2018 HIGHLIGHTS

• Melanie helped with several evenings of MK (Missionary Kid) Orientation for MTC students and their children.

March

• John attended a three day conference, the MK Care Summit, which is a gathering of many missions on MK Care. 
• 15^th – our 3^rd grandchild, Asher Reed Parker, was born to Zach & Bethany, weighing 9 lbs 12 oz. 
• Sarah was feeling better with her pregnancy, so she and Josh came for a visit during their spring break.

April

• 11^th-13^th – our department hosted our annual three day MK Summit for about 20 coworkers with Ethnos360 that work with MK Care and Education, with John facilitating and Melanie preparing snacks and meals. 
• 21^st – 54 missionary candidates (who are now preparing to move to their country of service) graduated from the MTC, one of whom John mentored during his two years in training and is now headed to Africa. 
• Melanie made a quick trip to Waukesha to attend a baby shower for Sarah.

May

• 18^th – the semester ended at the MTC.

June

• 4^th-18^th – we thoroughly enjoyed an amazing cruise to Alaska that John’s dad gifted to us. Losing John’s CPAP (in a taxi) when we got off the cruise ship and John getting food poisoning and being sick on the flight home only slightly dampened the end of our wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience but did not take away from all the incredible sights seen, the great memories made, and the experiences we delighted in. 
• 18^th – we had another check-up with our Lyme doctor. John is Lyme free now and, although she has a bit of Lyme and a few other issues still, Melanie is continuing to improve. 
• We relished a visit in Missouri with John’s brother, David, while he felt strong enough to travel in between chemo treatments for stage 4 colon cancer. 
• Kevin & DuAnne TerLouw, other coworkers and dear friends from Brazil, visited.

July

• 1^st – our 4^th grandchild, Adelynn Jo Kerstetter, was born to Josh & Sarah, weighing 6 lbs 3 oz. 
• We traveled to Wisconsin, Virginia, Maryland, Ontario, and Michigan, visiting family, friends and supporters.

August

• 6^th-9^th – we helped Zach, Bethany and kids move back to Wisconsin after they had lived with us for one year. 
• 13^th – the new semester began at MTC with 44 new missionary candidates beginning their two years of training.

September

• Labor Day weekend – we were gifted with the use of a nice condo to share with our family, and all of our kids and grandkids except for BJ & Carissa were able to join us.

October

• BJ & Carissa told us their adoption was on hold because Carissa is pregnant! Grandbaby #5 is due in June.
• David & Diana Bailey, coworkers from the Indian village in Brazil where we worked, came to visit.
  
• We were able to make a quick weekend trip to Waukesha to surprise Josh for his golden birthday. 
• Pat & Luann Brown, friends and coworkers from the MTC, stayed with us for a few days while they moved out of their campus apartment.

November

• 1^st-6^th – John made a trip to San Francisco with his dad and sister to celebrate his aunt’s 90^th birthday. On the way home they stopped in Las Vegas to visit his brother who continues to battle cancer.  
• We celebrated Thanksgiving with Zach, Bethany and kids, along with Zach’s family and John’s dad.

December

• We received good news that John’s brother’s cancerous nodules in his lungs have greatly reduced in size. The doctor says he is “beating the odds” (God is at work!) and David is getting a break from chemo for the holidays!
• Jonathan & Sarah Thyng stayed with us while getting their house livable to move into.  8^th – we hosted our last get together, a Christmas party, with the small group we mentored for two years. 
• 14^th – the fall semester finishes at MTC. 
• 22^nd – all of our kids and grandkids will arrive to celebrate Christmas together!

We trust that God’s grace was evident to you in 2018. We look forward to what the Lord will do for each of us in 2019!