Laura is in her third year of medical school and has spent this year doing rotations in surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, and internal medicine.  We are amazed at her experiences and the things that she is learning.  (By the way, the horror stories you’ve heard about the long hours and sleep deprivation of medical students are all true!)  A highlight of Laura’s year was a trip to New Zealand, where she spent 3 weeks backpacking through some of the most beautiful places she has ever seen while renewing her friendship with Janet Cornwall, the missionary doctor that she worked with in Cambodia a few years ago.  (Janet is from New Zealand, and invited Laura to visit her while she was on home assignment.)  January will bring some new challenges – Laura has signed up to run the Houston marathon, so she is currently in training for that, as well as studying for her board exams, which she will take soon after the marathon.  She is also hoping to squeeze in a visit to her boyfriend Stephen Hunter, who is a missionary in Japan, before beginning a course in tropical medicine in February.   Soon it will be time to make decisions about residency programs – please pray with her for God’s guidance.



Andrea’s year has been full of milestones and changes.  It was exciting for us to travel to Evanston in March to attend her senior trumpet recital - a very meaningful time that represented not only the culmination of 4 years of hard work with her instrument, but also the fruit of years spent building relationships at Northwestern University.  What a joy to celebrate with an auditorium full of people, and have the chance to meet so many whose lives had been touched by Andrea.  In June we made the trip north again to watch Andrea graduate and say some difficult good-byes as she closed a chapter in her life.  In last year’s letter, we asked you to pray for God’s direction for Andrea in terms of where she would serve in missions following graduation.  Thank you for praying!  Perhaps you have heard by now that she is part of the team that will be going to Aguascalientes, Mexico through Evangelical Friends Mission to open a new mission field there.  Lord willing, the Aguascalientes team (Jeremy and Betty Smuck, Candi Foster, and Andrea) will arrive on the field in early March 2006.  Right now they are all attending missionary training in Colorado Springs.  Andrea’s financial support is complete, but she is always glad to have more prayer partners.  If you would like to get her newsletter, email her at andreaby@gmail.com. 

Sara is 17 years old and halfway through her senior year of high school.  (Yes, the empty nest is looming!)  She has had another great year in tennis – district champion, nationally ranked, but most importantly – she now beats her Dad!  Sara has enjoyed taking part in “PALS” this year – she goes to local elementary schools three times a week to work with students who are struggling academically and/or socially. It is great experience for her, especially since she hopes to major in elementary education.  I’m thankful that the academic pressure this year has not been as intense for Sara as during junior year.  Besides her activities with school and tennis, she has been able to find more time for fun things like getting together with friends for Ultimate Frisbee, taking part in a Bible study, even playing Powder Puff football.  She is in the midst of the college search process – we’re praying that God will lead her to just the right place to continue growing and learning.  She is also considering a career in missions – I wonder how many continents our family will be spread among a few years from now?

This past June our whole family traveled to Mexico City - our first trip back since leaving 11 years ago to begin our work with CHM.  It was wonderful to see people and places that are very special to us, and so rewarding to see lasting fruit from our years as missionaries in Mexico.  The Friends there are thrilled that Andrea will be returning to Mexico as a missionary – their words of support and encouragement for her were a great blessing.

We love going to the mailbox in December, knowing that it will be full of letters and pictures from faraway friends.  Please write and let us know how you are doing.  May the Lord bless you in 2006! 

Joyce, David, Laura, Andrea and Sara Byrne