With that said, here are some of the biggest ways God has cleared the way for us to go to one of the most remote regions in the world to preach the good news of Jesus Christ (for our newsletter subscribers, most of this you have probably already heard):
- Our work permits –after two tries of submitting them over a period of six months—have been approved
- Not only does our whole team have purchased airline tickets, but we all got on the same plane, sitting near each other (that’s 6 adults and 9 children, folks)
- The housing that we wanted in Madang is available and–so far–the owners have said we can come. This is a huge blessing!
- When purchasing the cabinets for our houses in the tribe, we received an unexpected 20% discount off of the total price, saving us thousands of dollars
- Cross-country road trip for the Dodds – We drove through the low-slung deserts of Arizona, the broken mesas of New Mexico, the high plains of Texas, on into the slow-moving bayous of Louisiana and back again over the past two weeks. We were privileged to spend time with some very sweet people in Southlake, Texas–as well as speak with their church’s missions committee–and visited family in Louisiana that we may never see again on this earth.
There is a long list of things we have still to accomplish in the next six and a half weeks and many things you can be praying for. Here are some of the foremost:
- Finish raising the rest of our support. We are at 90% which is amazing, having only really started that aspect of going to PNG in March. Please pray that we raise the last $600 a month soon
- Finish the visa application process – now that we have our work permits, we can apply for our visas. This process typically takes less time, but we are still in prayer that all would go smoothly.
- Saying goodbye (for now) to our family and friends – It will be three to four years before we come back to the States for a visit, so we want to love our families well and leave them well (for now)
The bittersweet task of loving you well while you are here without holding on too tightly is challenging. I trust that you are in the hands of the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I trust in the blood of Jesus that you have been redeemed and transformed so that you are fit vessels to take the message of the cross to this remote area of the world. I trust in the Presence of God to provide comfort and peace to all of you and to those of us here behind as we face the necessary separation to come. I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the tribe that God has already chosen for you. May you walk steadfastly in the path He has set before you following His direction forward and trusting in His protection behind.
My sweet love – if you have ever stood at the ocean’s shore and observed the wind and the waves – you know they are powerful and relentless. With a simple word, Jesus calmed the waves and the wind. From roaring, squealing winds to silent, calm seas – with a word. He knows your name and He already knows when you will be on those planes and helicopters – every time. And He loves you. Epehsians 2:4-10 says “.. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
So, trust Him Who loves you that much!
And know that I love you…so very much that some people think it’s weird. 🙂
I love you. I love you.
I love Matt. I will miss him so much. I love Mary, Onesimus, Benaiah and Susanna. But oh, what a wonderful gift they will be to the people of the tribe.
I love what I see God doing in all of your lives. Grow in Him. Stay close to Him. He is our only Hope and the reason you are going at all.
And…He loves me! 🙂 On that I can depend.
Well said Diane. 🙂
Thankful for you, Dodd family. Praying with you and for you. We have been blessed to be in the body of GBC with you and look forward to celebrating with you as God uses you to bring the gospel to those who have never heard. To God be the glory, forever and ever.