Well, one monkey was alone and sad with no family. Since yesterday we have had a wedding and an adoption just in time for family photos. We stay pretty busy around here. I love that she said the adopted monkey was sad but now he can be happy because he has a family. If you have been adopted into the family of God, you should be happy, too! ~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
I know several people checked our page yesterday and I assume they were looking for an update on Amanda. Sometimes, I just don't know what to say, and the last few weeks I have been running low on energy and high on things to do. None of the tests the neurologist was ordering have been scheduled as of yet. He did say it would take him a few days to get his mind set on how to proceed, and I am sure he also wanted to spend time with his family for Thanksgiving, as he should. Not a lot happens fast during the holiday season, and our medical system gets overloaded this time of year. Amanda complains that she is having seizures in the night and is again struggling to eat, just not as much as before. My observation has been that whatever this is comes in waves, and my concern is that we may be starting to take a turn for the worse. Saturday, at any rate, was just a difficult day for her, and late Saturday night we made the decision not to wake her Sunday morning for church. Most Sunday mornings, I get up very early and get myself ready and then begin a series of steps to eventually persuade her that she can fight against this and get up. It takes two or three hours to get her in mobile in the mornings. Sunday morning, I just crawled into her bed with her and when she awoke, I just held her close. Later, we played with her stuffed monkeys, which are her favorites. She wanted to know how many she had, and when I counted her as a monkey, she started to laugh. After a few hours, I pursuded her to get up and help me wrap Christmas presents. I hauled a bunch of gifts and wrap into her room and worked alone for awhile, but she finally gave in and came to help. John, David, and Timothy had left early that morning for services in Gainesville for the day.At four o'clock, Amanda went in her closet and came out fully dressed to go to church. I was so surprised! We called our neighbor to come pick us up and take us to her church in our neighborhood. They support our ministry. At church, we met a Venezuelan man who was a sign language interpreter in his country. He signed to Amanda and there was enough similarity to Peruvian Signs that she understood him. They had a guest preacher whose wife is also an interpreter. Right at the start, he announced he likes to give his wife a hard time by randomly saying the word "monkey" in the middle of his sermon. He had Amanda's attention immediately. His sermon fit so well with Amanda's struggles, and she responded over and over to the message, even raising her hand to confess her struggles at rhetorical questions. The preacher was wearing a plaid shirt, similar to one Amanda put on her favorite monkey. It is so neat how God works in lives, and the unexpected things that can make a difference. Amanda wanted him to know she loves monkeys and she thought it was funny he kept saying "monkey" throughout his sermon. He loved it and wants to meet with us about supporting our ministry. Today, I helped Amanda recall points from the sermon, and she got up and dressed in an hour and a half. It may not seem like much, but for me, it was a lot less struggle. I miss our happy-go-lucky girl, and I am thankful to see that even in this strange illness God is still interested in working in her life. He knows what she needs. People often ask what they can do for her. I don't even know what to do for her, but if you send her a plush toy, she will love it, especially if it is a monkey!~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Last week after the shock wave treatment at the hospital the surgeon told John in a text message that the kidney stone broke up easily and he was pretty sure they got it all. He told me I would feel all better in about three days. They must have infused pain medicine during the procedure because I felt great the first twenty-four hours but the next day I found myself in a world of pain. I try to avoid medicine and usually after a surgery I only take one or two pain pills and then switch to Tylenol. Not this time. I have been in pain every day and have taken almost the entire prescription of something that ends in "dol." The good news is I am losing a few extra pounds I have been carrying because any food of much substance is painful. The note the surgeon wrote in my records was different from the message he sent to John. The OR notes said the stone broke successfully but there could still be large particles that could require a second procedure. They had indeed told me from the get-go this was a possibility but his message to John gave us the impression everything had gone well and he was pretty confident they had it all. Today, back at the urologist's office, X-rays showed the stone still fully in tact and as large as ever. I have another more invasive procedure scheduled for the 20th of December, not at all what I wanted for Christmas. I am so glad this year we decided to put up the tree and decorate ahead of Thanksgiving just in case Amanda was going to need a lot of my time. There is a chance they will call me today and move my procedure up to Wednesday if there is a cancellation but first they will have to rule out an infection. I guess at least with this procedure they will be able to analyze its structure. I am disappointed and I really want to be done with medication but I know that God is always faithful even when we do not like something he has allowed. I asked him for a different result and he did not grant it. Still, I know this is his plan for me and he is working something for my good. I can learn and grow and stay faithful to glorifying God. If he is truly Lord, he has free will to direct my steps into places I don't really want to go and give me tasks I do not want to do. He will go with me all the way.-Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me regarding the kidney stone. Today I had Lithotripsy and the doctor said that even though the stone was quite large it broke up easily and he thinks he got it all. I am home resting and so far I sense the area is a little agitated but I am not in any pain. I am so thankful the Lord arranged some good health insurance for us before we left for Australia and almost all of the treatment was covered. We are amazed over and over at how God takes care of us. What a good God! He always knows what we need!~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
