Typhoon Haiyan Update (or Typhoon Yolanda, as it was called in the Philippines)
I received the following statistics from a friend – The death toll from super typhoon Yolanda is 5,240 with 25,615 people injured, while 1,613 remain missing. Yolanda has affected 9,927,335 people from 11,939 villages in 44 provinces. Yolanda destroyed 530,479 houses and damaged 573,149 others. The damage caused by Yolanda is estimated at $570,680,265, including $26,409,9450 in agriculture and $306,580,814 in infrastructure. 
We are excited to see how many of our friends from Faith Academy have helped, and New Tribes Mission has focused on the remote areas that are often forgotten, using our small planes and helicopter to ferry vital supplies in the relief efforts. But as you can see from the statistics above, the need is still great and the relief effort continues. As I mentioned before, the best aid you can send from the States is first your PRAYERS and then MONEY. There are many groups you can donate to, but we have kept up with the work of the following two: NTM at http://usa.ntm.org/projects/haiyan-relief and First Love International at www.firstloveinternational.org
Spicer Update
As we mentioned in our last email, November was packed with speaking and traveling. We were in a different state each week. Abby came with us and was still able to attend school 3 days per week. We praise God for our safety in travels as we missed all of the inclement weather. Plus we are always blessed and encouraged as we visit and share at our supporting churches, and we were excited to speak at a new church.
Please pray for more churches to speak at next semester and continue to pray for our support needs as we are still at 60%.
We are excited to be “home” in the US for Christmas—decorating our house and being with friends and relatives. All of our children will be home for Christmas. Plus both of our parents and many relatives are within a few miles.
We thank you for your prayers and support during last year, and for some who have faithfully supported us for 25 years! We have much to praise God for—my God (has and will continue to) meet all (our) needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Phil 4:19-20)
Lastly, we are excited to see what God will do in 2014.
Have a blessed Christmas and New Years,
Walter and Cheryl for the Spicers