coming and going

Tomorrow morning we get on a plane for the States, the day before our short term team arrives. Ten students are coming down from Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri to minister alongside our team on the campus for the next 2 months. They will actually be living in our house while we are in the States!

Having the team move into our house has been an adventure in preparation. Wednesday night we normally met with the students and staff involved in our ministry for Bible study or prayer, but this Wednesday we did something a little different. We had them take apart beds and put up dishes. It was amazing how much we got done in such a short amount of time. I think it was good for the students as well. It helped make them feel more a part of what is going on.

The family and I are headed back to recruit more monthly financial donors. With the baby on the way in September, the exchange rate going down, and considering our plans to prepare for the next phase here in Brazil, we hope to strengthen our financial and prayer backing. God has blessed us tremendously through many of you keeping us solid on the field. But looking ahead at new family responsibilities (there are 5 of us instead of 2 now), and new ministry responsibilities, we knew it was time to come back.

Last year was a true success for our national staff. Chico is doing well with his monthly support and will be leading the short term team in their ministry on the campus, as well as directing our community here.

I hope to talk to many of you while I am back. Please be in prayer for us. The boys have been sick this weekend (maybe some kind of virus) and we hope that mom and dad do not get it on the plane. Pray that they can feel better tomorrow.

Simon has seemed fine today after a day of not being able to keep much down. He has still been weak but no throwing up at least. Braden came back from church this morning saying he did not feel good. At first I thought he was just jealous because Simon stayed home and got to watch a movie. I thought maybe he hoped I would stay home with him tonight. But then after lunch (he did not have much of an appetite), he started throwing up as well. He has been all day now.

We leave tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. and then have a long layover in São Paulo. It will be miserable if we are still sick on the plane. I hope we can all be right in the stomach, if you know what I mean.