Introduction

Hello Vine Family,

Some of you have been receiving news and updates from me via email recently and I'm sure you're wondering, who is this guy? So this is my attempt to introduce myself to those of you who visit this blog. I was informally adopted into the Woodson family back in 1992 when I started dating, as Woody puts it, his #2 daughter Cassie. Needless to say my first introduction to Woody was a little bit different from most. For a 17 year old boy, missionary and mercenary sound a lot alike. Imagine Woody as the Terminator. Now that's funny. Cassie, truly my better half, and I have been married for 10 years now, and have two additions to the family, Ethan 6 and Emma 4. Being introduced as a mercenary sounds more appealing now that I have a daughter. Anyway, I'll let Woody do most of the introduction, you can find a description of a son-in-law in his next newsletter or by clicking here. Also if you have not done so and would like to join Vine's mailing list for those updates and news click here and just put in the subject "add."

I'm sure like many of you, before visiting Guatemala, it was just another name on a map. You know the one under Mexico. But after meeting the Woodson clan, Guatemala became more like a fairy tale. Countless family stories of tracking through the rain forest, floating down a river to get to a remote village, smoking volcanoes, and ancient Mayan ruins. A couple of years back and pre-kids, Cassie and I had a chance to go on a discovery trip with Woody where he would visit existing and possibly new projects. This would be my first trip and her second time back after living there. I had to catch up on my Indiana Jones flicks before we went, you know just in case. My fairy tale ended. An absolutely stunning Country, but I was left speechless by the poverty. Like many of you, my story is your story. I brought back a suit case full of emotion and willingness to do something. That was 7 years ago.

I was recently reminded (from a certain Wood pecker) that when a tree grows, it grows slowly, except in the spring. You can almost watch it expand and reach toward the sky, but then it stops. Summer, Fall, and Winter, nothing. And then the process starts all over again. I didn't realize it, but during those "nothing" seasons the tree constantly strengthens itself. If it didn't, we would have a lot of limp trees. Everything is spiritual, sometimes it just takes a while to see it. God placed a slow growing passion in me sometime back for Guatemala and its people. He continues to build, cultivate and strengthen this passion.

Vine's approached to spreading the good news is unique, but not new. Reaching out to the humanistic needs of a person often opens the door for more important issues. Remember the majority of Jesus' teachings were done after he healed. My role with Vine is to help out with communicating to you, the Vine Family, important issues, news, and updates. It's on a volunteer basis so it may take a while for me to respond, but I'll do my best.


Jason