Have mercy on us
A few weeks ago we received word from our friends in England that the visa situation there was changing rapidly. New legislation was being enacted that would make our move there even more costly than we had anticipated. They needed to know from us if we could expedite our departure forward from our hoped for date of August up to early/mid May. If we said no to May, it would most likely mean not going at all. They contacted us on Thursday and needed an answer by the next Tuesday.
The Thursday we received the message felt like a gut punch. We cried a lot. Okay, I cried a lot. Leaving in May would mean missing out on a summer of goodbyes, time with family, summer camp, and all of the things we told the kids we would do before leaving. It would mean 3 fewer months to prepare our home for rental, find renters, sell our van, and pack to leave. And it would also mean that Erika would not be able to do the internship that is required to finish her Masters in Counseling. This all felt like too much.
We prayed. We asked a few folks to pray with us. I walked...a lot. I had recently heard this song from Paul Zach for the first time, and as I walked miles and miles over the same trails in Riverview Park, I kept crying out for mercy.
We asked ourselves what we really wanted. What was the desire of our hearts? Where did we see God's invitation? It felt like we had to do the last year of discerning all over again. We wanted to say yes, but with everything completed. We wanted to say yes, but with everything situated just so. We wanted to say yes.
So we are saying yes. We've applied for our visas (a harrowing story I'd love to share over coffee). We've cried and grieved with the kids. And we've upped our home goods donation game. We need mercy. We need prayer.
Can you pray:
for a good renter/s for our house in Pittsburgh. If you know anyone who might be looking for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on the city's Northside, please let us know.
for the sale of our van. If you know anyone who might want a very reliable 2014 Toyota Sienna, let us know.
for a home to rent in England. Finding a place with 2 bathrooms seems like a silly prayer, but 6 people and 1 toilet is not a recipe for long-term success.
There will be many more prayer needs in the coming months, but these are some of the things that weight the heaviest on us today.
More Transition
After 7 years of serving with SAMS, we will be transitioning to a new sending organization. Our hearts are heavy with this change as serving with SAMS has been a source of much care, joy, and honor. It feels a bit like leaving family, knowing that we will always be a part of the SAMS family, and that we leave with their blessing. In just a few hours, the final Bridger that we have worked with departs for Uganda. Thank you for supporting us as we supported those serving in short term missions. If you have supported us financially, we will be reaching out to chat about transitioning financial giving to our new org. If you have supported us in prayer, no need to change anything. Maybe up that just a smidge. More details on our ministry in England and the ways you can support us can be found on our website, www.theslowwork.com.
We love you very much,
Nathan and Erika