MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 08-27-2005

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Greetings! Just a quick update to let everyone know what's going on. Our trip to North Carolina and back went very well. Anna weathered it just fine, so thanks for praying for her. We had a great service and a wonderful time of fellowship with the Churchills. Charles (the younger) is a friend of mine from a while back, and it was good to get to visit with him and his wife, Susan, and Gavin, their cute little boy. Best news of all, the church voted to take us on for support on the spot! Can you believe it? I've never had a church do that before. What a blessing!

The meeting in Festus had to be bumped to Wednesday due to some last minute re-scheduling, but it went very well nonetheless. Bro. Himes has a great church and it was a blessing to get to visit with him and his family.

We've been resting up from our many meetings this summer, and frankly, enjoying the break. The next big event, of course, is the pending birth of our son, Gaelin Joseph Huckabee. He could come at any time. Unlike the others, this one seems inclined to be born. He has remained head-down, and is well engaged in the birth canal (unlike Ethan and Elizabeth, who kept flipping breech and stalling labor). Anna has been having sort of pre-labor off and on, but nothing regular, so no, she's not having the baby right now. However, the critter could come at any time, and seems highly motivated to do so, to his poor mother's great discomfort. It would be nice if he showed up sooner rather than later, so we're hoping the first week of September will be the time of his nativity. Pray that all will go well, and that Anna will be able to begin and maintain labor naturally, that labor will progress (once it starts), and that the birth will go smoothly, with no harm to either mother or baby.

We have a meeting in Belleville, IL on Sunday (Calvary Baptist Church, Pastor Gary Huffman), so pray for that, that all will go well, and that we'll be used of God to be a blessing to the folks there. After that, the next big piece of news will be the birth of our child, and don't worry, I will keep you posted, and will send out pictures as soon as I have them. We have no meetings in September until our church's Missions Conference at the end of the month, so Anna can have the baby, and get a chance to rest. This will give all of us a break, and a chance to come together as a family with the addition of a new child to the mix. Also, it will give our church a chance to see us, who have not in a long while with all our travels.

Pray for our finances this next month. We're still a bit behind from all the travelling we've done recently, and the support is still not there to cover everything well (tho', it's rising!). Pray that it will come up in the next month or so to get us back on our feet as the year winds down. Pray that we'll be able to cover our bills this month, and get everything back on track where it needs to be. No meetings for a few weeks, and low support could combine to create financial stress (more than usual), so pray that we'll be able to cover everything. Just so you know, when we came home from Montana, we were completely overwhelmed with bills, and within a few days, we saw God move mightily to meet all those bills (the van in particular), so your prayers are definitely being answered. Please keep it up. We're missionaries, and we live on prayer! Also, and I know you probably already are, but pray that our government will find a way to lower gas prices soon. It's been a real killer for us, as it no doubt has been for you. Our greatest months are coming, with some significant conferences and meetings as we wrap up the year. Pray for them and all of the churches we've visited, and for us, as we continue to pursue the mission field and God's will in Uganda.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 08-09-2005

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Greetings! It is done. I have finally satisfied all the rigamarole that Missouri requires in order to license a vehicle to drive. That was my whole day Monday, pretty much. It had to be done though, because we were a day away from the 30 day time limit the state gives you to register your vehicle, on account of we were in Montana and South Dakota for three weeks, and couldn’t get our van from Mission Auto until we got back (that was my whole day on Saturday). We put the plates from our deceased van on this vehicle, which was fitting I thought for it’s replacement. What a blessing it is! It has dual air, so the kids get all the climate control they need (nice on these 100 degree days we’ve been having lately). It has this nifty trip computer that lets you know how many miles you have left on a tank of gas, handy for deciding when to get gas when you’re out and about in rural Missouri and elsewhere, in addition to compass and external temperature readout. It gets 25 miles to the gallon on the highway (very nice), and has front-wheel drive, so as to be more nimble in the snow and ice when we find ourselves having to drive in it (which will be rarely if I can help it). It rides very smooth, and is extremely quiet (nice to be able to converse with my family now). Most importantly is the amount of room they give you in back for luggage, and elsewhere for passengers. We can easily get all our stuff back there, along with our sundry mission-related paraphernalia. I think they must have hired some Time Lords to help with the engineering on that one. All in all, it is an extremely versatile, comfortable, and spacious vehicle that is going to make our deputation a lot easier and more efficient. For all of you who prayed and contributed to this great need, thank you. You have helped us tremendously, and more than I can really express in words. You see, our van is paid for now entirely. God provided all the money we needed to pay for the taxes on Monday to register it, and then today, in the mail, we received a check for $1500!! This is the final culmination of seven months of prayer, need, and struggle, and now, at last, we have had our need met in full measure. What a great and generous God we serve, who has indeed supplied all our need.

