trip update

Until June 11, we had been moving forward with our plans for our trip
to Brazil. Actually it felt as if we were moving one step forward and
two steps back. We began planning back in the fall, and had a huge
response. Thirty people were interested in going. This leveled out to
about 11 and stayed that way until around the first of the year. Then
it dropped down to 4-all family members. Our cost per person rose at
this point. We continued planning. For some reason, the money wasn’t
available as usual. I’ve seen God work miracles before, so I waited.
I longed to be in Brazil, to see people I hadn’t seen since 2005, to
feel the heat, the rocking of the boat, see the eyes of the children,
to share the gospel with them and to meet physical needs.
But the “problems” continued. Flooding caused questions of whether or
not the fast boat from Manaus to Santarem would be available. Chicago
seemed to be very reluctant to issue visas, and so we were going to
try going through a Florida travel agency to the consulate in New
York, which would add to the cost. I didn’t feel joy at the idea of
going, just a heaviness not knowing how we would be able to do it. I
just prayed, “God, we’ve done everything humanly possible (support
letters, fundraisers, odd jobs, etc.), now you are going to have to
take over.” As if He needed my permission.
The trip we went on to Mexico last year was being planned for the same
time as our Brazil trip. We were told by a friend that if we couldn’t
get visas for Brazil, they had a spot open and Jacob could go with
them. Of course I knew the cost of this trip. The entire trip cost
was the same as our plane tickets to Brazil. Could they use all of us
on the trip? Last year we ended with a disagreement. Actually we
agreed to disagree on an issue. Would they even want us to go? It is
a construction trip, which Jacob would love. They speak Spanish in
Mexico, so I could interpret. And guess what? The ladies who usually
do their VBS aren’t going this year. They also were in charge of the
boarder runs for food and water for the group. Not only could my mom,
Maggie and I do that, but we already had plans and supplies for VBS
and a women’s Bible study. Coincidence?
I contacted the agency we used to get our tickets. No refunds. I
called the number about our trip insurance. No refunds if we couldn’t
get visas, only if they were lost or stolen. Also, the tickets to
Mexico, at this point had gone up, increasing that cost by $300 each.
We’re back to praying for a miracle.
I next received an email from the same agency saying that our flight
out from Manaus was no longer offered on the day we had booked it for,
so the airlines switched it. This caused us to miss our connecting
flight in Atlanta. Because of this they were going to refund our
money. We could get online and find new tickets (costing how much
now?) for the day before or the day after, or take a full refund. No
penalties because it was involuntary. I thought, “OK, God. If this
is how you choose to work it out...“
But there is more. Overnight the flights to Mexico had gone up $800
each! We were told to pray. I was busy and thought, “You know God, I
can’t do anything about this and I don’t even have time to worry.”
For once, I didn’t try to fix it. Within a couple of hours, I got a
call. Guess what? We’ve got tickets, at the original price, making
the entire trip cost, almost to the dollar, the same amount as the
refund for the plane tickets to Brazil. (Money that was raised for
special projects for Brazil will still be sent to Brazil.)
“Therefore the Lord will wait, that He might be gracious to you; and
therefore He may be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the
Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him. For
the people shall dwell in Zion in Jerusalem. You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When He
hears it He will answer you. And though the Lord gives you the bread
of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not
be moved into a corner anymore. But your eyes shall see your
teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, “This is the
way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you
turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:18-21
When we are in the dry, dusty border town of Miguel Aleman, with its
drug cartels, as I purchase, cook and serve food to the people working
construction, a job which is not quite hands on enough for me, when we
do VBS for children hardened by the streets or Bible study with women
who don’t seem as open as the Brazilians, I will have no doubt in my
mind that this is where God sent me. No matter how I tried to arrange
my trip to Brazil, He wants me in this border town, at this time.
Please be praying for this trip.

Cara Ann Houser

Cara Ann arrived at 10:19 PM, Monday, June 8th. She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. Everyone is doing fine!!