We left Langano the end of June and are back in our “Texas home”. It has been life-giving to be around friends and family who we have known for years. We have been very blessed with new friendships in Ethiopia, but there is also just something about being with people that have known us forever. Waking up to the sound of airplanes instead of moneys and baboons has also been quite a change!

While in the US, Shane will continue to work on many of the administrative responsibilities for Langano and is focused on preparing and integrating new team members that will be joining us. He is also support-raising (raising money for the other Langano ministries in addition to our own support ). Speaking engagements and meetings take up most of his time. Since we have been home, we have spent time in Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas and North Carolina. Allyson is working part-time as a nursing instructor. The kids are in three different schools and are all adjusting quite well. So far life in the states has pretty much been exhausting! As we continue to settle into life here for the school year, we are committed to stabilizing our family and getting quality time together. We are also learning more about prayer. We entered Langano woefully unprepared for the battle we were entering into and we are arming up and preparing to go back strong.

It was encouraging to hear how camps went this summer. Yonas did an excellent job and from all the reports, it sounds like it all went off without a hitch. We really miss our co-workers back at Langano. It will be great to be with them again next spring.

For now, we will leave you with a video that highlights our work in Langano. It was done by a good friend of ours, Austin Mann.

Smiths in Ethiopia from Austin Mann on Vimeo.