And he's off!

Well, tomorrow's the big day: John leaves for his first surveying trip with eMi. (He's already tagged along on some construction management trips.) Tonight I am shoving little notes deep into his bag, praying God will continue to encourage him on this two-week adventure. Some of you will remember from this post that he'll be surveying a camp known as Restoration Gateway, located near Kuruma Falls. Restoration Gateway "exists to join Christ in restoring peace and healing wounds among the vulnerable children and war-torn people of Northern Uganda. Five hundred acres of land overlooking the Nile is being developed into a holistic, reproducible community through Orphan Care, Health Care, Empowerment and Ministry to the Church." This trip is the zenith of John's six week surveying practicum that eMi has taught through Kyambogo (Chom-boh-goh) University.

Here's what I'm praying for, though obviously we'd covet prayer for whatever God brings to mind.

• One of the local students forgot that he was to lead devotions on Friday morning, so he asked John to lead. John took the invaluable opportunity to lay open the second chapter of Ephesians and explicitly convey the Gospel for these guys, who he's been building relationships with for the last four weeks. Please pray that God would break down any obstacles between them coming to know Jesus Christ, and that He would be working on their hearts while John and Patrick (the eMi Canada staffer who's taught the class) are there to talk with them. Pray for critical conversations to take place and flourish: "keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:18-19).

• I'm praying for protection--specifically from disease, insects, animals (i.e. snakes...)--as these guys tramp around in 500 acres of African bush for a week and a half. After seeing some of my friends come home with malaria or digestive issues and John come home with a fever--in addition to the sheer fatigue--I realize that the aftermath of these trips can be just as complicated.

• I'm also praying for perseverance. This is a long time for an introvert to be with people, a handful of whom don't walk with God, in the wilderness and sun with foreign food. John's continued to amaze me here, and I see that as great evidence of God's grace.

Personally, for the kids and I, I'm asking for peace, perseverance, and just grace while we're here in Kampala without John. All this makes me thankful for a man who leaves such a gap when he's gone because of all the ways he's really invested in his home. And it makes me grateful for these times when he can go out and tangibly do what we've come here for. God's able to do great things in these next few weeks.