After a year of all of us being in school, summer was a nice change of pace.  Below are just a few pics of some of our favorite times…

Four days of family and tubing  with the Colcords at Deep Creek, North Carolina.

We had an especially sweet time at Patrick’s family reunion.  His sister, Jonnie, came from Las Vegas – the first time in over 20 years.  And she has promised to make it an annual pilgrimage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last May Kristin went back to her boarding school (Ukarumpa) in Papua New Guinea.  She spent a wonderful month there helping with end of the school year activities and just hanging out with great friends.

I, Jan, had a much needed break from teaching and thoroughly enjoyed being HOME as well as having time to spend with family and catching up with friends.  The 2014-2015 school year was stressful and draining.  By the end of the summer I truly felt well rested and ready for the next school year.

Benjamin  spent the summer educating himself.  Really.  He  decided to study math on his own and has spent much time solving cool looking math problems and continues to be an all around know-it-all (Just ask him!) on everything from the stock market to Israeli politics. When he is in a talking mood there are no limits to where the conversation will go!

Karis spent  a lazy 15 year old summer at home.  Sleeping, reading, social “mediaing”, watching NCIS.  We realized that might be her last totally laid-back summer so we restrained from pushing her to “stay busy” all the time.

Patrick continues to plug away on his dissertation.

Below are pictures of Kristin with an “old” MK friend, Michelle Thorpe, from CLTC.  Michelle and Kristin were playmates from  ages 2-7.   Michelle  (birth country  New Zealand) came to work in Canada for 6 months and during the Christmas holidays came to visit us! (The girls found the old picture from CLTC and re-enacted it 16 years later.::)

Yes, we are smiling in the picture to the right.    I (Jan) am dropping Patrick off to go teach in PNG for a couple of months. Even though we REALLY miss each other when we are apart,  we are sooo thankful that Patrick is able to go.  We consider it a great privilege to have a small part in making disciples in PNG.  We’ll be doing this once again on January 29th when Patrick begins his travels.  He will be spending 8 weeks at CLTC where he will be teaching 2 classes – Eschatology and Bible Interpretation, and also doing library research for his dissertation.

PRAISE:

1.  Patrick  being able to return to  PNG to teach for 8 weeks.

2. Great students for Jan this year AND she is feeling much more up-to-date and effective in her teaching.

3. God’s precious gift of loving, supportive friends, family, and churches through some very difficult days during these last 6 months.

PRAY THAT:

1.  As Patrick teaches and preaches in PNG the students’ faith and commitment will grow.

2. Jan will have strength and wisdom to care for the family and to teach her students well.

3. Our children will walk closely with the Lord in their various stages in life.  Kristin: Just began her LAST SEMESTER (yay!)  at Bryan College.  Benjamin:  has decided to put college on hold and work for a while.  Karis: 10th grade in high school.

4. Pray for direction for Kristin when she graduates in May.  She has applied for several internships in different churches and ministries and is waiting to see what doors God opens.