Is This Thing Working?

I'll bet that's what some of you thought as we have strayed a bit from our weekly updates.
Looks like we're at about a week and a half on this one, so I suppose it's time to give another update.

We received a huge blessing this week when a family friend informed us that they were making a very generous donation toward the repairs on our car! Thanks to those who were praying with us through these past few days and a very special thanks to our friend! God always has it under control, even when we feel like the ride is getting a little too bumpy for our comfort, doesn't he?

This weekend we also took Jake to the Ushaka Aquarium, which is where these pictures are from. He had a blast and we ended up definitely getting our money's worth, as we went through it four times that day! Funny little story from the outing:

Jake and Daddy were looking at the jellyfish when a worker that Jake had spoken to earlier walked up for another round of the talkative little American. She asks him if he likes the jellyfish and he replies that he does, and that sea turtles eat jellyfish, but they don't eat trash, because that makes them sick (Jake learned this while playing the Tuga the Sea Turtle game on www.nickjr.com). The lady's eyes got big and she sort of laughed, called him a "clever boy" and then walked away.

About 15 minutes later, we went to the sea turtle tank to watch the feeding, and who was the narrator, but Jake's new friend. While she was giving her little sea turtle speech as the diver was feeding the turtles, she explained that one of a sea turtle's most common foods is jellyfish. Of course, she also explained to the kids the importance of not littering, as sea turtles often mistake discarded plastic bags for jellyfish, then eat them and get very sick from it. While she was giving this part of her speech, she looked at Jake with a huge smile and winked a him. Our little genius... :)

Well, what other detail about our week could really top those two? Probably nothing, so I'd better end it on a high note!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Dear Jesus, thank you for Daddy, because he is my son..."

(must...not...tell...redneck...joke...)

Praises and Prayer Requests

Well, in addition to the answer to prayer of the donation we received, we also are happy to report another healthy week! In fact, it has been quite some time since Jake has been sick now. Tricia's allergies are also getting better since the weather is warming up and we are getting more rain. We are thinking that it is the cool and extremely dry winters that are going to be getting to her over the years that we are here.

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- Our continued adjustment to missionary life
-- Unspoken request
-- The 3D program that Tricia is working on, that it would meet the needs of Africans who are called to missions and be useful in preparing them to follow that call

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Spring is here...

Well, thunderstorm season has started this week, so it's the time of year that we run to unplug everything at the first rumble of thunder. Johannesburg, due to the altitude and the high metal content in the soil (this was a mining town), has the second worst lightning in the world. I think St. Petersburg, Russia is the first, but I'm not sure. Anyway, you can impress your friends with that little fact about Jo'burg.

We haven't had too much action this week, which is nice, because we were very busy there for a while. It's definitely good to have a week where you can catch your breath every once in a while.

Of course, this week we have been holding our breath more than anything. Our car has been into the shop five times in the last two weeks since a radiator hose busted and our car overheated. The hose was fixed the following day, but the car has been "weird" ever since. So finally, on the fifth time into the shop, they located the problem: our car has a warped cylinder head from overheating. So... that's expensive. We find out on Friday just how expensive, but that is not a bill we are looking forward to getting (as if there was a bill that we were looking forward to). Pray for us, please, as we need to make funds stretch for 2+ more years and this will probably put a big dent in that plan. We know that God will provide, though.

So goodnight from rainy Johannesburg....

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Ask Mommy if she can sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' to me, because if she doesn't, she is not obeying God."

(We're just happy that our three-year-old is already so in tune with God's will!)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God for RAIN!!! Tricia and Jake's allergies wer much better in the rainy season at the beginning of the year, and we are hoping that the return of the rain will bring some relief for them this time as well.

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- God's provision in the situation with our car
-- Good health for the whole family
-- God's direction in our lives and ministries

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

A Special Visitor

This week, we got to meet someone from our home church (KC First Spanish Church), Dr. Erika Rios! We had never actually met her until she showed up at our door this past week because she started going to Spanish Church after we had already left for Joburg. But it was great to get to meet her, even if she has been so busy that she hasn't been around much. We are so happy to have her staying with us and she makes us feel like a little piece of home has come to us!

Well, Erika didn't just come to visit, she came to be a part of some NCM activities as part of the Church of the Nazarene's global AIDS ministries (thus the "busy" part). She also came bearing gifts from our church! We got all kinds of cool things, but as you can see in the picture, Jake's favorite part was the Fruit by the Foot, which are like long, skinny Fruit Rollups. He thought that was the greatest thing in the world and will probably have them all gone in the next week. :)

Also, this past Sunday we celebrated Tricia's birthday, which was a lot of fun as well. Jake really enjoyed going shopping with Daddy at the mall (yes, there are malls in Africa!) for Mommy's birthday. Jake bought Mommy a CD and Daddy bought her a book, and then we took her to both lunch and dinner that day. A good time was had by all!

