short note

Hello from Cote d'Ivoire. I am home and back into the routine of things. All are well and Seth's leg is healing without any complications. Thanks for your prayers.
Witnessing opportunities abound --just take the time to sit and talk. An older man on Sunday - just seemed ready. Sometimes we plant the seed, sometimes we water, and sometimes we get to pick the fruit. Each of the steps is exciting to be a part of. The church is growing, we are growing, the fellowship is Petite Pedro is growing ---growth by multiplication --the most exciting to see. Someone said,"As many times as missionaries write the word "exciting" they ought to be the most excited people on earth." - Ha. Oh well, I go around quite happy with life.
This picture is in NYC holding my new nephew Jonathan. Thanks for all the prayers. May God bless you. Have a great day.
Love,
Joan

It's me again --Hannah

Hello Friends,
I have good news! We are finished all our midwifery schooling and assignments! Yay! Stress is much relieved. Now we just have practice tests and then our final exam before we leave here in September. So the stress of schooling and getting assignments done is gone. We even got all our papers and application and requirements sent to NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) to apply for the exam. That is going to be on September 27 in Monterey, California. We are still praying for funds for all the traveling and for the NARM (it costs $700 each just to take the test). The NARM is the final board exam that we have to take to become Certified Professional Midwives. It is an 8-hour test that is only given a few times a year in specified locations. It's a big deal--smile.
We have lots of decisions to make as we decide what to do after this and where to go. Right now the plan is to take the NARM in September and then go to Bible school in January or February or whenever the semester starts. We are thinking to go to Ambassador Baptist College in Lattimore, NC, but are not 100% sure yet.

My mom and great aunt (Sandra Shaw) visited us for the month of May. They just left. It was fun spending time with them and being able to share of bit of our lives with them and for them to get to meet the people we've been living with for the past 2 years (will be 2 years in August).

short news

Well, I am headed home on June 4th. I get to spend that night in the airport in Manilla - smile. Then on to Cote d'Ivoire by June 7th ---another day layover in Dubai. Pray that all the flights go well. It will be fun going home.

A bit of refresher - I was in NYC for one month and here in the Philippines for the month of May. The Lord has really been working in my life all along the way. I have been reading great books. The latest is called Your God Is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan. (Thanks Karol for giving it to me.) God wants us to have holy habits - Godly routine, grow, fast - Is Food your Idol? There is no way to summarize the book without starting to "preach." It is very well written and interesting. Get out of the rut of serving Jesus, wait on Him, and live the glorious Christian life. I have had more time to read, meditate, self examine, and grow ---and yes, just time to think - smile. I'm planning to re-read the book to our family - it is really good.

Also God has been working on our marriage. The devil is so out to tear down Christian marriages Let's pray for each other. So, in this trip, Dan and I have been able to communicate a lot again. (You might know that we met in the mail system.) In all the busyness of home life and ministry, we were not communicating like we should.

On top of all of that, I have had a wonderful time with Ruth and Hannah --they are super midwives, calm and competent, and ready for whatever God has in store for them. So, I watched deliveries, helped out where I could, ate out, swam and had fun with them, and basically just enjoyed life here with them.

While I was gone, the church has grown. There is such a better spirit of unity and harmony. A few major problems have been ironed out and the people involved are friends again and smile at each other. Dan and I have had a chance to evaluate a bit and plan to do a few things differently and better. The little village church plant work is also growing, packing out the room, people getting saved and ready to be baptized. That is so exciting to see.

Also on a sad, but good note - Seth was in a motorcycle accident. (I am ready to get rid of that, but it WAS on a dirt road, minor, when a bicycle ran in front of him.) So Seth has an 8 in. gash down his shin ---had to have 15 external stitches and 5 stitches on the inside. I am sad that he had the accident, but I'm sure it could have been way worse. Maybe God was putting a little fear and caution into him. Praise the Lord for His protection.

Thanks for praying for us. Continue praying for our health and safety both at home and abroad. We pray for you.

Love in Christ,
Joan and Dan