Discouraged, but not Defeated

This past winter has been a long one, here in Taiwan.  The rain, clouds, and cold weather came in some time in October and it feels like it has been here for years.  We always stay optimistic in the Chon house, so we've been doing pretty good up until this last leg of it.  I think ever since after Chinese New Yr (1st week of Feb), we have been discouraged, but haven't realized it.
First it started out with the whole family getting sick.  I (Eliah) had a boil.  not fun.  Kaiya was throwing up every 15 min for about a day and then followed with several days of having the runs.  And Chris was sick with a cold for over a week.  This was also in the midst of major visa problems that our base is still undergoing.
So, for a month, we were all better, still needing prayer for the visas, but as for our health we were good, but somethings different.  The motivation for doing ministry was slowing down.  Yes, its super cold to go out and surf and reach the surfers, but it never stopped us before....I think the lack of fruit was starting to get to us again. (remember our post in aug?)
Just this past week, we got hit again with our health.  Chris has been sick for almost 2 weeks now!  And Kaiya had a fever with the runs and I, got a common cold (congestion, body shivers, a fever at one point).  Having the whole family sick at the same time is not fun, but the weird thing is we're all sick with different things.  We totally think its spiritual warfare, because once again, our base was going thru another crucial week with the visas.  We were discouraged...
Prayer has been the thing that has gotten us going.  This winter has been long, but what we do as a family and in our marriage more is pray.  Our family and marriage has gotten stronger.  Our faith has gotten stronger.  And we have just signed a 2 yr contract to a place in our new ministry location.  We are pioneering.
This past month we may have been discouraged, but we are not giving up.  These are all ways to show God's faithfulness to us.  His healing, his provision, his truth to the promise, "I will never leave you".  He is always with us, and though we may not see fruit in our ministry, we are determined to remain faithful to his call.
We may have been discouraged, but He encourages us.  Your prayers for us encourage us. Thank you and most of all Thank God!!