Missing in Action

Hi everyone! I guess you all have wondered what has happened to our connection. I confess I've not been on Communication Mountain for awhile. It has been a busy summer...and fall...well, you get the idea.

You have probably heard about the recent happenings in the Monsour household. Life has taken a turn with Ted's job being almost non-existent. Hence, part of the reason for the long silence. I am also in "the family way" once again and thus have not been up to par. Now that we have the excuses out of the way, we can return to the matter at hand.

Dad & Mom

The last few months have been a time of stretching as they have not had many meetings. The Lord has provided for them and they are still alive and well. Dad's little buddy, Bubba, has been growing and providing a little male companionship for Dad. Poor guy is surrounded by so many hormones! Mom's blood pressure seems to be in a satisfactory spot. Dad also had a good report on his physical and colonoscopy. Dad continues to keep up with the cabin which is a full-time job. And, of course, upcoming is their big 46th anniversary! Our best to you and all of our thankfulness and love for sticking it out and providing an emotional shelter for our family. It is not a small thing in these days.

Pete & Julia

The summer months were very busy for the family as they scurried hither and thither. They were able to attend the 50th anniversary celebration at Cleveland Baptist Church in August and then have a week by themselves in PA. Peter is doing great in college and working at Southwest Baptist Church on the janitorial team. Sarah continues her nanny job four days a week. Andrew is waiting for his 16th birthday to be able to do more on the job front. Meanwhile he is a big help to the family and the church. Both Rachel and Hannah gave testimony that they settled their salvation this summer at youth camp. It was a blessing to hear that and see the Lord working in their lives. Tomorrow night begins our annual missions conference at church and we look forward to seeing what will be accomplished. A lot of good things have been happening this year at Open Door; one of which is a company donating new doors for the front of the church. They are yet to be installed, but it will be a big improvement.

Bob & Becky

I'm sure most of you have heard about Becky's bout with typhoid fever. Hence, I've not garnered much news from the Machs side of the world. They have had a multitude of visitors from the States which always makes life more hectic. Although Becky was out of church for over a month she is now back on track. Please take it easy, Becky! She told me this summer that the teens in their church decided to visit their missionaries. They split the teens up in different groups and went to help their missionaries. It was a blessing to see them growing in their missions giving and desire to reach out to the lost.

Dan & Jenn

Once again, we thank the Martin family for making the herculean effort to make it to WV this summer. Every one's participation made it a memory-filled week. Dan's big run in September netted $38,000 for the church and the members are supposed to match the amount. This will definitely be a huge step for the church to see their debt wiped out and to give them the ability to move forward. Last week was their missions conference and among the missionaries present were Brad & Deb. I heard some wild stories about Deb splattering Jenn in mud as they were riding on their dune buggies. I'm not sure what dune buggies have to do with missions, but....:-)

Brad & Deb

It has been good to be in more contact with Deb these days. They have been hunkered down in Idaho enjoying being a part of their church. Brad is helping out the pastoral staff. The kids have been involved in some extra-curricular activities with music and sports. They had a great blessing recently with the Lord meeting a specific financial need. Continue to pray that things will fall into place as they prepare to go out on the road again. They have a motor home in mind and are trying to acquire the needed funds. We certainly hope to see them on the east coast one of these days!

Ted & Sharon

I've given most of the news in our family above. It has been rather akin to a roller coaster ride around here with Ted's job being up in the air. Thankfully the Lord has been faithful to provide and keep us on our feet. We are still seeking His will for our future, especially about First Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Unfortunately we still do not have a definitive answer from the members there, but we leave it in God's hands. You'll hear more from us as we see the Lord direct us into the next step.

Jon & Jess

We've heard good reports from our Toledo family. Recently Jon preached a Sunday morning and a middle aged man walked the aisle for salvation. A real encouragement to a preacher for sure! The family is growing up and there are now three in school full-time. I'm sure they have their hands full keeping up with those crazy guys.

Matt & Julie

Grandchild #36 will be forthcoming in May from Matt & Julie! Their summer has been full and the fall continues right along. They have faced a challenging situation at their church but the Lord is teaching them through it all. Hey, Matt & Julie, if you guys have anything to add, leave a comment. I'm not up to date on all your happenings.

Joanna

Jo started a job in September working at a preschool in Terra Alta, up the mountain from them. It has not proven to be a very stable job and has caused a bit of anxiety. Recently she filled in as church pianist in Oakland, MD and is praying about possibly helping out for a short-term project. Keep her in prayer as she seeks the Lord will.

Jessica

The job search continues and despite four interviews and numerous applications nothing has been landed. She is holding the fort down at home and helping out with Marshall Music. Besides that, she continues her completion job on her room in the cabin. Can you believe our little sister is 30 years old as of this month? Makes you feel old, doesn't it?

Monica

Monica just had a short stint at a company in Morgantown. She got her feet wet and she'll see what else will come up as far as employment. This is certainly a new chapter and something that the Marshall ladies never have had to deal with before: resumes, applications, interviews. It's a good opportunity and continues to provide new skills.

It looks like Thanksgiving at the cabin will be reserved for the five residents as of now. Christmas will be prove to be a bit more bustling. The count right now is the Wells, Monsours, and Jon & Jess. Maybe this year we will see some snow to go along with the famed "White Christmas". We shall look forward to savoring our time together once again.

So, what do you think? Enough gossip for now? If anyone has anything to add, send it my way. My love goes out to each and every one. Never forget that you are some of my favorite people!