Sandra's 30th...Part 2

Forgive us beacuse it has taken is so long to post the remaining picures from Sandra's birthday. We were incredibly blessed that while were out celebrating many of our closest friends came and "decorated" our house for us (toilet paper and balloons) much to our surprise when we returned home we were shocked by all the "love" that was demonstrated by the 400 ballons we found in the house. We count ourselves as blessed to have so much family here in Okinawa and friends with such a strong desire to make Sandra's day one she will never forget. Truly the Lord has blessed us out of our minds. PRAISE THE KING!!!

Danny and Michelle in Morocco

Many of you are familiar with Danny and Michelle if not they with another couple run S.E.N.D. Ministries, a ministry focused on Serving and Evangelizing Nations in Despair. They have been serving the Lord in Many countries over the last couple years. They have spent time in India, Israel and now Morocco, they passionately have hearts for the lost and have labored much to share the love of Christ to a non-Christian world.

They are currently in Morocco sharing Christ through many different ministries to include construction, orphanage visitation and worship. Morocco is heavily muslim, therefore it is a dangerous place for Danny, Michelle and their team. Please continue to pray for them, that God would use them mightily. Also pray that the Lord would soften the hearts of the people of Morocco so they can know Christ the Savior as Lord. Pray for vision and ministry opportunities for the team.

Pray for Italy!

Well we are down to about 80 days remaining in the Navy, we have been incredibly blessed as the Lord continues to do a wonderful work in our lives, here in Okinawa. We are excited about the next season that the Lord is going to take us through as we continue to make preparations for our move to Italy. I have below some staggering information about the country of Italy and we ask that you pray for Italy, for a fresh move of God's Spirit throughout the land.

About Italy

Many people believe Italy is a 'Christian' nation and not in need of missionaries. The following statistics, however, speak for themselves:

Italy Is Spiritually Bankrupt


Out of 57 million people living in Italy, only one-half of one percent (285,000) are members of a Protestant denomination.


Of the 33,000 communities in the country, only 2,000 have an evangelical witness. The other 31,000 have no evangelical presence whatsoever.

Witchcraft Is Widespread


Approximately 100,000 people are believed to be practicing magicians (psychics, witches, and fortune tellers). This is more than the number of Catholic Priests, and 324 times the number of Protestant missionaries and evangelists.

Satanism is very strong in the north and is rapidly moving toward the south. Satanic practice includes praying for the removal of all Christian evangelical missionaries from the country.

Approximately 80% of the Italian population have consulted or will consult a witch, psychic, or fortune teller at least once in their lifetime.

Many politicians consult witches and psychics before every election, and some big corporations consult them before investing in major projects.

The magicians, fortune tellers, and psychics have daily programs on local and national television. They are also invited to the majority of television programs for fun and to help entertain people... So they are becoming part of daily life for most Italians.

What surprises and alarms me is how carelessly people engage in and entertain these satanic practices, while these same people would be self-conscious to proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! Apparently, they'd rather listen to what a witch or psychic has to say than to hear what God has to say!

So please pray,pray,pray because God is able and willing to deliver these.

Random Pictures of the Velarde's!

Greetings from Okinawa! We are all doing very well as the Lord has been so faithful. We are now less than three months from our departure from the NAVY and our excitement to serve the Lord full time continues to grow as we eagerly await our separation. We have been very busy here serving the Lord and the students here in Okinawa. We had the opportunity to visit the Botanical Gardens here in Okinawa with some friends, it was an incredible place, we really had a lot of fun. There are several other random pictures from the last couple of weeks pictured. Please continue to remember us in your prayers as our time here in Okinawa expires.

The Mckay's in Costa Rica!

In the above picture is one of my best friends Phil Mckay. I met Phil almost 7 years ago, he was instrumental in my coming to know the Lord. He was a young Marine who had a heart for the Lord. He was full of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ pervaded all aspects of His life, especially in his relationships among people. You could see Jesus all over him. Well as time went by we grew closer in our friendship amongst the other 4 guys that we all lived with. The Lord began to do a wonderful work in all of our lives. Phil soon went on to get out of the Marine Corps and go on staff at Calvary Chapel in Vista where He served the high school and college age members of the body.

A few years later the Lord brought Rebekah into his life and they were married, a season later they had a child named Eden. Well Last February Phil and his family stepped out in faith after hearing the call of God to start a work in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. He has been there serving the Lord faithfully for the last several months, through many trials and tough times the Lord has brought them thus far where they are today in the grace of our Lord. Please pray that God would continue to fill them with a love for the Costa Rican people and that he would be lead by the Holy Spirit in all that they do as the labor in the harvest of Costa Rica. Pray also that the Spirit of God would break through to the hearts of the people there in Tamarindo.

