"How is everything?" This is by far the most frequently asked question of us these days, yet somehow it is the most difficult to answer. There is so much going on right now it's hard to even know where to start. I (Stephanie) never would have imagined I would graduate college, get married, move to Brazil, and begin as a full time missionary....all in one year!! Jeyson of course is going through so many changes too with getting married and beginning to fly.
We are so excited that in just one month we will finally be in the same country permanently. After several years of long distance and countless good byes in airports we can't wait to say "hello" in the airport and finally belong in the same place together from now on! Jeyson will arrive November 17th but he has so much to do between now and then. As you may know the mission's goal (and ours as well) is for Jeyson to have his private pilot's license by the time he arrives in NJ. This has meant a very intense time of training this fall which will finally come to a head in just a few weeks with a check-ride. This means that Jeyson will fly a government worker who will be evaluating and testing him as he flies. This is especially important because there is only one date that will work for him to try this fall. Please pray for Jeyson as he prepares.
Also recently Jeyson went with Asas de Socorro on an evangelistic trip to Brasilia, the capital. They worked in a very poor area. Overall people were receptive to the Gospel as the groups visited and shared with them. Sometimes it still is surprising to see how Brazilians are so incredibly open. At almost every home people open their door, invite you to chat on the couch, offer coffee, and take a half an hour to talk, even if they were in the middle of preparing a meal. It is clear God works to prepare hearts!
And what's happening on the home front in NJ while Jeyson is in Brazil? Lots! I (Stephanie) am working a temporary job which is keeping me busy, I have gotten plugged in again with my home church, I am working on support raising, and of course making my family a little crazy as we work out the details of the wedding! While raising support has been very stretching, I really have found it to be a very joyful process. It has been so encouraging to see several years of preparation now coming to fruition and to see as God is slowly providing the support we need. Another neat part of support raising has been the opportunities to share our story and direction in various places - from a missions fair and children's classes to missions committee meetings and ladies Bible studies. I seem to have done it all this month with more on the horizon! I have especially enjoyed hearing the stories that many of you have told after I was able to share.
While support raising has been an exciting process, there are also sad moments too in this preparation process. The other night I was spending some time with my family and looked around at the people who mean so much to me. I thought also about even the places, mannerisms, jokes, and language I feel so comfortable with and began to feel so emotional. I thought, Lord willing, in a few months I will be getting on a plane with my new husband and saying good bye to everything I know and beginning a whole new life! Sometimes this can be a difficult thought. Please pray for my emotional preparation as we work on the physical preparation to move.
On a lighter note, in the meantime we are looking forward to spending more time with you while we are here in the States. For those of you who are in the NJ area we would love to get together. Please let us know if you are interested!
In His Grip,
Jeyson & Stephanie
Some ways you can pray for us:
- Jeyson's check-ride, enabling him to get his private pilot's license
- Open doors for Stephanie to share with coworkers while working her temporary job
- Emotional preparation for Stephanie to move to Brazil
- Opportunities for raising support
