Into The Heart of Argentina

It is August 9th and we leave August 15th. Less than a week left!

With lots of help, everything we want to take is boxed and/or palletized. The 20 foot container arrives Monday around noon and it [should] be a simple matter of using a fork lift and pallet jack to transfer the nine fully loaded pallets from the garage into the container. That’s the plan anyway.

The car made it almost to the end. Last night the ball joint on the right side gave out. The same thing happened to the other side last year while we were in Atlanta for pre-field training. It’s been a good car and we’re grateful for God’s provision of trustworthy transportation over the past four years of deputation.

One by one we’re checking off all the things that must be done before we leave. Just a few things left to be done over the next six days.

Saying goodbye is never easy, but it’s been even more difficult than expected. The emotional roller coaster probably won’t ease until we’ve gotten settled in Argentina. It’s especially hard to say goodbye to Ivan’s folks (his dad is growing more frail all the time) and our kids. What can I say? We’re thankful for the close relationship we have with them, but at the same time it makes it that much harder to let go.

Our commissioning service on July 20th was a particularly emotional day. It’s impossible to describe the overwhelming sense of unity and prayer support we felt as those who have “raised” us in the ministry, commissioned us to go. Our daughter videotaped it and is putting together a DVD which we’ll try to make available to anyone who might be interested in watching it. She’s dividing it into segments, separating each special music and speaker - so it won’t be necessary to watch the entire two hours in one setting :)

We just feel badly we didn’t let other folks know about the service ahead of time as we know more would have come to it. Quite honestly, life has been so hectic we just didn’t even think about it. So we apologize for the oversight and hope you’ll understand it wasn’t at all intentional.

July 29, 2008 we reached 100% of our monthly support!!!

We have the most amazing support team! Every one of our supporting churches and individuals are not only giving financially, but faithfully praying for us. And we know many others who cannot give but pray. THANK YOU!

Here are some specific prayer requests:

• that everything will fit into the container so it’s not necessary to try and figure out last minute what to take out
• for emotional and physical well-being as we finish our goodbyes and go
• that we would not lose sight of the God Who has prepared and is sending us, in all the busy-ness of going
• for a dependence on God alone, Who is our sufficiency, at all times and in all situations
• for the process of getting our things through customs, that it would go smoothly and not be so costly
• as we look for an apartment or house to rent and then get settled
• for Kim as she learns Spanish

If you’d like to contact us, please e-mail us at: ihoyt@biblicalministries.org We’d love to hear from you occasionally, letting us know what’s happening in your life!