Thank You Just Doesn't Sound Like Enough ...

Four months ago today we landed in the Dominican Republic. Tomorrow, way before the sun rises, Lowell and Cheryl Troyer will get in a car and drive away from the place they have called home for the past 11+ years. We cannot begin to express how much we have come to love and appreciate them and their hearts for the work of the Lord. As we have trained along-side of them (and Maggie Slabach too) we have at times been overwhelmed by the many details of running a ministry such as Students International. For years, we have been on the other-side of this ministry, bringing teams from Jupiter Christian School. We always appreciated how smoothly things seemed to run as team leaders but we didn't fully understand the length and the depth of that until now.

The day after we landed in the DR, we went with Lowell and Cheryl to Santiago to shop for the group scheduled to arrive a few days after us. It was an impressive thing to watch how the van load of groceries was bought, paid for and stashed in the van in an amazing order. We came home, looked at each other and said, "what in the world have we gotten ourselves into." We felt as though there was no way we would ever be able to do the shopping on our own. Over the next couple of months, Lowell, Cheryl and Maggie gradually transitioned out as we transitioned in. I don't know when the actual full shift took place but this past week we went to Santiago and managed to buy groceries on our own ... granted it was for a much smaller group, but we were encouraged that we accomplished this once daunting task on our own! We were trained well by the masters!

As we have gotten to know the kitchen crew (Mili, Carlos, Angela, Juana, Nieve, Milagros, and Lucila) and the grounds crew (Son and Rudy) and the sweet family that lives next door (Wilian, Isabel, Samuel, and Isabella) we have witnessed the deep love that they have for Lowell and Cheryl, Nate and Maggie. There are deep bonds of friendship that will last a life-time between them all. We know that the only reason the "fearsome foursome" as they have been dubbed, would leave is because there is Someone much bigger at work in their lives.

All of us who have stepped into roles to fill the vacancies left by the Slabachs and the Troyers do so with a tremendous appreciation for the vision and the ground-work laid by them. We love you so very much and look forward to seeing and hearing all the Lord is doing in your lives and through you as you move on to planting a new work in Nicaragua and overseeing your new roles in Students International.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

traditional gaelic blessing