“Wow, those snowflakes are the size of quarters–all of them are!”  We watched them floating slowly, giant wafers descending on the quiet earth below.  One upon the other, they stacked slowly and surely, until the wonderland was wintry indeed.  We had entered the Yankee Candle Company flagship store on a clear, cold day in western Massachusetts and exited 3 hours later to be greeted by the beginnings of a true nor’easter snowstorm–both beautiful as well as powerful (see frozen roses).  The snow actually began last Thursday in Hancock, MA where our children saw their prayers answered (yes, they had requested snow from the Lord the previous Monday!) when 4 inches of snow gave them new opportunities:  sledding, snowmen and snowballs!  [They had learned quickly of what cold and encroaching frostbite was, but on Saturday, as we left that famous candle store, they would learn about how these woolly flakes could wreak havoc on millions of people--overnight.]  We piled into the van, prayed, and began our slip-slide down the interstate toward our friend’s home in Wilbraham, MA.  We made it safely, but shortly thereafter the power went out.  All night long we heard the strain, creak, and snap of weary tree limbs, heavy-laden with unseasonal weights.  The end of New England’s colorful fall season was abruptly ended by a stifling, onerous quilt of white.  To our children it was pure delight–lost in it’s beauty and fun.  To the local residents it is a reminder of the hurricane and tornado of earlier this year, the latter which left them dumbfounded at its 30+ mile path of destruction in a place where twisters are unheard of.  Last week was, to say the least, a memorable week.

The above account of our last week in Massachusetts underscores how different life is for us, especially our children, in southeast Asia as compared with New England.  It has been 6 years since our family has experienced Fall and Winter, so it has been a special time. Three of our children experienced snow for the very first time! We have also seen the real consequences of wintry weather, and we have grateful hearts for the warm weather we usually enjoy.

Our travels:  We are just past the midway point of visiting supporters and reporting on our ministry’s work, and it has proven to be a time of growth and encouragement for us.  As always we are humbled and amazed at God’s grace to us via our family, friends and supporters during these visits.  We have been loved and lifted up.  We eagerly look forward to visiting the  remaining folks we will see over the next 5 months prior to our departure for Indonesia in mid-March.

An update on our family health:  The kids are doing fairly well, but Amy and I have been dealing with some things.  My (Jareb’s) trouble has been with sinus and migraine problems.  Amy still has been struggling with fatigue and general achiness that has seemed to increase with the onset of cold weather. We are thankful for some progress in understanding what might be going on, and how to live with it.  Please continue to pray toward that end.

Our soccer kids are fairly saturated with the desire to control a soccer ball, as they have been training and playing for over two months now.  The oldest four have really enjoyed playing, and it has proven to be a good way for them to enjoy connecting to US culture. We have done our best to keep up with the practice and game schedules of four different teams! I am especially pleased that the children have kept good sportsmanship as a top priority despite the New York state-of-mind here on Long Island that can make kids’ sports a bit ‘overcooked.’ Â

The Elseng:  Please, please continue to pray for the work God is doing in the Elseng tribe.  Pray for the eyes of their hearts to be ready for the Spirit of Truth to shine on them.  Pray that they would be patient enough for us to communicate God’s message to them in their own language that will speak to their hearts.  Pray for our co-laborers, the Flaughers and Carolyn, to be renewed, strengthened and encouraged as they labor daily in learning the difficult Elseng language. This is God’s work, and we all–including YOU!–are privileged to be a part of it.

kayaking cousins!