Sandra's 30th...Part I

Happy Birthday Sandra!!! Today we celebrated Sandra's 30th birthday. We were really blessed because some good friends of ours took Micah and Hannah for the night. Sandra, Micah and I went out for dinner and coffee ending our night at the Laguna Gardens Hotel in Ginowan. It is a really nice place and we spent the evening swimming and sitting in the jacuzzi.

This morning I picked the kids up early and brought them to the hotel to come swimming with us, we had a really good time as a family. The weather was great and the water felt so good. They had a water slide there at the hotel that Sandra and I got to play on, it reminded me of my childhood, although Hannah and Micah just sat and watched Sandra and I act like children. The breakfast buffet was out of this world, I wish I had taken pictures but I didn't want to look like a silly tourist taking pictures of the buffet line. I strongly recommend this place to anybody desiring to come and visit Okinawa, or those living here. Overall we had a great time ringing in 30 years for my lovely wife. Tonight we are having a party for her here at our building, church family and friends will be with us to celebrate and rejoice with Sandra, please check back with us for the Part II of Sandra's 30th for pictures of her party, also please leave Sandra a Happy Birthday comment, be encouraged.

Vacation to Yoron Island

The Lord recently blessed us BIG time with a three day vacation to Yoron Island. Yoron is about 3 hours north of Okinawa, it is a small island about 11 miles around. It is a very beautiful island but like most are full of huge bugs of all different types. The weather was incredible, and the beaches were beautiful.

We spent two nights and three days there. We spent alot of time at the beach and the swimming pool. My back is paying for it today, I look like a rock lobster. The kids had a great time with the exception of Hannah getting an ear infection. Otherwise the Lord really blessed our time. Life in Okinawa is pretty busy for us so it was good to get away and refocus our vision upon Jesus, Savior of all. The ferry ride on the way home was a bit trying with Hannah's ear infection but by the grace of God we made it home. We thank the Lord for blessing us with the trip, we are totally humbled by God's goodness. It is just another testimony of His goodness and provisions for those that belong to Him. Praise the Lord! We hope that everybody enjoys the pictures, be encouraged.

Happy 4th Birthday Hannah!

Today was Hannah's 4th birthday. She is growing up so fast, it is exciting to see the Lord moving in her life in wonderful ways. Today we had a beach party for her, Hannah loves the beach almost as much as she loves her daddy. She invited all her friends from church. We had some volleyball, pizza and a wonderful time of fellowship. We had the party at Tropical Beach, Hannah's favorite beach. Tonight she was able to open her presents with all her friends from TC-1 (high school youth group)we closed the night out with some worship and Bible study, we had a great time. Please leave Hannah a happy birthday comment.

Happy Father's Day!!!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! We had a wonderful Father's Day this year, Sandra got up early and made pancakes for us before church. It was a beautiful day, we herein Okinawa have experienced about 24 straight days of rain until this last weekend. The Lord finally brought out the sun on Friday. We spent the day at the beach and at home resting.
For lunch on father's Day we went with several friends to Coco Ichiban Curryhouse, it is my favorite place to eat here in Okinawa. They only serve curry and you can order just about anyway you want it, needless to say I really only eat it on special days (b-day, father's day) Sandra and most women don't care to much for it, but guys seem to love it. Well after that we went to the beach for a baptism, several of our friends here in Okinawa were baptized and we went and rejoiced with them at what the Lord is doing in their lives, so that was our day I was super blessed, we ended the night at some friends house eating again, I hope everybody had a wonderful Father's Day.

Growing Like Weeds!

Ciao Tutti! Just sending out a new picture of the monkey's. They are growing at an alarming rate everyday it seems. Silas is now wearing the same size diapers as Micah and has been for a few months. I guess we know whose got whose genes. Hannah is turning 4 this month, the 23rd to be specific. I hope everybody likes the pictures, be blessed.

Congrats Class of 2006!

Greetings from Okinawa! Last Thusday night we went to the graduation of several of the kids who have been part of the High School Ministry here for the last 2 years. It was a bitter sweet time for Sandra and I. Over the last 2 years the Lord has really gave us a love for the kids that He has brought out for TC-1. To see them grow physically and spiritually has been an incredible experience for us. To even have had the opportunity to serve them and love them has been a huge blessing.

Many of them are going of to college in the states, China and the Philippines. It was also bitter sweet because the Lord reminded me just how old I'm getting, it has been 10 years since I graduated High School. The Lord reminded me that tomorrow is promised to no man, therefore we should live for the Lord today, to our fullest potential, since this outward man is perishing. Please continue to pray for the kids as they will be leaving and entering a new season of life and service unto the Lord.