Many thanks to all of you who’ve prayed for Slick’s parents. He visited them upon our arrival back in the US and had the chance to share the Gospel with them (again) with reasonable assurance that they are coming to know Jesus in this life and will greet Him in the next (John 17:3).
While Slick was out of town, Zoe and Donna got to see God’s hand moving in the NY suburbs. A friend invited us to lunch with Donna’s parents. Grandpa mentioned to the waitress that he was going to pray for lunch and asked if he could pray anything for her. That gave rise to a long conversation about churches in the area, which the waitress Jacquelyn was seeking since she recently arrived in the US from Argentina and was just returning to the faith after a couple years’ rebellion. Dad put her in touch with a friend, Beatrice, who lives just two blocks from Jacquelyn. We all welcomed Jacquelyn to Dad’s Sunday School the following Sunday and continue to pray for Jacquelyn and her new friendship with Beatrice. Praise God for evidence of His work even among “normal, everyday America.”
We’re in South Carolina for a month or two for the arrival of Zoe’s little sister at the same birth center where Zoe swam into the world of light and sound. Due to the many unknowns in logistics and timing, we’ll be sending just this email for this month and we appreciate your understanding. We also request your prayers for God clear leading in our next steps.
Zoe and Grandpa enjoy each other’s company during our brief stay in NJ with Donna’s parents.
In His heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps (Prov 16:9). And sometimes those steps take a sharp turn when we least expect it.
We are experiencing this as God redirects us elsewhere in Africa: our mission agency has invited us to consider an interesting project in another country, combining our French and aviation skills. We have been praying about this for a few weeks and discussing it with our missions pastor, the AIM US director and Donna’s dad, among others. As men in spiritual authority over us, we consider their discernment vital, and they have been unanimous in their affirmation.
So, we have returned to the US for baby’s arrival in April and may go elsewhere in Africa later this year. Some folks in Nairobi expected us to be devastated to leave so soon, but having carefully followed each step God’s asked of us, we’re grateful for the certainty that we’re in the center of His will now, and rejoice that He’s answered your many prayers in directing our next step. We greatly enjoyed our one day between unpacking and repacking, but we seek to grow just a little closer to Him in this situation, as in every situation.
Please join us in thanking Him for the encouragement we’ve been able to offer some of the people here while they went through some pretty dark times, and for opening our eyes to the face of missions in Africa. Now as we move once again we’d appreciate your continued prayer for God’s clear guidance of our steps and for safety for each of us, especially Mom and baby.
Taking a short break from work at home, we ventured just northwest of Nairobi to a volcanic crater. After hiking to the rim, where we took this picture, Donna and some friends continued around the crater to the peak in the distance on the left.
Spooky and Phantom 