The Gift of Time; an Investment in Future Ministry
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Missionary House ProjectI am in my new (old) house! Closing on the house took more than a month (bad news) because interest rates are so low right now (good news) so the mortgage companies are all slammed with new loans or refinancing of loans. But the important thing is that God has provided a home!
 A little background for those who are wondering what happened. I am still planning to serve with MTW in Australia, but it will likely be another year before they open their borders. For several years, I've been thinking about buying a home for investment purposes, a place to live while on furlough, and a source of additional income by renting it to other missionaries or AirBNB guests. Through COVID-19, God has given me the gift of time, and through this house I have the gift of purposeful work, as I do most of the renovations myself.
The house is in the historic Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson, MS, just one block from the university where I worked for nine years before moving to Japan. The main floor has three bedrooms and two baths, plus there is a one-bedroom apartment in the walk-out basement. The apartment is not currently habitable, so I am living on the main floor and will be remodeling the basement first. When that is finished, I will start renting it out to help pay for the work needed on the main floor. As I plan to do the vast majority of the work myself, it will likely be a long process. But God has provided plenty of time!
I am feeling very blessed with this house. It is in a popular neighborhood (very much in demand in the AirBNB market), and is only a few blocks from First Presbyterian Church, so an attractive location to missionaries as well. With the income from the two units, I should have more than enough to cover my monthly mortgage and utility bills. Of course I will need to hire someone to manage the house in my absence. But I look forward to getting a little experience doing that myself before my departure.
I appreciate your prayers as I work to make this house into a home that will be a blessing to many missionary families, as well as an investment that can pay my bills and provide for my future needs.
If you want to follow my renovation adventures, I'm sure I'll be posting many pictures on Facebook!
 A Man's Best Friend Now that I'm living in a house of my own, I adopted a senior dog just yesterday. Maggie (Magnolia) is a ten-year old pit bull who has lived almost all of her life in a shelter, meaning that she is institutionalized, much like a prisoner. She's very timid, and would probably love nothing more than to return to the kennel she knows all too well. I'm told it may take a couple of months for her to adjust to "life on the outside," but that she will then be my best friend. As I'll be working from home for the next year, it will be good to have a companion! |
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