Manny Is Going Home

Yesterday morning as we were getting ready for church Mary pointed out we only have two weeks until we leave for Ghana.  I knew the date was coming up fast but somehow the realization that it was only two weeks away seemed to have snuck up on me.  It’s less than two weeks now. 

But if it seems just around the corner for me it must really seem to be coming fast for Manny.  Manny is going home for the first time in over seven years.  He leaves this coming Sunday (March 4) one week before the rest of us.  At church yesterday Manny was commissioned for the trip since he will be leaving on the 4^th before the service.  At both services yesterday members of the congregation laid hands on him and prayed over him, thanking God for Manny, for what God has done with and through him, and for what God will do in the coming weeks in Ghana.  Manny took a few moments to also thank the congregation for all they have done for him over the past few years.  It was a beautiful moment in the life of the church. And though it was only a small event in the grand narrative of the Kingdom of God, it showed the earnestness and faith of the people of Andover in the living Christ and in his commission to us to go to all the nations and spread the Good News.

Manny next to one of the bags of glasses

When we met for our weekly team meeting last night we took a few moments to discuss the service that morning.  One thing that we all noted was the support and generosity of the people at Andover, not only in terms of financially supporting the trip, but also through your prayers, through the volunteers who have helped us prepare and pack the glasses and sew dresses, and through your presence in our lives.  We also recognize prayer and support is coming from outside the Andover community and we are truly grateful for that.

We also took time last night to tack a group photo of the team which has been posted to the blog.  You can see it by clicking HERE.

It won’t be long now!  Please continue to pray for us and for the people of Ghana.