Epiphany Greetings!
We have had a year of family. Will, Herlinda, Buddy and Isa came for about ten days right after Christmas last year. It was so wonderful to show them our little farm, and to share with them what we are doing in ministry. We went to NYC for two weeks last summer. We were there for great weather and that wonderful time before the Delta variant arrived, so we had freedom from masks as we walked along outdoors. The girls (Sara, Becca, Dorothy) and their families organized every day into the most marvelous field trips. We had a ball seeing botanical and city gardens, museums, and eating fine food in great restaurants. Oh, we do love having adult children! Ben came for about a week in October to share his plans of moving to Portugal for a while. He has been busy working on a big project that takes Sesame Street to refugee children in Bangladesh and Pakistan; he works from his computer, so he can take his work anywhere. And finally, Markie got to go to Honolulu to watch Dorothy and David run the Honolulu marathon. Herb had planned to go, but then got a nasty infection on his leg. Dorothy then arrived Christmas day for a short but wonderful visit. We are anticipating a visit from Becca, Frank, and Mari in January, and if I’m counting correctly, I think that’s all five kids, spouses, and grandkids.
We welcomed two new missionary families to Belize this year. The Micah Wildauer family arrived in February. They had been serving in Togo, Africa, and are loving this new Latin American experience. Then, in September, Gary and Sue Kessler arrived as short-term (6 months) missionaries to help with projects and the preschool. The Flores family was reunited and have returned from Norway with baby Lucas who turns one this January. These new additions have really helped to add fellowship to the ministry as we grow.
Markie purchased and directed the planting of 500 new baby teak trees, so our little plantation has about 750 teak and about 50 mahoganies. We have also added cacao, star fruit and avocados; we continue to enjoy eating the delicious papaya, pineapples, and citrus. God is so good!
We wish you all the very best in 2022. May God bless you and your families richly.
