THROUGH TEARS, LAUGHTER

It was a looong 1st day as we embarked on our journey abroad at 4:35pm Atlanta time with a bit of a luggage snafu which, miraculously, only resulted in one lost bag. Unfortunately, it is the bag containing all the toys and games for the outreach with the disabled children scheduled for Wednesday. So, right out of the starting gates, we would appreciate prayers for a speedy return of this bag or a Plan B better than the first. So like God to redirect our steps to something bigger, better, greater and beyond anything we could ever have imagined. Our faith is in Him, and we know He will be glorified, no matter what.

Toss in three legs to our journey, more than one language barrier, some sleep deprivation and Leland Holder, and you've got a recipe for much laughter. To keep this "G" rated, suffice it to say, Leland seems to be a target for "wanding" through security checkpoints. For starters, we've concluded, either all airports need to invest in the private, curtained scanning booths or Mr. Holder needs to stop losing weight just in case he's asked to remove his belt and place it on the conveyor belt. We can't decide who should play him the the movie version of "Leland goes Global," either Martin Short in his Ed Grimley persona holding up his pants, or Tim Conway shuffling his feet slowly to keep his pants from falling down. His team was no support at all, snickering from the sidelines. Good fodder already and sure to get exaggerated as the week gains momentum. Kathy (me) is doing caffeine! The new tag line being, "You don't WANT her on that wall. You don't NEED her on that wall!"

There were so many laughs with the team and with our family here, just 24 hours into our trip. Adrija insisted, as usual, we are not to return home. No more of this back and forth. We'll just stay here together in Bosnia, as brothers and sisters, until we are together in Heaven. Nono, Associate Pastor, has been shuttling many visitors this week, to and from Sarajevo, and us, to and from Split. He could hardly keep his eyes open at dinner making an encrypted reference to Bugs Bunny holding his eyes open with toothpicks, then tossing his head back with that wide grin and contagious laugh which makes his eyes smile too. Some things translate despite language barriers.

By night's end, the Atlanta weather caught up with us and it was flooding in Capljina. Tony (our translator) said he'd never seen anything like it, and John Morgan, our team appointed driver, couldn't find reverse, on the stick shift, in the van. It was another adventure that only brought more laughter in our over-tired state. Fortunately, Tony bailed us out and got us home.

Still there's a heaviness offset by a sense of wonder and anticipation. A desire to know where the church and our Bosnian church family goes from here. We watch Bernard meet with benefactors and prepare for his upcoming trip to America and pray for all the success of the next chapter in the life of the Evangelical Church. We pray for funding and support and for God to use them and all gleaned from our past partnership as they go out and become a flagship model for others in the country and a beacon of light reaching out into into their city and beyond. What our roles will become going forward are unknown. Only God knows the answers to these questions behind those tears. As we come alongside our Bosnian family, we hope, as they do, to hear God's voice with indelible clarity that this is not an ending, but a beginning for all of us, a new chapter, a door opening, a new direction, the way of which will be revealed in God's perfect timing.

It is now Tuesday morning. We began with morning prayer and worship, as we will do each day. Our plans for the day are dedicated to prayer, worship and encouragement - a full day at the church, which will eventually include most of the congregation. Please pray for a large turnout tonight. We are certain there will be many tears, and through the tears, more laughter.