Visit to NYC & Connecticut

We wrapped up our time on the east coast recently and were so thankful for the times we had connecting with churches, financial partners, friends and family. Here are a few photo highlights from our time there:

Visiting the animals at Silverman's Farm

Visiting cousin Kylie at the University of Rhode Island

Sharing at Christ Community Church

A fun playdate with friends!

A walk at Silver Sands State Park, where a sand bar makes it possible to walk to Charles Island during low tide. A really neat experience!

 We visited the 9/11 Memorial and museum and were very moved by our experience there. I would highly recommend a visit if you are in NYC. 

Times Square

Visiting the American Girl Store

   

Posing with Uncle John, Aunt Crista and Tyler before our departure

Enjoying our time being near the beach!

Posing in our Austrian dress after a visit to Christ Community Church in Darien, CT

Hiking to a waterfall in CT

Spontaneous visit to Niagara Falls after an overnight in Syracuse

Home Assignment Photo Update

 Many people are astounded when they look at our travel schedule during one of our home assignments. When asked how we handle that, I would answer that the travels are equal parts a blessing and a challenge. We LOVE and are blessed by the chance to see so many people who are dear to us, and the travels are also a wonderful adventure to experience together as a family. Additionally, our girls are getting the opportunity to explore America in ways that even some kids who live in America do not! We are thankful for this chance, especially because it helps them feel connected to a country that sometimes feels foreign to them.

On the flipside, we would be lying if we said that travelling is not challenging. We do get weary of sleeping in different beds all the time, spending hours in the car and especially packing and unpacking (and attempting not to lose anything along the way). We always breathe a sigh of relief when we arrive in a place where we will stay for a few weeks. It is a nice respite after lots of travels.

Here are some photo highlights from our recent adventures:

Sharing with a group of folks from Tucker Presbyterian Church in Tucker, GA

Nate celebrating his birthday in GA

Atop Stone Mountain (GA)

Ellie discovering a love for the auto-belays at the climbing gym!

Easter Egg Hunt!

Ellie and Maya with some of their cousins and grandparents

Visiting Bethany's cousin in GA

Feeding animals at a unique drive-through safari experience!

Some of the dogs we've enjoyed along the way...

Skyline Drive in Virginia with another cousin

Luray Caverns, VA

Washington, DC Sights

A park carousel and boba tea in the DC area

A ride with Uncle John in his mustang convertible!

Preaching and sharing at the Covenant Church of Easton

Our Home Assignment Adventure Continues!

Greetings from South Carolina! I can't believe we've already been in the U.S. for over a month. Our time here is flying by! Our first 3 weeks were spent in Minnesota, enjoying time with Nate's family and going outside for lots of winter fun (sledding, ice skating and snow fort building were the highlights!). After about 10 days of being sick, Nate finally felt better and the end of our time there was particularly special. Here are a few photos:

Hiding out in the snow fort

Learning to ice skate

Sledding in the park

Riding the carousel at the Mall of America

Riding the Mall of America rides with cousin Rosy!

Walking in Wisconsin, while on a visit to see Nate's grandma

After 3 weeks in Minnesota, we drove for two long days and arrived in South Carolina and my parents' house. We've been enjoying time with them the last couple of weeks. Ellie is continuing with homeschool everyday, Nate is working on preparing a sermon and writing papers for his Master's program and we've been focusing much of our time on raising support and preparing materials for sharing at churches in the coming months. 

Here are a few photos from our visit to SC so far.

Enjoy the hotel pool in Indianapolis, on our way down south.

A huge highlight for the girls: visiting the American Girl Doll Store!

Petting donkeys at the Greenway

Grampy, reading books to his girls

Ellie, working on reading during homeschooling

A green lunch on St. Patrick's Day!

If you'd like to pray for us during this time, here are a few prayer requests:

• That God would keep us healthy during all of our travels and that we'd have access to a Covid vaccine, despite not having a US address
• That God would raise up new supporters and meet our current $1,200/month goal. We were thankful to celebrate gaining 3 new supporters this week!
• For Nate's continued studies in Christian Leadership and that the classes he takes while we are here would be fruitful and practical
• For our continued planning for our church plant launch this fall. Our website is now online!