As we look back on a full year, and anticipate what lays ahead in 2025, we’re so thankful to you, our supporters, for your prayers, gifts, and friendship! You are truly an expression of God’s mercy and grace to us and those we serve through Novō.

The last 12 months have been marked by a growing sense of our lives being “scattered.” Our hearts and minds are divided between Nicaragua, the US, the UK, and Bolivia, giving us an increasing sense that “home” isn’t in any one place.

The highlight of the year was Daniel and Avery’s wedding in June! Avery’s family from Los Angeles were in the UK for the week, giving us the chance to get to know them before the wedding. The wedding itself was a beautiful celebration spread over two days, with a small legal wedding in the Methodist chapel in Burghfield Common (where my parents and grandparents were both married!) followed by a larger celebration in Aldermaston.

The newlyweds had planned to stay in the UK, where Avery had the offer of a job with a Montessori school in London. However, unexpected issues with Avery’s UK work visa turned those plans on their head! They’re now living in LA, where Daniel is applying for a Green Card and they’re both working.

In August, Jemimah also moved to the US. She’s studying Speech Pathology & Audiology at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She’s settled in really well (helped by being there with three friends from her school in Nicaragua) and is enjoying the whole experience!

Phoebe is going great guns at school, where she’s taking full advantage of the brilliant support offered by the special education team. She has a real sense of place within the wider community and loves music, youth group, and all things social.

JJ is making the shift from boy to man! He loves sports (football, basketball, and pickleball), follows Man Utd with his Dad, and values his peer group, who meet together for Monday Night Men each week (amusingly, nearly always on a Thursday).  

Miah just turned seven. She’s at school half-days, which she enjoys, and is increasingly communicative. If she had it her way, she’d spend every day in the water or on the beach, searching for shells!

As ever, Mickey selflessly holds it all together, enabling our family to flourish in a place, and lifestyle, that brings with it significant challenges, especially for the kids. This year, she’s enjoyed learning how to make soap (producing some incredible natural soaps!) and leading the coffee team at church.

For me, 2024 was a busy year of travel, with two trips to Bolivia, two short trips to the US, a visit to Malaysia where I spoke at an International Substance Abuse & Addiction Coalition (ISAAC) conference, and a week in Nigeria delivering training and exploring the potential for establishing Novō Communities there. In January, I became an Elder in our church here. It’s been really good to be preaching regularly again! I’ve also been much more hands-on with Novō Adventures, which has a good number of tours on the calendar for 2025.

Looking ahead, we’re expectant for what God has planned for us this year!

Thankfully, there are no big transitions ahead for the kids this year and we can catch our breath and get used to last year’s changes.

Mickey has signed up for the Introduction to Christian Counselling at Waverley Abbey in June. It feels like an ideal fit as she explores further training and the dates line up perfectly with our planned summer UK trip. 

In March, I’ll be in the UK speaking at another ISAAC conference, which will be a great opportunity to promote Novō Communities, Novō Adventures, and Hope in Addiction. Then, in May, I’ll be back in Bolivia as we welcome a group of guys from the US who are exploring setting up a foundation to support Novō’s work.

Beyond that, we’ll see what happens!

Thank you, again, for walking with us! Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are, and Novō wouldn’t be doing what it’s doing.

Wishing you God’s very best in 2025!

Andy & Mickey

NOVŌ NEWS

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PRAYER GROUP

We have a WhatsApp group where we share regular updates and coordinate a monthly Zoom prayer gathering. If you’d like to be added to the group, do drop us an email at andy@novocommunities.org

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

We don’t receive a salary from Novō. While our monthly support is £1,500 below budget, over the years we’ve seen this shortfall met through one-off gifts. If you can support us in 2025, whether with a regular gift or a one-off donation, we’d be thrilled!

You can do this using this donation form (Donations Form) or at www.give.net/20171708