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August, 2008 edition

Dear Friends,

I don't even know how to begin this, so I am just going to come right out and say it: After months of prayer and reflection, we have made the decision to leave Venezuela. Our departure is slated for October 29th. Once in the States we will take a sabbatical before moving into our next ministry assignment. As you might imagine, a lot goes into making a decision of this magnitude, and for me to describe the entire process would take a book, so I will do my best to summarize for you what we have been processing for the past six months. I will do it in a FAQ format to try to hit the important points.

The question I have been hearing a lot as I tell our dear friends here of our departure is, "¿por qué? (why?)"

My answer is straightforward and explains it pretty well: We are missionaries. God sends and directs, and He has been moving in our lives to take us out of Venezuela. Jody and I both firmly believe that God has something wonderful waiting for us during our sabbatical and beyond.

Are you leaving Venezuela for good?
At this point we have no plans to return to minister in Venezuela. Remember, God directs, so if He wants us back in Venezuela we will certainly repond to his prompting. We will definitely visit as God provides opportunity.

Are you leaving CRM?
No! We love CRM and have no intention of leaving the mission. Nor do we intend to leave the International branch of CRM. Our time in the States on sabbatical is to rest, reflect, and prepare for our next international ministry assignment.

Where will you live?
Our plan is to live in the community where Jody grew up: Houlton, Maine. We are looking forward to spending some time with family after having been away for so long.

How long will you be on sabbatical?
We don't know yet. We are in the process of meeting with a sabbatical coach who will help us better define the scope and goals of our sabbatical. Our case is a bit more complicated because we will be dealing with re-entry issues at the same time, so our sabbatical may last a little longer than most. A typical sabbatical lasts 6-12 months.

What about your support?
That is the burning question... statistics show that missionaries who return to the US after a time on a foreign field often lose more than 50% of their financial support on arrival. Our sincere hope is that our supporters will stick with us through this transition period. Our plan is to visit with as many of you as possible after our sabbatical, once we have a clear ministry direction.

Some closing comments: We can use your prayers over the next four months as we will be spending a good deal of that time saying painful good-byes. Please pray that we will be able to finish well, and leave behind a lasting legacy. We would love to hear from you if you have questions or concerns. We appreciate your love and support.

In Him,

Paul for the Hovdas