After spending and encouraging and eventful summer back in the States (many thanks to all helped us along the way), we returned to China in mid-August. After a rough few days of jetlag, we jumped right in preparing for the uncoming school year, which is off to a great start!
The school has doubled in size in the past year (from about 85 to about 170), so it is a little more hectic. Steve is teaching Math (seriously, I'm pretty smart), and Carissa teaches 3 science classes. Ruthee is in the 3rd grade (the pandas) and Vaylah is in the 1st (the chameleons). They both are doing very well and love it. Dayuma goes to school for 3 hours while mommy teaches, and Abishai goes to the nursery where he sleeps most of the time. All the kids are doing well, and Abishai is growing so fast. It's hard to believe he is six months already! 
On the ministry front things are going well. Steve's saturday night class is his highlight of the week. There is a core group who come every week, and there is some real growth being seen. Continue to lift these young believers up, that they would hold fast to their faith.The youth group (currently only once a month) also had a great start to the year, with about 25 young people coming out. We played a live action version of 'Clue', spread out over the school campus. this was followed with a simple gospel presentation. Keep this in your thoughts, that the Father would raise someone up to take this on as a full-time responsibility, or for Steve to have the strength to put more into it.
Later this month (in just a couple days in fact) we will be traveling to another province and visiting some friends. There is some full-time 'work' taking place there, and we are going there as a scouting trip, to see if this is a place that the Father would call us to in the future. we are really excited just having a few days off and getting to see some other areas in country. the province is home to the most ethnic minority groups (and most unreached people groups) in the entire country. We are excited to see what He is going to do!
We are thankful for:
A fantastic summer with family and friends
Safe travels back
Provision for all of our needs
Current good health
Are requests are:
Wisdom and protection
The saturday night class and youth group
Continued language acquisition
Our upcoming trip and discerning the call of the Father
Keep lifting us up!
