"It's a Waiting Game"

Every doctor we see has the same report. Whether it's when Elsie will arrive or when Daddy might be 100% again..."it's a waiting game." Such is life. How hopeful and incredible that we have a Savior Who knew...Who had already been instructing us to wait on Him. As we wait we are so thankful to enjoy life together. Daddy celebrated 64 years of LIFE on Friday...what a celebration that was! Again, confirmation that coming back was right as we got to be all together as a family to celebrate that miracle day.

Jesus has been faithful. Your prayers are carrying us and He is meeting us. We have moved into our grandfather's basement and set up a borrowed basinet...all is "ready" for Elsie as we wait.

Thank you for your love and prayers. We are forever endebted to you all!

Update on Daddy

Thank you for praying!!! We feel so carried in prayer. We cannot express our gratitude for each one of you and your support of us these days. Jesus has done a miracle. Our daddy's heart actually stopped and Jesus still chose to give him LIFE!!! Even now his heart is getting stronger. We are in awe of God's goodness.

While the heart was stopped, oxygen couldn't get to his brain. There is quite a bit of memory loss at this point. The doctors aren't sure at what rate it will come back and how completely, but we know that the same Jesus who touched daddy once, loves to give a second touch! We are depending fully upon HIM!

Joanna and Baby Elsie made it to America safe and sound (along with Billy!!!). They see a doctor here in Lexington, KY tomorrow and trust that will be a good report. The due date is November 4th. Thank you for your prayers for all of us in these difficult days...and exciting days as we await the birth of Elsie.

Also, please keep our colleagues, John and Erica Rinehimer in your prayers as they serve in Arua as the sole WGM representatives these days. Jesus has His hand on them and they were AMAZING to help us get here so quickly. Pray for protection, peace, and Jesus guidance day by day.

Billy's Daddy

Our dad has suffered a massive heart attack. From the poor connections of cell phones across the sea and the reality of no clear plan yet on our part…we cannot say much for sure, only that we desperately need Jesus to help us. Joanna is 36 weeks and we can only fly at the latest, this week. We are trying to get an airline to approve her and start moving toward America even now. That will be about a three day journey if it is even a possibility. Daddy is in ICU in Lexington, KY. Thank you for your prayers as we attempt to move forward in Jesus.

We cannot praise Jesus enough for the time we had with Mama and Daddy in August. What a love gift those days were/are! Jesus is kind to us.

Please carry our mama and family to Jesus as well.

Greetings and Good-byes

Jesus has blessed us with so many friendships over the course of the last year! He is so kind to us to give us the relationships we need that we might grow into the family He desires us to be, (John 17:21)…that the world might come to know Him!

One group of ladies has been a special encouragement to Joanna. Hope, Jennifer and Tina came this past week for tea. They have all been friends of Joanna’s for a while now and she has been able to share Jesus in different ways with each of them, but Saturday they greeted one another for the first time. We are excited to see what Jesus will bring about though those new relationships! Hope and Jennifer are both university grads who are interested in starting businesses here in Arua. Tina, you have prayed for before…she has just found out that she is pregnant again. Please pray with us that Jesus might help her carry this baby to term.

Ken Good is a colleague and friend who has been serving in the southern part of the country for the last few months. He has been an encouragement to those being trained at the eight pastoral training sites in and around Kampala. We got to train alongside him when we came to Uganda in the summer of 2003. He spent the weekend with us and helped at our training in Nebbi! He is heading back to the states now. Pray with us for Jesus’ best ministry and employment for Ken back in Ohio.

Eric Smith is another dear friend Jesus has blessed us with since we moved to Arua. He and his bride Martha have challenged and encouraged our walk with Jesus and been “young missionaries” alongside us for the past 8 months. Her health has transitioned them back to America. We were sad to see them go, but we are trusting that Jesus has a mission field prepared for them there. Eric is a missionary kid who grew up in Congo. Please pray with us for their closure here and Jesus’ best as they continue to say “yes” and walk with Him now on “your” side of the sea.

These are some of the greetings and good-byes Jesus has trusted us with in the last couple of weeks. We wait with anticipation to see what new relationships He will open before us in the days ahead.

Another good-bye we would rather not make is with our silly dog Marori…she is quite sick. Please pray for all of the above people before you mention our dog, but we aren’t quite sure at the moment that she’ll live through the week. It seems silly, but she has lived this last year’s adventures alongside us…every greeting and good-bye she has been there for. We’d love for her to be around to greet Baby Elsie in the next couple of weeks and even each one of you as Jesus brings you to our home! Jesus knows what is best. If He reminds you, pray for her to recover. Thank you. Greetings from Arua!