Mission Friends, Security Training & Visas

You may have noticed that it has been awhile since Kellye and I posted last. Training here at FPO has come to a steady boil and even our spare time is filled with activity as we come closer to finishing our training. Today's posting will be brief because it is nearly 11 pm and we have a "field trip" to Washington DC tomorrow. More about that in a bit.

Please notice that I have added a list of our "Mission Friends" (older Southern Baptists will get that play on words) and their blog sites. If you get a chance, please take the time to read the posts from these other IMB missionaries. All of them have become dear friends and they have a heart for the Lord and a passion for reaching the lost. If you enjoy their blogs, send them a quick email of encouragement to let them know that you are reading and that you linked to their blogs from our site. I cannot tell you what one brief email from "the outside world" will do for our missionaries. I am honored to be called their friend and colleague.

Last week was one of the busiest we have had yet. We spent the week in "Security Training." I am not at liberty to give you much information about what we did and why, but know that the IMB takes our safety very seriously and takes many, many precautions to make sure that we are properly trained for any contingency while we are on the field. Again, your Lottie Moon and Cooperative Program dollars hard at work.

Many of you know that we planned to leave for Russia the day after our training here at ILC was complete. While we would like to think that is still the plan, a delay in our visa application process has forced us to make alternative plans. The staff here at ILC has been wonderful and they are providing us with a place to live and three meals a day for the time we will have to stay here beyond our training. At this point in time we do not know when we will leave for the field. It may be as early as the 7th, but it may be as late as the 21st of October. So, with all that being said, please pray for God's will to be done as it relates to our travel visas. We are trusting that God has a plan and a purpose for the delay and we are praying that He reveals that plan to us through this process.

And finally, we (all 250 of us missionaries and our families) will be spending tomorrow on a "field trip" to Washington DC for the purpose of engaging people from other ethnic people groups. We had hoped to visit a Russian restaurant for lunch, but found out that they are only open for supper. We will probably visit the Russian Embassy as well as the embassies of other countries in Central & Eastern Europe. Our goal is to meet people and hopefully have the opportunity to share the Gospel with them. Please pray that our time in our nation's capital is fruitful as we seek to witness to the lost.

Well, morning comes very early here at ILC, so I better be off to bed. Know that Kellye and I covet your prayers and miss each of you.

Blessings,
Marc

PS- The wonderful ladies that work in the ILC kitchen have agreed to give me a big pot so I can make a pot of chili for our friends this weekend. BOOMER SOONER!