Eve of our Departure

Tomorrow we will rise at 4 a.m. and leave approximately 1/2 hour for the airport. The kind neighbor across the street has offered to take all of our 19 trunks (including a lawn mower & 4 trunks of solar radios) in his trailer, which Jim is at this minute loading with the packed, sealed, addressed, spotty spray painted, 50 lb plastic tubs.

It has been stressful and draining to restrain ourselves from buying even what we could really use in Congo as well as actually unwrapping it (to reduce weight), packing each item in a zip lock bag if it is something that could spill, and weighing it so as not to exceed the allotted measly 50 lb. limit per piece of checked baggage. Money for supplies is tight and also shipping each trunk has become very expensive. If we can go with some of the many things we need once we get to Africa, we prefer doing that. But that may mean up to more than 30 trunks. That's a no no this year. We are doing half of that this year. Hooray for restraint!

As with many ministry organizations, Laban Ministries International has been hard hit over the past two years, especially. This resulted in making staff cuts, paring down expenses here, thinking about every potential expense before making it one, and taking pay cuts ourselves. Despite the fact that we have had less to work with, we are current in overseas salaries, have no credit card balances, owe no one anything (except to love them), and continue to see God provide as He has since the inception of this work in 1938.

The little book of Philippians tells us to rejoice 16 times. It's not an option or a suggestion. It is a command. Furthermore, Paul goes on to say that reminding his audience repeatedly to rejoice is not something that he tires of doing. He says that for them it is safe. In other words, it is like a safety net around them that keeps them in line, stabilizes them, and produces an even keel in the hectic lives they lived, even way back when. They need no longer focus on what they don't have but on the one whose every gift or lack thereof is good and perfect.

So, I thank you Lord that we are taking less this year. That means less stress in buying, less stress in packing, less money outlay for shipping, less keeping track of, and a lot of other lesses. Thank you for less, Lord. Less is really more.