Dear Friends and Family,

Life is moving along as we learn how to do winter here in Ohio. We have successfully shoveled our driveway clear a few times, and learned we did not pick a good snow shovel. But we are told this has been a once in ten years kind of snow, so we probably have a while before we need to find a better one. The kids have been loving the snow, but keep trying to sneak out in shorts and t-shirts. I realized at one point that not all of the children owned tennis shoes because we lived in sandals in California and Papua New Guinea. Now we do everything in snow boots!

We are still figuring out life in a new place now that the dust has settled, and I think we’ve found our daily rhythms. Tim is in a good pace with his work at church, and has been able to preach a few times. We are slowly getting connected even amidst the challenges of covid policies, and I have been able to join a women’s small group. We are even finding ways for the kids to make new friends.

Ministry has been growing and stretching me as I figure out networking and building connections in hospitality. Our first guest room is up and ready, and I am working on picking a paint color for the second bedroom, which is currently purple. With all the paint colors in the world today, choosing a color feels harder than I thought it would. I am actively searching out missionary hospitality lists to join, and applying or adding Arabella Haven to the roster where I can.

Noah is plowing through third grade, and has a deep love for all God’s creatures. She loves her chickens, and takes good care of them. She is also wrestling through deep truths about history, and the harmful things people have done in the name of God. Esther is in Kindergarten and loves tracing her sight words, doing mazes as fast as she can, and is still a very huggy girl. She loves eating snow and icicles, and is usually the kid leaving the house with shorts on these days. She turned 6 this month and is still so excited about her gifts. Ben is 3 and does “cool tricks”, like walking while pushing his head on the carpet, or folding his hands with his fingers interlaced. He has most of the alphabet down, loves counting, the number eleven, trains, and dinosaurs.

Praises:

• We’ve got a bedroom set up, and are able to host!
• We recovered from having covid, and the ensuing quarantine.
• No surprise leaks or problems with the house were discovered during heavy snowfall and rain these past few weeks.

Prayer requests:

• For friendship and community for all members of our family.
• For increased financial partnerships with our ministry, which will allow us to purchase the necessary furniture for the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms and be available to host families. 
• For good health as our bodies adjust to living where it’s cold regularly. 
• That our house would feel like a home, to us and those we desire to share it with.

Grace and Peace,

Codi Gauci

Partnership Information:If you are interested in partnering with us financially, go to interlinkministries.org/make-donation, and choose the option that works best for you, with a note for the ministry of Codi Gauci. All donations are tax deductible in full or in part. I would be delighted to have you on our team.