Sunday, July 31, 2011

Training in the Dominican

We left Monday and flew to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.  We were attending training through the Free Methodist VISA program that has been sending missionaries out since some time in the 60s.  They had a vast knowledge of what to expect as we plan to leave, and also as we get settled in Bulgaria.  We had many classes and learned a great deal.  We also met some AMAZING people that are heading out to Africa (Kenya and Rowanda) and a good many heading to Asia.


We are now back home and begin a week of paperwork getting the final things off so that we can get to Washington, D.C. to the consulate for our visas.  Please help us pray for this leg of the race as we count down the last 9 weeks here in the states.  There are so many daily reminders that this journey will have many obvious and hidden rewards and gains, but also obvious and hidden challenges.  Thank you so much for your prayers and partnership in this.  God is so amazing, and we are so very thankful for family, friends, prayer partners, and those that are joined with us in their hearts.  It makes all the difference in the world!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Busy Week

We have had quite a busy week!  Al and Diane Mellinger were visiting.  They are the missionaries that have been in Bulgaria for 4 years and planted the seed 3 years ago of us possibly coming to help them one day.  We spent three days discussing plans and talking about "household" issues.  We will be living in their home in Petrich, Bulgaria the month of October while they are here in the states and we will be going out with our friend Peggy to locate a home of our own in the town of Samokov, Bulgaria.
Before they got here, we spent a week going through each room of the house and going down to the bare necessities that we need to live off of for the next 11 weeks.  Many items were donated to Highland church in Bibb City. (A man who told me that he lives in the woods got my Pampered Chef stone that makes great pizza and plans to cook on the stone to make his bacon and eggs over the fire.  How awesome is that?)  Items are being a blessing already!  Alan's toys were given to Valley Rescue for their Christmas toy give away.  Books were given to a local church that has felt led to begin a bookstore in their church.  Furniture was given to a newly married couple that had little furniture to begin their life together.  God is good!
Today a Sunday school group is outside cleaning up our yard and making it look beautiful for the people God is sending this way to purchase it!  How humbling and what a blessing!  Special thanks to David, Bailie, Randall and Brianna!
We leave Sunday to go to Atlanta and then fly out Monday morning for a week of classes and training in the Dominican Republic.
Joy Crumpton and Pam Bone are planning to set up a yard sale in the next month or two to help with fundraising.  If you are interested in helping or donating, please contact them!
The fundraising process has been amazing!  God is so good!  We still need around $30,000 if you feel led to partner and connect with this calling on a monthly basis or one-time gift.
God Bless and remember there is Freedom in Christ!
The Galloways
Chance, Dee Dee, Mitch, Catherine, Jessie, and Alan