Uniquely Singapore

It was only two weeks ago that I was sitting in Panera Bread in Winston-Salem, NC frustrated about not being able to get the wi-fi to connect, and unable to check email or use skype and just being tired and frustrated with not being able to get done all I had wanted to get done.

I had to take a deep breathe.

And stop a minute.

And wait.

I was in NC to visit my mom, my brother and sister in law to see their new baby and to do some work on his house. He is buying it from my mom and, though it is very nice, it does need some work. And he and his wife with a new baby and their jobs and such don’t have much time to devote to it yet. It was a crazy few days with the usual difficulties you find in fixing stuff…having the right tools, the right supplies and the right knowledge, but between us and with the help of a Lowe’s coupon we were able to get a lot of what we wanted done. And while there is much work to do yet (isn’t there always more to do with a house?) we did make some noticeable progress. Which is nice.

Often in life progress can’t be seen or held in your hand or diagramed on charts.

After getting back to Ohio, my other brother and is wife came for  a visit, which is always awesome, and though I was busy getting ready to leave we were able to have a good time together with my grandmother, and get some things done at her place as well.

Last Sunday night I spoke at my home church, Grace Baptist, and Monday was spent making last minute preparations to leave…

Tuesday morning there was so much more I wanted to get done…..but isn’t there always?

My sweet Grandmother, who has been such a blessing to me…especially the last several months, dropped me at the airport in Columbus and I was off…I won’t see her or the rest of my family until September at the earliest.

My first stop was an overnight in Chicago, where I as able to visit Moody Bible Institute and catch up with some of Helen and my friends from past Discovery Trips. We weren’t able to spend a lot of time together due to my flight schedule and the craziness of the end of the school semester for them. It was such a blessing to see them and to meet a few of people coming on the trip this summer.

Next I overnighted in LA and was able to visit with another friend from Discovery who became friends us last summer. It is so incredible to hear how God is working in her life and in the lives of the other friends from trips past.

Then it was off to Singapore.  Helen is meeting me here later today and we are going to take a few days to catch our breathe before gong to Jakarta and finishing all the wedding preparations and continuing preparing for Discovery 2008.

Thankfully, a friend of Helen’s has offered to let her stay with her and a friend of Helen’s who works with W. Singapore has found a free place for me to stay. So our only costs this week will be food and train fare, which are both very inexpensive here.

Please pray for us this week that we can have a refreshing time together before diving into the busyness of Jakarta and all the preparations. 

I’ll be sending out another update about this summer’s trip soon…but for now let me share some praises and requests:

Praise:

Safe travel so far and luggage making it to Singapore

Financial support from church and friends

Good visits with family and friends before leaving

Housing in Singapore provided

Prayer

Preparations for Discovery

Scheduling, Housing and Permission for Travel

Pak George’s treatments and strength

Travel for all the Participants

Thanks so much to all for you support and prayers…it means so much to us,

Dave, and for Helen Maria