As of today - June 4th

Wow, I can't believe that another whole week has gone by. Incredible.

Last week went well, though it was definitely full. Tthere were lots of surprises. Juan Marentes and I had a surprise memorial prayer service to lead for a member of the community in Georgeville on Tuesday, and I was given a surprise influx of a carpet of ants through my front door on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, I was surprised to twist my ankle and sprain my knee coming down a slippery hill. But I have been surprised (not unsurprisingly) by God's faithfulness through it all. Our team has gotten a lot done this week, and this week looks to be the same.

Two particular things for which to praise God. First, we had a great time on Saturday hiking with the youth in Georgeville up to a swimming and eating area off the beaten track. Nearly three miles up and three miles back, we were all a little hot and tired, but we had a great time and built a lot of relationships in the process.

Second, I am thrilled to say that I now am able to get access to the internet in my apartment. This will save money, if not time, and the speeds may be such to allow me to communicate often via VoIP telephony. The adventure continues.

Thank you all for your prayers ... especially for health, protection, and everything that comes with transitioning to life in a new place, in a new culture, and with a new team. Have a great week!

As of today - May 28th

What a week it's been! I've been busy, as I expected, but when you're working in Belize, you'd be surprised how much you can cram into a day ... let alone into a week.

I've spent a lot of my time adjusting to the new life here in Belize. Adjusting to the heat, adjusting to the humidity, adjusting to the critters, adjusting to the language. While this doesn't necessarily put immediate demands on time per se, it is a load on the emotions and on the personal stability of a person. God has been good at holding me up through it all, but these matters do take their toll.

This past Sunday I was quite busy, which was meet and right since it was the Feast of Pentecost. I had the honor of preaching both at St. Andrew's (San Ignacio) and St. Hilda's (Georgeville), and of leading music at the services. In addition, I was asked to perform five baptisms for the service at St. Andrew's, and I was thrilled to step up to the challenge.

Otherwise, the week was filled with pastoral visits, meetings with congregational leaders, and working through administrative details like how to transfer money, how to get internet access, and where to invite people out to eat. All the important things!

Thank you all for your prayers!

Update on my telephone situation

As many of you know, I rely on a VoIP service to do most of my calling and texting to the United States while I am abroad (and at home, actually). However, due to typical restrictions by Belizean companies regarding internet-based telephony, I had a considerable degree doubt as to whether I was going be able to use it or not.

However, I gave it a whirl today, and after a bit of finagling, I was able to pull it off! Now, I just need to have access to a regular, reliable high-speed internet connection, and I can return your calls inexpensively and (hopefully) punctually. Something else to pray about!

As of today - May 21st

Well, I'm here! I got into Belize City on Friday afternoon, where Maria and Juan Marentes were waiting for me to head up to San Ignacio. It had just rained, and the clouds looked as though they had been handpainted across the skies. Absolutely gorgeous.

Since then, we've been going non-stop, and yesterday evening was the first moment I've had to catch my breath. After getting to San Ignacio, we immediately went shopping for the basics of my apartment, and then stopped by the Vestry meeting at St. Andrew's. Saturday we went early to the market, and then headed to Belmopan for a meeting of the Diocesan Commission on Stewardship, after which we ran errands until our evening meeting with the Lay Ministers.

Sunday morning I led services at St. Andrew's Church (San Ignacio) and St. Hilda's Mission (Georgeville), while Fr. Juan preached. Sunday evening I was able to head back to my apartment and begin organizing it and my thoughts and emotions after some packed days. Today is a holiday for Belize, so I've had the morning off, but this afternoon I'm looking forward to meeting with Fr. Juan and Maria to talk about our mutual expectations and broad plans for the next few months.

Thank you for your prayers and support ... shoot me an email when you get a chance!

As of today - May 17th

I leave for Belize tomorrow! I am very excited!

The last week with my family has been great. I've been able to spend time with parents, sister and brother-in-law, and with my too-cute-for-words nephew. I'm a blessed man to have had this great prelude to an exciting new adventure.

There is a bit of a mad rush going on at the moment to get everything done. There is packing to do, expenses to get reimbursed, parking tickets to pay (I sheepishly mumble), friends to see, vestments to finish, allergies to avoid: today in particular will be crazy. But tomorrow, when I pass through security at the crack of dawn, the busyness of here will be over, and I will be left entirely with the challenges and joys of the there that awaits me. And that is a great thing to think about.

Today, on the great Feast of the Ascension, I simply leave you with this prayer:

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

As of today - May 7th

I'm leaving on a jet plane!

