Friday, July 18, 2014

Snapshots from Central America

The Duggars and Ben Seewald are home from their two-week mission trip to Central America. Here are a few snapshots from their last days.

Jinger Duggar Central America
 Jinger Duggar

Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald Central America
 Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

Central America mission trip Duggars
Serving in Central America

50 comments:

  1. i wonder howmuch money they spend on food. alot probably

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  2. When the wedding for Ben and jessa

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  3. Both pictures are gorgeous, but somehow Jessa always looks like she is on a magazine shoot. Not problem with it though.

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  4. Did Jessa dye her hair? It looks a lot darker,

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  5. When are going to propose, Ben??? You are a beautiful couple!!

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  6. The girls are gorgeous.
    Good for Jessa taking some selfies! ;)
    Heard that Alyssa Bates now has an Instagram and Lawson as well... interesting, wander how that went over with the parents?

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    1. I was wondering the same thing.

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    2. Alyssa is married so she is able to do what she wants now

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  7. May God Bless everyone that went and I feel blessed to have people in this world that take several days out of their valuable time and choose to spend it for God.

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  8. Beautiful Jinger. I'm hoping to hear soon that Jana has found her guy! That would be wonderful news! :-)

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  9. Amazing ministry!! As always, Ben and Jessa are so cute!! I loved the last picture of those big brown eyes!

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  10. For those asking about a Jessa Ben wedding date... I think Ben will need to finish his studies and have employment to support his family before he would get permission to marry Jessa.

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  11. Christelle-
    I think Jessa's hair just looks darker because of the filter on the picture.

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  12. The girls are so striking because they have dark hair and then light eyes. So gorgeous.
    Where are the other Duggar Girls?

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  13. Love Jinger's shirt!

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  14. Jinger is so beautiful!

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  15. It is great they found a ministry to share with the kids, it is a wonderful experience.
    Family I know goes to Congo each year to keep building a community up for locals to live nicer and safer from poachers and rebels.....and rain forest is still a hostile place to live.

    They have light 24/7 now with solar power so the families are not attacked anymore, a school and church.
    We take so much for granted in North America.......wake up call after leaving a place like that.

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  16. Jessa hair looks darker with blonde frosted highlights....I do not understand how she manged that in the community she was helping in......or why that would be a priority ministering others.....

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    1. I Dont know how you can imply that jessa highlighted her hair while there! I'm sure she held everyone up while she searched for running water to rinse it out. It angers me because she's a lovely young woman with a servants heart and I wonder if you have ever gone on a mission? Maybe her hair lightened from all the time spent in the sun ministering to others.~ Stacy

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    2. I find this comment really weird, honestly.
      #1 they were there for two weeks not two years. She probably had it done back in Arkansas.
      #2 What does having your hair done have to do with ministering?

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    3. Good grief. Leave the girl alone. Isn't she allowed to minister and be pretty?

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  17. How sweet! Thank you for posting the beautiful pictures! Looks like they had fun, and I know the people over there were blessed by their willingness to serve and spread the Gospel!!! God bless y'all - keep serving and being a shining light for Him!! <3

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  18. Jinger looks so different(in a good way). Any engagement announcements? Its about time Ben;)

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  19. Thank you for these pics of the Duggars in Central America! They truly live a life of service. :)

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  20. I'm worried about her. She is always made up no matter the location. Why? This "perfection" makes me worry.

    I wonder if it's kind to pose with people that we are "helping" and sharing such photos? I hope they give consent.

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  21. Such lovely photos!!!! Jessas hair looks different.......jinger is sooo pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  22. anonymous #6 alyssa bates is an adult am sure she is allowed to instagram. they do alot of other stuff also am sure. mary gingerrich former amish middlefield ohio

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  23. Twenty plane tickets to Central America could go a bit further to the local economy and employ people there to do whatever tasks the children in the duggar family are helping with. Catholics are Christian. Please tell Ben. I hope that article contained a misquote. Most people living in Central America are Christian. Jill has particular skills that could prove useful on such a trip.

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    1. When you consider that the Duggars are worth millions, flying a few of their kids over is not a bad way to spend their money if that's what they choose to do.
      Does ALL your money go to mission work & or humanitarian aid? No? Do you ever buy a latte or a new pair of shoes? Couldn't you be using that money in a more constructive way? Are you getting my point?
      The Duggars have shown themselves to be incredibly resourceful and frugal with their money. If they want to spend it on a few of their family members going on a mission trip, then let them.
      And not all 20 go. The younger kids stay at home.

