Updates
Faith.
“He’s never failed me yet” are the fitting words to an old gospel song that is a continual anthem in this house as we speak of God’s faithfulness to us.
Ethan is recovering from his severe concussion, although it’s been a difficult journey. We are so very thankful for your prayers for him. He had constant migraines for over six weeks and had to withdraw from his classes, so he feels that his work and effort for the last semester is a complete scratch. He is enrolled in engineering classes again this upcoming semester, and we are hopeful that he will have the health and capacity to continue. We are so very grateful for the family, friends, and professors in his life that have helped and encouraged him through this difficult time in his young life.
Because of his accident, we had waited to purchase tickets for the kids to come home for Christmas – not knowing if Ethan would be able to travel. By the time he had healed up a bit, the ticket prices had jumped sky high. As a family, we had been talking to Jesus about how we couldn’t afford to bring them home, how much of a need this was for our boy’s mental health, and lifting up the overwhelming medical bills that had come in – which was all so far out of our reach, but nothing is beyond our Father in heaven.
Within a twelve-hour span, we received news that the Holy Spirit had already been at work in the hearts of a precious young family to provide the funds needed to bring our kiddos home for Christmas and that the hospital had already taken care of Ethan’s paperwork - he would not be billed. Praise God!!! He is faithful. Why are we still surprised by his provision and care for us? He is always good – even when our son is injured, and we are all so very far apart. God is still at work for the glory of his great name!
Meanwhile, it’s been busy down here! Thanksgiving was a blessing to host again. It always blesses our hearts to hear about God’s faithfulness and the amazing things that He is doing in the various works and missions in this jungle!
We had the particularly special honor of co-costing the Howe’s work-team as they came to help with the building project to try to get the Howes in their house as soon as possible. They worked so hard and accomplished so much!
At the end of November our hearts were crushed by the sudden death of a dear friend. John Hocking was a second-generation missionary to this area of the jungle. He was raised here and returned with his lovely wife to faithfully serve as missionaries for over fifty years, and now their daughter and her family also serve here as missionaries and are among our closest friends. Our kids called him “Papa John”. They loved him like a grandfather since they never knew either of their own grandfathers. He was one of our first friends here in Peru and we miss him dearly.
Please pray for Percy. He is the mason that has worked with Vann for several years now. Last month he was held up at gunpoint and robbed. He had been watched and this was planned just as he was carrying his life savings on his person. We are helping where we can, but our greatest hope is for his salvation. He has heard the truth as Vann has faithfully witnessed to him that Jesus is the only way.
Thank you so very much for holding us up in your prayers! "Therefore we always pray for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and with power fulfill all your good desires and works done by faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thes.1:11-12
“Faith is the deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” – Oswald Chambers