WE ARE HERE!!

So after many hours of travel we are finally here and safe! We arrived here at Pastor Eric's house last night around 10pm, exhausted. It was so cool upon arriving in Thailand we were reunited with the Fletchers, as we were on our way to baggage claim they walked up on us, so we got to travel to baggage claim and customs together. Such a blessing. Then as we exited the airport we were met by Pastor Eric and went in route directly to the bus station for the trip North. 12 hours in a bus and three in a truck we arrived. Today we got to see our new home, WOW, what a blessing! This new home of ours is going to be such a neat place to live, we have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a very nice kitchen, a area for class and also a living room. The yard is another blessing as it has about 1 acre full of fruit trees. This is going to be cool. We are now internet ready. As this is only our first day we have just been doing some minor things, learning our way around and checking stuff out. The Fletchers are having a great time, about an hour ago we went up to visit a Buddhist temple and just hanging out here at the house. We are preparing to go in search of appliances and the things we need for our house. As this next few days transpire I will be giving more info via Mike. Blessings.

Farewells AGAIN!

The last few days have been rather challenging, with packing and parting ways with so many friends and family. They will be dearly missed. It again has been hard with emotions running wild, just like when we left the states, it is amazing how God works and how He builds those everlasting relationships. Today we actually left our home here in the Philippines and we are currently in a hotel in Tacloban, the city we have visited so many times to do our visa extensions. Our first flight is scheduled for 4 something tomorrow afternoon and our international flight is around 10 pm. We will be arriving just minutes after Randy and Jen Fletcher in Bangkok to meet up with them as well as Pastor Eric. Please pray for the rest of our travel, teamwork as we travel, we also have two fellow students, one is now an intern and the other a continuing student, making 8 coming from the Philippines and two from America, that everything would run smoothly, meeting up and transfer of all our belongings. Also that as we begin this next step of our journey, that just as we had to here, we adapt well and mesh with the community. Of course all the normal prayers, health, strength, and growth. It has been such a blessing seeing how the Lord works while here and how the Lord has used us to touch so many lives, I think I said this before but really it is cool. Thanks for the Prayers. Joe

Hello everyone!

Hey there all! We finally after ten months got internet at the house, slower than dial up and only works 1/3 of the time but PRAISE GOD, we are able to check email and send them also. Everything is good here just preparing for the move, I know some were expecting us home a few months ago... but that is the way the Lord works.. in mysterious ways. As most of you that follow we will be moving on August 23 to Northern Thailand to continue our training, we will be with Pastor Eric who has been in country with his wife and two children for about six years. We will be living in the beautiful house pictured below, God is so good to us. This is a bittersweet time for us as we prepare to leave so many friends we have grown so close to yet we are finally able to continue in the call of the Lord, working in Thailand. Today we (Sarah and Ati Jomarie) washed the suitcases and backpacks so we can begin to pack the items we will not need for the next twelve days, books, hygiene, and many other misc. items. Praise the Lord we have 8 75lb suitcases we are able to take on the trip, I just hope all of our stuff fits in the allotted space. We are very excited to continue on this journey we have embarked, and are so thankful to our leadership, both at CCVV and U-turn for Christ, for their obedience to the Lord in making us come here. It has been a wonderful time of trial and growth, not only for myself (Joe) but for the whole family. As you can probably tell from the new family photo the kids have grown, incredibly so, in the last few months. All about a head taller! As we continue to prepare and as you feel the leading of the Lord please pray that each step of the journey we will be obedient and flexable, that seems to be the hardest part for us, we want things one way, God wants them another. Not only that but that we would stay focused on what He is trying to do in and through us and that we would never lose sight of that. God has placed a calling, direction and good works for us, let us walk in them, remembering the one who gave it all for us. We are just so blessed now just as we were when we left the states to see how the Lord has touched lives through us, things we never would have seen that have been revealed as encouragement to continue on. Bless each and everyone of you who remember to pray for us, Lord knows we need all the prayers we can get. Lord Bless you and Keep you.