Trials and Tribulations
July 2014. We had just finished serving our first 2 years with YWAM Perth. At first, we though we would just be there for 2 years but half way through, we knew that our call to missions was going to be extended. It was time to fly back to Canada to introduce our new bubs, Lauren, to friends and family as well as renew Visas and Passports.
We go to the airport, go through security, get to the gates of the plane only to be denied! Due to slight passport issues, we weren't able to get on our flight. After two days of stress, money, worrying and frustration, we managed to re-route or flights and get onto a plane to Canada. All was well in the land of maple syrup.
Two weeks into our stay in Canada, we applied for our Australian Visa. It went well, so we thought, when we got the email saying AARON'S Visa was approved. There was no mention of Robin or the 4 kids anywhere on that Visa. So, after making a phone call, we had made a very small mistake on the application form which would again cause us a lot of time, stress and frustration. That small mistake made it so we would have to miss our flight back to Perth and wait for the application to be approved. The day we got the approved Visa for the whole family we called Air Canada. NO FLIGHTS available for another 4 weeks?! Really?! We were starting to feel very discouraged.
See the theme here? Yes, so did we. We have had a very trying several months. The resistance started the moment we started fund raising for our trip home back in March 2014 and the struggles have continued until present day, September 2014. I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't been hard. We have had to spend a lot of time remembering that often when you are walking in the will of God, the going can be tough. To us, we know from past experiences that we get the most resistance when we are in the center of God's will.
We have had a lot of time to think about the call on our lives during our time here in Canada. We have had lots of fun catching up with friends, watching the kids bond with their Grandparents and enjoy the great outdoors. It's easy to melt back into island life, to think about how easy it would be to be making lots of money with Aaron working, to have a nice vehicle and live in our big house but I'm quickly reminded that we've had that and yet something was missing during that time. We weren't letting God be our center.
So, what are we doing now? Well, we will be flying back to Perth on October 12th. Once there, Aaron will be going full-speed-ahead with Homes Of Hope. The first build is coming up at the end of October and he has a lot to do to prepare. It's been a very exciting time watching this ministry unfold. He has a small team going with him on this first build, it'll be a special time as they learn how to build a home in an extremely poor nation with very limited tools and resources. It's going to take a lot of communication and unity.
Robin will jump back into the Homeschool co-op as well as getting back to the ARMS ministry. She's looking forward to the hustle and bustle of base life. It will bring new challenges as Lauren is no longer a small, stationary baby! She will soon be crawling. She brings a lot of joy to us, she is adored and loved so much by all of us. She still has a sweet little spirit and as she's getting older we are seeing more of her personality. She's funny, loves attention, getting very vocal and responds with loud squeals and grunts to almost every animal she sees. She loves cuddles and her newest love is food! She started solid food a month ago and is now 19 pounds (8.6 kgs).
We want to thank everyone who has prayed for us and supported us over the last several months. Many of you walked with us as we tried to get back to Canada, faced the trials with us, helped us by giving us financial gifts and made this a possibility for us. We felt your prayers and saw doors open up for us. We can`t express our gratefulness!
We do have a few prayer points
* For Aaron as he heads out to East Timor. Last time he was there he came home very sick. Please pray for his health and safety as he goes.
*For Robin as she will be alone for 4 weeks while Aaron goes to East Timor
*For our finances. Staff fees are going up in January by a few hundred dollars per month. We need to gain several more monthly supporters as we are just barely staying afloat right now.
* and the head gasket in our vehicle is blown. We need a reliable vehicle.
