Midwest meetings

Elias and his latest shots
Elena fights going to sleep whether for a nap or at night. Here she is after she fell asleep outside. She couldn't win against all that fresh air!
Daddy and his treasures!
Us with Pastor Haifley and family in Indiana a few weeks ago. The kids are in their PJs before we headed home on the long drive after the service.

We are thankful for brief week and a half we had here in Michigan. We still have a lot to do to get ready for Cameroon. Pray that contacting the embassy and getting permission will go well this week.

We are leaving tomorrow, Monday morning, for Minnesota stopping in Chicago and Madison on the way. Pray for good meetings in Minnesota. We will be back at our home church in Oshkosh for a weekend as well. We have a lot to catch up on there.

Back on the Road

Elias is becoming a bit more mobile...or at least making his first attempts!
Elena brings her favorite toys on the road...animals, dolls, and her tea party set.

Sam and family after passing the checkride for the oral and flight test for the Commercial pilot's license!
Elena in daddy's planeAbby rode with Jack and I for part of the high performance endorsement. This qualifies me to fly planes over 200 horsepower. This Cessna 206 is a classic missionary airplane. Flying over New Bern, NC. We so enjoyed our time in North Carolina the last few weeks. We are in Virginia this morning on our way back to the frozen Midwest. We have a meeting in Indiana this Sunday. Here are some pictures of NC. We stayed next door to Jack and Jonnie Hunt at the Mission Aeroservices Airport called Canaan Airbase. They are such a blessing! Thanks bro. Jack for helping me earn my Commercial pilot's license and high performance endorsement! The Lord is good and his mercy endureth forever.

Meetings update

Visiting the tomb of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois

Visiting with Jim, Jill, and Ethan as well as Joseph and Michelle and family in Memphis, TN

We stayed in a beautiful house with the Browns in Cleveland, TNWe are near Ashville, NC on our way to New Bern, NC

Our meetings on Sunday in Iowa and then on Wednesday in Tennessee went very well. We visited Abraham Lincoln's tomb, Jim and Jill, Joseph and Michelle (Sam's friends who now live near Jim. We ate lunch with some of Abby's friends in Tennessee on our way to our meeting on Wednesday. Then we ate lunch and spent some time with another one of Abby's friends from college in Tennessee today. We are thankful to see each of you as we travel on deputation. Thanks for praying for our safety as we travel many miles.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a happy New Year as you serve the Lord wherever you are! We leave tomorrow for meetings in Iowa this Sunday and then a meeting in Tennesse on Wednesday. We will then be in North Carolina for a few weeks as I finish my commercial license with Jack Hunt. We will be in Indiana for a meeting the end of the month.
Pray for us as we continue to make plans to leave for Cameroon in April. Things are steadily coming together. We got Elias' passport in the mail and our first quote for tickets. We are daily going through our belongings as we pack things for our container and get rid of things we won't be taking.
The ministry in Cameroon continues to see wide open doors for the gospel. More laborers are needed. The nationals are doing a wonderful job, and we are looking forward to working both with them and our fellow missionaries.

Merry Christmas!

We trust you all had a blessed Christmas with family and friends. We are so thankful for the eternal life that Jesus Christ has given us and for the ability to enjoy life during these special times with family. We look forward to serving the Lord in Cameroon soon in 2009. We have our first meetings this coming Sunday in Iowa then in Tennessee on the following Wednesday.

Snow, snow, and more snow

Have you smiled yet today?! Elias thought he'd help you out!

Elena's zoo that we made with her animals and blocks. The school bus is full of people who drive by on their African safari.

If you are in the Midwest than you are experiencing the snow and wind and bitter cold right now. There is twice as much snow now than in the above picture. Stay safe and have fun in the snow! Merry Christmas!

Detroit: Handel's Messiah at A.T. Pierson's Fort Street Presb. Church

Abby and I had a wonderful time out last Saturday night to hear the complete presentation of Handel's Messiah. The church chorale and soloists did a tremendous job. I couldn't help but put in my vote for the Hallelujah chorus to be used on the day that we all crown Jesus Christ King of kings and Lord of lords when he comes to set up his kingdom on earth. It was only the second time either of has gone and the first time we went together.

