LIFE CONCENTRATE
In 24 hours we will embark on a most daunting adventure. We have 35 weeks scheduled to be back in the mother country of the USA.
Furlough…ha! They call it “furlough”. The connotation of furlough is rest, so…I’m not sure how much of that we will get done.
It is going to be epic though. We are entering a realm that few ever experience. Somehow, Katie and I have accrued 11 offspring. I assure you, we still feel like we are newlyweds and sometimes wonder if these kids are truly ours. That being said, we are about to board airplanes with these 11 children. Yeah, you know what everyone on that plane is going to be thinking…that a kid like theirs is getting on.
They will roll their eyes and sigh and moan and groan and whisper and pray that we are in a different part of the plane. We are used to the stereotype. Well, mostly. But then we will land and invariably someone will get up the courage to compliment Katie on her figure and the behavior of the children and my physique. Ok, maybe not my physique…
Hey, our kids are anything but docile. I get a kick out of people: “I wish my kids were were that docile.” It would be funny if it weren’t so sad because it’s Christians saying it.
We have about 10 or 12 suitcases packed for the this epic journey. Tomorrow morning at 9:00 am we will leave Varna, Bulgaria in two vehicles to make the 7-hour trek to the airport in Istanbul, Turkey.
Our kids hold American passports, speak American English, and we teach them American history, but they have never lived in America. They are about to experience a dose and a half of the most exciting, most polarizing country in the world.
America is fast. Bulgaria is slow. America functions by an arbitrarily conjured circle on the wall called a clock. Generally, the rest of the world does not. I do not say that time doesn’t exist or that it does not give structure. But “the time” does not run one’s life here. I actually kind of like it now.
Take a chill pill. I am not attacking America. I’m just saying it’s different here.
We pinched our dimes in order to purchase a vehicle for this epic trip. Forty states, 20,000 miles, hundreds of hours on the road. We did not feel that borrowing would be something we could do with a clear conscience. We also do not believe in using the leverage of the guilt trip. Or the begging method so prevalent amongst our colleagues.
Hey, if you chose to go to the mission field, don’t beg me for money to buy your vehicle!
“Well, it wasn’t our choice. God called us.” (They say this with a nasally, condescending tone.)
Then ask God to give you a vehicle, not me! Missionaries. We are evangelists, not moochinaries. Ridiculous. Don’t get me started…
Is it a wonder that we can’t get descent young people to be missionaries when the only examples of the profession are professional beggars?! Get back in your stinkin’ country, learn the language and work. God will give you what you need. Stop traveling the States raising money for this, that and the other. Deep breaths, Maulucci…you are scaring the people.
Anyway, we were able to purchase a vehicle in which to tour the mother country. Naturally we named her the mother ship. We have not met her yet. We bought her on ebay for $5,500. It is a 2000 Ford Excursion 20-passenger stretch limo.
Now, I’m sure that all pastors and assistant pastors and school administrators spent less than $5,500 on their vehicles. But we did have to take in consideration that the vehicle had to transport 13 people and luggage which may be why we spent a little more than the normal full-time servant. The “mother ship” only has about 75,000 miles on it so by any standard it was a good deal though.
Katie and I have over 20 nieces and nephews that we don’t even know. I haven’t sat down with half of my cousins for a descent conversation in a decade and a half. Grandpas and grandmas will meet some grandchildren for the first time.
We will visit the Atlantic the Pacific the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. We will drive through the Alleghenies and the Appalachians and the Adirondacks and the Rockies. We will see Washington and Philadelphia and New York and LA and San Diego and Chicago (purposely skipping Detroit and Miami).
It will go by fast. We will not have time to add water and stir. It will be life concentrate.
And when we get back home to Bulgaria, we will extract an 8 1/2 month period from the storehouse of our memory at some point. We will add time and stir gently and realize that we just experienced the trip of a lifetime!
And we will sip from that cup for years to come.
See you soon son and can’t wait
We love you and are praying for your first leg of the TRIP
Thank you, Dad. It will go by too fast. You’ll have to come with us at some point and drive so I can ride in the back with the kids!
What an awesome vehicle for your ‘tour of duty’ in the states! We’re praying for safe travels for you all.
Yes, it will be challenging to park. Pray for parking spots!
Godspeed! Looking forward to seeing you all. Safe journeys and we will be praying for you.
Thank you, sir. Looking forward to spending a couple of days with you in September and seeing the new one…and the old ones.
I’ve been praying for you since I seen the prayer letter of the Ching’s when they went back to China with 5 children. I love you and I’ll be praying, hope to see you in Aug. Mom H
Thank you, Mom H! We will see you in August, Lord-willing.
Hey, Nick! Wonderful news! Will you get to see us at Heritage?
We definitely hope so! Even if we don’t get a meeting scheduled, we will show up at some point, I’m sure…
I love the limo!! Can’t wait to squeeze that baby and meet the latest littles we haven’t yet. Jack is looking forward to playing with all his cousins. Godspeed you guys. xoxoxo
See you in September, everybody! Glory, remember I am your favorite uncle!
We are excited to see you all at our missions conference! Praying for your safety as you travel!
Which church?
Oops…just saw this reply. Roanoke Baptist 🙂
How exciting. Praying for your safe travel every step of your trip. Hopefully we will see you while you are here.
Would love to see you guys – let’s plan something…
We will be praying for your trip. I know how excited I get when I’m going home to NY for a visit, so I can only imagine how y’all are. I hope you will be able to swing by Grace Baptist in Marrero, LA if you have the chance, we would love to see y’all!!
Yes, we are scheduled to be with you in November. See you then!
This is awesome! I just subscribed to your blog because I don’t want to miss a moment of this epic adventure! We first met you at Heritage Baptist Church in Wallingford, CT. We now live in north Idaho, near Sandpoint. If you are anywhere near here during your time in the States, please let us know! We would love to be able to see you and be a blessing to you in any way we can!
We are driving up through Idaho to get to Washington, I believe, at the end of September. We may be potentially able to meet…
Now, we’re not in Detroit, but Ann Arbor area. So hopefully we can catch you sometime while you are over here.
Hey Craig, we wll be passing through that area August 17-18. Yes, we could potentially meet for dinner or something…
Amen on the vehicle! It is truly awesome praying for you all!
Thank you!
Looking forward to having yall with us in January! 🙂
Yes sir!
Skipping Miami? But it’s the best city in the good ol’ USA. Wait- is Miami actually a city in the U.S.? I never can remember…
Too bad you’ll miss out on the Cuban pastries though.
We’ll be praying for your trip!
We’ll be in Florida for 10 days at the end of November. We could meet and we would trade you some canoli for those pastries. You’d be getting the good end of the deal, but then we could add Cuban pastries to our great-tasting-but-not-as-good-as-Italian-canoli list.
Thank you for your prayers!
Deal!
Will you be coming to HopeBaptistChurch in Toledo at all ? Thank you for all the stories !!
Yes. I believe we will be there on August 17th. Looking forward to it!
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