Memorial for Jimmie Hooten

Dear Friends and Family,

 Yesterday, Friday, January 13th, 2012 was the Memorial Service for Jimmie Hooten.  It really was a blessed time.  There were so many friends from “yesteryear” that were there. 

Missionaries singing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in KiSwahili

Every one of the grandchildren and their spouses were there except for our Anna and Derek, who were on the road to Missouri to begin their training with New Tribes. 

 Our hearts are so full of the love that has been expressed to the Hooten family.  The service was a beautiful time of celebrating Jimmie’s (Dad’s) life and focusing on our purpose in life here on earth, which is to glorify our Father in all that we do and say.  Strength was given to David’s sisters,  Dee Ann and Kathy as they shared briefly their “remembrances” and to David as he spoke on our life’s purpose to live for our Father and glorify Him. 

  Main Street Baptist Church hosted a meal for everyone present and it was such a sweet time of fellowship with friends we have not seen for years.  Thank you so very much to those of you who were able to come and make this time really special for our family.

David and I will be living with Peggy (Mom) in Georgetown, TX and hope to “drag” her around with us from time to time in our travels!  J  This coming week we will be focusing on getting phones,  a car, and just settling in.  There are a lot of things on our plate right now,  a trip to West Africa, a visit with my sister Annie who is recovering from surgery, preparations for the Summit in Montgomery Alabama the end of February,  and just continued plans for our cluster meeting in March!  We covet your prayers regarding all of these things that God would guide us in our purchases and planning for the upcoming meetings.  We do feel overwhelmed at times, but are so thankful for our Father’s loving hand in our lives, guiding and comforting us and just His presence is known. 


Thanks again to all of you who have held our family up to the Father these past weeks.  Thanks so much to those of you who have written notes, sent cards, flowers, prayed with us, fed us and just extended God’s love to us in so many ways.  You have been such an encouragement. 

With love, Janet

Grandma with grandsons

 

Grandma with grandaughters



Dear friends from Uganda days, Bachu & Mina



Derek and Anna Homsher

                            DECEMBER 2011

Visiting afer River Baptism

This month was filled with a mixture of laughter and tears.  Our daughter, Anna and her husband, Derek Homsher arrived Dec. 1   It was Derek’s first time to Africa and it was so fun to get to know him better, let him see and experience Anna’s Africa.  At the same time we got word of David’s dad taking a turn for the worse with his Alzheimer’s.  It was a difficult decision for David to know what to do, but with the urging from his family in the states, he remained here through the Homsher’s visit.



Visiting with dear friends





The family minus Nathaniel....

 Time flew by as we visited with friends and colleagues, visited a game park and spent a day snorkeling at the Lake. This time was coupled with the daily updates via skype with David’s mother and sister as to how dad was doing.  On Christmas night, we got the call telling us that Dad had passed onto Glory.  A seemingly strange way to celebrate Christmas, but at the same time we had a beautiful picture of the hope we have in the salvation that came to us through the birth, life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Dad’s passing on Christmas Day is seen as God’s gift to himself! 



"You're getting Married?!?!?"


We are so very thankful for the gift of being with Dad this past year at Anna and Derek’s wedding. 



I Love you Grandpa!



 Our family has so appreciated all of your prayers for us and the many kind notes of encouragement to us this past month as we dealt with David’s dad’s journey through the valley of death.  We will be returning to the USA on January 10^th and a memorial for Dad will be held on Jan. 13^th. 
 JANUARY 2012

We have decided to move our Stateside assignment up beginning mid-January 2012. We just felt it was timely to begin our STAS in January so we can be of support to David’s mother, Peggy.  We will be living with Peggy.    Our address will be:
  703 River Down Road, Georgetown, TX 78664                 PH# 512 868-8783

First Baptist Church Round Rock, TX has offered us the use of their “Mission house” beginning April if we need it.  We so thankful for God’s provision in this way and trust that He will continue to lead and provide for all that one needs when returning for STAS.   Our STAS will be through mid-July, 2012.

