Spooky and Phantom

“If you get all your bags tonight, and bring the dog home, that will be nothing less than a miracle!” commented the pilot who picked us up at 9pm Wednesday night after almost 24 hours of travel. By 1am, we had arrived safely at the Muringa Compound (a very nice little oasis in the city of Nairobi) – all four of us and all 11 of our bags.

So once again, we’re praising God for how He has so abundantly and faithfully responded to y’all’s prayers. Thank you, also, for praying!

Tomorrow we begin the journey to Africa Based Orientation (ABO), where internet will be very limited. So, we apologize for the more generic nature of this email, and for the fact that we will only be back in touch at the end of October.

In the meantime, we’d love for you to join us in thanking God for His abundant provision and protection. ABO will be a challenging time as we go through more training, immerse into a very different culture and meet even more new friends. We’d appreciate you joining us in prayer for grace during this transition, both in our own relationship and in those with others, and that we would learn what God would have us learn from this orientation.

There they go!

In the few weeks we’ve been in the US, God has greatly encouraged us by showing us His handiwork several times**. Mike, a former pilot and current media guy for AIM inspired us with tails of flying and truths about God that stories have taught him. At the service where he spoke, his teenage daughter was baptized, along with a new believer from Pakistan, who understood that her decision would likely cost her many relationships with family and friends. Earlier that morning, Slick had the opportunity to witness the neighbor boy, a young, struggling teen, make the decision to follow Jesus. So, as the date of our flight to Africa approaches (Sept 26), we’re encouraged to see God working so clearly.

We have definitely felt the cover of your prayers on numerous occasions, and we often that God for you out loud together when we pray for you. Until the end of September, the logistical challenges of departing the US continue, for which we need God’s continued wisdom, clarity and endurance. As we’ve said before, transition times bring a pile of challenges and we continue to ask for prayer specifically directed against the enemy’s attempts to confuse our communication as a couple as well as for an abundance of grace each for the other and for Zoe!

As we face the final preparations to go, we covet your prayers immensely. Thank you for uplifting us before the King.

The Foulkes (left), us & the Dilorenzos (right)

**The fact that you support us so faithfully enables us to pass the encouragement on to others: the Foulkes and the Dilorenzos joined us for a barbeque while on “home assignment” in New Jersey. Both families have dealt with significant change and challenge recently. The Foulkes continue to persevere in their work with Africans living in Marseilles, France, battling almost impermeable Islamic barriers and the ultra secular French culture at the same time. The Dilorenzo’s have been AIM missionaries in Nairobi for 14 years, and recently switched from AIM AIR to On Field Media, AIM’s media branch. Read more about their stories of God’s work in their lives, visit Donna’s blog called “Crisis of belief”.

In answer to your prayers, camp was a great opportunity to serve both kids and staff, in addition to furthering our language skills. Slick was in charge of bubbles (see picture below), which allowed some valuable interaction with the kids as well as spiritual insights, (see “Bubbles” on Donna’s blog) while Donna watched Zoe and did any odd job that cropped up, from laundry to bike maintenance to fixing leaky showers.

Now as we return temporarily to the US, logistical challenges continue, for which we desire God’s continued wisdom and endurance. We will be stateside for six weeks of training and packing before leaving for Africa. As we’ve said before, transition times are not easy for anyone and we would ask for prayer specifically directed against the enemy’s attempts to confuse with our communication as a couple as well as for an abundance of grace each for the other and for Zoe!

In the peace between us and in the details that fall into place, among other things, we often see God’s response to your prayers – thank you for praying!

"Roll, Zoe, roll!"