"Wrapping Up" Here in Temuco

It feels like we've been "wrapping up" things at the house for a while now. We are counting down the last days here in Temuco, and keeping busy with last minute preparations to leave for Antofagasta on the 26th.

The living room is basically full of things ready to load. Other rooms in the house either look totally empty or are in utter chaos.

Our kitchen will officially be closing on Friday. In the meantime, we have been eating in cramped quarters. On Sunday and Monday night, Kristi, Kaylee, and Lukas will sleep down at the Temuco Bible Institute. Jordan, Ben, and I will continue to sleep on a mattress here at the house until moving day.

The internet and phone lines will be disconnected tomorrow, so this will be the last blog post from Temuco. We do hope to be fully back online up in our Antofagasta apartment by mid-May. While we will be able to check email at local cyber shops or at a friend's house, we will be unable to fully communicate with everyone during the next three weeks. As internet connection is available, we will post updates on our "Flincks in Chile" Facebook ministry page.

We would appreciate your prayers during the next three weeks. We are tired of packing, but the end of the packing process is only the beginning of other stages of unloading, unpacking, and adjustment to a new city in the very near future.

Until next time,

The Flinck Family

Good bye Party at Church - Despedida

Last Saturday, the members and attenders of our church in Temuco (UCB 21 de Mayo) gave us a surprise "despedida" (or goodbye party).

A large percentage of the church members were there for the light supper.

The church, as a whole, gave our family a gift (a wooden wall hanging) to remind us of their love and friendship.

Several other families gave gifts as well. We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to serve and minister at the church during these past two years of orientation time. Each church member will be dearly missed and we will continue to pray that the Lord will continue to work in each heart.

Many ladies in the church have jokingly threatened to kidnap Lukas right before we leave Temuco. Our children's Sunday School class had a small goodbye party as well during their class. Jordan, Ben, Kaylee, & Lukas will miss their friends from church. Lord willing, they will make new friendships in Antofagasta, but their "first Chilean friendships" will never be forgotten.

Jenny's Birthday

Some of you have been praying for Jenny. For over a year now, Kristi has been meeting with Jenny on a weekly basis here in our home. We are thankful and excited to share that God has been working in Jenny's heart, and some spiritual decisions have been made and fruit has been evident in her life.

Recently, Jenny turned 18. Kristi was invited to attend her birthday party at her home near the church. A year ago, Jenny was planning to have her 18th birthday party at a local disco with all of her worldly friends, but this year many of her desires and friendships have changed. She instead decided to invite friends from the church family to her birthday party.

As we are preparing to move to Antofagasta, we are not looking forward to the upcoming difficult goodbye's. Jenny is one of those difficult goodbye's. Kristi will continue to stay in contact with her via the internet and phone calls.

Please pray for us as we say goodbye to many close friends here in Temuco. Pray for Jenny and her spiritual walk with God. We pray that she will grow up into a woman of God, who makes decisions based on spiritual maturity.

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanders or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:3-5

March '11 Kid's Edition

Lukas crashing on the way home from the beach.

Ben at the beach

Lukas' favorite job: Walk with daddy down to the bread store.

Lukas' new nickname is Techno-Boy, since he loves to play on the iPad.

Time with daddy learning how to putt.

Looks like it's going to break to the left.

Remembering Miss Jenna on her birthday.

Heidi's visit

Heidi Wolters, an individual supporter and member of our sending church, came to visit us in Temuco the last week in March. We were thankful for her willingness to travel the many miles and spend 5 days with our family.

View more pictures from Heidi's visit HERE.

Antofagasta: The Packing Process

What do you think of when you think of moving? Cardboard boxes...the sound of the tape gun...a living room filling up with things.

The process of packing is rarely easy and stress-free. We can give testimony to that, for sure. The last two weeks, we have been slowly packing up our things in preparation for moving day at the end of this month (April).

What makes packing difficult is that life must go on during a large majority of the packing process. Meals still need to be made, laundry still needs to be done, and homeschooling still needs to happen. The balance is always between packing too early or leaving the majority for the last minute.

Tomorrow, an employee from the moving company will be stopping by the house to gauge how much stuff we have and make an educated decision on how big a truck we will need.

By end of next week, we should have all of our beds dismantled and the house will be pretty boring.

Please continue to pray for the following:

*Strength as we continue to prepare for moving day.

*Provision for the expected and unexpected moving bills.

*A safe two day drive up to Antofagasta. The whole family will be going in our van. Should be a L-O-N-G trip...