Kingdom Alliance & Homecoming!

Just a quick note of closure to our 6 month mission trip. Kingdom Alliance Team came down and successfully built 2 churches and put a floor in a third church in less than 10 days. Willy, Lacey, Larinda, Lindsey, Renita and Daniel Dortch all joined the team from AK. We pray God will be glorified for years to come in these village churches along the Amazon river. Willy and I then took a few days alone and went to Cajamarca where there was fresh mountain air (for Willy) and hot springs (for me). After 6 months of cold showers, I soaked in that hot water until I was satisfied! We also spent some time in the sauna. Willy is ready to move there! The fresh air was 'like heaven' after 6 months of working hard construction in jungle heat.
We spent the next week packing and saying our last good-byes to all the wonderful people we have been blessed to now hold dear in our hearts. We praise God for the lives that have been touched due to building relationships with those God brought into our lives. The kingdom of God works in mysterious ways. We invest into people and they in turn invest into us and we all come out better.
We are all coming home 'changed' forever. We had a true 'on the field' Mission 101 class...the good, the bad and the ugly. However, we choose to focus on the good and come home better, rather than bitter. We have much to share for those who are interested in knowing the true dynamics of the foreign mission world. Now wondering why God brought us here and how He is planning to use what we learned here in the future. First the big girls have to cry out these tears of sadness I am watching rolling down their cheeks while we sit here in Lima airport waiting for the rest of the family. We leave at midnight...should be arriving into WA DC Thursday noon time. Plan to go to Christina's (Kaleb's fiancee) and do some 'wedding planning' and then meeting David (Lorena's fiancee) on Saturday to maybe do some more 'wedding planning'.
Life sure doesn't allow for much rest!
Thank y'all for praying for us these past 6 months! It was one of the top 5 hardest adventures life has brought us. Nevertheless, very rewarding. Maybe lasting rewards do not come easy? Continue to pray for us that the 'snow' will not detain us from arriving back to our much 'dreamed about' home. America, the beautiful! We are coming home!

        My country,' tis of thee,
 sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
 land where my fathers died,
 land of the pilgrims' pride,
 from every mountainside let freedom ring!

from jungle heat to snow,
Sara w/family