Merry Christmas!
We have had a great year learning how to be parents! As always, time seems to fly as AnneMarie is almost one year old. She has been the focus of our last year…and we love it! She is walking and jabbering constantly.
John is enjoying his time off from residency and is currently pursuing his Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins.
Krista is busy staying home with AnneMarie and working one day a week at a pottery painting studio. This year, she and a friend started a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in Lubbock, which has kept her very busy.
Many of you know that we will be returning to Kenya in May to serve at Tenwek Hospital. John's primary medical focus will be research in esophageal cancer, the most frequently seen cancer at Tenwek. He hopes to operate some as well. We are so excited to return to Kenya and reunite with our friends there. Following ten months of service, we will return to Lubbock in March of 2009 and John will resume his residency in July after his graduation.
Many of you have supported us while serving on past missions and we are very thankful. Several have asked how they can help or contribute to this mission. The most important aspect of mission work is prayer. "…and whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith" (Matthew 21:22). We ask you to keep us in your prayers this upcoming year. To help keep you up to date, we will be keeping a blog with details about our trip (http://thefitzwaters.blogspot.com/).
As missionaries for World Medical Mission (Samaritan's Purse), we have been issued a project account (#3509). Though John has received the MAP International Fellowship, covering his airfare, we will be raising support before departing to cover our cost of living in Kenya. Additionally, we are sure there will be numerous projects in need of funding during our ten months at Tenwek. If you would like to support our work in Kenya you can send support directly to us or send a tax-deductible gift to:
World Medical Mission
Attn.: Robin Jenkins
PO Box 3000
Boone, NC 28607
Please mark the check "John Fitzwater: Project #3509".
Thank you for your prayers and support. In 2005, we traveled to Kenya as a step of obedience. As we leave in May, we still feel firmly led to seek God's plan for our long-term involvement with medical missions.
Serving Soon in Kenya,
John, Krista & AnneMarie
they will bring glory to your name" Psalm 86:9.
