Monday, October 17, 2005

The Journey begins.........

I experienced for the first time a new feeling yesterday. As we were packing to leave for seven months, I suddenly realized that we weren't coming home in a couple of weeks! And then it hit me: we should have started packing earlier! I think we have most of what we will need or that we could get in our four suitcases, but it also struck me that we were leaving behind 99% of our material possessions. That is a good feeling in a weird sort of way and scary in another.

I do not know exactly what God has in mind for us in Cambodia, but I have a wonderful secure feeling that HE knows and it is going to be special. Someone said last week at the World Mission Workshop that he would work in a certain mission as long as the Lord "lets" him, not as long as He "needs" him to. It is a privilege to serve God, not a duty or an obligation. I feel we are the most blessed people on earth!

We just finished seeing a homemade DVD made by our fellow servants Carlos and Maribel Precido. We have only known them for one month but it seems like much longer. This special couple has been living in HSV and worshipping with our church family. They will leave in two weeks to begin their church planning project in Miami. This couple is on fire for the Lord! Carlos spoke to us last Sunday morning and delivered a powerful sermon about fixing your eyes upon Jesus. He told inspiring stories how God has worked in their lives and challenged us to trust God when the wind and the waves seem so frightening. They worked hours to make this DVD
showing many of our closest Brothers and Sisters in Christ saying good-bye. We sat with tears streaming down our faces as our friends, family, and especially our children said such wonderful encouraging things to us. We will cherish this video for the months to come as we miss all of you so much.

Well, we will be landing in Taipei, Taiwan in less than one hour. We have been traveling for 21 hours now. We will land and have a short layover then we will begin our last leg to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Thanks be to God for his bountiful blessings and loving care. We also thank each of you for your love and prayers.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dearest Rick and Gail :

We are very excited to hear from you. Jim was very sorry he missed your call yesterday. He said that Charlotte and he were downstairs and didn't hear it.
We missed you very much as all the Church in the Village. This Sunday Jim and Marlon started the spanish class. It was a good first class. We had twelve people attend including us, but next week we hope to double in number because many of Marlon's relatives will come. They couln't come this last time.
We missed you for the fiesta night last Wednesday. We started cooking at 8 a.m. and finished at 3:30 p.m. RoseMary Hall decorated beautifully the dinning hall, and we Had Roland, Hajera, Becky, helping us cutting everything. Charlotte helped us a lot by washing everything that was being used. Also many of the ladies brought cakes mmmmm. Deloris, Linda Jones, Becky, Julia, helped us served. There were over 150 members here that day. Gerald said it was the biggest turn out they had for a Wednesday night. We cooked for about 350, but everybody almost came for seconds. There was nothing left.
Our boys from Florida are comming to visit us this Thursday. We will take them Friday to Harding so that they can check the U out. WE plan to leave the Village if God permits November 1st. We are excited and sad, We are sure you understand.
Well remember we love you and pray for you always.
Carlos and Maribel Preciado
Ephesians 1:6

4:22 PM  

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