Melissa

February 6, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings! It has now been 1 ½ months since I’ve been back in America. It is
different, and I miss Thailand greatly, but Father has poured so many
unexpected blessings on me, as he always does. In one of my letters I wrote
while I was in Thailand, I asked you to pray for my friend Mam, who had
started coming to ch with her little girl. She is now a sister! I don’t know how her health is.

On Dec.15 I graduated from SBU with my degree in Intercultural Studies.
People ask me what I want to do with this degree. Well, I don’t know yet, other than my desire to live overseas again someday. My plans so far are to work here at least a year, and then re-evaluate. I am thinking about getting certified for massage therapy, which is only a few months. In the long run, I am considering further training for m work and am looking into different schools and m boards. I am just waiting for the Father to direct me. I will stay put here until he moves me on.

Melissa and her roommate, Jan

For Christmas, I was able to spend a week with my brother David and my
friends, the Poulsens, who I grew up with. Then in January, I got to visit my sister and meet my lovely little nephew! (See picture below) He is healthy and a joy. It snowed there, so we got to go sledding with some of the inner-city kids my brother-in-law works with, which was so much fun. During my stay, Missouri was hit with an ice storm that closed everything down and left many without electricity. Because of this, I wasn’t able to start work for another week, so I was able to stay longer with my sister, and also pay an unexpected visit to my aunt and uncle and some other friends

Now school has started, and I’m very glad to be finished! I have enjoyed
seeing many friends again, and catching up with several others. I am working
full time at the nursing home where I used to work. I’m enjoying it, and
adjusting to working so much! You could pray that my body and back will stay
healthy, and that I will be able to be a shining light to the residents,
their families, and my coworkers.

May Dad bless you richly in this New Year He has given us.

~ Melissa Joy.