Furlough At The Speed of Light

It’s really hard to  believe we’ve been back in the States on furlough for almost three weeks now.  Of course, the perception of the passage of time is always in proportion to how busy one is, so our time here has passed at the speed of light.  But busy is good and we are enjoying it.  After all, we came here to be busy with visiting family, friends, and other supporters, showing our presentation whenever and wherever we can, trying to secure more support.  More and  more we realize the blessing of having a faith-based ministry and having to raise our own support.  God showed us how special it was from the beginning and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I’m glad we’ve been able to experience God providing through the churches and individuals who support us.  Furthermore, the support isn’t all about money.  In fact, the money is useless unless we have the personal relationships and the prayer support.  Some of our most valuable supporters give no money at all, only pray daily for us.   After three weeks here we will have done ten presentations  at churches and small groups and had a booth at a missions fair, in addition to visiting lots of individuals.  That leaves some nineteen church presentations and whatever other meetings may develop in the remaining six weeks or so.  Just a reminder that our schedule is listed on the previous blog  A Change of Direction? 

In addition to raising support, we are also getting caught up on dental work and eye exams, income taxes, and other business.  Seems there are lots of things to do everyday.  Eli and Olivia are enjoying catching up with their friends and have had the opportunity to spend the night with some of them.  Eli, having just turned fifteen, is studying up to take the exam for his learner’s permit to be able to drive.  We are all overeating, as everyone wants to feed us and it is difficult to turn down good Southern cooking, especially when they tempt us with something we haven’t had in over a year. 

We are enjoying being on the verge of a change in the seasons, something we haven’t experienced in a while.  In Ecuador it is springlike all year, with only a wet and dry season.  Believe it or not, it was a good change to see the leafless trees of winter.  It is really exciting now to see the maples and buttercups blooming and the huge buds on the Bradford pears ready to burst open.  Springtime in Tennessee will be wonderful!  The temperatures thus far haven’t been a lot different from what we experience in Ecuador (50′s to 70′s), although they have been a little cooler a times.  Living in the Gilchrist community while we are in, we are only about seven miles from Shiloh National Military Park, a perfect place to ride a bicycle.  I’ve already enjoyed riding over there, around the loop, and back at least six times, three days in a row last week.  Give me a day in the 60′s or 70′s and I will make time for that if at all possible.  After riding an exercise bike indoors for over a year, I had forgotten just how much I enjoy my road bike.  Bring on the warmer spring weather!

We are also enjoying our Amish neighbors here.  They are really quite interesting.  Wish I could post some pictures of them, but we are honoring their desire to not be photographed.  That is really hard for a family that has grown accustomed to photographing everything and have thousands of photos from the past year to prove it.

We hope to get to see all of our friends, family, and other supporters while we are on furlough.  In spite of an already  busy schedule, we do want to visit with as many of you as is possible.  The way the time is flying by, we will be back in Ecuador before we know it.  May God richly bless you all!