Stateside Strategy Leader (SSL)

We have been asked to take on the Stateside Strategy Leadership (SSL) role in Richmond, VA.  This role is actually a required “task” for the current Cluster Strategy Leaders to fill.  It is a one year assignment working with new missionaries in their orientation preparing to come to Sub-Saharan Africa.  This assignment will begin mid-July 2012 through July 2013.  There will be a new Cluster Strategy Leader assigned to work with the Zambezi Cluster during our STAS and the year that we will be working as SSL.  We are not sure where this will leave us at the end of our SSL role in 2013.  We do covet your prayers for clear direction from our Father as to which path he would have us travel after that time.

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!

·         Please pray for us as we pack up our house here in Malawi and make the transition to USA for 1 ½ years! 

·         Please pray for the family as we have the memorial service for Dad on January 13^th Please pray that God be glorified in all that is said and done on this day.  Jimmie was a wonderful husband, father,and father-in-law, grandpa and friend to so many.  He was a wonderful man of God.  All these good things are a result of God’s mercy and grace on his life and we want to give God the honor and glory due Him.

·         Please pray for us as we continue to work with the missionaries in our cluster through the end of March.  We will continue making preparations for our annual Cluster meeting.  We look forward to this time of coming together again and pray that it be a time of encouragement and spiritual renewal and vision for our missionaries.

·         Finally we ask that you please pray for Anna and Derek Homsher as they begin a new chapter in their lives with New Tribes Missionary training.  They will be moving to Missouri mid-January to begin training for about 1 ½ years.  They are both excited for this time and look to their Father for guidance and provision in months to come.  They do not know “Where” they will be headed until later on in their training time.  But they want to be available to go and do whatever God would have for them.  

 Thank you all again so very much for your prayers, your kind notes to us during the loss of David’s dad, Jimmie Hooten. 

  

More memories made in Mozambique

Dear Friends and Family,

David and I are in South Africa...again. We were here recently for an Affinity Group Leadership Team meeting and then had one week home before we headed back down here in our car via Mozambique.

One of our favorite part of the Cluster Strategy Leader’s role is being able to visit with our missionaries in their homes, see their areas of ministry, take time praying with them and at times, playing!  (Have I written this before?!?)  We have several “new” missionary units in Mozambique that we wanted to visit so decided to do this on our way back down to Johannesburg for some training that David is helping to lead this week.

We started our trip with a visit with a South African couple, Keith and Christeen Moller who are working among the Yao in Malawi.   We worked indirectly with them when we were in Mozambique.  It was good to just listen to their victories and challenges and pray with and for them.  Would you please pray for Keith and Christeen Moller and their four young children, Hannah, Michael, Mary and Karen?  Praise the Lord with them as they are beginning to see more fruit of their labor.  Pray that God would continue to supply all their needs, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Leaving from the Mollers place, we traveled a long 12 hour day, dirt road all the way, to the city of Nampula.   Billy and Sara Turner have come to Mozambique for a two year Logistics Coordinator position.  Billy and Sara have such a love for our Father and desire to live and serve in this part of Mozambique.  They lived and worked in Mozambique about 5 years ago and now have returned!  They have just moved to Nampula to begin their work from there.  Would you please pray for Billy and Sara as they begin their work in Northern Mozambique?   Pray for them as they seek for the right church family to plug into and people to minister to while they are in Nampula. 

                                                                NAMPULA

Billy and Sara Turner



Billy's office.....for now!



                                                                      MOCUBA


Visiting on Oetter's front veranda







Sunday at worship was a hot day!



Jim at the well with his "helpers"

                                                                   QUELIMANE

From Mocuba, we had an even shorter 21/2 hour trip to the small city of Quelimane.  John and Wanne Dina have lived and worked in Quelimane for many years and now have new team members that they are supervising and coaching in their work.  They also have taken on the role of providing a well-planned language and orientation program along with mentoring new missionary personnel who are coming to Mozambique.  Please pray for John and Wanne as they work with new personnel in language and cultural orientation.  Pray for joy, wisdom, patience, discernment and physical and spiritual strength.  Pray for them as they continue to work with their national leadership among the peoples of Zambesia.

