Jennifer Tibbetts

Dear Friends,

I can't believe it has been over 2 months since I last updated you all.  Life just seems to be flying by. I am so aware of my need for God to work in many situations and for you to pray so here we go.

First of all, we're going to have another grandbaby - Nathan's wife Katelyn is due August 30!  Yes, the Tibbetts' family is obeying God's command to be fruitful and multiply :)  We are delighted.  We had such a nice visit with Nathan and Katelyn when they came to Florida March 10-17.  A highlight was doing an escape room together and finishing with 7 minutes to spare!  Nathan continues to enjoy his job as software engineer for John Deere and Katelyn continues to volunteer at the Christian school where she taught for years.

Second, Joshua returned from his last submarine deployment on March 9 and met his 6 week old son Michael.  Wife Megan and 4 year old daughter Natalie are also very glad to have him home.  He got 3 weeks of paternity leave.  Megan and Josh are getting their house ready to sell.  I will be traveling to Washington to meet Michael and help them with packing, etc. from April 19-26.  On April 27, Josh will begin driving across the country to arrive at Norfolk Naval Base in Portsmouth, Virginia.  He will be in training to repair submarines from May 2-September 2.  Then in mid September the whole family will move to Guam for about 2 years while Josh finishes out his Navy stint.  Megan has been a real trouper caring for Natalie and Michael before Josh returned and now as they get ready for these big moves.  We are hoping that she and the kids will be able to stay in a rental home near Josh in Virginia for at least part of the time he is in training (because this is a "short" time, the Navy doesn't provide housing for the family).

Third, I have continued to have some amazing opportunities to share with people at workplaces through Marketplace Chaplains.  Last week I talked to Craig whose Jewish great-grandparents were standing in a line of Jews being methodically shot to death by Nazis when the Nazis ran out of bullets.  Sometime after that, Craig's great-grandparents were able to escape from concentration camp and that is why Craig now exists!  Craig had stopped praying due to some big hurts (like his sister committing suicide a few years ago).  After we talked, he said that he was going to go home and pray again that evening.  Please pray for Craig.  

Gil was amazed to learn that the Bible is not a man-made book, but "God-breathed" - 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  I've also realized that I bit off more than I could chew in taking on chaplaincy at 13 workplaces as this is a large number of people to get to know and try to provide care for.  Also, I was traveling to businesses that were up to 1.5 hours from my home and too much of my time was spent driving.  I've decided to reduce to just 5 workplaces that are closer to my home.  I think this will be a better fit for my time and energy.

Fourth, I still feel behind in my OMF work, but little by little I'm catching up.  Better news is that I am in the process of adding three people to my team!  Anna is Singaporean and she is applying to OMF to work as the Education Support and OC Kidzone Facilitator.  OC Kidzone is the children's program for OMF"s orientation course when all new missionaries from around the world go to Singapore for 3.5 weeks for training and to get to know our international leadership.  The children's program is a vital time for the missionary kids to get insight into transition and understanding about the big changes they are and will be experiencing as they move to the mission field.  Because of Covid, our Orientation Course (OC) for the missionary parents has been held virtually since July 2020.  A number of new missionaries have been able to get to Asia during this time though it has not been easy in terms of quarantines and visas and lockdowns.  We have tried to provide tools to the parents to use with their kids to help them with transition, but we've missed out on having everyone in person in Singapore.  We hope to be able to start in person OC again in November 2022.  The Education Support role is also very important as our missionaries wrestle through the best educational options for their children to prepare them for tertiary education and/or future career choices and as they evaluate the educational options available to them on the field.

Megan is a Third Culture Kid - her parents worked as diplomats and she lived in a number of countries as a child and then as an adult.  She will be working with me a few hours per week in developing training and resources for TCKs and their parents.  Victoria is raising support to work with me part-time as my Administrative Assistant, helping me keep up with email and many logistics and tasks.  Please pray for God to provide for Anna, Megan and Victoria - in the processes of bringing them into OMF and the learning curves of growing in their roles so that TCK Care in OMF can be augmented.

Fifth, over 30 OMF workers have signed up to take the debriefing training in the next couple months so they can help TCKs (missionary kids) and their families process the joys and challenges of transitions, grief and loss.  I'm excited about this and praying that it will be very useful.  Pray for those attending, especially for those who are not native English speakers as this will be extra challenging for them.  I am also hoping that soon we will have more tools to train parents in debriefing their own kids.

Sixth, Scott has had some tremendous opportunities to share Christ in his job as security guard.  In particular, Greg (in his early 60s) stopped by Scott's desk one day early this month to say "I don't know how to read the Bible". Later, Greg asked more about the Bible and Scott was able to share his testimony, as well as give Greg a New Testament.  Greg has now read the book of John up to the Last Supper.  Scott and Greg will meet up next Wednesday (April 6) to talk further.  Please pray for God to continue to work in Greg's life as well as in the life of his Vietnamese wife Diem.

Seventh, my sweet Thai friend (age 76) Nuansee has continued to seek and grow in God.  She brought her Buddhist Cambodian friend Awm (similar aged) to hear Scott speak on Joshua in Adult Sunday School at church on March 20.   Awm told me that years ago when living in Colorado, he attended a Cambodian small group in an American church, and the pastor gave him a Cambodian Bible (which he no longer has).  After Sunday School, Awm stated. "I like this" referring to what he was hearing about the Bible.  I gave him an old phone of mine with the audio Cambodian BIble as Awm is technically blind (due to being hit in the head by the Khmer Rouge when he was 20 and living in Cambodia).  Nuansee told me today that Awm has been listening to the Bible and was looking forward to attending church again this past Sunday, but instead they had to travel several hours away to visit a friend who had had a stroke.  I pray that Nuansee will be a witness to many of her friends as well as to Awm's family and their neighbors who are Cambodian.

Eighth, I had a wonderful visit to see Matthew and Rachel's new home and business in Waxahachie, Texas in February as well as the joy of looking after baby Graham for 4 days while Matthew and Rachel attended a work conference in Orlando (I got 27 degree ice storms while they got 80 degree weather :) )  Graham is now 14 months old and so much fun.  Scott joined me the first weekend in TX and Alysha joined me the second weekend - so grateful for God's provision and for "free" plane tickets through Southwest credit cards!  Overall, things seem to be going well at Matthew and Rachel's new business. Please pray for them to be a blessing to their employees, community and the world through this work.

Ninth, Jacob and Alysha continue to do well in their jobs.  Their Moore family farm has expanded to 18 chicks, many rabbits, 2 dogs and a garden (which got frostbite and will need to be re-planted).  We pray for them to be a blessing to the people they work with and Jacob's family (some of whom don't know Jesus as Lord).

Lastly, my parents arrive late this evening to be with us until Sunday.  We are looking forward to having them visit and to learning more from them about how to be godly parents for young adult children as we move further into this era of "Open Nesting" (a term I've heard which I prefer to empty nesting!)  We anticipate a visit to a beautiful historic hotel (Belleview) in Clearwater on Friday along with a boat trip to see dolphins.  There will also be time for shuffleboard, swimming, playing games, praying, some household projects, talking, etc.

Thanks for your prayers and for keeping me updated on you as well!
Jennifer for the Tibbetts clan