God dropped one on us

and This week started out as recent weeks have:

Trying to get all of our 2011 receipts ready to make our IRS return - ugh!

Doing some fun bookkeeping of last summer's trip to Congo

Sorting of clothes, food, and other goods that we will take to Congo on Feb 1

Preparing to teach Obadiah to the ladies at Ntshiangobo up the hill, many of whom have graduated from our Women's Literacy Center and after being under the leadership of the late Pastor Kilundu and now Pastor Kilasi an his wife (who is now attending LBI), are ready for some verse by verse study

Preparing to teach Haggai to the new students of Laban Bible Institute and the Women's Literacy School at Mbila.  These studies must be translated into Kituba, which is tedious for me.

Making phone calls to see who is coming to our Send Off Dinner in Michigan on Jan 24

Writing letters to inform our supporters what we'll be up to in Congo

Getting a newsletter written, printed, and sent out

Getting a special form letter of invitation to the Send Off Dinner

Translating new songs from English to Kituba with Jim and our daughter Nicol

Family time

And. . . squeezing in fun luncheons and dinners with new friends

Well, in the middle of all this deliciousness, our son-in-law, Rob, comes downstairs (we live in the lower level of their home) and says. . .

"I want to go to Congo."

What?  Amazing!

Even more amazing is that in the last week, more than half of what he will need to make the trip has come in.

We have prayed for Rob to be able to go for years!

And this week, God just dumped that one into our lap.

He is a civil engineer, which means he can look over water potential, including where we might put wells, survey waste water needs for the clinic we began to build, appraise all buildings on the mission, including the houses Dr. Smith built, as well as the ones for our pastors, Laban Bible Institute, Radio Glory, etc.

It's almost like God snuck this one up on us.  I say this with all due respect!

What a wonderful surprise.

We leave in just 17 days!  Yikes!!

Here's what I am asking you to do. . .

PRAY.  PRAY.  PRAY.

Rob still needs his visa.

We still need our new passports and transferred permanent visas which must be taken from our expired passports and transferred to our new passports--all this done in Congo.  Please pray for them to return to us soon!  Someone is going to the designated office everyday to check on their status.

Rob still needs money to make the trip.

These are 3 very important prayer concerns right this minute.  

Your prayers avail much.

PRAY, PLEASE!