This Thursday marks 9 months that we have been here in Africa, which means that our internship is 25% of the way over! Just a little over two years and we will be back interviewing with the General Board. Wow.

Speaking of how time flies... several people have asked us about sending Christmas packages. Basically, if you want to have something arrive before Christmas, we are told that it needs to be sent in the early part of November. We've heard of things sent around Thanksgiving time that didn't arrive until February. So hopefully that answers some questions.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Hi Dad, I just need a drink of some hot coffee."

(Jake said this after Jeremy woke him from a sound sleep in order to take him potty.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God this week for another year of life for Tricia and also for our loving church family back in KC. Les queremos y les extranamos mucho! We also enjoyed a week of good health for the entire family, which is seemingly rare lately!

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- Safe travels for Dr. Erika Rios and the rest of the NCM visitors as they return home this week.
-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

The Performance of a Lifetime

Okay, so it's the only performance of his lifetime, so far, but Jake's concert this past Friday night was definitely something to remember. His nursery school had a big production (around 150 people in attendance) and Jake's age group sang three songs. The picture is of Jake with his friends Craig and Ethan, enjoying their post-concert treats.

Now being the good Nazarene he is, Jake chose not to do any of the dance movements, even when reminded by his teacher... you know Methodist nursery school. But the video tape shows that he did sing the songs... and swat at the moths... and pick his nose. I think every kid has to do that in at least one concert in their lives, right?

We had a great time watching him in his first performance, and also enjoyed the company of fellow missionaries David and Patti Cramer, who couldn't resist coming out for such a big event. They definitely got their money's worth. :) Not many of the pictures turned out due to the lighting, but the video tape turned out okay, except for Daddy demonstrating why people choose to buy tripods. Any of you are welcome to come over and watch the video any time!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"No mommy, you can't put cookies on the table. Did your mommy say you could do that?"

(Mommy put a cookie directly on the table, not on a plate or napkin. This deeply offended Jake, and he let her know.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

Jake has a follow-up appointment for a hearing test tomorrow, just a little over a month after his surgery. Although we don't notice a dramatic difference in his responses to us, we are praying that the test shows that his hearing is returning to normal. Please pray that these tests go well tomorrow, and if not, that God could heal Jake's hearing.

Please also remember the following in prayer this week:

-- We have been having a lot of car trouble recently, our car is going into the shop tomorrow for the third time in the last week. Please pray that the mechanic would solve the problem this time and that we can escape with our bank account in tact.
-- Jake was diagnosed with tonsilitis last week (although we're wondering if it was strep throat). He is better now, but the doctor has said that if he has a flare-up again, that we should consider having his tonsils removed. Please pray that God could heal Jake and give him a bit of a break from these health issues.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Hoppin' Into Spring!

Yep, that was a short winter. It was pretty much just June - August, and now it's starting to warm up again. This past week was all in the 70's, and it is sunny about 95% of the time here. The weather is never bad in Joburg, it's just that the nights can sometimes get a little cold with no central heat in the houses.

Anyway, the weather turning for the warmer has been the highlight of an otherwise blah week. Yes, sickness has struck the Johnson household again, and Jake was very sick on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but is feeling a bit better today. Hopefully he will be back to normal so that he can get back to school tomorrow. He has a big concert coming up on Friday that we don't want to miss!

Well, the picture you see there is the other reason that Jake wants to make sure he is well for next week… he gets to start gymnastics classes! The guy in the picture is his teacher, Max. Jake loved his free introductory lesson and can’t wait to go back to the “circus” as he calls it. We hope to have a full report for you next time.

In other news, we had a great experience today in our first live interview with one of our LINKS churches (Fort Osage). Pastor Will Silva (who we knew in KC) called us and was able to put the call over his church’s sound system so that we could interact with the church. It was great! Jake even got in on the fun and sang them a song. If anybody else wants to try something like this, we are open to it!

Jake’s Quote of the Week

“Mommy, I want to go outside in just my toes.”

(Kids here play outside in bare feet A LOT. Jake is now getting in on the fun.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We’re thankful for spring and for a bit warmer nights. We’re thankful that Jake seems to be recovering nicely from the flu. We’re thankful that we had a safe and productive week.

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Health for the Johnson family. We have never been so sick so often in our lives!
-- The 3D program that Tricia is working on. She is rapidly getting the program off the ground. Please pray for the program and also that God would continue to work in the lives of those he calls.
-- The upcoming accounting system changeover in Africa Regional Finance. It looks like it’s slated for October.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

SA All The Way!!!

