Transition is Never Easy

Transition is never easy.  When you are working within a different culture, one that you do not always understand, it becomes even more difficult.

We made the decision to transition.  The next step is how – how do we tell the churches, how to we tell our friends, how do we tell our neighbours.  We did all that and everyone is now aware that ‘someday we plan to leave’.  We have no definite date, which is a good thing.

 Jake informed the community that we would like to sell the land and was told that the land could not be sold.  It can only be given back to the community.  That is one of these great half-truths.  The land cannot be sold but the investments or improvements of the land can be recuperated.  You may change the name but you cannot sell.  It is all semantics.  So the process of ‘recuperating our investment’ or ‘changing the name’ begins.

 
Our friend and co-worker would like to use our property for a church camp. Although it would not meet North American standards, it could easily be used for smaller groups.  His vision is to hold youth retreats, couple retreats, men’s’ retreats, women’s’ retreats etc.  He does not have the finances to bankroll a project of this size so he has collaborated with another friend, Luciano. Luciano, a man with a heart for the Lord, is a well established farmer in this area who has the finances and the desire to help Dionicio.  This proposal is our first desire but we realize that it will take time for them to gather the support of the local churches, to negotiate a reasonable ‘fee’ with the community to change the name, to write the necessary papers needed for the transfer and the operation of the camp facility.

This proposal is our first choice but we have had others show interest as well.  The problem is that they have to get the money together for the payment and most need one to two years to save that amount.

So we live in limbo – each day as it comes.  We know that this is all in God’s hands and that is the only comfort that we have.  Each day we pray for patience, for wisdom, for courage.