BEN
Husband, Daddy, breadwinner. He's facing the greatest roll change of his life! The bread-man is now going to be full-time daddy. He has faithfully served the family for the last 11 years as the sole provider, allowing Alicia to stay home and raise their children. He is fully up for the challenge and is excited for the unique opportunity this will provide him and the children to really develop a close bond and experience more of this crazy life together, than ever before. Ben will be taking every opportunity to partner with any of the many other mission organizations over there to be as involved in ministry as he can, as well.
ALICIA
This will be quite the shocker for Alicia, as well. Going from ALL-time in the home to full-time outside the home is something she is trying to prepare for as best she can. But with God, all things become possible! So, as she steps into this new roll she and Ben are confident this is what the Lord is leading them in and Alicia couldn't be more excited to serve as a midwife while being an integrated part of this mission-based organization. She is thankful, beyond expression, for the "world's best husband" that acknowledged her passion for Jesus and birth and, therefore, led his family in this new adventure.
JORDAN
Oh, this boy is the deepest thinker and most tender-hearted 10-year-old boy. Just last spring, he announced that he was going to start saving his money so that when he turned 13 he'd be able to go on our churches annual mission trip and that he thought he might want to be a missionary when he grows up. It does his parents hearts good to see that the Lord was already preparing his heart for mission work before we began down this road. He is quick on the up-take of the Cebuano language and is having a good time learning it!
NIA
She is a fun, easy going, take it as it comes 8-year-old and is the most helpful child. She sees how she can help and often will pitch in with out having to be asked. She has a mama's heart, even at her age, and wants to be a wife and mom when she grows up. As her parents, we would obviously support her in most anything she'd want to be when she grows up, but are delighted to hear that she is ambitious for a family. She, too, is quite the little Cebuano speaker and is so excited, as well, for our journey to the other side of the world.
SAMUEL
AKA: Ironman, Spiderman, Batman, you name it! He is most comfortable when in costume, and the costumes have the holes and tatters to prove it! He stays below the radar and is just pure fun. He's got a laugh that lights up a room and puts a smile on even the grimmest of faces.
He changes his 5-year-old mind, almost daily, on if he wants to come with us or not (as if he has a choice!)... he thinks he may want to stay here with Grammey and Papa for the next 2 1 /2 years. He gave his heart to Jesus (as his brother and sister before him have) this last December, so it will be neat to see how God uses this move to grow him into a Godly young man while over there.
He changes his 5-year-old mind, almost daily, on if he wants to come with us or not (as if he has a choice!)... he thinks he may want to stay here with Grammey and Papa for the next 2 1 /2 years. He gave his heart to Jesus (as his brother and sister before him have) this last December, so it will be neat to see how God uses this move to grow him into a Godly young man while over there.
ELIGH
S.P.U.N.K.Y!! Our little chatterbox is going from sun up until bedtime. She is a petite little thing, but don't let that fool you... she's larger than life! She is always ready to "go". It doesn't matter with who or where to... she just wants to go!
"Eligh, do you want to go to the Philippines?" -- She says emphatically, "Uh... ya!"
"Eligh, do you want to go to the Philippines?" -- She says emphatically, "Uh... ya!"
LUKE
There is not much to say about this little guy just yet. He is such a good-natured, mild-mannered baby... really just a lover and a joy. The most important thing about him, though, is perhaps the promise we received from the Lord about him before he was born. His name means "bringer of light" or just "light". Either way, this was what God intended for his name to mean (super cool story!) and the verse he gave us was Acts 13:47, "For the Lord God commanded us saying, "I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you would bring salvation to the ends of the earth." So our little 1 year old Light is about to literally live out his first few years (or more!) in compliance with the call on his life. God is so good to complete that which He has begun... even earlier than one would have ever thought!