Jake is sporting the South African flag (sort of) facepaint in this picture, and the thumbs-up is symbolic of his week. He really had a great week this week!

Jake went to school every day this so that he could practice for his upcoming concert on the 22nd. He has some songs with motions that he does with his class. He is a thundercloud and the yellow stripe in the rainbow for his concert. He's singing the songs and doing the motions at home, so we know he is excited to perform.

Then, Friday night, we went to the mall for dinner (they have a really nice food court!) and unexpectedly ran into a school fair in the middle of the mall. Jake got his face painted by a clown working to draw kids into the booth of one of the expensive private school. Jake also got a free water bottle, so he was pretty pumped.

On Saturday, Jake went to a free trial leasson at a gymnastics place close to our house. We weren't sure if he would go for it or not, but he loved it! We're going to go ahead and sign him up, since it's really cheap and it's a good way for him to work on his coordination. So it looks like Jake will be a gymnast for a little while. It's kind of cool that things like that are so much cheaper than they would be in the United States, that way he actually can have the opportunity to do it!

Well, that about does it for his week. Daddy and Mommy just had a pretty normal week at the office, nothing too dramatic there!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"I miss Teacher Sharon, but sometimes she puts some of her favorite Deers in time out."

(Jake's class at preschool is called the Deers. We can only guess which one got put in time out.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God this week for Jake and what a blessing he is in our lives. We feel so privileged to watch him grow in size and as a person. We laugh so much with him around and are so thankful for this gift with which God has entrusted us. We just pray for wisdom to care for him as he should be.

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Tricia's continued battles with her allergies
-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Hello Again!

Yes, we missed a week somewhere in there, although it seems that only a week has gone by! Time is just going so fast lately. Next week it will be 8 months that we have been here! Our three year internship will be over and we'll be home for our commissioning and home assignment before you know it.

The picture you see this week is Jake with his "favorite" baby from the orphanage, Lindiwe (Lindi). Jake is having such a good time going there each Tuesday and playing with the kids. Jake plays with the babies occasionally, but mostly plays with Bongi, Benolo, Tabile, and Phiwe (pronounced "Pea-way"). Bongi and Benolo are both two and then Tabile and Phiwe are both five.

Things are going well for us at work, Jeremy had some big meetings this week to get some fairly major things sorted out and running smoothly for the Region. Sorry that's not too detailed, but the details can't really be shared at this time. Tricia is also doing a lot of work in contacting those interested in missions across the Region and also working on planning her first "cross-cultural orientation" here in South Africa. The "cross-cultural orientation" is a seminar about working cross-culturally and is one of the preliminary steps in becoming a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Dear Jesus, Mommy doesn’t like ear-crocodiles or ear-pirates or ear-whales, but she likes dolphins and they eat fish. Amen."

(Don't ask, because we don't know.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

Everyone has been well for the most part this past week! Jake did have one evening where he spiked a 103 degree fever, but it was gone the next morning. Tricia has also felt much better over this past week, as her allergies seem to have subsided for the time being. Thanks for your prayers!

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Change and progress is a good thing... but it also brings stress. Please pray for us as we get into the "meat" of our jobs.
-- Unspoken request

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Happy New Ear!

Okay, apologies for the corny title, but we are celebrating today because Jake's surgery went well! We were amazed at how quickly he came through it, it was less than 20 minutes from the time he went into the operating room until he came out. The doctor told us that between Jake's exam on Friday and the surgery this morning, Jake had developed a severe ear infection. The doctor said that he had never seen an ear infection get so bad so fast and that the eardrum probably would have ruptured by the end of the day if they hadn't had the surgery this morning. God definitely knows what He's doing!

Before I go any further, I guess I'd better explain the pictures. The first is one of our friends from our backyard. These little lizards are everywhere! They are cute little guys and range from the size you see in the picture to about the length of an adult's finger. Jake loves them! The second picture is from our first day of volunteering at the children's home in our neighborhood. Jake and Jeremy played with the big kids while Tricia helped care for the babies. We had a great time!

Well, the last 24 hours have been pretty exhausting (especially since Jake woke up 4 times last night), but God has brought us through wonderfully. We are so thankful that the surgery went well and we can focus on putting Jake's ear issues to rest now. Thank you so much for all of your prayers during this time, the Lord was definitely with us!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Mommy, after the doctor fixes my ears, then we can go to the mall, and then we can go to the store to get some jelly beans."

(This kid never stops thinking about candy)

Praises and Prayer Requests

Of course, our big praise for the week is that Jake's surgery went so well. We know that a lot of you were praying, and we feel so fortunate to be lifted up by the Body of Christ in this way. We really can't express how much your support means to us.

