Dear friends,

After six weeks, five states, ten churches and the Living Stones mission conference at Green Lake, we’re home in Chile. We had such a wonderful time with all of the friends we were able to see, and regret not being able to see more of you who support us so faithfully.

Jack and Will have slipped back into their “Chilean” identity without a hitch. This has been such an answer to prayer. We were afraid that the fun of being close to family and friends and out of school would set Jack up for a bit of a let down when he returned to normal life. But, when we visited his class briefly the day after we returned, he received a warm welcome by classmates who were beginning to wonder if he had gotten lost and doubted his return. That seemed to be all he really needed to slip back into his “other” world without a hitch. He has caught up in school and is sporting two new front teeth.

Will returned speaking only English to the dismay of his Chilean aunts and uncles, but quickly made the change and is jabbering away in both languages, usually at the same time. He is growing and happy and loves to follow Jack around and “help” with his homework. A noble gesture Jack doesn’t always appreciate. Will did get a new tricycle when we got home after riding one while at the house of our friends Dave and Dena Winner in Philadelphia. He became quite adept at filibustering on the way home. “William, are you hungry?” we asked, “I want a tricycle,” he answered, for 5,000 miles. He now spends much of the day riding up and down the driveway.

Dan and Virginia Schweissing (top) and Michele Gerbrandt (bottom) sell rugs at the Crossroads Baptist Church

Barb and Dwight made it home, tired, but basking in the support and affirmation that we received from all of those we visited. We were particularly excited about the developments with our weaving project. Crossroads Baptist Church held our largest weaving event to date selling more than $3,000 in weavings. We have been able to give each woman her share of the earnings and it has been deeply satisfying to see their faces as they receive money that they have worked hard to earn. I wish many of you who have helped with the project could have been with me, to see the impact of the good work you have done.

Now we’re gearing up for a visit from our home church, Grace Baptist Church in Blue Bell, PA and First Baptist Church of Lansdale, PA. They will bring spinning wheels and cochineal (the original red dye of the Mapuche) for the weavers to improve their productivity and also get an edge on the competition by recovering the authentically natural color red the Mapuche used to have. Two of the women are experts about wool yarn and weaving themselves, and they are already champions of the Mapuche weavers, having sold their products in their store. The team will spend two days with each of the three groups, with only a couple of days of rest. Please pray for them and for our weavers, that the time will be a blessing for all.

This trip was an opportunity for us to visit with the people whose sustained and faithful support of the World Mission Offering makes possible the ministries of all the missionaries who serve through International Ministries. What a privilege it is to serve as your missionaries. You are a noble and generous people who stand behind and alongside of all the IM missionaries and staff. At this time when the World Mission Offering is received, will you tell others—friends, family, churches--- something good that you know about the transforming initiatives for Christ and his redemptive reign that International Ministries makes possible? Will you invite them to participate with you in God’s mission by giving to the World Mission Offering? Lives are being changed.

You may designate your offering to the Bolicks or any of IM’s missionaries, global consultants or development workers.

Go online to www.worldmissionoffering.org or send your offering to International Ministries, P. O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851

May God bless you, and equip you with every good thing for doing His will,

Barbara & Dwight Bolick