DeLonn and Valerie Rance

LaDawn, Jorel and Shayla

Mobilizing the Church to the Mandate

and Equipping the Called

May, 2002

Dear Friends,

Since February we have hosted seven teams and put up 17 churches. We have finished churches number 90 of 92 churches so we are almost done. We just finished with our last team so the church reconstruction is done! It has been a hard but an exciting year. Now you may wonder what are you gong to do now? It will be nice to get back to what we have been called to and what we have been trying to do while hosting teams. That is teaching at the Bible School and University, and building the Missionary Training Center. This dream has been put on hold for over four years and now we are hoping the time is right to get it started. Please keep this on your prayer list; we need teams and money to complete the building.

I am looking forward to getting back with helping the National Missionette program. I went out with the board to San Miguel, a two-hour drive from the capital. We taught a leadership class. I did my drawing to music and the ladies said that they like it. I am glad that the Lord has shown me a way to use my art for him. I also want to get back in the classroom. I have missed it so much!

DeLonn had an interesting trip a few weeks ago. He was going to travel to Venzelua for a missions meeting. When the president was overthrown he emailed and asked if the meeting had been canceled. He was told no, things had calmed down and that the meeting would go on. So he took off at 5:00 am to catch his flight. At 9:00 I was getting ready to go to church with the kids and I saw the message light blinking on my phone. It was message that said that the meeting had been canceled and that no one was to go to Venezuela because of all the rioting. I got on the phone right away and tried to stop DeLonn in Costa Rica but by the time I finally got to some one who could stop him his plane had taken off. I then called fellow missionaries and friends of ours in Bogotá, Columbia, his next stop. Our friend Jack Simon went down to

the airport and sent a note to his boarding gate and then sat down and waited. Meanwhile, DeLonn had to go through so many security checks that by the time he got to his plane he was late so when he was given the note he didn't read it but went straight to his seat. After he sat down he read the note that said "Meeting canceled, don't go to Venezuela!" He then had to get off the plane. But because of Sept. 11th they had to unload all the people and luggage and recheck everyone. DeLonn was so embarrassed. Then DeLonn was held under guard until the plane landed safely in Venezuela. I am so glad that nothing happened to that plane! He was able to fly back the next day.  Is that an adventure or what!

The kids are all doing great. LaDawn is here and I am so glad to have her home. She came on a MAPS assignment so she is working with King's Castle and us. It has been nice having her to help me with the last two reconstruction teams. She has done well at Bethany. She made deans list the first semester and is not sure if she will again this semester. She was elected to be the Missions Coordinator for next year. She is so excited about that. I am excited for her. She spoke at her first missions' convention and did very well, the pastor wrote me a wonderful letter telling me how much she blessed his congregation. I am so blessed to have such great kids.

Jorel has passed his junior year, which we were holding our breath over. He was doing so well and then finals hit and things went down hill. However, he passed all his courses with at least a C. He won 1st place in the science fair and he won the Perseverance award. The principle said that he fought hard for his grades and never gave up. He loves basketball. His school just finished a month long tournament between schools their size and their team went undefeated. Jorel is going to a basketball camp this summer at Bethany. He is pretty excited about his trip.

Shayla is doing great as usual. She is finished with her sophomore year. She received honor roll, an art award, and a creative writing award. She is very proud of her Spanish grades, she was put in regular Spanish and she raised her grade from a 71 to a 90. She is reading Spanish novels that I would never be able to read and understand. She is going to be really bilingual in both speech and in reading and writing. She is going to visit the States in the summer also. She wants to go to my family in St. Joseph MO and learn to drive. So she is signed up for classes with her cousin Ben and they will learn together. Then she is going to drive her Nana all over the place wither she wants to or not!

Well, I better close. I was only going to write one page and here I am with two again. Keep us in your prayers as we finish up the last churches. Also, DeLonn will be traveling quite a bit so pray for his safety. DeLonn also needs prayer for helping him keep on tract with his Ph.D. work. He is half way finished with the tutorials, he only has to write three more, take his comps, and then put the tutorials together and edit for his dissertation. (Not much, Ha. Ha)

Blessings,

Valerie

Jorel, Shayla and School Friends

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