A well and pump funded through stateside Baptist churches

Wanne and John

In Quelimane there are two  Journey-girls.  Jessica Riemersma  and Sally Hamrick.  Jessica is focused on working with high school and university aged girls, mentoring and teaching God’s word to them when she can. She also is involved in teaching out in some rural coastal areas and seeing God move among the Moniga people!   Sally is focused on  teaching young children to read and helping out with children's Sunday School classes in a church nearby.  Sally also will be working with some new MK’s giving them a supplemental education beginning January 2012. 

Janet with Sally and Jessica

Would you please pray for these two girls, Sally and Jessica as they continue with their work in Quelimane? Pray that they continue to find real joy and purpose in their work.  Pray for their physical and emotional protection. 

                                                            MAPUTO 

Our journey continued for the next two days making our way down to the capital city of Mozambique, Maputo.  Presently there are two couples living there, the Jacksons and Brains and another family, the Lechners who are currently stateside.  



What a nice setting for a visit!

 We had a wonderful visit with Steve and Karla Jackson and their son, Jared.  Their three girls are in Kenya attending Rift Valley Academy, so this has been quite an adjustment this year  with the girls gone.  We got to talking about “fun things” we like to do, and one of those in common is visiting in game reserves.  To our surprise, the Jacksons said, “why don’t we just go together to Kruger tomorrow?” (It was on our way to South Africa) So, we got up at 4 a.m. and took off for Kruger National Park and spent the day together having fun!  Granted, we couldn’t visit much while driving, but times we stopped for eating and rest breaks were sweet. 

We had a sweet encounter with this mama and her little one!



Kruger has many White Rhinos!  We haven't seen these for a LONG time in other parks.

 We had a great visit together that evening and the next morning.  Would you pray for Steve and Karla as they work among the people in the Maputo area?  Pray for Karla as she home schools Jared.  Pray for their three girls, Christa, Abby and Bethany who are at boarding school in Kenya.  Please pray for Jacksons as they carry on the work in Maputo.

 Todd and Tia Brain and their two children are Logistics Coordinators and will be leaving Mozambique in January 2012 for their first stateside assignment.  Please pray for the Brains as they seek direction as to where to serve in the future.

So…. Another 7 hour trip to Johannesburg that ended this part of our trip.  Ten days after driving out of our driveway, we "clocked in" 56 hours of riding in the car and 3,575km!  We praise God for safety in travel, a dependable vehicle to drive and for great health.  We arrived quite exhausted but just so thankful for God's mercy in our travels.  Return trip..., we'll be traveling back through Botwana and Zambia. 

 Thank you so very much for your continued prayer support for us, our work and travels. 


From Nampula, it was a short 5-6 hour ride into the town of Mocuba where we have another precious couple, Jim and Susan Oetter who are seeing ways of growing the Kingdom of Heaven during their two year commitment.  They have really struggled with not having running water in the town and have had to draw water from wells just outside town.  This has turned out to be a blessing in some ways as there have been great opportunities to sow the seed of the Gospel with those who come to the wells for their own water!   Please pray for the Oetters as they seek the best ways to encourage the local town church while at the same time, reaching out to the many small missions in their district.  Pray for perseverance, joy and clarity in teaching God's Word to those around them.  

                                  

Being "Blessed" by Corryton BC, TN

Beautiful Rainbows at every sight

 Corryton Baptist Church has in the past and once again this September, chosen to come to Zimbabwe to “bless” and encourage God’s servants in a very special and unique way.

We, along with about 30 other couples and singles within the Zambezi Cluster and two other clusters in southern Africa, were invited to participate in this year’s couples retreat at Elephant Hills Lodge on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.  It was a time to get away to enjoy each other and our Father’s creation. It was a time for us to be taught and encouraged.  It was a time to challenge us to take a look at our relationships with our spouses and family life. 

We are very grateful and indebted to Corryton for their generosity and willingness to give this gift of love to us and so many others within our Cluster.

Battle of wills- McElroy's

We are thankful for Jeff and Debbie McElroy, who are gifted professional marriage and family counselors and offered their listening ears to whoever wanted to talk with them.  We are thankful for Pastor Rocky Ramsey and his wife Betsy who encouraged us and our people to remember who we are living and working for, and as we live and work out our calling, we do so “unto Jesus”. 

