The Cape Times GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA Winter 2013 -- Volume 23, No. 4 The Laughrens, Pete, Fran & Denzil A Letter from Mark Tuttle, Forwarding Agent for Pete and Fran decision to reallocate their mission funds in 2010. The ability to manage through this until they could get back to the states is both a testament to Pete and Fran’s frugal nature and ability to manage the financial aspects of the ministry as well as your loyal support. I want to personally thank you for making my job as forwarding agent so easy over the years. Not having to worry about where Pete & Fran’s next paycheck will come from has been a blessing to both Pete & Fran as well as myself. Please consider this one time special gift and let’s work together to help Pete & Fran finish well! All for Jesus, Mark Mark Tuttle Forwarding Agent, Outreach International 4325 Bluff Pointe, Clarkston, MI 48348 248-978-6229 Furlough Travels 2012 Greetings from Hampton, Ga. When we arrived in the U.S. to start our furlough in February of 2012, we then wrote that we would be located in Georgia and then travel from our base there. That is what has happened and since that time we have been on the road to our supporting churches and individuals. We are very thankful for safe travel and for all of you that we have seen in our travels. The following is a recollection of where we have been. In March of last year, after visiting Fran’s folks in Missouri after our arrival stateside, we spoke at Ferguson Christian Church in Ferguson Missouri. Stacy Garner, who led many internships to South Africa, is the preacher there and it was good to be with him and his family again. We also saw Kevin and Debbie Leahy on that trip and are thankful for the time with them. Soon after that, I spoke at North Boulevard Christian Church in Amory, Mississippi, and shared a Wednesday evening with them. Denzil and I went to Johnson City, Tennessee, in June and helped with the Vacation Bible School at Lone Oak Christian Dear Friends and Supporters, As many of you know by now, Pete, Fran and Denzil have made the decision to return from South Africa and begin a new ministry here in the U.S. I personally have served on many mission related ministries and have seen how many different missions are run both financially and spiritually. I can tell you with a high level of confidence that rarely do you see a mission run with more integrity from a financial and spiritual perspective. The level of trust Pete & Fran gained from the leaders they trained and worked with in South Africa is a testament to their own relationship with Jesus and the gifts and talents God provided them. From a financial perspective, and as a finance guy myself, I can tell you the records Pete kept were amazing for a non-accountant. You have supported a most worthy ministry. One thing that we as a family discuss with our kids and now even with our parents is finishing well. Pete & Fran established and ran the race very well because of your prayerful financial support. I would now ask that we help them finish this first phase of their ministry here on earth just as well. Pete recently sent an email requesting help through May 2013 as they establish themselves here in the U.S. But what he didn’t tell you is that most of their belongings are still in South Africa. It has been their plan all along to get settled somewhere and then have their belongings shipped to the U.S. They have settled near Hampton, Ga and now need to get their household goods sent to them. In South Africa, before they left, they sold and/or gave away all but three pieces of their furniture but have other personal items to ship as well. Those of you who have moved before know that moving household goods cross-country is not cheap. Pete and Fran need to get theirs across an ocean. Based on prior experience, we believe this will cost approximately $10,000. We ask that you consider a one time special gift to help Pete and Fran cover the cost of this move. As it always seems in ministry, funds are tight and Pete and Fran do not have the funds to move their belongings themselves. In fact, over the past few years Pete & Fran have had to skip a paycheck or parts thereof periodically due to a lack of funds. The reason for funds becoming so tight was primarily a result of one of the supporting churches
A Letter from Mark Tuttle,Forwarding Agent for Pete and Fran
decision to reallocate their mission funds in 2010. The ability to manage through this until they could get back to the states is both a testament to Pete and Fran’s frugal nature and ability to manage the financial aspects of the ministry as well as your loyal support.
I want to personally thank you for making my job as forwarding agent so easy over the years. Not having to worry about where Pete & Fran’s next paycheck will come from has been a blessing to both Pete & Fran as well as myself. Please consider this one time special gift and let’s work together to help Pete & Fran finish well!
