July 12, 2007

Dear Coveted Prayer Warriors,                                                                                              

For the Traveling Thomas Troop it has been an eventful furlough.  We set our feet down in Michigan on April 23rd, visited with family, two churches and were on the road in a week. 

Our next priority was to see Andrea’s yearly check-up with the specialist in Toledo, having great hope of getting some answers to help her on her way to feeling better.  The road has been a bit more complex than we had planned, but we have see God’s hand in the details.  Dr. Grubb might have thought it strange that we seemed excited about discovering the loose and “migrating south” pacemaker as he put it.  We knew that it would mean we could upgrade the last one to an even better one that could help with her falling low blood pressure and one that would record 24/7 the oddities in her heart rhythm.  The unplanned surgery made things a bit complicated, but as missionaries we have learned to adjust to the unanticipated.

We made our trip from Toledo to Clarks Summit, PA, to celebrate with Sarah and Jonathan their graduation from Baptist Bible College.  Two down and one to go! Both continue to live in that area as they get ready for the next steps in their lives.  Our time with them was cut short because of having to return to Toledo, but we always count it a joy whenever we can be together. 

After the pacemaker implant we traveled to Florida to spend the next six weeks.  We were able to be in 10 churches, sharing our ministry through focus on the new European currency, the Euro, which stresses the openness and unity of the Union. We challenged our supporters to join us in bridging the gap, using the open windows God has given us to get into people’s lives.

 By the recommendation of Dr Grubb, we have been able to have Andrea see the head of cardiology at the University of South Florida Hospital in Tampa.  After three appointments and some more testing, we have found that Andrea has four different arrhythmias coming from four different areas in the heart.  It is too complex and sporadic to care for surgically at this time.  She is trying some new medications to help calm it all down, but she is not enjoying the side effects at this point.  It is our prayer that we can get her stable before we return to Portugal. 

On July 3^rd we began our trip up to PA to spend a week with Sarah and Jonathan before going to the home office to begin two weeks of teaching.  Because of Andrea’s health issues, she has not been working has been traveling with us.  So, we are together again as a family unit. 

It seems that things do not run as smoothly as we would like, and we now have a new situation thrown into the mix.  Denise has found out the ovarian cyst she has is continuing to grow and is giving her more pain.  She will be flying down to Florida on July 11^th to begin the pre-op preparations with the surgery scheduled on July 18^th.  Gil will plan to fly to Florida for a few days to be there during the surgery then return to ABWE.  Andrea will return to Florida a few days later, as she already had the ticket to get back for another appointment.   Gil’s family will fill in with Denise’s care when Gil returns to ABWE to finish teaching at the Core Ministries Institute.  Please be praying for the STAMP (Student & Teen Adventures in Mission Preparation) program that will be happening during the Core Ministries Institute.  Denise was heading up the pre-school portion of this candidate class for kids and youth.  They will be serving 35 kids, preparing them to enter mission fields with their parents. 

During this time, our former Portuguese intern, Miguel, and his family will be flying here to the States.  They will be spending three weeks with us, participating in the ABWE Missionary Enrichment Conference & 80^th Anniversary Celebration (July 16-21), helping with the Core Ministries class (July 23-27), ministering in a few churches and meeting with individuals.  We trust that this will be a profitable time for them as they continue on the path of raising support to be our first “Portuguese Church Planting” couple.

Our scheduled departure date was to be August 3^rd.  Because of health issues we will need to extend this date to allow us more time to care for them.  Our hope is to return by the end of August.  We ask for wisdom in knowing when to set this date.

To end on a more positive note, we are so excited to be having two new missionary families arriving in Portugal this summer.    Chris and Catrina Herrick will arrive July 11^th.  They will be able to see and help with the “Seis Semanas” our Six weeks program of clinics and camps that we run in the summer.  They will be teaching at the Greater Lisbon Christian Academy and also studying the language during their first year before working as a missionary youth pastor in our area.  Brent and Tammy Lowe hope to arrive in August with their four kids and begin their language training also.  These are the first two youth emphasis couples of the four proposed in the Portugal 4 x 4 Plan.  Please be in prayer for them and their adjustments.

• Praise God for what we’ve seen done in Andrea’s health situation and prayer that she will be able to get relief through the right medication.
• Praise the Lord that we discovered Denise’s problem and pray that all will be resolved through the operation on the 18^th of July and that we will not be hindered from returning to minister in Portugal.
• Praise God with us Chris and Catrina’s visas and their arrival in Portugal.  Pray for fruitful ministry this year and adjustment to their new culture.
• Praise the Lord for our new national church planting couple, Miguel and Isabel.  Pray for support for them so that they can serve effectively.

 Thanks so much for your prayers and support,

Gil and Denise