Dear friends--
We are so happy to have all our children home! Joey arrived last Friday morning (after being snowed in in Newark on his way home from Northern Ireland) and Danny arrived Wednesday night! Danny's girlfriend Leah is with him as well, and her 2 1/2 year old daughter Alexis-- so we have a full house which includes a toddler-- and it's wonderful!
Many of you have been asking what's happening with our support and proposed return to Dakar-- the 15th has come and gone.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Monday December 10: update
The numbers have changed again! One time gifts still needed: $7,196. Monthly support still needed: $1,672. Deadline: Saturday...
Friday, December 07, 2007
update
The Decker Dispatch below went into the mail today, and meanwhile we have updated information! God is at work, and in fact the one-time need of $12,700 as reported in the letter is down to $9,100 as of this afternoon!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Decker Dispatch
THE DECKER DISPATCH
December 2007
From Darkness Into Light
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
A colleague of ours in Senegal recently shared about a friend of hers that has heard of Jesus and the Gospel many times, but does not understand. This colleague reports that they have the same conversations repeatedly, yet for this woman the words seem to not even register at all. “It’s as if her ears are literally made deaf,” our colleague reports. We all begin our lives in darkness and, until God intervenes, there we remain. We are so thankful that God has sent his son to bring light into the darkness!
From Minnesota to Senegal
We long to return to Senegal as scheduled on January 7th to continue our work as part of the team sharing the light of Christ in West Africa.
December 2007
From Darkness Into Light
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
A colleague of ours in Senegal recently shared about a friend of hers that has heard of Jesus and the Gospel many times, but does not understand. This colleague reports that they have the same conversations repeatedly, yet for this woman the words seem to not even register at all. “It’s as if her ears are literally made deaf,” our colleague reports. We all begin our lives in darkness and, until God intervenes, there we remain. We are so thankful that God has sent his son to bring light into the darkness!
From Minnesota to Senegal
We long to return to Senegal as scheduled on January 7th to continue our work as part of the team sharing the light of Christ in West Africa.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Thanksgiving
Dear friends,
As we look back on several days of Thanksgiving, we are very thankful that we've had this time to celebrate with our families in Minnesota. God has been so good to us! We are thankful for times of worship in our home church, as well as other churches we've had the privilege of visiting, and for the different groups that have invited us to share with them about our work in West Africa.
We are thankful to be a part of SIM's Western Africa Area (WAFA), working in leadership, administration and member care. Our personal vision statement says "Dave and Mary Decker long to see joyful missionaries effectively spreading a passion for God's glory in West Africa. Our aim is to serve missionaries by offering quality leadership and administrative support."
The needs are significant, and the opportunities are many.
As we look back on several days of Thanksgiving, we are very thankful that we've had this time to celebrate with our families in Minnesota. God has been so good to us! We are thankful for times of worship in our home church, as well as other churches we've had the privilege of visiting, and for the different groups that have invited us to share with them about our work in West Africa.
We are thankful to be a part of SIM's Western Africa Area (WAFA), working in leadership, administration and member care. Our personal vision statement says "Dave and Mary Decker long to see joyful missionaries effectively spreading a passion for God's glory in West Africa. Our aim is to serve missionaries by offering quality leadership and administrative support."
The needs are significant, and the opportunities are many.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Decker Update November 12
THE DECKER DISPATCH
November 2007
Good News
“I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10) As Christian missionaries serving in West Africa, delivering this good news is, above all else, our desire and our purpose. Yes, there are the poor and the hungry and the sick, and addressing physical needs is imperative as we follow Jesus’ example. But as one of our surgeon co-workers once said, “I have no interest in populating Hell with well-repaired hernias.” Christians have the very best of all possible news to share, and millions across West Africa have yet to hear it.
We want to GO and do our part in delivering this good news. This is God’s work, and we feel privileged to be a part of it. We would like to invite you to share in this privilege with us.
November 2007
Good News
“I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10) As Christian missionaries serving in West Africa, delivering this good news is, above all else, our desire and our purpose. Yes, there are the poor and the hungry and the sick, and addressing physical needs is imperative as we follow Jesus’ example. But as one of our surgeon co-workers once said, “I have no interest in populating Hell with well-repaired hernias.” Christians have the very best of all possible news to share, and millions across West Africa have yet to hear it.
We want to GO and do our part in delivering this good news. This is God’s work, and we feel privileged to be a part of it. We would like to invite you to share in this privilege with us.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
DeckerUpdate November 8
Dear friends,
Greetings from chilly gray November in Minnesota! These cold temperatures and early sunsets are quite a shock to someone who's been in Africa for the past three Novembers! Brrrr!
We are thankful for so much as we approach Thanksgiving day in the U.S.! Today, Joey returned to the doctor and got his cast off. According to the x-rays, the bone has healed correctly! We are so thankful for that! His wrist is very stiff, and he has quite a bit of physical therapy for the days ahead.
