Hey Guys,
We have had an exciting and interesting couple of days. On Thursday, we had our first area-wide Cares meeting with all the teams in the valley. It was so encouraging to be around other Cares teams finally and to see all the different personalities and hear about all the different methods of putting together events. It was also encouraging because we have not met many young married couples like ourselves and Cares teams are mostly made up of young married couples, so we were surrounded by them the other night. It was refreshing.
The second exciting and interesting thing was last night(Friday). A dinner date was mis-communicated to us and we went out last night instead of tonight. We discovered our mistake and frustratingly headed home, by way of the grocery store. We were in the grocery store when we ran into one of the Cares teams that had been at the meeting the night before. We talked for a long time and connected well with them. It was a second round of refreshment and encouragement in the midst of starting up this ministry. We discovered this couple, Santi and Kayla, live very close to us and the opened their lives up to us, offering help in any way that we will need it in the next few months and just offering friendship. I cannot express how happy we were to run into them and how bewildering it is the way God orchestrates things.
The third exciting and interesting thing that happened was this morning. We have a mentor couple to get us underway. We had them over for breakfast this morning and they stayed for four hours! We had so many questions and they had a lot to offer and I think it is safe to say that we clicked pretty well. The time flew and we learned a lot and got to know each other a little.
God is blessing us with loving brothers and sisters to surround us and help us and affirm us and confirm that we are right where God wants us. There is so much joy when a believer is aware of the presence of other believers working for the same purpose. It brings such joy, peace, motivation, energy and unity. One wonderful thing about being a Christian is the feeling of family that can be found. There is nothing like it.

- Steve and Rebekah