Day 34 & 35

Wow – I am getting lazy as we get close to the end of our trip.  Lazy or tired.  I think tired.  Sooooo tired.  So, let me back up to our romantic Valentine’s Day.  The afternoon we spent working on ministry partnership at MAF HQ in the lunch room/chapel.  We then went back to our host’s house for dinner – delicious home cooking, our favorite!  Afterward, I went over to a friend’s house.  Not very romantic, huh?  Ah well…maybe next year in Africa.  That’s ok.  It was pretty much my first time without the kiddos, except the occasional grocery stop, since we’ve been on the road.  And seeing my friend from Alaska was a fun bonus.  We’d stayed at their house at the beginning of the trip, but didn’t think we’d have time to see them the second time.  I’m glad to have had one more chance to visit with her!  And, really, what mom doesn’t think a few hours without the kiddos isn’t a romantic gift, even minus the husband?  Valentine’s Bonus: Matthew had purchased this chicken thing in Santa Fe that I fell in love with immediately upon seeing it and I can’t wait to take it to Africa.  Picture forthcoming, I’m sure…

Yesterday we got up early and headed over to chapel at MAF HQ.  They were having a pilot instructor course this week and so a few of them reported on their mission work in the field.  It was a perfect encouragement for us to be reminded of how important what we are doing really is to the Kingdom of God.  It’s been very easy to forget why we’re going to Kinshasa and why we love the mission of MAF when we’re busy trying to raise support.  So, we were able to sit back and listen and we are once again refreshed and excited to get over there and be a part of a ministry that enables isolated people to get what they need AND hear the gospel.  Or, better yet, SEE the gospel being lived through aviation and technology!

After chapel we met briefly with our ministry partnership coach about our next steps and what it will look like once we’re 100% supported.  We walked around the building saying goodbye to the different departments and went back to our host house.  We spent a while packing up and then hit the road once again for a four hour drive back to Washington – Walla Walla, that is.

We arrived and we are here through Sunday, possibly Monday, staying with friends.  We stayed with them on our stop here the very first night of our road trip.  That day, January 13th, they had signed an agreement on a house.  And today they closed and got the keys!  We were here to help them move and get settled – thankfully the new house is just a few blocks away.  I loved being the one to make the first meal to be eaten there – what an honor!  We were able to get enough of their stuff moved that they are sleeping at the new place while we are here at the old.  And now we are exhausted.

Levi failed to get a nap today, so he was just…done.  Ugh.  I’m done too, of course.  And Matthew.  Tomorrow we will continue with the moving process, get more ministry partnership work done in preparation for the weekend, though we don’t have specific plans yet, and we look forward to what we need to get done once we’re back on the other side of the mountains.

On a practical note, we have sent in the first draft of our next prayer letter and we hope to have it go out early next week.  If you would like to receive this very special letter, please make sure you are on our list!  Send us a quick email at mlind@maf.org if you’re not sure, if you’ve moved, or if you would like to be added.  You can certainly just get an emailed copy!  But hurry – this will probably be our last letter written state-side…our next will be from Africa!

Tomorrow: Friday…three days left