what i love about my girls...

I love to hear my girls as they process life and how they see it. Simply and beautifully. The other night analise went and slept with Tina in her college dorm and then the next day went into town to get extenstions for her hair to be braided in.

They took a minibus and hung out all day together. It is amazing that 2 people can be soul sisters instantly. That is what happened to Analise and Tina.
I love watching how they get along. Analise asks Tina honest questions about anything and Tina responds honestly. I love to hear what they process together. The other day Analise was saying how glad she was that they are the same people under the skin. As she said " we got the same blood so that makes us the sames and we have the same middle name so we are sisters! " Simple understanding and simple love. Please pray for Tina as she has her visa appointment on June 2nd to get into the states for school. We are so excited to share our new daughter with you all. She is simply delicious.

Who knew that God could give me a heart to love another person with the love I have for my girls. Amazing love! See you soon. Lots of love- from all of us...

What is next for us? Here is the Answer...

It is so amazing that 3 years have already gone by here in Malawi at the African Bible College, time has surely flown by. As most of you probably know, we are coming home to the U.S. for this next year to work for ABC on home assignment. We will be spending this time (1) sharing what we have done in Malawi to our supporting churches and our individual supporters, (2) volunteering our time at our home church, (3) working on projects for ABC, and (4)visiting and reconnecting with friends and family. We are so excited to be working stateside for this next year. We are also look forward to going back to Malawi the following year to carry out another 2-3 year term.


As we come home for this following year and share what we are doing at ABC, we would ask all our supporters to continue to support us financially through this time. This coming year is very important for us as we gear up and get ready for another term in Malawi. We have decided that being here in Malawi Africa is right where we are supposed to be. Across the continent, graduates of African Bible College are in demand. They are being placed in key leadership positions by evangelical denominations, para-church groups, mission organizations, and a host of other ministries. Graduates are involved in church planting, Christian radio production, school administration, Christian literature translation, and much more.

We covet your prayers and support during this time. Thank you all for your love and your willingness to be a part of our journey as we serve as missionaries with ABC. We look forward to connecting with all of you this coming year.

To continue supporting us as we serve in America and head back to African Bible College-

The address is:
African Bible College
Attn: Stauffacher Family
P.O. Box 103
Clinton, MS 39060



With love,
The Stauffacher Family

(we sent this out in snail mail but I also wanted to put it on our blog...)

The past is gone... the future is ahead of us.

Wow- we are going on our 3rd Graduation- here I am with my senior ladies at my first gradutation
in June 2008.

here is analisey with her cute baby on her back. Being a true Malawian woman. This was our first week in Malawi. Look at my baby she is just turned 3 there....

Bob teaching Inductive Bible Study for the Sophmore class so they can go out and do outreach ministry all around Lilongwe, Malawi.

Here is Tina with Analise when she was 3 years old. Time has flown by and this June she will be 5! My baby :( Tina has been accepted by Whitworth University. She has a heart to lead and help NGO's and mission organization with impacting Africa. She has hearing at the embassy to get her student visa on this coming Monday. Please pray that all goes well. She will doing her International MBA at Whitworth in Spokane. We are very proud of her.

Here is Bob taking his world religions class to a local Mosque. They were so stretched to see how Christ is so different than that religion.

Here is Nya when she was 5 years old with a local outreach that the college students do for our village that is near us weekly. Look how little she is....






Bob on his first day of classes in August 2007. Wow- Amazing to think that we have been here 3 years already. We are so fortunate to have such amazing team of people praying and finacially supporting us. We have been able to leave a small imprint in people's lives here... We are planning to come back to do another term and are privledged that ABC would want us apart of that. So we pray that we will be able to come and serve here again. Thanks again for all the love and emails that I get. They are such an encouragement. Love- the stauffy family

Your grace is enough...