All for Jesus,
MarkMark TuttleForwarding Agent, Outreach International4325 Bluff Pointe, Clarkston, MI 48348248-978-6229
Furlough Travels 2012Greetings from Hampton, Ga. When we arrived in the
U.S. to start our furlough in February of 2012, we then wrote that we would be located in Georgia and then travel from our base there. That is what has happened and since that time we have been on the road to our supporting churches and individuals. We are very thankful for safe travel and for all of you that we have seen in our travels. The following is a recollection of where we have been.
In March of last year, after visiting Fran’s folks in Missouri after our arrival stateside, we spoke at Ferguson Christian Church in Ferguson Missouri. Stacy Garner, who led many internships to South Africa, is the preacher there and it was good to be with him and his family again. We also saw Kevin and Debbie Leahy on that trip and are thankful for the time with them. Soon after that, I spoke at North Boulevard Christian Church in Amory, Mississippi, and shared a Wednesday evening with them.
Denzil and I went to Johnson City, Tennessee, in June and helped with the Vacation Bible School at Lone Oak Christian
Dear Friends and Supporters,As many of you know by now, Pete, Fran and Denzil
have made the decision to return from South Africa and begin a new ministry here in the U.S. I personally have served on many mission related ministries and have seen how many different missions are run both financially and spiritually. I can tell you with a high level of confidence that rarely do you see a mission run with more integrity from a financial and spiritual perspective.
The level of trust Pete & Fran gained from the leaders they trained and worked with in South Africa is a testament to their own relationship with Jesus and the gifts and talents God provided them. From a financial perspective, and as a finance guy myself, I can tell you the records Pete kept were amazing for a non-accountant. You have supported a most worthy ministry.
One thing that we as a family discuss with our kids and now even with our parents is finishing well. Pete & Fran established and ran the race very well because of your prayerful financial support. I would now ask that we help them finish this first phase of their ministry here on earth just as well.
Pete recently sent an email requesting help through May 2013 as they establish themselves here in the U.S. But what he didn’t tell you is that most of their belongings are still in South Africa. It has been their plan all along to get settled somewhere and then have their belongings shipped to the U.S. They have settled near Hampton, Ga and now need to get their household goods sent to them. In South Africa, before they left, they sold and/or gave away all but three pieces of their furniture but have other personal items to ship as well.
Those of you who have moved before know that moving household goods cross-country is not cheap. Pete and Fran need to get theirs across an ocean. Based on prior experience, we believe this will cost approximately $10,000. We ask that you consider a one time special gift to help Pete and Fran cover the cost of this move.
As it always seems in ministry, funds are tight and Pete and Fran do not have the funds to move their belongings themselves. In fact, over the past few years Pete & Fran have had to skip a paycheck or parts thereof periodically due to a lack of funds. The reason for funds becoming so tight was primarily a result of one of the supporting churches
a very nice assisted living facility in Shelbina, MO. The facility is close enough to Sonja and Dale that they can check on them daily. Two weeks after moving into the facility, Mom fell again and broke her hip. She is recovering well after a partial hip replacement. They both need to have constant care/help. While we would like to be the caregivers, it is not practical or doable for any of us girls (daughters) on a full time basis. Mom and Dad are very comfortable and happy at the assisted living facility, and it works for all of us.
P e t e ’ s M o m ( F l o Blackmarr) is in an assisted living facility in Grass Valley Ca l i f o rn ia . A l t h o u g h Alzheimer’s is progressing, p h y s i c a l l y she is doing well and she is being well c a r e d f o r. Lisa, Pete’s sister l ives w i t h i n 1 0 m i l e s a n d v is i t s w i th her often and takes great care of her in her situation. Overall Flo is doing well and we are very thankful that she is being very well looked after.
For both sides of the family, Pete and I try to see them as often as we can, and we talk to them frequently. We are thankful that both sides of the family are being well looked after. Please remember them all in your prayers.
Prayers* Please pray for the Christians in South Africa who are living in ever
increasing difficulties.* Please pray for our job situation and that God would use us where He sees
fit.* Please continue to pray for our parents in their situations.
