Jill and Derick Dillard Give an Update on Their Mission Trip: Baby Israel 'Has Been the Talk of the Town'

The Dillards have officially begun their ministry trip!

Jill (Duggar) Dillard and husband Derick Dillard gave an update on their overseas ministry trip in a blog post to their family website on Saturday. In the post, the family announce that they are serving out their mission in Central America, although they don’t give further details on their exact location.

“Israel seems to be adjusting to the new climate, culture, food (via mom’s milk), and language faster than Jill and I are,” Derick wrote. “In fact, he has been the talk of the town. Everywhere we go, people here about and want to see and hold the, ‘big blue-eyed, white baby’ LOL.

“Israel is definitely growing and developing fast. It has also been wonderful to make contact and talk briefly with family back in the US to share updates.”

The couple also shared a story about converting an elderly woman to Christianity.

“It is encouraging to already see some of the ways God is changing the hearts of the people here,” they wrote. “Just 7 days ago, I had the joy of witnessing one elderly woman give lordship of her life to Christ. This transpired just one day after her Christian son was restored to fellowship in his local church. We were at the man s house ministering to him with encouragement from God s Word when the opportunity was presented to share the hope of the Gospel with his mother.”

The couple also asked for donations to help fund their family ministry.

The Dillards’ update comes just two days after TLC announced that they had officially canceled the Duggars’ reality show, 19 Kids and Counting. The series was taken off the air after it was revealed that the Jim Bob and Michelle’s eldest child, Josh Duggar, had been investigated for molesting six underaged people when he was a teenager. Jill, 24, and her sister Jessa Seewald, 22, both came forward as two of the victims, but said they had “moved on” and had forgiven their brother.

The Dillards announced their mission trip in a blog post on June 26. Earlier this month, the Duggars shared a video showing the family saying goodbye to the new parents. Josh, who is expecting his fourth child with wife Anna, was noticeably absent.