after doing a blog for 7 years about Malawi...

Dear friends and family,

I just wanted to send you all one last update on our family, and to let you know that we are all doing quite well, and are settling in slowly but surely.  The transition from Africa has been tough at various times, but God has given us the strength to carry us through.  And as most of you know, we are currently living in the San Diego area, where I just began my new job as an associate pastor, at a church called Faith Bible Fellowship. We are humbled at this opportunity and are excited to be a part of such an amazing church. Please keep praying for us, that God may use us in a very special way at Faith Bible Fellowship.

We would also like to thank each and every one you again, for all the prayers and support you have given us over the past 7 years.  We have been truly blessed and amazed by all love and encouragement we have received. So much so, that words cannot describe what we are feeling in our hearts.  You have given us the opportunity, to serve and live in Malawi; to build relationships with other people from very different cultures; to share the love of Christ to those who are hurting and lost; to train and equip leaders for Christian service; to knit our own family together in a very special way, and to partner with God in one of the most challenging, yet incredible undertakings we have ever experienced. So, thank you for believing in us, and for coming along side of us for this tremendous journey. 

May God continue to bless each and every one of you, as you continue to be a blessing to others. 

An important reminder: we are no long taking monthly financial support.  Therefore, any money you send to African Bible College (on our behalf), starting October 1, will be mailed back to you.

Blessings,

Bob, Amy, Nya, Analise and Luke

Adjusting and transitioning back...

I know i have been quiet for about 2 months. I dont think until this week -I did not have a moment by myself to even think past the next moments!  We were so blessed to see family up in Washington for about 4 weeks.  We had not seen them for 3 years. Wowzers. 

It has been quite an adjustment coming back. Whether its shopping or Luke in awe of everything, we are all in culture shock and processing it in many different levels. Somedays are great and other days i would rather stay in bed and let the kids watch movies all day.  We see the adjustment especially with the kids as they had a huge campus about 50 acres to play on without not much worry as it was all fenced in and their best friends were right next door. Here we are in an apartment and we are feeling a bit confined. As Nya says that she needs to set up an appointment to see her friends!  It is true. But we are so thankful that school starts next week and new friends and appointments will be made to hang out!  We have been so blessed to amazing friends that we get to share life with as we have called San Diego home for the last 12 years even as we have lived in Africa 6 years of those years.

Bob starts at Faith Bible Fellowship this week. We are so excited to be apart of what God has called us to do. It is going to be an amazing journey as we begin this new season. It won't be easy and we will definetely see the up and downs of ministry on this side of the world but as we daily surrender - we will grow. (Okay. We will choose to grow). So thankful that as we can't see past the right now and we can quickly get overwhelmed if we worry about the future- we choose to take it to the creator of the universe to learn what He has for us.  

Thank you for your amazing love, prayers and support as we are slowly adapt to our "new normal". Thank you for your grace as we slowly get to catch up with many of our friends as we settle back into our new season of life!  

Love all of the Stauffy family

Below is a picture of us with Tina as she has settled into her new life working for a nonprofit health organization and doing amazing. 

Also with our families!

Finding God's rhythm...

After 2 whole weeks of JET LAG!  It's official!  We are still tired.  We have been running at a thousand miles per hour due to something God started back in March.  When we announced that we were returning from Malawi to the States, a pastor friend emailed and offered a potential pastoral job in the San Diego area!  We prayed and have continued to seek God's wisdom about if that was what God had planned for us  After 4 months we are still convinced that this is what God has for the Stauffacher family's next step.  WOW!  We are excited and honored to be apart of this story!  Bob is going to do amazing and so fun to see that the next steps are what God had designed over these last years.  We are privileged to be called His kids and that He continues to direct our steps... Bob will start the position in mid September. We were voted in by the congregation yesterday and confirmed by the board of elders last week.  WoW!  We are looking to the King to carry us on!  So thankful to have such amazing friends and family that are praying and loving and supporting us as we go along...  We seriously could not do it with you all!  Will keep you updated!  Love all the Stauffachers

Wow! We are home...

Crazy to think it takes 2 days to fly home from Africa.  We traveled well- it was just very looooooonnnnnggggg!  40 hours it took to get home.  It is surreal to be back.  It feels like we never left and yet we did.  Emotions are all over the place.  Up and then down - I feel that the kids are the ones feeling it more- we left the place they call home.  They know of this place called San Diego but yet it is in small people memories.  We have been so blessed to call Africa home and yet are so thankful to be Home here in San Diego.  The kids have noticed a huge difference this time and see the many stark contrasts.  So interesting to hear them process it.  Even little Lukie gets it - that we are far from campus.  Poor Sugarbear! :(

Anyways - as we are settling in -we are having to work on find phones, insurance, schools for the girls, mail and job stuff!  Just the everyday life stuff that we are starting from scratch.  It is overwhelming to say the least.  It really is amazing how no choices of anything to 100 different kinds of chips can make you want to go to bed for the rest of the day.

Thank you for your overwhelming support and prayers and love as we have come back!

Please continue to pray:

• Clarity on a potential job for Bob
• that we would grow immensely from this season
• we would find Christ in all that we do and radiate Him
• As we all adjust that God would carry us through the rough patches

Yay God:

• We got all of our luggage and our planes transfers were amazingly smooth
• We were able to move into a missions apt that we had lived in before.  So simple and refreshing having not to worry about the details
• Amazing friends have provided cars that we can use as we are running around putting our new life together
• God has really given us peace that we are supposed to be here right now at this season

Below are some pictures of the last week or so... Friends and family!

