September 7, 2016
Dear companions of the Road,
It's been a month of big changes, one of those seasons when one discovers that the Lord has a different plan than you expected.
We wrote last month that we had purchased tickets for September 1 to fly to the U.S. But August 15th we heard from my brother, Brent Slater, that my father, Dwight Slater, was in critical condition from several days of tachycardia. An intervention involving a shock to the heart slowed Dad's heart rate to normal, but we felt that it was time for me, Linn, to change my ticket date and fly out as soon as possible to help accompany my parents through a difficult time. So I was able to purchase the last ticket for a flight from Korhogo to Abidjan on Wednesday the 17th, and on the 18th I left Abidjan for Detroit. At each point of the journey we felt the Lord sweeping the road before me.
I have been so glad to be here in Michigan to participate in caring for Dad and Mom, taking my turns to even stay overnight with them in their apartment at the senior facility where they also receive basic nursing care. Mom continues to deal with great weakness, relying on help for almost everything. Dad was being treated at home for a UTI (urinary tract infection), but just seemed to get weaker and more dehydrated. Yesterday, September 6, it came to light that he had a different, highly resistant UTI that required treatment in the hospital, and he is currently there receiving three different antibiotics intravenously! He already seems to be improving.
Glenn stayed in Ferke to wrap things up, and then flew to the States on the date originally planned, September 1. It is great to be together again! This past weekend was the Labor Day weekend and we were able to have wonderful times with family as well as a quick dip into the Detroit Jazz Festival (where the above photo was taken) one afternoon. Our main goals, aside from helping Mom and Dad, have been to spend time with extended family, and that has been a delight. Bryn and Aboubac, who live in our Detroit home, have been a tremendous help, especially taking care of me as I re-entered and dealt with getting settled in and dealing with jet lag. Tom and Ariane Adams were actually here with me during my first days back, having planned a trip from Canada to visit Tom's parents before all of this "excitement" came into the picture. Marisa and Jesse Cronk had already bought us a used Ford Focus based on Glenn's Internet research and it was here waiting for me! Since then we've had very special times together either at their home or hanging out with my parents, encouraging them.
And on the 6th Glenn and I drove to Saginaw to see his mother, Elva Boese, and his sister Bev and her husband John Coates. Mom Boese continues to cope well with her "forced oxygen" that limits her activities. We were really encouraged through that visit.
Until mid-October we will be continuing to focus on family time, adding in this year's vacation weeks. And then we will begin to purposefully connect with supporters. We are deeply grateful to the Lord for the way he has shepherded us through all the changes this past month and enabled us to serve him in new ways. A huge thank-you goes out to all of you who have been praying for us, many of you keeping up with the news via Facebook. You are truly our "companions of the Road"!
Back in Detroit, and always in the Lord's care,
Linn, for Glenn too
THANKFUL FOR FAMILY HERE PRAYING FOR FUTURE FERKE FAMILY |
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Marisa and her sons Evan and Ian, visiting Dwight and Barbara Slater (Linn's mom and dad)
in their Halsted Place apartment
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Glenn reunited with his mother,
Elva Boese, in Saginaw, where she is coping with her oxygen needs with patience and cheerfulness
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Kai, Adaeus and Xavi Adams
(Tom and Ariane's three sons)
the Canadian side of the family
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Josh and Christy Wohlgemut have been appointed by WorldVenture to work in Ferke, and we are longing for them to join the team there! Christy, an R.N., is desperately needed at the Baptist Hospital. Josh is being called "the next Glenn" by many of us, since he has the IT and accounting skills that the hospital, other institutions and our mission team all currently count on Glenn to provide. We plan to retire in 2 years. If Josh and Christy can discover the rest of their support (they are currently at 33%) in time to leave for French language study by next summer, they would arrive in Ferke in summer 2018. And Glenn would have a few months in which to mentor Josh into those responsibilities. Will you please join us in praying that the rest of their support would soon come in?
In case you didn't know, Christy grew up as an mk in the Palaka region just east of Ferke where her parents, our dear friends Verne and Denny Johnson, New Tribes missionaries, are developing the Palaka church and translating the Bible. And Josh is a New Tribes mk from Papua New Guinea. Josh and Christy served at the hospital in Ferke a few years ago and won their way into all our hearts. They come highly recommended!
If you would be interested in learning more or in joining their support team, follow this link: https://www.worldventure.com/explore/details-people.php?name=josh-and-christy-wohlgemut&id=a5OF00000004YB3MAM
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