Getting Ready to Go to Asia!

***I am editing this post to add links too all the Asia posts that I did, so that whenever I mention it in the blog, they are all linked up together.
      This post is the first, and the links will be at the end of this post!***


Tomorrow morning we board a flight (actually several) to take us to the other side of the planet.  We are excited and nervous and sort of ready to just get the show on the road.  We are going to visit some dear friends who live there with their two young boys.  We have been preparing for quite a while now, and it is wild to think that tomorrow at this time, we will be winging our way there.  Here is a peek at our preparations from a couple of months ago - we had to get photos made for our visas with John standing  behind the white screen holding up each girl, which was sort of a funny sight to behold.




Our bags are all packed - we could have left this morning if we had needed to.  There are a few last minute things around the house that need to be finished, but there is time for those.  John told me that he would be fine as long as nothing big came up.  Then, he called yesterday to tell me, "Something big came up."  Isn't that how it goes?  The Department of Labor is auditing our business, and it needed to be turned in while we were gone.  Thankfully, after talking to them, it doesn't involve too incredibly much, but that is certainly not what John thought he would be doing on his last day at work for a while.
      As we talked last night, we realized all over again that God has uniquely equipped us to be able to serve in this way, by taking this trip, at this time.  There really is something amazing to be able to say that we believe and are trusting the Lord that this is what he has for us right now.  There is a lot of peace to be found in that as well.
      So, I don't know how much I will be able to update this here blog, but if you think of us, please pray for our time away.  Here are some specific prayer requests that we have:

-  For Safe and Smooth Travel 

-  For Health, especially the girls, especially Bella who could not get the Typhoid shot and is most likely to put stupid stuff in her mouth.

-  For Sleep, it is an 11 hour time difference.  So between travel and jet lag and little friends, we are thinking sleep may be at a premium.

-  For Happy-ish Campers.  We will be there during hot season, which, apparently is no joke.  Please pray with us that the conditions don't irritate the girls (or us) too much.

-  That we may be a true encouragement.  We hope to be able to really lift up the family we are visiting.  We are hoping and praying that somehow God will use us to refresh their spirits.

-  For the people they minister to, whom we will get to meet.  We will be traveling upcountry to see their work, and we hope to be able to shine Christ's light to the people we encounter.

-  For the things we have no idea we should be praying for yet.

-  That God will be glorified in our lives as we seek to serve him.  I'm thankful that he goes before and behind us, hemming us in.  (Psalm 139:5)

So - Asia, ready or not, here we come!

***Updated with links from each post about the trip.

Asia: Travel Over
Asia Adventure: Bangkok
Asia Adventure: Thai Beach Trip
Asia Adventure: Time in Yangon, Myanmar
Asia Adventure: Heading Upcountry
Asia Adventure: Trip to the Village
Asia Adventure: Trip to Inlay Lake
Nitty Gritty
Reflections at the Glass Factory