Family Update...4 months and counting...

This has been some of the busiest months ever...it is hard to believe we have been back 4 months already. In some ways it feels like we've been here forever and in others time has flown. We have done so much in the past couple of months. We left the end of February for our monthly orthodontist appointment for Traeger in Malawi. It went really well and his teeth are moving quite quickly. We also were able to visit with a Pastor from one of our supporting churches in Grand Rapids, who happened to be teaching at Bible school in Lilongwe. We then flew to South Africa to attend a SIM conference in Pretoria. It was an extremely busy week, as we were busy from 7:30am to 9:30pm, but also very rewarding. We were able to meet so many new people and were able to do a lot of networking for the Bible school. The kids were also involved in a program and all made new friends. They loved the week there although I think they were exhausted as well. After the conference, we flew to George and visited some good friends and also drove a little of the garden route to go visit our previous director and his family, who was diagnosed with ALS and had to move back to South Africa. We had great visits with them. The kids also enjoyed reconnecting with old friends they hadn't seen in over a year. We flew back to Malawi and had another orthodontist appointment and then drove back to Lichinga, through some of the worst roads we've ever seen. After being home one day, we welcomed our friends and colleagues for a two week visit. We also welcomed new missionaries from Malawi here to Lichinga. We have been getting them settled and orientated to their new life in Mozambique. It has been non stop action with 13 kids in our house for 8 days and 10 for another 6. Life is never dull! Here are some pictures of the past couple of months...

Arrival in Pretoria for the conference.

Kallen's new friend, Lily.

Jurnee, Kallen, Lily, and Desta 

Traeger and his new friend Jack.

Enjoying summer in South Africa.

Jurnee and Desta.

The girls loved being reunited with Zoe in George, SA. They had so much fun.

So good to be with our friends again. We have missed the Edens in Lichinga!

The beautiful coast of South Africa on the Garden Route.

Kallen found a friend.

Traeger also loved getting time with one of his best friends, Stefan, who he hadn't seen in over a year.

Cape St. Francis lighthouse

It was so good to be with our friends the Paetzolds again. We had such a nice visit with them. Please continue to pray for Alfred and his family as they daily deal with the difficulties of ALS. 

Welcome back to Mozambique...with some of the worst roads ever!

Here is just a small video clip of part of our trip back to Lichinga.

The Lichinga "youth group". Once a month all the missionary kids in the area get together for a youth night. The kids love it so much. There are some incredible leaders who make it all happen. 

Just some of the 13 kids we've had roaming about our place the past couple of weeks...