It has been a busy week and jet lag has been pretty rough. Timothy saw the hand surgeon today. No surgery necessary. Amanda had a video conference with a neurologist and we will begin some tests starting with an in-home EEG. I will see the urologist tomorrow to find out the fate of this kidney stone. We have come home to a lot of catch up work in the middle of the holiday season. There is much work to be done and half of us are not functioning at a hundred percent. Still it is good to be home and we thank God for all his blessings!~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
God answered prayer today and we got an appointment today with an orthopedist for Timothy's hand. This was way better than the December appointment we were offered in the first place. We are concerned about a full recovery as his parents are deaf and sign language is his way of life. To that end we have a consultation with a hand surgeon on the 13th just to be certain surgery is not recommended. We are praying for a full restoration of normal movement and for no arthritis to set into that hand. In the meantime, he got a cast for his birthday. There is a first time for everything ... See MoreSee Less
2nd UPDATE: Our flight was moved up to 8:15 pm. We are on the airplane. It is because of your prayers. Thank you. We will take off in ten minutes. UPDATE: Flight has been delayed to 8:57 pm due to weather. Amanda is doing ok. Timothy's right hand hurts. He believes his finger has been dislocated.Keep on praying. Would like to fly back home tonight.John----------------------------We are checked in and waiting for Chick-Fil-A so we can eat before we leave. Just par for this course, our flight has been delayed until 7:00 for tornado warnings. We are going anyway because it looks like there is a hurricane up the Gulf and we don't want to ride it out in Dallas. I would feel better about it if there was a plane at the gate. Oops, just changed the gate! ... See MoreSee Less
Pray...Our flight is tonight, going back to Jacksonville. Pray for Amanda to cooperate and to be calm. Pray for Tricia with her kidney stone. Pray for Timothy as he hurt his right hand falling down this morning. Pray for the weather, for we see tornado watch alerts. Thank youJohn Olson ... See MoreSee Less
Please pray for the team as they are in the air travelling back to the US, and for their travels over the next few days. I’ve also been travelling, and have arrived in Tasmania today with two of my brothers for a long weekend vacation.“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11 KJV~ Marie ... See MoreSee Less
We are at Melbourne Airport again, and our flight has been delayed from 4:20 pm to 6:50 pm Friday, Melbourne Australia time. We are checking our luggage, and we will miss our Dallas connection. Our Dallas flight has been changed to Monday. We will be staying in Dallas till Monday. Continue to pray for Amanda, for Tricia and for our safe trip back to the USA.~John ... See MoreSee Less
SEE UPDATES BELOWIt is 7:30 and we are getting ready to try this again. Our flight is not until this afternoon but it takes a lot of work to get Amanda up and ready to go. Last night she was planning to get up and get ready but we never know what we are going to get in the morning. We are praying for a good day today with smooth skies and fair weather. God always has a plan.UPDATE. They just delayed our flight two and a half hoursUPDATE to the UPDATE: The delayed flight precluded we would miss our connection in Dallas and have to stay all night in the airport to catch an early morning flight. We didn't think Amanda could handle all of that. The new plan is that we will fly about 7 p.m. tonight and arrive in Texas at the same time on the same day as we left. We will stay through the weekend in Dallas. Our flight home will be Monday evening. UPDATE:We saw pilots board the plane. We should be boarding any minute. If all goes well we will be on our way to Dallas soon. Thank you for all the prayers!Things have not gone at all as we thought, but we trust God is in control and he knows best. He has always been faithful to us. ... See MoreSee Less
Update, our team is in a nice hotel next to the Melbourne Airport. We are scheduled to fly on Friday afternoon, Australian time. We appreciate all of your prayers, comments and encouragement. Yesterday, Amanda did well, coping with the stress of being at the airport, handing the delay of the flight, getting our baggage back after the cancellation of our flight, helping in pushing a cart of our luggage through the airport and to the hotel next door. Also, Tricia spent much time trying to coordinate with the airline and Amanda's situation, talking with several staff to get the best support for her, supporting the team as we waited eight hours for our flight, then talked to the staff about changing our flight while experiencing some pain from her kidney stone. Today was a day of rest. Tricia's urologist's appointment was postponed to November 14. Pray that we can get it moved up to an earlier date. Again, we thank you all for your prayers. ~John ... See MoreSee Less
Do you know the little song about Morrow is the hardest place I ever tried to go? Well, Australia is the hardest place I ever tried to leave. After four hours of waiting, our flight is cancelled. We have now been ushered back through customs and have to collect all twelve checked bags and stand in line for a hotel voucher and a rebooking. All prayer requests are forwarded to tomorrow. Pray we get good accommodations. We are exhausted!Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Now at Melbourne Airport, pray for our baggage to be checked with no problem, for our team especially Amanda to go through security in a calm manner, and to get on our plane smoothly. Takeoff is 4:20 pm (2:30 am EST Tuesday)John ... See MoreSee Less
Now, we are on our way to the airport. We need your prayers for Amanda, Tricia and the team. Pray that Amanda will be calm and cooperative the whole flight. Pray for Tricia with her kidney stone that it will not cause pain. She has an appointment on Thursday in Jacksonville. We take off in Melbourne at 4:20 pm (2:30 am EST Tuesday).Thank you all for your prayers.John ... See MoreSee Less
Pray this girl can get home alright. She has a lot of anxiety about the flight, but I know God can still her heart. I just took this shot outside, where she is waiting on the kookaburra to come get some sausage for his evening tea. ... See MoreSee Less