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  24. Such great pictures and I hope they had a great time in Central America!!
    -Brittany :)

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  25. just curious do the duggars every do mission work here in there own country.? expensive to all go there airfare , food and lodging . thanks mary gingerrich former amish

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  26. BTW, BEN, fyi: Just in case you didn't know, let me set the record straight for you, young man...Catholics do NOT worship idols...statues, pictures, or paintings. These talented works of art are the artists' gesture of thanksgiving to God for their talents and those statues are a visual focus for prayer, they also are reminders when we walk by them. It is nice to "see a face" in church and it gives us humans a point of concentration visually for prayer and devotion to GOD. We do not worship Mary, St. Joseph, or any other saint. They are given the honorary title of "saint" as their lives were exemplary ones and we should learn from their struggles in life which brought them closer to God because of them. They are spiritual role models and prayer partners. Every time you ask someone here on earth to join you in prayer, you are asking for intercession from that person too, kid. We do it spiritually with the saints to join us in prayer as they are already "there in heaven" with the Lord. Grow up little boy, and I hope these are NOT the beliefs of your parents and those of the Duggars, but I 'm sure I'm wrong. Apologize for your ignorance.

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    1. I am very glad you cleared that up for the misconception about Catholics, it boggles my mind how some Christian folk judge other Christian sects.Not one is better than the other. Jesus doesnt judge .We all travel different paths to the pearly gates as long as we believe in the one tru God .By the way, no one wins when debating about,religion,politics or sex,it's a never-ending discussion that justs insights needless arguments that never get resolved,everyone thinks their way is right.Lets just all love one another,respect one another and NOT judge.The Duggars have a service heart and inform others about the Bible, but they dont shove their beliefs down peoples throat either, they are very tactful in their way of spreading the word.I never heard them putting others down, so i hope Bens statement was just a one time mishap.

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    2. Great job anonymous! You have educated lots of the non-Catholics, i just wish the rest of the world would see what you wrote.

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  27. Jessa's eyes are so beautiful! Jessa rivals the top fashion faces in the media today. She could have ventured in that direction but I see she is now sharing Christ and living a life of love.

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  28. Why do people have to constantly pick the Duggars apart? I know they have opened their lives up to the world. It is just shame full though how some constantly have nothing nice or good to say.

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  29. I'm not sure I should be jumping into the issue with Ben mostly because I've not figured out where to go to read the actual comment. That being said there is a difference between Protestant and Catholicism (and Orthodox Christianity too for that matter). They all have a lot linking them but their differences are BIG, otherwise the splits wouldn't have happened. Your theology and your belief affect the way you think about everything. Talking about(although not necessarily on the internet. Deep interaction rarely happens on the internet )these issues are good, it's life.Life is messy.

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  30. Thankyou Anonymous 28! I am Catholic and agree with what you said. Where did Ben make this comment? We Catholics are not a 'sect' but include other people. I hope the Duggar family is not against other religions. I thought they were leading a good example in our modern day world - which they are - but if it is true, this will let me down. Catholics are Christian.

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  31. @Anonymous@Anony 26---- Jessa and the gang must stay in a place that has electricity/showers/comfortable beds and mirrors. They all looked very groomed to me, too. for being in a tropical area performing ministry. Interesting. I would like to know the details of their trip. If they are being put up in hotels; I'd agree that money could be better spent by giving it to the mission.

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  32. I wonder how long this courtship of Ben and Jessa's will last... I agree that they should do everything in their own time and when they are ready for it but seriously! Come on! Do you enter a courtship when you are not yet ready for marriage? I wonder how the world would respond if Jessa and Ben found out that they were not called to marry each other and break the courtship!

    I'd still like to defend Jessa though, a courtship is a time to find out if you and your boyfriend/girlfriend are called to marry each other. It is not an engagement. It is not a ring and a 'yes'. It is a time of finding God's will in our lives. Good on you Jessa! I think you are doing an amazing job in being a role model in courtship.. just remember that the longer you have a courtship and the closer you get to Ben (even though you have your limits and are distancing yourselves) the harder it will be if you are not called to marry him. God Bless!!!

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  33. anonymous 28 here; thank you for your encouraging comments. I hope I clarified some positions that Catholics take on our style of worship. Absolutely everything is scripturally based. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the book of catholic practices that links the style of the Church to the bible and scripture. It is our reference book. I also would very much like to hear what the Duggar opinion is about Catholics and other Protestant faiths...do they think that they are sinful and not Godly because Catholics and Protestant females wear pants, date, work outside the home, make their own decisions? Please step up to the plate Duggars and Seewalds and let us know where you are on those things.

