May-June 2023 Update

Hello everybody! We have had a busy and blessed month and a half since last update, and we are doing well!

Last month we made couple visits to the villages of São José, Novo Lugar, and Esperança do Solimões, all located on a nearby island. It’s always a joy to open the Scriptures and watch people, new believers and unsaved, listening with great attention. Ezra was also able to go to Crajari a few times and have prayer meeting with Pedro’s family and others in the village. But last month was also pretty full with visiting friends and making arrangements to have everything at home taken care of while we are away. 

We arrived in the US the end of last month, and spent a restful week at Christian Missions in Many Lands (CMML)’s guest home in New Jersey. It was a refreshing time, gorgeous weather, beautiful facility, and especially precious people. As Andrew exclaimed our first morning there, “We have friends everywhere!” :) We were so blessed by the hospitality and kindness of the folks at CMML, and count it a privilege to be aligned with them. 

The first week of June we attended CMML’s Missions Orientation Program (MOP)— it was recommended to us and we figured we could learn a thing or two. But we were certainly blown away with how pertinent and incredibly needed the teaching and training was for us! It was really a good time for us to step back and reevaluate our approach to ministry, get ideas for balancing ministry/family life, and just be refreshed and encouraged through the teaching and fellowship. We hope we can retain at least most of what we learned, as it was certainly a “fire hose” experience! But we are so thankful we went. 

Ezra’s mom graciously agreed to come to MOP with us, to watch our kids as we sat in sessions. It was a joy to have her with us and for the kids to spend time with Grandma Nita. We miss her already and look forward to next time we can be together!

After MOP we flew to Missouri, to spend time with Joanna’s family, friends, and sending church, Emmaus Bible Chapel. It’s already been a wonderful time of fellowship, we are thoroughly enjoying it. 

We will be traveling to Wisconsin next week to spend time with Ezra’s friends and home church, then visiting friends and family on our way from Wisconsin back to Missouri for one more brief stay before we fly back home, Lord willing the second week of July.

Our kids are doing well and are enjoying their time in the States with family. Andrew (4) is such a watchful big brother— he looks out for Mommy as well as the younger siblings.  He loves spending time with his cousins. Philip (3 on the 30th!) has been greatly expanding his vocabulary, and knows almost the entire alphabet. He loves to slip into a quiet room and read a book or color while everyone else is hanging out together. Henrietta (15 months) is communicating SO much, and is learning to sing some of the songs that are frequently picked at family Bible time. She also likes to make friends by picking up random objects and handing them to someone with a smile and “Here!”

Please pray:

• For the rest of our time in the US— for safety in travel, for Ezra as he preaches in various gatherings, and just for a good and profitable remainder of our time here in the US
• For Crajari and the other villages we work in, that God will continue to work in their hearts 
• For wisdom, understanding, and grace for us to raise our children for the Lord
• For rejuvenation and guidance (Psalm 23:3)

We love you all and are thankful to the Lord for your love and your prayers!! God bless!

Love, Ezra and Joanna, Andrew, Philip, and Henrietta