And We’re Off!

January 22-26, 2014.  Our first deputation meeting. It seemed so far away when we scheduled it last November.  Then it seemed as if we would never get healthy enough to go anywhere.  And then panic set in when I realized how much we didn’t have ready – like our display table, video presentation, etc.

I got to pack up these kiddos for a “vacation” as Elaine called it.  Cutest items I ever found in a suitcase!

We left Wednesday morning in 13” of snow.  The sickness which had traveled through our family several times had finally settled on me – the night before departure.  I felt horrible when I woke up, and I didn’t want to go anywhere.  Ben loaded the car – including a new roof top bag which had to be adjusted – in 5 degree weather.  There was no place to pull up in front of the house to load because all of the snow was plowed into our “spot” by the fire hydrant.

All of this combined to make us a little late hitting the road.  Even though we didn’t have any responsibilities in the opening service that night, we still wanted to be there.  We drove into the hotel with 20 minutes to unload the suitcases, feed the babies, and change clothes.

We were doing great until we discovered that irons were only available on request.  Okay, we go wrinkled.  We were doing great until I went to comb my hair and discovered I left the toiletry bag in our bathroom at home.  It’s okay – it was only Mommy’s toiletries.  Everyone else’s things are accounted for.  We were doing great until we discovered that I had the wrong address written down for the church.  We went the wrong way.  Good thing it’s only a mile from the hotel! 

We walked in partway through the opening prayer, just as Pastor Wells was asking God to bless the Hamilton’s.  He did – all week long.

Trinity Baptist Church meets in a converted convenience store.  Pastor Wells moved to Keysville and started renovating the building before the church was born in December 2011.

Here are a few of the blessings of the week…

• There was a huge fruit basket and gift box waiting for us in the hotel room.  The kids were delighted with the little things meant just for them. 
• Many of the toiletries in the gift box were just the right replacements for what I had forgotten. 
• The Wal-Mart gift card provided the rest, along with food to have breakfast and lunch in the hotel room {much easier with four little kids than eating out!}. 
• A man at the church bought our breakfast on the first day.
• After the second night I was feeling much better, and I even slept the other nights!  The kids adjusted to napping together in the motel room (and it usually worked out that I got to take a nap with them).
• We got a call on Sunday morning from another church (the mother church of Trinity which is a 2 year old church plant), and we were asked to present our ministry at Grace Baptist Temple on Sunday night.  So – we got two meetings in our first trip!
• Trinity Baptist Church was the perfect church for us to begin deputation at.  It was a small church, and understanding of our kids just learning the ropes of being in a new church.
• We were provided accommodations at the motel just a mile from church, and a prophet’s chamber at Grace Baptist Temple.
• Our video presentation went smoothly at both churches.
• The love gifts from both churches more than paid for our expenses to travel to VA.
• No vehicle issues – just a lot of dirt!

Pastor Wells’ family includes eight kids – the youngest two are identical twin girls just a month older than our twins.  Unfortunately, the flu was making its way through their family (and much of the church) so we didn’t really get to see them at all.  But we made good friends with two other missionary families – The Suttle’s planting a church in Maine, and the Goosman’s heading to the Orkney Islands of Scotland..  The Suttle family was particularly encouraging as they are at the end of their deputation journey, and they are also planning to stay stateside.

Our goal is to have 25 deputation meetings this year, so that we can hit the road full time next year.  We are praising the Lord that after only a month of contacting churches to set up meetings, we are 40% of the way to our goal – we have 10 meetings scheduled for 2014 and one for 2015!