An exciting announcement!

OUR GIFT We are overjoyed to announce that we are having another girl in mid-May. Eden Hope is named after the hope we have in the return of Jesus and the restoration of all that is broken in our world. We are so excited to be having another girl (and so is Kate!). The pregnancy has had its challenges, but Eden is healthy and for that we are grateful.

OUR FAMILY Our recent trip to Texas was refreshing, encouraging, and longer than planned due to weather! We loved seeing our kids enjoy cousin time, and we had the opportunity to celebrate Tim’s 30th birthday with family, something that hasn’t happened in several years. We had two brothers get engaged, and look forward to the reasons to return to Texas later this year. Looks like 2024 will hold new beginnings for many in the Duitsman/Merrifield families!

OUR WORK Our work with Intro and Minding the Gap are now in full swing. We have 10 new Intro interns for the Spring track, and the elementary students were overjoyed that Minding the Gap was “open again.”

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. A healthy pregnancy and delivery, and stamina to gracefully and patiently continue in the pregnancy. Rebecca so badly wants to race to the finish line and hold her baby, foregoing the difficulties of pregnancy. Too bad that’s not how it works!

2. Wisdom to navigate unique and challenging conversations as our church community continues to work through the moral failure of leadership. We have quite the opportunity to use our testimonies for good in this environment. We feel a strong responsibility to stand for truth and help bring clarity in the confusion.

3. Healthy, deeper friendships for our kids. They each could use more solid friends that love Jesus.

4. A 12-passenger van in good shape. We are two-thirds of the way to our budget goal.

5. For the Lord to raise up more workers for the harvest, the salvation of the students in the local schools, and for God to continue building His kingdom on earth as in heaven!