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Jill Dillard, pictured in a scene from TLC's "19 Kids and COunting" with her husband Derick, is updating fans while on her mission trip. TLC

“19 Kids and Counting” star Jill Dillard may not be living in Arkansas, but that hasn’t stopped her from keeping up with the Duggars. Throughout her mission trip in Central America, Jill has posted photos from her adventure with husband Derick Dillard and son Israel David. And her mom, Michelle Duggar, recently revealed how she keeps in contact with her daughter and her young family while she’s on the road.

“So thankful for modern technology that lets us stay in touch with him and his mom and dad while they serve on the mission field,” Michelle posted to her Facebook page alongside an image of her 4-month-old grandson Friday. “Look at this sweet little Israel. Yes, we are in love,” she added.

So, what technology has Jill been using to keep the Duggar matriarch up to date on her son’s life? According to the Duggar Family Blog, Jill, 24, recently utilized Apple’s video calling service FaceTime for her niece Meredith’s birth, so it’s likely she used the same technology to chat with her family. "Josh and Anna [Duggar] were thrilled to have Jill Dillard FaceTime from Central America during Meredith's birth,” reads Sunday’s blog post.

Thankfully for “19 Kids” fans, it’s not just members of Jill’s immediate family getting updates on baby Israel. Following TLC's decision to axe the show last month, Jill shared a video of her son playing with Derick, 26. The video, titled “Baby Israel Goes For A Ride,” shows the infant looking intently at the camera as Derick carries him over his shoulder.

On Saturday, Jill shared another video of Israel on Instagram. In the clip Derick is seen playing with Israel and making him giggle. “Is mommy funny?” Derick asks Israel.

Jill updated fans about her travels via the Dillard Family blog earlier this month. The former TLC reality star said she was utilizing the help of local women to help teach her Spanish. “I grabbed my notebook and pen and, while the little kids were playing with Israel, I asked the local ladies lots of questions, ’What is this?’, ‘How do you spell it?’ etc. It's not easy learning a new language, but one day soon, I pray I'll be able to communicate fluently and even dream in Spanish,” she wrote.

While Jill may be struggling to learn a new language, she says she thinks Israel will pick up Spanish quickly. “He is already becoming a local,” she wrote. “He loves to nap anywhere there is a ‘hamaca’ (hammock).”

Despite only leaving for their mission last month, Jill said she will be returning to the US soon for a “short time.” Prior to embarking on their extended mission trip, Jill and Derick did not share how long they planned to stay in the field.