King's Konnection: King Update-Back in the U.S. of A.

Our Good Friends

It is hard to believe we have been back in the States for over 2 months! Saying good-bye to some special friends and team members was extremely difficult yet bittersweet. I was hoping to give you an update that speaks of all the wonderful things that have fallen in place since returning. But I can't. For the most part we are still waiting and praying, searching out every end possible. We are trying to trust the Lord at every twist and turn without growing weary. My good ole' friend Waiting makes life difficult. So, what are we waiting for? We are waiting for

More Friends

someone to hire Josh. Waiting for someone to see the gifts and talents God has given him. We are waiting to find a house. Waiting to see where we will begin the next chapter of life.

Making decisions while waiting is extremely difficult because of our unknown future. However, decisions have to be made. So we have made a couple heart-wrenching decisions. We decided to settle down in Hartville, Ohio instead of our old stomping grounds in Cuyahoga Falls. We LOVE the falls but Hartville is a better location for us. So Josiah and Hope will attend a new school starting next week. We have a 3rd and 5th grader now! Hard to believe. After visiting the school who would have thought that taking the bus and having a locker would cause immense joy and excitement in them?! Oh the little

things!

Amy Kunes bought them
shirts to welcome them to
Lake schools!

Josiah and Hope are now Blue Streaks, attending Lake schools!--- Just typing this I have to take a deep breath, because, again, our future is unknown. I have clung to Psalms 37:5-7, "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.." We are committing our way to the Lord. Establishing in Hartville. Attending new schools. Trusting the Lord will see our desire to serve Him here. Even though we have no idea where Josh's job will be we have laid this plan before His throne, confident in Him.

The Kunes family. I don't have words to express the Kunes family, but I will try. Selfless. Servants. Gracious. Givers. Seekers. Lovers. Listeners. Helpers. Sacrfice-ers. They have come along side our family in all of these ways. They came to Haiti in January to visit us! We were refreshed and encouraged by their visit! Before returning to Ohio Roger and Amy offered us a place in their home to live if we chose to return to the states, so we might have time to figure things out. So we took them up on their offer! We are currently living with them not knowing when we are able to leave. Roger, Amy, Marissa, Kaylee, Jenna and AnnaBelle serve us daily. Their graciousness exceeds all I ever knew of grace. They even allowed our dog, Camo, to stay! And dogs are not their favorite (with the exception of AnnaBelle!). The two older girls share a bed so Hope can have a place to sleep. The girls cleaned out their toy room so Josiah can have a place of his own. They share their food, space, & lives with us. They are the body of Christ in word and action! We would be in a much tougher situation if it wasn't for their desire to serve our family by filling in the gap for us and our home situation. I was hoping we wouldn't need to stay long but job hunting is much harder than we expected. So we sit, thankful, in their beautiful home, waiting for the Lord to open doors.

Josiah and his friend Jzill-Ma

Hope playing with some friends.

Josh playing soccer with the guys!

Haiti. Oh precious Haiti. A time we learned, hoped, grew, loved & understood. Sometimes well intended people ask whether we think of our time in Haiti as a possible mistake or mis-step. Haiti was NOT a mistake or mis-step. Haiti is a time in our forever story. Our family's story of following Christ no matter what or where. No matter the outcome. He called us there and we followed. We have no doubt about that. After 3 years we believed our time was done. After seeking the Lord He confirmed it as the way we should go. Do we regret it? Absolutely not! Are we thankful for our time? Yes! Did we learn? Yes! Did we see God's hand? Absolutely! It is a part of us now. And we trust we will use what we learned to better understand and love!

We are thankful for those who continue to support us during this time of transition. Please know we don't take this for granted and are diligently seeking employment during this time. I believe we go down in history for having the best support team ever! We will miss watching the Lord provide for us, through His people, to glorify and reach His kingdom come the new year! Thanks for being a part of it!! Thanks for those who have walked alongside us over the last 5 years! It has been quite the ride and we couldn't have done it on our own! Please continue to walk with us as we pray through this need of employment and housing!