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Jake's recovery from his surgery, which should only take a few days. He has a follow-up appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks where they will retest his hearing. We're praying for 100% rather than 70% this time.
-- Tricia is still sick. It's been well over a week this time and although she is feeling a bit better today, it would be nice if she could kick it.
-- A team of ANU students (ANU is in Nairobi, Kenya) is travelling to Johannesburg this week. Please pray for their safe travels.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

A Prayer Request

Just a quick note to request prayer:

Today, we took Jake to an ear, nose and throat specialist to try to figure out why he has been having frequent ear infections, difficulty hearing, etc. He had a bit of a problem with this when we were still in the U.S., but we have noticed that it has intensified since we arrived in Joburg, and he was starting to get in trouble at school because he "wasn't listening".

Anyway, it turns out that Jake needs grommets (we call them tubes) in his ears. They are also going to check out his larynx while they do the surgery, as they suspect that some of his problems might be related to his reflux, believe it or not. He has his outpatient surgery scheduled for Monday morning. It's not a huge deal, kids get grommets all the time, but we are a little nervous about having our three-year-old put under for the surgery. Plus there's the fact that we are in a foreign country and we have to front the money and then wait on the insurance to reimburse us.

So, we'd like your prayers for Jake's surgery and healing, his parents' nervousness, and the Lord's provision on the financial aspect. His surgery is Monday morning at 8:00am our time, which is 1:00am Central time in the States.

Thank you for your prayers!

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Fun Times

It's that time of the week again, and it's been another good one. Not that there was anything too exciting going on, but it was an enjoyable week.

This past weekend, we went to the National Zoo in Pretoria, which is about 45 minutes to an hour from our house (45 minutes with Jeremy driving). Oh yeah, and we went with some random South Africans that we met at McDonald's two weeks ago (they turned out to be great). Animal-wise, it was probably just about like any other zoo in the States. However, the grounds and facilities were nicer than any zoo that I had ever been to. But... once you've been to a game park, a zoo just doesn't quite cut it anymore. We've been here 7 months and we're spoiled already!

Then on Tuesday, we started volunteering as a family at a small orphanage in our neighborhood. It's called Door of Hope, and it's affiliated with the Baptist church (there's nothing similar that the Church of the Nazarene offers in our area). We figured that it's close to home and is a good way for us to "get our hands dirty" in ministry, plus it's something we can all do together. In all, there are 14 kids at this home, 10 of them between 0 and 2, and 4 of them between 2 and 5. Jake and Jeremy play with the older kids while Tricia helps take care of the babies. Right now, we plan to go once a week for about two hours. It was a blast the first week!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Dear Jesus, help us to take a ride on the boat with Auntie Diane on November 9th and please give us a new house. Amen."

(I don't even know what to say about this. Looks like I'd better find a boat in Ethiopia...)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We thank God this week for the work that he is doing on us. We feel challenged, but in a good way. You don't grow without the challenges, right?!

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Tricia and Jake are sick... again. Sooner or later, we're going to get used to these South African germs.

-- Aggie at Door of Hope: She is running a home with 14 kids with just her and another live-in volunteer. The rest of her help with the kids is volunteer help, which is sometimes just not enough. Please pray for her health (and sanity!) as she cares for these children as best as she can.

Until next week,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

A New 'Do !!!

Yes, Daddy convinced Mommy today to let Jake try a new hairstyle. About halfway through the haircut, neither Mommy nor Daddy were too sure about it, but it turned out okay (we think). We're sure that there will be many that will disagree with us, as Jake's hair had many fans before. However, as Daddy told Mommy, don't worry, it can always grow back. So, what do you think?!

Well, this has been a big week. On Saturday, Jeremy went with some of the guys from the Regional Office to a soccer tournament in Soweto. There were about 80,000 crazy fans there, and it was a blast, although Jeremy came back with a killer sunburn on his face.

While Jeremy was in Soweto, Tricia and Jake went with another missionary and a local lady to Bruma market, an open-air market that was the setting for one of the challenges in last year's Amazing Race (the TV show). They also had a great time shopping and soaking in the culture.

However, the highlight of the week was yesterday, when Jeremy and Tricia celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that eight years have gone by already, it seems like yesterday! They went to a nice dinner at a steak restaurant in the area while "Uncle Johnny" and Jake had pizza and watched The Lion King. Going out to dinner is cheaper here than in the States, which made it extra nice! We thank God for eight wonderful years, throughout which he has challenged us, guided us, and most of all, loved us.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Daddy, I have to stay in and watch a movie today. I can’t go outside because I have an ear collection."

(We haven't actually seen Jake's "ear collection", but we really hope we don't. However, if anyone is missing any, we will gladly make Jake return them. But the threat worked, Daddy let Jake stay in and watch a movie this morning.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God for our family and the eight years during which it has been established and grown both in number and in strength. By the time we come home for a visit in December 2008, we will have had quite a first decade of marriage. It has been a great joruney and there are not words to express how much we owe God for this joy.