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  34. I've read nasty comments about the Duggars. While I'm in a differing arena politically, I think they are very sweet people, willing to talk to just about anyone, including others like me, to come to workable agreements in some areas. I also think they should be sending their girls to higher education, in the event something happens to their spouses, and they become major breadwinners. Of course, I realize there is substantial money involved with their t.v. show, and this may or may not be an issue, but it's always good planning for both sexes to be prepared to provide in this world. And the snarky remarks I've read about Jill and Derick are not necessary. I met my husband through the mail 25 years ago, and we're still going strong. There wasn't the chemistry to get in the way before we got to know each other.

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  35. Still wonder if one of the Duggers end up marrying one of the Bates.

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  36. Thank you Anonymous 28 again!! It is really good to see that other Catholics and those of other religions visit and follow this blog and Duggar family too!! This is anonymous 37 here again by the way! And yes, I would like to find out the Duggar's beliefs on Catholics and protestants and people of other religions. Also I would like to say that although I am Catholic and am a different religion from the Duggars, I am also rather similar: I only wear skirts below the knee and modest tops, I have long hair, was homeschooled, am from a family of ten kids, believe in courtship rather than dating and am studying from home to work with mothers and their little kids! Also, yes, all Catholics aren't like this but neither are all protestants!!! Please Duggars and Seewalds or Lily and Ellie, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN REFERENCE TO THIS???

    And please, where can I find what Ben said about this?

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  37. I have just found out what Ben said on Catholicism. It is not as bad as some people have put it. Ben was just expressing his doubts on the Catholic faith and what worried him with it but he did not only do that, he also stood up for Catholics: "I have nothing against individuals who are Catholic, I know a lot of Catholics who are great people." I am Catholic and want to thank anonymous 28 and anonymous 37 for their support and encouragement in standing up for our Catholic faith! :) When I first heard that Ben had said something against Catholics, I was really upset. I didn't know whether the Duggars then did not like other people from other religions or what.. I was upset that perhaps the Duggars could be anti-Catholic... I am glad about what I found out. I was expecting a lot worse and am glad that it is all cleared up. I suggest that we keep Ben and Jessa and all the Duggar family in our prayers, especially Ben as he is understanding his own faith and trying to understand other faiths as well. Perhaps God is calling Ben home and this is just the beginning. May God bless you all!

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  38. Ben and the Duggars live in an area where there aren't many Catholics so it's understandable that he wouldn't know to much about the Catholic faith. I don't think he meant any ill will towards Catholics. I live in NJ where there's Catholics everywhere. Growing up all my friends went to CCD classes on Monday evenings. If my parents had continued going to church and getting involved in all that church stuff then I would've went to CCD classes as well. Only my older sister made her communion. My parents then got divorced and we never went back and I never went to CCD nor made my communion.

    When I went down to Texas for 2 and a half months I was a little put off by the fact that there were over a hundred Protestant churches, mostly various Baptist denominations, and only 4 Catholic churches. I counted the listings in the back of the newspaper. 4 Catholic churches and 108 Protestant ones.

    So all I'm saying is that when you come from an area where you don't see a particular religion to often then it's automatically going to be foreign to you and you're going to question it. Just like I questioned why there needs to be 108 Protestant churches in and around Texarkana.

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  39. The fact remains that the whole group not knowing a lot about Catholics went to a predominantly catholic country to convert people from "deadly error". So they won't go to hell. Because catholic isn't the right kind of Christian. I fail to see the persecution he mentioned. He must show a heart for ministry. And their church is a family home church. This did reflect on the family so they need to address it. Yet his comments presented mistakes in understanding that were merely corrected by those reading them. He is young. He can be a noncatholic Christian if he wants and I certainly don't think his errors in scripture will keep heaven from him. I'd like the same consideration. It isn't up to him who gets there.

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  40. Here Here. If I may add, the Blessed Virgin is not some unimportant afterthought of God. She was chosen from all eternity that the Word would rest within her and be subject to her after His birth. He came to us through his most perfect creation and He wants us to go to Him also through Her. She is co Redemtrix and we catholics honour and revere Her because Our Lord wants it that way, she is the daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son and the spouse of the Holy Spirit. You might just want to stop and think about how you are incurring the most Holy Trinity's wrath by blaspheming and insulting His most Holy Mother.

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