My favorite song right now.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtnE_e1LylY
Wish I could have you watch as the students here sing it! WOW! They tell stories with this song...
There are amazing days that we are reminded of why we are here. A student came to our house telling of his story. As we are the Deans here at the College we are very invovled with stories like this... Edwin- A freshman has been unable to attend classes for about 4 weeks due to a very strange condition that no doctor here has been able to diagnosis. He has had it most of his life and it comes and goes. Well- There are some doctors here that are too expensive for him to afford. As he shared his condition I knew he needed to go to a specialist. For him it is unaffordable but due to people supporting us- it is affordable for us. So we were able to pay for him go see a specialist. So he went there on Wednesday to see him. I saw Edwin after that and he had the biggest smile on his face. I asked him what the specialist said. He said he knew exactly what it was and had special medicine for it. OH YAY! He said he never dreamed that someday he could he have answers for his sickness. I asked him for name - he said he didn't write it down. But there are answers. YIPPEE for answers... I love that Edwin came into our sphere and we were able to be apart of his story that God is using in his life. God carries us through journeys we don't understand But His Grace is Enough... It is enough to carry us to the next day.

This week is Spiritual Emphasis Week. It has been an amazing experience for us and the students. A special speaker has come from San Diego. From Horizon Church Bob Botsford has come to share on Our Enduring Hope. Such an amazing reminder as times get crazy and things go on that we can't control. We have a hope that is connected to an Amazing God. Bob brought his worship band here too. It is has been such an treat to have them here. They are rocking the chapel here at ABC. Nya and Analise want to be in the front row each night as the " cool guys" are leading worship. They are called the Mike Clark Band - They have brought their talents and spoiled us. I love amazing worship!

Well- we leave Malawi in about 40 days - to live in San Diego for 12 months. As we are on home assignment with ABC - we will miss this land we call home. I am so used to it here that I think I will be culture shock when I go home. Home is somewhere here and somewhere in San Diego. Well- thanks for loving us, supporting us and praying for us as we continue to serve here in the amazing land called Africa. His grace is enough for today for you and even Edwin! Love- amy louise

A quick update...

Hello sweet people- Just a quick update from the other side of the world. We are quickly winding down over here in Malawi. We have been privileged to share life with a family for about 3 weeks this April and share with them what we do everyday here. Due to the volcano problem their flight was delayed for a week but is has been an joy to have them for a little bit longer. We really have soaked in family times and had many fun memories made. They have tasted and smelled and talked and walked this amazing place called Africa.

While all this is going on Bob has continued teaching classes here at ABC. As I type this I hear 20 high schoolers in my living room for a breakfast and a bible study. Yep- Spring is in the air and the countdown has begun. The seniors at the college are getting sad to leave and are so ready to leave at the same time. We have spiritual emphasis week coming, we have banquets to prepare for and graduation to get ready. We are excited for them. They are those that we invest in and then they leave to impact Malawi and Africa.

Please pray for us as we are definitely trying to stay healthy. Both Nya and I have had Malaria this month. It is has really depleted us. It is like a really bad flu times 10. We took the medicine for it and it worked great. Just a slow recovery. Pray for continual strength and health in our family. We have seen enough sickness for a while. We ready to be off the sick train. For some reason we are stuck on it.

A praise we have is we are privileged to be coming home in the middle of June for a year long home assignment. We will be living in San Diego and will be so excited to share what is happening with us at ABC.
Praise God that He continues to be faithful through all of your love, support and encouragement.

Living, learning and loving- bob, amy, nya and analise

When Africa surprises you...

That was what I heard tonight at the dinner table. They have been surprised. They feel that Africa has not been represented properly to the world. They thought the following...No One is making the difference and people have forgotten about Africa. So they thought... A new friend Ann - from California- friend of my cousin's wife- has said she is surprised that so much is going on for Malawians. All the different types of Missionaries that she has met and the Malawians that are being impacted by the work they are doing. Lives are being changed through these relationships.

Our friends - the Olson Family- have come here thinking one way and definelty will be leaving thinking the complete opposite. It was all so overwhelming the needs when they first came and now they have relationships made through their experiences to have a place to help and impact the needs of the people. They are surprised that is all it is about... Relationships.

