Update in the new year

Today finds us fairly well settled into our house and ready for Joel to begin language study this afternoon.  Our house helpers are working out well and will a little bit of time and further instruction will be able to keep us going when I begin language study next month.  We are really enjoying getting to know the newer families who are here learning language and have had several opportunities already to have meals with them.  I have gotten together with our language consultant several times just talking through what our next few months will look like and she feels like we will definitely be ready to move on in 6 months or so. 

 

The housing coordinator here in Salatiga let us know the other day that we will have to move into another house in late March/early April.  It's actually his house we will be moving into as he and his family are going on furlough and someone needs to live in it while they are gone.  And since we will be here a shorter amount of time than the other language families who are just starting out, the timing will be just right for us to live there while they are gone.  As much as we don't want to move again, we also realize that by doing this, we are helping out the team here.  Again, we know God has things for us to learn with each bend in the road and right now, if we aren't learning anything else, we are learning flexibility and to find our comfort in Christ not in our surroundings!

 

Owen seems to be doing better these days.  He is cutting teeth still and so he has good days and bad days but it seems the malaria has passed with all its side effects – Praise the Lord and thank you for praying for him.

 

Jack's health issues have worsened and continue to baffle us.  We did find out great news this week.  There is an allergy clinic here in town that does the food testing we want to have done and it's VERY reasonably priced.  I'll try to get him in there this week and hopefully we can get some answers to whether the diarreah is caused from foods or not. If not, we feel like we'll be at a cross roads and will need to take more serious measures to find out what's wrong.  There is the possibility that we would need to go to Singapore to have him tested more in depth.  Please continue to pray for us in this area.   It's so hard to see this happening and not know how to stop it. 

 

As we continue on each day here in Indonesia, we are more and more aware of God's power in our lives.  Knowing He left His heavenly home to come live here on earth encourages us when we feel so far from home and what we know.  He can relate to us in our struggles because He became a man and walked in our shoes.  To have Him as our strength day in and day out is what enables us to continue on.   

 

Thanks for continuing to keep up with us and all that is going on in our lives.  We are so blessed to have friends and family like you!

 

Bethany for Joel, Jack and Owen too