Hello from the Other Side!
Wow, what a blur the last 30 Days have been! One month ago, we said our goodbyes and boarded a plane for Lima Peru. If you haven’t seen our update on our “Albrights on a mission” facebook group, please friend us and read that! That was a whole thing.
Upon hitting the ground, we were so blessed to be greeted by our ministry partners who helped us set up our house temporarily. As our container is not here yet, we are using borrowed beds, a mini fridge with a single burner hot plate, drinking water from a box, and have a chair, bookshelf, rug, and a love seat that make up our living room.
We were blessed to find a decent vehicle after only a few weeks and my brother-in-law Joe was able to sell our van in the US for us! Thanks Joe!
Buying a car with cash in a foreign country involves an entire afternoon at a notary office which is nothing like our US notaries! Though it was painfully long, we got through it. Even speaking Spanish, it was difficult as I did not understand several key legal terms. Praise the Lord we got through it.
It turns out transferring money is also a fiasco if certain things were not set up stateside. 3 months prior to leaving, I walked into a local branch and explained our situation and asked for support in regards to our desire to be able to operate smoothly overseas. Though being assured there would be no issues, that was also not the case. Thankfully, my brother-in-law Shean was able to help and took quite some time becoming our POA in order to set it up. Thanks Shean!
Debbie has started language school and is really doing a great job though she feels she is not! The early days of learning a new language are brutally hard and mentally taxing, and she is handling it so well. Our kids found out what its like having Dad as their homeschool teacher instead of Mom. There are moments they prefer it and moments they don’t, which is fun to watch.
Safety has been a concern many have expressed to us. We do not pretend to live in the safest place nor believe God called us to be outside the City at present. We are trusting his protection. About 3 weeks ago, a violent thief was gunned down 7 blocks from our home by the local police. That is the third instance we are aware of in the last 3 months that ended in such a fashion. We praise the Lord for the Policing in our area.
All in all, God has really blessed us. We were sick for a few weeks and now on the mend. We might have a mold issue in our rental house so pray with us, that it can be remedied soon. Also, it sounds like our container is well on its way and we are hopeful it will clear customs smoothly.
Finally, a concern of mine has been the ability to do effective ministry outside of my family this first year. Though it was a concern that bothered me, I honestly did not ask God about it. But God knows our hearts even before we ask. As I have begun meeting our neighbors, I have become quick friends with my neighbor next door. Pasqual is a 53 year old builder and real estate guy. I guess you could say we have a lot in common😊 And as I have gotten to know him and converse, we spoke of life, death, family, friends, and where we will spend eternity. He has agreed to a bible study and I hope to start that with Him next week.
Pray for us:
1. That Debbie and the Kids gain the language and that I sharpen in it.
2. That our health would improve and that our container would clear customs soon.
3. That God would work in Pasqual to save him.
4. Praise the Lord for safety!