The night before the big trip.

As grandma lies next to Ben here in the trailer and reads Ben a bedtime story, I feel the beginnings of peace begin to settle in. I think every time folks get ready to go on a long trip, you get to that point where you say "if it isn't done/packed/washed/remembered by now, then it will just have to be ok until we get back. I think I'm about there. (info: it is 10pm on the night before we leave). I've done the big important things that you're supposed to do before leaving the country (esp. without your kids). We've written innumerable emails, and lists for people to "tend" to while we are gone. If you are the recipient of one of these emails - thank you so much for any and all help offered while we are gone!
The car has broken down (we were able to get the parts ordered so that it should be fixed when we get back). The cat appears to (please don't ask me to elaborate on the word "appears" here) have a bladder infection (thank God we have a true pet lover as a friend who will be able to help take care of that while we are gone). On the one hand, these are just funny and mostly inconvenient things that happen to people when they are trying to get ready to go on a long trip. Most of you reading this have experienced it, and more, I'm sure. On the other hand, it is easy to see the work of the devil here, trying to frustrate our plans to go to Honduras to do missions work. We have a lot to learn in this area, but I suppose that any missionary types reading this will recognize it for what it is: a challenge of our faith. We learning recognize God in the midst of all of these circumstances, emphasis on the "learning" part of all of this.
Our itinerary for tomorrow:
Fly out of Gulfport at 7:15am, connect in Atlanta and then on to San Pedro Sula (Honduras). We will then take a bus from SPS to La Ceiba and then will be picked up by some missionaries from the hospital and taken back to the hospital (about an hour and half away form La Ceiba). All in all, it should take us about 13-14 hours from start to finish.
I will try and post something on this blog daily about our trip. Tomorrow will probably be the hardest day to get something posted. It may be Tuesday before you hear from us.
I can't tell you what a blessing it has been to receive the warm wishes and prayers from our friends as we begin this new journey. I look forward to discovering Christ together in the these next weeks.