Shannon Family Update May 2018

Here’s the latest for our family:

  • Malachi turned 6 months old!  He is growing so fast and is

    The kids took in the snow with homemade sleds!

    rolling over and talks and talks and talks.  He brings so much joy to our entire household. 

  • In March, Jerry went to Israel to visit Joshua and they got to spend 10 days serving together.  Joshua has an amazing team that he is serving with and the work they are doing among Syrians is absolutely incredible.  Joshua has signed up with FriendShips for another year and we  ouldn’t be happier.   Find out more about their work at www.Facebook.com/FSmedicalMissions
  • Micah got his driving permit, so he is learning to drive and is doing great at it.  He will take his driving test for his license in August.   Micah has also started working on a friends farm which has been great for him.   Christy, Jerry, Malachi and Micah also recently spent the weekend in Manhattan to celebrate Micah’s 16th birthday.  It was a great

    We stopped by the 9/11 Memorial in NYC. So moving.

    time together!

  • Caia continues to adjust to being back in the US for this season.  She loves spending time watching Malachi and has got to reconnect with old friends at our old church, which has been  great.   She’s gotten to spend some more time with Grandma and Pap recently which she loves doing.
  • Hanna has loved the recent snow fall that we had.   She stayed outside until her extremities were ready to fall off.  She loves the cold so much that she doesn’t even like wearing a coat outside – crazy girl.  Her favorite hobby at the moment is staring at Malachi and repeating again and again, “He’s so cute!”
  • Kidist just turned 7 years old!  She, too, loved the snow and getting to be outside playing in the snow.

    Malachi and Mom snuggled up for outdoors.

     Recently she got to attend a Game Night at her Grandparents church and she loved it.  Kidist is also so proud to be able to read now and will sit an show great patience in reading aloud.

  • Mihiret is about to turn 5 years old in June.  She provides comic relief for all of us.  While she loved playing in the snow, she also is looking forward to warmer weather so that Dad will take her for a walk before bed.    

Other Family News:

  • Right now our whole family is in Michigan at a Missionary Care Retreat.   We are so grateful to friends and family who made it possible for us to attend this 3 week debrief as a family.  We see it as a chance to close our Ethiopia chapter and open our Turkey chapter.
  • Jerry has been spending much of his time handing

    Hanna is such a great sister to Malachi.

    off most of the administrative duties of EHUSA to Anna Ralph, our new Managing Director.  Jerry will now be the Field Director / New Initiatives for Embracing Hope.

  • We’ve learned that we’re going to get to spend some time with Joshua while he is on leave for a few weeks this summer.  Our family can’t wait to wrap our arms around him and spend some time with him.
  • We’ve decided to link up with a community of folkson the ground in Istanbul when we arrive  here.  We are grateful to have like minded brothers and sisters that we can share life with for our first term.

    Ready for church Easter Sunday morning.

  • We have set our leave date for Istanbul!  On September 16th we will leave from Washington Dulles and be in Istanbul for our new assignment on September 17th.  We are so excited to get there and get settled in.
  • Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our family!  You make it possible for us to do what we do, and we are blessed by you.
  • Jerry and Josh at Camp Ichay, Israel.