So much to do

This is Laura, I will be adding some updates about the home front while John is away. I have been encouraged by all of the concern for me and the children. It has been great to have so many offers to help and genuine invitations to "call if you need anything."

After months of discussing this trip, it is suddenly upon us. It is much easier to plan something like this in a theoretical, "some day" kind of way. I hope that we can have some calm time around the home front before John leaves.

This will be the longest period of time that John and I have been apart since our marriage so I am sure it will be difficult at times. I will manage, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Check out that fund raising ticker!! When we started, it looks so pitiful and it seemed like an impossible goal. But, God has blessed this venture through friends, family and strangers who want to help shine a little in dark corner of the world.

John has also received donations of equipment and supplies that we had planned on purchasing. That has been helpful since the immunizations were more expensive that we had planned.

We will have an open house on Tuesday, March 2 from 5pm to 8 pm. If you'd like to see John and give him a send off, this is the time to do it. We will have a quiet night as a family on Wednesday and Thursday we will head to the airport.

Please pray that the batteries that are needed for the satelite internet connection in the jungle. It will be great for both John and I if we can communicate directly while he is in the jungle. At the start and end of the trip, he will be staying in town and will have internet access. He plans to upload videos and photos to the blog. I am sure that will be more exciting to look at than my second hand updates!

We are now less than $1000 from our budget goal. I am amazed at how we have been blessed. John has been seeking a mission opportunity for a few years. Most short term trips are planned in the summer months. That is great for most people but won't work for our family. I am the director of a summer camp so the summer months are very busy for us.

In case you are wondering how John got connected with Matt Edelen and his family, Matt is my first cousin. We spent a lot of time when we were growing up. He is more like a brother than my cousin.

Ok, time for bed! Thanks for your prayers and support.

HERE WE GOOOOOOO........

Finaly HE has cleared the path for my trip to Indonesia. Praise God for answering our prayers.
I got word Friday morning that our visas had been approved. By 11:50pm that night we had bought our plane tickets.
Tom Gill & I Leave Thursday afternoon for the Jungles of Papua-Indonesia. We are now kicking into high gear to finalize preparations.

Auction to help raise money!!

Colonel Larry Foreman of Chesapeake Market Place & auction house, has graciously agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds of his next antique & collectible auction to my missions trip!


If you are looking for something fun to do Friday the 26th of February, come on down to Chesapeake Market Place and have fun at the auction.

WHERE:

The Chesapeake Market Place

5015 St Leonard Rd, St Leonard, MD, 20685
(Calvert Co.)

WHEN:

Friday February 26th - 6pm

ALSO ACCEPTING DONATIONS OF ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES!

You can check out the website below for all the information, directions, pictures, etc.

www.chesapeakemarketplace.com/auction.htm

Or you can call me (John Hall) or e-mail me with any questions. My contact info is somewhere on this blog:)

IT WILL BE LOTS OF FUN!!

There is seating, heating, and food. I would wear a jacket though.

IT IS FREE TO ATTEND!!!

You ALWAYS get a good deal at an auction!

It will only cost you something if you buy something.

If you have never been to an auction now is the time to go.

IF YOU ARE LUCKY YOU MAY GET TO SEE ME

STAND UP AND TALK REALLY FAST!

Please Pray for Bureaucracy, & Praise God for support.

Dear Friends,
We are currently having visa issues and need your prayers. Evidently I am not supposed to be doing any activity that could be interpreted as "work" on our current "social visit visa" which is currently being processed for me. This counts out house building, apparently it doesn't matter that I'm not actually getting paid. Matt is in discussions with his immigration people about pulling the current social visit visa & applying for "work visas". The potential problem with this is providing adequate documentation that my skills warrant bringing me from over seas V's using local workers. Along with this is the time line. To re-apply for a new visa now could potentially push back the trip.
Please pray for our Father in Heaven to soften the hearts of the immigration officials and for the visa process to not be interrupted....

I would like to take a minute to thank God for my supporters, both financial supporters & prayer supporters. Thanks to HIS grace, & your prayers for financial support, I am on the way to meeting my financial support goal. I still have a little way to go, so please keep praying, and giving! :)

God Bless... John