Arrival at our new base!
Whew! I can think of few things that compare with an international move. This seems to be particularly true when you are moving and maintaining your ministry responsibilities both at the same time. I am so grateful to Lynne who did so much of the sorting of some things we’ve had in our lives over our 30+ years of marriage. Most of all she coordinated and substantially ran our three garage sales and the sale of so many of our furniture and appliance sales. They were all major tasks and God upheld her although there were some pretty rough days. Thank you so much, Lynne!
The date we’ll remember for a long time was May 12! We arrived in Indianapolis, however, not together. My travel privileges are still in force with Continental Airlines so we travel on a stand-by basis. Our flight from Houston to Indianapolis only had one seat available so Lynne went because Katie was waiting on us. I came in later that day and Lynne’s brother met me in a pick-up truck because we had 6 pieces of luggage. Katie and Lynne had already proceeded to Huntington, IN and I caught up with them that evening.
It seems like a lot of time has passed since the first two weeks and those weeks were jam packed! Here’s a synopsis:
May 13: Returned to IND to pick up freight, truck developed a $1,700 oil pump problem. Engine had to be removed from the truck to get to the oil pump. (Unexpected moving expense)
May 14: Moved Bryce out of the dorm and into Grandma's house
May 15: Purchased a car. We got a 2000 Buick LeSabre, great shape. Took written driver's exam for a license.
May 16: Church with Katie & Bryce. Shopped for a bed in the afternoon.
May 17: Moved Katie and roommates from one rental house to another. Cleaned the basement of the new rental house. Someone had been using the dryer without a vent. Lint covered the walls and floor joists. What a mess!
May 18: Got auto insurance, driver's license, and transfered car title into my name. Continued moving things for Katie and her roommates.
May 19: Drove to IND and got bumped on 3 flights and spent the night in a hotel in an attempt to get to Ft. Myers, FL to drive my parents to Indiana for the summer.
May 20: Arrived in Ft. Myers around noon, got to my parent's home and began the necessary things to close up their home for 3 to 4 months.
May 21: Left my parent's home at 7:30A and drove until 8:30P. Made it across the GA/TN state line and stayed in a hotel in southern TN.
May 22: On the road again around 8A and got into New Castle, IN about 4P. Got into our car and drove to Huntington and got there at 6:15P.
May 23: Church with Katie & Bryce, team softball practice at 1P. I'm the only 'seniors' representative on the team. I'm the only player that qualifies for AARP!
May 24: Settling into more office hours. Yard work, only 2.6 acres
May 25: More office hours. Evening double-header softball games.
We are graciously being hosted by Lynne’s mom while we get our feet on the ground. Lynne is now the secretary for the Student Development Office at Huntington University. Praise the Lord for this provision!
Wonderful friends of ours, Michael and Trish Pinckert in the Houston area, hosted a housewarming gathering for us in their home on June 5. About 30 of our friends and supporters came and we had a great time of catching up. Lynne and I had the opportunity to bring everyone up-to-date in person, give more details on our return from Honduras, and make a presentation on WGO (World Gospel Outreach).
As I explained to our friends in the Houston area, I am still a missionary, albeit, a stateside missionary. The ministry is still not strong enough financially to provide me with a salary and I have no indication from the Lord that I have been spiritually released from his original call on my life. I have served WGO now for over 16 years and have grown every year to believe more and more in its vision and will continue to spend 25% of my time in Honduras. (My first trip back was June 21.) The remainder will be done from a home office utilizing the internet and phone. I don’t make this statement to be boastful but the ministry still needs my talents, abilities, and the knowledge I have gained with and through it these past 16 years. It is my heartfelt desire to continue with WGO as a self-supported missionary. I believe that God will continue to use me in even greater ways in this ministry in the years to come.
If you are not currently a part of our support team, may I ask you again to consider some level of financial support for me and my family? Some believe that if they cannot give enough to ‘make a difference’ their support doesn’t help. I can tell you from personal experience that even the smallest amount DOES ‘make a difference’. If everyone believed this and gave their small amount, we would have been much closer to reaching our approved monthly budget the past two years. Believe me, no amount is too small.
Now that we’re stateside, it is our hope to be able to visit with many of you that we have not seen for far too long. Although we’re in Indiana, we haven’t seen many of our Indiana supporters yet. We’ll eventually feel as though our feet have hit the ground.
New phone numbers: Steve – 260-366-3480; Lynne – 260-366-3488
Please give us a call at your convenience!
Thank you all so very much for all your prayers in our behalf, your friendship, and your spiritual, emotional, and financial support!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Big News
Why are we moving? If you received the newsletter of April last year, you will remember that we were granted a sabbatical by the Board of Directors of WGO to receive biblical counseling through a ministry in Ft. Wayne, IN. Lynne has been struggling with bouts of depression, and it became more debilitating in November, 2007. The counseling pointed out how transient Lynne’s life has been and how she longed for geographic and relational stability. A local doctor also diagnosed her with subclinical hypothyroidism, which can also cause depression. For that reason, we have decided to move back to Huntington, Indiana, to be near Lynne’s family. Although it means significant changes for both of us, I (Steve) realize how much Lynne has sacrificed these past years. It is now my turn to invest in Lynne’s peace and happiness.
As the Chief Financial Officer for WGO, I am currently working on what I believe is the most significant project I can accomplish for the ministry. WGO contracted with an independent financial auditing firm in the fall and our first annual audit is underway. The audit should be complete by the end of May and upon the receipt of a favorable report from the auditing firm, application will be made to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Membership in ECFA indicates that the ministry has met the highest standards of compliance with accounting procedures and moral, ethical, and spiritual conduct.
As for our personal support, 2009 was a difficult one, as it was for many of you. Our approved budget was only met for three months, leaving us a 25% deficit for the year. Staying with WGO means we will continue to raise support for our living expenses which will be higher due to added expenses of living in the States, such as federal and state income taxes and insurance. The transition to the U.S. will also be more challenging than the transition to Honduras. Shipping costs are more expensive going to the North, so we are selling almost all our personal belongings. We will be starting over again.
Please be in prayer for us during this time. We have no doubt that God will meet all our needs as we face each challenge. Pray that God would provide housing, financial support, and physical strength during this transition.
If you sense God asking you to be a part of our ministry and the blessings that will follow, please send your financial gift to: World Gospel Outreach, P.O. Box 14348, Humble, TX 77347 Attn: Razor Family Fund.
Our desire is to keep you informed by updating our contact information, using our Internet blog site, and our Facebook pages. We appreciate your love for us. We have worked at being open and transparent about what we have gone through, so if you have any questions, you can e-mail us at the5blades@juno.com. God’s grace and peace be upon you. - Steve
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