Alabama Conference

Well, I finally have time to sit down and write about our trip last week to Alabama. To say it was "incredible" would be putting it mildly. We felt welcomed before we ever arrived. The correspondence with several from the church in the weeks preceeding was so encouraging.
Of course, stepping off the plane into 38* temps was a little eye-opener! Fortunately, the couple who came to pick us up had an extra coat in their car and Patsy is my size!
We had expected a church of about 1,000 from all we knew they were involved in. This is actually a church of about 350 where everyone is very committed to serving the LORD. They just do the work of a 1,000 or more people who love the LORD! Of course, we were there for a missions conference so the emphasis was on missions. But everyone we talked to ---and this was a very friendly church, so we talked to a lot of people!!!--- had either been on a missions trip at least once, was in the planning stages of a trip, or someone in their immediate family had been or were going on a trip.
There were 5 other missions represented. A *retired* couple serving in Nicaragua, a young single lady serving in Peru, a couple going to Togo, W Africa (He grew up there as an MK), a family with 4 small children home on furlough from Brazil, and a young couple serving in the local public schools. This man has actually been given an office in the local public high school and is able to do Bible-based counselling, share at assemblies, etc. He had an incredible testimony (all right I know God saving anyone is incredible, but you know what I mean). We had such a blessed time just meeting and getting to know these other missionaries and to see what God is doing in other countries and other mission agencies. Astounding! God blesses more than one mission agency! :)
What was really encouraging to see was the church involvment in this conference. The kids were part of everything. Some stuff was obviously geared just for them, but many things were included with the adults. The kids had little booklets to collect info on the missionaries and their countries. I was asked for my autograph countless times along with my favorite verse!
But so many things that have grown to become part of their conference are not *church sponsored*. In other words, the pastor didn't at some point say "We are going to do.....now I need a group of volunteers to do it" A few years ago one retired couple decided they wanted to host a supper on Sunday evening as a way for the missionaries to get to meet one another along with the pastors and their families. So, that's what they did. They cook the entire meal, set up the tables, decorate, etc. On Sunday after the service we got to spend time just getting to talk to the other missionaries. What a joy that was!
Another lady thought a few years ago that there should be a luncheon with the missionaries and the retired adults. So, on Tuesday we had a delicious meal with the retired adults. This woman and her friends put on a spread that would put any restaurant to shame! By the way, these adults may be retired from their secular jobs, but they definitely have not retired from the LORD's work! These people had questions and have been on numerous trips! Not church sponsored but held at the church with the pastors there.
What ever vision these people have, they run with it and people fall in to help. The spirit of this church was so warm, and vibrant and ALIVE!
Another woman a few years ago wanted to take the words "exceeding abundantly" (*perissos* in Greek)and apply them to giving to the missionaries. We were asked to send a list of items we needed or wanted. No item too big or too small. Then she took the lists, wrote tickets with stubs and displayed them on a bulletin board. People had a ticket then to attach to their purchase and she had a stub to know what was going to be purchased and supplied.
Wednesday night was the International Dinner and Operation Perissos. I don't really want to focus on the gifts, but let me say these people gave in big ways!!!!! The couple going to Togo have to actually build the camp they will be ministering from. Their pile basically looked like someone had transferred Lowe's power tool department to them! The couple working in the public school now has more than enough $$$ to completely outfit their office along with a laptop, and scanner/printer/fax etc, etc. Some men in church have delivery companies-- or attachments to them-- so they are taking care of the delivery fees for those out of state as no way would any of it fit into their vehicles.
Along with all the candy (remember *exceeding abundantly* hence 15 pounds or more)we have a new generator (Honda---super quiet) for use in the med clinics when the power goes out or for running the video projector for showing gospel films in villages on Saturday evenings. I don't have to feel guilty about taking pictures as I have an *exceeding abundance* of film.
Like I said earlier I don't want to focus on the gifts, but these guys were sacrificially generous. We have been saying we want and need to go to language school in the Fall in Costa Rica from the end of August to near the end of December. We have been hoping to collect enough money so that we would only have to use part of our regular support to supplement it, as our regular expenses will continue here (apartment, health insurance, etc.) Someone on Wednesday went into this lady's office and said they wanted to underwrite our entire language school expenses....airfare, tuition, apartment in San Jose, living expenses...everything! This is no small amount and thru this *nameless* person the LORD has covered it totally! The two of us stood in front of the church embraced and sobbing, but that's okay because they were crying and rejoicing with us.
The couple we were staying with told us to use their phones to call our kids whenver we wanted and to talk for as long as we wanted and not to feel guilty...just to enjoy it! What a blessing that was to talk to y'all without having to worry about our phone card running out. Anytime we go back for a conference there, this couple also told us to invite our children and their families so that you could be with us for a few days. AND they mean it!!!!
Please, don't just see the material things in this post ---and there are many--- but I wish you could see their hearts, their love, their concern for us. Of course, they wanted to know all about SCORE and what we are doing, about the medical aspect of our work, about the villages, the new med clinic (Oh, by the way one man is purchasing all the cabinets we need for the clinic, took Bob to Home Depot to be sure that Bob could pick out exactly what was needed, is paying the shipping on them thru MFI, and in May he and his wife are coming for a week to install them in the med clinic! That will go along way in helping in the ministry!). But as I was saying, they not only wanted to know about the ministries, they wanted to get to know each missionary.
We came away rejoicing, laughing, crying for joy, encouraged.....I can't even begin to describe how the LORD used this week. To know that this group is supporting us in prayer is tremendous. I KNOW that the LORD has called us to the Dominican, but last week when we were flying home I just felt that extra big confirmation that we are definitely where the LORD wants us. Can't put it into words properly, but I hope you know what I mean.
We now have more missionaries to pray for and to correspond with. We can see how the LORD is working around the world, not just in the Dominican. We saw other missionaries being encouraged and blessed. Wish you all could have been there to receive the encouragement and blessing we received. PLEASE, don't just read this and see the material items...that was all just an outward display of what the LORD is doing in their hearts and lives.
Every week, every conference, every church can't be like last week, it would be too overwhelming; but to experience it for just those five days was an incredible encouragement.
Hope you all have a blessed week!