January 2013 Update

As many of you have just been through a week of sub zero weather, we
are enjoying our “winter” here—rainy season! The 70 and 80 degree
rains and cloudiness almost feel like there could be a chance of snow to
our jungle acclimated bodies. We started our semester off at school this
week having “Snow Days”, in fact. We had to use our imaginations but
had a lot of fun. You can see in the drawing what a tropical snow day
might look like!

 

What did we do over the
break? We enjoyed having
almost all of Kerry’s family
here with us...you can imag-
ine the amount of noise, con-
fusion, laughter, and coffee
involved…

It was a special time for us as
we realized this would be our
last Christmas in Brazil.

While we had a green, tropical
Christmas, our oldest, Reece, sure
had a white one. He was able to
stay at the Bible School and con-
tinue working over the break. He
enjoyed a fun cook out and sled-
ding in the WI snow! Thanks so
much to the staff family who took
him in and shared Christmas with
him.



In mid January we were busy helping get our
grounds ready for the annual field missionary
conference. The photo to the right shows our
field director speaking to us on the conference
motto: “Fully Set Apart for Him”.



So….we are off and running into our last semester serving as teachers here at PQQ with
many mixed emotions. We have tickets ($3500) to fly back to MN June 18th. We plan to
leave our oldest daughter here to finish her senior year. We will be leaving many close friends
and family so would really appreciate your prayers for these coming months. We will continue
teaching and serving as sponsors for the junior class while also sorting and packing, We are
trying to leave things at school and our home ready for others, as well as make plans for our
return to the US. We are pursuing a ministry with college students and plan to base in south-
ern MN, but are going back on our regular “home assignment” time and will need housing
and a car to use, as well as the many other details involved in a move. If you are interested in
helping with any of these expenses, please contact us and we can give you the information on
where to send the funds. Also, if you have any leads on a ministry opportunity for us please let
us know too. We are seeking to find some new people and churches to partner with us for
our future ministry, so contact us if you would like to schedule a visit. Though transitions are
always tough, there is also growth and excitement in stepping into the unknown, following our
Lord who always knows and directs our steps.



Serving together with you,

Roger, Kerry, Janae, Shaina,
Briel and Kelsey Thelen