We thank the Lord for each of you and trust you will honor Him with this last day of 2009.  In our last update we asked prayer for several requests and have since seen some answers!  First, we asked prayer for our visas to be issued. Yesterday marked three months since we applied at the Brazilian Consulate's office in Atlanta, and today all of our passports ARRIVED with a "religious missionary" visa stamped inside!  Praise the Lord!  We also asked prayer for Allie and Esther's outpatient procedures.  After much study and prayer we decided to just have the tubes put into Allie's ears and not have them take out her tonsils and adenoids.  The procedure did go well, and although she is doing well now, only time will tell if the tri-weekly fevers will return.  Please keep praying for complete healing for her.  Esther's procedure went well also, but she still has some healing to do.  We are praying that she will heal completely from her symptoms and that the possibility of ulcerative colitis will dissipate.  Another request was that God would give wisdom as to the exact departure date.  After much prayer we have reserved one-way tickets for March 3, a little later than we had originally planned.  However, Jeremy will be taking an earlier trip along with his dad toward the end of January to get some work done on the house and make some purchases for an easier arrival when we go down as a family.  We also praise the Lord for another church in Cantonment, FL who recently voted to support us!  The past almost two years since we started deputation have flown, and we look back over them with grateful hearts for all God's teaching and abundant provision along the way.  We do have a few requests to leave you with as we finish our preparation for departure:

1. Pray for complete healing for Allie and Esther.

2. Pray that God would lead Jeremy and his dad to the right places as they go down in January to purchase appliances, beds, and mattresses.  (We are not shipping a container and must purchase these basic needs in Brazil)

3. Pray for wisdom and understanding as we try to think of all the things that need to be done here before leaving.  (i.e. canceling insurance, selling our mobile home and vehicle, renewing driver licenses, and numerous other things)

Many thanks for your prayers and support!  May God be praised for His wonderful works among the children of men!