Dear Praying Friends & Family,

We’re now writing from AMERICA!  We made it through the 3 day, 25+ hours of plane rides with 2 little girls, not something you want to do everyday.  But the Lord made a way for us and allowed the girls to get some sleep even if we didn’t.  Getting into Anchorage we had heard it can be quite a process to work through immigration and visa issues for Dina’s adoption so we were prepared for lines and lots of waiting.  To our wonderful surprise a very nice man ushered us into his office and it literally took about 3 minutes and we were done!  We couldn’t believe how easy it was, with no questions asked.  A family friend then met us and took us to her house for a couple hours of rest and showers before we continued the 11 more hours to Florida.  Talk about cold, our thin Indonesia skin wasn’t much of a match for the winds and cold of Alaska, but the snowed covered mountains were sure beautiful. 

Now 5 days in the U.S. we are still in the “time warp, culture warp” phase.  It always feels strange to be back because the “world” here is so familiar yet still takes time to get used to after 3 years of being in a 3^rd world country.  Different foods and smells, cleanliness, unlimited options, and feeling like we’re always eavesdropping because we can understand what everyone is saying, are just a few of the adjustments we’re making.  The girls are also trying to adjust to the germs and viruses as they are both dealing with sickness, fevers and throwing up.  Thanks for praying for their health and that we would have wisdom and patience to care for them. 

Things we’re working through in the next month are connecting with friends, family and supporters, and working on Dina’s American adoption process.

Thanks so much for your prayers for us as we traveled to this side of the world.  We look forward to seeing many of you during this home assignment time.  Let us know if there is an opportunity to connect with you and your family!

In His Care,

Tim, Andrea, Dina & Abby