Hello all,
This is going to be a quick update as we start our last full week in Japan for a time. We will lose internet connection at home on June 30th, meaning we will only be able to pick up emails from time to time at the church. Also, we’ve been having trouble with our internet server for over a week and a half, so if you’ve been trying to contact us we may have never received your emails.
We will spend this last week packing up, putting our stuff in storage for our return to Japan, having a few last Bible studies and saying goodbye to friends here in Shimonoseki. On July 5th we will leave here and visit with our new friends at Sakae Church and link up with Eric and Fumiko Delp in Nagoya before returning to the States for our furlough. The Delps are part of our Barnabas Team from Grace Fellowship Church and have been our link to the partner church. This will give our whole family a chance to meet the folks at Sakae and to see Nagoya. We will fly to Northern Kentucky on July 8th.
Here are some requests…
Marcy’s brother, Eric, (who has been struggling with a drug/alcohol addiction for the last 15 years) fell off his 2nd story balcony while under the influence and broke his back last week. He had successful back surgery, but will be in the hospital for 3-6 weeks. Please pray that this would cause him to bend his knee and cry out to Jesus.
Please pray that we would finish well in Shimonoseki. The church here is going through many trials and is in turmoil, but God is using it for His Glory. Please pray the believers here would stand firm on the Rock and worship and serve Jesus Christ alone.
Please pray for all the details of packing up our belongings, putting them into storage for our return for Japan and a smooth transition for our family as we return to the States for a time of refreshment, training, fundraising, team development and having our fourth child.
Please pray for the health of our family. In the past few months, David has been having increasing problems with his ears. It started out with a lot of popping, but has now progressed to almost continual popping and occasional pain. Please also pray for baby Crane #4. I am 5 ½ months along but am already having actual contractions periodically. We are all ok, but both of these issues are complicated by moving, the stress of our environment and a very long international flight so we would appreciate your prayers.
Please pray for Sarah Grace, Sam and Sean as their young minds wrap around the idea of “moving”. They are excited to be coming back for a visit, but because they are young it’s harder to understand. Sam was only two when we moved here and Sean was born here so they don’t remember as much (or at all in Sean’s case) as Sarah does and may be a bit nervous in the “new” surroundings. Pray they would adjust well and we would have extra love and patience with them during this busy time.
We will fly to Northern Kentucky on Tuesday the 8th. Please pray for safe travel, health, good behavior from the kids, as little jet-lag as possible and a good goodbye to our nephew Alex who has been staying with us over here for the last two months. When we arrive in the States he will return home to Buffalo as we return to Norterhn Kentucky.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer and support. We can't wait to see you!
Serving together…
Dave