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Jake has been battling with his hearing lately, which (we think) is allergy related, but can't really tell. The doctor has told us that in order to accurately test his hearing that we have to catch him at a time when his ear canal is not irritated and there is not much wax build-up. So far, those two things haven't happened at the same time. Please pray that we get to the bottom of this soon.

Thank you to those who have sent packages lately. We will be sending pictures to you soon!

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Eish! What a day!

"Eish" (pronounced like ash with a long "a" instead of a short one) is an expression that South Africans use sort of in the same context that we would use the word "man". For example, "Eish, I'm tired" or "Eish, that stinks."

Anyway, the reason it comes into play here is the day we had today. It definitely was a doozy. To make a long story short, in addition to the normal daily tasks, the Johnsons got to deal with a leaky toilet (leaky on the dirty side, not the clean side), plumbers that were four hours late, and having a confrontation with some crazy hippie "missionaries" that managed to deceive their way into one of our guest flats. Lots of fun. In the end, the police were involved and everything, but it ended without things getting physical, so that was a blessing! We are all safe and sound.

Well, because of these things, the Johnsons are a little worn out tonight, emotionally and physically. This will be a short one. Please pray for our peace of mind, because we actually felt badly about having to get rid of our hippie friends, since it is very cold here right now. Pray for them as well, that God can really work in their lives and keep them out of trouble.

Anyway, this week was a pretty "average" week, tonight's events excluded. Jake did take "Uncle Johnny" (Johnny Wakefield, a NIVS guy who graduated from ONU this year) to the Lion Park on Saturday, and that awesome zebra pic you see is Johnny's.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Dear Jesus, please send us lots of jelly beans, ‘cause that’s why you’re up in heaven Jesus, is to give us jelly beans."

(Jake has obviously gotten his theology mixed up a little bit somewhere along the line... we're working on it.)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God that the potentially very bad situation we faced today was defused without much fanfare. We are reminded that even when we are asking "why me?", God is already working out a way to make himself known to us. Thank you for safety and learning experiences!

Please just remember us in prayer in a general sense this week. There's nothing "big" going on, but we definitely need the Lord's guidance in our lives this week. Thanks for your prayers!

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Cars, Cars, and... Cars

Yes, the movie Cars has come out here in South Africa, and we went to see it the weekend before last. Ever since, that has been almost all Jake has talked about. He has gotten a couple of toys of the main characters from the movie in his Happy Meals, and he plays with them all day and then sleeps with them all night. He is addicted! Since movies are only 14 rand a ticket (right at $2), we will probably end up seeing it again before it leaves the theater. It's fun to see him so excited about something.

The past week has been a pretty exciting one for us at work. Tricia is really starting to get rolling and it in conversations with a lot of Nazarenes in Africa who have been called to missions but have never had an avenue to pursue that call. It's so encouraging to see how ready they are to accept that call in their lives, even though getting them through this still-developing process will take some time. At the same time, this reassures us in our call las well, to see that we can make such a difference when God has already prepared the way.

Jeremy is also still chipping away at various issues in the Finance department as well. This past week, he was working with an insurance company to figure out a way to get pension payments to retired ministers in other countries throughout Africa. There have been many complications with the way those sorts of things work in South Africa, but he was able to figure out a way to make it happen this week! Now, those who had not been receiving their pensions can finally start receiving them again. How rewarding!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Oh, Jesus is sick in my heart! I need you to pick me up so that Jesus will feel better.”

(Jake was running around just after eating and said this as he was grabbing his stomach)

Praises & Prayer Requests

We praise God this week for the encouragement he gave us through the recent progress we have made in our jobs. It really reassures us that this is exactly where he wants us to be right now. It's a wonderful thing to have that knowledge.

We also praise God that Dr. Enoch Litswele, who was on our prayer list a while back, is continuing to make great leaps in his recovery from a stroke. He is walking, talking, and his memory is coming back nicely now!

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Tricia, as she battles her allergies this winter. Her allergies were better than they have been in years during the summer, but are now worse than they have ever been during this winter.
-- Patience for the Johnsons. Our toilet and washer both broke this week, and repair people aren't exactly as reliable here as they are in the States. Tomorrow will be Day 3 that Tricia has had to sit at home all day, waiting for the repairman to show up. It's tempting for the Americans in us to come out!
-- As we experience success in our roles here, it is sometimes tempting to try to "take control" and leave God out of the equation more than we do when things are going badly. Please pray that we will constant rely on God in both our failures and successes.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Almost Done with Winter!