Praises* We are very thankful for God’s provision during our furlough year of 2012.* Mark and Annette have been great forwarding agents and we are thankful
for their service to the work in South Africa.* Denzil is doing great in school and should gradute in June.* We are very thankful for all of the support that has sustained us in this
transition. You will never know how much we appreciate it. Thanks!* Thanks must go to all of the people who have accommodated us as we
have traveled this year. We really appreciate your kindness.
Etc.* We are thankful for the contributions towards getting our belongings shipped
stateside, but we are still about $6,000 short of getting it paid and shipped.* Denzil now has part time employment and is doing well. He works for
“Panda Express.” He also has his driver’s license. (Yikes!)* The churches in South Africa are continuing the Vacation Bible School in
Graaff-Reinet and for that we are very thankful.• We are still available to come and speak and report on the work in South
Africa should you so desire. We would love to come and share what the Lord has done in that part of the world. Let us know.
• We are sorry that it has been a year since our last newsletter from Mission Services, but finances have not permitted us to publish one until now. We appreciate you understanding. Thanks!
• We are settled in Hampton, GA, and our address here is: P.O. Box 206, Hampton, GA 30228. Our telephone numbers are: 770-946-3033 and 678-818-8006.
Thanks for everything!
Pete’s Mom, Flo Blackmarr, is doing well in California under the watchful eye of Lisa. Thanks, Lisa, for all that you do.
2 3
church. We also spoke at Dewey Christian Church in Mountain City, Tennessee, after visiting with friends in Boone, N.C. Denzil stayed in Jonesborough, Tennessee, for two more weeks as I came back to Georgia before traveling to Missouri to pick up Fran who had been tending to her folks after her father’s heart surgery (see report of family later in this letter). After picking her up, we drove to Blacklick, Ohio, outside of Columbus and spoke at Eastpointe Christian Church for their morning services.
Leaving there, we stopped and saw friends in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on our way to another Vacation Bible School in Jonesborough, Tennessee. We spent a week there and had a good time with old friends as this is the church where we worked before we sent to South Africa in 1985. The next week saw us participating in a Vacation Bible School in Tucker, Georgia. After three days at home, we then left on our longest trip of the year and headed north to Pennsylvania, Canada and New York. The first Sunday of that trip saw us at Derr’s Christian Church in Derrs, Pa. We left there and spent the next two weeks in Ottawa, Montreal, and other parts of Quebec visiting relatives before heading back to Painted Post, New York, where we spent the weekend with Twin Tiers Christian Church. We then went back to Toronto, and after spending a few days there visiting more relatives, we went to the Detroit area to spend time with our forwarding agents, Mark and Annette Tuttle. They have been such an important part of the work in South Africa, and we could never say thank-you enough to them for all of their contributions. It was good to see them for an extended period of time in our travels.
After leaving the Tuttles, we spent two nights outside Chicago with more cousins and got a great tour of the big city. At the end of that week, we went to southern Illinois and spoke at West Long Prairie Christian church just outside Mt Vernon. Our final part of the trip was to head back to Georgia after covering 4000 miles over five weeks. It was good to report to many places and see so many people who care about the work in South Africa.
After being home for two weeks, we then headed west to Texas. We visited long time college friends, Brian and Twila Bierman in the Houston area for the weekend. Leaving there on Monday, we went north to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and spent time with our sister in law, Teri Hamilton, before going to Longview Texas for the weekend. It was good to spend time with the Bledsoe family who have been a “second” family for Fran since her high school days in Bedford, Texas. We arrived back in Georgia on the 25th of September, two weeks after we left.
The next day I flew to California and spent the next five nights in Uplands with Jeff and Robin Vines. Leaving there I flew north to Grass Valley to spend a week with my mother, Flo Blackmarr, and my sister, Lisa Andrews, and her family. As usual, it is always good to be with family.
After arriving back in Georgia, we were here for 10 days before going back to Tennessee to speak at Westside in Jonesborough. We were scheduled for the next weekend at Lone Oak Christian Church for their faith promise and between times we spent time with friends in Mountain City and Boone N.C. We really must thank the Edmistens in Jonesborough and Effie Giles in Johnson City for accommodations in both places. After the weekend at Lone Oak, we took Denzil by Johnson University in Knoxville so that he could see the school that he wants to attend when he goes to college. After all, it was a great place to get Fran and I together, and he found the place as beautiful as we did many years ago.
