Doug: As of today, Kim and I have left our jobs and have packed up and left San Diego. For me it feels a little weird leaving San Diego since it has been my home for nearly 14 years now. At the same time, I am grateful that the Lord has called my wife and me to serve Him with our time and efforts, and I am excited to see the work that the Lord will do through us.
Kim's parents have been gracious enough to store our stuff while we are out of the country, and my parents will be keeping our dogs (Titus and Vinnie) while we are away. There are a few things that need to happen before we head down to South America. First, a quick road trip out to South Dakota, where we plan to relax for a week while I study my Spanish. Then we head to the Bay Area for Joe and Stephanie's wedding before we head out for good.
I look forward to what the Lord is going to do with us and through us while we are in Loja. For those who are interested, we will be posting updates here with pictures and stories from our trip. Thanks to all of those who have offered prayers and support!
Kim: I remember when Doug and I first started talking about going on a missions trip before we were married. It was probably about a year ago when the topic first came up- one of those casual "why-don't-we-quit-our-jobs-and-go-live-in-South-America" dinner conversations. You might think this was the by-product of a bad day at work, but looking back now, I know it was one of those moments where the Holy Spirit whispers an idea into your heart that takes root and eventually blossoms. The evidence? One year later, here we are, homeless, unemployed, and staying with our parents temporarily before we head south in August. We've left our cushy, stable jobs, moved out of "our" first home, and said good-bye to more than a decade of memories in San Diego.
Most importantly, though, like Doug mentioned above, we are really excited about what is ahead of us, and we are certain that God has some tremendous things in store for us over the next nine months! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and encouraged us in this adventure! When I say that, I really mean it. Taking a tax lawyer and a computational neuroscientist and transplanting them to humid, tropical, Spanish-speaking South America is surely not an easy task. But for God, all things are possible! Yes, with God's help, Doug will be speaking fluent Spanish come next May. In the meantime, please keep praying!
As far as we know at this point, our official departure date for Loja is August 18. We'll try to post updates and pictures regularly, and we would love love love to stay in contact with our friends and family back home, so please keep us posted with the happenings in your lives! Until next time...
Un abrazo a todos,
Doug & Kim
