A dead bunny morning

I come in after a morning meeting to find a prone rabbit and a doll stroller in the narrowed hallway. I remember those days with our little kids: it's hard to keep track of them, never mind their wandering toys. I step over and go upstairs to my office = the privilege of being a grandma, not the mama.

Our kids have moved in so our (and their) boxes, cleaning supplies, picture frames, and furniture line up in unexpected places, waiting for landing spots. It's complicated when you're overlapping households.

W and I have had a great week of meeting people, mentoring and being mentored, writing and teaching.

So! grateful.

One of our most welcome accomplishments is resolving an administrative glitch. W finally located the email address that contains notifications of support and AG mission updates. W has repeatedly written from his address, "Help!" but the responses (and other communications) have gone to our official email ... in my name, not his. Administratively, I'm the "primary team member" and he's "the spouse." Funny, no?

Our apologies to those who have wondered what's the matter with us! Several mentioned, "We haven't heard from you. Did you get our contribution? We haven't received an acknowledgement!" Eeek.

We've know now where your acknowledgements and notes are reported. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We treasure your partnership and your encouragement. Those thank-yous will be in the mail tomorrow.

Read more:

**Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you. Zephaniah 3:14-15 NEV

*In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 NIV

*Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 ESV

*Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24 NEV

Moravian Prayer: Our Savior, you have cleared our names in God's court. Grant that we will always remember your sacrifice for us. May we always live to serve you and your righteousness here on earth. Amen.

Day 2: looking in the sled

Today, our sessions are about recruiting a support team. We look over forms for budgets, financial commitments, and reporting. You may know my vast interest (not) in money and accounts. Good thing W is beside me!

"It's better to give than to receive. God so loved that He gave... We're no more like God when we're giving as He does," our speaker reminds us. "When friends pray for us, they pray for missions and God gives them a Missional hear. It's not begging, selling stuff no one wants, or using friends.

"Have you been assailed by neighborhood children and given them money to get them off our porch? That's not like what God has called us to do. Instead, our friends may invest in God's mission. They - along with those who go - are privileged and blessed in doing God's work. Their blessing and work is equal to ours."

We're reminded of biblical models of blessings, that some receive by participating with those in ministry.

"The widow, on her last meal, never lacked again after supplying God's servant Elijah with provisions. Jesus was supported on his itinerant ministry by women. Paul was only occasionally a tent-maker. He boldly raised support and teams of coworkers."

"Donors want a good return for investing in you," says the missionary, explaining the ethics of funds. "They want to know you are trustworthy, that you are investing your life for something worthwhile - something they believe in. This IS your missionary beginning, not when you go."

After a dreadful supper at a local cafe, W and I decide that we'll stick to campus meals. The beef is so cheap and tasteless that it's hard to finish.

Crash! I take a hard fall. One minute I'm on my way to grab tea at the dining hall, the next my rubber-soled flip-flops catch on a 2" change in the pavement (a careless repair). I'm down on the middle of a broad walk. I'm glad for quality trousers. They don't rip, so my skinned knees, elbows, and palms are my only injuries. Later I wash the blood off my trousers.

In the evening, Rick Johnson (head of Member Care) talks to us about handling conflict and negotiation and mediation. Rick tells us stories that help us understand how important it is to be people of peace and respectful of others.

We fall into bed after catching up with a few things and writing our presentation for tomorrow. What a nice birthday present that will be for W: letting others know what we're doing.