Five days after we arrived back in Georgia, we got word that we needed to be in Missouri to help with Fran’s folks and we spent three weeks of November there. At the end of November, we drove to St. Louis where Fran and Denzil flew to Dallas and took care of our sister in law Teri’s grandfather for two weeks. I spoke at Ferguson Christian Church that Sunday and after spending a night in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on the way home, I arrived back in Georgia.
The first Sunday of December saw me speaking in Newnan, Georgia, at First Christian Church. Six days later, I drove to Orlando and
Thank you to all of you from Berea Christian Church and McDonough Christian Church who helped us move our stateside belongings into our house in Hampton, Georgia to begin our furlough.
Niagara Falls is always great to see.
It was good to visit with cousins,Kimba MacLean . . .
. . . and Blair Laughren whilein Ontario in August
In our travels we got to see . . .
San Francisco . . .
the moon rise over the Bay
Bridge in San Francisco . . .
and the Chicago shoreline.
In our travels we were able to witness “the chang-ing of the guard” at the Canadian parliament.
met Fran and Denzil who flew from Dallas and we spent the next six days at Disney World compliments of the Daugherty family from McDonough Christian Church. (It was a great holiday there, and Andy and Terri, we thank-you so much for the accommodations!!).
Our last trip of the year took place two days after we got back from Orlando. We flew to California to spend Christmas with family, and we were there for 11 nights. One of the highlights of the trip was a day trip to San Francisco to see the city and we truly enjoyed the day. Thanks, Mark and Lisa, for that wonderful day.
As you can see, furlough travels take us a lot of places and cover a lot of miles. But with supporting churches far and wide, it takes a lot of time. It was truly a pleasure to visit with everyone, everywhere we went. Our traveling for long trips ended on the 28th of December, but we are still visiting and speaking locally, trying to see everyone who has supported the work in South Africa for many, many years. We thank-you for your hospitality wherever we were. It has been a great year reporting on the work of 27 years, and we are thankful for your partnership in it.
Future PlansWe have been telling supporters and supporting churches
of our plans in person as we travel, but in case you have not heard, we are not returning to South Africa. We made the decision before we left South Africa for several reasons. First of all, Denzil is getting ready for college, and we have witnessed first hand the problems with children being sent stateside from the field by themselves. We have seen fellow missionaries send their children stateside and sometimes things did not turn out well. We only have one son and did not want to have the chance to make that mistake.
The other reason for our not returning is the frailty of our
parents who live in California and Missouri. We felt like we were needed stateside . It seemed like a good time to leave the South Africa work in the hands of the South Africa people. They are carrying on well. We miss them dearly, but life goes on. This transition has been difficult, but with God’s help we will carry on. We are looking for work in the Atlanta area, but nothing has materialized yet. Please pray for us as we pursue this new chapter in our lives. It has been challenging, but we know that the Lord will take care of us in His time.
Report on ParentsIn our travels, many of you have asked us about our
parents. (This is Fran writing): A week after we got moved into
our house in Hampton Ga., my Dad, Al Hamilton, had to have emergency heart surgery for a prolapsed valve. So while my sister and her husband, Sonja and Dale Hawkins, were at the hospital in Columbia, Missouri, with dad, I stayed with my mom, Annette, from April to July 2012. To me it was obvious that we arrived stateside just in time! Dad has recovered well from the surgery, but he has extensive lung damage and will be on oxygen and Prednisone (steroid) for a very long time to come, if not for good.
My mother, Annette Hamilton, has also had a difficult time. Due to her breaking her back twice in the last couple of years, and vertigo, she has now come to the point where she needs full time care.
In December of 2012 Dad and Mom decided to move into
2 3
church. We also spoke at Dewey Christian Church in Mountain City, Tennessee, after visiting with friends in Boone, N.C. Denzil stayed in Jonesborough, Tennessee, for two more weeks as I came back to Georgia before traveling to Missouri to pick up Fran who had been tending to her folks after her father’s heart surgery (see report of family later in this letter). After picking her up, we drove to Blacklick, Ohio, outside of Columbus and spoke at Eastpointe Christian Church for their morning services.