We come here thinking that we coming to make the difference but we leave knowing they made the difference in us. We have been changed through these relationships that we have made. The impact is made when we invest in those relationships. We can come here thinking that we can give but how and how do we not just throw money at the problem We slowly learn that we can give through our relationships. That is what is all about. RELATIONSHIPS - That is where you impact the most. That is where needs are communticated and met. That is what we do here. Teach and share and relate with the Malawians. We both are changed forever. It maybe that simple this thing called relationships. That is how we helping and changing what is happening here in Africa... Loving living this thing called life- amy louise

Sharing life everyday with people...We love people!

Well- the countdown has been started. Seniors officially have senioritis and we are starting to get it too. Very contagious this senioritis. We are thrilled to be sharing it with our good friends The Olsons. They love being here. Sharon continues to say -" I love living your life Amy. I am in your blog now. Wow! " Well- We are loving sharing it with them. They are enjoying every minute and amazing to share what we do here. So delicious to see them eat it all up. They were able to spend about 5 days in Village ( which I am very proud of them) with good friends and ABC Graduates Ronald and Ulemu. Amazing to hear all their stories and life changing experiences. Time will tell what Africa has done to them. and their blog will tell you more.... Once you get Africa in your system- it never leaves I believe. :) You crave it... which is a good thing.

So the Stauffy family is in teaching classes mode, loving on people mode and really doing what God called us here to do mode. -Make a small impact on the people's lives here. We are priviledged to be here and do it. We have alot on our plate and we are going to savor every minute of it. As many of you know we come home for a home assignment for a year and we plan to come back for another couple of years. We definetly know that we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing right now. We are excited to be in the states for a year. We miss family, friends and food. :) We are so thankful to have this opportunity to share with you all person to person what we are doing here in Malawi. We will be in San Diego and visiting many others. Thank you for your continual love, prayers and support! It has been so humbling to be dependent on God and people like you in our lives! Well- Pictures to come and lots more of stories as we continue on here... Love - amy louise

Healing and nothing much going on...

It is so amazing to have not much going on. The entire campus is on Easter break and it has been super quiet. Over the last 3 weeks since I haven't blogged, it is just quiet. I have been on healing mode. It is so nice to be on the other side of this journey. We are so blessed to have so many people love and support us through this. Thank you for all those who carried me in prayer! Amazing how prayer changes things. Thank you!

One thing that has happened on campus is that applications are coming in for this next year for the college. The students first take a test and then are interviewed. Last year almost 900 people applied and we were able to take only 90 incoming students and sent 20 students to the Uganda campus. This year - there are 3 different testing days and also 3 different cities. Please pray for the these interested students... These are the faces of Africa. The people of Malawi that will change thier world person by person.





We now have vistors from Spokane, Washington. Some dear old friends that staying in Germany for a while came down to have a journey into the Stauffacher family life in Malawi. They are soaking it all in. I love watching thier kids process it all. Nya and Analise are loving having constant laughs from thier kids. We head to Lake Malawi and then they are off the Dzuwa village! Here is their blog in case you want to read their journey... http://www.eieiolsonfamily.blogspot.com/


I love the simple life and enjoy living in Malawi. Bob told me it is the people he loves, I told him the same thing. It really is all about people. Loving, encouraging, investing and learning about people.

Will connect sooner than the last post! Amy louise

a new lease on life..

You know that there are many sayings that are said to told to you when bumps on the road come....

-when life hands you lemons make lemonade
-he won't give you too much that you can't bear
-life is a bowl of cherries...including the pits
-life is full of mountains and valleys

There are tons of these sayings that are said to a person to try to encourage them to keep pressing on through the hard moments.....

