In 2019 you did a great thing. These are the 2019 patients we loved and grieved with you and the help of our loving Savior, who has now redeemed all the tears and suffering endured and made their bodies new. We are grateful that all but one was able to make it home to spend some time with their loved ones before passing to the next life.

Mariana
Loice
Torres
Manejo
Teresa
Justino
Maeza

And here are the 2019 patients that stayed at Casa Ahavá, which we are still loving on, some at our home and some now back at their homes in the north. I wish you could know them personally and that they could bring as much joy to you as they do us. It is because of your partnership we get to offer a home and family to these precious souls at one of the hardest times of their lives. We are so very grateful, and so are they.

Luisa
Maria
Rosa
Augusto
Lurde (current patient at Casa Ahavá)
Joana
Armindo
Custodio
Eugenio
Moises
Neliza
Madelena (current patient at Casa Ahavá)
Olinda (current patient at Casa Ahavá)
Rebeka (current patient at Casa Ahavá)
Antonia (current patient at Casa Ahavá)

In 2019 Jesus carried us through some lows. He gave us strength when we were weary. He also lavished on us His generous blessings and gave us glimpses of His kingdom here on earth. We had a super busy start/mid year with up to 13 patients, 5 wounds at once and 7 patients on morphine. The patients then slowed down to about 4, and we caught our breath. We crept back up and now we are 5 ladies with a handful ready for us after the holiday. We are excited for the new year!

This year my girls blew me away with their growth, education, and maturity. They have put in the work and excelled in school and their extracurriculars. They started chores this year, and they have become such helpers in the house. They do it all with a smile… all except maybe the dog poops, but I’m not sure I even do that with a smile! They love playing outside, having friends over, and coming up with extravagant games.

Jon just wrapped up his first year into his master’s degree in thanatology and has been acing it. (Are we surprised?) The content has been relevant and applicable to our ministry and we are excited for future potential. He especially connected with some professors, which has been a personal encouragement.

I am about three quarters through my master’s degree in palliative care and will finish in July! It has been a rich time of learning and connecting with other professionals, but I will also be happy to end this phase of study and have the time to put into practice some of the gems learned.

Our family is taking off on a two week journey today. We have long wanted to take to our girls to Botswana, where Jon and I met and where our careers in missions really started. So! Here we go! We will be going to from South Africa with dear friends to Botswana, to Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls, back to Botswana to reconnect in two different cities with friends we haven’t seen in close to 10 years, and then back to South Africa to let the girls go to a waterpark, and then home! It will be a total of about 45 hours in the car. Pray for safety and patience and the Holy Spirit to go with us!

In the meantime, Pedro, our loved colleague will be staying at our home and holding down the fort. We are so thankful for him!

Here is to 2020! And more blogging! Happy New Year!