Down Under

Thank you so much for praying for our new families during their stage 1 studies.  Last week we gave them their “kick-off” into the second half of stage 1, where they’ll be doing more speaking as well as continuing to learn new vocabulary and getting to know their new culture/setting better.  Yesterday I got to sit in and observe a language session.  I’m really impressed with the progress they’re making.

We also just gave a stage 4 evaluation, and that student has reached the expected proficiency level, so she’s officially done with her language and culture study.  We were able to give her some direction about specific areas she can focus on and continue to grow in even as she shifts her focus to homeschooling her children and helping her husband to have the time he needs to continue on in his CLA (culture & language acquisition.)  This family has been such a blessing to us during the almost 2 years they’ve been here so far.  We’re glad we get to have them here with us for a little while longer before they continue on into their aviation ministry.

Thank you also to those of you who have been praying for Tyndale’s health.  Since he first started showing symptoms of Henoch-Schonlein purpura in mid-April, he’s had at least 5 “flare-ups” of the rash (bleeds under the skin), joint pain, and at one point he had severe abdominal pain for a couple days.  In between the flare-ups, he feels fine and you can hardly tell there’s anything wrong at all.  Please keep praying that all his symptoms will go away soon and not come back.  We’ve continued to have his kidney function monitored weekly through urinalysis, and since one abnormal result in early May, he hasn’t had blood or protein in his urine.

It’s been almost a year now since DJ’s skin cancer surgery, so he needs to go back to Australia for his yearly skin check-up.  The Lord has provided for all of us to go this time and have medical check-ups and then some vacation time as a family.  We’ll be leaving later today and spending 2 weeks there.  When we come back, it’ll be time to get into full-swing preparing for the 3 new families and one single lady who are planning to arrive in late July.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.  God bless you all.