It has been exactly eight weeks since I wrote about my planned trip to California in August/September, and many of you are probably waiting with excitement to catch up, to talk about what the LORD has been doing in your lives, families, and ministries, and in mine. But as I sit and work out my monthly budget and travel plans, I realize that maybe this is more of an exercise whereby God is encouraging me to trust and have patience.
How so, you might ask? You may remember how I had asked for your prayers for Gods financial provision to be able to pay for the trip, my total cost being about $900-$1000 (as airfare fluctuates), but so far, I have only managed to raise $400 of the needed money.
To be honest, I have been waiting to write this update for this same reason, hoping that I would receive the rest of the money before September started, and therefore be able to announce when I am coming to visit you all soon, but it just hasn't come in.
To make matter more complicated, sin July my general monthly support has gone down a couple of hundred dollars, as a couple of my supporters have had to adjust their budgets in the wake of hard times. But as can be expected, God has been providing in unique and interesting ways - and in the last five weeks I have received nearly $200 worth of free food from friends and even a couple of farmers.
Although I had expected God to provide for my proposed trip this summer, it seems as though He has had other plans, and as difficult as it may be, it is my calling and vocation to submit to Him, even if I am not completely sure about what it is He wants to do. As much as it saddens me to have wait longer to see you all, I know that God has bigger things in mind for this time; now all I need to do is trust and rest in Him.
On the plus side of course, work and ministry here in the church abound; the fish project continues to go full steam, and I have also started working on a large construction project for a new old folks home/School of Ministry for Latinos in Central America (I will post some pictures soon). And then of course, there is my teaching ministry - I have been teaching through Matthew in Spanish now for almost 6 months, and have been very touched to see the work that God is doing in the church there, and more so in the congregation. Not to mention that Rebeca is happy that she will not have to say "good bye" to me at the airport, hehe.
So, in the end, although my travel plans have had to change, I can thank God that His plans havent changed. And who knows, maybe I will be able to visit for Christmas :)
Prayer Requests and Praise Reports:
Praise for Gods continued provision for me even during these hard times financially
Praise for the new building project, which will bless many people
Praise for the life of Walter - a new friend who I have been able to visit and share the Gospel with
Praise for the life of Valerie, Rebecas new born niece
Prayer for Gods provision - for 300$ in new monthly support to be raised up, as well as the extra $700 needed to help me be able to fly home to visit (in Dec?)
Prayer for Gods provision for a better car - before the one I am driving now (a 1984 Celica) completely disintegrates ;)
Prayer for Rebeca as she continues to work on her thesis, and minister to her family.
A few pictures:
Abuelo Fabio, Hermana Juan, and I before the saturday evening service, in La Angostura. It has been a blessing for me to be able to teach through Matthew, and have them there!
A couple of shots of the building we are working on. This is the first of several buildings that we plan on building to accomidate the new SoM and old folks home
Most of the construction here is metal, not wood which was new for me. I cut myself with the first couple of studs and joists that I put in - then I started using gloves ;)
Rebeca with her newborn niece, Valerie. She is a proud auntie :)
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