Time in the States

We just got back and are still recovering from a whirlwind trip to the States.  To explain, we had planned to go to the States over the Holidays (Christmas and New Year) this year but had discovered over the course of the year that it wasn’t going to work because we will be having a team coming in December.  We still wanted to go sometime this year because we didn’t go over last year’s holidays and we wanted to visit before Ephraim turned two and we had to pay for his ticket.  It’s important for us to be able to spend time with family and friends in the States.  We were able to figure out a three week period in August before Simeon was going to start school again that we could visit so that is what we did.  It was a whirlwind trip as we landed in Chicago, went immediately to Goshen, IN for a week, then spent four days in Dallas with Joel’s older brother, then came back Hartford City, IN to spend time with Kim’s family for a week and then on to Chicago for four days to finish out our time before going back to Ecuador.  During this time, we did visit three of our supporting churches, had a special Delp Dinner Night for supporters as well as visited with many family and friends who support our ministry.  However, other than that, our time was dedicated to being with family and friends.  Unfortunately, we did have some difficult times while there.  Soon after arriving, Joel went up to northern Minnnesota to attend a funeral for a close and long-time friend.  We also had an emergency visit to the hospital after Ephraim fell down a flight of stairs.  Thankfully they were carpeted as he got pretty banged up but was not seriously injured in any way.  Finally, Kim, Joel and Ephraim all had to take shelter in a Walmart when a tornado touched down only several miles away.  Besides these difficult and stressful moments, we had a wonderful time.  Some of the highlights were celebrating Ephraim’s birthday two times (with both families), going to a great Aquarium in Dallas with Joel’s brother Eric’s family and being able to attend and be a part of the final service for our friend Paul Thompson, as he is leaving our home church Northwest Covenant in Mt. Prospect.

Fun times with cousins in Goshen, IN

A visit from friends from our supporting church in Oregon, OH

Fun times with our friends from Ecuador who are now in Chicago. Photo credit to Simeon.

Cousins took Esther and Ephraim to Build-A-Bear.

Lots of traveling made the boys tired.

Ephraim’s first birthday party in Goshen. His nose is the remaining damage from his fall down the stairs.

Excited kids to have daddy home from the travel to the funeral in Minnesota.

Meeting Pastor Andrew Morrell and seeing his church plant in Marion, IN

Crazy photos with family in Dallas, TX

Ephraim’s second birthday party in Hartford City, IN

Good times with family in Hartford City, IN

Sharing about Ecuador at the Delp Dinner Night

And then being prayed for.

Paul and Mary Thompson sharing during their final service at Northwest Covenant Church in Mt. Prospect, IL