Pastor Rocky Ramsey

We are thankful for Alan and Emmeline Cottrell who led out in worship and Alan with his talented and various character sketches.

Mrs. ?.... Alan?

  We are thankful for those that came to cut hair; to teach various exercise techniques; IT specialists; and those who came just to encourage the Saints in whatever way they could.

David and I were able to take a walk and once again, after 15 years, in the Victoria Fall’s Park and see the beautiful, amazing Falls that David Livingstone “discovered” so many years ago.  Rainbow after rainbow at each water fall, reminded us of our Father’s amazing love, his powerfulness, his presence and love for mankind.

  We were able to white water raft 28 kilometers down the Zambezi River crossing over 19 rapids, of which many were categorized as class 5 rapids.  (To some this probably was a foolish activity as it really was quite dangerous, but the rafting was really fun we are glad we did it and probably will never do it again!J)

Starting point for rafting trip

At the base of  Falls (750 ft climb down... and later climb back up!)

Our guide, Gorden shouts "GET DOWN!"  -David & I are in the back

  We also were able to take a nice calm “sunset cruise” down the river with our friends on a large pontoon boat.

Nice visit with Mike and Lindy

We are back home now and preparing for more visits with our missionaries and also some meetings coming up in October and November.

Would you please pray for David as he continues in his role as Cluster Strategy Leader for Zambezi Cluster of Sub-Saharan Africa?

 1) Pray for wisdom, perseverance and discernment as David deals with so many issues, often seemingly not related to strategy.

2) Please pray for us as we prepare for an upcoming leadership training that will be held in South Africa.  Pray that this would be beneficial to all who attend, a time of encouragement and learning.

 3) Pray also for us as we travel by road to visit with our missionary personnel.  Pray that we be of encouragement to them.  We praise God for how he has helped us through so many miles these past years without breakdowns or accidents.  We continue to seek His protection and grace in our travels.

4) Pray for me, Janet, as I serve as Cluster Prayer Advocate.  Pray that I know better and effective ways of how to encourage prayer for our personnel.  I do want to be a stronger prayer warrior myself, faithful to bring our missionaries, their work, the lost etc… before our Father.

Trip to Isoka

One part of David’s and my job that we enjoy the most is being able to visit with our missionaries in their homes.  It is a time for us to get to know them and their families better; know their area of ministry, meet with their friends and national co-workers.  It is a time for them to get to know us better.  It is a time in which we try to be of some encouragement to them.

David and I drive to these areas as it gives us a taste of which the missionary has to go through to get to their homes. These trips are long and wearing and we are usually “plowing new ground” but we really enjoy taking in the various and often interesting cultural aspects of those areas and just seeing new things!

We have just returned from a visit with the Kimbrough family who live in the far northeastern part of Zambia in the small town of Isoka.  It is about a 12 hour drive on “paved” road from the capital of Lusaka. 

Isaac teaching us how to play Mankala

Nice talks after Blake's morning work out!

 The Kimbroughs have 4 dear children that we so enjoyed getting to know better and they us.  We spent one morning seeing their town and visiting one of their “get-away” places, a waterfall just outside their town. 

  On Sunday, we were able to worship with them and their Zambian friends/coworkers in the village of Mupeka.  The setting and small group of believers that came together under a shelter reminded us of our sweet, small group meetings we used to have in Mapudje, Mozambique. 

Blake talking with  Matthew - leader

 Later that afternoon, we were able to have such a good time of visiting and prayer with the Kimbroughs.  (Their young children were so good and played happily outside in order for us to have that time together- at least a couple of hours!)

Would you please pray for this dear family, Blake and Dawnya Kimbrough and their children Isabel, Abigail, Isaac and Amos? 

1) Pray for them as they work hard to learn ciBemba. Pray that their tongues be loosened and ears opened and that they recognize and use the opportunities to use what they are learning.

2) Pray for them as they home school their children.

3) Pray that they continue to find joy and fulfillment in their work and life among the people of Isoka. Pray against feelings of loneliness as they are isolated from other missionaries.  Pray for wisdom in working with and teaching in new church starts.

4) Pray for them as they travel back and forth to Lusaka.  Having driven that road, there are areas that are very dangerous with treacherous deep potholes and broken shoulders.  The road has many commercial trucks traveling at high speeds and evidence of multiple accidents.

