Updates
Full.
I am in bed again – as I usually am for a few days after Thanksgiving. Hosting it here takes so much from me, but how I love to have everyone gathered around for the holiday! It has occurred to me that doing something that requires days in bed to recover from might be considered a sacrifice, but not to me. It is my love offering of health and energy in order to serve our beloved missionary family. I feel most blessed when our fellow missionaries choose to spend their holiday with us. Living long-distance from our own families for the long-term gets harder every year – for me at least it does, so to surround myself with loved ones for this holiday is actually a selfish move on my part!
Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere is springtime here in the Southern Hemisphere; so hosting Thanksgiving is our opportunity to get our Spring-cleaning done! Vann and the children worked so hard to get everything on the base clean and ready to host ninety people here, and I’m so grateful to those that came early and stayed late to help. It was a full, and happy house this year!
It’s been another busy month of hosting for us! Earlier this month I hosted a baby shower for a precious new addition to our aviation missionary neighbors, but again, with much help! What a delight to welcome this beautiful baby boy into our family! There have been several travelers that have come through in need of care, shelter and food, and have found refuge in this house for a time. Some have been visitors to our tribal missionaries, some were returning to their birthplace as the children of missionaries a generation ago, and some have just come for some rest, and time away. We love a full house, and the opportunity to serve!
Vann is well again; praise God, and thank you all for your prayers! That was a rough month and a half! As soon as the last stent was removed, he passed a bunch of small stones and “sand” for a few days while healing from that procedure, but the pain is gone now! Well, from the left kidney at least. He is passing another 6mm from his right kidney now, but hopefully this will be the last stone (it should be, according to his CT scan). Three trips to Lima, two surgeries and a procedure, hotel stays... it all ended up being about three times more expensive than we’d planned, but we are so grateful that it is over! Also, the peace of mind knowing that massive stone is gone is a tremendous blessing for his future work in this remote jungle. He has been out shoveling gravel on the road and bush-hogging the pastures, overseeing the well drilling for the camp and so happy to be back to work… it is so nice to have my husband back! Our cup is full and overflowing.
Thank you all for holding us up in prayer and sending us your thoughts and love via messages and email. What a blessing you are to us! We are so thankful for each of you who partner with us in support and prayer. May the Lord bless you so abundantly that you overflow His love and grace to those around you!
“Gratitude is a privilege that blossoms at its peak into worship.”-Ravi Zacharias