Going, Going, Gone

What a wonder technology is. In the course of 24 hours, I’ll have traveled from one hemisphere to the next, flown over perhaps a dozen nations, and done most of it while remaining in touch with home via the internet. Right now, I’m sitting in New York’s JFK Airport listening to works by Cluadio Monteverdi, completely oblivious to the chaos and stress of the travel around me. I breathe a deep sigh of relief. I’ve made it through the first and only major day of travel, and am ready to board my flight to another world.

The past few weeks before leaving for Paraguay have been everything I could have wished for and more. It’s amazing to think of all the gifts, many unexpected, that God has given out of his abundant mercy and grace. It should have been much harder to leave, but God’s hand has been guiding and providing all the way.

At VLBF, some wonderful mothers from the church put on a fundraising lunch for me. Early in September, I worried that my procrastination in raising support would force me to take out loans to support the trip. I prayed about it and, as He so often does, God answered in a very concrete and amazing way through some of my spiritual parents. They organized a lunch for me so that, on the day that I shared with the congregation about my desire and plan to serve in Paraguay, God worked a miracle to demonstrate His great love through VLBF. A prayer of commission and blessing along with countless dozens of encouragements caused me to praise God for His awesome provision.

The Tuesday before I left, my aunts prepared a grand Thanksgiving dinner for me and my family. Since I won’t be home for the holidays this year, they made sure that I would have a meal to remember for just as long. It was a splendid time to visit with them, and I’m pretty sure I’m still working off the calories from all the holiday trimmings. For dessert, cousins and uncles and aunts also arrived, and once again God overwhelmed me with His Goodness.

I also received countless other gifts and meals and gifts of meals at home. My last week in Ohio was an incredible blessing as I got to visit with so many. If those days and the encouragement I received were any indication, I’ve got an army of folks up North who care tremendously for me and are interceding before God for me even now.

After leaving Ohio, I spent a few days in Washington, D.C. visiting old friends and seeing old sights. I stayed with some InterVarsity fellas in Georgetown, and once again God provided for all my needs. I also celebrated my dear friend Stephanie’s birthday, and had plenty of opportunities to hang out with Eric and Matt, my closest confidants from college. At Georgetown Baptist, my brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers in Christ surrounded me too with much love, sending me off with prayer, a gift, and all the tenderness of God’s very own family. It was a good weekend filled with so many visits and marked once again by so much of God’s provision.

Thank you to all who have contributed to my physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. Your care does not go unnoticed either by me or by God. I trust that “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness,” and I know that “You will be enriched in every for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”