5) Pray for them to remain healthy.  There is very minimal health care in Isoka and they need wisdom in how to treat themselves when they get ill.

Anna and Derek's Wedding! July 2011

We're Married!!!

Well, we have just returned to Malawi.   It has been a wonderful three weeks of wedding preparation, wedding celebration, and visits with family and friends.  We feel so favored by our Father and I want to just recount everything in detail. 

We flew into Albany New York on July 11^th.  We rented a car and traveled north 2 hours to our Lakeside cabin.  It was so wonderful to be able to visit ever so briefly with my brother John and his family before they had to leave and return to their home in NM.  They had supper prepared for us and our beds made up and we so appreciated that!

Tuesday, we took to cleaning up the cabin making lists, etc.  Our kids, Nathaniel and Anna drove up from VA and surprised us by arriving a couple hours earlier than what we anticipated.  How wonderful it was for us to be able to spend several days together before other guests and family arrived for the wedding.   We bought and planted more flowers for the area, mowed the lawns, cut brush, cleaned out the “junk-room”, began purchases for the reception. (Thanks to my sister Mertie, there were already flowers planted in the window boxes and in a couple flower beds.)  We had some sweet times of prayer, playing, and visiting together and just being family.  We were blessed with beautiful weather.

We worshiped at Hague Wesleyan Church and it was nice to reconnect with friends from years past- Pastor Skip and his wife, Janet, George and Cam Brown, Chuck and April Reeder, and others.  God is growing this church family and using them to spread the love of Christ in this area of New York.  The Church was so gracious to allow us to use some of their chairs and tables for the wedding and reception.  One of the members there even offered their pick-up to transport the chairs and tables to the site of the wedding and reception!  May God show His favor on these brothers and sisters and continue to use them to grow His Kingdom!

Sunday before the wedding, Derek and his family arrived.  How blessed we feel to be connected a family who loves our Father, loves each other and with many similar interests.  Gary and Sue Homsher, parents to Derek, were such a blessing and help in preparing for the wedding.  Derek’s older sister, Danielle, also was a blessing by helping around the kitchen, picture taking and just being a sweet young lady! 

Nathaniel and his sweetie, Courtney

Nathaniel’s girlfriend, Courtney was also up the week prior to the wedding.  She was such a help around the cabin, food preparation, and it was a good time to get to know her better and she to know our family.  Later that week, several cousins from Michigan arrived and camped out at Rogers Rock campground.  It was so special for Anna to have her cousins be a part of this special event.  Rachel played a huge role by being the “lead” photographer.   What a blessing that was for us.  Then the bridal party began to arrive in time for the rehearsal.   The Homshers put on a delicious lasagna dinner for all of us that we ate right there on the point. 

Rehearsal Dinner with Homshers

Side Note:  The week before the wedding, David and Nathaniel were out canoeing and came across a “lost” section of an old wooden dock.  It was floating just under the water, and posed danger to any motor boat.  They drug the dock into our bay, and then began wondering if it might make a good platform for the wedding ceremony!  After much effort, we were able to get it out of the water, let it dry out several days and with the help of other grooms men, were able to put it into place for the wedding!  After the wedding we were informed that the dock belonged to my cousin….who had lost their dock earlier this year and they were quite pleased to see that it had been found and brought back home!  J

One of our prayers was that God would favor us with clear weather.  The night before the wedding the forecast went up to 40% chance of rain…  We just prayed and decided not to worry about it, trusting God and his plans.  (We did have the Wesleyan Church building as a back-up and it would have been a beautiful setting and perfectly suited.  But we did not need them as it turned out to be a beautiful day!  Thanks to all of you so much for your prayers.)



Mertie Klinger's beautiful handiwork!



My sister Mertie Klingler was such an amazing help in purchasing things ahead of time for me.  She is a member at Costco and was able to find some amazing “special deals”.  On top of that, she made the beautiful wedding cake!  She was learning and re-learning a lot of techniques and types of frosting to form the flowers and cover the cake….. so many, many hours were put into making the cake and that was her amazing gift to our family!  It was beautiful!



