It’s been a month since my last update.  Gracious, how time is flying by!  In fact, Jason and I recently set up countdown widgets on our phones to let us know how long it is before we leave for Wales.  Are you ready for this?  At the time of this writing, it is 98 days and 8 hours before we board our plane and begin our new life and ministry in Wales.  Can you believe it?  

I’ll try to keep this update limited to the highlights so as not to take forever to fill you in.  When we left off, we were headed to a missions conference in Ohio.  When we first arrived, I thought the church had just finished VBS or was possibly getting ready to start it following the missions conference.  The decorations were those indicative of a VBS.  There was a huge ship in the front of the auditorium, and ocean-based items such as nets, anchors, and fish dotted the walls and other surfaces of the building.  It was awesome! Come to find out, all of that hard work had been for the missions conference, the theme being “This Ship Must Sail.”  We had a wonderful time and met so many kind people.  And, of course, we ate. . .a lot.

Early Saturday morning, we set off for a 15-hour drive to Georgia.  It was a long, rainy day, but God was good and allowed us to make it with no issues or delays.  Hallelujah!  On Sunday, we had two meetings: one in Ludowici and another in Jesup.  We had a great time at both churches, and since that meeting, one of them has taken us on for support.

On Monday, we drove to our home church and spent the week catching up on appointments (dentist, chiropractor, haircuts, etc.) and trying to get all of our ducks in a row before leaving out again.  

The following week was the annual Macedonia conference, which fortunately was held one town over from us.  The week was full of meetings, fellowship, meals, and so much more.  While it was tiring, it was also a refreshing time spent with fellow Macedonia missionaries and the wonderful people of Zion Hill Baptist Church.  

By the end of the week, we were on the road again, this time heading to Colonial Heights, VA for another missions conference.  This church, like so many others we’ve been to, made us feel like part of the family.  They took great care of us and provided for our every need.  It was a blessing to fellowship with them and also the other missionaries in attendance.  

I even formed a special friendship with the pastor’s 5-year-old daughter (who turns 6 in a couple of days).  On the second day we were there, Jason and I went into the fellowship building for dinner.  Upon spotting me, Carli came over, grabbed my hand, and drug me over to her table.  After showing me some of her books, she pointed over to where the other missionaries and church members were standing and talking.  “Look at them,” she stated.  “Nobody wants to talk to you, so I’ll talk to you.”  I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.  It was so adorable!  She was precious in so many ways, but my favorite was that she charged herself with making sure I didn’t get any cinnamon in my food.  She would sample items from the buffet and say, “I don’t think there’s cinnamon in here.  You’re good.”  It was so sweet!

After the conference was over, we had a few days to stay put.  We used the time to rest, catch up on office work, and begin the paperwork for our sponsorship in Wales. The church had given us some spending money, so on Friday, we went to the local mall to see if we could find a few good deals on Welsh-weather clothing.  The Lord really blessed.  We spent $165 but due to clearances, sales, and coupons, we saved nearly $300.  All in all, it was a day well spent.

On Saturday, we traveled to Seven Springs, NC, where we had a couple of meetings on Sunday.  For some reason, my brain had trouble keeping up with my body, and I kept telling everyone we were in Virginia.  I spent the entire weekend confused about where we were, but even still, it was a great time of worship and fellowship.  After a rest day on Monday, we hit the road again and returned to Virginia (which was a blessing for my poor brain).  

We’re currently in Bedford, VA and are looking forward to beginning another missions conference this evening.  After looking at the schedule for the week, it doesn’t seem like it will be too busy or stressful, but it definitely looks like an exciting week.  We might even do a little sight-seeing while we’re here in this history-rich part of the country.

That’s all for now!  We have full schedule until the beginning of December, and after that, we’re getting ready to go to Wales.  Of course, there’s a lot of prep work to do between now and then, so your prayers are greatly appreciated.

We love you all and thank you for your love, prayers, and support!