Well, it’s getting pretty real now.  Friday I received my last shot.  This Sunday my church commissioned the four of us for the trip.  That’s quite a moving experience.  Mark is now in Ogallala and will remain here until Wednesday when we take off to spend the night in Denver before our early morning flight on Thursday.

I’ve got most of my things packed.  Everyone else is talking about having a checked bag along with a carry-on.  All those years of motorcycle travel are paying off, as I believe I’ll have everything packed in just one standard carry-on and my shoulder pack.  Then it will just be a matter of discovering what I’ve forgotten, an inevitable occurrence.

One of the more sobering chores was in answer to a request from my wife.  She wanted to talk about what to do if the worst thing occurred.  That required a lot of thought and a bit of writing about the somber subject of a funeral and what to do with my belongings.  It has been quite an exercise and actually something that I would recommend to anyone, whether you are traveling across the world or just headed to work a few blocks away. 

There is nothing like contemplating your own death to make you wonder about the world you will leave behind and whether you have done what you could to make it a better place.  Even more enlightening is to think about your loved ones and considering whether you have loved them as they deserve and as we are commanded.  It hasn’t been so much about beating myself up for my shortcomings, but more about thinking what I can do a better job of in the future.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s unclear as to whether we will have web access while we’re in India.  As such, this may be the last post until I get back to the States.  I want to thank you for all of your prayers and your financial support.  Your continued prayer for the team is vitally important.   Below is a prayer calendar for the team.  In addition to the things listed on the calendar, please pray for the general health and safety of the team.  Pray for our families and loved ones as they deal with our absence.  Above all, pray for the mission, that the team would be effective in sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ and that the hearts and minds of the people we come in contact with would be open to the message.

Prayer Calendar: