Earth, Wind and Fire….
Winds of change…
We’ve been back in the USA for two months and thankfully, the winds of change are lessening and life is starting to feel normal again as we juggle the new routines and rhythms of American life. Home assignment is intended to be a time set aside from the demands of ministry on the mission field– a time to be with friends and family, a time to be refreshed in your native language, a time to catch up with financial and prayer partners through church or home presentations, a time to get proper medical and dental care which is often neglected for several years. Home assignment for us is indeed all of those things and more– it’s also a time of packing in as many opportunities as possible knowing that we won’t have the chance again for another 2 years. Sometimes those opportunities are organized sports, or much needed tutoring, sometimes it’s continuing medical education or additional training, business presentations or Sarobidy Creations sales events. To that end, it’s a time where our weeks (and weekends) are booked solid all the way through December 10th as of a couple weeks ago!
The biggest question…
Putting out fires…
The Malagasy staff have literally been putting out fires in our absence! A small but destructive fire was purposefully set as an act of sabotage in the village of Antsanitia. Several Malagasy houses were lost and the fire encroached into the dry deciduous nursery of Eden Projects. As much as was possible, the team used the fire fighting skills they’ve been trained in to put out the flames before more was lost.
Meanwhile, the preparations for the start of the planting season in January continue at the various dry deciduous nurseries and over 2 million mangrove propagules continue to be planted each month in the coastal estuaries.
Our new teammate Ando has been getting to know the Eden Projects staff and has been traveling with them to the various project sites. His desire is to further disciple the staff and encourage them in their walk with the Lord.
Meanwhile, Jamie is talking to Eden staff in Madagascar several nights each week as he figuratively helps to extinguish other fires as it relates to running a large organization in a third world country. At the same time, Jamie, teammates Neal and Josh from Madagascar and the rest of the USA based Eden crew have been diligently working on all matters relating to budget and large contracts.
Navigating new waters…
The Sarobidy Creation artisans are currently waiting for new orders and hence are enjoying some down-time after such a big push to complete numerous orders before we left Madagascar. At the same time, our work for Sarobidy Creations is currently all-consuming as we navigate new waters of development to streamline the selling of the artisan items here in the USA. As is often the case, there’s a massive amount of up-front work which should lighten the load down the line but for now we’re in the thick of navigating new Point of Sale systems, barcodes, scanners and website developments.
Please earnestly pray with us for someone with the gifting and passion for fashion and design and business as mission to join our team to take charge of this growing ministry as it is vital to the lives of the artisans as well as the financial needs that it provides for the Sarobidy Maternity Center!
The earth is shaking…
In like manner, we’re in desperate need of a new teacher to homeschool our kids in their English education for when our family returns to Madagascar in January. The reality hit like a ton of bricks yesterday that this is just three months away and up to this point, there are no possibilities. This again, is scary for us. We covet your prayers and we trust the Lord that He will answer in whichever way is best. Please help to spread the word to your friends and family!
A dream come true…
Jamie and Josy (far right) have been doing life and ministry together for over 30 years and the two have always dreamt of Josy coming to the USA. The time is now! Josy will be traveling to Santa Barbara at the end of October for two weeks! His time here is two-fold– first, to thank all of you who have individually held Josy and his family up in prayer over many years both in ministry as well as the uncertainty of his health status and to personally thank all of you who sacrificially and generously gave so that he could live through dialysis, a life-saving kidney transplant in India, and the ongoing medical expenses associated with anti-rejection drugs. The second reason, is so that Josy, as national director of Eden Projects in Madagascar can present to the Eden board of Directors at their upcoming meeting in early November. Josy’s visa has been granted, his tickets have been purchased and he’ll arrive in Santa Barbara on October 27th. We’re currently scheduling a time that Josy will be sharing his story for all those that would like to hear this amazing testimony! We’ll be sure to keep you updated! Be on the lookout, especially on Facebook (either of our personal pages or Red Island Restoration) for the announcement of this upcoming event!
We’re so thankful that we love and serve a God who is more powerful than the strongest of winds, who snuffs out the flames of the fiercest of fires, who calms even the unruliest of seas and who settles the tremblings of the earth. He is our peace, our hope, our joy. We pray that you are experiencing Him in the same ways!
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