MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
In September we had a great group from Park Church, Denver come out to spend time with us and to help equip the church in the areas of worship and art. From the time they landed the guys became instant uncles to the kids, which was a big deal for them. They loved walking, talking, and wrestling them to the ground on the trampoline. Our good friend, who just happens to be a tour guide, walked us all around Olomouc and gave us insights into the culture that few know outside of CZ. They were a great encouragement to us, and the Czech church connected with them immediately.
The retreat with Kostel Jinak was really sweet. The guys offered different workshops on worship, graphic design, music, and other art. And it all culminated at communion time, where we talked about the Gospel and what God is doing in the lives of everyone there. It was hard to see them go, but we’re excited to see them all again this Summer!
Transition and uprooting is never easy, especially for the kids. And with all of the logistics of moving back to the US for home assignment, we labeled that season “Operation Rubik’s Cube.” Thankfully Lisa literally learned how to solve the cube and we were able to take care of all of the odds and ends before making our way to the US. The flight over was interesting, with lots of vomit, taking care of our dog, and jet lag, but we made a lot of good memories together and we’ve settled in the Milwaukee area well.
When we moved to Wisconsin we lived with my mom and step dad for a few weeks before buying a house with the VA loan. Thankfully they don’t require a down payment for the mortgage, so we were able to pick it up as a long term investment with hopes of turning it into an Air B&B when we go back.
Dan’s grandfather died a few years ago while we were away, so we felt it a little more deeply when we visited his grandma. She’s doing well, and to their joy, the kids have been able to see her a handful of times now.
Until we return, we will be in a state of “active rest” while we seek the Holy Spirit for growth and renewal in the US. God has been good to our family and we’re grateful for all of you who have prayed for us throughout this journey to see Gospel centered churches planted in the Czech Republic.
A few weeks ago we packed up the van (thanks to Righteous Rides missionary rental group) and drove 22 hours to Orlando to visit the Pioneers campus. We went through a few days of debrief, received a solid prescription for our time on home assignment, and reconnected with a few from our Czech team. By providence we had the Forney family and Alan Williams with us, so we were able to have a small team meeting before the Forney’s make their way to Australia and while Alan was recruiting for our team in CZ.