December Wright Stuff

Hello, praying friends, To make a long story short, this morning we’re sitting on the patio drinking our coffee, on the edge of the California desert, a few miles from the Mexico border; watching birds flying south, enjoying the warmth shooting out from that sun rising above the fence over yonder.

Ok, the longer version. One of Ann’s goals during this home assignment had been to update all her nursing licenses and certifications and to work a bit in a hospital to get familiar with current practices, procedures and technology. She’s attended quite a few workshops and courses, taken bunches of exams, paid lots of fees, but has run into a solid wall of non-interest at the hospitals. We were not aware that the hospitals here are requiring US experience within the past two years. She’s missed that by a decade or so, so her efforts have been frustrated. However, there is this one desperate hospital on the Mexico border willing to take a chance and let her work some hours. One aspect of home assignment is that housing is, by nature, fluid and this time we really don’t need to be in any location in particular. So, here we are in the desert, getting re-acquainted with Spanish while Ann works a bit at this hospital. The cost of living in the states easily depletes our resources. Health Insurance premiums alone cost us more than our total living expenses where we were, so the extra income is welcome.

We’ve found a nice furnished house, and are looking forward to the girls’ break from college, and having Christmas together. We’ve been here a day, lots of setting up and reconnoitering to do. We hope to get involved with a church that would desire to engage in our current work in Southwest Asia.

We’re still plenty busy with updating our prayer network’s contact info. We’ve been blessed with an extensive group of people praying with us, but it’s hard to keep close contact. We appreciate your prayers regarding this goal. We are trying to go with email over snail mail as much as possible.

Esther and Laura are winding up their terms, with final exams and papers consuming them these days. Laura has been settling in well at Irvine, liking her major, getting involved with Campus Crusade, enjoying the college experience. We appreciate your prayers for her new endeavor.

After exams, Esther is planning to withdraw from Biola for a while, return with us to the field, before resuming her studies in the states. We’re excited about having this time together.

Before we moved, we spent several years in Chehalis, Washington, a town currently a topic on your news channels. Massive flooding is devastating many people. Most disheartening to us has been the news about our good friends, Brad and Meg Gregory. The sheep/cheese farm they’ve been operating the past few years has been taking off, but now it’s gone, most of the animals drowned, buildings washed away. They managed to get out with their children and some clothes. The farm was showing growth and they have been so hopeful. Flooding is normal there, every few years or so, but this time is apparently so much worse. While we were living up there we witnessed a major flood and we well remember helping our friends, Craig and Dianne Pittenger, clean up their ice cream business after it was drowned. The business recovered enough in recent years that they were able to just complete a remodel of the building but it’s under water again. We ask your prayers for the many people brought low by this event. Our church in Chehalis have long been faithful supporters of our ministry, this flood has affected all of them somehow.

As we take advantage of our opportunities to speak, please be praying for our ability to communicate the needs of the people where we serve in Southwest Asia and that people will join us in this ministry. We don’t have much time left in the states and we welcome any opportunity to speak. If you or anyone you know would like to have us speak to a group, please talk with us.

Joe and Ann
Call anytime while we’re in the states, 408 368 2477 or 2473