Final greetings from Wisconsin!

Well, we leave for Asia-Pacific on Tuesday morning, August 1st. It's been a long haul and we're so excited to finally get to go!! It's incredible to think about all that the Lord has done to bring us to this point. Thank you for praying, supporting, and sending us out.

Right now, we're living in student housing at New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha. My folks finally returned from Canada after four months and we're glad they're back. They're on staff here at the college, so it's been nice to be close, to share meals and have help with the kids.

Here's a pic of my youngest sister Tamara. We celebrated her 18th birthday and her graduation from high school with a family party last weekend.
Spencer and Mitchell enjoyed time with their cousins Naomi and Natalie.
Our final days are full of endless details from luggage locks to immunizations; from final goodbyes to packing, packing, &  repacking!
Here's a pic of Spencer with his friend David at our (final) farewell cookout with our Neighborhood Group last night.

Please pray for traveling mercies and good adjustments as we make the transition to life in Asia-Pacific. We'll talk to you from "the other side"!

“The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” 1 Thess 5:24 NIV

Thankful,
Josh, Josie & family

Good News, Answers to Questions

Recently we’ve had some people asking what we’re going to Asia-Pacific to do. I’ll give a brief overview of the next few months to give you an idea of what we’re heading into.

Good News…We bought our tickets to Asia-Pacific last Wednesday and they arrived today!! We are set to depart Milwaukee on Tuesday, August 1st, arriving in on Thursday, August 3rd!
Answers to Questions...
We’ll fly to _______ on Sunday the 6th to have our visas processed, and then after a couple of days will fly to _____________ to start our pre-language study orientation. We will begin language study in _______ about 4 weeks later. ***In case you’re wondering, our NTM colleagues will meet our plane, help us get tickets, get through the paperwork, etc and even help us shop for groceries and get our home set up. They will assist us until we know the language well enough to help ourselves.

After a number of months in language (to be determined) we will move to __________, where we will begin our “real” work. I will also be home-schooling Mitchell, and Spencer.

We’re thrilled to be a part of the exciting work going on in Asia-Pacific. New tribes are being reached for the first time, laying groundwork for the gospel to be presented. In other tribes, they have heard the gospel and for the first time ever, members of those tribes have accepted the salvation offered through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. How incredible to think that we will see these tribal brothers and sisters around the throne of Christ and will praise HIM together!
One news report that I found particularly exciting was called “Deferred Hope Now Fulfilled” and was about a believing Tugutil woman with a desire to share the Gospel with a group of Tugutils who had never heard God’s Word. She was delayed a few years, but finally was able to realize this dream. You can read her story here: http://www.ntm.org

Brief update/praise:For those who receive our updates – we DID find places to stay for the month of July – we will be in Menomonee Falls until July 15th and then at New Tribes Bible Institute in student housing from the 15th through August 1st.
My (Josie’s) parents and sister Tami will be back in Waukesha for approximately 2 weeks before we leave, so it will be WONDERFUL to have them around.
We continue to get closer to our monthly sponsorship goal, so that is exciting!

Thanks for praying!

Back from Canada

We returned from our trip to Ontario, Canada yesterday afternoon. It was so good to relax with my (Josie's) parents and sister Tamara. We vegged out a lot, but did take some side trips.
One day we drove out to a park in Hanover. We had a picnic and the kids enjoyed the play structures. We took a walk to see a dam and threw a frisbee. My shoulder is still sore!

We also drove out to Kincardine to the shore of Lake Huron. It was not a good choice, weather-wise, as there was a COLD wind, so strong that it almost blew Julia over. Then it started to rain while we were having a picnic, so we called it quits, drove through the Tim Horton's drive-through for coffee to warm up, and headed for home.
We also were able to spend some time with Josh's Aunts and Uncles: Vern & Holly and Wes & Brenda, so that was an added bonus.

Now that we're "home", it's back to packing and adjusting to Josh being here with us (instead of at work every day). We're still not sure when we're going to leave as we have not yet reached our needed monthly sponsorship amount. Beyond that, we're all set to go! If we can't leave July 3rd, we will defer to August 1st.

Thanks for praying with us!

A Bunch Of Great News!

VISAS
We got our visas on Monday!! We were so excited! We're going to Asia Pacific!!
STORAGE
Another answer to prayer is that we have a place to store the few items that we're not wanting to take with us to Asia-Pacific. What a relief to have a home for our photo albums, my wedding dress and other irreplacable items!

MY PARENTS
Last night we got the call we've been waiting for since March - my (Josie's) parents got their interview date with the American Counsulate in Montreal, Canada. Their visa to be in the US ran out and they had to leave their ministry at New Tribes Bible Institute in March. Since then they've been staying with friends in Durham, Ontario, Canada, (im) patiently :) waiting for the call. They were to have had this interview back in December 2005 (before their visa ran out), so the wait has been LONG. We are so thankful for this answer to prayer. They'll be able to return to the US mid-July.

Good place to rest and have some milk...