But as I personally traveled this bumpy road, I found the most comfort I had was through prayer... There was not a perfect saying that would take away all the fear and anxiety of the big trial that I was in. As I look back on my journey- I see His hand carrying me through it all. Some moments it felt that God was a million miles away and then there were times that He was a whisper away. It never was consistent. But what was consistent was my worries and fears. But as I worried and fretted I actually found the most hope in repeating anything that I had memorized in my brain. I was continually going back to MY Rock and my hope of the future. The only scripture I found out that was stuck in my head was Psalm 23. It carried me in ways I never knew it could. When I could breathe I recited it - when I was anxious I recited it... It became so real that It took me away from the moment. But I want to say thank you for everyone of you that prayed for me and interceded for me as my neck journey is coming to an end. I made it back to Malawi and I get to be here! I love being back with my family and finally at peace. My neck pain was caused by a herniated disc that was pushing on my nerves and now I have titanium in my neck... I am bionic woman. I feel just leftover surgery pain and have no arm or neck pain. It is amazing. Below is a picture of what I got




What is amazing is that I am finally able to live life again. Thank you again for being apart of the season of life with me. I really never have felt so loved and prayed for. We have seen God personally intercede in ways I never could of imagined. This now- lemon, bump, mountain or should we call it a cherry or even better we call titanium piece in my neck - is interwoven in to my story for ever and I deeply changed and challenged and found that I cling ever so more to THE ROCK!

Serving Jesus daily and finding realy in day to day things- Amy Louise

P.S. Analise and Nya said they never want me to ever leave again. :) Bob agrees... So do I... 20 days is way too long for anyone to be seperated....at least for the mama!

So an update....

Some of you got this already but I wanted to update those readers who didn't get it.


Ok another fun day here in Joburg. I did finally have Mc D's and it was good but the ice cream was better! It is really a fantasy when you live away from any fast food but the cereal with the most amazing milk is NOT a fantasy. It is all that I have ever made it to be in my head.

I went and made an appt for second opinion with another opinion. This doctor was a huge advocate for more intense conservative therapy. I have decided to go this route. Fun times ahead. I will be the hospital for the next 3 days in traction starting tomorrow at 12pm. Lovely. I will be on serious meds to calm down the badly damaged disc with the combination of continual traction. You see the problem is that I am tall and I have bad genes somewhere... And I live with the MOST potholely roads in the world and that is what caused this to happen. So somehow my discs (which is rare for a 34 year old girl) denigrated over time- actually my vertebrae did and then the disc pushed out and are severely pushing on my nerves and causing my feeling in my right hand to stop. So with that the traction will leave room for the disc to come back in and my body absorb the part that is not inflamed anymore. So it is a 50 -50 shot. But much better than this other plan that I was trying to do here- that I already had done in Malawi. It is so complicated when you have to travel to get this kind of medical treatment. So it is very sad for the mama and dada to be away from each other and especially mama hen away from her chicks. So hopefully after Friday we will know what is the next step is.

So it will be a long 3 days but I plan to ask for lots sleeping pills to sleep continually. That is everyone's dream right. Me too! but without the part of pulling my head away from my body! :(

Thank you for loving us and praying for us and please continue to pray for our family. That God provides for us financially, emotionally and physically and spiritually. Seriously we need to have his loving arms carry us through. Thank you!

Love - all of serving Jesus here in Africa (me in Joburg South Africa and Bob with the girls in Malawi, Africa) with a little bit of medical complications! Amy Louise, Bob and the cute girls- Nya and Analisey.

really? ok!

So last week I went to my physical therapist for my nerve problem. She said that she thinks that I am getting worse and I need to go see with an MRI what really is going on. Sounds simple! Just go get an MRI- well when you live in a third world country not so simple. I will be headed to South Africa - Johannesburg to see a Spine Specialist on Thursday. Thank you for your prayers. Continue and we will see what God will do through this.

I am reminded that God doesn't promise that everything will be perfect and life will be simple but He carries us through these kinds of journeys. I have seen Him provide in such amazing ways in ways that He does personally for me. So as I head into this journey - I will share how he has been faithful. I have some friends down there that will host me and give me a car and provide me with GPS unit. I kinda know it down there because last year with Nya being sick in the same hospital. So as I head down there I am provided for.

Bob will be staying with the girls and so please pray for the girls and him. Pray as he continues to serve here at ABC that God would provide for him here. Pray that the students continue to see God provide and as they serve here in Malawi and all over Africa that God would use them to change lives from the inside out.

Lots of love- amy louise

Update on my arm...

