Hello from Jacksonville Florida! We have about a month and a week left here before we start our journey back to our home on the other side of the world!
As we all say, “time flies” and our 6 month home assignment has gone fast. It’s been filled with blessed family and friend get-togethers, many firsts for the girls, and a refreshing time at our home church with regular fellowship times and Bible studies.
Easter weekend we enjoyed a couple days of camping with some friends. It was a fun time for the girls to remember what it is like to explore in the woods, play with bugs and get dirty. Something they haven’t done much since coming to the States. We enjoyed hanging out with friends and their 2 kids who are also missionaries. We had alot in common to talk about! We’ve enjoyed different opportunities to share with new friends, fellowship classes, and supporters. In May we had around 20 meals/connecting times to share and we count it a privilege to be a part of so many lives and be blessed by so many!!!
Our thoughts are turning toward our return to the village and the planning and prep involved in getting set up there again. We look forward to reconnecting with friends and coworkers again. We have continued to pray about the situations there and have had many people on our hearts as we have been here in the States. Our girls continue to mention how much they miss friends from our home there and I think they will be ready to head back when the time comes.
For those of you who are in Jacksonville we would like to invite you to a short prayer send-off and final update before we head back. Sunday May 20th we’ll be meeting during 3rd hour at CFC in Room B9. We would love to have any who are interested to come and be a part! There is no meal planned, just a time of sharing and prayer and we anticipate our time of return to the Asia Pacific area. We hope to see many of you there!
Tim & I have just started a class called Spiritual Disciplines and this weeks’ was about being a disciple or “dust follower”. Just as the Jewish children would follow in the footsteps of their teachers, watching their every move, reaction, and attitude and learning from their wisdom, we too as believers have the opportunity to be learners who follow behind our Teacher Jesus and walk in His dust, so to speak, in order to learn and grow from Him. And we certainly have so much to learn as we continue this journey, desiring to lead others in becoming disciples of our Great Teacher, Jesus.
Some ways you could pray as we near this final month would be: 1. The packing and planning that has to happen- it can be a particularly stressful time. 2. For the paperwork and final approvals in order for the airstrip in the village to be completed. 3. For healing and recovery for Andrea from a recent miscarriage.
May God encourage and refresh you this spring as you see signs of life and newness in the creation all around you. We are enjoying all the flowering magnolia trees in our neighborhood and the smells of the flowers wafting through the air!
Dust Followers,
Tim & Andrea Ullum