We have officially purchased tickets home on the 29th. We have one stop in Dallas. If things do not go well for Amanda on the first flight, we will skip the second leg and rent a car to get home. The upgrades were denied, but maybe it will be better to sit all together. We have called ahead to the airport security for a private screening for Amanda. Please pray it goes smoothly.We are currently engaged in a frenzy of packing and cleaning so we have time to say goodbyes to the many friends we have made over the last eight months. It feels more like moving out than coming home from a trip. Even the people at the grocery store are sad we are leaving. I have a urologist appointment on Thursday and hopefully an appointment with a laser somewhere in the very near future. I am seeing a doctor here this morning to make sure I have all I need for the trip home.We have been here so long that leaving is sad. There are many people we will miss and some animals, too. We will go back to watching for deer instead of kangaroos on the road. We will stop scanning the trees to be the first to spot a koala, and we will end the Wombat Patrol altogether. I think we will most miss the kookaburra and the mocking birds landing on the porch rail with a thud looking for a piece of sausage out of someone's hand. We have managed to see all four seasons of a very beautiful country. Here it is spring and the time of new beginnings. We are not certain of any upcoming plans. We still need a diagnosis for Amanda. I think we are looking for a Christian neurologist. We have not set up any appointments yet. The last several weeks have been fully focused on helping Amanda get strong enough to travel. We are thankful we are not seeing any daytime seizures, but I hear sounds that make me think she has them still at night. My prayer is that the travel will not cause a setback for Amanda in any way and that she will soon be restored to good health. The night before last, she got tickled at something Anna said and started to giggle. The giggle turned into a laugh and she laughed so hard she cried. It was so very refreshing. She told us it was because God put joy in her heart. We had not heard her laugh like that for over two years. It spread through the whole house. Pray she can hold on to that joy!I guess we are heading home to a very green pool and gardens that have not been weeded since last February. I have heard of garden parties but is there such thing as a garden weeding party? If there is, I think I should host one. There is going to be a lot of sweat and tears. Other than those two dreaded monsters, we are all looking forward to being home. If our flight comes in on time, maybe we can catch Chick-Fil-A on the way home.~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
It’s hard to believe that the team will be heading back to Florida after their extended stay here in my home city of Melbourne. It’s been a challenging year for our team, mentally, physically and spiritually. We have seen God provide over and over and have known that He has been working through all the circumstances we have experienced. There have also been lots of times of laughter, times of simple joy and times we have been enraptured by God’s creation here in Australia. I am planning to join the team after my visa has been approved Lord willing. Prayerfully it will be in the next few months. Please pray for the team as they travel - especially for Amanda and Tricia. ~ Marie ... See MoreSee Less
We have tickets on hold to return to the US on October 29. We have appealed to the airline for Tricia and Amanda to be upgraded to first class for Amanda to be able to lie down and sleep on the way home. The airline spent two weeks delaying the release of our flight credits and then another week determining to deny the upgrade request. The airline did suggest to appeal to our flight insurance but then offered them the seats at $12,000 each. The two companies are haggling over the price and are supposed to give us an answer tomorrow. In the meantime, we got a letter from the hospital in Melbourne. They finally scheduled the MRI that the Neurologist requested for last April. They made the appointment for November 24, three weeks past our visa expiration. We still have no medical diagnosis for what happened to Amanda.We are thankful to see Amanda improving every day, and we celebrate the tiniest of accomplishments. The visible daytime seizures have mostly stopped, but we suspect there are still nocturnal episodes. As I write, I hear her moaning in her sleep in the room next door, confirming the suspicion. She is more able to get up in the mornings, and some of her smiles and giggles have returned. This week, she started helping us wrap items we are packing to help the Gunters retrieve their belongings they left behind in Australia. We are seeing a little bit of executive function return. Yesterday, she found a new "friend." A kookaburra landed on our back porch rail. We just happened to have some leftover bacon from a men's breakfast at our house that morning, so we cut a few chunks for the kookaburra. Amanda was so excited to feed him and was elated. Apparently, so was the kookaburra, because he hung out on the porch until sunset. This morning she got up and dressed in record time to see if he was back, and he most certainly was! He had a nice breakfast of hotdogs and this afternoon came back for a second helping. He ate right out of her hand! Amanda is thrilled! She is eagerly awaiting morning to see if he will return. What a blessing that God nudged a gentle kookaburra to come our way.I am waiting on a urologist appointment for the kidney stone, but if it takes seven months for a neurologist to get an MRI for seizures in the hospital, I can't imagine how long it takes to get set up for a kidney stone to be broken up. Although it is painful, at this point, I am praying for the stone to stay in the kidney until I get home. It is quite large, and if it does leave the kidney, I think it could easily get lodged on its journey and get serious really fast. I am trusting God will take care of me all the way home. My plan is to wear compression stockings, drink lots of water, and take pain medicine. Hopefully, I can get an appointment with a urologist for as soon as I get home. Even though we have had a difficult time in Australia, we are thankful the Lord brought us here and even extended our stay. "But as for God, his way is perfect." ... See MoreSee Less
When God calls someone to the ministry, it doesn't mean he/she is going to have a smooth road for him/her to get started. It is more likely to resemble Abraham blindly obeying God, sacrificing what he loved most, and trusting God with the outcome. God often works out the details after you have set out with unwavering faith , willing to lay everything on the line, What would have happened if Abraham would have waited to head up the mountain until he had a guarantee on the outcome? I think he would have lived a lifetime of nagging regret. I have never seen anyone put everything on the line in obedience to God and come up short-changed. As best as I can tell, faith is always the key that unlocks the treasure of God's provision and nothing seals it shut more than unbelief. I don't think anything we ever do is more exciting than the times we have stepped out in faith and held our breath waiting on God to supply for a great need. We have never pushed forward in faith and regretted trusting God. ~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Thanking God for blowing back the storm! There might be some water coming later but there was no storm surge. The eye went smack through Eric's neighborhood but he is alright, so alright that he went to sleep already. ... See MoreSee Less
