Good things that have happened

Nos vamos. We're going! Leaving KC this weekend for a new adventure of 4 years in Spain.
While it has been one of our hardest years doing fund raising, some really nice things have happened.

Last we knew our budget was at 99.7% Yippee. Yeah God!

Out of 63 weeks of traveling, mostly on the weekends, I think we only had to pay for four hotels. Churches and individuals have taken wonderful care of us.

It is so interesting to go all over the country and meet believers in every walk of life. We have friends everywhere now, it seems.

We had a free car from family and it only broke down a couple times in all the thousands of miles traveled and only a minor accident.

We had lots of free furniture, accessories, etc. that we were able to give away and bless others in the end.

Many people have pledged funds the coming four years to help us spread the Gospel. Amazing!

I bet we've had 100 meals on someone else's dime. Who are we to receive sooo much? (Who are we to EAT so much!?)

It has been a blessing to be home for 16 months.

We are headed back to Spain on May 2. Everyone keeps saying, "Are you excited?" I don't have a good answer for that. I have flashes of excitement when I think of working on a script for the Women of the Bible project or helping with another project. Excitement at the prospect of doing what it is I'm training in and skilled at doing.

On the other hand, it is excruciating to say goodbye to friends and family who have gotten accustomed to having us around again after 16 months in the USA. It's hard to rip out those roots again and yet I feel no hesitation about the calling -- that it IS from God, and it is worth the effort to let people know they are loved by God. To share that wonderful news in 27 languages has value well beyond me.

I keep saying if I could wave a magic wand and just be in a house in Spain with all my things put away, that would be wonderful. Instead I'm giving away furniture that was given to me 16 months ago. I'm packing up the few things to keep here in storage and deciding what needs to go back to Spain in shipping. After months of travel and speaking, we are exhausted and it's hard to summon the energy for all these decisions and tasks.

While we work on all these mundain tasks, we have the hovering cloud of an incomplete budget. We know that God is our provider andd He has absolutely done amazing things in providing for us. We are so thankful for the wonderful generous people who are on our team of support already -- it's so humbling. We still have the awareness of what is still required of us and no idea how to finish it.

These are the days we count the cost and even though it is hard we see the value in going. Who are we to get to be part of God's plan to share His love with millions of people in countries all around the world. Incredible and maybe sometimes, I do get excited.