Work Permit

Got good news from Tanzania today... Our work permit is approved! This is fantastic news and came as a happy surprise to Peter and Tammy, our teammates in Arusha, because everyone they know who has recently applied has run into delays and long governmental procedures to verify everything about the application and the NGO that is applying for it.

I think it must have been the fact that Byron wore a tie for the visa application photo! ha ha! Who can remember anytime that they have ever seen Byron in a tie?

So we are very excited! Now all we need is the funds to buy the car and make the move.

The approved work permit came as a real encouragement this morning. I needed something that showed me that we really are on our way.

Thanks for prayers!

Praying for Us

Here is a quick list of things that need covered...

January 8-17 I am in England and Ireland with 24-7prayer’s International Leadership Team.
-Pray for God-led times together as we endeavor to provide nurture and guidance for this global movement. (http://www.24-7prayer.com/)
-Pray for my two days of teaching at 24-7’s discipleship training community.
-Pray for Byron and my Mum as they hold the fort.

Jan 10-30 Trevor will be Singapore and India with his Grandpa, my dad.
-Pray for the gatherings with local pastors and missionaries that dad leads and for anything Trevor can do to help.
-Pray for safety, health and fun together and a Grandpa and a Grandson.
-Pray for a whatever God wants to teach and show Trevor through this time to come through.

We continue to seek financial support for an April departure to Tanzania.
-Pray the Lord to raises up wonderful partners.
-Pray for peace (and faith) in us as we work and wait.
-Pray our visa is approved quickly.

Kids are all doing well.
-Please continue to pray for their joy and settled-ness during transition.

We ask for special prayer for our dear friend and colleague Al (and kids, Daniel, Bobby and Katie) in Holland. Al’s wife, Deela, received full healing for her ovarian cancer on Saturday night and is now enjoying being in the presence of her Lord. On this side, we miss her.

January First

I feel stressed as I look into the New Year. I'm pretty sure that's not how I'm supposed to feel, but it is how I do feel.

I feel stressed because I don't know how long it will take to raise the needed funds to move. We've set our target departure date as early April. That means we need to buy our plane tickets. But of course we can't do that until we have the funds to do so. And the funds to buy the vehicle we need to order now to have shipped to TZ. And the funds to ship the motorcycles and the rest of the stuff we need for living there and getting around.

I think we are pretty good at this. We are pretty well trained in keeping it simple and only taking what we'll need, what makes better sense to bring from here. We don't demand that there be a lot in the "What we need" column.

But the questions and the unknowns feel heavy to me right now. Sometimes I think we're nuts to be venturing out into new paths again.

Sometimes.

Most times I feel confident in the Voice I hear calling us.

"Guide me, oh Thou Great Jehovah, pilgrim in this weary land."

God is not stressed by these things that are stressing me. He calmly opens the way in the right time. I need His peace in this between time. I need to trust his good guidance.

Today is the first day of 2007.

I choose trust.