Hi family and friends!
We hope you are doing well 🙂 Since mid-January, we have been living in Waterloo, ON., and we wanted to share an update about the first bit of our time back in Canada. In our previous newsletter, we mentioned that we had three main goals during our time in Canada: to rest, to reconnect with friends and family, and to raise prayer and financial partners. Here is a little bit about how that has been going!
Rest
- We realize that it is a huge gift to be able to spend so much time at home as a family. Mia is almost 7 months old, and it is so fun to be her parents. She is growing so fast and is learning new skills daily!
- Winter in Ontario this year was quite mild so we have enjoyed going on many walks and runs in the trails near our apartment.
- We have been able to rest and have fun in other ways such as cooking meals, taking baths (we don’t have baths in the Philippines!), reading, and playing board games.
One thing that has been special for us in our time in Waterloo is that there are so many grocery stores that have so many options within a 15-minute drive! We usually spend up to half a day grocery shopping in the Philippines, so it has been nice to be able to make quick trips to the store!
Reconnecting with Family and Friends
- Living in Waterloo has been great for us. Waterloo is about halfway between both sides of our families. We have been able to see family almost every week 🙂
When we left for the Philippines in 2021, we met with and said goodbye to our friends online because it was during the pandemic. It has been a JOY to see people in person this time!
Raising Prayer and Financial Partners
- We have visited a few churches and have shared about our ministry. Through these visits, we have enjoyed connecting with friends, and we have been able to make new connections and relationships.
- We now have over 170 people who are praying for us intentionally. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such a stellar group of people who regularly lift us up in prayer. Thank you!
God has faithfully provided in the area of financial support. We are getting close to our target of an additional $1,500/month in ongoing support. If you would like to know specifics, or you feel the Lord leading you to partner with us in this way, please let us know and we would be happy to chat!
Other Encouraging Things So Far
- We have been able to keep in touch with a handful of students at Faith Academy in the Philippines.
Britt was able to complete a professional development module offered through the Fellowship, our mission organization. The module was about discipleship and it provided her an opportunity to reflect on how we can grow as a disciple of Jesus, and as a result, how we disciple our students.
We are nearing the end of our time in Ontario. Here is the schedule for the rest of our time in Canada:
- May 7-21: Vancouver area
- May 21-28: Calgary
- May 28-June 8: Edmonton
- June 8-17: Regina
If you would like to get together while we are out West, please reach out!
Prayer Requests
- Prayer for continued growth, protection, and unity in our marriage.
- Prayer that we would be attentive to Mia’s needs while we travel.
- Pray that we would have sweet times of connection with family and friends, that we can rest well, and have fun!
- Pray that Grady would be able to prepare well to teach a new course, AP Research next year. There is training that he will be a part of in July when we return to the Philippines, but it will be run on Eastern Time, meaning he will need to stay up all night for a week.
Pray that we would be fully funded so that we can return to the Philippines in a financially healthy place.
Thank you all so much for your ongoing prayers and support. We are so thankful for each and every one of you.
Much love, Britt and Grady
