Family Items for Prayer

Thanksgiving- Sam & Megan's first snow in 7 years!

We are so grateful for many of you that are praying friends. Talking to our heavenly Father on each other's behalf is one of the most important things we can do as Christ-followers.

Here are some items that we'd ask you to reflect upon as you pray for our family:

Prayer for Megan (Nyack College), Joe (Moody), and Sam (high school) as they finish their semesters with tests, projects, and papers.

Pray for Joe and Meg and their travel plans getting back home (York, PA)

Praise that Sam made the honor roll in the first semester back in the US at a high school about 18 times the size of his small MK school in Africa

Praise for no complications and a full recovery from gallbladder surgery for Steve.

Steve speaking to the Fall Mission Rally in State College, PA

Pray for relief from intense heel pain (right foot) that Steve is experiencing after trying to restart his jogging routine.  Pray for an economical solution in finding a lower impact exercise (like biking) to replace this activity, especially through the cold, winter months.

Praise the Lord for the churches that responded to host us on a speaking tour the first half of 2015.  We still have some churches to try and fit in the calendar. CLICK HERE to see the tour schedule.

Pray that many would respond to support the ministry the Lord is calling us to in prayer and financially.  We have a significant needs at this time.  CLICK HERE to read more how to become a supporter.

Pray for the pilot recurrency training, starting in February, that Steve will do in North Carolina with JAARS.  It will total about 4 weeks and will be spread out through the Spring.  

Our kids at a reunion of their African MK high school 
(Rain Forest, Cameroon)

Praise the Lord for a gift of $1000 toward the upcoming flight training.  A little over $3000 remains to cover all expenses.

Praise the Lord for new teammates that are working toward joining our Gabon Team, serving at the Bongolo Hospital.

Pray for a young couple- the husband, who recently underwent a technical evaluation at JAARS for his skills as a pilot and mechanic.  Many of his skills were affirmed, but he does need some follow up work to be qualified to join our team.  Please pray that they have discernment for upcoming decisions.

Praise the Lord that He is blessing the ministry of Bongolo Hospital- over 1000 per month in 2014 have made decisions to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior! 

Pray for the local churches in Gabon to do the important work of disciple-making for all those that return to their villages after hearing the Good News at Bongolo.

Praise the Lord that Alace was able to attend a writers conference at the end of October in Chicago and get to visit with Joe.  Pray for her as she works to develop her writing gift to the next level, for God’s glory.  CLICK HERE to read some of Alace's wonderful writing.

HE is the Drumbeat!

So proud of our son, Joe, and some of the international students at Moody Bible (Chicago) with a great song and video.  Check it out:

The New Normal

Hunting with Sam

Over the past 7 years, our family has used the term "the new normal" many times.  It helps us reset our mindset, adjust expectations, and stay engaged through all the transitions.  Changes are difficult for anyone and, for us, they most always come with saying "goodbye's" to loved ones and rearranged routines that we had worked so hard to adjust to.  It's not easy, to say the least. 

In the US, this home assignment, we are settling in to a new normal, yet again.  As much as we can, our family tries to enjoy things that your average American family might find themselves doing.  Today, it was a good, old fashioned, day of hunting. (Regrets to our other children, Joe & Meg... back at college)

Following a fun weekend with Steve's side of the family, Steve and Sam joined the hunting posse on Monday.

The hunting posse (L to R):  My bro, Dan, Sam, Jarrod (Dan's son), me, and Mark (Dan's son-in-law).

We got to our hunting spots in the dark (6am-ish)- we had hiked there on Saturday and marked them with a GPS.  As Sam and I got seated and began waiting for daylight to break, Sam said, "Dad... this is pretty cool".

We saw 4 doe, a dozen chipmunks, and a couple woodpeckers.  So, no buck for us on opening day.  Sam did get a nice siesta while I kept watch.

A closer look... a hunter at complete peace with his surroundings.

Bongolo Airport drainage repairs

With heavy African rains comes the need for upkeep on drainage 

A backhoe isn't the ideal piece of equipment for the earth-moving, but we had been in search for other equipment for over a year with no luck.

There are many projects, like this one, where we need some extra hands to pitch in.  Interested in a short term work trip to Gabon?  Drop us a line via email to Steve Straw, program manager- gabon.pilot@gmail.com

RE-Connecting: Visit to Bedford Community Church (NY)

We had a wonderful visit with a very welcoming and generous
church- Bedford Community Church in Bedford Hills, NY, last weekend, November 8 & 9.  The church has a great relationship with work in Gabon- 2 short term teams have visited over the recent years, and Pastor Kelvin has come to connect on 3 different occasions.  They also are a key church for coordinating Operation Christmas Child gift boxes.  Some of them have met Pastor Jean Marc, the local coordinator of distribution of those boxes in Gabon!

We started off Saturday morning with a delicious breakfast at the local Holiday Inn.  After giving an overview of our program (Aviation Medicale de Bongolo) and an update on our family, we had a time of Q & A.

On Sunday, we were given the opportunity to speak during both morning worship services and Sunday school classes.

We are blessed to have connections with faith communities like BCC- they stand with us on this journey in a support role that makes our work possible.

Our next "RE-Connection" at State College Alliance Church:

If you can't make that, here are some other engagements in 2015:

JAN 25- Jersey Shore, PA (Mountain View Alliance)

FEB 01- Williamsport, PA (Faith Alliance)

FEB 07- (Sat.) Alace @ Lancaster C&MA

FEB 22- Bloomsburg/Danville, PA  (C&MA)

FEB 27- (Fri.) Mt. Nittany School chapel (State College)

MAR 1- Boalsburg, PA  (St. College Berean Baptist)

MAR 8- Hellam, PA  (ValleyView Alliance)

MAR 29- Portage, PA (Martindale Alliance Church)

APR 12-15- Plainville, MA (Plainville Baptist Church)

APR 18,19  Harrisburg, PA (1^st Alliance Church)

MAY 03- Coalport, PA (Alliance Gospel Tabernacle)

MAY 31  C&MA Council, CA

JUN 27 – JUL 14 –TX TOUR (TBA)

Bongolo Hospital- Eye Clinic News

A recent story of Restoration... relational, physical, spiritual.

(from Eric & Wendy H.)
Here is Antoine, a 59 year-old man who came to Bongolo from 2 days away.  He had been blind in both eyes and had been forsaken by all his coworkers and many friends.  Additionally, he had been estranged from his daughter because he didn’t approve when she came to Christ some years ago.  

For this trip, he came back in contact with his daughter and she agreed to accompany him to Bongolo.  He was operated in both eyes for cataracts and now sees very clearly in both eyes.  He said, “It’s like a dream.  No one will believe it when I get home.”  

His relationship with his daughter was restored and, as many other patients do (about 4 per day),  he responded to the Gospel message and decided to follow Jesus as his Savior.

Tour of Libreville, Gabon

A young Gabonese man put together a great video giving you a tour of Libreville, Gabon.  Even if you don't know French, you'll see a country that is transforming.  Enjoy!

Hope House Update

Our hearts are so full to hear about the launch of a new sponsorship program for the Hope House provided through the hard work of the E4 Project.  E4 coordinated funding, short term teams, written

http://www.e4project.org/hopehouse

agreements, and more to make this happen.

This type of sponsorship has been prayed for for years.  It provides a structure for long-term care of at-risk children and for those that God has called to care for them.

Please consider being a monthly sponsor ($38) for Hope House by visiting the E4 Project website.  

CLICK HERE