Continuing on towards the goal

A post I wrote a couple of weeks ago talked about the waiting game. We were having a hard time connecting with people and things seemed to be moving slowly. Since that time not a lot has happened but we have found out a few things. In regards to the meeting Pastor Richard had planned with the city about the land, he did meet with them. They discussed the land and our vision and a member of the city council will be meeting with him, likely this week, to go out and see the land and talk in more detail about it. Please continue to pray for favor in regrds to the land.

We have also been trying for several weeks to get in touch with the couple that has a well drilling rig somewhere in Tanzania. We found out about this couple through another couple at our church. Their parents know these people that brought a well-drilling rig to Africa to drill wells for needy villages as a missions work. At the time, Shannon and I thought that it was very unlikely this rig would be anywhere near where we needed it, but were surprised to find later that it is in Tanzania. Anyway, our efforts to reach these people had been in vain but we recently found out that it is because they are currently there, in Tanzania, drilling wells right now. They are in a village somewhere near Arusha which is not terribly far from Mwanza. They are supposed to return home in the next week or so, so we will catch them later.

Just this past week, we had a meeting with Wayne and Debra. We discussed in more detail our hopes for the ministry. We talked about the ages of children we would care for(birth and up, we do not want to turn any away), buildings(possibly smaller homes with a widow in each one raising a group of children like a family, or dorm-like settings), timelines, budgets, fundraising and other things. Shannon and I are going to be contacting some ministries we are already aware of and getting suggestions. We are also going to be looking into things like international health insurance for our family and ways we can possibly get some grants to hep with the bulidings.

It amazes me how on a nearly daily basis, Shannon and I are reminded that we are headed in the right direction. Whether it is a bible verse or passage in our daily devotions or bible classes, something someone says in passing, sometimes even from a stranger completely unaware of our plans, a magazine article, a church sermon or radio program or any number of other ways, God just keeps nudging us and our hearts towards the orphans of Africa. We are both so confident that at this point there is no turning back, that neither of us would ever have a peace if we didn't go.

We will continue on towards Mwanza, not sure of the exact timeline but hoping it is soon. We just want it to be God's timeline and His plan, knowing that if it isn't, it will never work out.