Here are some pictures of what your prayer and sacrifice have accomplished:

Car 01

Car 02

Car 03

Our meeting in Jefferson City, at Old Paths Baptist Church (Pastor Alan Golden) went well. I showed our slides and presented the work in Sunday School, and preached during the morning service. Many people responded, and God blessed. Pray that they’ll be able to be a mighty influence in Jefferson City, our state’s capitol.

We’re driving out to North Carolina on Friday for a meeting in 5 Forks Baptist Church (Pastor Charles Churchill). Bro. Churchill is father to an old friend of mine, so we’re looking forward to being with them on Sunday. Pray for Anna on this drive, that it won’t adversely affect her or Gaelin. This is cutting it close, but it is the last long distance trip until after the baby is born. We’ll be finishing up August with meetings that are very close to home (within an hour’s drive), and then nothing until the end of September, when we’ll be in our home church’s missions conference. Pray that I’ll be able to get our schedule full for next year. Pray that our support will increase by the end of the year so we can be in better shape financially for the travelling we’ll be doing next year. Pray that God will supply the funds for me to be able to buy a laptop computer soon, so I can stay on top of our correspondence, and work on my language study while on the road. Pray for the birth, that it will go smoothly, and without harm to mother or baby, and with no complications.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 08-04-2005

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Howdy, all! We're home. The drive home, other than the fatigue and the weary kids, went without a hitch, so thanks for praying for us. I'll be heading to Indy on Saturday to pick up the other van, so pray about that. We have paid the first of two payments on the remainder that we owe Mission Auto, thanks to God's provision with a $1000 gift we received last month. The final payment of $1280 is coming up on August 14, and I've got to register the vehicle by August 9 (another $365 in sales tax) so pray about that also. Anna and the kids weathered the trip very well, and thank you for praying for them. Pray that the lady who's buying our van would get her title for her other vehicle soon, so she can sell it and get us the money for our old van, which she's buying from us, cause we really need the funds right now. Pray for our finances, which are very tight at the moment. Our trip west went very well, and the churches out there took good care of us, but gas is just really, really expensive, and there's just no getting around it. I can't even imagine how missionaries handle it in countries where they pay twice what we do at the pump, or more. Gas gobbled up much of the love offerings we received, and the support just isn't there yet to pay our monthly bills properly so we can use love offerings for travel expenses like we need to. I know I bring up finances a lot, but that's our biggest need currently, and I figured folks would like to pray about it. As a missionary, it puts a lot of pressure on you, and makes it hard to make the trips you need to make to get the support you need to get to the field, so it's kind of a Catch-22. Should I use the love offerings to pay for travel expenses so I can travel to churches and get support, or pay my bills on time, but have nothing left with which to travel, to raise support, to pay my bills? You see? It's a vicious cycle. At the risk of being accused of begging, I thought I'd tell you what's really going on, so you could pray more effectively for us. Frankly, I feel better knowing that people know our needs and are praying about them.

