Earlier this month we transferred our Internet service to another address. It took a great deal more time and effort than I think it should have, but it is what it is. We were without Internet service for about two weeks. I had to make several phone calls in order to get things set up. Phone calls where the conversation itself lasted for all of three or four minutes, while the hold time was considerably longer. Throughout, a recorded loop continued to remind me how important my call was and how many services the company could provide. Somewhat ironically, I was reminded again and again how much easier it would be to accomplish whatever it was that I was trying to accomplish if I would simply go to the website.
It’s
been said that waiting is the worst part of anything. We couldn’t agree more.
That’s where we are right now. We’re waiting. We’re hoping and anticipating
that in January we will finally be heading to Thailand to join the ministry
that God is doing in the Isaan region. And, much like the whole connecting the
Internet thing, we’re not sure why it’s taking as long as it is. We’re ready,
how come the process is moving so slowly?
Right
now, we’re in the Partner Development phase. One of those things typical
mission families would rather not have to do. We’re asking for money. Well… not
so much asking for money as trying to share the call we’ve been given and
inviting people to partner with us. Sharing our needs and hoping that people
will agree to help meet those needs. That partnership comes largely in the form
of finances, but also of prayer and of emotional support.
People
all around us know we hope to leave in January. I guess it’s wrong to just assume
that people also know what that involves. One of the hardest things in the
world to do is ask people to give you money, to ask people to sacrifice a portion
of their finances to help you meet your financial needs. That’s exactly what we’re
doing.
We
need monthly support. We need financial support coming in every month to meet our
individual living expenses; rent and utilities, groceries, insurance, and
savings. We need financial support to meet our business and ministry expenses; transportation,
visas and work permits, supplies, and country fees. And we need finances to
meet the costs of departure; training, shipping of clothes and belongings, home
set up, and travel. It’s a lot to ask for.
Right
now, we’re about 25% of the way to meeting our complete financial need. We have
a long way to go if we’re indeed going to leave in January. Want to be a part
of what we’re doing?
