“He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like
ashes. “ Psalm 147:16
The
celebrations, gifts, and warm wishes given by our friends and co-workers at
Triumph Composite Systems and Knox Presbyterian Church as we left our places of
employment to pursue this new calling and vocation.
The
practical and encouraging preparation we received during our time of mission
worker orientation in Pittsburg, New Wilmington, and Louisville, and the close
personal and professional relationships forged with other mission co-workers
and church staff people.
We
experienced new and deeper relationships with individuals, leaders, pastors, small
groups, committees, teams, and congregations of the Presbytery of Middle
Tennessee, and we celebrated our mutual passion for the indigenous of Guatemala.
Our
visit to the Chicago area where we visited family members, reconnected with friends
from Richard’s high school class of 1973, and kindled new relationships with
the leadership and membership of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest,
Richard’s childhood church.
Dinners,
lunches, potlucks, and picnics with friends and family members who want to
reassure us we go with their prayers and best wishes.
We
received awesome and humbling expressions of support and encouragement from the
people of our home presbytery, the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, and the
congregations of Knox, Emmanuel, Colbert, St. Maries, Whitworth, and Manito
Presbyterian Churches who welcomed us in their services of worship.
We look ahead with anticipation, and covet your prayers
as we:
Make
final preparations for our journey.
Make
all our flights and connections, meet our friends for a night in Antigua and
then head to Xela for language school.
We hope
that a couple of "50 somethings" can learn a new language with the proficiency
needed for this new job.
And
we hope that we will have the financial support needed to carry out our
ministry in Guatemala.
Blessings to all!
Richard and Debbie
So grateful for the handful of opportunities in the past week to see you again before you fly away from Spokane. Go with God and on the wings of prayer.
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