I can’t believe I haven’t had the opportunity to write in over a week now. It would take me many hours to write the joy and happiness the past week has been, especially the past 5 days. I received an incredible surprise on Thursday night when my home church Blackshear Place team arrived.

When their flight landed it seemed to take forever for them to get through customs and reach where I was anxiously awaiting their arrival. Eventually everyone came out except Pastor Kevin. It was so wonderful to see my church family and the friends who came from Belmont Baptist. They told me that Pastor Kevin was dealing with luggage that hadn’t arrived yet and for me to go ahead and take the team members on to the hotel and get them settled. They told me to take the team and Pastor Kevin and Joel would work on getting the luggage delivered to the hotel.

Later Joel arrived with the luggage and told me he was going back to the airport for Pastor Kevin and the luggage that hadn’t yet arrived. He told me that the missing luggage had my things in it and they wanted to make sure they received it. After he left it was so wonderful to sit and talk to everyone. I was thoroughly enjoying my time with them when Joel came back with Pastor Kevin.

We were all sitting outside in the courtyard when they came back. I’m not exactly sure of what happened first, but I just remember that someone said, Joy, I think someone is headed this way with a special surprise and the next second I heard the sound of my precious son Bryan saying…”are you ready for your surprise now”!

In all honesty it is now 5 days later that I am writing this and I am sitting here crying as I write just thinking back on the absolute joy that moment brought to me. I was completely surprised! I truly had no idea he was coming. I screamed, I cried and I hung on to him until I realized he wasn’ breathing very well because I was holding him around his neck so tight!

The story of his coming is nothing but miraculous. 14 days before he arrived, Pastor Kevin called and asked him if he could get him a plane ticket, would he like to come. There is so much to the story that I want to write, but I want to let Bryan share when he has the opportunity because without a doubt God moved mountains to get him here. His story is amazing of how in 5 phone calls to our church family Pastor Kevin raised the full amount for his trip. There is great story of the airline ticket and all the shots, etc.

It has been amazing to be here serving with my son. We are having a wonderful time together along with my church family and friends who are here. There is much more I want to write, but as you can imagine, I have a team of 45 people here and there is not a slack moment in my days or nights. We’ve been without power a couple of days so I didn’t have internet access, but mostly there just hasn’t been any time to write. We are up and at devotions by 7:00 am and we do not come back and get settled at the mission house until late each night.

Here are some wonderful pictures to let all of you who have family here with me know all is well.

I just want to say a special thank you to the 5 people who made it possible for Bryan to come visit me. I will not disclose all God is doing in his life while he is here, but I want you to know that although you provided the way so he could visit me, God had other plans for him as well. Also, from the depths of my heart I am so thankful and I will never forget what Pastor Kevin Ross gave to me by making a way for Bryan to come. I know that when the team leaves it will be hard to say goodbye, but this has made my being here another 4 months without seeing my family much more bearable.

Most of all I want to give glory, honor and praise to our Heavenly Father for ALL He has done and is continuing to do.

Love to all.

Joy Breedlove – Missionary – East Africa