Leaving there, we stopped and saw friends in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on our way to another Vacation Bible School in Jonesborough, Tennessee. We spent a week there and had a good time with old friends as this is the church where we worked before we sent to South Africa in 1985. The next week saw us participating in a Vacation Bible School in Tucker, Georgia. After three days at home, we then left on our longest trip of the year and headed north to Pennsylvania, Canada and New York. The first Sunday of that trip saw us at Derr’s Christian Church in Derrs, Pa. We left there and spent the next two weeks in Ottawa, Montreal, and other parts of Quebec visiting relatives before heading back to Painted Post, New York, where we spent the weekend with Twin Tiers Christian Church. We then went back to Toronto, and after spending a few days there visiting more relatives, we went to the Detroit area to spend time with our forwarding agents, Mark and Annette Tuttle. They have been such an important part of the work in South Africa, and we could never say thank-you enough to them for all of their contributions. It was good to see them for an extended period of time in our travels.
After leaving the Tuttles, we spent two nights outside Chicago with more cousins and got a great tour of the big city. At the end of that week, we went to southern Illinois and spoke at West Long Prairie Christian church just outside Mt Vernon. Our final part of the trip was to head back to Georgia after covering 4000 miles over five weeks. It was good to report to many places and see so many people who care about the work in South Africa.
After being home for two weeks, we then headed west to Texas. We visited long time college friends, Brian and Twila Bierman in the Houston area for the weekend. Leaving there on Monday, we went north to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and spent time with our sister in law, Teri Hamilton, before going to Longview Texas for the weekend. It was good to spend time with the Bledsoe family who have been a “second” family for Fran since her high school days in Bedford, Texas. We arrived back in Georgia on the 25th of September, two weeks after we left.
The next day I flew to California and spent the next five nights in Uplands with Jeff and Robin Vines. Leaving there I flew north to Grass Valley to spend a week with my mother, Flo Blackmarr, and my sister, Lisa Andrews, and her family. As usual, it is always good to be with family.
After arriving back in Georgia, we were here for 10 days before going back to Tennessee to speak at Westside in Jonesborough. We were scheduled for the next weekend at Lone Oak Christian Church for their faith promise and between times we spent time with friends in Mountain City and Boone N.C. We really must thank the Edmistens in Jonesborough and Effie Giles in Johnson City for accommodations in both places. After the weekend at Lone Oak, we took Denzil by Johnson University in Knoxville so that he could see the school that he wants to attend when he goes to college. After all, it was a great place to get Fran and I together, and he found the place as beautiful as we did many years ago.
Five days after we arrived back in Georgia, we got word that we needed to be in Missouri to help with Fran’s folks and we spent three weeks of November there. At the end of November, we drove to St. Louis where Fran and Denzil flew to Dallas and took care of our sister in law Teri’s grandfather for two weeks. I spoke at Ferguson Christian Church that Sunday and after spending a night in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on the way home, I arrived back in Georgia.
The first Sunday of December saw me speaking in Newnan, Georgia, at First Christian Church. Six days later, I drove to Orlando and
Thank you to all of you from Berea Christian Church and McDonough Christian Church who helped us move our stateside belongings into our house in Hampton, Georgia to begin our furlough.
Niagara Falls is always great to see.
It was good to visit with cousins,Kimba MacLean . . .
. . . and Blair Laughren whilein Ontario in August
In our travels we got to see . . .
San Francisco . . .
the moon rise over the Bay
Bridge in San Francisco . . .
and the Chicago shoreline.
In our travels we were able to witness “the chang-ing of the guard” at the Canadian parliament.
met Fran and Denzil who flew from Dallas and we spent the next six days at Disney World compliments of the Daugherty family from McDonough Christian Church. (It was a great holiday there, and Andy and Terri, we thank-you so much for the accommodations!!).
Our last trip of the year took place two days after we got back from Orlando. We flew to California to spend Christmas with family, and we were there for 11 nights. One of the highlights of the trip was a day trip to San Francisco to see the city and we truly enjoyed the day. Thanks, Mark and Lisa, for that wonderful day.
