Happy Thanksgiving Season and Happy "Holy" Days to each and everyone of you!
December is full of many different festivities and outings for many of you I am sure. On top of Celebrating the birth of our Savior and prayerfully ushering in a new year, we get to celebrate ONE YEAR on staff with Samaritan Air. God is so good and faithful to use us. So, before we update you any further, we want to pause and say thank you to our Father in Heaven for looking down upon us and you with love and working out "HIS BEST" in "HIS" timing. "Thank you Jesus for coming that first night over 2000 years ago to begin the process of rescuing us from sin, death, and the evil one!"
December is full of many different festivities and outings for many of you I am sure. On top of Celebrating the birth of our Savior and prayerfully ushering in a new year, we get to celebrate ONE YEAR on staff with Samaritan Air. God is so good and faithful to use us. So, before we update you any further, we want to pause and say thank you to our Father in Heaven for looking down upon us and you with love and working out "HIS BEST" in "HIS" timing. "Thank you Jesus for coming that first night over 2000 years ago to begin the process of rescuing us from sin, death, and the evil one!"
Now, on to the business at hand. Life is busy, but we are keeping it simple. John has his first trip into Haiti in one month! He will be flying into the country in January and staying there for a couple of weeks. He has the privilege of assisting his home church in Washington State with two of their medical teams. He is busy these days trying to accumulate "stuff" to help make this time in the country easier. He is taking the helicopter to a very primitive, remote area (we are told). He was told just last week by a Haitian pastor that will be assisting him that the area he will be staying at is "not modern" at all. :) We aren't sure what that means, but John is trying to plan for "Survivor" type conditions. I told him just yesterday that maybe he should get some of those crank flashlights! I said it in jest, but he said that would be a good idea. All uncertainty aside, John is sooooo ready to go to Haiti. He will be sending pics, if possible, while he is down there. He will also be visiting the Dominican Republic at the end of his trip.
Someone who works at the airport brought the boys doughnut 'treats'. :)
Arriving last year, we were uncertain what this first year would look like. It has been a difficult transition for the boys, but we are enjoying our time here. We did know that it would take this year to work more of the legistics out with Samaritan Air. And, as always, God has taken the lead and pushed us forward on his time, not ours. This 2nd year with Samaritan Air that begins in January will provide more opportunity for John to be in the country as well as more time for him to build financial backing for Samaritan Air. Yes, we still have a lot of support to raise, but those of you that have stood with us this year are definitely going with John on this first trip. Every bit of your support and prayers have been stored up for just this moment. We so appreciate the monthly support you send on our behalf. You have helped us get passports and save up for the upcoming trip. Life for the "white man" in Haiti can be a little more expensive since Haiti seems to operate on a bribery system. :) Until we build more of a reputation and more contacts, we will have to rely on the "American dollar" to help us out.
All of you who have walked with us this year, beat the throne of heaven on our behalf in your prayer time, and sent sacrificially monthly support, we say, "Thank you! We could not be doing anything we are doing without YOU!"
The boys and I are settling in at our new school, Glades Days School. It has been a great place to minister. Just today during Bible class we were discussing prayer and its importance. After our discussion, one of the students asked me, "Mrs. Kandel, is that why your boys are so happy and protected? Because you have prayed over them?" My heart melted. I wonder weekly if I am getting through to anyone. I had to pause and say, "Thank you Father," in a silent prayer. We are different, and we are not understood, but we are God's to be used by him where-ever and however He chooses. There are probably a lot of kids that don't get us or care, but if one sees God and his fingerprints on us, then that one life is worth all the "hard stuff" we have faced and will face.
Below are some pics from this year of the boys around the house. Enjoy and May God richly bless you in this year end and the new year to come.
WE LOVE YOU!
