Why had I agreed to take this speaking appointment? It had been almost 20 hours since we left our tiny cabin in rural Arkansas to make the long journey north. As I tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in the back seat of our cramped Camry, all I could think was, Why? This isn’t even my mother’s church. If I had simply said no, I could have slept in and been extra prepared for the afternoon service. thoughts like these raced through my mind as I came to terms with the fact that I was stuck. I had agreed weeks ago to preach twice on Sabbath, and I couldn’t back out now. I had to honor my word.

To make a long story short, After my sermon, we met a retired doctor who ended up making a donation to our project. When I called to thank him, he referred me to a friend of his and encouraged me to visit him, which I was glad to do. The friend ended up making a substantial monthly pledge to our project simply because of the recommendation of his friend who had heard the sermon I didn’t want to preach!

For the past year, Cindi and I have never ceased to be amazed at how the Lord has guided and blessed our fundraising endeavors. We have watched Him open doors and move hearts. We have seen Him provide in ways we never would have imagined, and He has taught us many valuable lessons along the way. Now, thanks to many generous donors, we have completed our final fundraising goal! As we prepare for the next stage in our journey, we want to thank each of you who have helped us get to this point, and we offer our heartfelt praise to our wonderful God!

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