The End and the Beginning
Think about the times when you knew one thing came to an end so that another could have its beginning. There's usually an odd feeling. Like the expanse of excitement and also a quiet spacious sadness. Perhaps it's the space that opens up as you pack things away. The hollow sounds begin to echo in your home.
We are just weeks away from starting anew in Quito, Ecuador. Our house is being emptied to make room for our renters. We will spend the rest of our stay here with friends and family. And then...
And then we begin again. From one almost empty space to another. Yet it will be full. Full of different sounds and smells. A sky full with the contours of gigantic mountains. Languages streaming out mostly in Spanish and Quechua.
It will start off awkwardly, I'm sure. As most new places do. It will be uncomfortable for some time, especially since we are just taking clothing, books, and art supplies. Small things will take massive amounts of energy to accomplish. Like food shopping, or getting from point A to B.
I happen to know this because I have had massive moves in my life. In fact, I will feel like a foreigner in my own country simply because my first massive move happened when I left Ecuador for New York at five years old.
It's so amazing when you finally adjust to a place. When you feel powerful enough to maneuver your way around without a thought. I will miss that feeling. I will miss the people that I have come to know. But at one time this place was new, and the city was new, and I was humbled by not knowing much about it.
But God has made a promise.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Wherever we go He is with us and we go to Him. From Him to Him. And that means that we will find people to love and serve. And they will become a part of us just like the people we've met along the way from South Florida, to Arkansas, to Georgia, and not forgetting New York.
The best part of all this is that we are going with a team. The fact that we are able to go means that God has sent people to partner with our mission. If you are a partner with us, then we are not alone. We may tremble in our shyness, feel vulnerably incapable of expressing deep thoughts in Spanish, and we might need to pray for courage. But you are with us and God has a plan of glory.
Details:
We are waiting for our paperwork to come in the mail with a golden seal of approval called an apostille.
Our oldest son, Joshua, is now in college at Georgia Southern University.
We will be visiting with family so that our renters can move into our home. We have two renters as we were able to build an apartment in our basement.
We are continuing to raise support and believe that God has handpicked individuals and families to adopt us in prayer and financial contributions.
Prayer Needs:
For our kids to have a graceful adjustment period.
Full funding to support the work God is doing through us.
Favor with Ecuadorian ministries that have expressed interest in ArtServe programs.
Logistics - when and how to manage all the moving pieces (no pun intended) of moving a family abroad.
Health and safety. We are still going through a pandemic. But also that we would be able to manage our stress well. We have experienced some strain in our bodies as we are figuring so many things out.