Current Prayer Requests:1. On June 15th we plan to drive the 11 hours up to Durham, Ontario to say goodbye to my parents, staying until about the 20th. Please pray for safe travel and that the kids do well.
2. We're looking into tickets for departure approximately July 3rd. Please pray for wisdom to know when to go ahead and purchase the tickets and for good prices and good connections!!
3. We're in the midst of packing (again). Please pray that we would have the wisdom to see what things still need to be left and what's important to take with us. Also pray that we will be granted the excess baggage allowance with the airline that we end up with as we're not planning to ship anything.

4. Praise for the supporters that the Lord has already provided - both prayer and financial - they have been an incredible blessing to us! Pray that the Lord will continue to raise up financial supporters -we still need to raise about 10% to be able to leave.
5. Please pray for our family as we transition - new family roles, new schedules, new home, new experiences, etc.

Thank you so much for your partnership with us in prayer - we could not do this without you talking to God about us. We count on the fact that " The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it". 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV) 

It's A Done Deal!

We are no longer home owners. We closed on the house yesterday afternoon. We're thankful that it went off without a hitch - thanks to our realator! We were missing a lien for some work we had done and he called shortly before we had to leave to ask about it. We tracked it down and he actually was able to pick it up for us on his way in. Whew! That could have been a pain in the neck! It has taken an incredible amount of work to get out of the house and into the Luy's house. More loads, more Rubbermaid bins, and many more hours than we thought possible...

We're so glad to have a great place to stay while we're in transition. We're staying with some friends in New Berlin. You can still reach us at our cell number as well as our Vonage number: 414-431-5036, as well as our josh_dyck@ntm.org email address. The other one is cancelled.

Yesterday on the way home from the closing, I asked the boys what they would miss about our house, and here's the response: "The bar stools" and "The crack on the sidewalk that helps me do pop-a-wheelies on my bike." So, it's a mixed response. I miss "normal" and I know that "normal" for us will be nothing normal at all for the next few months.

Through all of the upheaval, it's so comforting to see God meeting our needs. One example of this is my perennials. I have planted flowers over the 4 years that we lived in our house, and everything was green when we were moving out, but my prayer was that I would be able to see at least one bloom before we left. The day we took the final bins out of house, I saw this:

How amazing to see God's tender care of us even for the non-essentials. I was so blessed by another grand gesture of His love for me!

We already have some dates booked in June for meeting with small groups. We also have a trip to Canada to say good bye to my folks planned. After we arrive in Asia-Pacific we have 5 weeks of pre-language study orientation, and then each month following we do a new chapter of language/culture study. After we have reached a sufficient level of language proficiency, we will move to another island and settle in our "permanent" home. Change is the name of the game right now!

If you and your family or small group would like to hear more about tribal missions and the work NTM is doing around the world, please contact us. We have open dates in June for just about any time of day. We'd love to meet with you!

Thanks so much for praying for us! We have felt the effects of your prayers as we've been stretched to the max these past few weeks!

Looking ahead - Our short-term home in Asia-Pacific

These pics were sent by the couple whom we will be substituting for in Asia-Pacific once we do a minimum of language study time. Their daughter is in the photos.

Kitchen - cupboards custom made locally

Fridge and water cooler

Dining Room, backyard beyond (tile floor is common)

Living Room

 

Enjoying my yard one last time...

Here is the greenery I was hoping would bloom before I left - and the one plant that did bloom.

What's Going On With The Dycks?

VisasLast Thursday we submitted the final paperwork to the Consulate in Chicago and expect to get our completed visas later this week! Once we get the visas we have 2-3 months to get to Asia-Pacific.

Goodbyes

Goodbyes are always difficult. We have said goodbye to my MOPS Group,







our Neighborhood Group,

the boys' Awana Club,









and to various pieces of furniture, including the boys' bunk bed!










We will deeply miss the friends God has given us.

Packing


Most of our time is currently being spent packing and getting rid of stuff.






Last Saturday we mailed all of the books that made the cut. That was quite the job! They all had to be packaged in small boxes and then put into an "M-bag" at the post office. Everything had to be weighed and well-marked. We should get them in Asia-Pacific in about 3 months - they're going over by boat!!


The boys got in on the fun!






















Yesterday we mostly emptied the office, though I still have papers to go through. This morning we left a plate of cookies and a big pile of stuff for the sanitation workers. Today will be spent in the basement to sort stuff into "taking with us", "storing" and "getting rid of" boxes. We hope to move out of the house Friday or Saturday and then finish up here while staying at the Luy's. Our closing date is May 31st.

Josh's last day of work will be June 9th.

Once we are out of the house, we will have the month of June to connect with you. Our prayer is to be available to serve you - our friends and supporters! Life is full and we have not had the opportunity to connect one-on-one with many of you. Please let us know how we can interface with you.

Thanks for your prayers!

Visas and Departure Info

Visas
On Tuesday, May 2 we got an e-mail from Bill Cork in Asia-Pacific letting us know that our visas had made it through the second of three steps! Now all that is left to do for our visa is to submit our information to the Consulate in Chicago - this should go pretty quickly once we have everything ready to send. We are so thankful for how quickly this has gone!

