House-Hunter Mississippi

It's been 3-½ months since I returned to the States from Japan (a planned three-week stopover on my way to Australia). Perhaps like many of you, I thought this COVID situation would clear up within a few months. It obviously isn't doing that. I was working with an immigration lawyer in Sydney to apply for my Australian visa; he speculates that the border likely won't open before 2021.

I have not had much to do during this pandemic:

I'm on an MTW committee to revamp our training of new missionaries;
I take care of my mom's yard and get groceries so she can stay isolated;
I painted two large cityscapes (Osaka & Sydney) that I plan to hang in my Sydney apartment once this is all over.

But that leaves a lot of extra time. God created mankind to work. What can I do to be productive for an unknown period of time?

For several years I have thought about buying a house for my own use as well as other missionaries while on furloughs. Finding appropriate housing is difficult for missionaries as we need something that is fully furnished so that we don't need to purchase all these things for just 6-12 months! In addition to being an affordable blessing to many missionaries, my house could be rented as an AirBNB when not needed by missionaries, generating a little additional income for me as well. Ideally, I would like a house with a separate mother-in-law suite -- two separate units. I could live in one and rent out the other, or rent out both when I'm overseas.

I am still committed to serving with MTW in Sydney. I've talked about this house idea with my Sydney team leader, as well as others from MTW and my own church, and have been encouraged to pursue it as I wait for Australia to re-open.

This period of waiting for the world to change may be just the opportunity I need to find a house, make any necessary renovations, set it up, etc. I've got the time! And so I've been looking online for an appropriate house and talking with a former student of mine who is now a realtor in Jackson, MS.

I will be driving to Mississippi on Monday and Tuesday of next week (July 13-14), and have an appointment to see two houses the next day. I appreciate your prayers for this huge endeavor (see specific prayer requests under "Prayer Points").

Support Update

God has provided for 96% of my support, meaning that I still need an additional $325 in monthly pledges. If you would like join my ministry team, you can do so in one of several ways:

Online giving (one-time or recurring)
Email me with your pledge amount
Email Savannah at MTW with your pledge amount

Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

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Calendar

July 13-14
Traveling from Iowa to Mississippi

Prayer Points

Pray for the COVID-19 situation to be resolved. Just as so many people are out of work, so many missionaries are stranded in their home countries and unable to get back to the work to which God has called us.

Pray for the City Sanctum ministry in Sydney which I'll be leading upon my arrival. They have not had a leader dedicated to leading this ministry since their inception several years ago. The pandemic has brought even more strain, although they have been meeting on Zoom. Please pray for the MTW staff who are giving all they can to City Sanctum, and for the member leaders as well, that they will all persevere until I can hopefully bring the needed leadership.

Pray that God will lead me in either finding an appropriate house, or in showing that it is not his will at this time. If a house is in God's will:

Pray that I'll find a house that is a good deal, well-built, and would be safe and comfortable for missionary families and attractive to AirBNB guests.
I'll need a house loan.
Hiring a contractor, perhaps an architect.
Hiring someone to manage the house in my absence.
So many things I may not have even yet considered.

Video Presentation

For more information about the work to which God has called me in Sydney, click on the link below to view a video presentation from last Fall.