On to Ecuador!

Well, Over a year has passed since we returned from Africa. Missions remains heavy on my heart, at times the call to go and the need is overwhelming. My desire, as it has always been, is to go long term. To live with the people and get to know them, to work along side them, to take on projects and see them completed, to develop relationships of true lasting value.
I'll admit, it has been a difficult year. First not wanting to leave Kenya and then returning to try and 'fit in" here at home when our hearts and thoughts were "over there". Sensing God stirring my very innermost being yet not getting any clear direction or leading as to what the next step was.

I had family and friends pray for us and that very week we had an email from Ecuador inviting us to come. So, I guess this is the next step. It has been exactly 20 years since Gary and I served in Ecuador. It will be exciting to go back with the kids this time. They are really looking forward to going. Now that they have had a taste of missions overseas, I am happy to see them excited to go again. Our flights are booked and we leave on Sept. 26th. There remains alot of work to do before we go in less than two months!

Mom and Dad have graciously offered to hold down the fort while we are gone and our music teachers have been so good to let us take off mid year and pick up where we left off.

We had to get new passports as our other ones expire less than 6 months after our return. There is always alot of paper work to do and arrangements to be made before we go. We have had one BBQ fundraiser in July and are hoping to have a couple more fundraisers before we leave.

I don't have alot of information yet on the needs there at Shell, but am planning on taking a few suitcases of the same types of things as before. The kids and I had been reading last year, biographies of Jim Elliott and Nate Saint and we had also watched the documentary, "Through the Gates of Splendor" so we feel like we know Shell a little from those sources.

I have asked Michell Simes to be our prayer coordinator and some of you may have already heard from her. She has been away the month of July but returns next week. I will be passing on our prayer requests to her, but if you would like to receive them and haven't heard from her yet, let me know and I will connect you with her. I am so thrilled that she has agreed to take that on for us. Your prayer support is invaluable to us.

Lori