Hi! So the latest on my nerve problem is this. I saw the bone doctor, got xrays and was told not promising information. Pretty much I have disc in my neck that is bulgding out and is pushing on a nerve that goes all the way down to my fingers. He called it a double crush nerve impendgement ( at my neck and my wrist). So it is not good because there is not a MRI machine to look at my neck here in Malawi to see exactly. I need to go to the western world. Lovely. So my specific prayer request is that the nerve will be able to worked out through physical therapy. The blessing is that there is a physical therapist here that is from the UK that has worked with people on this nerve problem. So I would be so very happy if it as I am here in this third world country that manual traction physical therapy thingy would work. Thanks for you prayers and love - amy louise

Life... the ups and downs...

We have been plugging along. Please be praying for me. After a very large computer project I did in December, somehow I managed to pinch a nerve in my neck. It created blood clots around my nerve root and many days for the last 6 weeks I have walked around unable to use it. After a long drive into the village and all the jarring of the bumpy road - it officially gave out into servere unable to live life with an arm that doesn't work without a doctors help. For a while I just thought it was a sore muscle or the beginning of carpal tunnel. I went to a physical therapist and through her we started treatment for a nerve root impendiagemnt. Yuck. I am now on servere pain meds daily and steriods to hopefully stop the pain. On this coming Wednesday - I go to the bone doctor for him to decide what to do. If it doesn't stop, steriod shots are next....And they don't do those here. So please be praying.

Another thing that has been hard is that - i am unable to use my desktop computer. So many days I can't do much with one arm on the computer. Right now I am pain meds and really shouldn't be typing...
So please pray for me as I go through this. Thanks so much. I love how many times I have shared our prayer and GOd has carried us through. Thank you....



The good things that are happening are school is full swing and we are busy. IT is so great to have routine and see the students we daily are investing in. The senior class graduate in 4 months. We are so excited to see how God is going to use them here. Especially one girl I have been mentoring over the last 2 years, She really has a heart to do missions in the village here. We are praying together weekly where and who with! It is a big deal to do missions in your own country. Especially where all most people do is barely survive with what they have. Her name is Funa.

In the above picture is Funa on the left and Tina on the right. Funa has a heart to disciple women in the village. Please pray with us as we see what God is doing.

Will update again while I am pain meds :) love- amy louise

The power of Love in our lives...

Love goes deep. It transforms and quickly heals where open wounds were. The gift that Godgives us is that He blesses in healing us. The amazing things I see in the college students that are at ABC are lives transformed. God taking the broken hearted, the abandoned, and through the poverty and giving us Hope! Like for example... Orphans loving on Orphans... Powerful....

Here is Tina! My sweet friend who is an orphan - We went to Crisis Nursery here and She became superwoman taking on 2 babies. Loving deeply for these kids who are orphans. Don't you love her infectious smile. Her laugh is even more amazing. God has taken her broken heart and healed her deeply and given her a new family! Us! We Love that she apart of our lives. She brought us so much joy over these last 2 years - We love sharing life with her.

Here is sweet girlie Maggie. She is visiting for a month. She was a previous student of Bob's at Christian High School. We saw her this summer and told come and visit us and she did! What a treat to share life here in Africa with her fresh perspective. I love hearing the stories that she gets experience through her view.

Here is another college senior Umodzi! She really has been a joy to be around and she so enjoys coming to the orphanage with us. The Lady in the middle is the only nurse for the 22 babies at the Crisis Nursery. Understaffed is an understatement. Nya is so big now that she is able to love on these cute babies. She calls them sugarbears.

Tina Tina! We love you!

Here are 2 pairs of eyes that are so sweet. This is baby girl Sophless... She was delicious and so fun to feed and love on. Nya helped with her the entire time! So sweet to see my baby love on babies!

Here is Mphatso. She smiled and continually loved being on my lap. I love that it is simple to love. She makes it even more easier!

Here is another sweet girl I love loving on. She is our superhero at ABC. She teaches computers, PE, and is everyone's substitute. Candice and I have created a deep friendship and I so enjoy her.

Here is Maggie and Tina! Too Cute! Already good friends.