Florida - Our Go team is praying for those in the path of Hurricane Milton. We are still in Melbourne, but we watch the news and have great concern for our loved ones, friends, and churches in the next couple days. May the Lord protect and sustain you.~John ... See MoreSee Less
At will, Jesus can whisper "Peace be still" and this monster storm called Milton would stop dead in its tracks. But if not, we are praying for family and friends in Florida who are in the path of Milton. Our God is greater than all of this. I am praying he will blow back this storm. ~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Last week, we were driving across states on the southern coast of Australia, headed to their National Baptist Fellowship. On the way, at some point, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere, at least two hours away from the closest town. I happened to be looking out of the window and noticed how many stars were visible even with our car's bright lights turned on. So I asked if we could find a spot to pull over and see the stars. Tricia was driving at the moment and she was on board with the idea, and so we stopped the car and turned off all the lights.It was the first time in my 21 years of life that I ever saw the Milky Way with my naked eye! This night the moon wasn't out. The sky was so clear, and the stars were so bright, I could even see my steps in the complete darkness of the night. The team told me how in the past, on another trip they had in Australia, they went to a star gazing spot, and saw the stars so bright they felt like they could reach the stars with their own hands. We've tried to replicate the event a couple of times these past few months, but never succeeded. This night was the right one, and I finally understood that feeling of stretching out my arm, reaching out for the stars, so far in the vast depth of the universe, and yet so close in sight. I was glad I was able to partially capture, how astounding that night sky looked. Staring at such beautiful but complicated piece of art, painted on the canvas of a cloudless night sky, just reminded me of how Omniscient is the Mastermind behind it."He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names." —Psalm 147:4~Timothy ... See MoreSee Less
This trip to Australia has certainly been an eventful one. Last week we drove the Great Ocean Road headed to a conference north of Adelaide that started on Monday night. We made a couple of nice overnight stops on the way.Tuesday morning, I was interpreting and suddenly felt a sharp pain in my side. It was so piercing I thought it had to be nerve pain and shifted my position. The room started to blur and I had enough presence of mind to call Anna to switch. By the time I got to the back of the service, I was doubled over. Two hours of gory details and an ambulance ride later, they set me up for a CT of the abdomen. A kidney stone is the culprit! I have heard that kidney stones can be painful, but I did not know it was possible to be conscious through so much pain. Kidney stones are common in my family, but to my knowledge, I have never had one. They sent me home on an antibiotic and pain killer. And said the stone will pass in 2-4 weeks. Seriously?! I doubt a stone that size can pass and if it can, I am not sure I want it to. Tomorrow morning we start making our way back towards Warburton, but we will be in Mt. Gambier on Sunday. Ironically, the pain medicine seems to give me an awful headache. With all the tragedy of the recent storm, I have nothing to complain about, but if you can, please pray the pain stays at bay and this stone will pass sooner than later.~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
If I were to say this sickness that has taken hold of Amanda has been our greatest challenge by far, it would still be an understatement. The time and energy expended, stresses of decision making, the anguish of such great loss and the helplessness of not finding anything to make her better, all at a constant for months on end, have been a greater strain than I even thought possible to endure. Yet, true to His great promises, God is faithful! Back in March, while Amanda was at her worst, I began to question whether we would be able to continue to travel in missions or even do ministry. Even though she has improved, she still needs a high level of care and constant supervision. It is difficult to see how this is all going to work moving forward. In April, I started thinking about Tom Williams, who traveled for years as an evangelist while caring for all his wife's personal needs. Through that, the Lord reminded me that He will make a way for anything He asks us to do. I don't have to understand it all, I just need to follow Him. I was absolutely amazed when Amanda came home from church the other day with a postcard from Tom Williams Ministries saying they have been praying for her. I only met him once years ago. I have no idea how they heard about Amanda or how they figured out how to get a card to us here in Australia. It was a great blessing and confirmed in my heart that it is not time to quit. God can use us even with all these new challenges. After all, He knew what He was doing when He brought them into our lives. He will continue to be faithful. ~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Sunday we traveled again to Moe, (pronounced Mo-ee) after our last visit a few deaf have started going to the church. We went there to be a blessing and a help. The two deaf who have come were not there, but another deaf man heard there was a deaf ministry and came. We are praying God will give the church a great heart to reach the deaf and raise up interpreters for that ministry. ... See MoreSee Less
It's a beautiful Sunday morning! We have Amanda loaded in the car and ready for church. Pray for her though. She has been having a hard time the last few days. We are trying to bring her home in October. We still have no answers but we still have a big God! ... See MoreSee Less
