So long, farewell.....

Alright friends and loved ones....news: tomorrow my team and I leave our beloved Merida to spend 2 weeks away. Our first week we will be spending in Maracaibo - one of the biggest cities in Venezuela. Maracaibo is home to a majority of our national staff and also home to the national director and his family. The staff from various cities in Venezuela are all coming together in Maracaibo this next week to begin planning for the Congreso Nacional (National Congress, similar to the Northwest Winter Conference) which will be held in March 2008. The name of the conference is Prueba del Fuego (Test of Fire). Maracaibo is supposed to be one of the hottest cities in Venezuela, so it's going to painful for those of us who aren't used to heat and humidity (me!!!). However, after a long week of meetings and planning in the heat and humidity, we are going on vacation! (well, kind of....) Because we aren't studying at the actual university here in Merida, we cannot get students VISAS to stay in the country. Therefore, we are issued a traveler's VISA (only good for three months...) Soooo, that means that every three months, we must travel out of Venezuela, and then return (so as to receive a new VISA). God's providence has allowed our first trip out of the country to be to Aruba!! Wow, I never in my life thought I would end up in Aruba......We will be also traveling with all the American staff (the Venezuelan staff don't need to renew any visas, obviously....) We will be spending a few days in Aruba, mostly relaxing, but also working with the staff and learning new ways of doing ministry.

Anyway, personally I am rather sad to be leaving Merida, as I almost feel as if we've just arrived. I'm sad to be leaving friends, however I know that we will be doing some important work elsewhere and that it's God's will that we leave right now.....One exciting thing (other than going to Aruba, of course) is that we will be spending Thanksgiving (a holiday they don't have here....of course!) with the other American staffers who all desire to hold onto the tradition as we do. Hooray!

We leave tomorrow night at 10:30 (the bus runs all night to get us into Maracaibo early the next day). Please pray for safe travel and simply a blessed and relaxing time in Maracaibo. Due to all this, my internet access will be limited and sparse over the next 2 weeks.....but hopefully I'll have some good pictures for all of you when I get back!

I sent out a November prayer letter a couple days ago, read and enjoy it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of you....Thanks for all your love and prayers :)