Departure
We were anticipating departing on May 30th or 31st, but have decided to delay our departure by one month. We have not yet reached 80% in monthly pledges. Please pray with us that the Lord would provide the additional pledges needed. We continue to pray for Josie's folks to get their visas to re-enter the US - hopefully our delay will allow us to see them before we leave as well.

Good-Byes
We are enjoying having Josh's folks with us this week. They watched the kids last week as we were out of town for some training, and now we have them with us until Friday morning. Jodi graduates Friday night from The Master's College in Santa Clarita, CA, and they plan to fly in for that special event.

A quote from my reading this morning:
"Faith brings God into the scene, and therefore it knows absolutely nothing of difficulties - yea, it laughs at impossibilities. In the judgement of faith, God is the grand answer to every question - the grand solution of every difficulty. It refers all to Him; and hence it matters not in the least to faith whether it be six hundred thousand (dollars) or six hundred million; it knows that God is all-sufficient. It finds all its resources in Him. Unbelief says, 'How can such and such things be?' It is full of 'Hows;' but faith has one great answer to ten thousand 'hows,' and that answer is, -God" -C.H. Mackintosh
Thank you for praying with us as we trust the LORD with our future.

Accepted Offer!

Praise the Lord - He answered quickly! Our house was on the market for 7 days and we received an offer for the exact amount we were asking. It looks like a winner and we went for it! It is contingent on the inspection which will happen in the next 10 days, but we don't anticipate any issues. Margo - thanks for the many months of prayers! We have mixed feelings but mostly excitement, thankfulness and anticipation. More another day...

One Down, Two to Go!

We received this email this morning from Asia-Pacific:

Greetings all,
We just received your visa recommendation letter from ________!! That means that step #1 has cleared and the visa process is definitely on its way! With this step over, I have hopes of your visas being approved within this next month. This Immigration approval is step #2. Step three is getting your visa stamped into your passports at your chosen Embassy. Lord willing, it won't be long now!
Keep praying and moving forward!

Thanks for praying! We couldn't do it without you! God is answering those prayers!

House Listed!

The big news of the week is that we have put our house on the market. There will be an open house on Sunday. Here's the link to the listing online in case you know of someone who might be interested: http://www.shorewest.com/vp/ListingServlet?SITE=SHOREW&ScreenID=LISTING_DETAIL_P&cd_MLS=669968
It's feeling a little strange to be doing this, as this is our first house and it will be a bit hard to leave it, even with the adventure we're going to!
The keynote speaker at Breakaway last weekend said something that hit me at the heart level - "To go somewhere, you have to leave somewhere." That started my eyes leaking, and they leaked on and off all weekend!
Putting our house on the market now when we don't yet have a visa is a definite step of faith, as it could fall through. Though it's not likely, it's not impossible.
Please be praying with us that our house would sell quickly and that our visas would come through in a timely manner. It's so good to know that our Lord has the timetable and that we are in His hands. Thanks for your prayers and support in this next step!

Green Means Go!

Wanted you to be the first to know... we just got an email from our missions pastor saying that we had a green light from the Counsel of Elders to go to Asia-Pacific!

It "officially" begins now - I was just saying to Josh last night that I can't even begin to think about all that we need to do before we go. Obviously above all else we need to continue in prayer and seeking the Lord's direction as there are many decisions to be made. Beyond that the biggest thing to do will be to sell the house, which is mostly ready to put on the market. We will have to see how long the visa takes to get before we do so, though, since we'll need a place to stay until we leave.

Thanks for your prayers for us and our kids as we start to work through this process. We couldn't do it without you!

Good Times

Well, Jo left on Monday morning and life has fallen back into some semblance of normalcy. We had a great time with her, as always. The kids love Auntie Jo and she's nuts about them so that's a great combination. Julia was teething molars so she was on-again-off-again with Jo but they had their share of snuggle time too. Jodi watched the kids one noon so that Josh and I could have lunch together, a real treat. One night we got a sitter and took Jodi out to the Thai Palace in Milwaukee. We've been there a number of times and the food is always great! We really enjoyed the time to talk and the Volcano Chicken! These photos are from our evening there.
We were actually planning on dinner at Abu's Jerusalem of the Gold - an Arabic restaurant we have enjoyed a number of times. Jodi clued us in to the yummy schwarmas they make because she learned to love them when she studied in Israel last year. We got there, and the restaurant was closed for remodeling, so we headed over to our second choice, Aladdin's, but for some reason that was closed too! It was quite a trip to find an open restaurant downtown Milwaukee on Thursday night!!

 

Status Update

Just a quick update - we have a preliminary "green light" to head to Asia-Pacific from the Elmbrook Missions Committee and have one final hurdle before it's official - the Counsel of Elders meeting which is in about a week and a half. So, we continue to wait in expectation. Thanks for praying with us and we'll let you know as soon as we get the "GO!"