Whataweek!

What a week we have had! We spent a night and day in Houston and visited former dorm parents Bob and Carol Snell and friends Jeff and Chelsea Swenson. Its been such a long time since I'd seen them. It was great to connect and share what God's been doing in our lives since we were in high school.

Something I realized while I was there, was how focused we have been in trying to get people excited about missions. For 8 months now we have been traveling and promoting the cause of Christ in foreign missions. Alaina and I are burning out. We need some people that would commit to loving and caring for us while we do

this work. Carol heads up an amazing ministry that provides support for missionaries from their church. Groups called Barnabas Groups are organized to care and support missionary

families. Not just for communication with the home church, but to really care for their spiritual and emotional health on the field. The group provides a caring community from a home team that is cheering them on. The tendency for missionaries over seas is to become discouraged in what their doing and feel the have no one who cares for them personally. This ministry seeks to encourage them as well as keep them

accountable. After listening to her explain how it all worked we immediately wanted to share the idea with Fellowship Bible Church, our church in Jackson, TN. Pray that the right group of people would commit in being our Barnabas Group.

Last Sunday we spoke at one of the oldest churches in Texas, Independence Baptist Church

where Sam Houston the founder of Texas found the Lord. Pretty neat story how all that happened. It was great connecting with some friends of Alaina's from Venezuela days!

Since it was Alaina's Birthday the 28th we moved on up to Ft. Worth and spent some time with her family. But of course we had to stop at the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, TX.

We had to be in Jackson, TN for church on Sunday since we were being commissioned by the church there. Unfortunately ice and snow covered over half of the way there between Ft. Worth and Jackson, so we went to Meridian, MS on Friday and drove up today (Saturday) to be here in time for tomorrow's service. God has protected us on this trip so far, but I sometimes wonder what He's up to. For example the moment we arrived in Jackson, we were informed that church was canceled for Sunday. Therefore we aren't sure why we rushed over here so quickly. Oh well. He knows what He's doing. Hopefully we will be able to connect with some friends and perhaps return next week for the commissioning service.

Thank you all for your prayers. We need them. Some days Alaina and I are reminded of how difficult it is to live all over the place. Because we are not in one place we so often feel alone and separated from any community. Emails are so encouraging, calls would be GREAT! Lord willing we will be in Ecuador before the end of February. We are still waiting for Visa work and last minute paperwork. May He bless and keep you.

-Loren (and Alaina)