Dear Family and friends,
It has been quite some time since we wrote an actual update. Many of you got our emails that surrounded my dad’s passing. Thank you for your many prayers and support during this time. It was wonderful to see God’s provision in so many ways from arranging good flight connections to feasible logistics and even to have quality time left to visit with the boys. We have felt incredibly blessed by all who facilitated those precious days I was able to spend with family. We praise God as well for keeping Kathy and Jessica who remained in Chad. Although those days were emotionally charged days we praise God for his graciousness and the confidence we have as we too look forward to that day when we too will be united with Christ.
In my last W-Mail I mentioned that I would further define what monies sent in dad’s memory to TEAM would be used for. Recently the first Africa Bible commentary, written by Africans for Africa, has been released and has now become available here in Chad. Dad’s focus for many years was to get more bible study materials into the hands of the pastors as they severely lack in these resources. We have decided that it would be best inline with Dad’s ministry to use funds sent in his memory to provide a subsidy for Chadian pastors to be able to afford this new commentary.
Though we are so grateful for the ability to be with family during those very important days, it has not come without its price. Work does not get put on hold when we are absent and being already very busy caused me to be even more so upon my return. The ensuing 6 weeks were most likely the most taxing I have experienced in some time. Getting accommodations ready for conference, while being unable to find carpenters or masons, was compounded by not having the materials I had counted on to come in the most recent shipping container. This all contributed to very long days and my lack of communication since returning to Chad.
On Nov. 25th, after finishing most of the preparations for 
our annual conference, I drove to NDj. to receive our speaker and kitchen team. It was with great joy I welcomed our own pastor Timothy, Hector and Cecilia Diaz, and Kathy’s mom, all from our home church. These are our first visitors in over 10yrs. We left early the next morning for the 6hr road trip back to Koutou. We began right away to put the finishing touches on the preparations for conference;
Hector and Tim looked after the making of porta-potties for the rooms missing complete facilities. 
Cecilia and Nancy helped Kathy organize the kitchen and reviewed the menu for the 30 some missionaries who were to arrive the following day. All who were at conference expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the words of encouragement pastor Timothy brought us from Job and for the hard work the team put in the kitchen. It was genuinely a time of refreshment and nourishment for both body and soul. Today it is with heavy hearts yet much gratitude that we say good-bye or better, au-revoir, to the team for the gracious blessings and encouragement they have bestowed on us, empowering us to finish well this term of service.
We now look forward to several months of getting things “ship shape” for the sole couple (Snyders), who will hold down the fort during our upcoming home assignment. Kathy plans to finish the first section of her ESL teaching before leaving while helping Jessica wrap up her current high school courses. Pray that we may finish well this part of the race.
Blessings from Chad
Paul, Kathryn & Jessica…. (Part 2 to follow in a few days )
See more pictures 
by psweber