PACKING UP???

No... we aren't leaving quite yet, but God has offered us the amazing opportunity to send our belongings to West Africa on a container scheduled to ship from the US in mid-March. Normally missionaries pack up as they are leaving the states but God is opening this door a bit sooner for our family. Though the planning and preparation has been a bit fast paced we are grateful for this blessing! We have spent hours consulting with fellow missionaries as we have carefully considered what is needed to live in West Africa. We will NOT be shipping appliances or furniture as all of these things can be either bought or made in country. We do however have a growing list of kitchen items, linens, and tools. Some of our friends and supporters have watched this process and have urged us to publish our list of needs so that they might have a part in helping us to gather these items. After careful consideration we have used an online registry website to complete our list. If you or your church would like to help us we would be grateful. The time is short. We will be helping to pack the container in SC between March 23-25. Right now the registry website will direct all items to be shipped to Indiana where we will pack our home and transport everything to South Carolina in early March.
If you would like to help us we have provided a link to the registry on the right.  We will need the items in the next couple weeks so that they are ready for packing.  

Events on the Field

It is with heavy hearts that we post this, and yet with hope that you will join us in prayer. Thank you in advance for sharing this burden with us and for praying by our sides!

This week we received news that rioting broke out in various West African countries. Our understanding is that the riots were a response to happenings in France.  As a result Friday and Saturday 8-9 churches were burned in Niger, West Africa. This is the country where Amy’s parents work and where we have fellow missionaries and national friends. We are praising God that, as far as we know, none of the believers were harmed. Stories are being told of God’s evident Hand of protection upon His children and we are awed by His goodness in this way. Yet we were saddened Sunday morning to know that our brothers and sisters in Christ met to worship in the midst of such loss.

In Mali, West Africa there were demonstrations but things were kept under control and free from riots. We have heard from Joseph’s parents that all are safe and things are calm.

Finally in Benin, we received news that a large delegation from the larger towns descended upon the village of Boifo where Pastor Isaac resides. Many of you have heard us share of Pastor Isaac in your churches. The intent of the delegation was to urge the people to purge their village of Christians and their worthless influence. No one was harmed and the church in Boifo was not burned. Pastor Isaac later met with the village chief who condemned the intrusion but it left the believers deeply impacted.  Pastor Isaac later shared with our colleague Colin the following words, “They can burn our churches but they will not destroy the Church!”

Our hearts our humbled to serve with these men and women.

Our missionary colleagues in the various countries are safe though they remain on alert. These are troubled times that we live in and yet we know that God is active and at work.

Will you join us as we fervently pray that God would be glorified in these days; that our brothers and sisters in Christ would stand firm and be filled with His strength; that God’s mighty Hand of protection would be upon them; and that these events would lead men and women to know Jesus Christ.

As we said before, we are so thankful to know that you are praying with us!

Back to the Adirondacks?

When we first left Indiana in October, it was our understanding that we would be back in January to continue working at Piazza as well as contact churches.  However, God does what only He can do.  We continue to book meetings here in the East, and as a result, we have decided to come back to this area of New York. 

Sooo, we left Florida, stopped briefly in North Carolina, and headed back to Indiana to spend Sunday at our sending Church.  It was so good to be back, though a little frustrating that we couldn't see all the ones we would have loved to.  We were able to spend the next couple of days tying up some loose ends.  The time was way too short to accomplish all that we wanted to.  However, by Friday we were back on the road in order to spend Sunday with Calvary Baptist in Pennsylvania. 
We enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship and worship there, and by Sunday evening were back on our way "Home" to Sacandaga Bible Conference in the Adirondacks of New York.  We arrived at Midnight, warmed up the cabin, and fell into bed exhausted.

We will be here in New York for the foreseeable future, as long as we have meetings in surrounding Churches.  Amy and the boys have settled back into our little A-Frame cottage, and Joe is helping do some maintenance when not setting up meetings, studying, and keeping up with office work. 

We are excited to see Gods plan unfold, we never thought we would be spending the winter in New York, but God's ways are not always ours.  We are relying on Him and asking for wisdom and open doors to present what He is doing in Benin.

Christmas in Florida

We left Snowy New York en route to North Carolina to present our ministry at Marshall Baptist Church in Winston Salem.  From there we made our way further south to sunny Sebring Florida.  Amy's parents are preparing to head back to the Mission Field and are packing up their house.  We enjoyed spending Christmas with her brother and his family as well as with her parents.  It may be the last time we are all together in quite a while.
The boys are doing well, though they are on a bit of overload with all the holiday spoiling.  We are back on the road just after New Years heading back North.

In the next few weeks, we hope to have a list of things we will need to gather for our first term in Africa.  We will have to ship them on ahead, so that they will be in country when we arrive from France.  Pray that the Lord gives us wisdom in the planning on what to shop.

On the Road again

We were blessed to be in one of our longtime supporting churches, West Endicott Baptist this last Sunday.  They have been supporting and blessing the Marshall family for many years. 

Back here at Sacandaga, we are preparing to head South.  A winter storm has hit, and we are expected to get 10-12 inches of snow by the time we leave Thursday morning.  Amy took some pictures of the snow storm to share with you.  This one is of the road conditions during the snow, we will post more of the boys sledding in the next couple days.

 Please be in prayer for us as we will be on the road a lot in the next couple days.  We have enjoyed very few mechanical problems thus far, please pray that the van continue to hold up.

Tis the Season

Even though it's still early in the season, we have had two good snows here in New York.  The boys are excited about the possibility of a very white winter here.  In the next couple weeks we will be heading south for a little while to speak in churches in North Carolina, and Florida.  Hopefully we will thaw out before returning to New York, by way of Pennsylvania, in January.

Please be in prayer for us as we travel these next three weeks.  The van is having some minor mechanical problems that keeps me running to the tool bag.  So far, it has been nothing serious, and Lord Willing, it will stay that way.

We Praise God for the great time we have had in New York, and the encouraging response from the various church families that we have been privileged to spend time with.

We had a great week of travel through the picturesque countryside of Southern NY and PA.  Joe was able to catch up with a three of his College friends who are now Pastoring Congregations in Pennsylvania, and Amy was able to catch up with some of her extended family.

The boys did very well traveling, not only in their patience while on the road, but also in their ability to settle into a new bed and home environment on a constantly changing basis.  God has blessed us, and we are amazed at how four, otherwise rambunctious, boys can settle right down in the confining space of the car and enjoy yet another road trip.

Our car ran well, and we are continually encouraged to see what God is doing all over this country.  In talking with Pastors and speaking to small congregations, it is exciting to see that God is still working in the hearts and lives of his people.  He is moving in the community, and though we don't always understand what He is doing, He is still accomplishing his will.