Progress, Not Perfection

Hi Everybody!
I hope all is well with you and yours! Of course, I am still here plugging away to prepare for my move. It has almost been a year since I started this process, and believe me, I am ready to go! Even though I am feeling impatient and restless, I know that God's timing is the best. He never wastes an opportunity to grow us more in his character.

As you know, I took a short trip to Washington D.C. a few weeks ago to file my VISA. Well, even though I had all the necessary paperwork for the VISA, the consulate explained that because I was technically entering 'indigenous terrority' (which is highly protected by the Brazilian government), my VISA could take up to 6 months! Needless to say, I was not happy about that pronouncement. I explained to them that the other members of my team did not have to wait that long to get theirs, but that did not seem to deture them. I was feeling a little bit defeated at this point, so I drove back home praying that God would give me some special favor. A few days later, I spoke to Steve Dolan who is my main contact with the Xingu Mission. He seemed to think that this was unusual and probably misinformed. It would only be right that my first experience with the Brazilian government would be wrapped in uncertainty. Things are going to be very different there. It is better that I face that reality now! In conclusion, my VISA could be here in 2 months or 6. I have no idea. Let's pray its sooner rather than later.

On a lighter note, I got to visit our K thru 5 class at Vineyard Tuttle Crossing this past week to tell them about my plans to move. They were so excited, they had questions even before I got started! I told them about what I would be doing in Brazil and how I had decided to go. I explained to them that I had felt called to be a missionary since I was young. My hope was to open up their minds to the idea that, maybe one day, they could follow the dreams that God gives them. They were kind enough to lay hands and pray for me, as well as give me a little piggy bank in the shape of a globe full of change! I was grateful for their generosity and for allowing me to share with them my hopes for the future.

Lastly, I wanted to see if any of you were interested in helping out with a Run4God Fundraising Event coming up in the Fall. I'm pretty excited about this event because I think it will have great benefits for both the mission field and the church. If you have never done a 5k, you should know its actually a pretty fun event. You can walk or run, it usually only takes a hour or two, and most offer some goodies afterward. At our 5k, we will have food and live music!  My good friend, Penny, is spearheading this event, and we need some volunteers to make the day a success. We plan on having a meeting this week after church to discuss a few details. If you interested in getting involved, please stop by (probably in the high school room) so we can give you some more information. If you can't make it on Sunday, just shoot me an email.

I hope this gives you all a good idea of where things are at for me. I want to thank you again for all of your support, both financially and emotionally. Its so encouraging to me that you all have been willing to help me in so many ways. This really is a team effort, and I am grateful to have such a large team!

Love,
Allison Rupert