Dear Members of the E-Free Church of Loomis,

This time we will have to send our greetings from a very hot and dry Novo Demini. We have been having lots of really hot weather and we haven't seen a good rain in quite a while. I don't think I would know how to survive in cold weather any more. I've been only in hot weather for so long, I think my blood has already thinned out. Ha!!!
As we mentioned in our previous update we had been planning on spending some time in town. Well, that time has come and gone and we have been back in Novo Demini since the 20th of August. Our time out went really fast, but we were able to have a refreshing time and re-charge our batteries a little. The boys really enjoyed it. Nathan enjoyed going to the supermarket and being able to go around town seeing different things. We were able to buy
him a small bicycle which he really enjoys. In town he rode it a lot, but out here it has been a little harder for him to ride as he still needs training wheels and they don't work very well if you aren't on really level ground. Once in a while he gets his friends to push him around on the airstrip.
It's good to be home again. Our co-workers Wellington & Águida and their five year old son, Abraão, flew out to Boa Vista on the 17th of September. They are awaiting the arrival of their second child for some time this month.  As soon as their baby is old enough to travel, they will be leaving on furlough. We are currently the only missionaries here at Novo Demini. Our other co-workers
are all on furlough. Please pray for us in the coming months being alone and all. Nathan really misses his little friend Abraão. It was the highlight of his day to every afternoon be able to play with his buddy. We are so glad for his brother Ryan. It helps him not feel so lonely.
Over the last month a lot of cases of malaria have shown up. Almost all of them being malaria falcipurum and a few vivax. We are very grateful that so far we have been kept safe. Please pray God will protect us from getting malaria, but that if we do, we won't have any greater complications.  For quite a while after we arrived back, João's allergies had been really bad.
We had to do a thorough cleaning of our house to see if it would help him. Our house doesn't have windows; I mean glass or stuff like that. Our windows only have screen on them to keep the mosquitoes and other creatures out. All the dust comes right through. Clothes and things being put away for a while get a moldy smell. I had a lot of washing to do to get everything back into shape. We praise the Lord the last few weeks he has been better and his allergies are at least under control.
Sorry, time gets away from us and we take a while to write, but we sure appreciate each of you. Thanks so much for your financial support of our ministry. Hope you are all well. It looks like we will be going on furlough next year. We are planning on being back in the US during the next summer. We are looking forward to getting to see you all again!
Because of Jesus,
João, Hope, Nathan & Ryan