We will keep you updates as our journey continues!  We love you all!

Family picture day on ABC Campus

Oh boy we are squished

Bob introducing the Master Graduates

Last year graduate Chimweme

Family time with Funa

With the administration staff

Friends and fishing buddy

Master students

Fellow graduate and friends

Blessings

Weezie!

Peter!

Alinane

Jill and I

Graduate of the day!  Fiki!

Fellow gradates and Master classe graduate

Only 2 more Mondays in Malawi Africa - Wait - What???

We are feeling it - the last few days are in process.  This week we have 3 huge functions for the Graduate program, the Undergraduate program and on Saturday we will see our last undergraduate graduation and the first graduate graduation here at African Bible College.  WOW !  Can't believe that 7 years have flown by already...  We will crave Africa often and wish we could just beam over!  We will crave our amazing friends that God has blessed us with over these years here - They have become our extended family!  We will crave the simplicity that Africa offers!  And I am pretty sure my kids will be back here when they get older.  Once Africa gets in your story - you can't get rid of it.  And that is a good thing!  Nya says she will go anywhere God takes her and Analise says she will be in South Africa as a Nurse...  Now those are kids with a world is their playground perspective!  WOW!

Please continue to be praying:

• as this country still does not have a New President a week after elections and they say it will be a couple more days due to illegal activities by the current president and one of the candidates.

• as we are preparing to leave this "home" to our new "home" - that God will carry us through this HUGE TRANSITION (just Moving across the WORLD)

• as we seek God's direction in Bob's future work.

• as we will need a car as soon as we land :)  If anyone knows of one we can borrow until we buy one ASAP that would be amazing!

• as Nya has been accepted into Foothills Jr High Christian School - Can you believe that she is in 7th grade, that Analise (who is on the waiting list for 4th grade) to get in!

Bob's last class of the Master's Class

Celebrating at Nya's Ballet Recital!  

Thank you for all the amazing support and prayers as we are going through this.  WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT OUR AWESOME SUPPORT TEAM!   We will be keeping you updated as we adjust to life and continue to share how God does it in our lives!

breathing!

The gift of breath is not noticed until it has been taken away!  Almost a month ago tomorrow- we were reminded of how precious that gift is personally!  We had planned our Easter Holiday and were out getting the last minute details of climbing a mountain with other missionary families.  As we were coming back from grocery shopping, we got the call that a friend (a teacher from my daughter's school and regular around our dinner table) had been in bad minivan accident and was in bad shape.  Not understanding the details as of yet, we waited for them to come from the accident to our clinic.  Our lives were turned upside down as she was really bad off.  Her lungs had collapsed and was unable to breath.  At this point all we knew was she needed to leave Malawi and be medically evacuated to South Africa where they have medical procedures that could save her life.  As we waited- we saw God carry her through that process.  She was put on a ventilator that could breathe for her.  Due to my amazing husband who said that I should go down and be there until her family could come from the states, we were transported to Johannesburg and sent to one of the best hospitals that God could provide.  All along the way we got to see miracle after miracle.  She had bleeding in her brain, a skull fracture, a neck fracture, both lungs collapse and a lower back fracture.  She was a miracle that she was alive but as of yesterday a month later- she just got out of the ICU - walking and teasing her mom. There are still complications from the Accident but she is a reminder to stop and Breathe...  A testimony that God is bigger than it all but we still have to trust him in the storm...

As we are walking into our last month here in Africa- We have been truly humbled by all those who have invested in us as we have served Malawi over the last 7 years.  We are still fully invested here and digging in. As of last week- I counted that 108 people came to eat and hang out at our house.  Investing in people as people have invested in us.  Breathing...  We serve an amazing God and are also humbled that He cares enough to invest in us!

Please continue to pray
- Danielle will continue to heal and be used to tell her story of who God is to her... https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/13g4/danielle-jenson-recovery-fund
- as we have about 1000 things still happening here...
- the Master program will have it's first ever graduation
- Presidental elections are in about 8 days-  http://prayercast.com/malawi.html
- as our family is transitioning - that we would continue to lean on the our faithful God!


The story is big and King of the universe is bigger!  What an awesome God we serve!  A huge big thank you to all those who have prayed and supported us as we start our transition to move back to San Diego!  We have felt so loved and cherished!
Love- all of us!

The amazing generousity of people...

It has been truly humbling to see how God has provide for us through amazing-generous people!  Our plane tickets have been fully covered!   It has been awesome to see God use our community of friends to help us get home.   We will be arriving in San Diego on June 16th!  YAY! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

These last few weeks have been full with Bob finishing classes in the Master classes and starting interview for next years students, finishing up new security details that have been happening around campus.  

The girls have been playing basketball with their classmates.  Nya's team won first place in her division :) and Analisey's team didn't!  :(  But they had a blast.

I have been involved with women's bible studies weekly.  It has been amazing to see the growth...  

Luke of course has been 2 and half and is now talking about this land we call home... Merica... His new home to be.

We are now on Easter break... Our last in Africa!  We will head to the south for a trip with friends...  Mt. Mulanje...

We have 2 months here and trying to finish well.  Please keep us in prayer as the transition is going to be huge.