Today, you can see that Jake and Jozi were having fun playing with bubbles (Jake blowing, Jozi biting). We had a very warm day today, it got into the lower 70s , which is about 10 degrees warmer than normal. Not too bad for winter! The "winter" part comes at night, when it is in the high 30s/low 40s. They say that the weather starts warming up again in August, so our winter is almost over!

Well, this past week we have been doing a lot of work on making our house "ours". Six months in, we decided to shift some furniture around, put up some more decorations, and even put a loft up in Jake's room! He calls it his "jungle bed" and is up there as much as he can be. It's a lot of fun!

Things are going well with our jobs, we just keep plugging away. Tricia made some good progress this week in her work, and Jeremy is getting ready to close out one of his many projects. We are feeling pretty good about that!

Also, we just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for all of the cards and the packages that have been sent over these past six months. They have been a real blessing to us and have definitely brought smiles to our faces every time we receive them! Thank you so much for all that you do to make us feel loved and supported.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Ouch Daddy, you've got swords on your face!"

(Daddy hadn't shaved in a couple of days and gave Jake a kiss goodnight)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We thank God this week for a good week! We are also thankful that this week we were able to catch up with some friends that we hadn't talked to in a while. That's always nice!

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- The Miller family (missionaries to Ethiopia), as they are currently in Joburg attending to health problems.
-- Jake, as he copes with recently losing his two best friends to different assignments.
-- Our continued adjustment to South Africa and also working in a church setting.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Noses to the Grindstone

Well, Jake sure looks like he's taking it easy, but this past week has been one of those weeks where we didn't really do much but work. Even our "time off" was spent doing a lot of work-related things this week. I guess we'll have weeks like that, though.

In the spirit of keeping our noses to the grindstone, we thought we'd share a little bit about the things that we are (and have been) doing at work these days:

Tricia
Tricia has a dual role for the Region, she is the 3D Program Coordinator for the Africa Region and the guest flat manager for our housing complex here in Joburg. The goal of the 3D Program is to discover, develop, and deploy African missionaries, both within Africa and throughout the rest of the world. While this program is further along in some other areas of the world, Tricia is really building it from the ground floor here in Africa. In some ways, it is good that she has just arrived on the mission field, because she remembers her training and can apply the same concepts to those called to missions in Africa.

As guest flat manager, she is responsible for renting and maintaining our guest flats here in Joburg, which serve mainly to house those who are visiting the Africa Regional Office from other countries. Whenever there is a conference, event, etc., Tricia is making sure that our guests feel as much at home as possible.

Jeremy
Jeremy's main responsibility is serving as the Special Assistant to the Finance Coordinator, but he seems to get his hands in a little bit of everything from time to time. Right now, he is working on getting the pension and medical programs sorted out for the employees of the Church of the Nazarene in Africa, assisting in the monthly allocation process (accounting of the movement of money on the region), and a variety of other projects that have been on the back burner while more pressing issues have taken people's time. His main job is to take care of those pesky "business issues" that the Finance Coordinator just can't afford to spend time on while working on improving our accounting system.

However, Jeremy has also helped around the office in a number of different areas, everything from remodeling to real estate, and from moving furniture to selling cars. The good thing is that there is always something to do, so he is never bored!

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Dear Jesus, please send us strawberries and jelly beans and gummy worms and marshmallows and some… lots and lots of candy. Amen."

(He is definitely his mother's child!)

Praises and Prayer Requests

This week, we were reminded of God's grace as we celebrated six months in South Africa. We still kind of laugh to ourselves that God would have us being missionaries. We know that it is nothing within us that allows us to be here, it is all him. We look to the future confidently, knowing that he will take just as good of care of us as he has so far.

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- The Cyr family, as they are traveling to their new assignment in Miami
-- The Mthombeni family (one of Jeremy's coworkers), who have lost four family members within the last month, including one in a car accident on the way home from one of the funerals.
-- The Miller family (missionaries to Ethiopia), as they are currently in Joburg attending to health problems.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

6 Months Already?

It's hard to believe that on Wednesday it will have been six months since we arrived in South Africa... if the rest of the three years goes as quickly as the first six months, we will be there visiting with you in no time!

So, six months into it, we are starting to feel a little more at home. We know our way around a bit, we know enough of the local ways of saying and doing things that people actually understand what we're trying to say/do, and Jake is even starting to talk a bit like a South African!

Actually though, six months into it, we thought we would have accomplished more than we have. We're really just starting to understand how much work there really is to do. As Americans, I think we're used to rolling up our sleeves, getting right to work, and getting things taken care of. It just doesn't work like that here! Things just go at a different pace here, and there's not a whole lot you can do about it sometimes. We have learned to be a bit more patient and just to plug away, little by little, each day!