Loving people here and asking God to continually bring people who need Him to love them. Pray that we will be bigger than ourselves and go deeper and bigger and reach higher. Love- Us

When Life in Africa is Ordinary after 2 1/2 years...

It is amazing to get to the point when living in a third world culture is Normal and Ordinary. I find myself not so amazed by many things now, since it is all is normal. When I automatically talk in Chichewa- the language here in Malawi- How is that normal? When i drive into town, swerving around a group of goats and seeing people riding bikes that are about to fall into my path, how is that normal? I didn't know that I would feel this comfortable. When my children are so used to the power going out daily or the water stopping - how is that normal? When gas is scarce and I accept that it is fine and we will figure a way around needing the gas- how is that normal? Amazing the simple things that I don't even know that is not normal to my western culture that I have accepted as normal. It was so fun to see it when my parents came to visit and share life with them. I saw through their eyes what I have so gotten used to. Routine has come as today starts the second semester of school for the girls and next week all the College students come back to campus. We are looking forward to life full on the campus again. And Life to be Normal! :)

We have a vistor from San Diego staying with us for about a month. She was a former student of Bob's at Christian High School. It will be fun to share life with her. She will be helping at the academy and the going out to villages around ABC.

So the normal life begins. Lots of love- amy louise

Oh My Happy New Year...

Well- Happy New Year from ABC! So sorry that I haven't blogged forever. I have some weird issue with my arm and have been unable to use my desktop and can only type on Bob's laptop. So sadly the only chance I time to type is in the late evening and for some reason I never get 2nd winds over here in Africa. My bed calls me by 8:30pm. I wanted update for forever. We have had a quiet start to our new year. I can't believe that it is already the middle of January. We did have a minor earthquake so that shook us up a bit but nothing like Haiti. We are definelty praying for those people over there.

So here is the update on us...Over this last couple of weeks - we have been catching our breath from all the business of school. We all got sick right before school ended and then right as Christmas week started Bob had a serious sinus infection that laid him out for about 2 weeks. Vacation is good for the body and spirit. We were able to get away for a couple of days to the southern region of Malawi. There is a mountain called Mount Mulangi. They have amazing tea plantations down there that were started over a hundred years ago. We stayed at a lodge that was the owners house at one time. It was fun to rest, laugh and play together. We went with other friends from ABC Campus.

Here is the house we stayed in. It is over a hundred years old. I love that it still looks amazing for a house in Africa for a hundred years old.

Mt Mulangie

The Tea Plantation. So very lushish and really green

Here is the group before we went on the hike up to waterfalls.

Analisey is hanging with new buddies...

Isn't it amazing that beauty of Creation yells Heaven!

Here is the lower falls...

We were so blessed to have alot of fun! We are ready for school to start and ready for the students to come back! Life is full and busy and we are looking forward to rhythm of life here in Malawi! Thank you for your prayers! Love all of us!

Merry Christmas from Malawi

Seriously time has flown by and it's almost 2010. WOW! We have been privileged here at ABC Christian Academy to be involved with every year has an amazing school play at the end of this last semester. It was well done and fun to see the girls be apart of. Below we dedicated the play to a local orphanage that we all are connected to. In the white shirt is Paul Chinchen - President of ABC introducing Annie Brown who is directly involved with that orphanage.

She also brought some of the local kids from the orphanage to the play as you can see above.

Here is Nya waiting to do her part in the play. She had many songs to sing and a she did a line in the play all by her self. (yes I am proud mama) She did tell me that it did take at least a 100 hours for it to be done.

Here are the cute girls before the play began. Analise was a Angel and she really was.

Here she is waiting patiently for the program to start with her friend Taymeike. Cute Girlies!

Our annual Christmas Party at the US Ambassador's house includes getting to see Santa Clause. Nya knows that He isn't real but for Analise it still is a concept that is hard to get down. But as soon as she saw him- she said - He isn't real- He has a watch on - that is just a man dressed up! Well- her bubble was popped when she saw the watch. She has since then forgot about it. So we just let it alone. The joys of childhood.

We have had a great beginning of the holiday. We will be involved with our church this week and going to many Christmas parties. Let the festivities begin!

