The Bali Moores

 

Never a Dull Moment

Catching up after some time away

 

A continuing theme for us lately is that the journey is more interesting than the final destination.  Over the past six months, we have done our fair share of journeying, both physically and spiritually.  We have struggled with next steps and discerning those.  We are finding that we have been changed by our experiences here over the last two years, and yet, there are still parts of us that are very much the same.  (Can you tell I've been reading Ecclesiastes?)  Anyway, we are moving forward, trusting the Lord to keep us on his path, and enjoying the path he has placed us on....for it is a good path, and He is soooo trustworthy.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

We have become acquainted with a group here on this island who is being used by the Lord to do a tremendous work. They have acquired some beautiful acreage in the mountains, a very remote and serene setting. Here they have set up a rehab center. Young men who are in trouble with the police are brought here as well as young women who have been rescued out of human sex trafficking. Here they are allowed a chance to start over. Here they are allowed to heal, to be counseled and loved. Here many of them find their identities as children of God. 

 

There is a desire to teach these young people skills, and to be more self sustaining.  Therefore, they have begun growing vegetables and would also very much like to pursue raising goats and cows.  We are exploring the possibility of being able to help them achieve this goal!  Please pray that God would continue to open doors.

 

 

 

 

From April until August, we were blessed with some much needed time in GA.  It was so good to hug family and friends again!  Between celebrating birthdays, an early "Labor Day" Bar-B-Q, and reconnecting with our sending churches, it quickly seemed like a whirlwind tour.  If we didn't get to see you in person, it was not intentional...we will definitely want to catch up with you next time!  We had such a great time, it was a bit hard to leave...but we feel sure there is more to come for us and perhaps through us on the Island.

 

Our four hour layover in Sydney turned into a six night stay due to volcanic ash near Bali.  We made the most of it, once we got acclimated (our first winter temps in two years!), and had a great time seeing a unique part of the world we had not experienced before.  With the airline paying for our hotel and most of our food, and a very well organized city with excellent rail system, we were able to take in many sights.  One of our favorites was definitely seeing the Three Sisters formation in the Blue Mountains...gorgeous!  God is so extravagant!

 

When you live in a country that is not your home, you have to have permission to live there.  Each country is different in what are acceptable reasons for you to be allowed there, and each of those have their own set of hoops to jump through.  This has very real potential to cause a lot of stress, so we try to see it as a game...and we are trying to learn how to play it.  So far, this has meant almost not being able to board our plane in Atlanta, and an overnight trip to Singapore.  Please pray that we will learn this game quickly, and that God will provide the visas we need.