MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 07-17-2006

Greetings! Just a little FYI to bring everybody up to speed with what we've been up to lately. Last week, we had our meeting in Sioux City, IA (Lighthouse Baptist Church, Pastor John Morris). The whole thing started to feel like a massive conspiracy to keep us from making the trip. You see, last time, we were supposed to travel out there in February, but, as it turned out, that was just days after I buried Kyle. Needless to say, I was in no condition to be cheery or encouraging to anybody. So, we rescheduled for July. Then, as we're heading out there last Saturday, about 40 miles out of town our speedometer zeroed and our transmission started 'acting up'. I pulled it over, called AAA (God bless AAA!), and got it towed back to St. Louis. Then, as we were exiting on to the road leading to the mechanic, one of the rear tires blew out. The tire was decimated. Praise the LORD we weren't driving when it happened. So, we finally got all the stuff with the car squared away, and finished our trip, arriving late in Sioux City Saturday night. What a mess! Fortunately, however, we were able to leave our car with one of 'our' mechanics, and Dad let us borrow their van to make the trip, so it all worked out the best it could under the circumstances. We had a good meeting. Anna's Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Brad were in attendance (they live about an hour from Sioux City), which was pretty cool. God really moved, and I think it's pretty obvious, based on His actions, why there was so much opposition going to this church.

As it turned out, the problem with our van was NOT the transmission (Thank God!), but a $35 speed sensor. What a relief! Our mechanic had it fixed by the time we got home, and I picked it up on Tuesday, and ran over to a little tire place near our house and got another tire for $20. Not too bad, considering the magnitude of the car repair bills we usually have to deal with.

Yesterday, we were in Liberty Hills Baptist church in Liberty, MO (Pastor David Strehlow). It's a church plant off of Tri-City Baptist Church in Kansas City. It's also the sending church of Tony and Kristie Applegate. They were there for the meeting due to their being home for the birth of their son, Elijah, who was born 11 weeks premature (He's doing great. He's up to 3lbs 6oz, and, if all goes well, should be home from the hospital sometime in mid-August.). We had a great time of fellowship with them and the Strehlow's after the services, which went great, and then drove back to St. Louis last night.

Next weekend, Anna and I will be flying down to First Baptist Church of Ocoee in Ocoee, FL. Pastor David Courtney is flying us there, and Anna's parents have graciously offered to keep the kids so we can both go. Wow! I've never had a church offer to fly me anywhere before, and it's been before we had kids since we've been able to go away just the two of us for a weekend. What a blessing! Be in prayer for the Spilger's as they ride herd on our tribe next week. Pray for us as we travel, and that the God will meet with us in the meeting.