The presentation was in the historic Fort Street Presbyterian Church in downtown Detroit. A.T. Pierson was pastor there from 1869-1882 when it was the largest church in Detroit. Dr. Pierson was friends with D.L. Moody and George Mueller to name a few. It was Mueller's influence that caused Pierson to change to become a strong and vocal premillenialist and Spurgeon's influence (among other things) that led Pierson as a seasoned preacher to embrace believers baptism and become a Baptist. Pierson led the way for world evangelism by his writing over 50 books, his organizational skills, and preaching that circled the globe. He preached for Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle when Spurgeon became sick and soon died. The church called for Pierson to be the next Pastor. You can find out more about A.T. Pierson at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Tappan_Pierson

Michigan Update

We are in the frigid state of Michigan right now working on several projects before the new year. I received my "complex endorsement" today after 10 hours in the Piper Arrow III above. This is required for the commercial license and is the plane that I will take the test in when ready. It is a 200 horsepower, retractable landing gear, controllable pitch propeller airplane that is great to fly! I hope to take the tests before the year is over.

We are working everyday on letters and phone calls to churches trying to fill up January through March's schedule. We have scheduled several meetings recently but still need more. A big "thank you" to those who have helped us make some calls and verify addresses. We are excited about the thought of leaving for Cameroon in April.

We pray that you will all have a wonderful Christmas and remember all that God did for us in sending Jesus Christ to save us through his death and resurrection. What a thought, that God would come from heaven in human form from miraculous conception and birth into an extremely humbling life on earth. Abby and I are going to listen to and watch Handel's Messiah this evening near Detroit. Truly it is one of the best ways to remember all that the Lord did for us. Abby's home church in Ann Arbor will also be holding their Christmas contata "The Winter Rose" today and tomorrow evening.

Merry Christmas!!

Ypsi

We are back in Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor for while. We had a great meeting in Port Huron and the church took us on for support that night! That is always a huge encouragement to keep on going. Pray with us about our desired April 2009 departure for Cameroon. That will be here before we know it and there will be a lot to do. We still need more meetings January through March. We are at 72% of our support. The Needhams will be leaving on a furlough in May of 2010 and we need to be there a year with them before they leave. Please pray!!

Here are some pictures and a funny video of life at home. You don't see Abby because she took all the pictures! We sure need the time away from travel this December. Pray for me as I finish my commerical pilot's license in Ann Arbor.

Port Huron

We are in Port Huron, Michigan for a missions conference. We knew the assistant pastor from Oshkosh where he grew up.

The Wings as Eagles mission team to Cameroon had a fantastic few weeks in Cameroon according to Tom Needham. We are waiting for more specifics on their ministry.

Have a wonderful week serving the Lord!

By the way, you can reach us on Skype at sam_abby05

Michigan

Elena enjoying a beautiful Thursday with Emily in Ypsilanti. We realized it would be the last good day to rake the leaves, so we spent the next three hours until dark cleaning up leaves....twenty-four bags later it was done!I started the training for the Commercial pilot's license on Thursday at the Ann Arbor Airport. I'm learning how to fly a more advanced plane. The Sportsman in Africa is in this category as it has a controllable propeller. It should take about 4-6 weeks for me to finish. There is a lot of studying and two tests in the end, an oral exam and a flight test. I have already passed the written exam.

Time for an update

This update is long overdue, but what can I say, we have been on the road :)
Our last road trip started with a meeting in Kirksville, MO. I had met the pastor on the Baptist history tour this year.

Elena, Grammy, and Abby at the Pumpkin patch in Illinois.

Watching the rain-delayed World Series with Grandad.

We had a Wednesday meeting in Illinois near my parents before we left for Minnesota for our Sunday meeting.

We stopped at Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on our way to Duluth for a meeting. Elena was overwhelmed with all the action. She loves Dora the Explorer. Our camera is officially broken, so I don't have pictures of anything after this...just videos. Our camera isn't that old, but it just stopped working.

We enjoyed a day in Oshkosh seeing friends and taking care of some business. We are in Michigan reorganizing again. Plus we have a meeting nearby in Port Huron soon.

Michigan Fun

We are enjoying our time in Michigan with Abby's family and some time alone as a family as well. Elena and Elias are doing well. Elena is enjoying all her old toys. She never stops...
Elena's new favorite restaurant...the "Big boy man." We had a good time there with Bio Grams, Aunt Diana, Anna, Emily, Mary, David, Philip, and of course Abby and myself.

Back in Michigan

We are back in Michigan after several months of being on the road. We had a great conference with Believers Baptist in Coal Valley, Illinois. We really enjoyed the time at my dad and mom's farm as well. It was good to see you too, Auntie Em.

My Grandma and Grandpa came for two of the nights!
A beautiful sunset in Coal Valley, Illinois. Thanks for all the pictures during the conference, Mr. C.!!