3 Months from Yesterday

Well, we just got back from Spring Break in Pagosa Springs with my parents. We had a great time resting and relaxing. Now that we are back the reality that we fly out 13 weeks from today is starting to sink in. There is still so much to do and we just don't want to be so wrapped up in all the things to do that we miss what God has for us in the middle of it. We are asking that you please pray for us to stay focused over the next several weeks.

Some of the big news around here is that Mark's last day of work will be at the end of the month. It is a BIG step for us. We are excited to join Samaria Mission Full Time. We have a new saying ... "We are now employed by the Most High!" Now more than ever before we are trusting God to provide all of our needs.

We are waiting to hear from an organization called Worldconnex that may be able to help with some of our monthly support for a year. We will be replying to an email this week and hopefully hear something soon.

The house is almost ready to be put on the market. We have a few minor things that have to be finished and then we should be set. We are completely trusting God to sell this house at the right time. We want it to sell before we leave but also need the timing to work out so we have a place to live. We are praying about a place to live here if it sells quick.

Some people have asked us about where we will live in South Africa. When we were in SA last summer we meet several families from the Christ Baptist Church. The day we interviewed with the church we had dinner with Steve and Karen Plodinec and their family. (They are missionaries from the States and they serve with the seminary.) We walked from the church across the street to their house and the youth pastor walked with us on his way home (he lived around the corner). On the way he told us that he was getting ready to move and sell his house because he was going to become a pastor at a church in another town. I remember we were talking and saying too bad it is not time for us to move. We enjoyed a nice dinner at with the Plodinec family as we were visiting with them they told us they were coming back to the States for 7 months (June 2009 - Jan. 2010) and that we could stay in their home during that time. Well we just found out that they have had to move the dates of their trip home. They have still offered for us to stay in their home. We have also talked to William the director or Samaria Mission and he has assured us that we will have a place to stay when we arrive.

William also told us that the youth pastors house has still not sold. We found out that it is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, plus study, living room, kitchen and dining room. We were told that there is one person interested in it and they have until April 3rd to decide. After that then we might could buy it. It is 780,000R which is around $78,000 depending on the exchange rate. We are asking you to join us in praying for God's will in this house. If it is the one for us then we are praying he will provide the money for it. We can't get a loan in SA so we will need to pay cash for it. Again we are completely trusting God. Here are some pictures of the house to give you an idea of what it looks like.









Again, we don't know if this is the house for us we are just asking for you to join us in praying about it.

Here are some of the things we are busy taking care of. Please pray for us to accomplish what needs to be done and that we will stay focused on God.
VISAs
Medical Insurance (we can't apply for our insurance until May - it will go in effect May 22nd, in the mean time we will have coverage through another insurance.)
packing the house and getting the details for our shipping container
Selling our house
selling our 2 cars
these are just a few of the things we are working on.

Please continue to pray for our kids are we are getting closer to moving. We are praying for them to find joy, peace and comfort as we begin this new journey the Lord has called us to.

4 months from Today

We leave 4 months from today! We have been busy around the house going through things sorting and packing up things we are taking that we don't need before we move. Hopefully this week we will get the tile in our bathroom and carpet in the bedrooms. I am busy today and tomorrow cleaning out the bedroom closets so we can paint them before the carpet comes. Hopefully in the next week or two we will get the outside of our house painted and fix a few little things on the inside and then put it on the market.

Besides getting the house ready to sell and packing we have been busy with church, the kids, work, as well as finishing our VISAs, finding medical insurance, sorting through thousands of pictures for a video to use to promote our mission, putting together our budget, researching shipping companies and so much more!

We are asking you to please continue to pray for us as we prepare to leave. Pray that in the midst of all the things that have to be done we won't miss anything that God has for us. We are also asking for you to pray for our children as we get closer to leaving. Please pray for them to have peace and joy in this move. It is a BIG move for all of us but a move that we know God has called us to.

What a Weekend

We finished the garage sale on Saturday and by 2:00 we had everything put away. We couldn't believe how much stuff we had. (several people had donated stuff for us to sale - thank you so much) Our garage was lined with 6 tables and a weight bench and our driveway had 9 tables full of stuff as well as several things under the tables. To top it off my whole front yard was full of stuff too. We had everything set up and a little after 7:00 we had our first shopper. From then on there was a constant flow of people. Only 3 times throughout the morning it slowed down and that was for only 5 minutes or so. We sold 90% of the stuff we had. I have never experienced a garage sale like this one. God so blessed us this weekend. Not only through the stuff that was donated and the money raised, but through the people He sent to our sale and the conversations that took place. Our ad did run in the Standard Times for Saturday and the kids school (who was also having a garage sale for a fundraiser) sent people our way all morning.

People were curios about what we were going to do in Africa and time and time again we got to share what God is doing in our lives as well as what He was doing in Africa. Several people wanted one of our brochures.

We met one couple in particular who was so sweet. They wanted to know if we were selling the patio furniture on our front porch. I told them not today but I will at our last garage sale in June right before we leave. He told me he would buy it from us for $40.00 and gave me his card so I could call him. He began to share some of his life story with me. He has lost 2 sons (the last one in May). He told me about the church they were involved in and wanted to know all about the mission work we would be doing. God totally blessed me by meeting this sweet couple. I look forward to seeing them one more time in June when they come by my patio furniture.

Brit's friend stayed with me while Mark had to take the kids to their Basketball games. She was a huge help to me and I am so grateful that she wanted to help. God is so good. We have been blessed so much in so many ways. We more than doubled our money on Saturday! Praise God! Thanks again for your prayers.