mass emailing

Howdy,

Below is a copy of the email I sent out to most of you. If you're not on our email list and would like to be, please let me know! If you are and wish you weren't, let me know that too! Since I sent this out a few days ago, I've had two more puking kids- Kaiden and Malachi. There are either a lot of different tummy bugs going around or one that just won't let go... Here's hoping you are healthy today!


Hello All~

We just wanted to write and let you know that we had a great trip to Australia and are now home, safe and sound! We thoroughly enjoyed our time together, meeting new people, seeing new things and driving on the other side of the road

Our first couple of days we spent in the Sydney area, which is where the AIM Asia Pacific Headquarters is located. We were hosted by Len and Robbyn Lesleighter and had so much fun with them. They took us to see some of the local sights and gave us our first lessons in Aussie lingo! One morning we met with the AIM council there and had a good question and answer time.

The remainder of our time was spent in Lilydale, about an hour east of Melbourne. Everyone was so friendly and kind to us and many of them fed us dinner! We were very impressed with the Missionary Aviation Centre, the Bible College of Victoria and the school we checked out for the kids, Mt. Evelyn Christian School. The area is very pretty and we were able to enjoy some of the local sights and wildlife, including seeing kangaroos and feeding birds in the wild. I've posted a bunch of photos on our blog if you want to check them out: www.alaskanwildfowlers.blogspot.com.

Having said all of that, we are rather sorry to say that we do not feel God is calling us to move to Australia at this time. It doesn't even make sense from our human perspective, but Leo and I both feel quite strongly that for some reason or another, God has something different in store for us right now. We want to be obedient to His Voice, even though it doesn't always make a lot of sense to us. Our "plan" at this point is to attend the AIM Candidate Week next month with open hearts and see how God leads from there. While we were in Australia, we were humbled by and grateful for all of the prayers offered up on our behalf, asking for God's leading and guidance for our family.

The kids were very well taken care of while we were away, even though many of them were sick almost the entire time we were gone. Our HUGE thanks go out to my parents, Bobbit and Lelya and Steve and Jami. We appreciate your prayers for Kaiden, as he is on medicine for an ear infection, but is still having fever and had a sick stomach (to put it mildly) for 15 days. He actually met us in Anchorage before we came home and we spent the afternoon in the ER, just to be told he has an ear infection... we'll see how the weekend goes.

One thing that I felt God impressing on my heart on the trip home was that I need to be fully engaged where He has me right now and not just be living for "the next thing". It's a lesson I've had to be reminded of over and over, but it's a good one to remember and live by! Leo and I both realize that God has given us a special ministry with the children He has brought into our lives and I know I can sometimes neglect what is right in front of me, in pursuit of my "higher calling"

We covet your prayers going into the Candidate Week next month and will keep you posted as continue on this journey! We are resting in His Peace knowing that God has a good plan for us, whether that is overseas or here in our own living room. We're enjoying the adventure! Hope you are well and would love to hear from you and to know how we can pray for you too.

Lots of love- Leo, Menda and Crew