Beautiful Queen Ann's Lace and Anna Bella's



The week of the wedding the Queen Ann’s Lace began to bloom wonderfully!  The Day Lilly’s were in full bloom,  my sister’s in-laws loaned us a bunch of their beautiful hanging petunias to add to the beauty of the lake front yard, dear friend from NC brought up a bunch of ivory colored “Anna Bella’s” that we added to the brides bouquet.  

 (Anna had some dried flowers that were “significant” to her that we put in her bouquet.  Her brides maids bouquets we made from dried flowers, and Queen Anna’s Lace.  With the lake in the background, greenery from the trees and grass, together with all the wild flowers, and Anna Bella’s, it was just gorgeous.  There were mason jars filled with some pebbles from Lake George, and a few flowers- Queen Ann’s Lace and Anna Bella’s and hung on metal steak- hangers at the end of each row of chairs that Gary Homsher had made. (We kind of liked the “Ann” theme!)

Morning of wedding, brunch for 20!

We had a brunch for the bridal party and family the morning of the wedding.  Sue and Gary made some cinnamon rolls and a breakfast casserole. I made sausage swirls, croissants, bran muffins, had 2 different Entmans pastries, coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit parfaits.  Immediately afterwards, we all began setting up the decorations, and the girls began to get ready.  Mom and Dad Hooten arrived with Snyders  just a little before the wedding began.  Anna was so happy that her Grandpa and Grandma Hooten were able to make it to the wedding.  There was much prayer that went into their travels and we thank God for helping Grandma especially as they road all the way from Georgetown, TX.  Grandpa did quite well and was content most the time and we thank God for that too.

Nathaniel escorting Grandma and Grandpa Hooten

David married Anna and Derek and was able to do it without tears!  (We all did our crying the night before at the rehearsal where we all had some special words to share with the  bride and groom to be and it was a really sweet time with everyone involved.)

 One little “hitch” was when David asked Derek what he had as a sign of his commitment/love to Anna, his best man pulled out the ring…which was a lollipop ring!  That stumped David for a second, but he held his own, and eventually the real ring appeared and he was able to continue with the ceremony.   J 



Two Anna's- friends



Friends of Anna’s and Derek’s came up from VA,  Anna Park, school friend from Kenya, came up from PA, other friends and family from PA and a dear friend from Abilene, TX!  Randy and Kitty Trail came up from NC.  Kittie was such a help in putting flowers together and helping with “protocol” … we didn’t have enough time to finish doing the decorating we had planned, but it was beautiful anyway.

We served  shrimp, meat balls, quesadillas, Thai chili chicken kabobs, spinach ravioli, flower basket made from  fruit, cheese, crackers, rolls, vegetables and dip , a mozzarella ball and bowtie pasta salad, pineapple banana slush punch and cake.

Anna’s cousin Rachel Snyder was the photographer and we can't wait to get her pictures!    As Anna and Derek left,  oats, along with some silly string and dried bougainvillea from Malawi were thrown at them.  They drove away around 6:30 p.m. 

   After they left, everyone went down to the lake for a swim which was wonderful!  It was a very hot day!

Jerry, Micha, Nathaniel with Derek

Courtney, Savanah, and Ali

I praise God for the physical and emotional strength that He gave me these past three weeks.  I praise Him for good health.  I praise God for the friends and family who were so helpful in many ways.  I praise God for a sweet ceremony that was so Christ centered. We received many sweet words regarding the wedding and we want to give all the glory to God.   Thank you Father,  for your help and favor on our family these past three weeks.

Our last week was spent with David’s mom and dad and sister and her family from Michigan.  Most the bridal party left Saturday evening or Sunday.  Nathaniel and Courtney had to leave Monday,  Trails left on Tuesday along with the Snyder kids.  Mom and dad and Dan and Dee Dee left on Thursday afternoon.


Snyder family



Dear Friends, Randy and Kittie Trail

Anna and Derek came back early from their honeymoon to see grandma and grandpa before they left.  We had a nice couple days with Anna and Derek before we returned to Malawi.   And now we are back home…… tired but filled with many beautiful memories and pictures!  Thank you all for your many prayers and love shown to Anna and Derek!