New Start for the Hicks Family
Donna Stauffer
Spring is when we often say goodbye to those graduating or moving to another location. But this is also the season of welcoming back friends who are passing through. This weekend, we welcome Aaron and Holly Hicks to Ithaca for a couple of weeks. Catch them now because this visit is short, but we’re grateful for our long friendship and partnership with them.
Aaron and Holly have been in Granada, Spain for 18 years, investing in discipleship and building up leadership in a local church. They’re gems, and if you haven’t met them, they’ll be mingling with us this Sunday and next. If you miss them, you can mingle with family members, Joyce and Bob Creech (Holly’s parents) or Daniel and April Hicks (one of their sons and daughter in law), who are BG attenders and here most every week.
Aaron and Holly are here because their son Thomas is getting married on June 1! Thomas worshiped with us, as did Corinna, while studying at Cornell, both graduating in 2023. Thomas sang as part of the worship team, was active in campus ministry, and met Corinna at the international student residence on campus (HILC). They share a love of languages, both knowing 4 or 5! Thomas moved to North Carolina last fall to begin a doctoral program in chemistry at Duke, and Corinna just completed a Masters at Notre Dame.
Please pray for job opportunities for Corinna in Durham.
Also pray for Aaron and Holly as the church they’re leading along with national believers is growing well—20 believers are entering into membership this year! The need for discipleship and developing leadership is ever increasing. Three believers were baptized on Easter Sunday, one a new believer and recent immigrant from Russia, Raymond. Please pray that his wife Melanie will become a believer as well.
Daughter Bethany is finishing her freshman year at Gordon College. The Hicks’s other daughter Anna has had health issues. Remember them both in your prayers as well.
Welcome back, dear friends!