2010

December 2010

Season’s Greetings to our friends and family.

Once again we are eager to share another year’s adventures, as God continues to bless us with His bounty and grace.

We were delighted to host a garden wedding at our residence in April. We continue to find ways to enhance our award-winning landscaping. Our latest project added outdoor lighting.

This year we led our 20th and final medical mission team to Guyana, South America. Since 1991 our teams treated 26,953 patients at our annual clinics, where 815 were baptized. We were pleased with a well-written article which the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette published in June about West-Ark’s two decades of participation in Guyana. We taught a parenting class at church until turning it over to the youth & family minister for the 4th quarter.

Jeannie and Michael at Kaieteur Falls

This was a year of waterfalls for us. While in Guyana in June, we traveled deep into the rain forest by air to visit the 822-foot high Kaieteur Falls, one of the most remote, scenic, and powerful waterfalls in the world. Before returning to civilization, we visited the wide, multi-layered Orinduik Falls on the Guyana-Brazil border. In August we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary at Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario, Canada. It was our first visit to Canada, as well as our first time to see Niagara Falls.

We purchased a 2011 candy-apple red Lincoln MKZ to replace our 2003 Park Avenue which was demolished in a hydroplane accident in September. We enjoy the challenge of conquering the new technology in the car.

Michael continues serving as one of 11 elders for West-Ark Church of Christ. Health care changed on a grand scale for Michael at the end of August when he began using computerized charting in his practice. Besides the stress of learning the software, he has endured longer work days while caring for fewer patients. This is expected to improve once all his patients’ medical histories have been added to the system.

Jeannie helps teach ladies’ Bible study on Tuesdays. She was instrumental in acquiring a grant for The Hope Chest, a benevolent outreach of the church. She continues to serve on the Fort Smith Board of Education, the Arkansas PTA Board of Managers, and as a National PTA Leadership Coach.

Rhiannon and Corbin

Greg is completing his final year of residency in Pathology in Dallas. Angelique works as a Children’s Minister and is volunteering at Austin Elementary, where Corbin is in kindergarten. The charming 3-year-old Rhiannon is very much like “Angelique the Sequel.” No matter how much we see the grandchildren, it seems too infrequent.

Steven will soon finish his second bachelor’s degree, this one in math, while working for the University of Arkansas. Louise was awarded her second master’s degree, this one in Spanish. She is teaching college classes while she works on her dissertation to earn a doctorate in literature.

Space does not permit reporting all the fun or important things we did this year with many other special people. Presently we are recruiting a group to tour the Holy Land for 2 weeks beginning 15 March 2011. If you or someone you know would like to join us, please contact us immediately.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you with a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Michael & Jeannie


Cole Family - 26 December 2010
(adults, standing, L to R) Greg & Angelique Moses, Michael & Jeannie Cole, Steven & Louise Cole;
(seated, adults) Bill & Freda Cole; (kids, L to R) Rhiannon and Corbin Moses



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