As you can see, furlough travels take us a lot of places and cover a lot of miles. But with supporting churches far and wide, it takes a lot of time. It was truly a pleasure to visit with everyone, everywhere we went. Our traveling for long trips ended on the 28th of December, but we are still visiting and speaking locally, trying to see everyone who has supported the work in South Africa for many, many years. We thank-you for your hospitality wherever we were. It has been a great year reporting on the work of 27 years, and we are thankful for your partnership in it.
Future PlansWe have been telling supporters and supporting churches
of our plans in person as we travel, but in case you have not heard, we are not returning to South Africa. We made the decision before we left South Africa for several reasons. First of all, Denzil is getting ready for college, and we have witnessed first hand the problems with children being sent stateside from the field by themselves. We have seen fellow missionaries send their children stateside and sometimes things did not turn out well. We only have one son and did not want to have the chance to make that mistake.
The other reason for our not returning is the frailty of our
parents who live in California and Missouri. We felt like we were needed stateside . It seemed like a good time to leave the South Africa work in the hands of the South Africa people. They are carrying on well. We miss them dearly, but life goes on. This transition has been difficult, but with God’s help we will carry on. We are looking for work in the Atlanta area, but nothing has materialized yet. Please pray for us as we pursue this new chapter in our lives. It has been challenging, but we know that the Lord will take care of us in His time.
Report on ParentsIn our travels, many of you have asked us about our
parents. (This is Fran writing): A week after we got moved into
our house in Hampton Ga., my Dad, Al Hamilton, had to have emergency heart surgery for a prolapsed valve. So while my sister and her husband, Sonja and Dale Hawkins, were at the hospital in Columbia, Missouri, with dad, I stayed with my mom, Annette, from April to July 2012. To me it was obvious that we arrived stateside just in time! Dad has recovered well from the surgery, but he has extensive lung damage and will be on oxygen and Prednisone (steroid) for a very long time to come, if not for good.
My mother, Annette Hamilton, has also had a difficult time. Due to her breaking her back twice in the last couple of years, and vertigo, she has now come to the point where she needs full time care.
In December of 2012 Dad and Mom decided to move into
A Letter from Mark Tuttle,Forwarding Agent for Pete and Fran
decision to reallocate their mission funds in 2010. The ability to manage through this until they could get back to the states is both a testament to Pete and Fran’s frugal nature and ability to manage the financial aspects of the ministry as well as your loyal support.
I want to personally thank you for making my job as forwarding agent so easy over the years. Not having to worry about where Pete & Fran’s next paycheck will come from has been a blessing to both Pete & Fran as well as myself. Please consider this one time special gift and let’s work together to help Pete & Fran finish well!
All for Jesus,
MarkMark TuttleForwarding Agent, Outreach International4325 Bluff Pointe, Clarkston, MI 48348248-978-6229
Furlough Travels 2012Greetings from Hampton, Ga. When we arrived in the
U.S. to start our furlough in February of 2012, we then wrote that we would be located in Georgia and then travel from our base there. That is what has happened and since that time we have been on the road to our supporting churches and individuals. We are very thankful for safe travel and for all of you that we have seen in our travels. The following is a recollection of where we have been.
In March of last year, after visiting Fran’s folks in Missouri after our arrival stateside, we spoke at Ferguson Christian Church in Ferguson Missouri. Stacy Garner, who led many internships to South Africa, is the preacher there and it was good to be with him and his family again. We also saw Kevin and Debbie Leahy on that trip and are thankful for the time with them. Soon after that, I spoke at North Boulevard Christian Church in Amory, Mississippi, and shared a Wednesday evening with them.
Denzil and I went to Johnson City, Tennessee, in June and helped with the Vacation Bible School at Lone Oak Christian
Dear Friends and Supporters,As many of you know by now, Pete, Fran and Denzil
have made the decision to return from South Africa and begin a new ministry here in the U.S. I personally have served on many mission related ministries and have seen how many different missions are run both financially and spiritually. I can tell you with a high level of confidence that rarely do you see a mission run with more integrity from a financial and spiritual perspective.
