Settling In...Kinda.

It has been one week since we moved our family north to Abbotsford. What a journey. When we arrived late one Friday night, we realized the cabinets were bare, and no food was to be found! How much food do you stock in the kitchen when you are only in a place for under 4 months? How many spices do you buy? Garbage bags? Boxes of cereal? Frozen vegetables? The list goes on.

Then there has been getting the kids set up for school. Daily lunches for all three (plus Melissa and I), emergency disaster kits (seems like a good idea California....), and uniforms. A Canadian English/French dictionary for Mikaela....hmmm.

We got to hit the local MCC Sale yesterday evening, and enjoyed some great food. We saw tons of wild blackberries on the side of the road going to the sale, so figured today would be a great chance to find some of our own. We headed northeast from town, and ended up in the local park for the historic community of Clayburn (www.clayburnvillage.com). There were trails and the perimeter of the park which were full of blackberry brambles, and enough berries for a pie. Several times the kids yelled "I'm stuck!" as the branches reached out to grab them. Pretty amazing we didn't really have any major injuries!







We continue to be challenged by what it means to enter missions service. In theory, this move was to be easy, or at least pretty easy. So we are moving to a place where everyone speaks English, and you can pretty much shop and act as you do in the States (other than you have to drive a lot slower in school zones or the policewoman will stop you and give you a stern warning...). But in retrospect, this has been something big, and is the beginning of something bigger. Are we ready for this? No, and God seems to be teaching both Melissa and I that this is true. This is a full 180 degree turn from my former life, integrating work, church, and personal life into one big pot. Melissa has shifted from a stay-at-home mom to joining us all as we leave in the morning for school. We all will have homework soon, and the rain will likely keep us indoors a lot more. It is a shift in lifestyle, thinking, daily routines, and so much more.

So why do this???!!!???? There are days where that question does come to both our minds. But then you read stories about guys like Jim Elliot, a missionary to the Auca people in the Equadorian jungle. I am reading a story by his wife for our training. The sacrifice of his life led to a relationship by his wife and others with these villages that is amazing. Am I ready for that kind of sacrifice? Not sure yet, but I think that God, slowly and methodically, is teaching both of us to trust Him more fully, to see that in our weakness He is strong, and that He has our back.

The many emails from you all this past week were precious. Please continue to lift us up in prayer, for we desire to experience and absorb ALL God has for us in these months in Canada. May He also encourage you to experience what He has in store for you as well.

Lowell