I have been trying to figure out what to write about Amanda for a while now, and I am not sure how to articulate where we are or make good sense of our decisions without going into a long and drawn out explanation. Just know that no decisions are easy, none are made without great deliberation, few are made without wondering whether it was the wrong one, and all of them are made with much prayer. Amanda is not recovered by any means, but over all she is much better than she was eight weeks ago. Aside from a lot of facial and jaw activity, and occasionally seeing her gripping her arms and legs, we are not seeing the seizure activity we were. There is a lot of moaning in her sleep that keeps me concerned and makes me know we are not out of the woods yet, but for the last six weeks we have been able to take her to church three times a week. Nearly every day we seem to be seeing her make new strides, but they are such baby steps. She is not at all the girl she was, and I miss that girl so very much. Amanda is smiling more and laughing occasionally. She has started participating in family life just a little. Today, when we had company over, she suddenly appeared with a dessert tray and offered goodies to all our guests. She is becoming more able to manage personal care to some degree, but she still needs constant help and support with every step of taking care of herself.The hardest part for me to grasp is that her decision making ability is so impaired that she can not complete any task that requires mutiple steps without us reminding her what the next step will be and coaxing her into taking it. For example: she does not “get up and get dressed” in the morning. She wakes up, then we coax her into sitting up, and after a while, we convince her to swing her legs out of bed. We coax her into every little part. We have better days and worse days, but on many days, there is almost no executive function. I never realized how many decisions it takes to get ready go to church until we had to create a motive for every last little decision to be made. On Sunday mornings, I feel exhausted before I even leave my house!The good news though, is that we DO leave the house! This is such a direct answer to prayer. We pray constantly God will help her go to church so we can go as a family. Not only is it spiritually important for her to go to church, but the social aspect is important as well. We are trying to prepare Amanda to be able to fly home in October. Our hope is that by waiting a little more time she will continue to improve and handle the flight better. Twice we have taken her to the airport to meet flights, and she has been uncomfortable but alright. The concern is that she could take a turn for the worse at any time. I do not even begin to understand how all of this is working together for good, but on Thursday the Lord allowed me to share the Gospel with a young man who just turned twenty, and he accepted Christ as his Savior. This afternoon the Lord gave me the opportunity to share Christ with a deaf young lady and she also was saved. I am sure those two souls are part of the reason God has extended our stay in Australia. Please pray for these new believers to grow in Christ.Please pray God would help Amanda be well enough to fly home in October. Also, pray God will give us a Christian doctor who will be willing to explore the cause of Amanda’s symptoms and not just throw medicine at them to see if something works. My heart's desire is that God would restore her fully, but please pray that we will glorify Him and remember to lift up Christ in whatever He has planned for our lives. -Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Prayer Requests - 1-continue to pray for Amanda. She has improved from a couple months ago, but in the last few days, she seems to retreat to her old ways and frustrations. We do not want to see her declining.2 - Pray for Anna. She is flying now back to Melbourne. She will arrive in the morning She is a vital part of our team, and we are thankful for her return.3-Pray for Marie's visa. We hope to finish her religious worker visa this Friday, and mail it off to USCIS. This will help her to finish raising support. David Peach from BIO is here for the week. He is a blessing, and he helps us with the paperwork.4-pray for our opportunities to talk to both the deaf and hearing of the gospel of Jesus.5-Pray for the signers. I have taught AUSLAN since March. Tricia is now teaching on "interpreting."We thank each one of you for your prayers.~John ... See MoreSee Less
There's just something about encountering wild life!Last week, while driving back from the preachers fellowship, we stumbled across this kangaroo next to the road. As you can hear in the video, I was thrilled.¡Hay algo especial en encontrarse con animales salvajes!La semana pasada, mientras volvíamos en coche del encuentro de predicadores, nos topamos con este canguro junto a la carretera. Como se puede escuchar en el vídeo, estaba muy emocionado.~Timothy ... See MoreSee Less
We met Pastor Charlie Williams in his home last week when he and his wife hosted a pastor's fellowship. On Sunday morning we enjoyed visiting his church at Oasis Baptist Church. Then on Sunday night we went once again to Ferntree Gully Independent Baptist Church unannounced. We had missed a message from Pastor Zoeff earlier that day asking whether John could preach that night. When we came through the door he heartily asked if John was ready to preach. John said, "Always" and it was set. It was not until much later that night we saw the message that we had been invited to come. We are thankful we have the Lord to guide our steps! ... See MoreSee Less
Today we went to a lunch fellowship of preachers and wives along with children. It was a sweet time, and I rejoice to meet them who labor for the Lord in the Melbourne area.~John ... See MoreSee Less
Last Sunday, it was a blessing to meet missionary Rijn Abrell at Anchor Baptist Church. The people were so warm and welcoming, even though they weren't expecting us. I was impressed by this missionary, who despite having a stroke 10 years ago, faithfully continues serving the Lord on the field. He has such a great burden for souls. After the service, he pleaded with us to help him find missionaries willing to come to Australia, where they can reach people from literally all over the world.El domingo pasado, fue una bendición conocer al misionero Rijn Abrell en la Iglesia Bautista Anchor. La gente fue muy cálida y acogedora, a pesar de que no esperaban nuestra visita. Estuve impresionado por aquel misionero, quien a pesar de haber sufrido un derrame cerebral hace 10 años, sigue sirviendo fielmente al Señor en el campo misionero. Tiene una gran carga por las almas. Después del servicio, nos rogó que lo ayudáramos a encontrar misioneros dispuestos a venir a Australia, donde uno puede alcanzar a personas provenientes de literalmente todas partes del mundo.~Timothy ... See MoreSee Less
