Travels

As we sit here in Jamaica pondering our last week of God sightings. After packing and saying goodbye all day Saturday, we arose Sunday morning at 5:30 am to attend service at Beautiful Feet, also for prayer and goodbyes. We arrived at the airport with 18 pieces of luggage. Our family was there to help us get checked in and to say goodbye. After many hugs, tears and goodbyes, Jodi and I braved the security check point with the five children, six carry on bags, 2 backpacks, car seats and diaper bags. At the terminal the lady at the desk allowed me on the plane before everyone to put the car seats in place. We all grabbed a piece of luggage and loaded the plane. One flight attendant was especially nice to us offering free(yes free) snacks and sandwiches for all of us. She was very compassionate for what we were going to do and our move. After getting off the plane we were able to go through immigration on the Jamaican side(where there was no wait) as opposed to going through the visitor side that everyone else was going through. After leaving immigration walking to get our luggage, a gentleman said "Mr. Daniel!" I said yes, he proceeded to tell me that he had all of our luggage stacked on carts and would help us through customs. We went to the lady in customs and she asked how many people and how many pieces of luggage, I told her seven people and 18 pieces of luggage. She said that is quite a bit for a 2 week stay. I told her that we were moving here. She said OK stamped our papers, then said get going! We walked out of the airport to meet our friends from CCCD and an added surprise was The Black family was also waiting for us(they moved to Jamaica in April and are serving with another ministry). They helped us get settled in and get to the grocery store but could only buy a few basics since the refrigerator wasn't working.
That day was particularly hard for all of us, just saying goodbye to our friends and family. Many tears and conversations about what will be missed. God is so good to provide for us even in the hard times. We also praise him for the blessings as we traveled.

Faith like a child

In the last several weeks Pickle(Jeffrey Jr.) has picked up on the fact that we are moving to Jamaica. Now every time we get in the car to go somewhere he says"Going to Jamaica?" and we have to tell him that it is not this time. Yesterday I told him that we would be going on a big plane when we go to Jamaica. So now he says "Going to Jamaica on a big plane?"
As we are packing and trying to figure out the way to do this moving (internationally), we've been very frustrated because we can't always get the answers we want on how to do this without paying for a full service moving company. While discussing the move yesterday with a friend I told him of our frustrations, he reminded me of how God will provide the answers when we need them. I then was reminded of Pickle's desire to go to Jamaica. He asks nothing about what it will be like, how will we get there, what will we take, is it going to be OK, or anything about the move away from the life he knows here with his friends and family. He just knows that we have told him we are going to Jamaica and in a two year old way trusts his mother and father for all the details. Faith like a child(Matthew 18:2-4)!
Please pray that we would have faith like a child and as we are waiting for our work permit from the Jamaica govt. and packing/sorting through our house we can continue to walk and serve God with the faith like a child.