June 2022

June was such a crazy month, that it's already mid-July and I just realized I hadn't ever posted a June recap! But I didn't want to miss it completely, so here it goes!

Josh has finally gotten back into his pre-covid rhythm of visiting one Lower Shire church and one Zomba area church a month. The kids and I hadn't been with him to a village church in a long time, so we thought it would be fun to go along one more time before furlough. The coordinator was apparently really happy to finally have Josh visit his region again, and he took us to THREE churches! It made it a very long day, but the kids were troopers and so good. They fed us chicken, rice, and cooked greens after the service at the first church, which helped keep the hangries away during the second two services. It's always really fun and interesting to visit the village churches, and to actually see faces of the people whose lives are being changed by the teaching that their pastors are receiving at Shepherds Academy.

Speaking of Shepherds Academy, we also had graduation for the second graduating class! Josh, Isaac, and Matope work so hard to not just teach these guys, but to also disciple them. For me, it's so fun to see Josh doing exactly what God has gifted him to do.

I met with my Gospel Life Baptist Church Bible study ladies for the last time for a while. I'm so thankful for the chance to study the Bible with them, and I'm so proud of how much they are maturing in their faith as we study together. They are in great hands while I'm gone, with Eunice and Susan (wives of pastors Wilkes and Isaac) teaching them.

The kids did school right up until the day before we left. Partly because it was easier to keep them in their usual routine, and partly because they were pretty behind on some of their subjects and needed every day they could get to finish up. We said a sad goodbye to their wonderful tutors, Taonga, Grace, and Tamala.

Then we said goodbye to Malawi! Isaac, Susan, and their son Jedidiah took us to the airport and off we went!

And we said hello to Rome, Italy! We spent 3 days in Rome on the way to America, and it was beyond amazing! I'm working on some posts on the travel blog all about our time there, because it was way too much to summarize here!

Then we said goodbye to Rome and...

Hello to America! And family! And friends! It's been super busy and exhausting and overwhelming, but also super good! We're so happy to be here and see everyone!

Less than a week after we landed, Haylee, Jude, and Taylah went to Crossings at Jonathan Creek with Hardin Baptist's middle schoolers. Haylee and Taylah stayed with the group, and the plan was for Jude and me to go home at night and just come during the days.  We ended up only coming the first day (it was just too hard with Jude and not set up well for him), but that day we got to do tubing on the lake, and he loved it SO MUCH. We had so much fun and never got thrown off! The girls also had a BLAST, and made lots of friends.

Josh's sister and her kids are staying with their parents for a long visit this summer, so we've spent as much time as possible there with them! The boys are having so much fun together, and my big girls are bonding so well with her little girls. It's so sweet to get to see them all together.

Well that is a very quick recap of our crazy, crazy June!