Blessings Flowed!

Recently we visited Naples Christian Academy in Naples Florida. The first grade class supports us in prayer and last year the parents and kids published a book of prayers and worship to the Lord. They also recorded a CD of their voices speaking the prayers. It was an awesome project. All of the profit went to help our orphans in Malawi. We were so blessed as we worshiped together in the school's chapel and they listened intently as Mandy told them about our ministry.

Mike and Michelle Regan

Hey everyone! Check out this other terrific blog by our friends, Mike and Michelle Regan. They are in Malawi during the month of January and are considering full-time missionary service in Malawi possibly in 2009. Please pray for their journey as they listen to the Lord speaking to them through their prayers and circumstances and to their hearts. Here's the address of their blog: www.prayfortheharvest.blogspot.com. There are some great pictures of Malawi and what they are doing there. This is their third trip to Malawi and they are actually staying in our house while they are in Lilongwe. It is not easy living in Malawi even for one month and they have met some special challenges like being in a foreign coutry without a vehicle. They have done extremely well. God is blessing them, but they could use a few extra prayers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LARRY!

January 14, was Larry's 51st birthday. We celebrated with our family at the park and enjoyed Larry's favorite foods, pizza, apple crisp and ice cream. The weather was warm, but shortly after we ate and he opened his presents it began to rain. Vicki, Tim's wife and oldest son, Zachary were not able to come, but we got some great pictures and loved our time with all of our kids together. Sarah and Tim Hayes just purchased a Teddy Bear Yorkie puppy and she was the center of attention. What a cutie!

Alyse

We have a beautiful granddaughter, Alyse. She is a very smart 4 year old. During our Christmas picnic, she found a lady bug that she wanted to keep as a pet. She called him "Little Fellow" and kept talking to him and was very protective. It was so cute too see how she cared for Little Fellow. He rode home in one of the gift bags she had received.

Tim and Vicki and family

Our son, Tim and his family were not able to join us for Christmas day, but we enjoyed a nice Christmas picnic with them in the park where the kids could play. A boy came by to invite us to see his new pet snakes. There were two black snakes that were not happy to have been caught. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to have all of them together.

December news

What a joyous Christmas we had! God-honoring church services in beautifully decorated sanctuaries especially blessed our hearts this Christmas. The month of December began with a trip from Indiana to Florida. The weather was cold and rainy and we witnessed an accident on the highway that reminded us we are not truly safe anywhere in the world.

On December 4 we moved into D&D Missionary Homes and are staying in a nice two-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg. It's very comfortable and we are able to work and rest sufficiently but about a week after moving in a very scary event happened. On December 11, Mandy experienced the symptoms of a heart attack. We live about five minutes away from the Tampa Bay Heart Institute and Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg and Larry rushed her to the emergency room. Initial tests showed it was not a heart attack, but women typically "hide" the actual effects of a heart attack so the doctors wisely admitted her to the hospital. The heart pain continued all that day and was helped with the treatments they gave her. However, the enzyme tests the next two days revealed it was, in fact a minor heart attack. They also did a heart catheterization and that test showed no blockages. The cardiologist concluded it was a blood clot that dissolved and moved on. We are so thankful that there was no major damage.

Our friends, Mark and Julie Pippin host a Christmas Party every year for the church family of First Christian Church of Seminole. About 50-60 people gather at their house for games, fellowship, good food and celebration of the birth of our Savior. It is one of our favorite Christmas activities. All of our friends have greatly blessed us since we returned. Our prayer is that God will use us to bless them as well.

Christmas day was spent in the home of our daughter and son-in-law. Sarah and Tim (Hayes) just recently moved into a brand new home in Kissimmee Florida. It was beautifully decorated and included a 9-foot tree. Mandy was able to bake cookies to give as gifts which is one of her favorite traditions. So we all gained a few more pounds from that and the sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie! We had a wonderful time laughing and reminiscing about our favorite Christmas traditions. It was difficult watching "The Christmas Story" while we had so much to talk about.

We visited two churches in Florida this month. On December 2nd we visited Chapel Rock Christian Church in Indianapolis and on the 9th we visited First Christian Church in Inverness Florida. One of the favorite parts of being missionaries is that we get to meet lots of interesting people and have made many new friends. God has poured out so much blessing to us through His people.

Furlough 2007/08

We are so happy to be back in the USA. Although we miss our work and friends in Malawi, we are looking forward to sharing what God has been doing there with many of you. Please pray for safety in travel and for God's wonderful and faithful provision for needed funding for projects. He has given us many wonderful visions for the people. Please pray for the explosion of the Gospel message throughout all of Malawi and for the faith of Christians there to grow deep. We plan to return to Malawi in April 2008.

Big Disappointment

We were saddened by an email we received three days after we landed in the US. The email was from our Board chairman who informed us that our trusted worker (good Christian man to whom we entrusted all of our belongings in Malawi), took our vehicle for a drive (without permission) and wrecked it. We are unsure what the insurance will cover at this point, but we are trusting God for His provision and know He will do more than we can imagine. As for our worker, he has been fired. Please pray that Satan will not be able to attack any other part of our ministry while we are gone. We need to continue to lift up the ministry in prayer as Satan is standing ready to launch attacks on unprotected areas - areas that are not covered with the power of prayer.

We were so blessed by the group of chiefs in our villages recently. They honored Larry by making him an honorary "group village headman" and gave him the name of "Cheukani" which means "look back." As we were returning to the US for furlough they wanted to make sure we remembered where we'd been and to look back and see how much they need us to return to Malawi. We assured them that we would be back and work with them again. They gave Mandy the name of "Nachisali" which is a name of respect for a woman. She is also called, "Mama" because she cares for their needs. The picture shows Larry receiving the special scepter that they gave him to show he is really a group village headman. This is the highest honor they could bestow on someone. We were both humbled by their love and gifts.

This picture was taken the last Sunday we were in Malawi to worship with Mphanda Christian Church. The church leaders have begun the temporary church building. It will have grass/straw walls and a thatch roof. This will allow them to gather for worship during the rainy season. When we return to Malawi in April, they will begin the process of building a more permanent structure made of bricks. Please pray that the church will remain strong and the Lord will bless them as they grow in their faith.