little island over there where I found family...forever family. It all started one day when Ron and I were in a jet lag haze after returning from Indonesia and I saw...

I told you I was behind...this is a look back, and forward to Indonesia. Last December (2017) we headed to Indonesia for another round of concerts, workshops, fellowship and adventure.  Each time we head over there, I get MORE excited...to reconnect with friends and meet new ones, to step into worlds of beautiful children with whom God so generously allows me the extreme privilege...

2018 so far has been a year of some pretty noteworthy adventures in my book.  Somewhere along the line recently, I've begun saying "Yes" whenever possible.  Sometimes a thing is not possible.  Sometimes I say yes and then it doesn't end up panning out.  But more often than not, a yes has resulted in an adventure...a thrilling, fulfilling, exhausting, faith-stretching...

Okay, so these "catch up" blogbits aren't going to be in order.  If I try to do that, I'll make mistakes anyways. In March of 2018 I had the privilege of going to the Philippines with a church from Temecula, California (Calvary Bible Fellowship).  They arranged a bunch of places to do VBSs and concerts, mostly in the little area near Bacolod on Negros Island called Himamaylan...

Good grief my last blog was a year ago. Confession...I got overwhelmed by blogging.  I would put it off, intending to write alllll about these adventures God brought our way and include lots of photos.  I would keep waiting for a few free evenings to sit down and tackle this BLOG...but those nights were always filled with prepping for or doing the NEXT thing, and the next, until...

Last fall we moved out of our office/warehouse of 18 years.  It was definitely bittersweet. There were GOBS of memories in there, all over the walls.  Photos of kids who are now probably in their twenties.  Cards hand-written by kiddos who are now probably writing papers in college. Love notes scribbled by toddlers who surely don't remember me now, but we had a connection...

Ron and I are back from another incredible trip to Indonesia, and this time, Singapore!  Many of you prayed for us through it all, and if you did, thank you!  We are thanking and praising the Lord that everything went smoothly, exceeding our expectations on so many levels.  We had the thrill of praising the Lord with thousands of children from 6 Christian schools in Indonesia,...

Hey, friends! Here is a follow up on my trip to Indonesia with some more photos. Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement…I/we could never do this without you! And if you don’t already, please follow me on Instagram (@janaalayra).  I’m finding it easier to do those quick photo pohests immediately at or after events. I try to keep up with Facebook...

My friend Rehana invited me spur of the moment the other day to go see the movie Hidden Figures with her, along with her sister Siti, mom Vera and niece Naya. I was thrilled to do anything with these ladies, but I had also been wanting to see this movie  everyone had been raving about.  Well, now I know why!  What an incredible movie!  The casting, the dress, the acting,...