Greetings from chilly gray November in Minnesota! These cold temperatures and early sunsets are quite a shock to someone who's been in Africa for the past three Novembers! Brrrr!
We are thankful for so much as we approach Thanksgiving day in the U.S.! Today, Joey returned to the doctor and got his cast off. According to the x-rays, the bone has healed correctly! We are so thankful for that! His wrist is very stiff, and he has quite a bit of physical therapy for the days ahead.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
fifty and fabulous
fifty and fabulous, originally uploaded by MaryD SN-MN.
(Thanks to sister Tracy for the great collage!)
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
October 31: Happy BIrthday!
These twins, pictured here at age 6 months, turned 50 today! We love them, and wish them many blessed returns! (Know who they might be?)
Sunday, October 07, 2007
DeckerUpdate October 6
Dear friends,
A quick note to let you know that Joey's surgery went well. We are continuing to pray for his wrist to heal perfectly, and for his quick recovery from the surgery itself. He was cared for by a nurse who is the daughter of his professor, and she told all her colleagues at the hospital to take extra special care of him, so he is getting some very kind treatment! He is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow and will take another day or so to recover before getting back to his full schedule. Thank you so much for praying for him.
I'm writing you from Pennsylvania, where my two week training course begins tomorrow...
Many blessings,
Mary for the Deckers
Road Trip Pictures
Finally, the link you've all been waiting for! RoadTrip Pictures
This is a set of the best pictures from our road trip!
We were blessed by the grace of God and the kindness of His people on our trip, and hope you will enjoy these with us! For best viewing, select "view as slideshow"!
If the whole set is more than you want to see at one time, you could look at the separate sets that make up the whole set. Here are the links:
Chicago area September 15-17
visits with the Roys, Schlagels, and our Liberian son, Doco's family.
Columbus-Pittsburgh Sept. 18 (including lunch with the Tanquists in Columbus and pictures of the Carter girls you prayed for, who are now very healthy and happy!)
New York September 18-20
Visit with the Cook family, and a day in New York City.
New England/Boston September 21-27
includes Cape Cod, a day in Boston, and Fenway Park!
Trip home: Niagara Falls and Chicago area Sept. 28-30
Saturday, October 06, 2007
October 6 Decker Update
Dear friends,
Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement! We have been so blessed by God's grace, demonstrated to us in many ways during our first several months in the States for this home assignment!
We have just returned from a two-week trip visiting with friends and supporters in Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, and Boston. Many homes were graciously opened to us, and we were treated to delicious meals and pleasant times of conversation.
Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement! We have been so blessed by God's grace, demonstrated to us in many ways during our first several months in the States for this home assignment!
We have just returned from a two-week trip visiting with friends and supporters in Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, and Boston. Many homes were graciously opened to us, and we were treated to delicious meals and pleasant times of conversation.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Decker Update October 1
Dear friends and family,
We just returned last night from our road trip out East, and are trying to get caught up on things around here a bit, but have a quick prayer request to pass on to you.
We'd like to ask you to please pray with us for Joey. (He is our 19 year old, college-sophomore son.) He's having a great semester in Northern Ireland, but had a mountain-bike accident a few weeks ago, and has fractured the scaphoid bone in his wrist. This bone can be difficult to heal, and he has been recommended for surgery by the orthopedic specialist. The plan is that he will enter the hospital Sunday night October 7, and have surgery sometime on Monday October 8. Please pray for the Lord to guide the hands of the surgeon, and give him great wisdom. And please pray for complete healing for this wrist! It's difficult as parents to be far away when a son is having surgery, but we know God is taking good care of him, and that he has been provided with excellent medical care in N. Ireland. We spoke to the professor on- site yesterday, and it sounds like Joey is and will be surrounded by people who care for him, and will look after him well.
Thanks for your prayers!
Mary for the Deckers
We just returned last night from our road trip out East, and are trying to get caught up on things around here a bit, but have a quick prayer request to pass on to you.
We'd like to ask you to please pray with us for Joey. (He is our 19 year old, college-sophomore son.) He's having a great semester in Northern Ireland, but had a mountain-bike accident a few weeks ago, and has fractured the scaphoid bone in his wrist. This bone can be difficult to heal, and he has been recommended for surgery by the orthopedic specialist. The plan is that he will enter the hospital Sunday night October 7, and have surgery sometime on Monday October 8. Please pray for the Lord to guide the hands of the surgeon, and give him great wisdom. And please pray for complete healing for this wrist! It's difficult as parents to be far away when a son is having surgery, but we know God is taking good care of him, and that he has been provided with excellent medical care in N. Ireland. We spoke to the professor on- site yesterday, and it sounds like Joey is and will be surrounded by people who care for him, and will look after him well.
Thanks for your prayers!
Mary for the Deckers
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