Amanda has good days and bad days but this day was particularly good and will be a special memory for always. We hope we are past the critical period and will continue to see improvement. Thank you for all the prayers.~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Except for one day when we tried another medication, Amanda has had a good week! She is getting stronger every day and is much more engaged. She is trying her best to recover and her countennence is much better. This is the thrird Sunday in a row she has made it to church all day. This is a direct answer to prayer. We still have a long way to go, but it is so good to have good news to report. Some of the smiles and laughter we have missed for so long have started to resurface. It is so wonderful to hear her laugh again. God is at work and we are thankful!~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Tonight I’ve been reflecting on Psalm 115. In my Bible it is titled God Is Truly Glorious. I am so thankful that I have been introduced to our all powerful living God who reigns with truth and grace, and that we don’t need to look vainly to idols made by human hands for help. “Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield.” Psalm 115:11 KJV~ Marie ... See MoreSee Less
A week ago Sunday morning, I visited a supporting church to give a report on the ministry in Australia. As I exited my car, the pastor's wife, whom I had never met before due to a change in leadership since I had been there, walked up and addressed me by name. People continued to arrive and I was greeted by several others who knew my face and my name. Many of them had never met me before, but they had been reading my prayer letters. They were enthusiastic about meeting me and shared that they had been praying for me. The man who reads the prayer letters to the church not only reads the letters, but also searches online for more information about their missionaries and relays it to the church. The pastor shared his heart from the pulpit, that he wants his church to be the kind of church that doesn't just send a check every month. He wants them to be the kind of church that knows their missionaries and prays for them specifically and provides genuine fellowship. This pastor spent many years serving as a missionary to Sri Lanka.A couple of days later, Mom and I went to a church conference. After all the pastors and missionaries had stood and introduced themselves to the congregation, a lady sitting behind us tapped me on the shoulder. She leaned forward, telling me she has been praying for Go Deaf Missions with her church for months. She began to tell me everything I have written about in my prayer letters. I sat there, gaping, while she rattled off details like she had known them her whole life. She asked if I knew anything more about Amanda, so that she could share in the burden and pray accordingly. It means so much to me that people would take the time to know me and care about me when I do not know them or have only met them briefly. It is so encouraging and motivating to hear from someone, "I've been praying for you every day!" or, "I researched you on your website and I read all your old letters," or, "I know that this has been a struggle, do you have any more information that I can add to my prayers?" Thank you all so much for every answer to a letter, every comment on our posts, every prayer you have prayed on behalf of my team and me. You make all the difference between us feeling like failures and being motivated to continue the ministry God has called us to do, not only because you inspire us, but also because prayers change things. You are one of God's greatest gifts to us. Thank you. ~ Anna ... See MoreSee Less
This picture was taken at church last Sunday. Blessed to see Amanda smiling.We are thankful Amanda received her extended VISA last Friday to stay in Australia till November. I ask you to keep on praying for us. The extended time allow us more time for medical testing. We need wisdom to proceed and to make right decisions. We know the Lord is with us every step but we still do not have the answers. ~John ... See MoreSee Less
𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲!Pastor David Zoeff is a friend we met a few months ago and he welcomed us to his church a couple of times already. Last week while I was finishing the gospel clip we made, we received a call from him, inviting us to speak at his church. It truly is a blessing when they consider inviting me to speak as well.On Sunday morning, Amanda woke up happily and seemed well enough to join us for church again, so our whole team was back at service together again! It was encouraging to see the reception we had both when John preached in the morning and I preached in the evening.Thank you for your continuous prayers, the Lord is still in the business of answering them!¡𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐨!El pastor David Zoeff es un amigo que conocimos hace unos meses y nos dio la bienvenida a su iglesia un par de veces. La semana pasada, mientras estaba terminando el video evangélico que hicimos, recibimos una llamada suya, invitándonos a predicar en su iglesia. Realmente es una bendición cuando consideran invitarme a predicar a mí también.El domingo por la mañana, Amanda se despertó alegre y se veía lo suficientemente bien como para unírsenos a la iglesia nuevamente, ¡así que todo el equipo volvió a reunirse para el servicio! Fue alentador ver la recepción que tuvimos cuando John predicó por la mañana y yo prediqué por la noche.¡Gracias por sus continuas oraciones, el Señor todavía está en el negocio de responderlas!~Timothy ... See MoreSee Less
We have said several times that God has provided for us in wonderful ways. Just look at our location! We are in the upper section of town. About a quarter mile away there are bakeries, boutiques, coffee shops and thrift stores. We get to the city plenty of times but even when we can‘t, we have everything we need right at our disposal. We are right at the base of the mountains and it is absolutely gorgeous!~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
We praise the Lord! Amanda woke this morning with a big smile on her face and a sweet disposition. She got up, showered, and dressed with only a quick prompt. She was ready for church on time and managed to stay on track all day. She sang with us morning and and evening. We still don’t know what is wrong or what to do about it, but God will make a way. ~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Timothy has been working two days on this clip of John preaching last Sunday morning. This is what it is all about! If we ever have a video that gets a million views, I hope it is this one!~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
I memorized this verse during high school, and this verse is reminding me to trust the Lord to be our strength in our time of trouble.Psalm 46:1“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."~John ... See MoreSee Less
