MADAGASCAR MISSION

Living in Madagascar has been an interesting journey so far. Some very familiar experiences that bring back memories of places we have lived or visited, and other new experiences which we try to understand and figure out how to process the event. Going to the market and seeing meat or cow stomach laying on a table covered in flies, tasting fried food from roadside vendors, feeling the tropical heat as you walk the dusty roads, smelling the aroma of trash burning or the near constant sound of honking car and taxi horns are all familiar sights, sounds, and smells.   However, the sight of mosques on every corner, often multiple ones on a block, this is a new experience for me (Lew). It has been nearly two months now that we have lived here in Diego Suarez, and I am not used to this new experience. Yes, I have seen many mosques before. I have heard the call to prayer in different places, but this is different. I see the men daily pass by our house to go to prayer. I hear the call

There is no greater joy for a parent than to know that their children are saved and then to watch them be baptized.  Abigail was baptized on July 28, 2016 at 4pm in the Atlantic Ocean by Lew with the Church at Southlake.  So proud of her for being brave for Jesus! BAPTIZED!!    Video of Abigail's Baptism

The last 7 months have been so many things.  We settled into our temporary home in Florida quickly and have had wonderful fellowship with missionaries who have retired here after serving 20 up to even 50 years of service in Africa!!  Florida culture is different than we expected and much more transient.  There are SO many cultures represented here from all over the US and the World.  The children adjusted well to our new home once the homesickness began to fade.  They have had many unexpected opportunities.  They both played 2 months of rec soccer and then began taking gymnastics.  They have had several opportunities to spend time with the residents here on a regular basis like taking piano lessons from our next door neighbor and a pottery class upon our arrival and lots of bike riding. We have also had special friends come from Mississippi and gotten to spend time with dear friends returning from the field.  Lew's mom came for a visit and my parents made the long journey as well. 

In December we met our Minimum monthly support goal and our outbound account goal!!!!  That is all so exciting!  We will continue to raise support for additional housing costs and ministry needs and eventually for purchasing a vehicle in Madagascar.  2015 was an incredible year of seeing the Lord do incredible things in our life.  We had to rely on Him for everything and He provided everything we needed.  With this great news and forward movement towards Madagascar, also came the hard goodbyes of leaving Kosciusko, Ms, our home for the last 3 years and a previous stateside.  We have many wonderful relationships and were so blessed to serve that community for as long as we did.  It still hurts our hearts to think of all those we left behind.  We moved to Minneola Florida last week to begin working at the AIM facility.  We will work here and wait for our teammates to complete their support raising so we can all leave for Africa in July.  This detour is part of God's plan for us.  W