we've arrived!

It seems so long ago that we left. That might be just because it was a long time ago that we left.

I left home 56 hours ago, and early this morning, at 1.30am we and the trinity group parted ways. It was a sad good-bye, but yet one filled with so much hope and energy. It was a great time traveling with them on the train.

So here we are, in Chula Vista, a suburb of San Diego, at "First Baptist Church of Chula Vista" (map) awaiting our first main meal time and our activities of service to start.

This morning, in our leadership meeting Rudy shared with the group something he realized on the train, and that our lives are much like being on the train.

Sometimes our train was completely fogged in, and we could not see a thing.
Many times we went through tunnels, and could not see a thing.
Other times, the train jostled us and made us loose balance.

And other times, we were offered short, but yet amazing glimpses of nature. Views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainer, Mt. Hood, the Cascade Mountain passes (where many of the tunnels were), and the coastline of mid-california, where we saw whales, para-chute surfers, & iconic palm tree'd beaches.

Like the fog and tunnels, and being thrown off balance, our lives have limited view's, where answers and solutions seem distant, if any at all. Then at times, we get glimpses of something greater, a victory here, an answer there. Many of us leaders all agreed that the times of darkness and tunnels are prominent, and often.

We shared our struggles with being away from home,
We shared our struggles with not knowing God's plan.

And then, we saw the hope that we all have. That we're here, in this place for the work of the Lord, whether it is within our team, or the people we serve, or both!?

Perhaps some us are in tunnels, or stuck in the fog, perhaps you are as well.

We read this morning in our leadership devotions from 2 Peter 3:8-9...

"With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you."

These 11 days that we're gone, might feel like eternity for some of us, but this passage reminded all of us that we are part of something much bigger and grandeur than we can all imagine - which is all happening within HIS timing, not ours.

Prayer requests:

1. Continued health and sustenance
2. Feelings of away from home, are starting to hit some
3. Thanksgiving that we have arrived safe and sound, (although at the time of writing, we're still waiting for Amanda to arrive via flight).
4. For the Trinity as they continue to travel into Mexico.
5. Continued development of unity and fellowship.

We covet your prayers, and continued support.

Feel free to post comments below, as they will be read for the team as a whole.