Even though we are on the “other side of the world,” we are still taking ground school with Eric (our oldest son). Due to logistics, we have not taken any lessons in a plane yet, but we are working on those details. We heard MAF was operating at an airport about thirty minutes from where we are staying. A couple of weeks back we drove over to see what it would take to get flying lessons but, unfortunately, MAF moved all their operations up north and the flight school operating at the airport is pretty expensive. In the meantime, we have gone through an overview of most of the Gleim training and the FAA pilot regulations and now we are going back through to memorize details and prepare for the written test. The flying portion of this makes me nervous but I believe this is something the Lord put on our hearts to do. This extra time in Australia has carved out some time for me to focus on the training. It is also great to get to spend the time with Eric and share in his passion for flying. John, Timothy, Anna, and I meet with Eric in a video chat every Australian Wednesday morning, which is Tuesday night in Florida. I have done my “ homework” this week and think I am ready to answer his questions about a “six pack.” ~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
"When the team comes together" I want to praise the Lord for a wonderful Sunday where all of our team in Australia, was able to come to church together. Even though Amanda is not fully recovered, and we still don't have a diagnosis, she was well enough that she could join us in the services on Sunday.It is a blessing to everyone when the team is together and everyone can serve in their regular roles."Cuando el equipo se une"Quiero dar gloria al Señor por un domingo maravilloso en el que todo nuestro equipo en Australia pudo asistir a la iglesia juntos. Aunque Amanda no está completamente recuperada y todavía no tenemos un diagnóstico, ella estaba lo suficientemente bien como para unirse a nosotros en los servicios del domingo.Es una bendición para todos cuando el equipo está unido y todos pueden servir en sus funciones habituales.~Timothy ... See MoreSee Less
Today is the first time in a couple months Amanda went to a morning service but also to an evening service. She did well, and I know it is because of your prayers..Thank you all for praying, and please continue to pray ~John ... See MoreSee Less
Amanda has had a couple of good days. I am so relieved to see her back at a healthy weight and her appetite returning to normal. For the last two weeks we have been able to get her out of the house almost daily. We are praying we can get her to church tomorrow morning. She really has a hard time in a crowd of people, especially strangers but we are working at more and more social interactions. John will be preaching tomorrow at a church we plan to visit and Marie will be sharing her testimony. I really want to be able to go just to be in church but I also want to be able to interpret for John. ~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
I know everyone is waiting to hear about how things went with Amanda yesterday. I hardly know what to say. It did not go at all as we had hoped. Amanda did not cooperate and we feel like we did not have the chance to describe her condition before the doctor drew his conclusions. In fact, it seems as though he had done so without reading her medical records or doctor’s recommendations and before we had even arrived, he had already determined she does not have a genetic cause to her condition; neither was he was interested in looking for any. We are disappointed in his recommendations and are not sure how to proceed. We have some big decisions to make and need lots of wisdom to know what will be best for Amanda. I guess we need more prayers. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplicatiom with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7 ... See MoreSee Less
Last Monday, we celebrated Peru's Day of Independence. Timothy and Amanda enjoyed that, watching a parade from Peru and cooking Peruvian food. Timothy helped Amanda with cooking, and the food was delicious. Amanda had a good day. Thank you for your continued prayers. ~John ... See MoreSee Less
In a few hours, Amanda will have her first appointment with a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy. This is not the doctor we wanted, but the colleague of the colleague of the doctor we wanted. The doctor we most wanted to see never responded to our request for Amanda to be seen. Our actual referral was to a colleague of his who specializes in movement disorders such as dystonia as well as epilepsy. The general practioner specifically recommended this doctor in case the first choice doctor didn’t work out. A receptionist in her office determined (based on what, we don’t know) that Amanda did not need the recommended doctor, and the new doctor in their office would suffice. He specializes in epilepsy but not the other movement disorders. We have been waiting months for this appointment, and this is the last doctor we have an appointment to see here in Australia. It is three in the morning and Amanda is awake, anxious about the appointment ahead. I have done all I can to settle her, but I now find myself anxious as well. The receptionist in this office has made it brutally plain that she does not like Americans at all. When I made the original appointment she scoffed at the idea that we wanted a rushed appointment because “we were Americans who just wanted to go home” and she told us the second choice doctor we requested was too good of a doctor for us to see her. Yesterday, when confirming the appointment, she demanded to know whether it was Australian doctors who thought Amanda could have genetic caused to her condition or just American ones, as though there should be a difference. This appointment is the last thing we know to do to get Amanda the help she needs in order to bring her home, and the receptionist said she didn’t think we deserve to be taking this appointment away from an Australian. This has been really hard. We have not been able to complete the most crucial tests to determine whether epliepsy is the cause here. We have had referrals for an MRI, a long term EEG, and to see a geneticist for a couple of months, but we have not been able to schedule any of them. Australia pretty much has a “Don’t call us, we’ll call you" policy. We have called to check on the referrals and keep being told they will call us back. Our understanding is that the only EEG computer and the only MRI scanner with compatible settings for Amanda’s cochlear implants are broken and no one has any idea when or if they will be repaired. These tests are so important and without them, I am concerned the doctor will want to experiment with drugs as a previous doctor did, instead of relying on medical tests to confirm a diagnosis. Despite telling the receptionist that afternoon appointments are much more manageable for Amanda, we have a 9:00 a.m. appointment at a practice nearly two hours from where we are staying in Warburton. To make things easier on Amanda, we