Hello friends,
 
First off, thanks for your prayer and support as we begin our sabbatical time in the US.  We’ve been here in Murfreesboro for just over a month so I wanted to update our church supporters with how things have been.
 
Travel from SE Asia home to Nashville went rather well given all the protocols that definitely made travel a bit less comfortable than it would have been.  As we started to get up and going in Murfreesboro (jetlag is never easy for us) we went to a clinic just a few days after returning for a Covid test.  We were required to have a negative test before traveling and the CDC recommended one a few days after returning which we figured would be good to do since Becky and I haven’t had an opportunity to get vaccinated in our host country and it might ease the minds of those we came in contact with who knew we had been out of the country.  We didn’t really think anything of it until the next day when they called with results and 3 of the kids were positive.  Based on the timing it seems we were exposed at some point while traveling.  Over the next week the other 4 of us ended up testing positive too.  Symptoms for the kids ended up being mild except for our son Benjamin who ended up with a bit of a cough that aggravated his asthma.  Becky and I, on the otherhand, were pretty wiped out for the next 9-10 days and still feel a little lingering weakness from it.
 
Covid delayed our original plan to spend a couple days in Knoxville with Becky’s mom and to pick up a van rental from Righteous Rides (an awesome org that helps provide discounted van rentals for missionaries back in the US for home assignments, furloughs, etc) but we were able to delay the pickup for a week to allow us time to recover.
 
Not long after that we left to spend most of a week with Becky’s brother and sister-in-law and their kids.  It is the trip we promised our kids in exchange for being more willing to make the travel to the US.  It was a good (and exhausting) time with 12 kids in one house.
 
So all in all we’ve had an opportunity to be a little more ‘normal’ – aside from the Covid thing.  No checking in with a QR code to go to a store, no masks, the entire family in a vehicle at once, etc.  It’s been a nice break from what the past 15 months was like.  One of my favorite things has been to be part of weekend church worship as a family.  We got exactly one church service in our host country when we returned from home assignment last year in March before everything locked down.  Every week after that I worked for our church there to help make online services possible so returning to ‘civilian’ life for a little bit is a welcome break.
 
We are thankful that even without being in the region right now that we know God still provides for our partners.  They have been working under some tiring conditions in their roles at radio stations and elsewhere.  Reach Beyond was able to help one partner in Nepal provide relief aid to people in villages near their radio stations during the worst of the last Covid case surge in south Asia.  The opportunity to help with food, cooking gas, and basic hygene items has brought them respect not just among individuals in the community but also local government leaders.  We are praying that there will be open hearts ready to receive the Gospel as a result.
 
As I mentioned before we are taking the first part of this sabbatical time to rest and just ‘be’ as a family.  It’s been interesting that with some distance and sleep that our minds have already wanted to brainstorm options for the future when we are back in Asia.  I’ve been trying to take a few notes so that I don’t forget these thoughts but also trying not to spend too much time on it… that will come later.
 
Speaking of later, our debrief time comes in August.  It runs 3 weeks and is run by an organization called Alongside in Michigan.  We pray it will help us be better prepared for the next decade of ministry work.  Reach Beyond’s member care director is also coming to visit us here in Murfreesboro next week for a few days.  Right now a lot of things in the future seem hazy (which is probably something a lot of people are feeling) but we are praying for the peace we need as wait to see what plans God has for our family.  A lot of what I’ve been praying for is rest, renewal, and a rekindling of our passion for media in Asia.
 
I probably won’t update everyone again until September when we are back from Michigan. We are so thankful for everyone that has supported us through the years and through this time in the US. 
 
Toffer and Becky
Radio Planter – Asia Pacific
Reach Beyond