Right around the corner

We leave Malawi in exactly 2 months. I am beginning to get a little sentimental. I used to complain about waking up to the smell of fire, but lately, I've been enjoying it. Yes, it's very strange, but it's the smell of Malawi and I know in a short time, I will be so far from this place, from this home. There are many many unknowns when it comes to our little family's future. I often get stressed just thinking about all that needs to get done between now and August. Dan and I are still working on making huge decisions. There is so much we just do not know. Please pray for us as we prepare for yet another move across the world. Pray that God would give us peace both about the things He has revealed to us and those which He is waiting to reveal to us concerning our future. We need patience and peace, so much of it.

One of the most encouraging things over the last month has been your overwhelming support. We received our financial report for the month of March and were just astonished by all of the generosity and care many of you have shown to us. We know that ministry, especially missions, is a partnership. Missions is the work of the church, not individuals. We know that many wish they could go but for many reasons cannot. We wish we could support and send but the Lord in His infinite wisdom has chosen not to bless us in that way. I do believe that God works it out so that everyone is stretched. The goer and the sender both are stretched by God, and we are both reminded of His faithfulness in our different places. He is so good to use us all in His work. I just wanted to stop to thank those who have answered to His call to send. We would not be here, and SO many missionaries would not be where they are, doing what they do if no one was willing to send them.

We have begun counting down the days until our departure. Sometimes with excitement and sometimes with sadness. We have also started to keep track of how much we need and how much we have raised. Please pray with us as we trust in the Lord to provide for us financially. Praise God with us as we watch it come in (look to the right of the posts). So far, we have paid off more than half of our plane tickets!!!

And now for some images of Malawi I know I won't find while back in the States.

Stalks of Maize piled up and ready to be burned.

Corn husks drying on the roof tops

The ants go marching 5 by 5..... we call them army ants as they really are marching in a line. They make a very loud hissing sound as they travel along. So cool and yet kind of scary.

There are so many things I will miss about Malawi, but that is for another post altogether.