By the way, Happy 4th of July! I guess this also means that we've been posting on this blog for a little over a year now... wow. Living in another country really gives you a perspective as to how fortunate we really are to enjoy the freedoms (and luxuries) that we have as Americans. So we can sit here this year with no fireworks, but more proud to be Americans than we ever have been before.

Jake's Quote of the Week

"Mommy, when the sun goes bye-bye, he goes home to get a toy from his mommy and then when he gets his toy, he comes back tomorrow to see us."

(Move over Galileo, there's a new sheriff in town...)

Praises & Prayer Requests

We thank God for the strength that he has given us to make it through these first six months! It has been very hard at times, and we have been homesick, but he has helped those feelings to pass and to give us the comfort of knowing that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Your prayers have been a vital part of this!

Please remember the following in prayer this week:

-- Tricia, as she is struggling with her allergies here in this new environment. Summer was good, winter not so good. Luckily, winter will be over in August!
-- The Africa Region Financial Services office, as we prepare for a major accounting system changeover in August.
-- The North family, as they get adjusted to life in the U.S. again, and the Cyr family, as they prepare to leave South Africa next week.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

P.S. The picture this week was taken at the Lion Park we went to a few weeks ago. If you look closely, you can see that one of the lions is playing with a windshield wiper from a car that got a little too close. :)

Saying Goodbye

Don't worry, WE'RE not saying goodbye to YOU... it's us saying goodbye to some fellow missionaries. Yes, part of the life of a missionary is saying goodbye, and we've done more of that than we care to in the last six months. Since we said goodbye to our friends and family in early January, we've now said goodbye to four missionary families. But we understand that the only constant in life is change, and we also know that the families that left have all felt God's calling to new assignments.

This time around, we are saying goodbye to the North and Cyr families. The Norths leave tomorrow and the Cyrs on July 10th. This is going to be an especially hard one for Jake because Jordan North and Nkele Cyr are his two best friends. He doesn't really grasp the concept now, but we imagine that we will have one sad little boy on our hands once he realizes what has happened. However, we know that he will make new friends and will be just fine once he has done that.

Well, the big news this week is that everyone is WELL! We were all so sick of being sick, but we're back in the saddle again. Jake is eating like a big boy and back to doing all of the things he likes to do. For right now, those things are:

1. Swinging on his new swing

2. Making his parents nervous by jumping off of EVERYTHING

3. Making up stories having to do with dinosaurs, dolphins, lions, sharks, pirates and swords

4. Watching movies

5. Playing with his puppy

6. Hitting his dad with empty paper towell rolls (actually, Dad started this one, so he deserves it right back)

Well, the big news of this week is that we have discussed it as a family, and we are going to try out a new section in our weekly update. We'll see how it goes over... your feedback is appreciated. :)

Jake's Quote of the Week (with parental commentary)

"I like to go potty sitting down because Jesus goes potty sitting down." - Jake

(As at the time it was spoken, I'm not really sure what to say here, so it will be more of a disclaimer than a comment this week... The views expressed in this quote are solely the opinion of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the doctrines and/or beliefs of the Church of the Nazarene... or his parents)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We are so thankful for health, it is so much easier to do the tasks that God has set before us when we actually feel like getting out of bed in the morning! Thank you for you prayers, they worked!

Also, a praise/update on Dr. Enoch Litswele, who is out of the hospital and back at his home, continuing his recovery.

We ask that you remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- The North and Cyr families, as they go and prepare to go to new assignments.

-- The group from the Africa Regional Office that is currently in Kansas City and heading back to Joburg next week.

Until next week,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Still a Bunch of Sickos...

Well, that's not entirely true, Jeremy has fully recovered from his illness and is back to 100%, and Tricia is mostly just battling severe allergies, but the ol' Jakester is still sick. He was better for a few days, seemed on the road to recovery, but over the weekend his cough and fever came back. So, we took him to the doctor today and he has two ear infections and a throat infection... bummer. But today we got him a whole bunch of medicine and the doctor thinks that he should be better in a few days. The joys of a child in preschool... :)

In other news, we are finally settled into the newly remodeled portion Africa Regional Office. Jeremy helped coordinate both the remodeling and the move of everyone from their old spots to their new ones, so it's a nice sense of accomplishment to see it done. Now that she has a desk, Tricia is going to start going into the office on a part-time basis (she works from home most of the time) so that she can get filing and things done that can't be done remotely.

