Summer is officially here!  And that means that we are pulling out our suitcases, packing up winter clothes and sorting through stuff to decide what to store, what to take and what to ‘gift’ to others!  One month until our departure!

 

Endings…

My eye has settled down and healed with no side effects.  I developed tendonitis in my left elbow and a round of doctor visits and physical therapy are helping it to settle down.

Corey’s surgery went well and he is progressing nicely with his physical therapy to restore full movement in his right arm.  Please pray he will continue to make progress and reach that complete healing and restoration point soon.

Last meetings for committees I have been a part of at the Barn were held and the last one, reporting to the governing board of the church is next week.  My talk at the Community Bible Study group went well in spite of the slide show not working.  Several women spoke about their appreciation for my remarks, so thank you for your prayers!

The AWANA Bible Quiz went very well and all were pleased to see how much the clubbers had learned – even the clubbers.  There was also a pinewood car race at the end of the year and all three of our girls’ cars placed within the top ten fastest cars!  Way to go, Emma, Molly and Wheaton’ with a little help from Dad!

School and AWANA are over and the girls are reveling in getting to sleep late, play dates with friends with pools and frequent trips to the library to bring back mounds of books to devour in the lazy days!

 

…and Departure
July 3-8         Corey’s dad and wife will make their final visit to say goodbye.Our departure plans are racing into reality!  Our schedule looks like this:

July 8             Katie’s dad will come to pick up the three girls and take them to Maine.

July 8-13       Corey, Katie and I will stay at a friend’s house while we finish packing, moving boxes and furniture to storage or return to owners, and do final cleaning to leave the manse in tip-top condition.

July 14           Corey will speak at one more church with a fellowship lunch on our way to Maine.

July 14-26    Final visit with Katie’s family at their summer home in Maine.

July 26-31    Return to Connecticut friend’s home for our last Sunday at The Barn and a few days rest.

August 1      Drive to New York airport to fly to Senegal.

 

Beginnings!

Once in Senegal we plan to spend a few days in Dakar meeting familiar and new team-mates, and doing some necessary shopping.  We will then travel to Thies to meet more new team-mates and to fellowship with other friends for a few days and finally return to Kaffrine.  We will all stay in the Smith’s house until Corey and Katie can unpack and make all necessary arrangements to set up and move into their ‘new’ home.  I will remain in the Smith’s home and set up to live and home school there.  This arrangement will help Corey and Katie fit in their new but smaller home and help guard and maintain the Smith’s house while they are on Home Assignment for a year.

 

Transition traumas….

Some days I am so excited about the upcoming school year – the material we will cover is so interesting!  I am looking forward to having a third, fifth and sixth grader and all the things I will be able to do with older students.  I also am looking forward to having a clear definition between what is home and what is school.  And it will be fun to have my ‘own’ place to fix up and arrange.

Some days I want to run and hide.  I will miss my new dear friends and the lovely church family I have grown to love.  I will have to do without so many conveniences of the USA, and it will be hot – without an air conditioner!  I will be living alone – in a house in Senegal!  I will have two dogs in my yard (a good thing for security!) that I will need to take care of (I have NEVER had a dog before – scary!)  There will be no one else besides Corey, Katie and the girls I can go and visit with in town since I don’t speak Wolof.

Then when I begin to shake and quake, I remember THIS is what God has called ME to do at this time.  I remember that what I do and how I do it are not about me or my comfort level but about God and the glory he will get because of my little acts of obedience.  Then the peace of knowing that He will be with me in the swelter and the aloneness wash over me and I can be content.

 

Funding Findings

Please continue to pray for my funding to be complete.  There have been quite a few additions so my most recent calculations show that I need only 14% or $375 (1375Dh) more per month.  In conversations with the SIM USA office I have three options.  1. Stay in the United States until I reach 100% and go whenever that happens and Katie will start school.  2. Go now on a reduced budget.  Planning to live separately from Katie and Corey with increased expenses, this doesn’t seem a wise choice.  3. Go now and stay until the money runs out and then come home, leaving Katie to finish the second school year.  My first choice is for the support to come in and go at 100%!  Please prayerfully lift this need to the Father.  For further information or to donate click here.

 

Prayers

• Praise for the many opportunities to connect with friends and family in the USA.
• Praise that Corey’s surgery went well and he is improving daily; pray for continued progress.
• Praise and prayer for my continued health.
• Pray for our travels in the USA and in Senegal.
• Pray for a smooth transition to new housing for us all.
• Pray for new workers to come join the Kaffrine team.
• Please continue to pray for Steve Smith and family, our teammate suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who will be in the USA this next year.
• Pray for continued additions to my support to bring it up to 100%.