We made it!!!!! Myself and 13 others loaded up in a 15 passenger van and headed out of Homer, AK. Our destination was the 2 week school of the Circuit Rider in Kansas City, MO.
This Journey for me actually started last fall, when I was invited to join a team of 30 from Kona, Hawaii who had come to Alaska to spread Revival. I enjoyed traveling around the state with them for 5 weeks. What impressed me most was their boldness. These guys were daring in evangelism, taking every open door available, which is something I have never walked in. The team had just completed a school called the school of the Circuit Riders, modeling themselves after the Circuit Riding Preachers that once criss-crossed our nation. I kept thinking if I ever get the chance to do a school similar to what they did, then I am going to take it.
Than in January I hear that not only will they do another school similar this next summer but they were doing 6 schools, each in a different location. I looked up the location and saw that the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City was one of the locations. I have been intrigued with the Moravians of Europe for years (they had a prayer meeting that lasted for over 100 years, and out of that they led the first and largest missions movements of the protestant Church) anyhow I have always wanted to visit IHOP to see what it is like to be in an environment where people are praying and worshiping God 24x7. So I decided that of all the options for a school I wanted to attend the one in KC.
However as I made plans to go, Lissy and Ian two of my co-workers also made the decision to come. Then one of my guys from the Peru team was invited to join us. Then we had a Discipleship Training School happening and there outreach began the same time so we started looking into having them fly out of Kansas City instead and letting this school be their last week of class and first week of lecture. So soon, the two DTS leaders and their 8 students were coming too.
And that is how we all ended up loading up in a 15 passenger van and spending 6 days on the road to get to Kansas City.
The drive down was great. Not a complaint was heard among this road weary crew. We had some great adventures along the way and saw God provide. Our first day we put in a full 24 hours, but by evening of day two we were all exhausted and wanted out of the van. Not having a stop scheduled or a place to stay we prayed for God to provided and Ian, contacted a church he had once visited years before. Sure enough they welcomed us with Open Arms. It felt good to sleep in a laying down position!
Day 3 we got an early start and again drove as far as possible. We made it to Didsburry Canada where one of our students contacted the church he had attended as a kid. Again we were blessed with a great place to stay. Day 4 had us entering Montana and Wyoming….I was home, and singing old cowboy songs all the way down. I had arranged for the team to stay two nights at the Cowboys With a Mission base. (Partly for them, to rest and get out of the vehicle for a full 31 hours, but also for me to allow me time to see friends and family in the Cody, Meeteetse area.
Our time in Wyoming was great. While I took the day to see loved one; The team got a free trip rafting down the Shoshone River, They killed two rattle snakes on the CWAM property, and several of them attended their first ever Rodeo with me in the evening.
Refreshed and ready to go we hit the road one last time. The signs for Wall drug all along I-90 lured them in to see just what this place was. I did not spoil the fun so kept quiet and kept them guessing as they debated whether or not to stop. They had fun. That night we stayed with 3 families from the Hawarden IA area. My mom and two homes form my church. Each group was a blessed with a home cooked meal! And the church provided everyone with the means to pack a lunch. So with food to go we drove our last 6 hours arriving in Kansas City in the afternoon.
Before leaving Alaska our housing option fell through and so we left AK not knowing where we would sleep for the two weeks of class. But once we hit Montana we had a call form a church, they might have a room we could crash in. As it turns out they have a beautiful building the guys got to crash in, the pastor welcomed Billy and Sam into their home and another lady took in us 4 girls. God has abundantly blessed us.
I too experienced a miracle of my own. I left Alaska with only my tuition paid, part of my gas money set aside and a promise for a 100 that would help with gas. I knew I would have to fast the entire time in Kansas City because I had no food money, and if the crew ended up paying for housing I was going to have to live in the van cause I had no money for a place to stay. During our day in Wyoming, the base in Alaska called to tell me that they were depositing 700 in my account, an unexpected gift from friends.
We will also get to see God provide on the way home, for of our budgeted 2000 for fuel, we spent 1600 getting the 15 passenger van and trailer down here. So those of us not going to Mongolia have only 400 to get back :)