We just want to say Merry Christmas! From all of us!

Well...they say it will soon be over...

Well hello from No Gas Land. We have been not going anywhere for the last few weeks due to the fuel crisis. It has been pretty frustrating. Some fuel has come in spurts. It comes in and there about 100 people waiting and then a 100 more people come so it is pretty crazy. So we just continue to wait it out. It feels like being snowed in for those who have ever experienced that. So we wait and see. It has been not very fun to say the least.

We have been busy with just life. When you are doing the same things everyday. It does get not very newsworthy. We are thankful to be here right here, right now. We have some missionaries leaving due to medical needs this month. They have been in Africa for 40 years. Amazing couple. They have given 27 of those years to African Bible College. Their story is refreshing and amazing. It will be very sad to see them leave. Please continue to pray for Glenn and Fern Byerly. They began their journey in 1970 serving in the Congo. From there they heard about ABC in Liberia and moved over. They went through the war teaching until bullets caused them to leave. They went back about a year later and continued the ABC in Exile with the refugees of the war and ABC students is Guinea. From there, they moved to ABC Malawi and has an amazing impact in 100s of students lives. They story reminds me to continue to push through even though I am pushed out. They remind to see God's sovereignty in all situations. I seek Him when it is good and when it gets bad. Faith is built not on emotions and experiences but who He says He is. I am thankful to have people in our lives to point us back to the simplicity of the Cross.

Thank you for loving us through your emails, prayers and support! Thank you thank you- Love all of us!

PS I tried to add pictures but it didnt upload. We try again later!

Hello from No Gas Land....

As time continues so does the days of our little lives. We have had no diesel in this country for about 3 weeks. Once in a while we get 2 or 3 gas stations that get it. Now there is no regular gas now. The above picture was 5 days ago - before the crisis was bad Today I saw about 200 hundred cars lining up to get gas with hundreds of people waiting at a couple of gas stations... It is mostly due to corruption here. Oh joy! We would really appreciate as we continue to serve here that God would teach us patience, be slow to speak and quick to listen, and love on people even without gas!

My parents came here the last 2 weeks and it was wonderful as you can see from the previous posts. They told me as they were here - that when they went home it would feel like a dream. I appreciated all your prayers! They are home now and closing their eyes and dreaming about it now.

Thank you again for loving, praying and being apart of our lives! Love all of us! The Stauffy family

Our trip to monkey bay...

Well now we have seen the elephant in Africa. We took a boat trip on the Shire (shy-re) river that runs out of Lake Malawi and saw some elephants, many hippos, an allegator, many birds, wild boars and more. Now a trip is complete...not quite...

This is our tour guide and the boat we had to ourselves. He was very helpful in showing us the many animals along the river. It was windy and rough waves at times but fun.

We arrived at a lovely lake home that we rented from someone Amy knew. These trees called sausage trees due to the long pods on them were amazing. I am sure they have a more proper name but they are a wonder.

This is the view looking out of the front of the home across Monkey Bay. We arrived right at dark the night before in a driving rain storm almost not finding our way. The next morning we were greeted by this great rainbow and no more rain. Just lovely.

This the front of the house that we stayed at. It was soooo peaceful and sooothing to the soul.

We had several families of monkeys that were interested in some bread we had to share. Notice the great tree in the back ground that decided to hug this huge rock.

They had a small pool by the house that was a great place for Nya and Analise to play.

This is one of the stunning Baboa trees that grow all over the landscape. This is especially big one and so amazing. That is Gary and I and the grand girls at the base of it.

We got home on fumes of petro because none is to be found in all of the Malawi...at least in any of the stations we stopped at. So the adventure to find enough gas to get us to the airport tomorrow will be interesting. This lack of petro seems to be an ongoing problem and makes life that much more challenging some days. Long lines are at all the gas stations. They have been out of disel since we have been here. Bob's truck runs on petro. Politics and poor money management by the govt seems to be the problem.

We are leaving warm balmy weather to return to early winter in Spokane, WA. Yikes...I guess we are ready now that we have seen the elephants. Barb