rented an AirBnB and came to the area last night. Still, a 9:00 start is “iffy,” and more so, as she is still awake. These last few months have been indescribably difficult for Amanda, for us and for the whole Go Deaf Missions team. Amanda’s condition is extremely complex, and it is hard to get doctors to look at all of her symptoms before they start drawing conclusions. After telling this story over and over it is hard to keep track of the details in order and hard to know how much to tell before the doctor is going to stop listening. We have asked for so much prayer, but can we ask again anyway? Amanda is willing to see this doctor because we told her we are praying God will give her the right doctor to help her. Please pray this doctor will have clear insight into Amanda’s condition and that he will know what we need to do. Also, pray they will not give her anything that harms her or makes her symptoms worse. So much could go right today, and so much could go wrong. If Amanda doesn’t sleep soon, it is going to be hard to even get her out the door this morning. I know God is able, please pray He will be willing. I am moving to Amanda’s bed and praying we can both get a few hours of sleep. Please pray us through.~Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Amanda has been doing a little better this week. We need to get another culture, but it seems like the UTI is cleared up and with it she has an overall way better disposition. She still has a lot of involuntary movement going on, and I hope we can get to the bottom of it at the nuerologist this week. They are much less severe, but she is really never without something going on. We have not been able to get the MRI she needs or the long term EEG due to equipment that needs repairs (it is complicated). We may have to go to another city, and we will, if that is what it takes. Please keep praying.Also keep praying with us for some people who really need Christ in their lives. And pray for us to be successful in our witness here as well.~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Last week I had bronchitis - I’m thankful for the help of antibiotics and modern medicine when we need it! I’m thankful too for God’s provisions when we are both well and unwell. His faithfulness is true in all seasons.~ Marie ... See MoreSee Less
I thank those of you for holding the rope for our team, our family, and Amanda as we endeavor to bring the Gospel wherever we go. Keep on holding the rope.~John ... See MoreSee Less
Amanda has a UTI that failed to respond to a week of antibiotics and instead grew more severe. She was running a low grade fever which spiked quite rapidly last night and gave me a pretty good scare. The doctor sent off a culture and started a new antibiotic but we won’t know until the culture comes back whether the antibiotic she is on is effective for the type of bacteria. The doctor expressed concern that the infection could easily spread to the kidneys. I find my self up frequently in the nights checking for even breathing and praying for the mercy of God to fall over us. The last hospital we were in told us not to bring her back unless her kidneys failed and she was unconscious so it would be easier for them to treat her. Two months later their lack of concern still reverberates in my heart. Please pray with us that this antibiotic she is on will be effective and quick. Amanda has a request, too. Since she was eight she has played a video game called Toontown, which has been a very safe game and one that equalizes the playing field for her because there are no necessary sounds in the game. Her first “friend” in the game was a cat named Sonic and he is a really cool character. They have been friends all along advancing in the game together. I imagine sonic has grown up and does not play games much anymore but Amanda misses having that “friend”. Will you just help Amanda pray that Sonic will log in while she is online. It is one of very few things she still enjoys. In the meantine, as John mentioned, I did take a sprawling fall off the bathroom’s wooden threshold into the sunken dining room and came down hard on my back, spraining my ankle and hurting my back in a couple of places. The lesson learned is “Don’t rush in wool socks on newly waxed wood floors.”Thank the Lord, the sprain is mild and most of the pain is from a bruised ankle. The swelling was minimum. I am also thankful nothing was broken but I did put a strenous stretch on the cartilage that holds the pelvis together at the spine making everything in my hips pretty unstable. The doctors orders are to stand and lay but not sit. He gave me some excercises and told me to take walks frequently. I am not supposed to bend, twist, or lift. It is very painful and exhausting but the part I hate is not being able to sit on the edge of Amanda’s bed, climb in with her, or help her out of her bed. How do you take care of someone sick if you can’t lean over to get close or help them sit up in the night for a drink? Please pray Amanda will recover quickly so she doesn’t feel unloved when I can’t do those things for her. If it were just the pain, I would manage but the doctor said I will have worse problems if this is not allowed to heal correctly. I am feeling pretty stretched out as a wife and mom these days. I believe God has something for us in all of this but I sure would like to see the evidence of his hand in deaf souls saved. God has provided for us here in so many amazing ways and we are humbled to see how many friends and family we have praying for us all around the world. ~ Tricia ... See MoreSee Less
Today I started the process of applying for a VISA for the US, with the preliminary stage of reading through the relevant paperwork and understanding the process involved and which documents etc will be required. I’m thankful the team have stepped through this process before with Timothy. It’s a great help to have a path to follow as we work on preparing my application. Please pray for us as proceed, for it to be a smooth process and for doors to open as God wills in His right time.~ Marie ... See MoreSee Less
Matthew 8:24-27 KJV[24] And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. [25] And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. [26] And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. [27] But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! ... See MoreSee Less
I ask you to pray for Tricia. She fell over a week ago, and her lower back has been in excruciating pain. We went to see a chiropractor today, and pray that this chiropractor will help and relieve her back pain. It has been overwhelming for us both caring for Amanda the last few months and trying to get medical answers. It is disheartening for Tricia to have this pain. Will you please pray for my wife, Tricia? Thank you for your prayers,~John ... See MoreSee Less
