Celebrating 12 years!

I just wanted to briefly mention the almost unbelievable fact that we have been married for 12 years. (Having been married in 2000, it’s always easy to keep track of.J) The morning of July 15^th we mentioned to the children that it was our anniversary. Gwen immediately said to Sam, “We need to go work on something.” Not too long after, as we were getting ready for church, in they came with gift bags and home-made cards. From Gwen we received a carved wooden elephant someone had given her fairly recently and from Sam a plastic crocodile, a plastic dinosaur and a small dump truck. What generosity!! The other funny thing was that Samuel (for at least a week) used our anniversary as a good reason to do any special fun thing he wanted to do. i.e. “Since yesterday was your anniversary, can we watch a movie and have popcorn?” or “Since your anniversary was last week, can we have some candy?” At least they know it is something to celebrate.

Update on Academy Staffing Needs

I just want to thank you for your prayers. The Lord has blessed on the creativity and insight side of the previous post. We are going to be filling the positions internally. Please pray for the 12 staff members involved in this change!

Also as our new staff members are arriving daily, pray for them to have a smooth transition to Malawi and ABC as well as that the returning staff will be gracious and helpful in serving and ministering to our new colleagues. There are also MANY preparations still to do before the first day, 20 August.

Please Pray for Two Teachers

Dear Pray-ers,

We have just had two teachers decide to not come for this year: 1st Grade and 2nd Grade.

I am asking everyone who reads this to do at least one of the following:

1. Pray for wisdom, humility, grace and creativity for all involved as we still seek to fill these positions with less than four weeks before the first day of class. Also, pray for God to send us teachers. He can still do it. 
2. Pass this on to all the educators and potential educators that you know. You never know who might know some one that knows some one... I am putting the Academy website here: http://africanbiblecolleges.net/seeking-academy-teachers/
3. Seriously consider if you might be a candidate to come. Unlikely maybe, but is not that just the way God often works!

I will look forward to letting you know how the Lord answers these prayers. 

Grace and Peace,

Brian Carlisle

New Arrival

Nathan and Beverly and Laura's first Sunday 

Smiley, happy and great big brother

Happy, helpful and great "double big" sister

Brian and Scharlie are now outnumbered :)

Words fail

Awww

Blessing and joy of having family around

Gwen enjoying littlest brother 

Then they were five

You know what they say about sleeping babies

To everyone who prayed or financially contributed to sending Scharlie's mom and sister here for 11 days, THANK YOU!! We cannot tell you what an incredible blessing it was to have them here especially with Nathan being born. It has been two years since we last saw them and one year since we have seen any family. We will include more about their time later.

Items for Prayer from ABC Malawi

Let me apologize for the long silence. We are trying to get some things together with a newsletter and some blog posts. Were just in one of those BUSY seasons right now--I am sure some of you can sympathize because you may be there yourself as well. The Lord has been gracious to allow us to not be too busy to pray. The Mission staff that are still around have been meeting to pray together on Wednesday nights, below is the list from tonight. Please pray as you feel lead.

Grace and Peace,

Brian

1. Sickness at the Stauffacher house
2. Michelle Clark's mother,  Pat, had a serious stroke Sunday evening--Pat, 82(?) was stateside enjoying 4th of July with family. Michelle still in Malawi
3. Shipping container to arrive soon: contains items needed to finish new classroom block
4. Larry and Carey Brown going on furlough leave July 26 and for Larry's Permanent Resident Permit to come before they leave 
5. Craig Sneed and Ann Magnus wedding 14 July then coming back to Malawi
6. Peacock family Sonia--OBGYN at Clinic delivered 104 babies, Anand--lecturer at College and Cookie 5 yr old going back home to India
7. ABC Board Meeting early August
8. Finances for College students and for common understanding and communciation on culturally difficult and sensitive issues regarding money and fees; pray for grace and wisdom for Dan Trumble--Financial Controller at College--as he deals with most of these issues
9. Safety and effective witness for nine ABC College students participating in African College student all-stars event in Namibia for the following sports: basketball, netball, soccer and tennis
10. Scott Borders's high school cousin that had come to help out with baby is travelling back home on Friday
11. Jeff and Carson White have family coming this week for three weeks
12. Recent string of thefts on campus have targeted staff and students alike
13. Still need Academy teachers: MS English, Librarian, Elementary teacher
14. New ABC missionaries coming
1. support to be raised
2. saying good byes 
3. good health
4. timely processing of paperwork
5. peace in the midst of storms and assurance of God's call
   

Brian and Gwen

Hi All,

There they are, two of my best helpers--laid up. Many thanks to all who prayed and/or gave to help Momma and Beverly come. As you can see, their coming will be very helpful. I am 38 weeks today, so any time for me.
For Brian, a fracture was discovered in his wrist. Had it been in a slightly different place, he would have needed surgery--he was in trouble with the doctor for not coming sooner, but he maintains that it was for the best. "How would I have tied a tie or done my job before?' he said. As it is, it will make a few projects a bit difficult. He has several reports he needs to write and his typing will be very slow. Please pray. He's frustrated--4-6 weeks in that stiff plaster cast.
Gwen's ankle is NOT broken. There are ligament and tendon injuries . For now it is immobilized further and she has crutches. She sees the doctor again next week. Pray for quick healing. The bottom line and huge praise for both of them is NO SURGERY NEEDED! We are so thankful for this.
Do pray for us, though. We're feeling a little low. School was just out yesterday, we have two injured people, I'm having a baby soon, and I am NOT feeling ready. Brian and I both have school things to tie up. He has various responsibilities all break. So, again, we're okay, but your prayers, as always, are most welcome. We love you and pray for you too.

Under His Mercy,
Scharlie

Gwen's Broken Ankle

Dear Family and Friends,

About 1:45 PM Malawi time (Saturday), Gwen and I were jumping on the trampoline. She jumped up and came down "wrong" on her ankle and started screaming pretty hard right away. Within 10 minutes of the injury, we had a doctor and a nurse looking at her and they helped us get her into the car and drive her down to the clinic.

They put a back slab on her left leg and she and I will go to Partners in Hope clinic on Monday to get x-rays together. (My wrist has gotten worse and I think I will need to have something done with it as well.)

Thanks for praying. We give thanks for Dr. Jerry Koleski and nurses Becky Epperson and Carson White that treated Gwen so well and helped her out. She is calm now and on the couch getting ready to watch a movie.