We have been in the United States on Home Assignment since July of 2008.

In the past six months we have been busy in many different ways. The end of 2008 was an adventure for us and we're looking forward to more exciting Home Assignment adventures during the first half of 2009. While we are anxious to return to Congo in July, the six months prior to that promise many blessings as we visit churches and re-connect with our friends there.

After re-connecting with our parents last July, we moved our family into a home in Bakersfield, California. This is where Jill and I went to High School and College and where our home church is. It's where we call home in the States and where many of our oldest and dearest friends are. Our college age son, Taylor, moved back in with us and we are grateful for one more year together as a family under one roof.

Many friends chipped in with furniture for our new home. Our son's friend lent us a refrigerator. Our pastor threw in a table. Another let us borrow a television for the year and other friends helped us out with a dining table and couches. Jill's uncle gave us a bed and little by little we were able to furnish a temporary house for our Home Assignment year.

We were able to get Hannah's driver's license and get her enrolled in college. Matt started in the High School that is just blocks away. He has ten times more students in his High School than in the one that he attended in Congo. He's adjusting well and played on the soccer team.

Jill and I have been speaking in churches. We're telling folks about the work that we did in Congo and are enjoying re-connecting with folks we know and meeting new folks from all over. It's been a real blessing to share with people who are interested in missions and what God is doing in Congo.

Probably the most unusual thing that we have done during this Home Assignment is ... return to Congo! That's right. We accepted an invitation from Evergreen Baptist Church in Los Angeles to return to Congo and to help them with a project that they had planned. It was a wonderful trip (We'll write more about that later.) and all of us returned feeling blessed and in awe of God's hand in our lives.

We have several speaking engagements lined up for the next six months. Jill is speaking in Arizona for the regional IM retreat. I'll be traveling to Mexico at Easter for a short missions trip with a local church. We have lots of other speaking opportunities, as well. It's going to be a busy Spring. We'd appreciate your prayers for us and our children during the last few months that we are here.

As always, thank you for your prayers and participation in our work in Congo.