Incommunicado...

Today, Jim and I are celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary. And you know where he's taking me? To Rio!!!!!! No, not Rio de Janeiro but Rio Blanco. I know many of you are aware we are going to be leaving this morning to lead a team of 11 people from South Carolina...we're going up to Rio Blanco to spend a week doing construction work, VBS activities and some home outreach. We will be working with the church plant up there. Along with the team, we have 5 translators and a bus driver. None have been to Rio Blanco before and only the team leader has ever traveled out of the country...he has been been here before. For a few, this will be their first mission trip of any kind.
Last night, we drove up to meet the team at their hotel...it is just down the road from the airport. Their plane was delayed by about 1/2 an hour and then there were 4 mission teams who came in on the same flight...I guess customs was a nightmare. The authorities are really putting some of the teams through the paces these days...a result of the political climate here, I'm sure.
Anyway, what that equates to is we didn't get home until almost midnight last night and still had packing to do. So, after about 3 1/2 hours sleep, we're getting ready to head to church and then head on up to the mountains...a 4 - 4 1/2 hour drive. Then we can check in to our luxurious accommodations...a thin mattress on wood slats, thread-bare mismatched sheets and pillows stuffed with rags...we're taking a blanket and our own pillows. Hot water? Not hardly...the water from the hotel is mountain spring-fed and so it is icy cold...including the shower. I can hardly wait...you just have to love a man who comes up with such creative ways to celebrate 12 years of wedded bliss!
We will not be taking our laptop with us, leaving it instead with the Buzbees who are some other missionary friends we have here for safekeeping. As a result, I will not be "blogging" until after we return from R. B. I am going to try to make notes on anything I think might be of interest to you so that I can share those experiences when I am finally able to sit and do this again. We will be back home next Saturday.
We would appreciate your prayers for all of us...the team, the support staff and for us - for health, safety, wisdom, etc. But most of all, I ask that you pray that we would see God's amazing hand at work this week.
Until next time.