Iquitos, Peru Mission Trip 2009

One week from today I will be on a plane headed for the Amazon Jungle. Now there's a statement I would have never dreamed would cross my lips.

Myself and a handful of others are going on a mission trip to Iquitos, Peru, smack dab in the middle of the Amazon rain forest, on the Amazon River. If you've ever seen the shows on the Discovery Channel where they go on expeditions in search of the giant anaconda, and see piranhas and crocodiles along the way...well, that's where we are headed. You can't get to Iquitos by road, cause there ain't one. It's either up the river, or in a plane.

We will fly out of Birmingham to New Jersey, then almost directly south to Lima, Peru. We will spend a few hours in a hotel, then hop in a plane early the next morning and go to Iquitos. There we will spend a week doing door-to-door evangelism, discipleship for new believers, training local church members, and helping plant new churches. At the end of the week we will have a quick boat ride on the Amazon River, then head back home.

This will be my third mission trip in a year's time, since I went on my first one to Pisco, Peru. The second one I went on was to Changuinola, Panama. Now I'm headed back to Peru, but a very different part. Pisco was almost like a desert, and on the Pacific coast, South of Lima. This time we will be in tropical jungle conditions (you know, yellow fever, malaria, typhoid, etc...). Lisa was actually planning on going on this trip, but baby boy Harper put the kibosh on that plan. Lisa can't fly (in a plane. I know you know that she can't literally fly, even when she isn't expecting) right now. She'll get to go on one of these trips soon.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it. I've only been on two mission trips so far, but the things God does when you go on mission is almost unbelieveable. If I hadn't lived some of the things I experienced, I would never believe my own stories. I'm excited about what will happen this time. I expect big things, and that's not too much for God to deliver on.

Pray for the trip; that God's will will be accomplished through us, and that many new worshippers will be added to the kingdom of God.

The Life of a School Bus Driver

In the ongoing effort to support my family in the midst of this pathetic economy, I have done the unthinkable. No, I haven't robbed a fillin' station or anything like that. I have become a school bus driver.
There's nothing quite like it. The astronauts think they have responsibility. HA! Let them safely haul around 65 kids, half of which some people other than myself might want to strangle. Yep, during my two weeks of training I realized it was the most demanding job on earth, and only special people, like a mix of Army rangers and zombies, have what it takes.
So far I've just been a substitute. That in itself is pretty exciting. I imagine it's what explorers like Lewis and Clark must have felt like, being led around in place they've never seen before on the word of savages. I do have an advantage though. Instead of savages, I have kinder gardeners telling me where to go. I never realized that when it comes to giving directions that they are NOT the best people in the world to ask, but you live and learn.
Really, it is challenging, which makes it fun. I do feel somewhat like a traitor to who I was in school, but I realize there are some cool bus drivers out there, like Otto Man from the Simpsons. I'm sure I could write volumes on the adventures of a substitute bus driver, and if construction don't get better soon, I may have to.

About the profile pic...

Just a little background on the profile pic. I'm not really into all the cutesy-cutesy stuff, but I have to admit this was my idea, and I had to get Lisa to go along with it. I also have to admit that I made two signs - depending on if we found out baby boy Harper was actually baby girl Harper.
It's pretty self explanatory really. On 3/5/09 we found out (or rather got confirmation) that baby boy Harper was in fact a boy. Both of us had a really strong feeling he was a boy. Almost all our friends (except two who shall remain unnamed) figured him for a boy as well.
Well, just to show the boy sometime in the future that I really was excited about his arrival, and to mark the occasion, I spent hours making this elaborate sign. I would have been cool with a girl, but I was really happy when we found out he was a him. Hopefully, the presently unnamed baby boy will grow up and keep our lineage going with some boys of his own (but a couple of girls here and there will be okay too).

Mother's Day

We had our first mother's day this past weekend. Normally, I like to wait until the very last minute to get a card, you know, when the lines have died down. I have to admit, I almost forgot to get Lisa one. It's still kind if weird to think we are going to be parents.
I wasn't sure whether or not I was supposed to get her a card. We don't actually have a baby yet, I mean out in the open air and all. But here's the way I figured it. I said to myself (using Tommy Lee Jones voice) "self...Lisa is carrying the baby boy. You have to look at it this way, she either is or she ain't a mama. So that means she is.
Well, the good thing is that I did get her a card, and her family gave her a good Mother's Day too. I haven't thought of it till just now, but I guess that means I should be getting some cards come Father's day.

Baby Boy Harper

Me and Lisa have talked about starting a blog for a while. My brother and his wife (Jeff and Leslie) started one before their son (Max) was born. They do a really nice job keeping it up, and the whole family is able to see what they are up to. We decided to copy them.

This sonogram picture was taken March 5th this year. That's the day we found out we were having a boy. Today makes two months since we found out he is a boy, and about three months till he gets here.

We've been having a lot of fun thinking up names. Pretty much what happens is I think them up, and Lisa says no. Right now it's pretty close between Mugsy and Geronimo. If you have any suggestions, let us know.