April showers?

Our friends have mentioned this being a very cold April in some places. I think of the old saying, April showers bring May flowers, not sure what April snow brings! Living here in Dakar, which seems very desert -ish much of the time, April showers are slightly different. When we noticed two drops of rain on Sunday evening, some of us got excited about it!
We enjoyed celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus with a sunrise service, and a later-afternoon egg hunt, dessert and bonfire. Its a blessing to have good friends with whom to share these special days!

We've had a little April shower of breakdowns around our house as well: the door handles won't stay on! The gate lock has gotten almost impossible to open! The compressor in the refrigerator died! (While we were gone for four days!) The hot water heater died... Jacob's bike has broken down...
And yet we know that GOD is working for good in our lives and in this country, and we are thankful for His constant presence with us! We know that He will provide all that we need.

We have a shower of activities in the days ahead. Next week will be the annual audit of the WAFA finances. We are privileged to host the auditor, an Australian who is ministering in Burkina Faso, at our house. These international friendships are always fun and interesting! The following week, Dave will travel to spend a week in Liberia, working with our missionaries and the Liberian leadership there. He's looking forward to re-connecting with people there. Meanwhile I'll be working on finishing my work for the class I'm currently taking, as well as continuing with the orientation materials for WAFA missionaries.

Below is a photo of Joey with some of his rugby teammates. (He's second from the right in case you don't recognize him with the new short hair!) He is still hoping to go with his rugby team on a short-term mission trip in May to Northern Ireland. They are planning a variety of activities and relationship building there--"everything from construction work for churches to speaking in elementary schools to playing rugby with local teams. Our overall goal on this trip is simply to build relationships with as many people as possible as that will aid future trips to this area." The are the first group from John Brown University to make a ministry trip to this area, and Joey still needs partners who will pray with him, and who will support him financially. (If this is something that you are interested in, you could send him an email: blacktape99@yahoo.com.)

It's hard to believe that in three weeks he will be finished with his freshman year of college!

And it's also hard to believe that in two months, we will be leaving Dakar for a seven-month home assignment in the States! We leave here on June 12, will spend a few days in Washington, DC with relatives, and then spend several days in Charlotte, North Carolina for medical appointments and debriefings with SIM. On June 21, we are scheduled to arrive in Minnesota!

One of our first goals is to get Jacob through a commercial driver-ed classroom program as soon as we arrive, so that he can get his permit soon enough to have it six month, so that he can get his license before we return to Dakar. Hard to believe our youngest is going to be 16! We are looking forward to time with family, friends, and home church!

Well, that gives you a little feel for the showers of blessings, concerns and plans that are happening with our family this April. Blessings to you as you enjoy April showers in your own life.

With love,
Mary for the Dakar Deckers