The Long Way ‘Round: August 8

Well, the summer of travel has finally come to an end, and we are safely back home in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. Thank you all who have prayed with us for safety on the road, for opportunities to encourage and serve those we saw, and for sweet times of reconnecting with friends long missed. One minor towing incident and two-day delay notwithstanding, we got safely from point A to point Z (not to mention all of the wonderful points in between!), and – though we miss everyone dearly – are grateful to be off the road.

Vehicle repairs were delayed due to the holiday weekend: we broke down July 5th, and a freak wind-hail-thunderstorm kept us from reaching the one open mechanic’s stop before closing time. By end of day Monday the 7th, our pricey replacement main valve body control was reprogrammed and in place, and we were back in business. Our stay in Washington was cut a bit shorter by the delay, but the time there with family and friends was still sweet and a great encouragement before the time came to head back south.

With our roadmap complete, our family made it through 24 different states in about two-and-a-half months… or half of the (contiguous) United States, as our kids are proudly declaring back at school. “The Long Way ‘Round” does seem to fit the journey well, and we are grateful that God made the trip possible after so many years waiting, hoping, and trying to visit these dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord willing, He’ll grant another such opportunity a handful of years down the road… and in the meantime, we’re hoping for a parallel chance to see our partners in Pacific Coast states next summer. But first – it is so good to be back serving in the ministries God has given us this year in Mexico! We look forward to sharing how they are going in our next regular update.

Again, thank you for praying with us this summer. God’s encouragement was a constant, whether through family life or friends’ testimonies or even stage productions of the life of David! Please continue to pray for those we’ve mentioned in this summer’s mini-updates – their need for God and His provision remains as strong as ever, and we trust our next reunions will provide opportunity to share new stories of His faithfulness in these and many other ways. As we settle back into ministry in Mexico, do continue praying with us regarding our summer partnership goals – time will tell how our monthly support is impacted, but our desire is to be faithful with Matthew 6:33a, leaving the second half of the verse in His hands.