Sunday, April 11, 2010

Not Pretty!

So, what does it look like to sort through 39 years worth of accumulation in an attempt to decide what to leave and what to take? The title of this post says it all: NOT PRETTY! As you can see from the pictures nearby, our house is a wreck. Although we wouldn’t describe this part of our journey as “fun”, the process has had some significant benefits.

Giving away and leaving behind stuff that you thought you were attached to is liberating. Some wise man once observed that as much as we think we own our stuff, it also owns us. We have enjoyed the memories of friends and family that have popped up as we sifted through old pictures, books, and things they gave us.

Since our new living quarters will have a little more than half of the space we currently have, the culling process needs to be severe. In addition, the electricity in the Czech Republic is 220 Volts, so nearly all of the appliances, electric tools, and electronics we now own will not work there without a large transformer (a block of metal the size and weight of your car battery). Our thanks to all who have prayed with us through the decision making process about what to take and what to leave; it seems a lot clearer today than when we last wrote.

Our situation regarding our visas is unchanged from last month, but we (actually our MTW teammates in Zlín) have been hard at work gathering official documents. We are still trying to obtain work permits prior to applying for a long term visa. Based on the last correspondence from the MTW team in Zlín, we are very close to getting our official work permits. Afterwards, we must choose the best place at which to submit our visa application. The choices are: submit the application in the U.S. and wait about 90 days until the visa is returned to us, or move to Zlín as soon as we have the work permits and apply at a nearby Czech embassy (either in Austria or Slovakia). Please pray with us and our team for wisdom in deciding which of these courses is wisest for us. There has been some confusion about this due to contradicting information we have received from various government officials.

As most of you know, we had hoped to be on our way to the Czech Republic by now; but God had better plans. Due to the delay in our visa application process, Annette was able to be with her Mom during the recent cancer surgery she had. The reports from the surgery were good, and both Annette and her mother were very thankful they could be together.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and your generous financial support. God has met us above and beyond our wildest dreams and expectations, and that through you. We are blessed beyond measure. Thank you for the joy of serving together.