How summer is shaping up

Things are moving along in lots of ways for us as summer begins.

• Andrew and I are both taking up side projects to raise extra money for when we need to start paying for Andrew's tuition at NTC Manchester, and for my hoped-for German-language classes this fall. My project is a missionary book for children about a school in Lebanon where children are learning how to put Christ's love and forgiveness into action in their relationships with people from other religious backgrounds. Andrew is writing a section for Living Mission, a mission education curriculum used in many Nazarene churches. Both of our projects are due this fall and will take up a lot of our spare time this summer. It looks like we'll also start babysitting twice a month in September for a moms group who need childcare, and possibly for a friend, as well. These odd jobs will also help us stretch our dollars, as our Mission Corps account right now is empty. I continue to enter photography contests and investigate freelance travel writing to earn a little extra, as well.
• I am just a week away from leaving for India. I have all my shots now, and my plane ticket. I am starting to purchase things for my trip, like snack food, some basic medicines, wet wipes and things like that. I am also putting the finishing touches on the curriculum for the writer's conference. After starting to write this in September, I CANNOT WAIT to be finished with it and see how it works in a real training setting. I am also very excited to meet all the great people there and to see and experience a culture I've only heard good things about from others.
• I have an appointment with a neurologist in the middle of July regarding my continuing battle with chronic migraines. I would appreciate prayers that this specialist can finally get to the bottom -- if there is an identifiable cause -- of this problem so that I can prevent migraines much more often. After five years of reading about migraines, talking to many others who have them, cutting out many of my favorite foods, trying homeopathic remedies, drinking more water, taking lots of expensive multi-vitamins and supplements, regulating my sleep patterns, limiting stress, doing deep breathing exercises, exercising regularly, trying a variety of painkillers and now two preventive daily medications since last fall, I am still getting migraines anywhere from one every two weeks to 2 and 3 in one week, in addition to regular headaches. I would appreciate prayers also that this will not be a big problem while I am in India.
• Two trips that we were trying to plan for capturing powerful stories on video have fallen through this summer. I am trusting in God's timing for these and hope we can reschedule them later in the year.
• Two interns are joining the communications team June 19 through mid August. This is great timing for us, as Laine and I are busy with trips to India and Tiki is taking a break from communications work to study the German language through an intensive, 8-hour a day program. It will be great to have them on board, continuing our story writing and publishing throughout the summer.
• The campus that was formerly European Nazarene College is alive again with students and faculty from MidAmerica Nazarene University. Most arrived late last week and are coming and going throughout the summer in a cultural immersion experience that will take them around Western Europe. Another set of students are anticipated to arrive this fall for a semester of on-campus studies. It will be interesting to have them around and be our neighbors!

I think that's all the big news. We always love to hear from you as well. Feel free to drop us a line when you can! And if you did not see our May newsletter, let us know and we'll be happy to send it to you.

Thank you again for all your support and prayers and encouragement. You are a critical part of our lives and ministry here through your quick emails, whispered prayers, Skype calls, donations and care packages. Thanks for joining us in the adventure.