We are alive – I promise!
It’s been a busy rainy season here with two construction teams that have come from the States to help us on two missionary houses that are being built here on base! We are so thankful for the help and encouragement that they bring - also for God’s hand of blessing as He allowed for everyone to have the health to work, He held off the rain for the most part, and He kept everyone safe.
Out of the three missionary houses being built right now, one has a roof, walls, sub flooring, windows, and most of the plumbing and electrical installed. The second house has exterior walls, beams, and the roof structure has begun to take shape. The third house has exterior walls, beams, and the septic systems have been dug and built on all three house sites.
For Petra Camp, Vann has built the foundation for a fourth cabin and a kitchen - which now has walls as well! The chapel has electricity run to it and is being measured this week for screen windows and doors.
This past week has been a struggle for Vann as he has had to deal with problems in our electrical substation. Our fifteen-year-old transformer has gone bad and is needing to be replaced immediately. It will cost us above six thousand dollars to replace, which we did not have in our plans, but we trust that nothing comes as a surprise to God.
Vann is recovering from his Long Covid, thank God! He has occasional “Covid days” where he is super drained of energy, but he also has good days in between and is enjoying the ability to work. He has been spending a considerable amount of time designing and overseeing the construction of our church’s new buildings (open air sanctuary, bathrooms, Sunday School classrooms, etc.) on their own property!
As far as my health – I am still up, but just barely. Since Covid my energy baseline seems to have lowered to about half of my normal energy (which on a good day is about half of a normal person’s energy). I am grateful for the burst of energy that God gave me last year that enabled me to help get us back home while Vann was struggling so badly with his energy – that was truly a miracle!
We are so thankful that Corynn was able to come home for Christmas! She is doing very well with her studies at Cedarville University. She has decided to add pre-med classes to her Psychology degree, and will Lord willing, graduate in two years - ready to move on to medical school. For now, she is interested in becoming a psychiatrist and using that immense tool in mission work. We are very proud of her! She could use your prayers as she is working two jobs to try to pay for school and managing seven classes this semester! Please pray that God will guide her, and for her health and energy as she also has “Covid days” on a weekly basis.
Ethan is graduating high school next month with highest honors, a 4.1 GPA, and two years of college credits. We are so very proud of his dedicated, hard work! He is planning on attending Cedarville University as well and pursuing a degree in engineering. We would appreciate your prayers for the many needs that he is facing on his launch into his new life Stateside i.e., a phone, a laptop, a car or old truck, winter clothes, etc. We trust that God will supply all of his needs!
Clara has become my right hand and greatest helper – she makes tea and bakes treats for our visitors and for the bible studies and meetings that we host. She has done an exceptional job on her high school classes as a freshman this year and has enjoyed this last year of having her brother home. Please pray for her as she will be quite lonely as the only child living at home for the next three years, and for wisdom as she decides whether to follow in her siblings’ path with college/dual-enrollment courses through her remaining high school years. We trust that as she draws near to Jesus that he will be her closest friend.
This June we will be heading Stateside for a couple of months to take Ethan up to school and to visit family. I’d love to say that we’ll be making our regular rounds to visit our churches and as many of our dear supporters as time will allow, but at this point I cannot say that will be possible. My health is still too fragile to be able to plan much in advance. We will certainly make every effort should my health allow!
“We don’t have a lot of time… So don’t waste your life. Give your life, spend your life, making the one true gospel of the one true God known to the ends of the earth.” – David Platt