Served since: 1999       (Congo since 1981) Home Church: Pomeroy, Iowa Birthdays:    Pete - 2/7    Cindy - 10/1    Rachel - 7/22/84    Carl - 5/28/87    Sarah - 1/23/90 Anniversary: 8/25/79

BUSY DAYS AHEAD

May 2002

Greetings from Yaounde,

It's the Spring of the year when all the missionaries heading to home assignment are VERY busy. The end of the school year and graduation are approaching which adds to the busyness. Yes, that's what life is like for the moment. Here's some recent news and a preview of what is ahead through the summer.

Rachel gave an OUTSTANDING performance in the play. CONGRATULATIONS!
The climb up Mt. Cameroon was long and tiring and yes, cold, but great. We saw a beautiful sunrise and experienced the importance of teamwork.

Travels: Pete was in Bangui in March for meetings with the Congo Covenant church. The first week of April our family was at the all-Africa Covenant Fellowship at Kribi. April 27-30 Pete and Jeff Stoker traveled to Equatorial Guinea to visit the Smiths. May 18-27 Pete will be going to Bangui and Congo to work with the Congo Covenant Church.

Home Assignment Plans: We will be returning to the US in June for a one year home assignment. Rachel will be entering North Park University in Chicago this Fall. (Thanks Lord for answered prayers). Once again we will be living in our home in Pocahontas, IA (see the address change below). Here are the key dates for the summer:

June 6	Rachel's graduation
June 12	Departure from Cameroon
June 18	Arrival in US following vacation in Switzerland
June 20-28	Pete in CO for the Covenant Annual Meeting and other meetings. Cindy accompanies him for June 20-24
July 12-14	Family Camp at Twin Lakes in IA
July 20-31	Vacation with Cindy's family in NC
August 2-15	Pete returns to Bangui and Congo for meetings with the Covenant Church
August 16-18	Ekstrand family reunion
August 20	School starts for Carl & Sarah in Pocahontas
August 21 & 26	Orientation for Rachel at NPU; start of classes

New development: Covenant Africa website. Yes, our Covenant ministries in Africa now have their own website. We continue to develop various aspects of it and to post the news we have. Visit us at: www.covafrica.org

Thank you for your prayers for us during the busy months ahead. We hope to see many of you during the coming year.

Love in Christ,

Pete and Cindy