Let Go, But Not Let Down

Hi all! I hope this post finds you well. We Priscos have been loving the sunshine after a bleak and drawn out New England winter. Adalind has learned to ride her bike, Jordan is learning on the balance bike, and Brooke is loving all things in nature from muddy puddles to singing birds. I have been enjoying time with family and friends in the breaks between regular duties at home and preparations for our move. About 3 weeks ago, Nick was laid off. As an electrician (and previously as a landscaper), lay-offs happen often, and normally, this would be fairly distressing, but it has come as a blessing in this time. We are keenly aware that this may be our last summer in the US for a while, and we have been so grateful for the time we have been able to spend taking in this beautiful place where we live with our loved ones.

We have also been very productive in Nick's time home. Raising 3 small (and very active...and loud) children is a lot for me to do alone while trying to manage our household and make preparations to move out of the country. We were managing, but moving along slowly and feeling pretty stressed. It has been so helpful for Nick to be able to take the kids outside so I can make phone calls, and to have him around to make the many decisions we need to make together. In our first few years of marriage, we made some hasty decisions which we quickly (but too late) realized were not the best choices. Sometimes life is really confusing guys! The good that came from those experiences is that we are learning to take the time to make informed, wise, and Godly decisions. It has been so important for us to be able to take the time together to discuss these things. As I type this, I just got a bit of a funny mental picture. I was thinking how God has used our discussions to bring us closer together, but that it has also been difficult when we disagree to work through that. I think when we get married, we often imagine God binding us together with glue, or maybe a pretty ribbon or something. I think Nick and I are being welded together! It's intense and painful, but it is creating such a strong bond. We know this binding will be of great benefit, so we can "consider it pure joy" (James 1). Thank you, God.

We're waiting to be able to travel to New York to apply for visas, and for South Africa to start giving visas to Americans again. Please keep that whole situation in your prayers. Please also pray for the poor families in South Africa who are facing an especially cold winter (nights are below freezing and houses don't have insulation). Emoyeni is currently asking for donations to supply food and blankets to those in need. If you feel led to give, visit emoyenisa.com/invest for details on how you can make a donation. We appreciate you joining us by supporting Emoyeni as a whole as well as our family's mission. We are excited to get our feet on the ground so we can show you all how far and how deep your financial support and prayers are reaching. In the meantime, you can follow Emoyeni Ministries South Africa on Facebook for more updates.