We'll be in Old Paths Baptist Church in Jefferson City, MO (Pastor Alan Golden) on Sunday. Pray for our meeting, that we'll be a blessing to folks, encourage the Pastor, and be used of God to call more laborers to His harvest field. Pray for the trip to North Carolina that's coming up the week after, that Anna will be able to endure it without harm (she'd like to go, but it's getting down to the wire on the pregnancy). Everything after that is close, and we have no meetings in early September, in anticipation of the birth. Pray that the funds will be there to get us to the East Coast and back. I've got lots of phone calling to get done this month and the next, so pray that I'll be able to get in touch with Pastors, and that I'll be able to fill up the first six months of next year entirely, and all of 2006 by year's end. Pray that God will lead us to the churches where He wants us, and that He will lead them to partner with us financially to get us to the field.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 08-01-2005

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Greetings from South Dakota, once again. We're back in Rapid City for the night, and on our way back to St. Louis. Our trip to Yellowstone went great. The weather was perfect, and we got lots of great pictures, some of which I'll get up on the website as soon as I get a chance. It was without a doubt one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It was my first time, and the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition. Our meeting in Missoula, MT went great (Lighthouse Baptist Church, Pastor Tommy Lemmons). I showed the slides and gave our testimony, and God blessed. I went on outreach with them on Thursday night, and we got to witness for a while to a guy named Lance. Lance is very confused, about many things, so pray for Lance that he'll show up to church, and hear the gospel again, that he'll have understanding, and get saved.

We went to Florence Baptist Church next (Pastor Tim Johnson) in Florence, MT. They put us up in their prophet's chamber for a few days. It was most restful. Necessary, too, because we were running out of clean clothes, and were able to use their laundry facilities. As it turned out, they were having a Men's Prayer Breakfast on Saturday morning, so I was able to be there for that, and helped with some work projects afterward. Our meeting Sunday morning went very well, and then it was off to Great Falls, MT that afternoon. We had a meeting in Fairview Baptist Church (Pastor Richard Dion). He was out of town for a Sword of the Lord Conference, but we had a great meeting, and a great time of fellowship with his Associate Pastor Marc Elledge.

We were up bright and early this morning, and made the drive all the way from Great Falls, MT to Rapid City, SD. Tomorrow, we'll continue all the way across South Dakota to Council Bluffs, IA, and on Wednesday, at last, we'll drive back to St. Louis, MO. Whew! It has been a great trip, and we have greatly enjoyed our Grand Western Tour, so much so that we're thinking of making another trip out this way next year, but we're mighty tired and looking forward to sleeping in our own beds.

Pray for the trip home, that all will go well. God has provided all but $1000 for the new van (Praise the LORD). Thank you, everyone, who has prayed, and given. Pray that the remainder will come in by the second August 14 deadline to finish paying for it. Also, if you would, pray that God will provide the money (approximately $1500) to get a good laptop computer. We're at the point now where we're really starting to need one. That's the reason I haven't sent out an update before now, because I haven't had access to a computer before this. If I had a laptop, it would make it a lot easier to keep in communication with everyone, as well as helping me with my computerized language studies on the road.

As always, it is a tremendous pleasure to serve the LORD.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 07-25-2005

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Greetings from Billings, MT. We had our meeting in Grace Baptist Church (Pastor Richard Miller) yesterday. Everything went great. The preaching services went well, and folks were encouraged. A new family visited Sunday morning, so be in prayer about that as they ponder church membership (they need some more families to join the church).

We will be with the Millers until Wednesday morning, when we'll be heading to Missoula, MT for a meeting in Light House Baptist Church (Pastor Tommy Lemmons). Tomorrow we'll be driving down to Yellowstone, so we're looking forward to that.

Things are going great here. Continue to be in prayer for us as we drive, that things will continue to go well with the van we're using so I can get that back to Mission Auto without incident. Pray that the lady who's buying our van will get her other car sold soon (she's waiting on a "quick" title) so she can buy our old van (we need the money to pay for our new van), and pray that the remainder ($1700) will show up by Aug. 14, so we can pay Mission Auto on time as promised. Pray for our remaining three meetings, that we will be a blessing, and that God will move them to support us financially.