Jeremy's supervisor, Fred Otto, is back from home assignment and is getting settled back into the office, so things are getting back to normal for Jeremy. Of course, as soon as they do get back to normal, the Financial Services office will be undergoing an accounting system change in late July. It's a good thing though, as it is the same system that Headquarters is on.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... the pictures this week are from our trip to the Lion Park this weekend. It's about 20 minutes from our house and has about 40-50 lions, in addition to zebra, giraffes, ostriches, and a few other animals. Jake and Daddy got to pet the lion cubs while we were there! Jake also had fun using Mommy's digital camera to take some pictures of his own! We'll let you guess which one he took. :)

Praises and Prayer Requests

We praise God that this past week we received word that our fellow missionary friends, the Shinglers (intern missionaries to Ukraine), who welcomed a new baby girl, Geneveve Grace, into their family! Please remember them in prayer as they balance a new baby and intensive language training.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the following needs:

-- That Jake gets to feeling better, as he's been sick off and on for over two weeks now. We know that God will see him through this next year as he battles with all of the new "bugs" he will face at preschool.
-- As we prepare to say goodbye to the North and Cyr families, we pray for God's blessing on their new assignments. The Norths are going to serve at headquarters in KC, while the Cyrs have accepted a missionary assignment on the Caribbean Region.
-- With the departure of these families, Jake will be the only missionary kid under 15 in South Africa. Please pray that he finds some new friends to play with!

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

Happy Birthday to Jake!

Well, this post is a little late because we all have been sick for the last week and a half, but here it is! There has been a nasty flu/upper respiratory thing that has been going around Joburg for a few weeks, and the new missionary family was sure to get it. Jeremy missed two and a half days of work with it and Jake missed over a week of school. Thankfully, Tricia did not get the same thing that the guys had, but has been struggling with her allergies lately.

However, we are back in the saddle! For those of you that knew about it and were praying, thank you! So, it has been an action-filled two weeks, but here's a quick summary of the things that happened:


Jake got a new puppy (a Boxer) for his birthday...














He had a birthday party...



















He played a lot of fun games at his party with his friends from the neighborhood...













And even got to have a party at school with his class!












So, Jake has had a couple of big weeks, despite the sickness. Mommy and Daddy have been taking care of Jozi, his new puppy, and Jake has been having fun being three. Thanks to everyone that sent cards and packages to him, he really enjoyed getting the mail!

Praises and Prayer Requests

While we are very thankful that we are not as sick as we were this time last week, we're still not back to 100% for some reason. Jake especially is having a hard time with this one, and still has a pretty nasty cough. Please remember him in prayer this week.

As a follow-up to a prayer request a few weeks ago, we have received word that Dr. Enoch Litswele is doing much better in a hospital in Nelspruit, South Africa. Please keep praying for him and his family, as he still has a way to go in his recovery.

Please also pray for our continued adjustment to our new jobs and lives here in South Africa. We are so blessed to have such a great support system behind us!

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake

A Busy Week

As we mentioned last week, we started off our week having two students from the SNU team staying with us. Leigh and Amy were the two assigned to our house, and we all enjoyed having them stay with us, it was a good time. Jake especially enjoyed it, asking every morning when he first woke up, "Where's my girls?" He had a lot of fun playing with all of the students on the team, and I think the team thought Jake was okay too. :) Our pictures this week are of Jake with the team (of course, one with just him and "his girls").



This week also brought the end of Jake's "itches" (stitches), as he called them. We were worried about how he would react to them being taken out, as he didn't have any anesthesia for that part, plus they were right in his hairline, and we were afraid that the doctor might pull some hair with the stitches. However, Jake proved to be a little tough guy and didn't even cry at all! Maybe part of it was that he was being bribed with jelly beans, but we were impressed! Thanks for your prayers!

This week at work, Jeremy coordinated the first half of the office move that ARO (Africa Regional Office) is undertaking. The last few months, Jeremy has been working with contractors to have the main office area remodeled, and it is nearing completion. Thursday and Friday, Jeremy was in charge of a team of students from nearby Nazarene Theological College to move the first half of the offices. Everything went well and they are now ready to finish it up this week. This move will put most of the ARO staff in the same area, rather than scattered throughout the building, which will be a good thing for everyone.

We are also preparing this week for Jake's upcoming birthday, which is June 6th. His party is June 3rd, and we are working on preparations for that. It's hard to believe that he almost three years old! Tricia is making a pinata for the party, since no one here in South Africa has any idea what one is. It should be a good time!

Praises and Prayer Requests

We thank God this week for the easy time that we had with Jake's stitches coming out. That was a concern for us that God really took care of for us. We also are thankful that all of the various things that we were involved in this week, despite challenges, turned out well!

Please remember the following needs in prayer this week:

-- The SNU team that is now travelling in Botswana and Zambia, that God would bless the rest of their time there and that they would have a safe trip back home.
-- The Africa South Field meetings that are occurring this week, that God would use the time that the leaders of the church are here together to begin some great things for the South Field.

Until next time,

Jeremy, Tricia & Jake