That's right, as I type my bags are packed and checked, I have my tickets and my passport, and I am sitting at the terminal waiting for the plane that will eventually take me to ... Indianapolis. Yup: the adventure continues, and the next leg entails a visit to the land of corn, hogs, and basketball.

It's been a full week: a lot of traveling, a lot of goodbyes, and a lot of last-minute new friends as well. I'm exhausted, but i'm hoping that I'll be able to catch up on energy and sleep over the next few days as I see my parents and sister's family. If anyone in Richmond or Dayton wants to hang out, give me a call.

Thanks for all of your prayers: this week we're headed up to Vermont, back down to Indiana, and next week I'm off to Belize! The adventure continues.

As of today - April 30th

I've been doing a lot of traveling over the last week. I was up in L.A. and Orange County to meet with a lot of friends and supporters three days out of last week and also made quite a few trips to downtown San Diego. This week will prove, I think, to be as busy or even busier.

It was great to be with friends at Resurrection (San Marcos) yesterday and to say a lot of my goodbyes. I gave a sermon on Psalm 100, and I pray the Holy Spirit continues to embed his Word of praise in our hearts this week.

Thanks for all of your prayers!

As of today - April 23rd

Happy Feast Day of St. George :o)

Things are moving along quickly when it comes to my mission to Belize. I have tickets to exit Southern California in the first week of May to spend time with my parents, and then on May 18th I am flying to Belize. It's all been very snappy.

Thanks be to God, I have an apartment already reserved for me in Belize, and there will be relatively little to pack up in a couple of weeks when it comes time for me to head out.

This coming Sunday (April 29) I will be preaching at Resurrection (San Marcos), and saying again goodbye to my wonderful and super-supportive sending church. It's going to be bittersweet.

Please keep me in your prayers as I do all of the logistical things necessary to get out of here, especially the things that I don't necessarily care for: filling out expense reports, shopping for clothes, and driving driving driving.

A new chapter - Belize!

It has been practically a year since I have posted news on my website, though that has not meant that there have not been happenings, major events, and legitimate news in my life. Things actually got pretty dramatic by the end of 2011. But I've turned a page in ministry and missions, and I'm on to a new chapter which may prove to be quite challenging and exciting.

In February 2012, I sat down with SAMS to debrief, and they asked if I might be interested in heading to Belize as a help and support to two SAMS missionaries already there on the ground: Juan and María Marentes. After praying about it and consulting with my core advisory team here in the States, we decided it would be good to continue to look into this medium-term placement. In March I went for a week to visit San Ignacio, Belize, and upon returning we decided that the Lord was calling me to serve with them for a time. And my plan is to be there as soon as mid May of this year: just four weeks away.

So, I've come to a new chapter, symbolized somewhat in a new website, a new style, and new direction as the Lord continues to reveal his call upon my life. I ask you to keep me in your prayers, and keep checking back in with me, either via the website or via email, to see how I'm doing and what God is doing in my ministry here.

Holy Week

Hello everyone! I know it's been a couple of weeks since the last time I posted, but I wanted to fill you in on what's been going on around here lately!

The big thing of course right now is that we're in the midst of Holy Week. We had an excellent Palm Sunday service last Sunday. We then moved ahead to Maundy Thursday, where we reenacted the scene where Jesus washes his disciples' feet and then moved to a final supper together after which we celebrated the Holy Supper and stripped the church of its ornaments and glory, ending in prayer. Good Friday came with a solemn service at 3:00 PM, the hour when Jesus gave up his spirit to his Father. Tomorrow we are looking forward to celebrating the Lord's Resurrection and feasting his eternal life in the church and in our homes. All good times!

Unfortunately, our mission to the Parana River communities, scheduled for today, has been derailed and we'll have to find another time and way to do it. We are still scheduled however to head North this week (we leave Thursday) to spend a couple of weeks with the Wichi tribes in Northern Argentina. I am very excited about this trip, and I'm going to be spending the first part of this coming week making sure I'm ready, including buying Gluten-Free food and a decent sleeping bag.

I will probably be out of touch during those weeks given the inconsistency with which I will have internet access. Some astute person will probably say, "David, hasn't your internet access been rather inconsistent so far anyway?" The answer to that is that yes, it has been inconsistent, but my hope is that after getting out of the (proverbial or literal) bush that I will have a more stable and reliable internet connection set up here in Hurlingham from which to work. Please, please, please pray that this is the case!

I wish you all a blessed Holy Week, and a joyous Resurrection Sunday!