The level of trust Pete & Fran gained from the leaders they trained and worked with in South Africa is a testament to their own relationship with Jesus and the gifts and talents God provided them. From a financial perspective, and as a finance guy myself, I can tell you the records Pete kept were amazing for a non-accountant. You have supported a most worthy ministry.
One thing that we as a family discuss with our kids and now even with our parents is finishing well. Pete & Fran established and ran the race very well because of your prayerful financial support. I would now ask that we help them finish this first phase of their ministry here on earth just as well.
Pete recently sent an email requesting help through May 2013 as they establish themselves here in the U.S. But what he didn’t tell you is that most of their belongings are still in South Africa. It has been their plan all along to get settled somewhere and then have their belongings shipped to the U.S. They have settled near Hampton, Ga and now need to get their household goods sent to them. In South Africa, before they left, they sold and/or gave away all but three pieces of their furniture but have other personal items to ship as well.
Those of you who have moved before know that moving household goods cross-country is not cheap. Pete and Fran need to get theirs across an ocean. Based on prior experience, we believe this will cost approximately $10,000. We ask that you consider a one time special gift to help Pete and Fran cover the cost of this move.
As it always seems in ministry, funds are tight and Pete and Fran do not have the funds to move their belongings themselves. In fact, over the past few years Pete & Fran have had to skip a paycheck or parts thereof periodically due to a lack of funds. The reason for funds becoming so tight was primarily a result of one of the supporting churches
a very nice assisted living facility in Shelbina, MO. The facility is close enough to Sonja and Dale that they can check on them daily. Two weeks after moving into the facility, Mom fell again and broke her hip. She is recovering well after a partial hip replacement. They both need to have constant care/help. While we would like to be the caregivers, it is not practical or doable for any of us girls (daughters) on a full time basis. Mom and Dad are very comfortable and happy at the assisted living facility, and it works for all of us.
P e t e ’ s M o m ( F l o Blackmarr) is in an assisted living facility in Grass Valley Ca l i f o rn ia . A l t h o u g h Alzheimer’s is progressing, p h y s i c a l l y she is doing well and she is being well c a r e d f o r. Lisa, Pete’s sister l ives w i t h i n 1 0 m i l e s a n d v is i t s w i th her often and takes great care of her in her situation. Overall Flo is doing well and we are very thankful that she is being very well looked after.
For both sides of the family, Pete and I try to see them as often as we can, and we talk to them frequently. We are thankful that both sides of the family are being well looked after. Please remember them all in your prayers.
Prayers* Please pray for the Christians in South Africa who are living in ever
increasing difficulties.* Please pray for our job situation and that God would use us where He sees
fit.* Please continue to pray for our parents in their situations.
Praises* We are very thankful for God’s provision during our furlough year of 2012.* Mark and Annette have been great forwarding agents and we are thankful
for their service to the work in South Africa.* Denzil is doing great in school and should gradute in June.* We are very thankful for all of the support that has sustained us in this
transition. You will never know how much we appreciate it. Thanks!* Thanks must go to all of the people who have accommodated us as we
have traveled this year. We really appreciate your kindness.
Etc.* We are thankful for the contributions towards getting our belongings shipped
stateside, but we are still about $6,000 short of getting it paid and shipped.* Denzil now has part time employment and is doing well. He works for
“Panda Express.” He also has his driver’s license. (Yikes!)* The churches in South Africa are continuing the Vacation Bible School in
Graaff-Reinet and for that we are very thankful.• We are still available to come and speak and report on the work in South
Africa should you so desire. We would love to come and share what the Lord has done in that part of the world. Let us know.
• We are sorry that it has been a year since our last newsletter from Mission Services, but finances have not permitted us to publish one until now. We appreciate you understanding. Thanks!
• We are settled in Hampton, GA, and our address here is: P.O. Box 206, Hampton, GA 30228. Our telephone numbers are: 770-946-3033 and 678-818-8006.
Thanks for everything!
Pete’s Mom, Flo Blackmarr, is doing well in California under the watchful eye of Lisa. Thanks, Lisa, for all that you do.
